Seoul: A former South Korean nuclear envoy emphasized the significance of a potential summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as the "most important" avenue for resolving the North Korean nuclear issue.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Noh Kyu-duk, who previously served as the special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs during former President Moon Jae-in's administration, shared his insights at a forum co-hosted by Yonhap News Agency. He underscored the necessity of international cooperation in addressing the North Korean nuclear issue, while also stressing the pivotal role of direct contact between Trump and Kim Jong-un. Noh remarked that coordination between South Korea and the United States remains crucial in this context.
During Trump's first term, he and Kim engaged in two summits held in Singapore and Hanoi in June 2018 and February 2019, respectively, along with a brief meeting in the inter-Korean truce village of Panmunjom in June 2019. Despite these efforts, the meetings did not achieve significant progress in resolving the nuclear issue.
Noh also advocated for multilateral approaches to peace efforts on the Korean Peninsula, suggesting six-way talks that would involve the two Koreas, the U.S., China, Russia, and Japan. He proposed multilateral cooperation, such as multinational infrastructure projects involving North Korea, as a means to engage Pyongyang. However, he acknowledged the challenges posed by Pyongyang's reluctance to engage in dialogue with Seoul.
In a related discussion, Choi Jong-kun, former first vice foreign minister during Moon's term, highlighted the need for "strategic autonomy" for South Korea in addressing recent security and economic challenges. Choi described "strategic autonomy" as maintaining the alliance with the U.S. while possessing the "political ability" to make independent decisions on key national interests. He emphasized the importance of a long-term perspective in approaching the North Korean issue and inter-Korean relations.