President Moon Jae-in said on the 21st, “The order in the Indo-Pacific region, including the Korean Peninsula, is entering a period of rapid transition. It is time to make the current transition period our time by further developing cooperative relations with neighboring countries along with a solid ROK-US alliance.” President Moon said at the plenary meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) presided over at the Blue House, “I hope that the two governments will work closely together to create an inclusive and open international order based on international solidarity and multilateralism that both governments aim for. I hope,” he said.
US-led, Chinese-reluctant security system
Presided over the NSC plenary meeting and made the first comment
“Development into a Korea-US responsible alliance”
Olympic cooperation, emphasis on improving Korea-Japan relations
The NSC plenary meeting presided over by President Moon is the tenth since taking office, and it has been 22 months since the North Korea-US summit meeting’Hanoi No Deal’ in March 2019. The meeting was held in parallel with the inauguration of the Biden administration in the United States as a report on the affairs of foreign and security ministries such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Unification. The part that drew attention was the part where President Moon presented the’India-Pacific system’ as a new framework for international judgment for the first time after taking office. The term’Indo-Pacific Strategy’ includes the concept of restraining China’s expansion of power by participating allies around the United States. President Moon has refrained from using this term in consideration of relations between Korea and China.
It is analyzed that President Moon’s remarks that day were conscious of the launch of the US Biden government. Former Foreign Minister Song Min-soon said in a radio interview that “the new’Biden Team’ will put a great deal of weight on uniting the three countries in response to China.” However, a former diplomatic official said that President Moon’s mention of the Indo-Pacific system, “It is questionable whether the United States will accept it even if the South Korean government’s strategy toward North Korea is kept intact and packaged to match the US code.” President Moon also said, “We will develop the ROK-US alliance into a more comprehensive and reciprocal’responsible alliance’ by responding more proactively and proactively to the changing international order and security environment.” At the same time, after defining China as “the largest trading partner and a major partner in promoting peace on the Korean Peninsula,” he said, “We need to create a foundation for further advanced relations in the wake of the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations next year.”
Regarding Japan-to-Japan relations, he stressed that “we must not stay in the past, but gather wisdom together and develop into a constructive and future-oriented relationship.” In particular, the goal was to cooperate so that this year’s Tokyo Olympics can be successfully held, while improving relations between Korea and Japan and promoting peace in Northeast Asia.
President Moon emphasized that “the peace process on the Korean Peninsula is not an option, but a path that must be followed” toward the newly formed diplomatic and security line through reorganization the day before. “After the breakdown of the Hanoi talks, I urge you to end the long stalemate as soon as possible, and make a new breakthrough in the dialogue between the US and North Korea and the dialogue between the two Koreas, so that the clock of peace will move again. “I ask you to be determined to be the last one year given to our government.”
◆ Congratulations to Biden, “I look forward to meeting soon”= President Moon sent a congratulatory congratulatory message to President Joe Biden this morning, saying, “Korea will always be with you in the journey of the Biden administration as a strong ally and reliable partner of the United States.” We wish to build trust with and open open conversations about common interests.” Prior to the celebration, he posted a congratulatory message on social media, saying, “The United States is back,” and “I support the journey toward a united United States with our people. Let’s go together.”
Reporter Kang Tae-hwa [email protected]