Jung Min-ho has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2012, mostly covering social and political issues. He currently belongs to the Politics & City Desk where he covers topics such as health, labor and human rights. Prior to joining the team, he was responsible for covering North Korea and sports. His article about a biosecurity breach of Middle East respiratory syndrome won him an award from the Korea Science Journalists Association in 2016. He is also the co-author of the book, "Medical Pioneers of Korea" (2019). He served as the head of the international relations committee at the Journalists Association of Korea from 2021 to 2023.
New FM says not right time to shift NK denuclearization policy
Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul speaks to reporters as he enters the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in central Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap
By Jung Min-ho
Cho Tae-yul warns of ‘consequences’ for Moscow-Pyongyang arms trade
South Korea will continue to focus on strengthening deterrence against North Korea’s intensifying threats, said new Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul on Thursday, rejecting any possibility of altering the country's long-held denuclearization policy.
Asked about emerging voices in Washington that the U.S. should consider refocusing on establishing peace rather than denuclearizing North Korea, Cho said Seoul's policy priority will remain the same as Pyongyang continues to develop its nuclear program while refusing to talk.
“I think it’s not the time for it (policy shift). It’s not the right environment to resume talks as North Korea continues to improve its nuclear missile capability. North Korea, for its part, has refused to engage in dialogue,” Cho, who was appointed to that post the previous day, told reporters as he entered his office in central Seoul.
“Thus, our emphasis should be placed on reinforcing our deterrence while making efforts to induce changes in its behavior. If it shows a change of attitude, we would certainly explore opportunities for talks. I believe we should maintain that order of priority.”
His remarks come after some U.S. experts suggested Washington review its policy direction regarding North Korea.
Frank Aum, a senior researcher at the United States Institute of Peace, a state-funded think tank, argued in his analysis that the current approach of “prioritizing denuclearization above all else needs to change to fit the new reality.”
He noted, "The primary focus of U.S. policy, within the reality of a nuclear North Korea, should be to strive for peaceful coexistence.”
Many South Korean officials and security experts have expressed concerns that such a shift in policy would ultimately lead to nuclear disarmament negotiations, through which the North could keep some nuclear weapons legitimately with a de facto U.S. recognition of its status as a nuclear state.
When asked about arms transfers between North Korea and its war-waging partner country, Russia, the foreign minister warned of consequences.
“We have made our position clear that we would respond sternly to their violations of U.N. Security Council resolutions, which pose a threat to our security, and there would certainly be consequences,” Cho said.
In a joint statement, South Korea, the U.S. and other partner nations condemned their arms transfers on Tuesday, including the Kremlin’s procurement of North Korean ballistic missiles which appear to have been used against Ukraine on Dec. 30 and Jan. 2.
Cho also said he will carry on with his predecessor’s work on fortifying security partnerships with Washington and Tokyo while searching for other areas where making tangible progress would be possible.
One such area could be China, North Korea’s most crucial economic partner. He said he would step up efforts to hold a trilateral summit with China and Japan.
“Basically, all three countries share the view that it should be held as soon as possible,” Cho said. “I will do my best to make it happen.”