[News analysis] Pres. Moon seeking integrated policy where “security is the economy”

Posted on : 2017-05-22 17:28 KST Modified on : 2019-10-19 20:29 KST
Moon seeking to institute a new vision of defense, with “national security and foreign affairs as two sides of the same coin”
 
From left to right
From left to right

President Moon Jae-in appointed staffers to direct the new administration‘s foreign affairs and security policy on May 21, including former ambassador to Geneva Chung Eui-yong as Blue House Office of National Security (ONS) chief.

The ONS now appears poised to handle practical duties on foreign affairs and national security issues, while Moon himself coordinates the policy focus and direction. As an approach to his foreign and security policy, Moon said he would be focusing on “an integrated policy philosophy where security is the economy and public livelihoods.”

Chung, who will be serving as foreign and security policy control tower for the new administration, comes from a diplomatic background. His nomination was predicted early on from his activities as head of the “public agreement” advisory organization to Moon’s election camp and his leading role in the deployment of special envoy delegations to four major countries as head of the Blue House’s foreign affairs and national security task force after Moon took office on May 10.

“Whereas past administration viewed national security solely through the narrow lens of defense, I see national security and foreign affairs as two sides of the same coin,” Moon explained on May 21 on his reasons for appointing Chung.

“Addressing a situation where security and diplomacy are intertwined with things like the North Korean nuclear issue, THAAD, and the South Korea-US Free Trade Agreement will require solid security capabilities and diplomatic skill,” he said.

A former trade negotiation coordinator for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Chung is known in diplomatic circles as a leading trade expert. He is also described as having dealt with arms reduction and other security issues during his time as ambassador to Geneva and developed a broad governing sense and political perspective through his efforts in multilateral diplomacy.

“He has a good grasp on the ways a single issue involves complex elements linked together, and his fast judgments on situations will be an advantage,” said a foreign affairs expert who took part in the public agreement effort.

This point was echoed in Moon’s remarks on May 21 stressing that “security concepts today must be more expansive and comprehensive.”

Korea National Strategy Institute director Kim Chang-soo explained, “We’re living today in an age of fusion and convergence between security and peace and welfare.”

“Security is an underpinning for the economy and the public’s lives, and peace comes when people are happy as a result,” he said.

Kim went on to describe Moon’s approach to foreign affairs and national security policy as “one where the outcomes of foreign affairs and national security manifest as peace.”

“Peace is what comes when you achieve solid security through diplomacy, support diplomacy with the military, and use this to achieve economic development and more prosperous lives for the public.”

On the same day Moon also appointed Yonsei University emeritus professor Moon Chung-in and Korean Peninsula Forum chairman Hong Seok-hyun as special aides on unification, foreign affairs, and national security. Moon Jae-in explained that the two would be “joining me in discussing and coordinating the new administration’s unification, foreign affairs, and national security policy.”

A key official with Moon‘s election camp said there was “no question that our various diplomatic and security issues call for innovative ideas.”

“The ONS will be functioning to respond to issues on a day-to-day basis, while the two aides will be a step outside the bureaucratic system discussing transformative ideas for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,” the official explained.

With the ONS chief’s appointment coming 11 days after Moon took office, additional foreign affairs and national security appointments are expected to come quickly. Staffing of ONS is an especially urgent concern. Experts agreed that the office’s first deputy chief - who will also be secretary-general for the National Security Council - should be “a strategy expert whose expertise extends to the military.” The message is that whoever takes on the position will have to be able to handle changes to the military command system, defense reforms, the wartime operational control transfer, peace, and arms control. Chung said on May 21 that “the security situation is serious enough that I think it would be good to have someone with quite a bit of experience and knowledge regarding the military in the ONS.” The first deputy chief directs three secretaries for security strategy, defense reforms, and peace and arms control.

The second deputy chief, a position equivalent to the Blue House Senior Secretary to the President for Foreign Affairs and National Security under the previous administration, will direct four secretaries for foreign policy, reunification policy, information integration, and cyber security. Given Chung’s background as a foreign affairs and trade expert, observers are saying an expert in inter-Korean relations should be selected for the second deputy chief position.

“I feel that inter-Korean relations are something we need to take the initiative in quickly restoring,” Chung said.

“Since the practical conditions aren‘t there yet, we’ll have to proceed gradually, but things like the [inter-Korean] military contact and communication network need to be restored as quickly as possible,” he added.

By Jung In-hwan and Kim Ji-eun, staff reporters

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