Annual Reports

배경

목적

1. 관계적 접근 (Relational approach)이 어떻게 조선반도를 위한 사고의 틀 (framework)을 제공할 수 있는지 보여주기 위함 입니다. 즉 남북 모두의 역사와 이데올로기들, 공유된 전통과 한민족의 가치 뿐만 아니라 북남 모두의 역사 및 이데올로기들의 특징들에 기반하여 고안됨을 보여주고자 합니다.
2. To hold a series of confidential Consultations from October 2018 to February 2023, attended by invited participants across political divides, members of the international community and appropriate technical expertise, at a secure and neutral venue, to explore the feasibility and growth potential of a relational approach across the major sectors of agriculture, business and the public sector.

전후사정

Relationships have been unsettled in the Korean Peninsula since 1950, and indeed for several decades before that. Despite many families having members on both sides of the 38th Parallel, and many attempts at détente, relations between DPRK and ROK have remained polarised and often tense, as today. However, the shared language and long history of Korean culture offers hope that the future lies in unity rather than division. What is critically needed is an agreed ideological foundation and framework for political economy which can enable all parties to come together around a shared vision for the future of the Peninsula.

It should not be assumed that in the future, DPRK will dominate due to its nuclear capability or that ROK will dominate due to its larger industrial and economic base. Although the population of ROK is nearly double that of DPRK and its GDP, as measured using the usual international measures, many times that of the DPRK, the identity of DPRK is distinctive and cannot easily be absorbed into ROK, nor ROK into DPRK.

What needs to be worked towards is a true partnership, and transformation of the political economy of both societies, through re-focusing on the importance of relationships in families, communities, companies, schools and across society. This draws on the deepest roots of Korean culture, which emphasises the importance of relationships for personal well-being, stable communities and national and international security.

재외 조선 동포 공동체들은 북남 양측의 연결점에 접근하는 데에서, 또한 그들이 기술과 자원을 갖추는 것을 돕는 데 중요한 역할을 가집니다. 금전적 및 식량 면에서 뿐만 아니라, 오히려 관계를 쌓고 그 안에서 단순한 개인교류에 그치지 않고 공동체 간의 교류가 이루어지며 기술들이 전달되고 필요들이 제공되도록 하는 지원이 제공되어야 합니다.

협상 과정의 체계: 장소 및 참가자들

The Consultations are planned to take place in a neutral venue outside Korea under the Chatham House rule (i.e. while discussions will be documented, specific comments will not be attributed to individual speakers). The results of the Consultations will be conveyed to the key actors either by the participants themselves, or by the RPI Executive.

1. 북남 참가자들 북조선 및 남조선에서 선별된 참가자들이 초청될 것입니다. 가능하다면 그들은 개인의 자격으로 참석할 것이며, 정부 및 정치집단의 현직자가 아닌 동시에 정부 및 정치집단에 접근가능한 인물들이 이상적일 것입니다. 곧 정치적 권위로 영향력을 발휘하나 정치 수뇌부로부터 독립된 인물들을 선발할 예정이며, RPI의 이사진으로부터 선별될 것입니다.
2. 국제 교섭담당자들 중국, 로씨야, 일본 및 미합중국에서 각각의 정부와 연결된 네 명의 교섭담당자 (interlocutors)가 함께 자리할 것입니다. 그들의 역할은 다양한 국제 관계국들의 관점과 입장에 대한 이해를 제공하고, 해당 관계국에 토론의 보고서를 전달하는 것입니다. 그들은 RPI 이사진으로부터 직접 선별 및 초청될 예정입니다.
3. 전문가 패널 각각의 회담에는, RPI의 연구소장에 의해 임명된 전문가 참석자들이 해당 부문에서 건설적인 방향으로 나아가기 위한 토론을 뒷받침하고 촉진시키기 위해 주의 깊게 맞춰진 자료들을 준비하고 전달할 것입니다. 전문가들의 역할은 다음과 같습니다:
   • contribute presentations to the Consultations
   • comment on drafts of the discussion documents
   • contribute to the discussion at the Consultations

