'Seong Kim' Visits South Korea During ROK-US Drills, Preemptive Blockade of North Korean Military Provocations?

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo In-ho] Sung Kim, the U.S. Special Representative for North Korea, is expected to visit South Korea during the Combined Command Post Training (CCPT) of the South Korea-U.S. joint military exercises to discuss issues such as North Korea's denuclearization with the South Korean government.

If North Korea, which strongly opposes the South Korea-U.S. joint exercises, conducts military provocations during the training period overlapping with Kim's visit, the deadlocked inter-Korean and North Korea-U.S. relations could rapidly shift toward stronger sanctions.

Sung Kim, U.S. Special Representative for North Korea, is entering the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 22nd. On this day, Representative Sung Kim will pay a courtesy call to Lee In-young, Minister of Unification, and hold high-level bilateral consultations on North Korea policy with Choi Young-jun, Vice Minister of Unification. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

According to diplomatic sources on the 17th, South Korea and the U.S. are reportedly coordinating Kim's visit schedule from the 21st to the 24th. If the visit takes place, it will be the first in about two months since June.

Diplomatic circles interpret Kim’s decision to schedule his visit during the joint exercises as a preemptive move to block potential North Korean military provocations.

This is seen as a warning to North Korea, which regards the joint exercises as hostile policies and has mentioned the possibility of provocations.

During his visit, Kim is expected to discuss follow-up measures regarding North Korea-related issues, including the restoration of inter-Korean communication lines since July 27.

Especially since North Korea cut off communication lines citing the joint exercises as an excuse, it is anticipated that efforts will be made to open channels for improving North Korea-U.S. or inter-Korean relations in some form.

Given that humanitarian cooperation with North Korea was discussed in recent South Korea-U.S. ministerial and director-level talks, there is also a possibility that issues related to North Korean sanctions will be addressed. The agenda may include promoting video reunions for separated families, including Korean Americans, on a humanitarian basis.

Meanwhile, it is also reported that Igor Morgulov, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Asia-Pacific Affairs and Russia’s point person on North Korea, is planning to visit South Korea in coordination with Kim’s visit.

If Morgulov’s visit is confirmed, a trilateral meeting among the senior representatives for North Korea from South Korea, the U.S., and Russia could take place. Should consultations between South Korea and the U.S., or among South Korea, the U.S., and Russia be realized, discussions on ways to resume dialogue with North Korea are expected to be on the table.