Moon Jung-in: "Gradual Reduction of USFK Could Be a Swift Negotiation Card for North Korea's Denuclearization"

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] Moon Jung-in, Special Advisor to the President for Unification, Foreign Affairs, and Security, expressed the domestic public opinion that the presence of US Forces Korea is necessary during a discussion with a US think tank, while also stating that gradual reduction could be used as a negotiation card for the swift denuclearization of North Korea.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 27th (local time), Special Advisor Moon responded to a question about public opinion on the reduction of US Forces Korea during an online seminar hosted by the Quincy Institute, a think tank in Washington DC. He said, "Amid China's rise and North Korea's ongoing military threats, the majority of Koreans support the ROK-US alliance, and a significant number support the continued presence of US Forces Korea," but also mentioned, "If a situation arises regarding (the reduction of US Forces Korea), many hope there will be a link between the gradual reduction of US Forces Korea and North Korea's denuclearization."

However, he added, "Basically, the majority of Koreans, whether conservative, centrist, or center-left, will support the continued presence of US Forces Korea."

Representative Ami Bera, a Democrat and Chair of the US House Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, expressed a cautious stance by linking the issue of US Forces Korea withdrawal to the potential nuclear armament of South Korea and Japan. Representative Bera said, "From the US perspective, to add, I think it would be a wrong move," and "It would send a signal to the region that the US is no longer sufficiently engaged." He added, "South Korea and Japan might feel the need to arm themselves with nuclear weapons," and "This is something we do not want, and this partnership must have stability."

Regarding the deterioration of US-China relations, Special Advisor Moon emphasized that while the importance of the US is great, Korea's uniqueness must also be considered. He said, "South Korea is an ally of the US and a strategic partner of China," and "Certainly, an ally is more important than a strategic partner, so our top priority is the US." However, Special Advisor Moon predicted, "We are structurally dependent on China," and "If South Korea becomes hostile to China, China could pose a military threat to us, support North Korea, and a new Cold War could truly come to the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia."

Regarding China's move to enact the Hong Kong National Security Law, he viewed it as an internal legal issue of China but said that if the law infringes on human rights, the South Korean government could take a critical stance.

When asked about the significance of the normalization of North Korea-US relations for South Korea, Special Advisor Moon said, "The sooner, the better, and it could be a true starting point for genuine negotiations on North Korea's denuclearization," adding, "If the US truly shows its intention to normalize diplomatic relations and mutually establishes embassies, it would be extremely difficult for North Korea to justify possessing nuclear weapons."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.