Moon expected to discuss North Korea, alliance with Biden

By Kang Seung-woo

President Moon Jae-in is expected to discuss pending bilateral issues, including North Korea, with U.S. President-elect Joe Biden in their first phone conversation, which could be held as early as Thursday, according to Cheong Wa Dae.

However, diplomatic experts are concerned that the government seems to be in quite a hurry, which may negatively affect the national interest.

The presidential office said Wednesday that it was “coordinating a time for Moon and Biden to have a phone call tomorrow.”

On Sunday, Moon sent a congratulatory message to Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, expressing expectations for joint efforts to develop Seoul-Washington ties.

“The phone conversation will be mainly about congratulating Biden on his election,” said Park Won-gon, a professor of international politics at Handong Global University.

“After that, they are likely to talk about pending issues between the two countries such as North Korea and the alliance. However, it will not be easy to go into detail on the matters in such a manner.”

Park advised Moon to only offer dialogue solutions to Pyongyang-related issues and the importance of strengthening the alliance between the two countries.

Cheong Wa Dae's confirmation on the planned phone talks between Moon and Biden came hours after Japanese media reported that Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga was also trying to arrange talks with Biden.

When Donald Trump won the election in 2016, then Japanese Premier Shinzo Abe was the first foreign leader to meet Trump, which occurred one week after the election.

In that regard, since Biden was projected to secure the 270 electoral votes needed to win the White House late last week, the South Korean government and lawmakers have hurried to meet or communicate with the Biden side.

However, Park said South Korea is in too much of a hurry in order to establish a connection with the Biden administration.

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha flew to Washington D.C., Sunday, to hold ministerial talks with her U.S. counterpart Mike Pompeo, but her itinerary also included meeting with those linked to the president-elect, although the Biden side is refusing to meet with foreign government officials.

“With the Trump side still pushing election conspiracies, we had better not stand out among allies. There are a few leaders of allies who have made a call to Biden, and if we do so tomorrow, it is quite a bit early. We need to take a wait-and-see attitude,” Park said.

Biden has talked with several European leaders so far in a bid to get the frayed alliance under the Trump administration back on track. The countries included Britain, France, Germany and Ireland.

“First of all, I am letting them know that America is back. We are going to be back in the game,” he said in a press conference, Tuesday (local time).