[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo In-ho] As President Moon Jae-in marks his 4th year in office on the 10th, evaluations of his diplomatic and security achievements have been mixed.
President Moon's past four years have been highly praised for contributing to easing tensions on the Korean Peninsula based on the Korea Peace Process initiative.
However, there are regrets that while focusing on inter-Korean relations, achievements were not made in South Korea's relations with the United States, Japan, and China. Attention is focused on whether President Moon can produce diplomatic achievements, including the reactivation of the Korea Peace Process based on the South Korea-US relationship, during his remaining one year in office.
According to diplomatic circles on the 10th, President Moon has devoted himself over the past four years to building the Korea Peace Process, which follows the sequence of 'Declaration of the End of the War → Conclusion of a Peace Agreement → Permanent Peace Regime.'
In his first year in office in 2017, President Moon endured provocations by North Korea, such as successive missile launches including intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and the 6th nuclear test in September of the same year, while promoting the Korea Peace Process.
This not only created an opportunity to break the ice in the tense inter-Korean relations, exemplified by North Korea's participation in the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, but also led to the April 27 Inter-Korean Summit with Kim Jong-un, the General Secretary of the Workers' Party of North Korea.
Thereafter, President Moon took on the role of mediator to facilitate dialogue between Kim Jong-un and then U.S. President Donald Trump, leading to two North Korea-US summits and inter-Korean summits, achieving significant results in reducing the risk of war on the Korean Peninsula.
However, after the second North Korea-US summit held in Hanoi, Vietnam, in February 2019 ended with no deal, the North Korea-US relationship fell into a deadlock, and inter-Korean relations also entered a lull.
Professor Hwang Jae-ho of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies said, "President Moon went all-in on improving inter-Korean relations, but after the 'Hanoi no deal,' relations deteriorated significantly," adding, "There was room to be more proactive, so it is regrettable."
Last year, tensions on the Korean Peninsula escalated again as North Korea blew up the inter-Korean joint liaison office, citing the issue of leaflets sent by some defector groups, and the shooting of a Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries official occurred.
Moreover, with the change of the U.S. administration, which holds the key to the Korean Peninsula situation, President Moon's Korea Peace Process remains at a standstill. South Korea-Japan relations have also failed to thaw due to historical issues and the decision to discharge contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant.
Professor Kim Hyun-wook of the Korea National Diplomatic Academy pointed out, "The Moon administration focused solely on North Korea policy from the early days of its term, and it seems some desired results were achieved during President Trump's era," but added, "However, it is problematic that diplomatic issues other than North Korea, such as South Korea-US, South Korea-China, and South Korea-Japan relations, were neglected."
Accordingly, President Moon is scheduled to hold his first South Korea-US summit with U.S. President Joe Biden on the 21st and will seek to reactivate the Korea Peace Process. Attention is focused on what outcomes will be produced at the South Korea-US summit.
Shin Beom-chul, head of the Foreign Affairs and Security Center at the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade, said, "Comparing before and after President Moon's inauguration, there has been no improvement in inter-Korean, South Korea-US, South Korea-China, or South Korea-Japan relations," adding, "It is necessary to move beyond a diplomatic framework centered on inter-Korean relations."
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