"Biden Will Not Meet Kim Jong-un: South Korea-US Divergent North Korea Policies"

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo In-ho, New York=Special Correspondent Baek Jong-min] The White House announced on the 29th (local time) that U.S. President Joe Biden has no intention of meeting Kim Jong-un, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki responded at a briefing that day to the question, "President Biden said he is prepared for some form of diplomacy with North Korea. Does that include meeting with General Secretary Kim?" by saying, "I think his approach will be quite different."

This aligns with diplomatic expectations that the Biden administration will not pursue the ‘top-down’ approach to the North Korean nuclear issue that former President Trump employed.

This also connects to the principle of not meeting General Secretary Kim without preconditions such as a ‘declaration of denuclearization intent,’ as well as the possibility of adopting a ‘high-key’ strategy including UN-level responses to North Korea’s missile provocations.

This point shows a difference in tone compared to the South Korean government, which hopes for summit-level dialogue to establish the Korea Peninsula peace process.

However, the Biden administration has repeatedly emphasized its intention to engage in close consultation and cooperation with the three countries of South Korea, the U.S., and Japan regarding North Korea policy.

On the same day, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, during a virtual briefing with foreign correspondents in New York, mentioned that the review of North Korea policy is in its final stages and stressed the importance of cooperation with South Korea and Japan. Secretary Blinken said, "We understand how important coordination with South Korea and Japan is on the issue of North Korean denuclearization. (Missile launches) have no effect in shaking the resolve of our three countries to approach North Korea from a position of strength."

Blinken’s remarks are evaluated as a preview of the outline of the U.S. North Korea policy ahead of the upcoming trilateral security chiefs meeting between South Korea, the U.S., and Japan this week.

At this security chiefs meeting, Suh Hoon, Director of the South Korean National Security Office, Jake Sullivan, U.S. National Security Advisor, and Shigeru Kitamura, Director of Japan’s National Security Secretariat, are reported to closely discuss the finalized U.S. North Korea policy.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Since the inauguration at the end of January, the Biden administration has explained the basic principles of its North Korea policy?‘incentives and sanctions’?and its new approach through visits by Secretary of State Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to allied countries, seeking cooperation from the South Korean and Japanese governments.

In this context, the prevailing analysis is that the Biden administration will present both carrots (incentives) and sticks (sanctions) toward North Korea at this security chiefs meeting.

At his first official press conference on the 25th, President Biden pointed out North Korea’s ballistic missile launches as violations of UN Security Council resolutions but also mentioned that he is prepared for a diplomatic solution with North Korea.

Accordingly, the U.S. is pushing for sanctions or responses at the international community level through the UN regarding North Korea’s ballistic missile launches on the 25th. In fact, the UN Security Council is reported to hold a closed meeting on North Korea as early as the 30th (local time).

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, U.S. Ambassador to the UN, introduced, "We held a meeting of the UN North Korea Sanctions Committee regarding North Korea’s short-range missile launches," and added, "We are reviewing possible response measures that can be taken in New York."

This is interpreted as a mention that the U.S. may resolve countermeasures against North Korea through a Security Council-level meeting.

The Biden administration’s approach to North Korea is awkward from the South Korean government’s perspective.

It is difficult to align with the U.S. hardline stance while President Moon Jae-in is voluntarily acting as a mediator for North Korea-U.S., inter-Korean, and trilateral dialogue to establish the Korea Peninsula peace process during his remaining term.

The difference in approaches is also exposed by the fact that South Korea and the U.S. are taking different paths on North Korean human rights issues.

On the 23rd, the UN adopted the North Korea Human Rights Resolution condemning North Korea’s human rights violations and crimes against humanity for the 19th consecutive year. The U.S. was a co-sponsor for the first time in three years, but South Korea was absent from the co-sponsors list for the third consecutive year.

Also, the U.S. Congress’s ‘Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission’ is reported to hold a hearing next month related to South Korea’s law banning North Korean leaflets.

A diplomatic expert said, "As with Secretary Blinken’s visit to South Korea and Japan, it will not be easy to reach an agreement on North Korea and China issues at this security chiefs meeting," adding, "It is expected to be limited to sharing the U.S. North Korea policy and confirming opinions."

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