President Moon: "Trump Only Made Noise, Did Not Achieve Complete Success"

Interview with The New York Times, Sharing Summit Impressions... "Biden Hopes to Become a Historic President Achieving Irreversible Progress on Korean Peninsula Denuclearization and Peace"

[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Jeong-min] President Moon Jae-in said in an interview with The New York Times released on the 21st regarding former U.S. President Trump's efforts to resolve the North Korea issue, "It only made noise without achieving complete success," and added, "I believe that sitting down face-to-face as soon as possible is the most important starting point to solve the problem."

The New York Times reported in the article, "In the interview, President Moon proudly spoke of his skillful diplomatic strategy in 2018 that led two unpredictable leaders of North Korea and the United States to meet directly," and "However, President Moon was also realistic. He quietly acknowledged that his work to achieve denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula had begun to falter."

Regarding U.S. President Biden's 'bottom-up' diplomatic strategy, President Moon said, "I hope President Biden becomes a historic president who achieves practical and irreversible progress toward the complete denuclearization and peace settlement of the Korean Peninsula."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The New York Times paid attention to President Moon's planned visit to the U.S. at the end of May. The New York Times analyzed, "President Moon's visit is scheduled at a critical time. The Biden administration is finalizing its months-long review of North Korea policy, one of America's most urgent geopolitical issues," and "The visit is partly to petition for dialogue with North Korea and partly to earnestly persuade how to deal with North Korea."

The New York Times reported, "President Moon warned that abandoning the 2018 Singapore Agreement between former President Trump and Chairman Kim Jong-un, which set broad goals for denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, would be a mistake."

President Moon said, "If progress is made further based on the achievements of the Trump administration, I believe the Biden administration can reap the benefits."

The New York Times conveyed, "President Moon urged that the U.S. and North Korea should move toward denuclearization 'gradually and step-by-step' while simultaneously exchanging concessions and compensations," and "The key is to devise a 'mutually trustworthy roadmap,' President Moon said."