Director Lee Do-hoon Visits the U.S. After 5 Months, Discusses Korean Peninsula Situation with Representative Biegun (Comprehensive)

When Asked About Purpose of US Visit, "Can't Say Now"
Meeting with Biegun and Others to Discuss Situation... "Opportunity to Look into US Intentions"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Amid North Korea's demolition of the Kaesong Inter-Korean Liaison Office, redeployment of military units, and announcement of the resumption of military exercises in the West Sea, Lee Do-hoon, Director-General for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (pictured), made a sudden visit to the United States. Director-General Lee is expected to meet with Steven Biegun, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State and Special Representative for North Korea, who is the U.S. dialogue partner, to discuss the rapidly freezing situation on the Korean Peninsula and request a closer South Korea-U.S. cooperation system.

On the 17th (local time), Director-General Lee arrived urgently through Dulles International Airport near Washington D.C., starting his visit to the U.S. When asked about the purpose of his visit, he reportedly refrained from commenting, saying, "I cannot say anything at this time." Some speculate that he may have effectively acted as a special envoy, but considering the sensitivity of the matter, it appears that Director-General Lee kept his lips tightly sealed.

Since January, South Korea and the U.S. have only conducted non-face-to-face consultations due to the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The last official schedule was a phone call with Deputy Secretary Biegun on April 28, during which they shared assessments of the situation on the Korean Peninsula, including rumors about North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's health. However, as North Korea continued its hardline actions day after day, leading inter-Korean relations to collapse, an urgent visit to the U.S. was arranged considering the gravity of the situation. Although there were speculations that this was to perform a special envoy role, the Blue House stated that the visit was according to a long-planned schedule and not as a special envoy.

Director-General Lee is expected to meet with U.S. dialogue partners, including Deputy Secretary Biegun and Robert O'Brien, National Security Advisor at the White House, to discuss Korean Peninsula issues based on the meeting outcomes. Earlier on the 17th (Korean time), the Blue House held an emergency National Security Council (NSC) meeting from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m., chaired by National Security Advisor Chung Eui-yong, to analyze North Korea's hardline moves and discuss response measures.

During this visit, Director-General Lee is expected to coordinate responses related to North Korea's hardline intentions. Considering the upcoming U.S. presidential election in November, it is difficult to resume North Korea-U.S. denuclearization negotiations to overcome the unstable situation on the Korean Peninsula, so it is highly likely that measures to prevent further deterioration will be sought. Above all, with domestic criticism rising over the responsibility for the 'South Korea-U.S. Working Group' launched in November 2018, there is interest in whether discussions on effective working group meeting methods will also take place. A Foreign Ministry official stated, "Director-General Lee will use this visit to consult with Deputy Secretary Biegun and discuss current assessments and response plans regarding the situation on the Korean Peninsula."

Experts predict that Director-General Lee's visit will somewhat ease the heightened tensions and provide an opportunity to understand the U.S. side's intentions. On the 16th (local time), the U.S. State Department issued an unusual statement urging North Korea to "refrain from further actions that would be counterproductive," while fully supporting South Korea's efforts to improve inter-Korean relations.

Min Hong-chul, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea and chairman of the National Defense Committee, said in an interview with KBS Radio's "Kim Kyung-rae's Strongest Current Affairs" on the 18th, "If there was an intention to link inter-Korean relations to North Korea-U.S. talks or their progress, it seems that the U.S. is now giving more leeway to the South Korean government's measures in this phase," adding, "In that sense, Director-General Lee's visit to the U.S. is appropriate to confirm that intention."

Professor Jung Dae-jin of Ajou University said, "It is natural and appropriate for the working-level official to visit the U.S. at a time when not only a special envoy to North Korea but also a special envoy to the U.S. is needed," and analyzed, "Given the need to discuss North Korea cards and approaches necessary to induce and transition to a dialogue phase, it seems to be a decision considering the effect of showing North Korea that South Korea and the U.S. have started discussions to ease tensions."

Meanwhile, North Korea has also begun to slow down. Although North Korea continued a 'verbal bomb relay' by releasing statements from Kim Yo-jong, First Deputy Director of the Workers' Party Central Committee, a spokesperson for the General Staff of the Korean People's Army, Jang Kum-chol, head of the United Front Department, and a commentary from the Korean Central News Agency the previous day, it responded with a relatively calm statement on this day. Although Kim Sun-kyung, Deputy Minister for Europe at the North Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, issued a statement, it was a routine rebuttal to the European Union's expression of concern over the deterioration of inter-Korean relations. No official statements or messages toward South Korea were issued through North Korean state media.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

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