hankyoreh

Minjoo Party presidential candidate Moon Jae-in presents a summation of his foreign policy and national security pledges at a press conference at the National Assembly on Apr. 23. (by Lee Jeong-woo

Minjoo Party presidential candidate Moon Jae-in said on Apr. 23 that if elected, he would phase in mutual inter-Korean arms controls and encourage “simultaneous action” from North Korea, the US, and other countries to achieve “a comprehensive package” of ending North Korea’s nuclear program, denuclearizing, and signing a peace agreement.

Moon’s message hinted at an increased role for South Korea instead of China, with Seoul taking the initiative in Korean Peninsula denuclearization discussions.

Moon‘s “bold vision for denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula,” presented as a summation of his foreign policy and national security pledges at a press conference at the National Assembly on Apr. 23, faithfully follows in step with the policy approaches of the Kim Dae-jung (1998-2003) and Roh Moo-hyun (2003-08) administrations.

“We need a completely new vision for permanent peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula,” Moon declared.

“I plan to carry on and develop the Sunshine Policy and North Korea engagement policy to strategically bring about change in North Korea,” he asserted.

With his declaration, Moon positioned himself as an inheritor of past engagement policies, while stating his commitment to overcoming ideological accusations that have intensified amid controversy over his hesitance to identify North Korea as South Korea’s “chief enemy” and issues with a UN North Korean human rights resolution vote and the transfer of funds to Pyongyang.

Moon started on Apr. 23 by saying he would “leverage South Korea’s overwhelming defense supremacy to create a peaceful Korean Peninsula.” Moon also said he would work quickly to set up a Kill Chain for a preemptive strike in the event of signs of an imminent North Korean nuclear or missile attack, and a Korean Air and Missile Defense (KAMD) system to intercept North Korean missiles. His message appeared to be an attempt to target conservatives amid rampant speculation about a “crisis” on the peninsula by playing up his image as a presidential contender who is “strong on national security.”

The core of Moon’s vision was encapsulated in his remarks about South Korea “playing a leading role in the Northeast Asian order” - in other words, taking on a stronger role for Seoul. It‘s an approach that would involve persuading China to resume the Six-Party Talks on the nuclear issue and the US to improve its relations with Pyongyang, while attempting to lure the North back to the table for dialogue. The overarching principle is one of not dwelling too much on the negotiation channels or format.

In this, it would be a return to the policy approach of the Kim and Roh administrations: using inter-Korean relations as leverage to encourage action from Washington and Beijing while Seoul takes the initiative in suggesting solutions in addressing the North Korean nuclear issue.

“We’re going to lead the way in making a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula,” Moon said. “We need to pursue a complete end to the North Korean nuclear program, denuclearization, and signing of a peace agreement all together.”

Moon also said he would “carry on the invaluable achievements realized with President Park Chung-hee’s July 4 South-North Joint Communique [of 1972], President Roh Tae-woo’s Basic Agreement [of 1991], President Kim Dae-jung’s June 15 Joint Declaration [of 2000], and President Roh Moo-hyun’s October 4 Inter-Korean Summit Declaration [of 2007].”

He went on to say he would “submit agreements between the South and North Korean leaders to National Assembly ratification or legislation so that they are established as permanent North Korea policy that does not change even as administrations come and go.”

In addition to its aim of ensuring continuity in North Korea policy, Moon‘s proposal also had a strategic aspect of leveraging nationwide cooperation to achieve powerful policy measures - a sort of “grand coalition” or “governance” approach at the foreign affairs and national security policy level. One risk of this approach is that conflict within the South could intensify if politicians decide to make North Korea policy into an issue.

Moon also stated his aim of hastening the transfer of wartime operational control to South Korea and ushering in a system of “making active use of US strategic assets while taking responsibility for our own defense in word and deed.” Other pledges included an increase in salary for soldiers (50% of the minimum wage by 2020), a gradual reduction in the mandatory military service period to 18 months, and efforts to root out defense industry corruption. Moon further declared his commitment to “civilianizing the military” by appointing a civilian Minister of National Defense during his term.

By Um Ji-won and Jung In-hwan, staff reporters

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