Outline of the Proposed Consultations for 2018 – 2023

회담의 초반부는 조선반도 전체를 아우르는 건강하고 지속가능한 경제의 기반이 될 좋은 관계를 성립 및 고무시키는데 중점을 둘 것입니다. 또한 관계를 쌓는 데 있어서 재외 한인 동포들의 역할, 교육 및 보건 등의 공공 서비스 부문에서의 관계적 평가(relational evaluation)의 필요성, 농업, 산업, 기업 및 금융 부문을 연구 및 조사하고 있습니다.

처음 네 차례의 회담에서는 다음의 부문들에 집중할 것으로 구상 중에 있습니다: 식량 및 농업 자급, 교육, 보건, 비즈니스.

2017년도 조선반도 평화촉진계획

2016년 연말까지의 구상과정

이 과정의 씨앗은 2014년 9월 이영길 박사가 Prabhu Guptara 교수의 주선으로 Cotswold Far에서 열린 회의에 참석하여 Michael Schluter 박사와 Jeremy Ive 박사를 만나면서 심겨졌습니다.

이는 Michael Schluter 박사의 2015년 5월 남조선 방문으로 이어지게 되었고 이를 통해 관계적 평화구축 과정의 파트너가 된 과의 관계를 맺게 되었습니다.

Dr Ive visited Seoul in October 2015 to meet PeaceCorea and work began on the design of a process for peacebuilding in the peninsula. A concept proposal was drawn up for the initiative.

In November 2016, Dr Schluter and Dr Ive travelled to Korea again at the invitation of PeaceCorea. The purpose of the visit was to create a partnership between RPI and PeaceCorea – Dr Lee Young-Gil organised the meeting.

남조선의 북동쪽에 위치한 도시이자 자체적으로 평화의 도시를 이루고자 하는 강원도 춘천에서 RPI와 사이의 MoU가 체결되었습니다. MoU는 의 상임이사인 허문영 박사와 이영길 박사, Schluter 박사, Ive 박사가 서명하였습니다. 정운찬 전 국무총리와 한림대학교 경영대학원 학장인 안동규 교수가 함께 자리하였습니다.

2017년도 활동보고

3월 Schluter 박사와 Ive 박사는 한국을 방문하여 강원대학교와 한동대학교의 총장 및 교수진과의 면담을 가졌고, 평양과학기술대학교의 총장과도 만남을 가졌습니다.

2017년 8월에는 Schluter 박사와 Ive박사가 하와이 코나에서 열린 50명의 남조선국의 선교 및 교계 리더들이 함께 만나는 자리에 참석하여 조선반도의 통일과 관련한 관계적 이슈를 논의하였습니다.

2017년 10월 및 11월에는 RPI의 홈페지와 크라우드 펀딩 플랫폼을 개발하는 데 중점을 두었습니다. 한국의 지역 회사로부터 기술 개발에 대한 도움을 얻기 위한 논의를 하고자 Schluter 박사와 IT 전문가가 추가적으로 남조선을 방문하였습니다.

Notes

1. Concordis International’s shares a common history with RPI, emerging from the work of the Newick Park Initiative in South Africa (1986–91), in post-genocide Rwanda (1994–7), and, under Relational Foundations auspices, in Sudan and South Sudan, since 1999. For more information on the Newick Park Initiative, see http://www.jubilee-centre.org/history-newick-park-initiative-jeremy-ive/.
2. http://relationalthinking.net/relational-research/
3. See paper entitled “What is Relational Peacebuilding”.

President’s Statement for 2017

It is my privilege to write the President’s statement for this annual report, having taken over as President from January 2018. I would like to acknowledge the work of our former President, Ms Beris Gwynne, who stepped down at the end of 2017. What is in this annual report is a reflection of her leadership and outstanding contribution to the development of RPI as a fledgling peacebuilding organisation, albeit it with a team with a long track record in successful Track 2 activity.

