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Repeat of Sunshine policy cannot solve the North’s nuke issue

Repeat of Sunshine policy cannot solve the North’s nuke issue

Posted April. 24, 2017 07:32,   

Updated April. 24, 2017 07:34

한국어

The Minjoo Party’s presidential candidate Moon Jae-in announced Sunday his undaunted vision of denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula, including plans to resolve North Korea’s nuclear issue and North Korean policies. As doubts are increasingly raised on his perspectives on security along with a series of arguments on "main enemy" and documents released by former Foreign Minister Song Min-soon, he came up with a comprehensive measure encompassing withdrawal of North Korean nuclear program, denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula, conclusion of a peace treaty and others. However, his security policy is disappointing as it is made based on the North Korea policy of the former Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun administrations that were supportive to the North. It is also nothing more than a guarantee to express his confidence.

As an option to make the North to give up its nuclear program, Moon said, “I would persuade China to renew the six-party talk and convince the U.S. to mend fences with North Korea, and persuade the North to be engaged in dialogue with neighboring countries." In fact, however, China has already requested to resume the six-party talks, and South Korea, the U.S., Japan did not response to such request, not to mention North Korea. The reason why countless efforts to resolve the issue diplomatically went in vain was because the North tried to defend its regime relying on its missile and nuclear capability. It was not because that efforts of South Korea to persuade the North were insufficient. However, Moon still insists that South Korea should try to conclude a peace treaty along with denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula. In other words, it means that Moon agrees on the arguments made by China that is supportive to the North and he intends to make its wish of the withdrawal of U.S. forces from South Korea via the U.S.-North Korea Peace Treaty come true.

Moon said he would establish the Kill Chain and the Korean Air and Missile Defense in advance to deter North Korea’s nuclear program and missiles. However, this approach is hard to expect the reinforcement of the power of defense as it ignores the reality of the deployment of THAAD and shows his willingness to continue focusing on anti-aircraft missile defenses, which are known vulnerable to submarine-launched ballistic missile. His campaign promise of early return of the wartime operational control may dismantle the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command and weaken our deterrent to North Korea eventually. Such plans are heading in wrong direction from "robust U.S.-Korea alliance."

Moon said that the establishment of inter-Korean economic community would create a market of 80 million people and increase the potential growth rate by 1 percent and add 50,000 new jobs each year. His rosy picture reminds me of former President Park Geun-hye’s saying, “unification is like hitting jackpot.” Moon should sincerely apologize first for his unconditional support of the North, which contributed to the development of nuclear weapons and missiles. Still, he insists that people who misuse the separation of two Koreas are now blinding the public’s eyes with the talk of pro-North Korea. It is natural that the public worry about Mr. Moon who argues to legalize the agreement made between leaders of South and North Koreas in the past and longs for the Sunshine policy even while the North threats us with a preemptive nuclear strike.