While the diplomatic fruit is ripe: An international commission on the Korean Peninsula

Abstract

The Korean Peninsula is home to intermittent conflict and is an ongoing critical flashpoint. It is an entrenched, long-standing international problem—exactly what international commissions are designed to address. An international commission is an ad hoc transnational investigative mechanism, which dependent upon its sponsors and constitution can be thought of as either a temporary intergovernmental organization or nongovernmental organization (NGO). They are routinely led by senior, respected politicians or leaders and include a range of similarly respected commissioners, including government, military, academic, and NGO representatives. Their end goal is the production of a comprehensive and definitive report that will serve as a reference point for future diplomatic initiatives. Their strength lies in the power of ideas—the capacity to transform the way we think about entrenched, long-standing international problems. This article assesses the appropriateness of an international commission to address the long-term challenges of Korean Peninsula security and stability.