'Independent peace' to be theme for Kim Jong-un's New Year address

By Lee Min-hyung

“Independent peace” could be the key phrase for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's upcoming New Year address next year because the phrase conveys his affirmation for peace on the Korean Peninsula, experts said, Tuesday.

In several face-to-face meetings with President Moon Jae-in, the young North leader said his regime is prepared to drop its nuclear program if security guarantees and economic benefits are confirmed. A second summit between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump is anticipated for early next year.

“It is likely Kim will underline that a new era of peace has arrived on the peninsula during his 2019 New Year address, as he hopes to take most of the credit for the rare momentum for peace here,” political commentator Lee Jin-gon said.

Since 2013, Kim Jong-un has been delivering an annual address each year via state-run propaganda media outlets, including the Korean Central Television.

Given the steadiness, the North's leader is widely expected to release his New Year address for 2019 in consideration that he has made global headlines this year for a series of his steps on inter-Korean reconciliation.

But one interesting point is Kim gestured for peace on the peninsula in his New Year address early this year, expressing his willingness to send a sports delegation to the PyeongChang Winter Olympics which were held this February.

The “Olympics diplomacy” has improved inter-Korean relations with President Moon Jae-in welcoming the peace gesture from the North. Leaders of the two Koreas have held three summits this year alone.

But simultaneously, Kim Jong-un also went on making provocative remarks against the United States in his address, saying he has a “nuclear button” on his desk that launches missiles capable of striking the U.S. mainland.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, left, and South Korean President Moon Jae-in cross the military demarcation line at the border village of Panmunjom in Demilitarized Zone on April 27. / AP-Yonhap

The decades-long hostile relations between Washington and Pyongyang, however, also began to improve in accordance with the improving inter-Korean relations. The North's leader agreed with Trump to denuclearize North Korea at their historic summit held this June in Singapore. This was the first time a leader from the North has met with a U.S. president since the end of the Korean War.

Chances are slim for Kim to make any bellicose remarks during next year's address as he is expected to take a wait-and-see approach for a while before his next in-person meeting with Trump.

“But Kim will likely continue stressing that North Korea will realize peace on its own without any reliance on foreign powers, as the regime has done in recent months via its propaganda outlets,” Lee said.

“In particular, it is unlikely he will directly comment on a possible lifting of sanctions imposed on the regime.”

But Kim will instead choose to underline his country's ongoing efforts for denuclearization to gain an upper hand in the possible second summit with Trump, according to expert on inter-Korean affairs.