[Interview with Ruling and Opposition Diplomacy Experts] Kim Seong-han "One-time Talks Are Not Enough Incentive... Establish a Permanent Channel with North Korea"

Yoon Seok-yeol People Power Party Candidate's Campaign Headquarters Foreign Affairs and Security Director

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Kim Sung-han, former Vice Foreign Minister and head of the Foreign Affairs and Security Headquarters for Yoon Seok-yeol, the People Power Party candidate, stated, "It is nonsense to treat North Korea’s participation in dialogue as a great favor and to think that we must give them gifts or incentives for it." He emphasized that establishing a permanent dialogue channel is the top priority in approaching North Korea issues.

In a phone interview with Asia Economy on the 28th, Kim said that through establishing a permanent dialogue channel via a South-North-US liaison office and a denuclearization roadmap, "we will make it predictable for North Korea what we can and cannot do for them."

He explained, "It is not about having dialogue only when necessary, but about setting up a permanent trilateral dialogue system among South Korea, North Korea, and the US by establishing liaison offices in Panmunjom or Washington DC," adding, "This is a proposal to acknowledge the necessity of dialogue, to make every effort for dialogue, and to institutionalize it."

He also proposed a ‘denuclearization roadmap’ as another means of dialogue. Kim said, "It is a roadmap outlining the steps to achieve denuclearization, what denuclearization measures North Korea will take at each stage, and what incentives or compensations will be provided," adding, "We will consult with the US, Japan, and China if necessary, and present it to North Korea."

Regarding criticism from the ruling party that Yoon’s ‘preemptive strike theory’ is ‘excessively aggressive,’ he responded, "The preemptive strike theory refers to the ‘Kill Chain,’ which is at the forefront of the ‘three-axis system.’" He countered, "In a situation where North Korea is test-firing hypersonic missiles, for the three-axis system to function properly, the Kill Chain must operate effectively first." The three-axis system refers to the Kill Chain, Korea Air and Missile Defense (KAMD), and Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation (KMPR), which were established to neutralize North Korean nuclear weapons and missiles.

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