December 3 - December 16, 2015

The Korea Chair team takes a biweekly look back at events of interest in Washington, Seoul, and the region from December 3 - December 16, 2015.

U.S.-ROK RELATIONS
U.S.-ROK High-level Disarmament and Nonproliferation Consultation
On December 17, Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Rose Gottemoeller of the United States and Deputy Foreign Minister for Multilateral and Global Affairs Shin Dong-ik of the ROK met to discuss disarmament and nonproliferation, including North Korea’s nuclear weapons, at the fifth high-level Disarmament and Nonproliferation Consultation meeting in Washington, D.C. This was the third such meeting held in 2015 and has been held regularly since 2013 between the United States and the ROK. 

DOMESTIC POLITICS
National Assembly Discusses Electoral Adjustments
On December 15, an agreement on redrawing electoral districts for the April 2016 general election continued to elude the ruling Saenuri party and the main opposition party, New Politics Alliance for Democracy. The agreement is required due to an October 30, 2014, ruling by the ROK Constitutional Court that some electoral districts of unequal size were unconstitutional in representation. The court’s ruling means that those districts will not be able hold general elections unless readjustments are finalized by December 31, 2015.

South Korea National Assembly’s Special Session Began on December 10
As the regular session of the South Korea National Assembly ended on December 9, a special session requested by the ruling Saenuri party started on December 10 to redraw the electoral constituency map for next year’s general election and to discuss the passage of bills such as labor reform package bills, antiterrorism bill, and North Korean human rights bill.

Happy Holidays and Warmest Wishes for 2016!
The Korea Chair Monitor team will be taking the next couple of weeks off as we celebrate. Watch for the next issue of the Monitor in mid-January.