[News Analysis] South and North Korea to continue holding high-level discussions after Pyeongchang Olympics

Posted on : 2018-02-23 15:55 KST Modified on : 2019-10-19 20:29 KST
The arrival of a senior level North Korean delegation signals both sides’ desire to continue improving inter-Korean relations
The South Korean Unification Ministry announced on Feb. 22 that a high-ranking North Korean delegation led by Workers’ Party Central Committee vice chairman and United Front Department director Kim Yong-chol will be visiting South Korea from Feb. 25-27. The photo shows Kim (standing on the right) next to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un riding on a boat in the West Sea with other North Korean military leaders on Mar. 7
The South Korean Unification Ministry announced on Feb. 22 that a high-ranking North Korean delegation led by Workers’ Party Central Committee vice chairman and United Front Department director Kim Yong-chol will be visiting South Korea from Feb. 25-27. The photo shows Kim (standing on the right) next to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un riding on a boat in the West Sea with other North Korean military leaders on Mar. 7

North Korea’s decision to send a second high-ranking delegation headed by Workers’ Party Central Committee vice chairman and United Front Department director Kim Yong-chol to visit South Korea on Feb. 25–27 is being viewed as an attempt to continue using representatives to hold indirect dialogue between the two sides’ top leaders. With Pyongyang sending what amounts to a second special envoy, there is speculation that South and North could carry on the momentum from dialogue beyond the Pyeongchang Olympics closing ceremony, increasing their opportunities to actively resolve issues on the Korean Peninsula.

One of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s closest associates, Kim Yong-chol holds key positions throughout the regime in Pyongyang, including membership in the party politburo, Central Military Commission, State Affairs Commission, and Supreme People’s Assembly Presidium. His visit for the closing ceremony, which comes after Kim Jong-un’s sister Kim Yo-jong visited as a special envoy for the Pyeongchang Olympics opening ceremony, is raising hopes that in-depth discussions could take place on a range of Korean Peninsula issues, including inter-Korean relations and denuclearization.

“Since [the high-ranking delegation members] are going to be here anyway, I imagine there will various discussions on inter-Korean relations and achieving peace, development, and reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula,” a senior Blue House official said on Feb. 22.

Kim Yong-chol’s visit to South Korea appears to be the product of behind-the-scenes dialogue that has continued between South and North Korea since the first high-ranking delegation to the South, led by Kim Yong-nam, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly. Considering that Kim Yong-chol is on independent sanctions lists not only in Seoul but also in Washington, the two sides appear to have coordinated this in advance.

In response to a question about when the US had been informed about Kim’s visit to the South, a senior official at the Blue House said, “There have been ongoing deliberations [between South and North Korea] since the high-ranking delegation’s visit. I’m told that the US was notified during the process of this unofficial contact [between South and North Korea].”

Kim’s visit to South Korea appears to have relieved some of the pressure on Seoul to send a special envoy to the North. Inter-Korean dialogue about the letter sent by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his invitation for South Korean President Moon Jae-in to visit the North can be discussed in detail while Kim Yong-chol is in South Korea. This is also why a Blue House official identified National Intelligence Service Director Suh Hoon as Kim’s counterpart.

Suh and Kim’s prominent selection as representatives for Moon Jae-in and Kim Jong-un is an attempt by the two leaders to further the momentum for restoring inter-Korean relations, bringing stability to the Korean Peninsula and moving toward North Korea-US dialogue.

“North Korea’s United Front Department is a comprehensive body that is responsible for the entirety of the state’s strategy, including foreign relations and inter-Korean relations. This means that, unlike the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland or the Foreign Ministry, which is part of the cabinet, someone is coming who could even comment on the nuclear issue,” said Koo Kab-woo, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies.

If North Korea makes the first move toward dialogue with the US, such as by declaring a moratorium on its nuclear weapon and missile programs, this could ease the way toward North Korea-US dialogue.

“North Korea appears to be dispatching Kim Yong-chol in order to test the US’s willingness to engage in dialogue before actual North Korea-US dialogue begins,” said Cho Sung-ryul, senior researcher for the Institute for National Security Strategy. Since Kim is on the sanctions list, Cho explained, the North can gauge the prospects for North Korea-US dialogue based on the US’s response to Kim’s selection.

By Jung In-hwan, Noh Ji-won, and Seong Yeon-cheol, staff reporters

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]

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