Just Before Vegan Deputy Minister's Visit to Korea, US Highlights FFVD and Human Rights Issues... Off-Stage Power Struggle

Deputy Secretary of State Biegun Arrives in Osan US Air Force Base on the Afternoon of the 7th
US State Department Emphasizes Coordination on FFVD
Secretary Pompeo Welcomes UK Sanctions on Two North Korean Forced Labor Camps
Biegun to Discuss Current Issues with Minister Kang Kyung-wha, Vice Foreign Minister Cho Se-young, and Director Lee Do-hoon on the 8th

Steve Biegun, U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy at the Department of State, visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 16th and shook hands with Lee Do-hoon, Director General for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] With the official announcement of Steven Biegun, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State and Special Representative for North Korea, visiting South Korea, the United States has highlighted North Korea's FFVD (Final, Fully Verified Denuclearization) and human rights issues. Meanwhile, North Korea has repeatedly criticized South Korea's role as a mediator and stated that there is no reason to engage in talks with the U.S., indicating a fierce off-stage power struggle between North Korea and the U.S. just before Biegun's visit.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 7th, Deputy Secretary Biegun is scheduled to arrive around 3:40 p.m. via a military aircraft through Osan U.S. Air Force Base and will meet with key figures from the Blue House and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to discuss current issues until the 9th. The U.S. State Department also released a statement on the 6th (local time) announcing that Deputy Secretary Biegun will visit South Korea and Japan sequentially until the 10th.

In announcing Biegun's visit schedule, the U.S. State Department emphasized coordination on North Korea's FFVD. This appears to be an attempt to check the critical tone within South Korea regarding the Korea-U.S. working group and North Korea's apparent rejection of the U.S. dialogue proposal. It can also be interpreted as emphasizing that while discussions will be based on dialogue, the precondition of denuclearization remains unchanged.

In addition, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo took a firm stance on human rights issues, which North Korea is sensitive about. On the same day, the British government announced sanctions against 20 individuals related to the 2018 murder of Saudi Arabian journalist Jamal Khashoggi, two Myanmar generals involved in the Rohingya massacre, and two North Korean forced labor camps. Those on the list will have their assets frozen in the UK and be banned from entry.

In a statement, Secretary Pompeo welcomed the UK's measures and emphasized, "The United States will seek additional allies and partners to leverage all possible means to prevent anyone involved in serious human rights abuses from accessing the U.S. and international financial systems."

Amid the off-stage power struggle between North Korea and the U.S., Deputy Secretary Biegun is expected to discuss a wide range of issues related to the Korean Peninsula. On the 8th, Biegun will meet with Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and then with First Vice Foreign Minister Cho Se-young for the 8th Korea-U.S. Deputy Foreign Ministers Strategic Dialogue. This face-to-face discussion with Vice Minister Cho will be the first since Biegun was promoted to 'Deputy Secretary and Special Representative for North Korea' last December. Current issues such as Korea-U.S. cooperation on COVID-19, negotiations on the Special Measures Agreement (SMA) for defense cost-sharing, and the U.S.'s accelerated push for participation in the Economic Prosperity Network (EPN), an anti-China economic bloc, may also be raised again.

As Special Representative for North Korea, Biegun will evaluate the situation on the Korean Peninsula with Lee Do-hoon, Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Peace and Security Affairs Bureau for the Korean Peninsula, and discuss cooperation measures for advancing complete denuclearization. It is highly likely that more concrete discussions on improving the operation of the Korea-U.S. working group and easing sanctions on North Korea will take place. The North Korea-related message Biegun brings this time may also be announced after final discussions with Director General Lee.

There is also interest in whether Biegun will have a courtesy meeting with the recently reshuffled Blue House diplomatic and security team. It is not known whether a meeting with President Moon Jae-in has been scheduled. A Ministry of Foreign Affairs official explained, "We plan to share assessments of the situation on the Korean Peninsula and continue consultations for stability, as well as conduct in-depth discussions on cooperation measures between the two countries for substantial progress toward complete denuclearization and permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula."

[Image source=Yonhap News]