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President Moon Jae-in presides over a meeting of the National Security Council on May 14

After North Korea unexpectedly launched a ballistic missile on May 14, the fifth day since the inauguration of Moon Jae-in as president of South Korea, Moon took prompt and stern measures by chairing a meeting of the National Security Council’s standing committee to take the wind out of North Korea‘s sails. During his presidential campaign, Moon had promised to inherit and develop the policy of engagement toward North Korea, but on Sunday he criticized North Korea’s missile launch and called for a stern response and for cooperation with the international community.

During the meeting of the standing committee of the National Security Council that he chaired on the morning of May 14, Moon described North Korea’s missile launch as “not only a clear violation of relevant resolutions by the UN Security Council but also a severe provocation to international peace and safety.” “I express my deep regret for North Korea’s rash provocation and simultaneously offer a stern warning,” Moon said. He also asked the army to “stand ready to make a thorough response to any military provocation based on the strong South Korea-US alliance” and instructed South Korea’s diplomats to work with the US and other allies and with the international community to respond as necessary to North Korea’s provocation.“ Moon repeatedly emphasized measures to counter North Korea‘s nuclear weapons through overwhelming military superiority. ”Based on the strong South Korea-US alliance, the South Korean military needs to keep working to more quickly strengthen our deterrence against North Korean provocations by developing the three Korean systems (Korean Air and Missile Defense, the Kill Chain and Korean Massive Punishment and Retaliation). In particular, it should keep track of progress on Korean Air and Missile Defense and speed up that project.

Considering that North Korea launched the missile just four days after Moon’s inauguration, he deemed the launch to be a provocation aimed at the new administration and made clear at home and abroad that he would be responding firmly. Moon‘s message is considerably tougher than the policy he espoused during his presidential campaign of simultaneously pursuing sanctions on and dialogue with North Korea. Moon immediately held a meeting in response to the relatively minor provocation of a ballistic missile test (not a major provocation such as a nuclear test) and focused on showing stability in his first national security test. His swift action prevented fears about security from spreading among the public so soon after he took power. After being briefed on the missile launch by Blue House Chief of Staff Lim Jong-seok around 6:08 am on May 14, Moon asked for a personal briefing by National Security Chief Kim Kwan-jin and convened a meeting with ministers from the areas of diplomacy and security who had been appointed by former president Park Geun-hye.

after North Korea launched a ballistic missile

At the same time, Moon attempted to differentiate himself from the sanctions bias in the North Korean policy of the previous Park administration (2013-16) by mentioning that “there is still the possibility of dialogue with North Korea” but that “even if dialogue is possible, it will only be possible when there is a change in North Korea’s attitude.” By still mentioning the “possibility of dialogue,” Moon is signaling that his policy of pursuing dialogue and sanctions simultaneously is still valid. This appears to result from Moon‘s belief that inter-Korean relations remained tense because of the Park administration’s insistence that North Korea had to denuclearize before any dialogue or negotiations could occur. In his “plan for denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula,” which he announced on Apr. 23, during the presidential campaign, Moon promised to “lead a strategic change in North Korea by inheriting and improving the sunshine policy and the North Korean engagement policy.” Instead of demanding that North Korea make the first move, Moon underscored the role of South Korea, declaring that he would bring about simultaneous action by the various countries involved, including North Korea and the US. But since the Moon administration has not had time to develop a response to North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs with the US, China and other major neighbors in the five days since he took office, his strategy for now appears to be emphasizing cooperation with the international community and following its lead.

“Our first task is resolving the North Korean nuclear issue. The specific way of doing that will require further review,” said a senior official at the Blue House when asked about the question of dialogue with North Korea during a meeting with reporters on May 14.

By Choi Hye-jung, staff reporter

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