Do Je-hae edits news stories as part of the AI team.
Moon expresses high hopes for alliance in Biden-Harris era
Indian artist Jagjot Singh Rubal puts the final touch to a painting showing the 46 U.S. presidents to date, to mark Joe Bidens victory in the U.S. Presidential elections. EPA-Yonhap
By Do Je-hae
By Do Je-hae
President Moon Jae-in underlined the “rock-solid” Korea-U.S. alliance ahead of a transition to a Democratic administration in the U.S. with Joe Biden's victory in the presidential election there.
Shortly before Biden delivered a national speech to declare victory at 10 a.m. Sunday morning, Moon congratulated the president-elect and Kamala Harris, the first female vice-president-elect, on Twitter. Moon tweeted: “Our alliance is strong and the bond between our two countries is rock-solid. I very much look forward to working with you for our shared values. I have great expectations of advancing and opening up the future development of our bilateral relations. Katchi Kapshida (Let's go together)!”
Moon presided over a meeting on Nov. 5 to check issues in the post-election period with relevant officials, including Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, Defense Minister Suh Wook, Unification Minister Lee In-young and National Intelligence Service chief Park Jie-won as well as his senior aides dealing with diplomacy and national security, including national security adviser Suh Hoon and Kim Hyun-chong, second deputy director of the presidential national security office.
Cheong Wa Dae has spotlighted the continuation of its drive for peace on the Korean Peninsula despite the change of administrations in the U.S.
“The government will continue to maintain stable communication and consultation with the U.S. and will work together to ensure that there is no gap in efforts to develop Korea-U.S. ties and advance the peace process on the Korean Peninsula based on a strong Korea-U.S. alliance,” presidential spokesman Kang Min-seok said in a statement after the meeting. “We will closely watch the international situation and steadily push for a peace process on the Korean Peninsula.”
Dr. Jill Biden, third from right, during a visit to a South Korean temple during a visit to the country in 2013 Yonhap
Experts have largely speculated that Biden's victory will provide fresh momentum for improving bilateral relations, which is seen to have suffered considerably under Trump's negative view of the alliance and lack of understanding on the need for U.S. troops in Korea.
Seoul should expect considerable changes in the way the U.S. deals with bilateral issues, as well as North Korea, according to analysts. “Biden won't harass Seoul over SMA defense cost-sharing and won't merely write off Kim Jong-un's medium- and short-range missile tests,” Sean King, vice president at Park Strategies, told The Korea Times.
The immediate challenge for Moon and Biden would be to get to know each other as they have rarely crossed paths, although Biden has visited Korea on a number of occasions.
“The Biden camp ― including veterans of the Barack Obama administration in which Biden was vice president ― will want to get to know President Moon, to assess his real policies and intentions. They may be wary of his pro-China outlook and his unsuccessful attempts at renewing dialogue with Kim Jong-un. At the same time, they want to complete negotiations on South Korea's share of the cost of maintaining U.S. bases and troops here,” Donald Kirk, columnist and author on Korean Peninsula issues, told The Korea Times.
Building mutual trust between the two leaders will be an important step in coordinating a common policy toward North Korea, according to some experts. In this regard, Cheong Wa Dae is expected to arrange a phone call between Moon and the president-elect as soon as possible.
“For sure President Moon and President-elect Biden should set up a telephone conversation in which Moon, after offering the usual congratulations, should reaffirm the importance of the historic U.S.-ROK alliance and his interest in cooperating on a policy toward North Korea. From there, in the conversation, Moon should emphasize his desire for negotiations and dialogue, the need to renew the spirit of North-South cooperation and understanding,” Kirk said.
President Moon Jae-in congratulates U.S. President-elect Joe Biden in on his Twitter, Sunday. Yonhap
The Moon administration and the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) are also making active efforts to build ties with Biden and his team.
Foreign Minister Kang left for Washington Sunday and is expected to meet figures from the Biden camp, aside from undertaking her planned meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
DPK leader Rep. Lee Nak-yon also issued a statement expressing his high hopes for the improvement of the Korea-U.S. alliance in the Biden-Harris era.