Crisis on the Korean Peninsula, 'Hanmi Working Group' Under Public Scrutiny... Rising Arguments for Uselessness and Dissolution

'Korea-US Working Group' Seen as Obstacle Amid North Korea's Hardline Moves
Growing Calls Within Ruling Party for Its Abolition...Concerns Raised Since Launch
Lee Do-hoon, Head of Korean Peninsula Peace Negotiations, Makes Sudden Visit to US...Attention on Visit Outcome

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Korea-US consultative body 'Korea-US Working Group,' launched on November 20, 2018, to strengthen communication and cooperation in the process of promoting inter-Korean cooperation and denuclearization, has come under public scrutiny. Voices within the ruling party have grown louder, saying that the consultative body, which was expected to play a role in promoting the Korean Peninsula peace process, has instead become an obstacle. Following North Korea's demolition of the Kaesong Inter-Korean Joint Liaison Office, a symbol of inter-Korean reconciliation, the situation on the Korean Peninsula has rapidly deteriorated, leading to discussions about its uselessness and calls for its disbandment.

The Korea-US Working Group operates with the South Korean side mainly comprising the Blue House, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ministry of Unification, with the Ministry of National Defense attending depending on the issue. On the US side, officials from the State Department and the White House National Security Council (NSC) participate to exchange opinions and coordinate.

Concerns about the role and nature of the Korea-US Working Group existed from its inception. In 2007, the six-party talks participants?South Korea, North Korea, the US, China, Russia, and Japan?formed five working groups focusing on ▲denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula ▲normalization of North Korea-US relations ▲normalization of North Korea-Japan relations ▲energy economic support ▲Northeast Asian security cooperation. However, the six-party talks collapsed due to conflicts over the timing, methods, and targets of verification related to North Korean nuclear facilities. Moreover, remarks by then US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at the time of the Working Group's launch further fueled concerns.

Secretary Pompeo stated at the launch of the Korea-US Working Group, “We conveyed the position that peace on the Korean Peninsula and North Korea's denuclearization should not lag behind improvements in inter-Korean relations,” emphasizing, “We see denuclearization and inter-Korean relations as parallel processes that must progress side by side, and the Working Group will continue to maintain this direction.”

◆Growing Distrust of the ‘Korea-US Working Group,’ Repeated Checks on South Korean Government’s Moves

The initial expectations placed on the Korea-US Working Group have gradually turned into distrust over time. After the failed North Korea-US summit in Hanoi, Vietnam, in February 2019, the Working Group failed to implement measures to realize the Korean Peninsula peace process or even decide on humanitarian aid to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The US administration repeatedly pressured South Korea by stating that if South Korea expressed intentions to pursue inter-Korean cooperation projects, it must coordinate with denuclearization efforts and undergo Korea-US working-level consultations.

In fact, visits to North Korea by Kaesong Industrial Complex businessmen, whose assets were not subject to North Korean sanctions according to the South Korean government, for asset inspection and humanitarian aid in the form of medicines were brought up for discussion in the Korea-US Working Group because transport trucks were considered potentially violating sanctions. Even joint investigations for connecting inter-Korean railroads and roads were delayed more than expected due to discussions with the US on whether they violated sanctions.

Distrust deepened further following remarks by the US Ambassador to South Korea regarding President Moon Jae-in's national address on January 4. In his New Year's speech on January 7, President Moon proposed ▲cooperation in inter-Korean border areas ▲inter-Korean sports exchanges ▲reconnection of inter-Korean railroads and roads and resumption of Kaesong Industrial Complex and Mount Kumgang tourism ▲joint UNESCO registration of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) ▲preparation of conditions for Chairman Kim Jong-un's return visit on June 15.

This was widely analyzed domestically and internationally as the Blue House's determination, based on the judgment that the achievements of the April 27 Inter-Korean Summit and the September 19 Pyongyang Inter-Korean Summit would be difficult to realize practically if left solely to North Korea-US relations and the Korea-US Working Group.

In an unusual move, US Ambassador Harry Harris made remarks that seemed to check the content of the President's New Year's speech. At a press briefing with foreign journalists in Seoul, Ambassador Harris said, “To avoid misunderstandings that could trigger sanctions, it is better to discuss any plans for inter-Korean cooperation through the US and the Working Group.”

Regarding North Korea's intention to promote individual tourism, Ambassador Harris also mentioned, “It is important for Washington and Seoul to consult closely with each other.” Furthermore, in an interview with a domestic media outlet, Ambassador Harris emphasized, “We want to see progress toward denuclearization along with success in inter-Korean relations,” and “Projects such as Chairman Kim Jong-un's return visit should be conducted in consultation with the US.”

The South Korean government expressed displeasure at Ambassador Harris's remarks, while the US State Department defended him. Immediately after Ambassador Harris's remarks, the Blue House criticized them as highly inappropriate. Related ministries, including the Ministry of Unification, responded, “Since our country is a party to the Korean Peninsula issue, we intend to expand our room for maneuver in inter-Korean relations and advance independently as much as possible.”

