U.S. Policy Toward North and South Korea: Dealing with “One Country, Two Planets”

Guest Speaker: 

Woo Lae Oak Korean Restaurant
8240 Leesburg Pike
Vienna, VA 22182

Dear Colleague:

You are invited to attend a meeting of the Korea Club on Tuesday, January 23, 2018.The event will feature Aloysius M. O'Neill, who will give a presentation entitled, “U.S. Policy Toward North and South Korea: Dealing with “One Country, Two Planets.”

Aloysius M. O’Neill worked for many years on U.S. relations with the Republic of Korea and to a lesser extent with the DPRK.  As a Foreign Service Officer, he served twice in the American Embassy in Seoul, first from 1977 to 1979 and again from 1988 to 1992.  In the latter period, he worked closely with Korean diplomatic colleagues on the ROK’s expanding relations with the DPRK’s allies under Nordpolitik.   As a political officer in Tokyo from 1982 to 1984, he analyzed Japan’s Asia policy during a period that included the Soviet shoot-down of Korean Air 007 and the Rangoon bombing – the North Korean attempt to assassinate President Chun Doo-hwan. Mr. O’Neill was serving in the American embassy in Rangoon when the North Koreans destroyed Korean Air 858 in 1987.  As the U.S. consul general in Okinawa from 1994 to 1997, Mr. O’Neill was deeply engaged in the U.S. bases issue.  The US-Japan alliance and the bases in Okinawa are crucial to the U.S. ability to deter the DPRK and if deterrence fails, to defeat the North.  After the Foreign Service, he was the senior policy advisor at the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO) from 2001 to 2003, during which time he made five visits to the DPRK.  From 2004 to 2014, Mr. O'Neill was a consultant in the Office of Korean Affairs at the State Department, working on U.S. relations with both the ROK and the DPRK.

PROGRAM DETAILS

The reception will begin at 6:30 pm, followed by dinner at 7:00 pm, and the speaker’s presentation and Q & A session. The program will conclude at 9:00 pm. The cost of the dinner is $25.00, payable at the door by either check or cash.

RSVP is required for this program. Seating is limited. To register for this program or for further questions, please e-mail your confirmation to Sang Kim, Director of Public Affairs, at [email protected].

WOO LAE OAK RESTAURANT IN TYSONS CORNER

The evening program will be held at Woo Lae Oak Korean restaurant in Tysons Corner—see address above. The program will start at 6:30 pm with a cash bar, set up inside the Korea Club conference room on the 1st floor of the restaurant. For more information on Woo Lae Oak, please take a few minutes to visit the restaurant’s website:  http://www.woolaeoak.com.

FOR DRIVERS

Woo Lae Oak is conveniently located in the heart of Tysons Corner. If you need assistance locating the restaurant, please call the restaurant (703-827-7300). Ample free parking is available in the restaurant’s multi-story parking garage.

FOR METRO RIDERS

Silver Line stop at Greensboro Metro Station. The restaurant is located just south of Greensboro Metro Station. Upon arriving at Greensboro Metro Station, please exit using the West Entrance Exit. For step-by-step directions, please use  http://wmata.com.