Secretary Blinken: "North Korea Provocations Reflect Kim Jong-un's Desire Not to Be Ignored"

Background of North Korea's Serial Provocations: Attracting Attention and Strengthening ROK-US-Japan Security Cooperation
China Reaffirms Hardline Stance, Challenging National Interests

[Asia Economy Reporter Inho Yoo] U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken evaluated North Korea's series of provocations on the 17th (local time) as “From the perspective of the North Korean leader, it means not wanting to be ignored.”

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Secretary Blinken said this during a dialogue with former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at Stanford University in San Francisco, stating, “When the world is focused elsewhere, it is a reminder that ‘We are still here. We are still a problem, so you must also address our issue.’”

Secretary Blinken also cited the trilateral security cooperation among South Korea, the U.S., and Japan as a cause.

He said, “Over the past several months, we have significantly increased activities with our allies and partners in the region, South Korea and Japan,” adding, “For example, we have renewed exercises that have been held for years and involved them (South Korea and Japan) in military drills to ensure defense and deterrence against any kind of North Korean aggression.”

He continued, “What we are doing now is happening in a way that has not occurred in recent years among the U.S., Japan, and South Korea. This includes bringing South Korea and Japan closer together, which has many benefits,” and evaluated, “Kim Jong-un has seen this and did not like it. That (provocation) is a response to this.”

Regarding the North Korean nuclear issue and the nuclear non-proliferation regime, Secretary Blinken said, “Previous administrations have engaged in some way, but the situation has clearly not improved,” and added, “We have taken defensive and deterrent measures as well as various actions at the United Nations level, but this remains an ongoing issue.”

He further stated, “Ultimately, the most important thing in preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and advancing the non-proliferation regime is to ensure that multiple countries do not conclude that it is better to possess nuclear weapons,” and emphasized, “We need to find ways to achieve this.”

Secretary Blinken reaffirmed his firm stance on China.

He said, “Under Xi Jinping, China looks very different from the past,” and added, “Domestically repressive and externally aggressive China often challenges our national interests and values.”

Regarding the emphasis on domestic investment in the U.S. National Security Strategy (NSS), he said, “The underlying idea is to increase alignment with allies and partner countries that understand and act according to the rules,” and explained, “We are not asking to choose between the U.S. and China but providing options, and for that, there must be something to put on the table.”

On the Taiwan issue, Secretary Blinken mentioned the U.S. Taiwan Relations Act and the One-China policy, emphasizing, “These will not change, but the core is a commitment to resolving the issue peacefully.”

[Image source=Yonhap News]

When asked whether there might be room to seek a cooperative relationship with China after the Chinese Party Congress, he mentioned climate change, public health, and drug issues, responding, “These issues affect not only the U.S. and China but the entire world, so the world hopes that the U.S. and China will make progress on these matters.”

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