Global
Issues >> Overview >> International
Language >> Korea
13 July
1994
Hon. J Stapleton Roy
US Ambassador to China
UNITED STATES EMBASSY
Xiu Shui Bei Jie 3
Beijing
CHINA
Dear Ambassador Roy,
As North and South Korea begin a dialogue to resolve
some of their longstanding differences, I write to
offer an option that strengthens both economies and
serves as a bridge for peace between former rivals.
GENI is a US tax exempt organization conducting research
and education into the benefits of interconnecting
electrical networks between regions, with special
focus on tapping renewable energy resources. In the
attached literature, you will find extensive corroboration
for the expansion of power grids.
Two recent examples serve to illustrate the opportunity
for North and South Korea to link their electrical
power networks —
- Two months after the fall of the Berlin Wall in
November '89, East and West Germany initiated the
interconnection of the electric power systems between
the two countries. Enormous economic and environmental
benefits have already accrued, even after 40 years
of staring at each other through a gun barrel.
- As reported in Newsweek,
September 93 — immediately after the peace
accords were signed between PLO ChairmanYasir Arafat
and Prime Minister Itsak Rabin, economic integration
was now possible.
With peace at hand,
some ambitious development projects no longer look
so crazy. Beyond Israel and the occupied territories,
some other neighbors could benefit, too. A few of
the Palestinians fondest dreams: POWER GRIDS: Interlocking
electrical grids could save Israelis and Arabs millions
of dollars.
A simple
transmission line can act as a first link that will
benefit both North and South Korea. The distances
involved are short, and the resources and technology
exist throughout the Far East to engineer the project.
The benefits of system integration are well documented:
- load sharing
- emergency back-up
- peak power savings
- deferral of additional capacity requirements
- increased system stability
- improved frequency and voltage control
- ability to retire environmentally unsound or older generation
— and in this case, would be a physical
demonstration of cooperation, and electrical intertie,
between North and South Korea that would serve as
an example for further mutually advantageous projects.
Specifically, South Korea could assist the North's
development by selling its excess capacity and assisting
in the development of further generation sources for
their mutual benefit.
Looking beyond the gain to both North and South Korea
— extending these interconnections across the
border into China's exploding energy demand, plus
an underwater link to Japan — would profit the
entire region.
We have attached several reports for your review and
consideration. Please contact us, if GENI could be
of service in future discussions.
Sincerely,
Peter
Meisen
Executive Director
cc:
- United States —
- President Bill Clinton
- Vice President Al Gore
- Secretary of State Warren Christopher
- Anthony Lake, National Security Advisor
- John Gibbons, Office of Science and Technology
Policy
- Winston Lord, East Asia and Pacific Affairs,
State Dept.
- James Laney, US Ambassador to South Korea
- Walter Mondale, US Ambassador to Japan
- Stapleton Roy, US Ambassador to China
- North Korea —
- President Kim Il Sung
- His Excellency Kim Jong Il
- Premier Yon Hyong Muk
- South Korea —
- President Kim Young Sam
- Prime Minister Hwang in Sung
- United Nations —
Upon retuning from CIGRE and the UN Population Conference,
I was catching up on my reading and came across this
most interesting newspaper report
on the North-South Korea negotiations. It's pretty
amazing that our letter was sent in mid-July to all
those listed on page 2, then Vice President Al Gore's
letter
was sent on August 19th, and our peace proposal for
this region showing up as part of the reported
negotiation a couple days later.
Coincidental or causal? Either way this is
something GENI can add to our corroborative examples.
|