Song Young-gil: "Biden Likely to 'Actively Engage'... Will Persuade to Dispatch Special Envoy to North Korea"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Wondara] Song Young-gil, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea and chairman of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, predicted that President-elect Joe Biden's North Korea policy is likely to follow the "active engagement policy" of the Clinton administration. Song stated that he plans to meet with key figures from the Biden camp soon to persuade them to send a special envoy to North Korea.

In an interview with MBC Radio on the morning of the 9th, Song responded to concerns that Biden's Korea policy might revert to the Obama administration's North Korea policy of strategic patience by saying, "The consensus seems to be that it will not return to the strategic patience policy. Rather, it is more likely to follow the active engagement policy of the Clinton administration."

Song explained, "There are two reasons why it cannot go back to Obama's strategic patience. First, North Korea has developed ICBMs, so negotiations cannot be postponed. Second, during the strategic patience period, the Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye administrations were in power, but now we have the Moon Jae-in administration, and our people strongly request a peaceful resolution to the North Korean nuclear issue. Therefore, I believe we can sufficiently inherit and develop the spirit of the Clinton administration."

When asked whether former President Donald Trump's three meetings with North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un would influence the Biden administration, he said, "(It will) definitely have an influence," adding, "However, I don't think we can unilaterally deny what President Trump did by meeting Kim Jong-un. In a February interview with the NYT, Biden expressed willingness to meet Kim Jong-un."

He also said, "North Korea is in a difficult situation due to COVID-19, flood damage, and economic sanctions," and added, "I believe the Biden administration should immediately send a special envoy or open a channel for dialogue to build trust so that North Korea can move toward denuclearization. I plan to visit the U.S. to strongly persuade them on this point."

However, when asked whom he plans to meet, he said, "The Biden camp is very cautious about meeting outsiders. We are making efforts to arrange a meeting with key figures and coordinating schedules."

Regarding who might be positioned in the Biden administration's North Korea working team, he replied, "The best-known figure is former Deputy Secretary of State Tony Blinken," and added, "Former White House National Security Advisor Susan Rice holds a tough stance on North Korea, and Frank Jannuzi, president of the Mansfield Foundation, with whom I once had dinner and talked, showed quite a reasonable side."

On the election of Yoo Myung-hee as a candidate for WTO Director-General, he said, "(The Biden administration) will definitely be helpful," adding, "Since Trump's unilateralism was negative toward the WTO, which pursues multilateralism, if the Biden camp can agree with Pompeo or the current president to maintain Yoo Myung-hee, it will help persuade Europe."

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