Controversial 'Hanmi Working Group': Will Discussions for Improvement Begin in Earnest?

Minister Kang Kyung-hwa "Discussing Improvements to the Working Group with the U.S... Well Aware of Domestic Concerns"
Some in the Ruling Party Argue 'Uselessness' and 'Dissolution'
Experts Likely to Focus on 'Normalization' of the Working Group in Line with Intentions Such as Easing North Korea Sanctions

Lee Do-hoon, Director General for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (left), and Stephen Biegun, U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy at the Department of State, are posing for a commemorative photo on the morning of the 10th at the bilateral meeting room of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Doryeom-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, ahead of the "Denuclearization and Inter-Korean Relations Working Group Meeting."
This is the first Working Group meeting in about two months since the Washington meeting on March 14. Photo by Joint Press Corps

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The U.S.-South Korea working group, once anticipated as a forum to promote the Korean Peninsula peace process, is drawing attention as discussions on improving its operation may intensify following the visit of Steven Biegun, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State and Special Representative for North Korea, to South Korea. This comes amid controversy sparked by criticism from ruling party members calling for the dissolution or questioning the usefulness of the working group, especially after North Korea's demolition of the inter-Korean liaison office in Kaesong.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lee Do-hoon, Director-General for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs, discussed the working group's operational methods with Deputy Secretary Biegun during his visit to the U.S. on the 17th of last month (local time). Subsequently, the possibility of discussions between South Korea and the U.S. to improve the working group's operation was raised by Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha. At a press briefing held on the 2nd at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Doryeom-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Minister Kang stated, "(The U.S. and South Korea) have evaluated that the working group has functioned quite effectively, but we are also well aware of domestic concerns," adding, "During Director-General Lee's visit to the U.S., there was a report that the two sides shared a sense of the issues and discussed how to improve the operation to alleviate concerns."

This is the first time the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has acknowledged receiving critical voices regarding the working group, which was launched in November 2018, and has discussed improvement measures. Until now, the ministry had responded to questions about the working group's role with somewhat detached evaluations such as "it is functioning well at various levels." Minister Kang's shift in stance is interpreted as the ministry, as a party to the working group, expressing a willingness to actively address problems in order to bring North Korea back to the dialogue table.

Going forward, attention will focus on whether Deputy Secretary Biegun, who is scheduled to visit South Korea soon, will continue discussions on improving the working group's operation. Depending on the content of these discussions, there is hope for a change in North Korea's attitude, which has recently halted its aggressive actions. North Korea has pointed to the working group as a reason why inter-Korean agreements have not been properly implemented. Kim Yo-jong, First Deputy Director of the Workers' Party, also claimed in a statement on the 17th of last month that "we have blindly accepted the so-called U.S.-South Korea working group and have served and offered every issue in inter-Korean relations to the White House."

Experts predict that the focus will be on 'normalizing' the working group, which was the original purpose of its establishment, rather than on calls for its dissolution or claims of ineffectiveness voiced by some within the ruling party. This means preserving the original intent of the forum, which was launched to regularly coordinate denuclearization, sanctions on North Korea, and inter-Korean cooperation.

Professor Jung Dae-jin of Ajou University emphasized, "Eliminating the working group because it is seen as an obstacle to the Korean Peninsula peace process, as some suggest, would inevitably be burdensome for both countries," adding, "If discussions between the representatives of South Korea and the U.S. continue, it is important to ensure that the working group operates in line with its original purpose at the time of its launch, such as easing sanctions on North Korea."

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