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A screengrab from President Moon Jae-in’s interview with CBS program “This Morning”

The CBS interview with President Moon Jae-in that was broadcast on June 20 underscored Moon’s belief that dialogue with North Korea to resolve the North Korean nuclear weapon and missile issue should continue despite the strain on North Korea-US relations resulting from the death of Otto Warmbier.

Even while strongly criticizing Pyongyang, Moon strove to leave open the door for dialogue by emphasizing that his policy toward the North is much the same as the Trump administration’s. Moon’s remarks appear aimed at clearing away the major roadblock caused by the unexpected death of Warmbier shortly before the South Korea-US summit that is scheduled for the end of this month, while also making room to implement his own plan for resolving the North Korean nuclear issue.

“I think that dialogue is necessary,” Moon said when the CBS reporter asked if he could engage in negotiations with an unreasonable leader. “The sanctions and pressure that the international community has used in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions have been insufficient to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue.”

“I don’t think that [my ideas] conflict with the policies of the US or of President Trump. President Trump appears to be reflecting on and criticizing the failure of preceding administrations,” Moon said, referring to their focus on sanctions and pressure. Moon argues that his view is consistent with that of President Trump. Just as Trump has criticized former President Barack Obama’s policy of “strategic patience,” which involved putting pressure on North Korea and waiting for it to come to the table for talks, Moon says he also thinks it’s necessary to use a combination of pressure and persuasion to bring North Korea to the negotiating table.

Moon proactively responded to the assumption in political circles in Washington that he wants to resume unconditional dialogue with North Korea. “I’ve never mentioned dialogue that wouldn’t involve any preconditions. First, we have to make North Korea freeze its nuclear weapon and missile programs, and then the second stage would be completely dismantling the North‘s nuclear program. There is even a lot of talk inside the US about the need for [this kind of] step-by-step approach,” he said. Given that there’s not likely to be progress when North Korea‘s denuclearization is a prerequisite for dialogue, Moon argues for the need of a gradual process with the ultimate goal of North’s complete denuclearization. Dialogue could begin with the agenda of freezing the North‘s nuclear weapon and missile programs, and then further steps could be taken depending on North Korea’s behavior.

Moon also strongly recommended talks between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. “Kim Jong-un is not a reasonable person, but even President Trump once said he was willing to talk with Kim over a burger and that he thought it would be an honor to meet Kim. I believe that President Trump has gone a step further than I have [in his willingness for dialogue].” When the reporter asked Moon whether he thought Kim Jong-un likes hamburgers, he said he “probably” does. What Kim “sincerely wants,” Moon said, is a “safe guarantee of the North Korean system and regime.” “Kim Jong-un will no doubt keep up his bluster about nuclear weapons, but he secretly wants a lasting peace treaty on the Korean Peninsula and improved relations with the US. The only way to verify that is to try dialogue with North Korea,” Moon said.

Moon also hinted that dialogue with North Korea could lead to great results that would be credited to Trump. “I think highly of how President Trump has declared the North Korean issue to be one of his top priorities. I believe that we have the possibility of resolving the North Korean nuclear issue thanks to President Trump,” Moon said.

But Moon also made clear his criticism of the North Korean government, possibly in consideration of anti-North Korean sentiment in the US following Warmbier’s death, “Since it can be inferred that Warmbier received unjust and cruel treatment in North Korea, I strongly denounce North Korea’s brutality. We must remember that North Korea is an unreasonable regime [when it comes to resuming dialogue],” Moon reiterated.

Moon’s remarks appear to reflect the view that, if intensifying anti-North Korean sentiment in the US pushes the Trump administration to adopt a harsher policy toward North Korea, the Moon administration would also face increasing pressure to participate in tough sanctions and pressure, given South Korea’s alliance with the US.

By Lee Se-young, staff reporter

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