With the inauguration of the Joe Biden administration in the United States, attention is being paid to the initial movement of the Biden administration, which will be an indicator of future US-North Korea relations. The resumption of US-Korea combined military exercises scheduled for March and the timing of the Biden administration’s first message to North Korea are noted. Reporter Jo-eun Lee delivers.
The most notable issue regarding the North Korean issue in the early days of the Joe Biden administration is the resumption of combined US-Korea military exercises scheduled for March.
Combined training has been conducted in a reduced form for more than three years since the first US-North Korea summit in Singapore in June 2018, and concerns about the readiness of the two nations’ troops in and outside the US government continue to arise.
It is also noteworthy that South Korean President Moon Jae-in said at a New Year’s press conference on the resumption of the annual US-Korea combined military training in March, “If necessary, the North Korean and US-Korea combined training can be discussed through the Inter-Korean Military Committee.” It is a big tree.
Evans Revere, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs, told the VOA on the 21st that the Biden administration “will have to make an important decision in the near future” regarding the resumption of combined US-Korea training. Said.
[녹취:리비어 전 수석부차관보] “They would probably make the case… ”
US commanders say they will propose to the Biden administration to resume large-scale combined exercises as soon as possible to prevent the continued weakening of readiness.
It is noteworthy whether the Biden administration’s first gesture towards North Korea will be and when will be the time.
At a recent Senate approval hearing, Secretary of State Tony Blincoln and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s nominee said the Biden administration would fully review North Korea policies and approaches.
In the midst of this, major members of Biden’s Foreign Affairs and Security Team have emphasized’diplomacy based on principles’ and’alignment cooperation’, which is based on practical negotiations.
Experts in the United States predict that it will be difficult for the new administration to prioritize the North Korean issue as there are so many domestic issues that are urgent to resolve.
Former Deputy Secretary of State Thomas Countryman predicts that there will be a rough announcement on North Korea policy at the beginning of the Biden administration, but it is difficult for the North Korean issue to gain immediate attention due to urgent domestic issues such as the novel coronavirus, economy, and race issues. Said it would.
[녹취:컨트리맨 전 대행] “I do expect that it will make… ”
Some analyzes suggest that North Korea can take actions such as provocations to make the Biden administration prioritize the North Korean issue.
[녹취:오핸런 연구원] “I think we have to expect… ”
Michael O’Hanlan, a senior researcher at the Brookings Institute, said Kim Jong-un can take action to make the North Korean issue a priority, whether President Biden wants it or not.
In the early days of Biden’s administration, it is also of great interest whether North Korea will send a conciliatory gesture to the United States to resume negotiations, or whether it will engage in provocations to increase leverage.
North Korea has not made any mention of President Biden for four months since November 3, last year.
Former deputy head of the six-party talks, Joseph Detrani, said the Biden administration should first send a positive signal to the dialogue before North Korea goes on provocation.
[녹취: 디트라니 전 차석대표] “I think the administration reaching out..”
If the Biden administration shows its willingness to engage with North Korea and expresses its intention to begin negotiations, North Korea will respond positively.
On the other hand, former Vice Minister Revere said that North Korea had already indicated that North Korea had no intention of engaging with the United States in the early days of the new administration, as seen in a recent party conference where North Korea’s State Council Chairman Kim Jong-un called the United States an enemy and emphasized strengthening its nuclear capabilities.
Former Deputy Assistant Secretary Revere added that when he met with North Korean officials shortly before the inauguration of the Barack Obama administration in 2009, North Korea had already decided on their future direction just before the inauguration of the new US president.
Also noteworthy is the formation of the Korean Peninsula team, such as the special representative to North Korea who will be in charge of North Korea issues under the Biden administration and the special envoy for North Korean human rights, which has been vacant for four years in the Trump administration.
Many experts in Washington, such as Robert King, former envoy for North Korean human rights at the State Department, predict that President Biden will appoint an envoy for human rights in North Korea.
This is VOA News Lee Jo-eun.