hankyoreh

Blue House National Security Office director Chung Eui-young (right) and National Intelligence Service director Suh Hoon answer questions from reporters prior to departing to the United States from Incheon Airport on Mar. 8. (by Kim Seong-gwang

Blue House National Security Office director Chung Eui-yong and National Intelligence Service (NIS) director Suh Hoon are arriving in the US on Mar. 8 for diplomatic efforts to mediate dialogue between Pyongyang and Washington after their recent visit to the North Korean capital as members of a special envoy’s delegation for President Moon Jae-in.

With the two receiving word from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Mar. 5 of his willingness to denuclearize, many are now watching to see what methods they adopt to persuade the US.

“Mr. Chung and Mr. Suh will be arriving in the US for a four-day visit on the morning of Mar. 8,” a senior Blue House official told reporters on Mar. 7. The Blue House is currently working to organize a meeting between the two and US President Donald Trump. While they are also likely to meet their respective US counterparts – White House National Security Advisor H. R. McMaster and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) director Mike Pompeo – an opportunity to report Kim’s message about denuclearization and North Korea-US dialogue directly to Trump would be the quickest shortcut to getting Washington to take action.

Moon discussed Kim’s message about denuclearization and dialogue with the US in a luncheon at the Blue House the same day with leaders from South Korea’s ruling and opposition parties.

“Based on what we have discussed with the US today, I think we have at least [an answer to] the US’s demands for elective and preventive dialogue,” Moon said.

“Judging from foreign press reporters and Twitter, President Trump appears to take a favorable view of the outcome of the delegation’s North Korea visit,” the president added.

The key question is what message Kim relays to Trump through Chung. While attending the luncheon with Moon that day, Chung said he had “received a message from Chairman Kim to be delivered to the US,” but would “disclose it after my return.”

During a briefing on the North Korea visit’s outcome the previous day, he said, “While I can’t tell you everything, we do have something of an additional position from North Korea to relay to the US.”

A senior Blue House official said that “the essence of North Korea’s message to the US would certainly have to do with denuclearization.”

“I’m sure they will communicate very clearly about their commitment and posture with regard to talks with the US and more specific details [from Kim] about denuclearization,” the official added.

Chung and Suh are seen as likely to explain in detail about the context surrounding Kim’s remarks about denuclearization being the “unchanging teaching of past generations,” while working to active persuade the US that dialogue with Pyongyang would also be to Washington’s advantage.

“With assessments that North Korea failed to achieve technical completion with its intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) re-entry technology, freezing it at its current level would be tantamount to freezing its capabilities of striking the continental US,” said Inje University professor Kim Yeon-chul.

“From Trump’s standpoint, that’s a card available for it to play in domestic political terms,” Kim said. This also means that announcement of a freeze in its missile technology is a likely option available for to the North to use with the US.

By Seong Yeon-cheol and Kim Ji-eun, staff reporters

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