People Power Party: "Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha's Timing of US Visit Inappropriate... 'Tightrope Diplomacy'"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] The People Power Party criticized Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha's visit to the U.S. to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo as "pitiful and dangerous diplomacy," pointing out that the timing is inappropriate.

On the 8th, Bae Jun-young, spokesperson for the People Power Party, stated in a commentary, "Minister Kang's visit to the U.S. to meet Secretary Pompeo today is inappropriate in many ways."

Spokesperson Bae said, "How would the incoming administration feel if the current government’s Secretary of State meets with the U.S. at this time?" He added, "It takes about six months to form the Korean line, including the new administration’s ministers and the Deputy Assistant Secretary for East Asia and the Pacific. Now is a time for managing the situation rather than pushing new initiatives."

He pointed out, "Secretary Pompeo has recently visited Japan and neighboring countries but did not visit Korea. Our government begged for a visit, and the U.S. probably said to come once the election is over," and questioned, "Is it really normal to go that far and discuss the future of Korea-U.S. relations with the outgoing government’s foreign affairs chief?"

Spokesperson Bae emphasized that the government had tried to use Trump’s top-down North Korea-U.S. dialogue approach but now there is no prospect, stating, "When Biden takes office in the U.S., North Korea’s denuclearization will become the entry point for dialogue," and added, "there is little disagreement that the discussions will be conducted in a stable bottom-up manner."

He advised, "Minister Kang should stop the dangerous tightrope diplomacy of meeting both sides’ generals during wartime, return, regain focus, and do what needs to be done," and suggested that she first recommend to the President the dismissal of Ambassador Lee Soo-hyuk to the U.S.

Spokesperson Bae said, "Send a sincere message to the U.S. saying, ‘Just as we have been together for the past 70 years, let us continue together for the next 70 years,’" and added, "now that the U.S. is resuming active alliance diplomacy and multilateral trade, our task is to prepare to firmly hold hands with them."

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