보고서가 보여주듯이, 우크라이나 Donbas에서 지속적인 지역갈등으로 인하여 발생하는 극심한 환경 문제에 대한 해결책을 찾기 위한 많은 양의 업무가 진행되었습니다. 더불어 사업 및 경영에 접근하는 Relational Approach의 핵심 가치들이 Kyiv에서 강의들 및 토론회들을 통하여 보다 진전되었습니다.

As you will see in this report, RPI also opened a new area of work in the Korean peninsula which followed from a Memorandum of Understanding signed with a Korean peace organisation, PeaceCorea, in November 2016. There have been several visits by the RPI team to the Republic of Korea and elsewhere during the course of the year I would like to take this opportunity to thank Michael Schlueter, Executive Director, whose passion and inspiration lies behind both the founding and ongoing work of the RPI. His tireless personal and academic contribution has been simply immense. Alongside Michael, Dr Jeremy Ive, Senior Adviser has brought a remarkable depth of political and diplomatic analysis and insight to shape RPI’s thinking. Both he and Michael have given sacrificially all year and deserve the highest recognition.

더불어 이 기회를 빌어 상임이사인 Michael Schluter에게 감사를 전하고 싶습니다. RPI의 창립 및 진행 중인 업무들 뒤에는 그의 열정과 영감이 있었습니다. 그의 지칠 줄 모르는 개인적 및 학문적 기여는 실로 대단합니다. Michael의 곁에서, 수석 고문인 Jeremy Ive 박사는 RPI의 의견을 형성하는 데 있어 놀라운 깊이의 정치외교적 분석과 통찰력을 제공해 왔습니다. 두 사람은 지난 해를 온전히 희생적으로 헌신하였기에 가장 높은 인정을 받을 만 합니다. 더불어 다른 이사진 동료들에게도 감사를 전하며, 2017년도의 성취를 이루는 데 재정적 후원이나 시간적, 또는 모든 도움을 주신 기부자 분들께 진심으로 감사 인사를 전합니다. 2018년에도 이 모든 분들과 함께, 또한 보다 많은 이해관계자 및 후원자분들과 함께 일할 것을 기대하고 있습니다. 함께 형식에 얽매이지 않은, 그러나 필수적인 파트너십을 이룹시다. 올해는 조선반도 평화를 위한 기회의 창이 열림으로써 그 어느 때보다 기대되는 가운데 시작되었습니다. 이제 도전은 관계적 측면에서 조선반도 양 측의 조선인들과 디아스포라 (재외 조선인 공동체)가 공통된 Framework를 만드는 것을 돕는 데 있습니다. 이 방법을 통해서만이 양 국의 공통의 미래가 평화적이고 번영하며 세계의 사건들에 회복탄력성을 가질 수 있다고 믿습니다.

Clive Mather, President
2018년 4월 30일

President’s Statement for 2018

This has been an exciting year for RPI in its engagement and progress in finding a basis for peaceful resolution of the conflictual relations in the Korean Peninsula, and between DPRK and the United states.

During the year, Choongil Han joined us as the manager of Korea Program in the office in Cambridge, and we were sorry to see our Geneva office manager, Lauriane Chakowski who moved on after a short period to take up a doctoral program at Yonsei University in Seoul.

Our CEO (Dr. Michael Schluter) and our senior advisor (Dr. Jeremy Ive) have travelled extensively during the 12 months of 2018. This has included visits 6 times to ROK, 4 times to Switzerland (Geneva and Bern) and 3 times to Washington DC. The goal of these visits has been to build relationships with senior policymakers, directly and also through their official government representatives and others with informal influence over the policymaking process. Many key relationships were established, as well as confidence in RPI’s credentials in peacebuilding internationally, due to its previous experience in Africa, as well as trust in its intention to pursue peace as an international mediator without any other political or economic vested interest.

