[현장생중계]Personnel hearing for candidates from the Minister of Foreign Affairs Eui-yong Eui-yong ③

[송영길]

Thank you. Next, please ask Commissioner Kim Hong-geol.

[김홍걸]

First, I will start by giving a request to the candidate. Our diplomacy is at a very important time and we are in a position to deal with various crisis situations. First, we need to meet the newly launched Biden government so that the early mistakes of the Obama administration are not repeated.

In the early days of the Obama administration, there was an opportunity to proactively lead the policy and situation on the Korean peninsula, but the failure to manage the situation forced him to observe North Korea’s nuclear and missile tests. We have not been able to bring out smooth cooperation between Korea and the United States.

Next, I think we must maintain a wise and confident diplomacy that protects our national interests amid the recent US-China conflict. There are many countries that have not yet established a clear position in the face of US-China conflict. Even our allies, in particular, are now in a wait-and-see attitude. The United States during the Cold War era helped its allies and allies a lot, but the Trump regime was very different amid the US-China conflict. I didn’t get much help in the case of Korea, Australia, or when there was a conflict with China.

In addition, as President Trump does not respect his allies and avoids multilateralism, he is showing an attitude to watch with doubts how much even his allies can change in the Biden era as the aftereffect of dealing with China 1:1.
There is an opinion that the United States will be in a fair balance because it is competing with China, but it also needs cooperation, but anyway, I know that it is the position of the allies to pursue their own national interests after watching this uncertain US-China relationship. I think we must keep a close eye on the changes in attitudes of countries with similar positions and how the US-China relations develop, while protecting national interests.

Since the current aspect of the US-China conflict creates an unprecedented, complex, and difficult international situation that we have never experienced before, it is not a situation in which an alternative alternative is possible as in the Cold War era. If you are appointed as a minister, I hope that you will protect our national interests with diplomacy that speaks confidently in crisis situations and active diplomacy with strategic thinking.

I thought that the nuclear power plant issue was an unnecessary political and insubstantial debate, so I didn’t intend to talk for a long time. In today’s report, the North Korean official at the US National Intelligence Service said this. To read as it is, there are many things we can do and provide guarantees of the North Korean regime, the declaration of an end to the war, economic aid, and light water reactor construction. So, we talk about the light water reactor problem openly. Would this person say this with the intention of doing a transfer? What do you think?

[정의용]

I don’t know exactly what the content is, but I think I’m saying my personal opinion.

[김홍걸]

Still, the U.S. intelligence agency in charge of North Korea and the side with a strong stance on North Korea can say this, because our public officials also had a very good atmosphere at the time of April 27th, so if the denuclearization of North Korea proceeds as an idea, it will be possible to do this You can do that, too. I heard that it is possible to do it anytime, and at that time, many ideas were produced at research institutes under the government departments and governments. Don’t you see it that way?

[정의용]

One thing is clear: At the level of the ROK and US governments, there has been no discussion on the issue of nuclear power plant assistance to North Korea.

[김홍걸]

So it was because you thought it was impossible before denuclearization, right?

[정의용]

That’s right.

[김홍걸]

Okay. President Biden said in his inaugural address that he will restore the alliance and re-engage in the world. The media and experts are analyzing the new diplomatic principle as a means to escape President Trump’s isolationism and restore the alliance.

It means expanding exchange and cooperation with the alliance and re-establishing US leadership on the international stage. However, diplomacy that unilaterally exerts pressure on the alliance like the Trump administration will stop, but it seems that we should have a diplomatic approach that is a little different from diplomacy with the United States during the Trump administration period.

The most pressing issue is that it may take 5-6 months longer for the Biden government’s policy toward North Korea to come out. In the meantime, I think it is important for all three parties to exchange positive signals. If the Biden government devises a policy toward North Korea in an unfavorable situation where the three North and South Americans are wary of each other and stimulates each other, a policy toward North Korea that is not favorable for the settlement of peace on the Korean Peninsula may come out.

Therefore, there should be no unnecessary provocation or stimulation, but of course, if North Korea takes an appeased stance, we should actively use it. So, please tell us what kind of opinion the candidate has on this and how you think we should expand diplomacy with the United States at this point in time.