On the other hand, the US State Department defended Ambassador Harris and emphasized the need to align with the Korea-US Working Group. A spokesperson from the State Department said, “The State Department fully trusts Ambassador Harris, who is working to strengthen the Korea-US alliance and represent President Donald Trump,” adding that the US supports inter-Korean cooperation and coordinates and consults through the Korea-US Working Group to ensure that inter-Korean cooperation proceeds in step with progress in denuclearization.

Ambassador Harris's remarks brought to the surface the latent critical voices against the Korea-US Working Group. Especially following statements by Kim Yo-jong, First Deputy Director of the North Korean Workers' Party, and North Korea's recent hardline moves such as the brutal demolition of the Kaesong Inter-Korean Joint Liaison Office, a symbol of inter-Korean reconciliation, criticism has expanded across the ruling party.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

◆Beginning of the Vicious Cycle in Inter-Korean Relations, ‘Uselessness’ of the Korea-US Working Group

The concerns have become reality. The South Korean government has tried to assign a positive meaning to the Korea-US Working Group's role in effectively handling sanction exemptions, as it is necessary to confirm whether inter-Korean cooperation projects violate UN sanctions.

However, following the demolition of the Kaesong Inter-Korean Joint Liaison Office, North Korea's hardline moves such as restoring guard posts (GPs) in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and resuming military exercises around the Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the West Sea have rendered such positive interpretations meaningless.

Democratic Party lawmaker Hong Ik-pyo said in an interview with MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' on the 15th, “There were practical economic cooperation and various agreements between North and South Korea, but all such measures are blocked by the Korea-US Working Group,” calling it “unnecessary regulation.” He added, “Even content that could pass the UN North Korea Sanctions Committee is blocked by the Working Group. It is time to resolve the problem of the Working Group structure, which is effectively a superimposed layer. I think we need to persuade the US to allow practical economic cooperation measures that do not involve military diversion by North Korea. The US also needs to make a progressive judgment and change its stance on this matter.”

Democratic Party lawmaker Yoon Gun-young also pointed out at the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee plenary meeting on the 16th, “The Korea-US Working Group is being distorted contrary to its original purpose,” and “There are criticisms that it acts as an obstacle to inter-Korean relations, so the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should deeply consider this point.”

Jung Se-hyun, Senior Vice Chairman of the National Unification Advisory Council, analyzed at the '2020 Korean Peninsula New Economy Forum' co-hosted by the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP) and the National Unification Advisory Council at the Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul on the 18th, “North Korea's recent complaints are that there is no point in dealing with the South Korean government, which cannot do anything under the pretext of close Korea-US cooperation.”

Regarding Minister of Unification Kim Yeon-chul's offer to resign, Senior Vice Chairman Jung said, “I think there were difficulties in overcoming the barriers of the Korea-US Working Group,” and “He seemed to feel a lot of frustration as he kept hitting walls at every turn.”

Steve Biegun, U.S. Department of State Special Representative for North Korea Policy, visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 16th and shook hands with Lee Do-hoon, Director General for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@

◆Lee Do-hoon, Director of the Korea Peninsula Peace Negotiations Office, Visits the US After 5 Months... Will He Find a Way to Overcome the Korean Peninsula Crisis?

As the situation on the Korean Peninsula rapidly freezes, Lee Do-hoon, Director of the Korea Peninsula Peace Negotiations Office at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, made a sudden visit to the US on the 17th (local time). Lee is expected to meet with US Deputy Secretary of State and Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun and others to discuss the Korean Peninsula situation and request a closer Korea-US cooperation system.

Since January, Korea and the US have only conducted non-face-to-face consultations due to the spread of COVID-19. The last official schedule was a phone call with Deputy Secretary Biegun on April 28, sharing assessments of the Korean Peninsula situation, including rumors about North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's health. However, as North Korea continues its hardline moves daily and inter-Korean relations fall into a state of collapse, it is interpreted that the visit was scheduled urgently considering the gravity of the situation.

During this visit, Lee is expected to coordinate responses to North Korea's hardline intentions. Considering the US presidential election scheduled for November, it is difficult to resume North Korea-US denuclearization negotiations to break through the unstable Korean Peninsula situation, so he is likely to seek measures to prevent further deterioration. In particular, amid rising domestic calls for accountability regarding the 'Korea-US Working Group' launched in November 2018, he is also likely to coordinate effective ways to hold Working Group meetings.

Professor Jung Dae-jin of Ajou University analyzed, “It is natural and appropriate for the working-level official to visit the US, as not only a special envoy to North Korea but also a special envoy to the US is needed. Since discussions on necessary North Korea cards and approaches to induce and transition to a dialogue phase are required, it seems to be a decision considering the effect of showing North Korea that Korea and the US have started discussions to ease tensions.”

Meanwhile, Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun reported on the 19th, citing sources from Korea-US-Japan consultations, that the South Korean government is expected to request a relaxation of sanctions against North Korea from the US. The source said that Lee Do-hoon, visiting the US, “is expected to persuade the US to agree to ease economic sanctions on North Korea by appealing that the situation is becoming urgent.” However, Yomiuri predicted, “Since North Korea is not responding with substantive denuclearization measures, the US is unlikely to agree to ease sanctions.”

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