Out of the many discussions that were held on the ground in each of these three countries, and extensive research and debate among colleagues in the Cambridge office and its associated organizations in the Relational family of organizations, progress was made towards identifying a way forward towards peace in the Korean Peninsula which meets the concerns of each of the three parties.

The RPI proposal is a process of Economic and Social Convergence of DPRK and ROK. This recognizes that both are powerful states, one in terms of financial and technological capability and the other in terms of military and technological capability. Both need to be recognized so that the future lies, in the RPI view, not in terms of conquest and takeover but rather a process of convergence in the areas of economic and social policy and institutions. After the period of 5 to 7 years, RPI believes the preconditions would be met for discussion about political unification.

The role of United States in this process would be to encourage the international community to consider sanctions exemptions, but only between North and South Korea, and only on a sector-by-sector basis after DPRK and ROK have agreed joint policy for the sector concerned and investment priorities. This would open a way for international investment into the Peninsula, especially into DPRK. Also, a large-scale exchange of students and professionals is advocated to build social and personal relationships between present and future leaders across many different sectors of public life in the Peninsula.

It is our hope that these ideas will be explored, developed and adapted by the parties to the conflict so that the debate can move on from an exclusive focus on denuclearization, however important this may be on a long-term basis. The immediate opportunity is to focus attention on governance and development issues, and the building of shared values, to make possible closer relationships at all levels of society between DPRK and ROK for the future which is likely to lead to de-escalation of fears of military conflict and an increased desire from all parties for peace to be realized in the Peninsula.

Clive Mather, President
14 June 2019

2019년 회장 발간사

2019년 들어 우리의 조선반도 평화 촉진계획은 신속히 추진력을 갖게 되었습니다. 이는 트랙2과정을 위한 체계를 확립하는 과정이었으며 조선반도의 평화를 염려하는 광범위한 영역의 영향력 있는 조직들과 개인들과의 관계를 발전시켰다는 점입니다.

Our President and key advisers travelled a number of times to Geneva, Seoul, Washington DC, New York, and London, to have discussions with senior diplomats and policy advisers about RPI’s research and concerns for the countries of East Asia. They were able to explore the feasibility of specific sanctions exemptions between North and South Korea, and ways to bring about both economic and social convergent development between them.

The research culminated in a workshop with 25 regional, diplomatic and public policy specialists who met at a Cambridge University college in October to discuss the draft RPI report entitled ‘Building Relationships and Trust across the Korean Peninsula: a Mutually-agreed Economic and Social Convergence Strategy’.

After taking account of the advice provided by these experts at the seminar, which was generously funded by the UniKorea Foundation, RPI was able to publish this report in both the North and South Korean dialects, and in English. (For more information please go to the RPI website http://www.relationalpeacebuilding.org). In December, it was decided that the full title of what RPI is seeking to achieve in the Korean Peninsula should be restated as ‘A Mutually-Agreed Economic and Socially Convergent Development Strategy’. This clarifies the primary focus and driver of our peace-building.

이사회와 나는 지난 한 해 동안 우리의 일이 진행될 수 있도록 재정적으로나 시간적으로나 통찰력이라는 면에서 많은 개인들과 국제적인 사업체들로부터 받은 관대한 지원에 감사를 드립니다. 우리의 활동의 주요 분야는 외교관들과의 관계를 연구하고 발전시켜 왔습니다.

이 기회를 빌어 마이클 슐루터 박사 (회장 및 대표), 제레이 아이브 박사 (상임 고문) 그리고 RPI의 모든 직원들에게 조선반도의 평화를 위한 아낌없는 헌신과 RPI를 위해 감수한 개인적인 희생들에 대하여 감사를 전하고자 합니다.

We look forward with hope and optimism to continuing to work with our partners, and a growing network of supporters from many countries, to bring our proposals published in 2019 into practical effect in 2020. Our goal is to facilitate progress and peace in the relationship between North and South Korea, underpinned by the support of the US, China, Russia, Japan and other countries in the international community.

