INTERVIEW 'S. Korea's role in N.Korean affairs at risk with Trump's potential return'

Wi Sung-lac, a lawmaker-elect of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), speaks during an interview with The Korea Times at his office in Seoul, May 2. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

South Korea could find itself marginalized on North Korean issues if the next U.S. administration opts for negotiations with Pyongyang, a scenario that seems increasingly probable if former U.S. President Donald Trump returns to office, as suggested by Wi Sung-lac, a lawmaker-elect of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK).

"In the event of Donald Trump's return — although I wouldn't place very high odds on his reelection — he might not prioritize the alliance with South Korea. This would challenge the Yoon Suk Yeol administration's strong reliance on the South Korea-U.S. alliance, which is the main pillar of the government's current diplomacy," Wi said during a recent interview with The Korea Times.

The former diplomat foresaw the possibility of Washington engaging in negotiations with Pyongyang following the launch of a new U.S. administration after the Nov. 5 presidential election, regardless of whether it's under Trump or incumbent President Joe Biden.

"Considering the Yoon administration's hawkish stance on North Korea, Trump may opt to engage directly with Pyongyang, excluding Seoul from the negotiations. This suggests that the U.S. president will exert considerable influence over critical security decisions on the Korean Peninsula, such as extended deterrence and combined military exercises, potentially sidelining South Korea," he said.

While South Korean officials are cautiously engaging with figures from the Trump camp to mitigate the potential impact on U.S. security commitments, Wi regarded this as merely a short-term approach.

"A more sustainable approach should involve reforming the foundational principles of the current foreign policy direction to protect the nation's core interests in the rapidly evolving international landscape, rather than solely preparing for the potential return of Trump," he said.

Wi Sung-lac, right, then special representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs, shakes hands with Philip Goldberg, then coordinator for the implementation of U.N. sanctions on North Korea, during a meeting at the foreign ministry in Seoul, in this Aug. 24, 2009 photo. Goldberg currently serves as the U.S. ambassador to South Korea. Korea Times file

Wi, who had a distinguished 36-year career as a diplomat before retiring in 2015, is renowned for his expertise in United States and North Korean nuclear issues. In the 1980s, he conducted working-level negotiations with the Soviet Union, which culminated in the establishment of Seoul's diplomatic relations with Moscow in 1990. Wi subsequently served as the ambassador to Russia from 2011 to 2015.

When asked to assess the Yoon government's foreign policy, the former envoy said: "We are witnessing the shortcomings of an one-size-fits-all diplomatic approach. The government is attempting to manage relations with other nations in the same manner as it does with the U.S., but such an approach is ineffective. A tailored diplomacy is imperative in dealing with each nation, particularly in the cases of China and Russia."

While Wi acknowledged the importance of strengthening ties with the U.S. and Japan to counter North Korean threats, he highlighted the deteriorating relations with China and Russia, attributing them to the absence of a coordinated foreign policy strategy.

He compared South Korea's diplomatic positioning between the U.S. and China with a clock.

"Imagine the U.S. at 3 o'clock and China at 9 o'clock. Ideally, South Korea should be positioned around 1:30 p.m.," he explained, emphasizing the necessity of a strong alliance with the U.S. to address North Korean threats.

"But deterrence isn't the panacea. Efforts for dialogue and negotiation with the North should be carried out at the same time, and that is why the country should still leave room for cooperation with China and Russia."

Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un examine a Soyuz rocket launch pad during their meeting at the Vostochny Cosmodrome outside the city of Tsiolkovsky in the Russian Far East's Amur region, Sept. 13, 2023. AP-Yonhap

Wi observed that the prospects of reunification on the Korean Peninsula currently hang in the balance, especially after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un declared South Korea as its No. 1 enemy state earlier this year, thereby deviating from the goal of reunification pursued by his predecessors.

"South Korea's diplomatic maneuvers hold the key to whether the two Koreas will ultimately achieve reunification or remain perpetually divided," Wi explained.

"Our government should not discard the concept of the inter-Korean basic agreement, which defines the relationship between South Korea and North Korea as a special one pursuing the ultimate goal of reunification. It is also crucial to persuade our partners, such as the U.S., Japan and European countries, to agree to such a notion."

Wi Sung-lac, a lawmaker-elect of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), poses during an interview with The Korea Times at his office in Seoul, May 2. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

"Unfortunately, we are not seeing such efforts by the Yoon administration."

The former envoy to Russia also discussed South Korea's strained relations with Moscow, describing them as the most troubled in over 30 years of bilateral ties. He emphasized the necessity of adopting a comprehensive policy approach toward Russia, highlighting that high-level exchanges alone are insufficient without a coherent and strategic framework in place.

He pointed out that a rare visit by Russian Vice Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko to Seoul in February turned out to be a one-off event without producing concrete results.

"Meetings between high-level officials are merely hardware. We also need effective software in the form of clear policy direction to ensure that such exchanges are fruitful," Wi said.

The former diplomat first joined the liberal DPK during the 2022 presidential elections, when he served as the foreign policy adviser to then-DPK candidate Lee Jae-myung. He secured the party's proportional representation seat in the April 10 parliamentary elections.

"I decided to enter politics because during my career as a diplomat, I recognized the urgent need for a substantial upgrade in our nation's diplomacy. While I have written books, columns, and delivered lectures on this subject, I ultimately concluded that engaging in politics would be the most effective way to bring about the necessary changes," he explained.

With about two weeks left before assuming his role as an Assemblyman on May 30, Wi aims to leverage his experience to contribute to legislations that can upgrade the nation's diplomatic infrastructure.

"When I mention infrastructure, I'm not just talking about increasing budgets and expanding the workforce. It's about strategy and policy. Only then can we discuss how to optimize resources allocated to the administrative tasks in diplomacy," he said.