Oh Young-jin is The Korea Times' publisher and president. He began to work at The Korea Times in 1988 as a sports writer. Then, he worked as a reporter and later as editor at the City Desk, Business Desk and Politics Desk. He worked as chief editorial writer before taking the current position. He has a keen interest in politics as well as defense affairs.
Mr. Trump, are you watching the Seoul circus?
U.S. President Donald Trump presents the "President's Cup" to the Tokyo Grand Sumo Tournament winner, Asanoyama, at Ryogoku Kokugikan Stadium in Tokyo, May 26. AP
By Oh Young-jin
By Oh Young-jin
In South Korea, one big political circus is under way about and over U.S. President Donald Trump, who happens to be visiting neighboring Japan. From its timing, this circs appears to have a target audience of one ― Trump.
Trump's three-day visit has been highlighted by a round of golf with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and watching a traditional sumo wrestling match from a ringside seat (Abe had a chair installed for Trump), topped by dinner at a traditional restaurant with their wives. Trump became the first foreign head of state to meet Japan's new emperor, Naruhito.
Here on this side of the East Sea, the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae and political parties are locked in a fierce battle over the disclosure of contents of a 35-minute telephone conversation between President Moon Jae-in and Trump on May 7 following North Korea's multiple short-range missile firing May 4.
On May 9, Rep. Khang Hyo-shang of the main conservative opposition Liberty Korea Party told a press conference that Moon asked Trump to drop by when he visited Japan toward the end of May. Khang also said Moon rejected U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton's visit to Seoul in May. Cheong Wa Dae denied Khang's claims.
A probe began, ferreting out a senior diplomat stationed in Washington, D.C. as the person who leaked the contents to the lawmaker. The two graduated from the same high school and Khang was senior to the diplomat.
The diplomat was called in and faced a disciplinary committee. Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha told reporters that the ministry concluded that the diplomat was the leaker and would be punished accordingly.
The ruling Democratic Party of Korea filed a complaint against Khang, while calling for the LKD to kick out Khang and talking about the Democratic Party's intention to strip him of his status as a lawmaker.
The opposition is not taking the onslaught hands down. It said Khang acted for the sake of the public's right to know.
It took issue with the presidential office's denial of Khang's claims, saying that it was equal to telling the nation a lie. It also confronted Cheong Wa Dae with an allegation made by President Moon's confidante Jung Chung-rae on a television program more than a year ago that he gained access to all “raw material” from the Moon-Trump telephone talks. Jung, former lawmaker, has corrected himself, saying his claim was based on a briefing by the presidential office, not from actually viewing the transcripts.
The tit-for-tat has been so fierce that it has engulfed the entire political establishment.
The question arises: why now?
Normally, leaks are dealt with subtly, especially when they are related to foreign affairs involving other countries.
The usual protocol would have been to launch a secret, internal investigation. Even if the suspect was tracked down, he or she would be called in without the public's knowledge.
But in this case the internal probe was debunked almost immediately; the suspect's identity was blown and his recall date and time turned into a scoop by a certain media outlet.
Did somebody leak this information? That would be an obvious question. The situation can be explained as follows ― either the government simply lacked the discretion necessary for handling a sensitive diplomatic matter or it let others know what it was doing deliberately.
The first case can be attributed simply to lack of guile. The second would be a bit more complicated: Perhaps the government wants to use the case to zip the opposition's mouth and get on its way for reconciliation with the North. Or it wants to convey a message to the U.S. administration that it is plugging the holes in its communication line and therefore gain trust.
It will take some time to know exactly what has been going on. Meanwhile, Trump may have a burning ear from all the talk going on about and over him in Seoul.
Oh Young-jin (
,
) is digital managing editor of The Korea Times.