Moon Jung-in: "For Now, US Alliance; Strategic Cooperation with China"

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo In-ho] Moon Jung-in, Chairman of the Sejong Institute and former Special Advisor to the President on Unification, Foreign Affairs, and Security, advised that South Korea should pursue "transcendent diplomacy beyond divisive bloc diplomacy" as the conflict between the United States and China intensifies.

Interview_Moon Jung-in, Chairman of Sejong Institute (Conversation with Professor Hwang Jae-ho, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies)./Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

In a recent interview with Asia Economy, Chairman Moon said, "In the short term, we must choose a status quo strategy that maintains the alliance with the United States and the strategic cooperative partnership with China."

Chairman Moon also noted growing concerns in the U.S. regarding the so-called 'China threat theory.'

He stated, "If the U.S. interferes in China's internal affairs under the banner of values and attempts to geopolitically encircle and contain China, hostile competition will intensify. This is a shortcut to a new Cold War, and the U.S. and Chinese governments must not forget that Dr. Henry Kissinger warned that 'if the new Cold War cannot be prevented, a catastrophe like World War I could occur.'"

Chairman Moon pointed out that the South Korean government urgently needs to prepare a cautious and sophisticated strategy in anticipation of the arrival of a new Cold War era.

However, he believes that until the U.S. and China explicitly force South Korea to make a 'choice,' it is necessary to maintain the current diplomatic stance.

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