'Farewell Banghan' Bieogan, Will He Deliver a North Korea Message Through a Public Lecture... Meeting with Lee In-young and Park Ji-won

On the afternoon of the 10th, Choe Jong-geon to share reflections as Vice Minister and Special Representative for North Korea at Asan Institute for Policy Studies
Vice Minister Choe Jong-geon to preside over 'Dak Hanmari' dinner meeting

Steven Biegun, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, is holding talks with Choi Jong-geon, First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 9th./2020.12.09 Photo by Joint Press Corps

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Steven Biegun, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State and Special Representative for North Korea, who has been visiting Korea since the 8th, will give a public lecture on the 10th at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, sharing his thoughts on the Korea-U.S. alliance, the Korean Peninsula peace process, and North Korea-U.S. dialogue. As this is effectively his last visit to Korea before the inauguration of the Joe Biden administration, there is interest in whether he will deliver a message urging North Korea to refrain from provocations during this transitional period and return to the dialogue table.

Deputy Secretary Biegun will give a public lecture at 2 p.m. at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies under the theme "The Future of the United States and the Korean Peninsula." At this event, he is expected to share his reflections on handling bilateral issues and the Korean Peninsula as the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State and Special Representative for North Korea, and express his views on advancing the Korean Peninsula peace process going forward.

Before the vice-ministerial talks with Choi Jong-geun, First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, on the previous day, Deputy Secretary Biegun stated in his opening remarks, "I plan to share detailed thoughts on where we currently stand at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies," adding, "The two countries have cooperated excellently on the alliance, North Korea issues, and COVID-19 response, and I look forward to discussing this cooperation."

Given the growing unease over the Korean Peninsula situation amid the U.S. administration transition, there is also interest in whether he will send a message to North Korea, where dialogue has been stalled for a long time. Since his appointment as Special Representative for North Korea in August 2018, Deputy Secretary Biegun has been deeply involved in Korean Peninsula issues for over two years, dedicating significant effort. In consultations with Lee Do-hoon, Director-General for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and North Korea's chief nuclear negotiator, he described the past two and a half years as "a journey of leadership, alliance, and friendship," evaluating that "President Moon Jae-in, President Trump, and Chairman Kim Jong-un have worked to advance a completely new vision with the determination not to be bound by past actions."

On the morning of the same day, he will have a breakfast meeting with Lee In-young, Minister of Unification, and also hold talks with Park Jie-won, Director of the National Intelligence Service. He is also expected to engage with the Blue House's diplomatic and security team. The Korean side is reported to request that the U.S. continue playing a role in ensuring continuity in resolving bilateral issues and Korean Peninsula matters even after the inauguration of the new U.S. administration. In the afternoon, he will meet with Kent H?st?dt, Sweden's Special Envoy for the Korean Peninsula, with whom he has discussed Korean Peninsula issues.

The dinner that day will be personally arranged by Vice Minister Choi Jong-geun. Vice Minister Choi rented out the entire "Dak Hanmari" restaurant in Gwanghwamun, a favorite of Deputy Secretary Biegun. The dinner on the 11th is scheduled to be held at the Hannam-dong residence by invitation of Minister Kang Kyung-wha.

[Image source=Yonhap News]