Foreign ministry, presidential office slammed for defending North Korea's suspected nuke program

First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Choi Jong-kun speaks during a National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee meeting at the Assembly in Seoul, Tuesday. Joint Press Corps

Gov't urged not to put the cart before the horse in North Korea policy

By Nam Hyun-woo

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has come under fire for defending North Korea's suspected resumption of its nuclear development program in Yongbyon after the vice minister stated that it would not be in violation of a series of inter-Korean agreements which contain Pyongyang's promise to abandon such a program.

Cheong Wa Dae also said it agreed with the vice minister's remarks, sparking criticism that the government is pandering to the North for the sake of pursuing President Moon Jae-in's peace initiative.

During a National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee meeting Tuesday, First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Choi Jong-kun said he did not think North Korea's suspected restart of a nuclear reactor in Yongbyon, which was reported by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), would be a violation of the 2018 Panmunjeom Declaration between President Moon and North Korea leader Kim Jong-un.

"I cannot say whether the report alleging North's nuclear program is correct or not," Choi said.

"Among the inter-Korean agreements in the Panmunjeom Declaration and the Pyongyang Declaration, measures that North Korea made tangibly are still in effect," Choi said, citing the North's shutdown of the Punggye-ri nuclear test site and Dongchang-ri missile launch site.

The presidential office agreed with Choi's assessment ― a senior official at Cheong Wa Dae said: "The office's stance is similar with Choi's view."

The comments came after a recent IAEA report, which said there were indications of the North starting the operation of a radiochemical laboratory, which oversees the reprocessing of nuclear fuels to produce plutonium, at its main nuclear complex in Yongbyon. It added restarting operations of the reactor and the laboratory was "deeply troubling" and a clear violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions.

Contrary to the government's interpretation, the Panmunjeom Declaration, which was adopted in April 27, 2018, states: "South and North Korea confirmed the common goal of realizing, through complete denuclearization, a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula."

In the Pyongyang Declaration, which was signed five months later, the North expressed its willingness to continue to take additional measures, such as the permanent dismantlement of its Yongbyon nuclear facility.

North Korea leader Kim Jong-un waves to the crowd during his visit to a Youth Day celebration in Pyongyang in this photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency, Aug. 31. Yonhap

"Not only Choi but also Cheong Wa Dae are interpreting the North's move to suit their agenda," said Shin Beom-chul, director of the Center for Diplomacy and Security at the Korea Research Institute for National Strategy. "As the Moon Jae-in administration adheres to the desire for talks with North Korea, it cannot raise objections to such things."

Shin criticized the government for putting the cart before the horse in its inter-Korean policy, while pursuing more tangible outcomes toward the end of Moon's presidency. "The goal of North Korea policies are not the talks themselves," he added.

Against this backdrop, the North is expected to increase military tension by displaying new weapons and missiles at a military parade to celebrate its Foundation Day that falls tomorrow.

Government sources said North Korea is highly likely to hold a military parade early in the morning. Satellite footage has already shown almost 10,000 troops along with military vehicles around the Mirim Parade Training Ground, in apparent preparation for the parade.

The government also believes it is possible that North Korea will unveiling a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) and other new weapons in the parade. Reportedly, the North has invited a number of Chinese news outlets to broadcast the event, which is interpreted as the Kim regime's efforts to strengthen ties with China.

"If the North requested Chinese news outlets cover the parade, it is an indication that the Kim regime's efforts to close its borders and achieve self-reliance have failed," Shin added.

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