Biden, Trump in stark contrast on North Korea

President Joe Biden speaks during a press conference in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., Thursday. AP-Yonhap

By Nam Hyun-woo

U.S. President Joe Biden's press conference, Thursday (local time), showed his administration is taking a different course from the previous Trump administration in terms of American policy toward North Korea, according to analysts and sources, Friday.

They said Biden's remarks on North Korea issues indicated that the U.S. is returning to a rules-based international order in dealing with the country, while stressing global cooperation and coordination with allies.

During his first White House press conference, Biden said the North's missile tests on Thursday were a violation of United Nations Security Council resolution 1718, which bans North Korea's nuclear tests and ballistic missile launches.

"We are consulting with our allies and partners, and there will be responses if they choose to escalate. We will respond accordingly," Biden said. Asked if he agrees North Korea is the top foreign policy issue, Biden also said yes.

Then-President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un pose during their Singapore summit on June 12, 2018. Yonhap

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This contrasts with the previous Donald Trump administration, which downplayed Pyongyang's missile launches while attempting to achieve denuclearization through summit talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

In contrast, the Biden administration has been signaling a hard-line approach to North Korea and diplomatic efforts simultaneously, with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken saying both pressure and diplomatic options are on the table to deal with Pyongyang.

"During the Trump administration, the U.S. did not respond to short-range ballistic missiles, but now the Biden administration is mentioning Thursday's launch violated U.N. resolutions," said Go Myong-hyun, a senior fellow at Asan Institute for Policy Studies. "Although Biden also said the U.S. can also respond on its own, the bottom line is that it is returning to a rules-based international order based on liberalism."

Another point in Biden's North Korea-related remarks was that he highlighted the value of "allies and partners" in handling the North's moves.

During the Trump administration, there were concerns in South Korea that the Moon Jae-in government was being sidelined in U.S.-North Korea relations.

The concerns were highlighted in January last year when Kim Jong-un received a letter from Trump congratulating him on his Jan. 8 birthday directly, and Kim Kye-gwan, adviser to the North's Foreign Ministry, mocked Seoul by saying it did not know there is a "special liaison channel between the top leaders" of Washington and Pyongyang.

However, the stance seems to be changing under Biden.

"There seems to be differences compared to the Trump administration in terms of considering its allies' (South Korea's) position," said an informed source at the Ministry of National Defense. "Although it is difficult to say that the U.S. is embracing the South's opinion, it seems that talks are showing progress."

North Korea analysts said that Biden's remarks that the U.S. is consulting with its allies offers a glimpse into Biden's North Korea policy review, which is expected to be completed in the near future, and will likely underscore the importance of diplomacy and alliances.

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