Should North Korean speakers be given a public platform?



Opinion Should North Korean speakers be given a public platform? We should hear them in their own words – and they should hear from us James Hoare June 5, 2015 SHARE COPY LINK FACEBOOK X LINKEDIN MASTODON Conference on Disarmament - High Level Segment - UN Geneva - CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 I gather from a message from a former colleague in the Foreign Office that the DPRK ambassador to London and Aidan Foster-Carter are to debate on perspectives on the current situation on the Korean peninsula on June 9. Even though I suspect that there will be more heat than light in the discussion – both speakers have a robust reputation – this seems to me to be good news. Even before I learnt of this encounter, NK News editor and publisher Chad O’Carroll had asked whether I would write on the subject of invitations to North Korean speakers. Like me, © Korea Risk Group. All rights reserved. No part of this content may be reproduced, distributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from Korea Risk Group. Get the Daily Update & Podcast Updates Start your day with the North Korea stories that matter most – as selected by Trending

Opinion

Should North Korean speakers be given a public platform?

We should hear them in their own words – and they should hear from us

James Hoare June 5, 2015

Should North Korean speakers be given a public platform?

Conference on Disarmament - High Level Segment - UN Geneva - CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

I gather from a message from a former colleague in the Foreign Office that the DPRK ambassador to London and Aidan Foster-Carter are to debate on perspectives on the current situation on the Korean peninsula on June 9. Even though I suspect that there will be more heat than light in the discussion – both speakers have a robust reputation – this seems to me to be good news.

Even before I learnt of this encounter, NK News editor and publisher Chad O’Carroll had asked whether I would write on the subject of invitations to North Korean speakers. Like me,

About the Author

James Hoare

After Britain and North Korea re-established diplomatic relations in 2000, Hoare was appointed British Chargé d'affaires in Pyongyang; and his work laid the foundation for the establishment of a full embassy in the North Korean capital. Previously, Hoare had been head of the Foreign Office's North Asia and Pacific Research Group. He joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1969 and was stationed in Seoul in 1981 1984 and in Beijing in 1988-1991.

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