Yoon "No Intention to Ruin North Korea... It's Kim Jong-un's Choice"
Subtle Moves Expected Amid Cold Atmosphere... Government Attempts COVID-19 Quarantine Support
[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] President Yoon Suk-yeol, who has been actively engaging in diplomatic activities such as the South Korea-US summit and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) summit, has once again expressed criticism of the conciliatory policy toward North Korea and reaffirmed a hardline stance, signaling that the tense situation surrounding the Korean Peninsula is likely to continue for the time being.
According to CNN and the Presidential Office on the 24th, President Yoon said in an interview with CNN the previous day, "The era of appeasing North Korea is now over." Following the South Korea-US summit, this interview reaffirmed President Yoon's commitment to a tough stance on North Korea, which he has maintained since his presidential candidacy.
He also clearly stated that the Moon Jae-in administration's Korea peace process, which focused on leading North Korea to the dialogue table through an inclusive policy, was a failed policy.
He criticized, "Many people describe the attempt to avoid temporary provocations and confrontations as 'submissive diplomacy,' but the policy of watching North Korea's mood or trying to read its signals has proven ineffective and a failure over the past five years."
This implies that although South Korea maintained a conciliatory attitude toward North Korea over the past five years, the atmosphere on the Korean Peninsula rapidly cooled after North Korea broke a kind of moratorium on nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile tests.
As President Yoon repeatedly shows a tough stance toward North Korea, which has a high possibility of military provocations, the chilly inter-Korean relations are expected to continue.
In particular, President Yoon clearly stated that in order for North Korea not to bring about its own isolation, Kim Jong-un, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (Chairman of the State Affairs Commission), must abandon nuclear armament enhancement and work toward creating a peaceful atmosphere.
He said, "It is a matter for Chairman Kim to decide, but I have no intention of wanting North Korea to collapse, and I hope North Korea prospers together with South Korea," adding, "I do not believe that strengthening nuclear armament is the path for North Korea to maintain peace and prosper with the Republic of Korea."
In this interview, President Yoon also mentioned his firm stance on responding to the possibility of North Korea's 7th nuclear test. He said, "South Korea and its allies are prepared for any form of provocation. We will respond strongly and decisively to prevent provocations." The South Korea-US leaders, in their joint statement from the summit on the 21st, for the first time explicitly mentioned 'nuclear' as a means to respond to the North Korean nuclear threat.
However, President Yoon said that redeployment of tactical nuclear weapons on the Korean Peninsula is "not under consideration," indicating that he avoids extreme military confrontation and is willing to engage in dialogue with North Korea on the premise of denuclearization. Accordingly, behind-the-scenes efforts by government ministries to improve inter-Korean relations are expected to continue.
Unification Minister Kwon Young-se said in a speech commemorating Unification Education Week the previous day, "Depending on the substantial progress in North Korea's denuclearization, we will realize the bold plan announced by the President in his inaugural address," adding, "Through this, we will achieve joint economic development between South and North Korea and realize the vision of becoming a global pivotal state."
Foreign Minister Park Jin also recently assessed regarding North Korea issues in relation to the South Korea-US summit, "It is a situation where we must induce North Korea's correct choice through national and international cooperation using various methods."
The government also maintains its stance of not stopping efforts to offer support related to the spread of COVID-19 in North Korea. The Ministry of Unification attempted to deliver a COVID-19 quarantine cooperation notification to the North through the inter-Korean liaison office again the previous day, following a similar attempt on the 16th.
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