[정의용]

First of all, as Commissioner Hong-Gol Kim pointed out, the political leadership of both Korea and the United States is in such a situation that for the first time since the days of Kim Dae-jung and Clinton, political ideologies have been unified. That is why we have communicated well with President Trump in the past, but I think we, President Moon Jae-in, can communicate with President Biden in a more comfortable atmosphere. In the past, President Kim Dae-jung and President Clinton had a very special relationship with each other, so I remember the situation that the dialogue between the US and Korea was very smooth. To emphasize the restoration of the alliance However, I am proud that nonetheless, the ROK-US alliance remained very strong even in the days of President Trump.

However, there are a few issues of the alliance that have yet to be resolved, but the Biden administration believes that a solution can be sought in a more rational atmosphere. I am expecting that the new government’s review of North Korea policy will not take that much time. Of course, this is a very positive sign for me, as the Korean government is clarifying that it will first listen to and discuss the intentions of the South Korean government in the process of reviewing their North Korean policy in the US new administration. As for North Korea, through our own channels.

[송영길]

Please finish briefly.

[정의용]

They are persuading them to resume dialogue between the two Koreas and the United States early.

[송영길]

Please note that the committee members are 7 minutes including the response time, and please be on time to sleep. Next, I will ask Commissioner Jin Park.

[박진]

My name is Jin Park, Gangnam, Seoul. I am glad to meet the candidate again today at the hearing of Candidate Eui-yong Eui-yong, who was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs and Transportation. He did the same legislative activities in the 17th National Assembly, and he had a lot of conversations and conversations through the Korea-US-Japan exchange event. Candidate Eui-yong Eui designed the peace process on the Korean peninsula, was a key person in charge of North Korea policy, and played a leading role behind the US-North Korea summit and the inter-Korean summit.

Therefore, in the crisis of Baekcheokgandu, where our diplomatic and security is currently very difficult, there are views that look forward to candidates as the de facto last foreign minister of the Moon Jae-in administration, as well as an orthodox diplomatic official and a member of the National Assembly.

However, on the other hand, many experts and the media are concerned about whether the candidate will be able to fulfill its mission and role as head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs during such a critical period. It is pointed out that the reason is that he designed a peace process on the Korean peninsula with no substance, a key person in charge of the failed North Korean policy, a behind-the-scenes leader in the unsuccessful summit meeting.

Candidate Eui-yong is here after taking the oath of witness today, so please answer the facts clearly. In order to verify the candidate, it is compelling to mention the memoirs of counterpart John Bolton National Security Adviser. It is said that in March 2018, Chairman Kim Jong-un’s invitation was delivered to President Trump. Was the invitation in the form of a letter at that time? Or was it a verbal invitation? Please respond briefly.

[정의용]

I delivered it orally.

[박진]

Did you do it verbally? No documentation or any evidence? In those memoirs, Aide John Bolton admitted that it was a candidate who proposed to invite Kim to invite President Trump. Our candidate did this, is this true?

[정의용]

no. Not at all true.

[박진]

So Aid John Bolton lied?

[정의용]

It seems that the person was not aware of the situation. Because when I met President Trump, John Bolton wasn’t an assistant yet. I wasn’t even there. There was not only President Trump in the US, but all major ministers from Mike Pence were present. More than 10 people were present.

[박진]

There are three mysteries. Our candidate Eui-Yong Eui-yong gave a self-briefing at the White House in April 2018, right? About the US-North Korea summit. At that time, I told President Trump that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was willing to denuclearize and pledged not to conduct further nuclear missile tests. In addition, Chairman Kim understands that the ROK and the US continue to carry out routine military exercises. He did this, but now, not one of the three has been implemented. How would you explain?

[정의용]

I am seeing that Chairman Kim Jong-un’s intention to denuclearize is still there. Not testing nuclear missiles. I continue to respect the Moratorium. North Korea’s official position expressed strong opposition to the continuation of military training. I know that Chairman Kim at the time clearly conveyed to me and to the President that he understands these routine military exercises.

[박진]

North Korea is not willing to denuclearize, but said it will strengthen its nuclear power and conducted 17 missile tests over the past three years…