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| Former U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris speaks during an interview with The Korea Times at the ambassadorial residence in Seoul, Jan. 20, his last day in office. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul |
By Yi Whan-woo
Former U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris said the groundbreaking 2018 summit between the leaders of the U.S. and North Korea in Singapore is "a good starting point" for the Joe Biden administration in pursuing denuclearization dialogue with North Korea.
In an interview with The Korea Times on his last day in office, Jan 20, Harris expressed his view that North Korea should be among the security issues that top the list of the new government.
He also said he is optimistic about Biden's foreign affairs team, noting that it consists of seasoned officials.
"I believe the Singapore summit is a good starting point to continue the dialogue between the United States and North Korea and the trilateral dialogue (with South Korea)," he said. "Whether the Biden administration does that or not is up to them. … But I believe personally that the Singapore summit is the starting point."
Harris associated himself with Stephen Biegun, a former top U.S. nuclear negotiator on North Korea.
In his last visit to Seoul in December 2020 as the envoy, Biegun said "The potential of the Singapore Summit is still fully present, despite our failure to advance what was agreed."
The 2018 summit between then-President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, as described by Harris, came as the Trump government "prioritized North Korea with a willingness for innovative, unorthodox, out-of-the box thinking that changed the dynamic here on the Korean Peninsula and Asia region."
"That said … I believe that with North Korea, the Biden administration's Asia team as we know it now should give you a complex sense that they understand Korea well, they are experts on issues here and many of them have served either here, many of them served in jobs that touched on the issues of interests," Harris said.
Speaking on the siege of the Capitol by Trump supporters in the lead-up to Biden's inauguration, Jan. 20, Harris called "a despicable, unacceptable act by people who sought to change the democratic nature of our elections and of our government."
"I think it was an assault to our democracy," he said, adding the divisions are deep in his country.
He still said "Democracy will, and can, come out stronger," adding "I think the Biden team is ready to take this on."
Asked if he was disappointed with Trump, Harris said "I am not going to comment on my commander in chief. I still work for him."
