Taeyoungho: "Kim Jong-un Seems to Have Chosen 'Seonnam Humi' Direction... Trying to Influence the Presidential Election"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Tae Young-ho, a member of the People Power Party and former North Korean diplomat, criticized North Korean Workers' Party General Secretary Kim Jong-un's mention of restoring the communication hotline, saying it was a move to influence the presidential election by setting the direction as "Seonnam Humi (先南後美)"?prioritizing South Korea before the U.S.

On the 30th, Tae stated on Facebook, "It seems that Kim Jong-un carefully examined the Biden administration's situation, which has no room to pay attention to North Korea due to South Korea's presidential election climate, budget issues, and the Afghanistan problem, and then decided on the direction of 'Seonnam Humi,'" asserting this view.

Tae analyzed that if the conservative party takes power in next year's South Korean presidential election, the recognition of North Korea as a nuclear state will inevitably be delayed, so Kim Jong-un will have no choice but to try to influence the South Korean presidential election climate.

He said, "President Moon Jae-in's remark that even if a declaration of the end of the war is adopted, there will be no change in the status of the U.S. Forces Korea and the ROK-U.S. alliance will likely lead Kim Jong-un to see the declaration as a good opportunity to solidify the current inter-Korean security structure under the principle of 'mutual respect' and block ROK-U.S. interference in North Korea's nuclear program," adding, "Candidate Lee Jae-myung's endorsement of President Moon's declaration of the end of the war and Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong's proposal to ease sanctions on North Korea likely gave Kim Jong-un a chance to carefully consider which political force winning the upcoming election would be more favorable for extending the lifespan of North Korea's nuclear program."

Tae predicted that Kim Jong-un would decide to visit Seoul and participate in the Beijing Olympics if it meant the emergence of a regime favorable to him, forecasting the possibility of a Seoul summit after November.

He said, "Some say that a 'South-North summit show' for the election is too clich?d for our people, and even if it happens, its impact on the election will be minimal, but I do not think so," pointing out, "At Panmunjom, Singapore, Pyongyang, and Baekdu Mountain, the Korean people witnessed Kim Jong-un's unprecedented moves, and his favorability sharply increased at that time."

Tae warned, "If the Democratic Party regime is reestablished due to Kim Jong-un's unprecedented moves, the next administration, which is also a beneficiary, will not remain passive toward the Kim Jong-un regime," adding, "However, whatever show unfolds, the price paid to North Korea will come out of the people's pockets, and as a result, we will become hostages to North Korea's nuclear program."