Attention on Domestic Political and Business Networks in the 'Biden Era'

[Asia Economy reporters Inho Yoo and Daeyeol Choi] Ahead of the official inauguration of U.S. President Joe Biden, domestic political figures with close ties to him are gaining attention.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

As the Biden administration needs to newly establish relations regarding the Korea-U.S. alliance, North Korea relations, and the Korean Peninsula peace process, as well as economic and trade cooperation including semiconductors, automobiles, 5th generation mobile communications (5G), and trade disputes, the 'Biden line' is urgently needed.

According to political and diplomatic circles on the 20th, both ruling and opposition parties are activating Korea-U.S. parliamentary diplomacy channels by reviewing connections with President Biden, who will officially be inaugurated at noon (local time) on the 21st in Washington D.C., and with Democratic Party figures.

These political figures are unable to attend the inauguration due to COVID-19 but are reportedly planning to visit the U.S. soon to strengthen their personal ties.

In political circles, since Biden’s tenure as chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Vice President overlapped with the Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye administrations, recent relations are analyzed to be closer with the People Power Party figures, who were the ruling party at the time, rather than with the Democratic Party.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Within the ruling party, Park Jie-won, the National Intelligence Service director, is considered closest to President Biden. Park lived in the U.S. as the head of the New York branch of Dongseo Trading in November 1972, entered politics after meeting former President Kim Dae-jung, and has maintained a close relationship since befriending the then 'young Biden.'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Song Young-gil, a Democratic Party member and chairman of the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, maintains direct and indirect channels with U.S. Democratic Party figures. Moon Chung-in, the presidential special advisor on unification, diplomacy, and security, and Kim Han-jung, a Democratic Party member who served as the first secretary of the presidential office under the Kim Dae-jung administration, have also continued exchanges with President Biden.

In the opposition, Park Jin, a prominent 'U.S. expert' and People Power Party member, is known to have a close relationship with President Biden to the extent of joking with him. Park established ties with Biden while serving as an interpreter secretary at the Blue House during the Kim Young-sam administration.

Park appeared in a recently aired documentary series about Biden’s political life, 'Docuplex,' recalling, “I met Biden in the U.S. in 2008 when he was chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He left an impression of being very rational and valuing the Korea-U.S. relationship,” adding, “He was also deeply knowledgeable about North Korean denuclearization and human rights issues, so communication was smooth.”

He also shared an anecdote that Biden, after being proposed as the vice-presidential running mate by the then 19-year-younger presidential candidate Barack Obama, accepted after careful consideration, joking, “As expected, if you want to be president, it’s better to do it quickly.”

Former party member Park Hyung-joon is known to have built networks with Biden’s associates while serving as senior secretary for political affairs and special social advisor at the Blue House during the Lee Myung-bak administration.

People Power Party member Cho Tae-yong built connections with Obama administration officials while serving as the first deputy director of the National Security Office under the Park Geun-hye administration; many of these officials are now close aides to Biden. Chung Mong-joon, chairman of the Asan Foundation, is known to have a long-standing relationship with Biden from his time as chairman of the Korea-U.S. Parliamentary Diplomacy Council.

Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also built a close relationship with Biden, who was U.S. Vice President during his tenure, through frequent interactions.

In the domestic business community, Sohn Kyung-shik, chairman of the Korea Employers Federation, is counted among Biden’s acquaintances. He met then-Vice President Biden at the White House in 2013 as part of a Korea-U.S. economic delegation and has maintained a close relationship since.

Chairman Sohn sent a congratulatory message through the Korean Embassy in the U.S. immediately after Biden’s election was confirmed in November last year.

Kim Hong-guk, chairman of Harim Group, who was invited to the inauguration by a Biden aide, decided to attend the inauguration online instead of going in person.

As Korean companies’ local lobbying activities are intensifying and expanding U.S. businesses such as electric vehicle batteries, SK Innovation appointed attorney Carol Browner, who served as energy and climate policy director under the Obama administration, as an advisory committee member.