Clive Mather, President
22nd July 2020

President’s Statement for 2020

2020년은 한반도 평화에 기여하기 위한 RPI의 참여를 위한 토대를 더욱 강화하는 해였습니다. 코로나19로 인해, 2020년 2월 이후 국제적으로 영향력있는 센터로 팀의 방문이 중단되었으며, 마지막으로는 서울과 제네바를 방문하여 제네바에서 DPRK와 몽골 UN대사를 만났습니다.

From March onwards, our attention shifted to three main areas of work

1. Increasing our knowledge across all major sectors of the economy through commissioning multiple background papers, culminating in the first full draft have a book, provisionally entitled ‘Towards One Relational Korea: unification without absorption or assimilation’.
2. Crystallising the terms and detailed feasibility of a bilateral free trade agreement between North and South Korea. With the help of two former senior IMF economists, this included development of a currency arrangement to ensure that such trade would not generate hard-currency which could be directed towards North Korea’s nuclear program; this was especially important to alleviate US concerns and make it more feasible to expect the US to agree to incremental sanctions exemptions in return for incremental denuclearisation.
3. Strengthening our network of connections across the international diplomatic, think tank and university communities to help access support, advice and information for our proposals for a way forward for peace in the peninsula.

All of this represented a great deal of hard work by the team and is beginning to yield significant benefits in 2021.

The Board and I have been grateful again for generous support, both financially and in term of time and insight, from many individuals, which has enabled our work to proceed over the last year. I would also like to take this opportunity to record my thanks to Dr Michael Schluter (President & CEO), Dr Jeremy Ive (Senior Adviser) and all the RPI staff for their unstinting commitment to the cause of peace in the Peninsula and the personal sacrifices they have made for the work of RPI.

We look forward with hope and optimism to continuing to work with our partners, and a growing network of supporters from many countries, to bring our proposals published in 2020 into practical effect in 2021. Our goal continues to be to facilitate progress and peace in the relationship between North and South Korea, underpinned by the support of the US, China, Russia, Japan and other countries in the international community.

Clive Mather, President
August 2021

President’s Statement for 2021

The year 2021 was a roller-coaster year due to Covid, with travel restrictions only being lifted for a few months intermittently. This gave the opportunity for a focus on research in which RPI had two objectives:

1. First, to apply the social philosophy and framework for public policy called ‘relationism’ to the societies of North Korea and South Korea, as an alternative to both Korean Capitalism and Korean Socialism which both Koreas might accept as a way forward towards reunification.
2. Second to develop a specific proposal of how to start the process of what RPI has termed ‘Mutual Convergent Development’.

Substantial progress was made over the year on both fronts. In terms of how to start the process, the initial proposal was for a bilateral free trade agreement between North Korea and South Korea. The proposal was published in an article in the Korea Times in August 2021. This then developed further into a proposal which RPI termed KPAC, Korean Peninsula Agriculture Community. This idea is based on the precedent of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), which helped resolve the dangerous conflict between France and Germany in 1950. It was presented at a seminar on Zoom in October hosted by US Institute of Peace in Washington DC.

An in-person meeting was held at a Cambridge college, chaired by Professor Alan Barrell, on the subject ‘Use of Relational Goals and Processes to achieve better outcomes in innovation/technology transfer and international peacebuilding’. This drew in a number of senior Cambridge academics and business entrepreneurs to reflect on how a relationships-based approach can impact on the success of technological innovation as well as on International peace building possibilities.

Internationally, RPI continued developing its network of connections as circumstances allowed, focusing on the Ministry of Unification in South Korea and the North Korean Embassy in London. It also included strengthening connections with major think tanks in Washington DC, the Department of Political and Peacebuilding affairs at the UN in New York, and several European countries including the UK. The team made two trips to Switzerland to meet with the Swiss Foreign Minister, and the Swiss Foreign Ministry, to discuss the possibility of holding informal exploratory meetings between North Korean and South Korean advisors in the future when both Koreas are ready to meet.

