On 27 September, the International Centre for Defence and Security organised a discussion on the topic “The unfolding crisis in the Korean peninsula”, where Marko Mihkelson, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Estonian parliament Riigikogu; Hannes Hanso, Chairman of the National Defence Committee and Monika Reinem, Estonian Ministry of Defence Policy Planning Department’s expert on Asia, shared their expert opinions.
Several ambassadors and members of the diplomatic corps residing in Estonia, experts in the field of international relations and people interested in the subject participated in the discussion moderated by ICDS’s research fellow Eerik Marmei.
The event focused on issues related to the confrontation that has swiftly and critically worsened in the Korean peninsula in the past weeks. The participants acknowledged that the crisis can be solved by diplomatic and political means only. Strong pressure from the international community and the full implementation of UN sanctions by all states with regard to Kim Jong-un’s regime is the only way to influence the regime so it would stop its nuclear and missile capacity development projects. At the same time, it was stated that the past weeks’ insistent threats and potential provocations may cause the situation to spiral out of control and create an actual military conflict, which would have catastrophic impact on the current security situation in the Korean peninsula, the region, as well as in the global perspective. It was also discussed what could be the direct consequences to European and Estonian security if the crisis continues and worsens.