South Korea to divide U.S. talks on North Korea

As a tug of war continues between so-called autonomy-oriented and alliance-oriented factions over leadership of North Korea policy, the South Korean government is reported to have settled on a plan to operate multiple consultation channels with the United States on North Korea-related issues. After the Unification Ministry declined to participate in policy consultations between the Foreign Ministry and U.S. authorities on Tuesday, the plan calls for the Unification Ministry and the Foreign Ministry to pursue communication with the United States through separate channels going forward.

A senior government official said in a phone interview with The Dong-A Ilbo on Tuesday that a framework has been established under which the Unification Ministry will handle exchanges and cooperation with North Korea, while the Foreign Ministry will take charge of responses to North Korea’s nuclear program, with each ministry communicating independently with the United States. Under this division of responsibilities, the Foreign Ministry will oversee follow-up negotiations on the joint fact sheet, while the Unification Ministry will be responsible for inter-Korean dialogue and exchange and cooperation. A Unification Ministry official told reporters the same day that the ministry would lead inter-Korean dialogue and exchanges, adding that it remains in regular contact with the U.S. Embassy and could later consult the U.S. State Department on specific matters when conditions permit.

The Foreign Ministry on Tuesday held follow-up consultations on the South Korea-U.S. summit joint fact sheet with U.S. officials, including Kevin Kim, chargé d’affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, without the participation of the Unification Ministry. The talks addressed key bilateral issues, including close coordination between South Korea and the United States on North Korea policy and North Korea’s complete denuclearization, as outlined in the joint explanatory document.

Concerns, however, have been raised that dispersing consultation channels could weaken South Korea’s negotiating leverage with the United States and increase the risk that Seoul could be sidelined in the course of North Korea-U.S. dialogue. Responding to those concerns, National Security Office Director Wi Sung-lac said just before departing for a visit to the United States that tensions between the Foreign Ministry and the Unification Ministry are being coordinated through the National Security Council. He added that the government would work to ensure external issues are handled with a single, unified voice.


Oh-Hyuk Kwon hyuk@donga.com