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President Moon Jae-in discusses the recent visit of the South Korean special delegation to North Korea with the leaders of South Korea’s five political parties at the Blue House on Mar. 7. From left are Lee Jeong-mi (Justice Party)

President Moon Jae-in acknowledged the difficulties in ultimately achieving denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, but sent a resolute message while explaining his vision and solutions for inter-Korean relations to conservative leaders in a midday meeting with the heads of five parties on Mar. 7 at the Blue House’s Spring House reception room.

Liberty Korea Party (LKP) leader Hong Joon-pyo and Bareun Mirae Party leader (BMP) leader Yoo Seong-min focused most of their remarks on the possibility that recent progress in inter-Korean dialogue might be used to “buy time” for North Korea’s nuclear development.

“The part about [North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s] willingness to denuclearize is something they’ve said over and over as a ‘teaching,’ but it has all been lies,” Hong said.

In response, Moon stressed that “nothing is definite yet.”

“We should be wary of rushing to optimism. But we should also avoid an attitude of ‘it will never work’ or ‘we’re just being taken in with this,’” he added.

Hong continued to press Moon by stressing that “we need to be heading toward denuclearization” and warning of “a major national tragedy if we head toward a nuclear freeze or temporary halt to ballistic missiles.”

“The final goal is denuclearization. We cannot make ‘proliferation prevention’ or a ‘freeze’ our ultimate goal,” Moon said in reply.

“While there has been vague talk about methods like using a freeze as an ‘entrance’ toward denuclearization, with complete denuclearization as the ‘exit,’ what we’re going to need are more concrete discussions going ahead,” he continued.

In his prefatory remarks, Yoo said it was “a positive development that the North stated its willingness to denuclearize and said it would temporarily halt nuclear and missile testing while dialogue is going on.”

“The important things are action and the North’s sincerity,” he added. In particular, Yoo stressed the importance of continued sanctions and pressure against the North.

“That goes entirely without saying,” Moon said in his reply.

“We are acting in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions, and the US has its own forceful sanctions,” he added. “These are not measures we can arbitrarily decide to lift.”

“Sanctions may be reduced with international consent if practical progress is achieved [in North Korea’s dialogue with the South and US], but arbitrary reductions are out of the question, and I wish to tell you know that I have no such intention, nor would it even be possible,” he continued.

A brief flare-up occurred during the meeting when Hong asked about “alternatives” if the inter-Korean talks are deemed to be a strategy to buy time.

“What alternatives do you suggest?” Moon asked Hong.

“As President, you have all the information. Why are you asking me?” Hong replied.

Moon also responded to Hong’s accusatory remarks toward National Security Office director Chung Eui-yong by asking, “Is it really necessary to behave like you’re asking questions at the National Assembly?”

The discussion also turned to the recent South Korea visit by Workers’ Party vice chairman Kim Yong-chol, which conservatives vehemently protested due to allegations that he was behind the 2010 sinking of the ROKS Cheonan. Yoo demanded an apology for Kim’s visit, prompting Moon to reply, “Kim Yong-chol’s visit may be painful when we think of the sailor on the Cheonan, but this dialogue is meant so that this sort of tragedy, this loss of life while protecting the country, does not happen again.”

“Kim Yong-chol’s specific responsibility [for the sinking] has not been established, and I could not refuse dialogue solely on the basis of general responsibility,” a resolute Moon continued.

The tensions between Moon and the two conservative party leaders reached its peak with issues surrounding special presidential foreign affairs and security advisor Moon Chung-in. Hong and Yoo both called for Moon Chung-in’s dismissal, claiming he was “driving a wedge in the South Korea-US alliance.”

President Moon replied, “It seems to be that people are making an issue over specific remarks made by Special Advisor Moon during a talk. I do not believe that officials in our administration are required to all send the exact same message.”

“I also don’t think he needs to be someone who voices the positions of the Liberty Korea or Bareun Party,” he added.

By Jung Yu-gyung and Song Kyung-hwa, staff reporters

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