Foreign minister emphasizes importance of U.S.-N. Korea summits

Speaking at a press conference, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said Tuesday that she emphasized to lawmakers and think tanks close to Joe Biden the importance of summits between the United States and North Korea. It was an indirect request to take the initiative in nuclear talks and push ahead promptly with them as President Donald Trump did through three summits with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Unlike President Trump, Biden is known to prefer a “bottom-up” approach to diplomatic negotiations where working-level officials lay the foundation first. Concerns have been raised that it would take more time or North Korea’s denuclearization will be put on the back burner and Washington will revert back to “strategic patience” of the Obama administration.

Minister Kang also met with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien from the Trump administration.

“I expressed the government’s strong determination to implementing the Korean peace process o lawmakers and researchers and called for more diplomatic efforts for complete denuclearization,” Minister Kang said. She reportedly explained the government’s initiative to declare the end of the Korean War to U.S. lawmakers.

Foreign Minister Kang, however, did not meet anyone from the Biden camp probably because the transition team is refraining from meeting with officials of foreign governments before the official inauguration, which could violate the “Logan Act” that bans private citizens from conducting foreign affairs.


lightee@donga.com