Albright: "Resolving North Korea's Nuclear Issue Through a Diplomatic Process Based on the ROK-US Alliance"

Clinton's Second-Term Secretary of State... Leading an Active North Korea Policy
"Learned a Lot from DJ... Hope for Close US-Korea Communication"

Minister of Unification Lee In-young (left) and former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright held a video conference on the morning of the 22nd, the Ministry of Unification announced that day.

Lee In-young, Minister of Unification, met with former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, who visited North Korea in 2000 and led the creation of the "North Korea-U.S. Joint Communique," to discuss the situation on the Korean Peninsula. Former Secretary Albright served as Secretary of State during the late Clinton administration's second term and actively pursued engagement policies toward North Korea, including her October 2000 visit to North Korea, which brought the North Korea-U.S. summit to the brink of realization.

On the 22nd, the Ministry of Unification announced that Minister Lee and former Secretary Albright held a video conference at 8 a.m.

During the meeting, former Secretary Albright shared her experiences from her time as Secretary of State, stating, "Close cooperation based on the South Korea-U.S. alliance is crucial to resolving the Korean Peninsula issue, and the new U.S. administration is expected to advance a prepared diplomatic process to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue in close coordination with South Korea."

She also said, "I learned a lot from former President Kim Dae-jung and the South Korean government," adding, "Since South Korea understands North Korea best, I hope for close communication with the new U.S. administration," according to the Ministry of Unification.

Minister Lee opened the conversation by saying, "The efforts made by the Clinton administration to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula and normalize North Korea-U.S. relations offer many lessons."

He continued, "The Kim Dae-jung government and the Clinton administration cooperated to create a joint North Korea policy and achieved a virtuous cycle in inter-Korean and North Korea-U.S. relations. Based on this, we will coordinate closely with the new U.S. administration and do our best to advance the Korean Peninsula peace process."

Furthermore, when Minister Lee requested, "I will continue to communicate and seek advice and cooperation to create a history of change for peace on the Korean Peninsula," former Secretary Albright responded, "I will gladly cooperate."

Meanwhile, Minister Lee has previously cited the North Korea-U.S. Joint Communique as a model case while envisioning North Korea-U.S. relations during the Joe Biden administration.

In 2000, North Korea sought to improve North Korea-U.S. relations by dispatching Jo Myong-rok, First Vice Chairman of the National Defense Commission, as a special envoy to the United States in October. During his meeting with former President Clinton, Vice Chairman Jo demanded normalization of North Korea-U.S. relations. He proposed that if the international community provided financial support for North Korea’s rocket launches in third countries, North Korea would be willing to abandon long-range missile development. Talks between Secretary of State Albright and Vice Chairman Jo followed, and both sides agreed to abandon mutual hostility, expand economic exchanges and cooperation, and work toward establishing a peace regime. The result was the North Korea-U.S. Joint Communique.

The government appears to be preparing to restart the Korean Peninsula peace process amid the U.S. administration transition. Government officials and ruling party members are increasing contacts with former senior U.S. diplomatic and security officials and experts to gain understanding of the Korean Peninsula situation and foster a favorable environment for South Korea’s North Korea policy. Last month, Minister Lee also held a video conference with William Perry, former U.S. Secretary of Defense and a key figure in the "Perry Process," exchanging views on the Korean Peninsula situation and outlook.

On the 21st, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs appointed Noh Kyu-duk, Peace Planning Secretary at the National Security Office, as the new head of the Korean Peninsula Peace Negotiation Division, which oversees North Korean nuclear diplomacy. This personnel change in key North Korean nuclear diplomacy positions, aligned with the new U.S. diplomatic and security lineup, is interpreted as a move to inject momentum into the stalled North Korea-U.S. dialogue.

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