President Yoon: "Moon fixated only on a specific friend called North Korea... Considering all means to deter provocations"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

원본보기 아이콘

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] President Yoon Suk-yeol criticized former President Moon Jae-in, saying he "seemed like a student obsessed only with one friend (North Korea) in the classroom." The implication is that to lead North Korea's denuclearization, it is necessary not to be fixated solely on North Korea but to establish a trilateral security cooperation system among the United States, Japan, and South Korea.

President Yoon made this remark while criticizing the previous administration's foreign policy in an interview with the American daily The New York Times (NYT) published on the 18th. The NYT also noted that President Yoon had previously described the inter-Korean summits held during the Moon Jae-in administration as a "political show."

President Yoon strongly expressed that North Korea's nuclear weapons development must be deterred based on the South Korea-U.S.-Japan security cooperation system. He said, "The security cooperation among South Korea, the U.S., and Japan is a defense system to protect peace in Northeast Asia in response to the North Korean nuclear threat," adding, "If it is necessary to protect security and peace in Northeast Asia against North Korean nuclear missiles, there is no reason to avoid it."

President Yoon stated, "We are prepared to work with the U.S. to prepare all means, including the U.S. nuclear umbrella, to deter North Korea's provocations," and added, "I want to find ways to strengthen extended deterrence within the framework of a strong South Korea-U.S. alliance."

He particularly emphasized, "Extended deterrence is not only about using nuclear weapons located on U.S. territory in case of emergency but also comprehensively includes all packages that can deter North Korea from provoking nuclear weapons."

Regarding North Korea, he mentioned, "If they consider their people even a little and make rational choices, they will reduce their nuclear weapons, open the door to some extent to the international community, and receive economic support."

This appears to elaborate on the content of the Korean Peninsula denuclearization roadmap, the "Bold Initiative," which President Yoon presented in his Liberation Day speech last month. When announcing the Bold Initiative, President Yoon stated that if North Korea agrees to denuclearize, economic support would be provided even before its completion.

He also criticized the Moon Jae-in administration for maintaining an overly ambiguous stance in diplomacy between the U.S. and China. President Yoon presented the direction, saying, "Amid the competition between the U.S. and China, we prioritize predictability and have a clear position to pursue freedom, peace, and prosperity in the international community."

Regarding China, he said, "Our country's defense system is not aimed at China," and added, "It is thoroughly designed as a defense system to prepare against the North Korean nuclear threat and North Korean attacks."

On the issue of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, he said, "It is entirely to respond to the North Korean nuclear threat," and stressed, "Because it is our sovereign matter to protect the lives and safety of the Korean people, there can be no compromise on this."

Regarding concerns that South Korea's so-called 'Chip 4 alliance' membership might provoke China, President Yoon said, according to the NYT, "It is necessary for the four countries to consult closely."

On the historical issues that caused the breakdown of dialogue between South Korea and Japan, President Yoon expressed a desire to make a "grand bargain" (a comprehensive settlement).

Regarding interpretations that President Yoon did not meet with U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during her visit to South Korea to avoid provoking China, he said, "That is completely untrue," reiterating that he was on vacation.

© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.