Peace at critical stage: Moon
President Moon Jae-in smiles during a weekly meeting with his senior secretaries at Cheong Wa Dae, Monday. At Moon's right is his national security adviser Chung Eui-yong. Yonhap
By Kim Yoo-chul
President Moon Jae-in asked the National Assembly to give its full support to the ongoing peace talks between North Korea and the United States.
“South Korea is at a critical stage in setting up permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula. The government will send special envoys to North Korea. As President, I want the National Assembly to give its full support to the government's ongoing efforts to bring permanent peace on the peninsula,” Moon said in a weekly meeting with his senior secretaries at Cheong Wa Dae, Monday.
“Without complete denuclearization, permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula is impossible,” Moon said, adding the government is closely monitoring all developments on the peninsula.
“If the National Assembly endorses efforts made following the announcement of the Panmunjeom Declaration, that will be a big help,” Moon said.
The president announced he would send both his national security adviser Chung Eui-yong and top spy chief Suh Hoon as special envoys on a “one-day mission” to Pyongyang, Sept. 5, ahead of his upcoming third summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
Seoul proposed sending the special envoys and Pyongyang accepted, implying it was also frustrated with the current situation. Political analysts in Seoul say the North needs someone to deliver its messages to the United States.
Presidential spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom said it was still uncertain whether the five-member South Korean delegation would meet Kim and deliver any written message from President Moon.
Despite the June 12 agreement by U.S. President Donald Trump and Kim in Singapore for denuclearization negotiations, no substantial progress has been made. Trump recently delayed a planned visit by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Pyongyang over lack of progress.
The effects of the landmark June meeting appear to be dissipating, as Washington has demanded Pyongyang hand over an inventory of its nuclear arsenal, and accept international inspections of its nuclear sites.
But the North wants an official declaration ending the Korean War first, saying its latest goodwill gestures _ the return of the remains of U.S. troops killed during the Korean War, and the dismantlement of its nuclear tests site in Punggye-ri _ were enough to expect some concessions from Washington.
Moon, who also wants to declare an end to the Korean War, has so far been unable to persuade Washington and Pyongyang to pursue steps simultaneously rather than getting stuck on the sequencing.
In a related note, Moon's chief of staff said South Korea is “closely communicating” with the United States on its assessment of North Korea, adding he hoped the envoys would fix a date for the September inter-Korean summit.
“We hope the envoys lay the groundwork to revive the momentum for talks between the United States and North Korea and to materialize Pompeo's visit there,” chief of staff Im Jong-seok wrote on Facebook.
“South Korea itself has to create new conditions. The country is desperate,” said Im, who is President Moon's top confidant, adding strategic patience and U.S. consent are the key criteria to achieve a historic transition.