Yi Whan-woo is a Korea Times journalist primarily covering finance. He writes in-depth articles on macroeconomy and financial markets and previously covered sports, politics, diplomacy and inter-Korean affairs, among others. Feel free to contact him at yistory@koreatimes.co.kr.
Korean politicians to strengthen ties with Biden
By Yi Whan-woo
With Joe Biden declared the next U.S. president, his personal connections with big-name Korean figures is drawing attention because they can help Korea to better cope with American policy on the Korean Peninsula.
From the conservative side are former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Park Jin and Cho Tae-yong, the latter two from the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) and Chung Mong-joon, the founder and honorary chairman of Seoul-based think tank Asan Institute for Policy Studies.
Moon Chung-in
By Yi Whan-woo
Among the progressive-minded figures are President Moon Jae-in's special security adviser Moon Chung-in and Song Young-gil, a ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) legislator and also chairman of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee.
They all made acquaintance and later built ties with Biden during his decades-long career as a senator, including head of the Senate Judiciary Committee and Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and the vice president under 2009-2017 Barack Obama administration.
Ban frequently had contact with Biden while serving as U.N. secretary general in the U.S.
In September 2019, Biden had Ban as a keynote speaker at the opening of the University of Delaware's Biden School of Public Policy and Administration. Biden went to the university as an undergraduate.
Cho was the first vice foreign minister and deputy chief of the National Security Office under former President Park Geun-hye, whose term overlapped with Obama's.
“Cho is a friend to a number of top officials who worked for Obama, including Biden,” a diplomatic source said.
Park is close to Biden and other U.S. Democrats. He joined the 2009 inauguration ceremony of Obama.
Also a six-term lawmaker, Chung led the parliamentary friendship group with the U.S. during the 18th National Assembly and met Biden several times.
Moon Chung-in visited Washington, D.C., multiple times and met with Biden and other Democrats.
Song met Biden at a reception hosted by the Democratic Party.