Kissinger: "The COVID-19 Pandemic Will Change the World Order Forever"

(Photo by AP Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] Former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger predicted on the 4th (local time) that the COVID-19 pandemic would permanently change the world order.

In an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on the same day, Kissinger stated, "Even after the COVID-19 pandemic ends, the world will never be the same as before," adding, "The United States must urgently begin the task of planning a new era while protecting Americans from the virus."

Kissinger, who participated in the Battle of the Bulge during World War II, said, "The surreal situation of the pandemic reminds me of what I felt during the Battle of the Bulge," and added, "It is not late 1944, and it is not targeted at specific individuals, but it feels like a random and destructive attack."

He analyzed that the fundamental difference is that while the U.S. showed strong patience under an ultimate goal at that time, now a government with effective and long-term vision is needed.

Kissinger pointed out, "A nation's prosperity is based on the belief that national institutions can anticipate disasters, mitigate shocks, and restore stability," and warned, "At the end of the pandemic, many national institutions will be perceived as failures." He continued, "Leaders of each country are approaching this crisis on a national level, but the virus does not recognize borders," emphasizing the limitations of individual efforts.

He expressed concern, saying, "Hopefully, the health crisis may be temporary, but political and economic upheavals could continue for generations," and added, "Above all, the 'order of the free world' could be threatened." He further emphasized, "In an era prospering on global trade and free movement, an anachronistic 'fortress era' mindset could be revived," and stressed, "The global democratic world must maintain and protect Enlightenment values."