The Board and I are ever grateful for the generous support, both financially and in term of time and insight, from many individuals, which has enabled our work to proceed over the last year. I would also like to take this opportunity to record my thanks to Dr Michael Schluter (President & CEO), Dr Jeremy Ive (Senior Adviser) and all the RPI staff for their unstinting commitment to the cause of peace in the Peninsula and the personal sacrifices they have made for the work of RPI. It is my hope that the fruit of this year’s work will be seen in major steps forward in 2022. The goal continues to be to facilitate progress and peace in the relationship between North and South Korea, underpinned by the support of the US, China, Russia, Japan and other countries in the international community. This is my final year as Chairman and the Board is currently in the process of appointing my successor. It has been my privilege to serve the organisation and its aims. I shall continue to support its work as best I am able, not least in praying for a diplomatic breakthrough. Given the opportunity, I believe that the peace building approach of RPI can build relationships, reconciliation and a lasting peace in the Peninsula.

Clive Mather, President
August 2021

The year 2022 was a year of considerable progress for RPI, with work focused on improving relations between the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).

RPI continued with its programme of diplomatic outreach and promotion of relational peacebuilding within the Korean peninsula. The highlights of this work were:

• A trip to Washington DC (April) by CEO Michael Schluter (MS) and Korea Program Manager Steven Seo (SS). They had meetings with John Mellor (the ROK Ambassador to the US) and Uma Lele, current president of the International Association of Agricultural Economists. In addition, MS and SS presented at a meeting on ‘Korean Peninsula Agriculture Community: Challenges and Opportunities’ hosted by NCNK (National Committee on North Korea) and USIP (United States Institute of Peace), with the support of CFR (Council on Foreign Relations). Although it was a small group, a good discussion ensued with a high level of interest and engagement, and general support for the proposal.
• In March/April, MS and SS visited ROK and a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Handong University and RPI to work together towards achieving peace in the Korean Peninsula.
• In June, MS presented the proposal for a ‘Korean Peninsula Agriculture Community: Challenges and Opportunities’, at Westminster Central Hall. The idea is based on the precedent of the one-sector trade agreement between France and Germany in 1951 which gradually led to the Europe Union.
• Also in June, MS spoke in Switzerland on ‘Global Leadership Transformation: Key Biblical Principles to Shape Policies and Practices and Build Strong Institutions and Nations’.
• In September, MS travelled with Dr Benjamin Moses (of Global Leadership Geneva Bern) to a third-party country to explore the possibility of the country speaking with DPRK and potentially hosting a meeting between North and South Korea to enable them to explore together the possibility of starting a peace process through a trade agreement focused initially on agricultural commodities.
• In November, MS and SS visited ROK and met with the Deputy Minister of Ministry of Unification.
• In December, MS visited Switzerland and held meetings in Geneva and Bern.

The year culminated in the publication in November of MS’ book entitled ‘No Other Way to Peace in Korea? A Practical Path to Reunification’. This involved an extensive period of continuing research based in Cambridge, as well as two visits to South Korea, in March/April and November. The book explored not only how a peace process could be initiated through the establishment of a Korean Peninsula Agricultural Community to re-establish peaceful relations through trade. The underlying principle of Mutual Convergent Development is also explored and developed in the book.

In July, the Board appointed a new Chairman for RPI following the resignation of Clive Mather, who had completed five years as an excellent Chairman. Professor Alan Barrell accepted the appointment as Board Chairman and Lauriane Kim was also appointed as a new board member during the year.

Dr Paul Mills, Chairman of the Board
November 2022

(In May 2023, Professor Alan Barrell unfortunately needed to step down as Chairman due to ill-health. He agreed that I should sign the report for 2022 as current Chairman.)