"US-Korea Summit Avoided Worst Outcome but No Real Gains... Landmines Remain"

Former President of the Korea National Diplomatic Academy Kim Jun-hyung evaluated the outcome of the South Korea-US summit as "avoiding the worst, but no tangible benefits." Although sensitive issues such as support for Ukraine and the Taiwan Strait were avoided, it means that no practical gains were made in the core security and economic issues of this summit. Kim also said, "The issues of Ukraine and Taiwan can continue to arise in the future," adding, "The minefield still remains."

On the 27th, Kim made this assessment of the South Korea-US summit in an interview with CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show.' He analyzed the establishment of the Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG), agreed upon by both countries to strengthen extended deterrence against North Korea's nuclear threat, saying, "(South Korea) wanted active participation almost akin to nuclear sharing in the event North Korea used nuclear weapons, and seemed to want to participate in the operation of nuclear weapons by the US," but "the US response was that they could not provide that."

President Yoon Suk-yeol, who is on a state visit to the United States, is receiving applause from U.S. President Joe Biden at the official welcoming ceremony held at the White House in Washington DC on the 26th (local time).
[Image source=Yonhap News]

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In particular, he pointed out, "Extended deterrence is based on the trust of the alliance. No matter how much nuclear operation is involved, if the US does not use nuclear strikes at the last moment, it is useless," and "In a sense, the nuclear umbrella is an issue that cannot be 100% confirmed before a war breaks out. Nuclear sharing and such cannot solve the North Korean problem."

Kim said that the differing perspectives of the US and South Korea on the North Korean nuclear issue led to this outcome. "Both countries should work together to create an environment where North Korea does not use nuclear weapons, but the Yoon Seok-yeol administration has advocated peace through strength from the beginning, focusing only on strengthening that power," he said, adding, "(However, this) set a difficult and unlikely goal from the start due to the US's nuclear non-proliferation policy (NPT)."

Regarding the achievement of attracting a total investment of 8 trillion won from American companies such as Netflix, he evaluated, "The biggest issue in the economy this time was that Netflix investment came out first," and said, "The fact that our difficulties and the US's unwillingness to concede came out first in the negotiations is the achievement. Netflix and Corning actually came looking for us."

On the lack of concrete solutions regarding the Semiconductor Act and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which affect Korean companies, he said, "Fundamentally, nothing seems to change," and added, "And (the US) seems to be saying, 'Since Korea is doing well, endure it well, then it will go well,' 'So invest quickly in the US,' 'If you build (factories) quickly in the US, you can receive those (subsidies).'"

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