April 27, 2024

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[THE INVESTOR] Liberal presidential candidate Moon Jae-in vowed to speak directly with North Korea‘s leader Kim Jong-un to resolve military tensions on the Korean Peninsula, if elected, in an interview with The Korea Herald on April 11.

Saying that South Korea has been reduced to a “spectator” in the issue of its own survival, the candidate expressed confidence in dealing with the new US administration led by President Donald Trump.

Describing the US president as a “savvy businessman,” Moon said he could strike a better deal with Trump than his predecessors, but expressed concern about the Trump administration’s unilateral approaches toward Pyongyang -- such as military options.

The former leader of the Democratic Party of Korea reiterated that any military measures against North Korea should not take place without the consent of South Korea, particularly when its commander-in-chief position was vacated after former President Park Geun-hye was removed from power over a massive bribery scandal.

“We must recognize (Kim Jong-un) as North Korea’s leader, and if we are to resolve the nuclear issue we must negotiate (with Kim),” said Moon during an interview with The Korea Herald at a restaurant in Seoul, where he had previously elicited the support of fellow liberal candidate Ahn Cheol-soo during the 2012 presidential race. 

“I don’t consider Trump in the same category with Kim Jong-un. I think he is someone who derives a rational decision from his calculations. So, I think communicating with Trump will be easier. This is because Korea and the US have shared interests.”

Tensions have mounted over the Korean Peninsula as the US government has hinted at taking military options against North Korea’s missile and nuclear programs. In an apparent show of force, the US military sent the Carl Vinson Strike Group to Korean waters after launching missiles at Syria’s air base for its chemical attack.

But South Korea has been “totally sidelined” throughout the process by two regional powerhouses -- US and China, Moon asserted. Despite high expectations over their first summit, President Trump and his counterpart Xi Jinping failed to produce a major breakthrough on the North’s nuclear program.

Referring to the summit as a “disappointment,” Moon said South Korea should take the lead in resolving military threats from Pyongyang, which has conducted ballistic missile tests and inched closer to another nuclear test.

“The issue of the Korean Peninsula is our problem, and we are directly involved in the North Korean nuclear issue. I feel that we should take the lead. At present, we are spectators who hope for the US-China talks to go well.”

But Moon declined to specify what kind of policy he would pursue if he took office -- including whether to reopen Kaesong industrial park following its shutdown in 2016 -- other than stressing strong coordination with Washington. 

Moon had been pushing to reopen the industrial complex, saying the shutdown would constitute a violation of UN resolutions. The complex was closed in response to Pyongyang’s satellite launch and nuclear test in January 2016.

“First, close cooperation with the US must be established so that if (South Korea’s) North Korean policies need to be changed, we can request the US to alter theirs. The Trump administration considers the Obama administration and earlier Republican administrations to have failed in this regard, so Trump himself has hinted at changes in the US’ North Korean policies.”

With the upcoming presidential competition shaping up to be a two-way race between Moon and the People’s Party Ahn Cheol-soo, Moon said Ahn is not a leader who can carry out social reform in the aftermath of the corruption scandal surrounding former President Park.

“The most important thing is the demand of the times, and I have always been with the candlelight protests. In contrast, Ahn emphasizes that he did not participate. (Ahn and I) have fundamentally different perceptions of the times.”

By Yeo Jun-suk & Jo he-rim/The Korea Herald (jasonyeo@heraldcorp.com) (herim@heraldcorp.com)