May 21 — James Schoff tells us: What to do with North Korea?
There could be no headache awaiting the next president that’s bigger than North Korea, with its nukes and crisis-ridden economy. That’s why James Schoff has to worry that “the six party talks” doesn’t sound like much of a party at all.
When: Wednesday May 21, socializing and lubricating 5:30 PM; dinner 6:30 PM; talk 7:15 PM
Where: The Marten House Conference Center (Just East of St. Vincent Hospital) 1801 West 86th Street Indianapolis, IN 46260
Mr. James (Jim) L. Schoff is the Associate Director of Asia-Pacific Studies at the Institute for Foreign Policy Analysis (IFPA), where he specializes in East Asian security issues, international crisis management, and Japanese and American foreign policy. Since 2003, he has been directing a multi-year IFPA project supported by the Carnegie Corporation called “Building Multi-Party Capacity for a WMD-Free Korea,” which involves scholars and government officials from the United States, South Korea, China, Japan, Russia, and Australia. Mr. Schoff joined IFPA in 2003 after serving as the program officer in charge of policy studies at the United States-Japan Foundation for nearly four years. Before working at the foundation, he was the U.S. business development manager for Bovis Asia Pacific, an international construction and project management firm that carried out large-scale building projects throughout Asia. Jim graduated from Duke University in 1988 and earned an M.A. in international relations at The Johns Hopkins University School for Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in 1993. He also spent one year studying at International Christian University in Tokyo, Japan in 1986-1987. He has lived in Japan for a total of six years
Schoff’s most recent analysis is Nuclear Matters in North Korea: Building a Multilateral Response for Future Stability in Northeast Asia.
Nuclear Matters in North Korea explains the findings of a three-year multilateral research project that seeks to bridge differences between the nations with regard to six-party capacity building and to develop a common approach to North Korean denuclearization and related economic engagement. The so-called six-party talks dealing with the North Korean nuclear challenge have a mixed track record when it comes to achieving their goal of verifiable denuclearization and promoting peace and stability in Northeast Asia. This innovative form of multilateral diplomacy is entering a critical implementation phase during an important time of political transition in South Korea and the United States. It is time to look for more from the six-party talks, he says, but we cannot expect the talks to deliver desired results unless the participants are willing to empower the process in modest ways.
His study explores the strengths and weaknesses of the process as they have revealed themselves over the five years since their inception. The book also offers practical solutions to the myriad of implementation challenges the region faces with regard to nuclear dismantlement and verification, coordinated economic assistance and investment, and striking the right balance on the security front by reconciling the prospects for U.S.-North Korea normalization, inter-Korean reconciliation, and the development of a regional security forum.
Reservations should be made by calling (317) 566-2036. Dinner for this special event is $22.00 per person (Members and their guests paid in advance), $24 if paid at the door. The cost for each non-member is $30.00. Please send message to cmatthewfox@gmail.com. All e-mail reservations must have ‘ICWA Dinner Reservation’ as the subject and must contain all contact information including name of each attendee, address and telephone number. All reservations, whether by mail, telephone or e-mail MUST be received by 5:00 p.m. Thursday, May 15th. Since dinners are catered, all reservations must be guaranteed. Cancellation deadline is Thursday, May 15th, 2008. Canceling reservations by this deadline will avoid a financial commitment to ICWA. If you are attending the discussion only, no reservations are necessary, however, there is a $3.00 fee for ICWA members, $4.00 fee for non-members and full time students are free.
