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.
Trump turning attention back to North Korea: former US envoy to Seoul
Former U.S. Ambassador to Korea Harry Harris speaks during the Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity at Haevichi Hotel & Resort Jeju in Seogwipo, Jeju Island, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul
By Lee Hyo-jin
NK leader's nuclear ambitions to grow stronger following Iran developments, Harry Harris says
SEOGWIPO, Jeju Island — U.S. President Donald Trump appears to be turning his attention back to North Korea, former U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris said Wednesday, echoing remarks made by President Lee Jae Myung last week.
Speaking at the Jeju Forum, an annual international peace forum held on Jeju Island, Harris argued that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is even less likely to abandon his nuclear ambitions following recent developments in Iran and Ukraine.
The session, titled "Between Collective Defense and Collective Security: Toward a New Security Architecture in East Asia," brought together Harris, former Defense Minister Suh Wook and Kitamura Shigeru, former secretary-general of Japan's National Security Secretariat.
"As President Lee from South Korea said, President Trump is now focused on North Korea again. So who knows where that focus will take both countries," he said.
The former ambassador argued that previous U.S. administrations should have done more to prevent North Korea from achieving its nuclear ambitions, adding that Trump, during his first term, went further than any previous president in trying to "put the genie back in the bottle."
His remarks come as Lee has recently expressed hope that the U.S. leader could help create a breakthrough in efforts to engage Pyongyang.
During a brief exchange with Trump on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit last week, Lee asked the U.S. president to help lead efforts toward a peaceful resolution of North Korean issues. Trump, for his part, expressed his intention to do so, according to Seoul's presidential office.
"While Kim Jong-un is still in power, still bellicose and still dangerous, he continues to develop nuclear weapons in the means to deploy them globally. In my opinion, the lesson he's learned from Ukraine and Iran is that nuclear weapons matter," Harris said.
The North Korean leader has "stated unequivocally that he'll never give up his nuclear weapons," he added.
From left, former Australian Defense Minister Robert Hill, former U.S. Ambassador to Korea Harry Harris, former Defense Minister Suh Wook and Kitamura Shigeru, former secretary-general of Japan's National Security Secretariat, participate in a session of the Jeju Forum in Seogwipo, Jeju Island, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul
"The quest for dialogue with the North must never be made at the expense of the ability to respond to threats from the North. That said, while I believe that KJU (Kim Jong-un) will never give up his nuclear ambitions," Harris said. "I've been wrong before. I can and do hope that diplomacy with North Korea will succeed."
Meanwhile, the retired U.S. Navy admiral described the "China problem" as the central challenge facing U.S. national security.
"China's growing willingness to employ military, economic and coercive tools to advance its interests presents the most significant long-term challenge to the notion of truly global security," he said. "From the South China Sea to the West Sea, we see Beijing's persistent efforts to alter the status quo incrementally, what some call creeping sovereignty."
Harris also viewed that collective security in East Asia should extend beyond traditional military cooperation to include economic security, resilient supply chains, energy security and artificial intelligence.
"I would add that different industrial bases and cooperation there are also critical. Last November's trade agreement between Seoul and Washington, including South Korea's commitment to invest $350 billion in the U.S., was rightly hailed as a model for alliance and economic cooperation," he said.
Harris said the tariff and investment agreement was "good for the ROK and it's good for the U.S.," referring to South Korea by its official name, the Republic of Korea.