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.
Ex-US envoy opposes Trump's North Korea approach
By Yi Whan-woo
Joseph Yun
By Yi Whan-woo
A former chief U.S. negotiator for North Korea's nuclear disarmament said the U.S. needs a step-by-step approach to denuclearization instead of an “all-or-nothing” tactic.
Joseph Yun, a former U.S. special representative for North Korea policy, called President Donald Trump's “no deal is better than a bad deal” stance mere rhetoric, saying the two countries could have “salvaged something” during their latest summit in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Yun suggested for the U.S. to lift some of the sanctions placed on the North to help ease Kim into the idea of dismantling his nuclear arsenal in return. This includes the Yongbyon reactor complex, which was a central point of contention at the summit, as well as accounting for nuclear weapons and fissile material that Pyongyang is still believed to be hiding, he said.
“We need to see a step-by-step approach...there is no other possible approach,” Yun said in an interview with KBS World Radio.
He attributed the collapse of the summit between Trump and Kim to a lack of preparation.
“I do believe they could have salvaged something, and to me it is a regretful situation that they salvaged nothing,” Yun said. “To say no deal is better than a bad deal is rhetoric only.”
He said the two countries are in “a tough spot.” The Hanoi breakdown and the standoff between Washington and Pyongyang make it difficult for lower-level officials “to gloss over their differences.”
Yun said he found it “a little disturbing” concerning North Korea's suspected restoration, instead of dismantlement, of its Tonchang-ri missile test site after the Hanoi talks.
But he downplayed the possibility that either side would provoke each other, namely Pyongyang with nuclear and missile tests, and the U.S. resuming large scale joint military exercises with South Korea.
“As long as these two things don't take place, I think we can maintain this standoff situation,” he said.
Yun urged working-level diplomats on both sides to re-start building a process and not to repeat the huge spike in tensions as seen in 2017, saying they “have to get together, try to salvage what was on the table, and improve on it a little bit as far as both sides are concerned.”
“For the American side, this would mean giving up somewhat on sanctions, and for the North Korean side, it would mean increasing the offer on denuclearization, not just Yongbyon, but perhaps through a declaration that would consist of an accounting of nuclear weapons and fissile material,” he added.
Commenting on South Korea's mediation between the U.S. and Pyongyang, Yun urged Seoul to be clandestine, especially in forging sanctions exemptions related to inter-Korean projects.
“Many ideas coming from Seoul are good, but they should be kept on quiet channels, they should not be announced publicly, so that differences are obvious to see,” he said. “I'm afraid right now there is too much public discourse accentuating differences rather than the unity between the two alliance partners.”
He also underscored Seoul and Washington “should be speaking with the same voice” concerning the North.
Yun served as the U.S. special representative for North Korea policy from 2016 to 2018. He was appointed to the post by then-U.S. President Barack Obama. He stepped down during Trump's term.
From 2013 to 2016 he served as U.S. Ambassador to Malaysia.
He is a senior advisor to the Asia Program at United States Institute of Peace.