Lee Urges Patience amid Cold North Korea Relations

President Lee Jae-myung on Sept. 11 described inter-Korean relations as “the coldest and most hostile, even though we are the party with the most direct stake,” while adding, “If we talk about unification now, people will call us fools, but it is important first to establish a stage of peace.”

“The National Security Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are constantly making efforts and contacting North Korea,” Lee said at his 100th-day press conference. “They are very cold on the other side. North Korea sees the main threat to its regime not as South Korea, but as the United States, so it values its relationship with the U.S. more than inter-Korean relations,” and continued, “From their perspective, a country without wartime operational control has no authority. North Korea thinks its relationship with the U.S. is more important.”

Regarding the “pace-maker” concept he mentioned during a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump last month, Lee said, “Opening a North Korea-U.S. dialogue helps peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. We do not need to insist on taking the lead, which is why I spoke of a ‘pace-maker’ role.”

Asked whether South Korea is preparing a role to help restart North Korea-U.S. talks ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit at the end of October, Lee said, “There has been no particular progress, but efforts are ongoing,” and added, “It is better to keep building positive, peaceful efforts than to do nothing and remain in hostile confrontation, and small openings may eventually appear.”

Lee also referenced the suspension of North Korean radio broadcasts, saying, “If you expected that a few conciliatory measures would make them suddenly switch from angry expressions to smiling faces, that would be foolish." "Small measures to ease military tension will continue relentlessly,” he added. “It is not because I am pro-North Korea, but because we must constantly work for peace and security on the Korean Peninsula.”


Oh-Hyuk Kwon hyuk@donga.com