US-ROK Summit Confirmed for Next Month 21... Will the 'Quad' Also Be Discussed?

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] With the schedule for the South Korea-US summit confirmed for the 21st of next month, attention is focused on the key agenda items to be discussed at the summit table. It is expected that a variety of topics will be raised, ranging from North Korean denuclearization to semiconductor and vaccine cooperation, and responses to climate change. Whether to join the Quad, the ‘Asian NATO’ aimed at countering China, could become a ‘hot potato’ issue.

A senior Blue House official stated on the 30th, "The agenda for the summit is still under discussion," adding, "We have not yet reached the stage to discuss specific details." However, the official explained, "We plan to have in-depth discussions on close cooperation between South Korea and the US to advance complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the establishment of lasting peace, as well as on practical cooperation in economy and trade, and responses and cooperation on global challenges such as climate change and COVID-19."

Regarding specific agenda items, clues can be found by referring to the US-Japan summit held prior to the South Korea-US summit. The US and Japan included China’s coercive actions in the South China Sea, and issues concerning Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Xinjiang Uyghur in their joint statement, openly signaling their intention to counter China. It cannot be ruled out that discussions on joining the Quad will also be on the table at the South Korea-US summit. President Biden’s statement during his joint session of Congress speech on the 28th (local time), saying "We will maintain strong military power in the Indo-Pacific like NATO in Europe," also demonstrates the importance of the Quad to the US.

However, since our government advocates ‘balanced diplomacy,’ joining the Quad, which is characterized as opposing China, could be awkward. Considering this, the US side may choose not to raise this issue at the dialogue table. The government has maintained the position that "there has been no official request to join the Quad so far," and the Blue House also stated that the Quad has not been confirmed as an agenda item.

The extent to which our government’s ‘Korean Peninsula peace process’ can be reflected in the US North Korea policy is also a key point of this summit. Since President Biden said in his congressional speech that "We will work with allies and partners to address the nuclear threats from North Korea and Iran," it is possible that our position will be reflected in the US North Korea policy. However, conversely, the US side may also demand a role from South Korea as an ally, so caution is needed.

‘Securing vaccines’ is also expected to be a major agenda item. Earlier, Japanese Prime Minister Suga secured an additional 20 million doses of Pfizer vaccines immediately after the US-Japan summit, and South Korea is also expected to seek additional vaccine procurement through the summit. Furthermore, there is a growing voice advocating for South Korea to be promoted as a ‘vaccine hub.’

However, experts analyze that if our government wants to draw US cooperation regarding North Korea’s nuclear issue or vaccine procurement, it is highly likely to move in the direction of cooperating with the Quad. Shin Beom-chul, head of the Foreign and Security Center at the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade, said, "It will be difficult to explicitly mention the Quad in the joint statement, but a low-level agreement aiming for cooperation with the Quad could emerge."

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