The six-party talks between the United States, China, Russia, Japan and the two Koreas are officially aimed at not just denuclearizing the Korean peninsula and establishing a peace regime, but pursuing peace and security regime in Northeast Asia. However, this is not the case in reality. Contrary to their political rhetoric on cooperative security in the region, the six nations are leading the global arms race, citing mutual distrust and other countries' military buildup. This situation is partly due to a growing nationalism in these nations. They all pay lip service to peace, while being obsessed with arms buildup.   

The foreign policy slogans(implicitly or explicitly) are also questionable, clearly demonstrating military-oriented security policies; "Self-defense" of Seoul, "Military-first politics" of Pyongyang, " Pax Americana" of Washington, "Normal Country" of Tokyo, "Military Modernization" of Beijing, and "Rebirth of Strong Russia" of Moscow. It reflects that even after the end of the Cold War these nations are still trapped in the paradigm of unilateral security amid the active peace processes on the peninsula.

The global proportion of the six nations' military expenditure combined clearly shows how much they are committed to military buildup. World military expenditure in 2006 is estimated to have reached $1.2 trillion in current dollars, according to SIPRI (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute) Year book 2007 http://yearbook2007.sipri.org/chap8 ; the U.S. made up 48%, Japan 4.5%, China 4%, Russia 2%, South Korea 2%, and North Korea 0.3%. When combined, the six countries' number accounts for over 60% of world military spending.

* [SIPRI military expenditure database] http://www.sipri.org/contents/milap/milex/mex_database1.html

Because North Korea's Data did not indicate sufficiently, North Korea case except from the following tables.   

[Table 1]  Military Expenditure Scale (1991-2006) of 5 countries ( S.Korea, Russia, China, Japan, USA) It shows clearly that the USA's military expenditure is overwhelming, compared with other 4 countries.

However, given that SIPRI refers to the official figures released by Pyongyang, Beijing and Moscow, which are only half of their actual numbers, the total sum could amount to more than 70%. This means disarmament of the other five participants is as indispensable as that of North Korea. This tremendous military spending threatens peace in Northeast Asia and intensifies the arms race, whilst also wasting precious resources that should be used for improving the standard of living, including improving welfare and the environment.

Not only North Korea's nuclear issues, but also other countries' nuclear issues are serious. Nuclear states in Northeast Asia such as U.S., Russia, China are modernizing their own nuclear strength and are lukewarm about signing a treaty banning the use of nuclear weapons, instead of delivering disarmament, putting peace in Northeast Asia and the world at risk. Missile Defense (MD) led by U.S.-Japan alliance stirs arms race in this region. Other risk factors are also growing military strength and more frequent military exercises in the Asia-Pacific region led by major powers like the U.S., China, Russia and Japan.

[Table 2] Military Expenditure Scale (1991-2006) of 4 countries (S.Korea, Russia, China, Japan)

Especially, China's military expenditure continued to increase rapidly, for the first time surpassing

that of Japan so China became the biggest military spender in Asia. Also, Russia's rising is in progress.

We welcome that the six parties reached an agreement on expanding their initial goal of resolving the North's nuclear issue into establishing a peace regime in Northeast Asia. However, concerns remain that the talks will not produce any meaningful outcomes. Therefore, we are going to do our best to make the six-nation talks an arena for "peace and human security through disarmament"

* Key Goals of this campaign

1. Contributing to resolve "Korean issues": denuclearization, forming a peace and disarmament regime, cross-recognition through normalization of relations between the US and North Korea as well as Japan and North Korea, peacefully reunifying the two Koreas.

2. Disarming members of the six-party talks: establishing a nuclear-free zone in Northeast Asia and disarming the nuclear powers, reducing military budgets and allocating more funds for human well-being, preserving Japan's pacifist constitution, expending the six-party talks into Northeast Asia's common security regime.

3. Establishing mutual understanding and partnership in international civil society

4. Becoming "another actor" in the area of Northeast Asian affairs: going beyond nationalism and narrowing national interests, we will follow the agendas set based on universal values that individual nation states can't or won't deal with.

* Planned Activities

1. Surveying and publishing reports on military budgets, arms buildup and activities such as military exercises.

2. Offering public education about the potential danger of an arms race and the benefit of disarmament.

3. Organizing for disarmament: Promoting solidarity among NGOs, experts and civilians across national borders.

4. PPP: Proposing, Persuading and Pressing governments, legislative bodies and the six-party talks to stop the arms race and reduce military power.