Lee Hyo-jin covers the Bank of Korea, the banking industry and broader financial news. Her previous beats include foreign affairs, North Korea and general reporting on Korean society.
South Korea alarmed by omission of NK denuclearization in US, China defense papers
U.S. President Donald Trump, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands during a bilateral meeting at Gimhae International Airport in Busan, Oct. 30, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit that took place in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province. Reuters-Yonhap
By Lee Hyo-jin
Seoul's diplomatic ability faces test as Washington and Beijing appear to deprioritize Pyongyang's nuclear threat
The omission of North Korea's denuclearization from recent U.S. and Chinese security documents has raised concerns in Seoul, with analysts warning that the shift may reflect a growing belief among the two superpowers that Pyongyang's nuclear arsenal is now a permanent reality.
Experts say the developments put South Korea's diplomacy to the test, forcing Seoul to step up efforts to keep Washington and Beijing engaged on the North Korean nuclear issue.
The U.S. administration's new National Security Strategy (NSS), released Thursday (local time), makes no reference to North Korea or to Washington's long-standing commitment to the North's denuclearization.
The 33-page document lays out the Trump administration’s top foreign policy and defense priorities, including deterring a conflict with China over the Taiwan Strait through strengthened military capabilities and greater cost-sharing by allies.
The silence on Pyongyang stands out when compared to security documents published under the previous Joe Biden administration and during Trump's first term. The 2017 NSS issued under Trump mentioned North Korea more than a dozen times, describing its nuclear weapons program as a major threat to the U.S.
The developments come amid renewed debate over whether Trump's earlier reference to North Korea as a "nuclear power" signals a tacit acceptance of Pyongyang as a de facto nuclear-armed state.
Analysts say the removal of that language in the documents could signal a shift in its strategic priorities.
"The latest NSS puts 'America First' at its core," said Park Won-gon, a professor of North Korean studies at Ewha Womans University. "North Korea’s nuclear weapons are an existential threat to South Korea, but they are not considered a direct threat to the U.S. mainland."
He added that the shift leaves Seoul in a more difficult position. "It means our government will have to work even harder to keep the North Korean nuclear issue on the radar in both Washington and Beijing."
Korea's National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac attributed the omission to the NSS' focus on broad policy directions rather than specific regional disputes.
"Such matters are expected to be handled in subsequent subordinate documents. It would be premature to interpret the omission as a sign that Washington has lost interest in resolving the North Korean nuclear issue or in resuming dialogue," Wi told reporters during a briefing Sunday.
China's latest white paper on arms control, disarmament and nonproliferation, released in late November, similarly avoids explicit mention of North Korean denuclearization.
Instead, it states that "China adopts an impartial stance and adheres to the right approach of always working for the peace, stability and prosperity of the peninsula and the resolution of the Korean Peninsula issue through political means."
This marks a departure from Beijing’s earlier positions.
In its 2005 arms control and nonproliferation white paper, China declared that it "supports denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula." A 2017 white paper on Asia-Pacific security reaffirmed China's commitment to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un speaks at an event marking the 80th founding anniversary of the air force of the North's Korean People's Army at Kalma Airport, Nov. 28, in this photo published by Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency the next day. Yonhap
"China has increasingly avoided directly addressing North Korea’s nuclear weapons, and that stance has become more entrenched," said Cho Han-bum, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification.
"With the U.S. now less vocal on the issue, Beijing has even less reason to speak out on it," he said. "In both Washington and Beijing, there is a growing recognition that complete denuclearization is no longer a realistic goal."
Still, Cho cautioned against interpreting the NSS as a direct reflection of Trump's personal diplomatic ambitions.
"The NSS is the national strategy, not the president's personal approach. Separately from the document, Trump could still consider reaching out to (North Korean leader) Kim Jong-un for renewed nuclear negotiations to address what he sees as unfinished business."
Meanwhile, the U.S. defense paper urges regional allies to contribute more to safeguarding maritime security in the Indo-Pacific, a remark some interpret as a sign that Washington will continue pressing Seoul to boost its defense spending.
Seoul has already signaled a willingness to do so. In a South Korea-U.S. joint fact sheet released in November, the government committed to raising defense spending to 3.5 percent of gross domestic product in line with domestic legal requirements.