This editorial was originally published by the Chosun Ilbo newspaper and translated by OKN Correspondent.
[OKN Editor’s note: South Korea’s National Intelligence Chief Park Jie-won said in an interview with the conservative Chosun Ilbo newspaper published on May 7 that he doesn’t “think Chairman Kim Jong-un will give up his nuclear weapons.” Park is a former veteran lawmaker from the liberal party and the closest aide to late President Kim Dae-jung, who pursued the so-called Sunshine Policy. Park argued that Kim said that he will abandon nuclear weapons without thinking sincerely about giving them up. This is a contradiction with the outgoing Moon Jae-in administration, which continuously argued that North Korea promised them that it will abandon nuclear weapons, while many conservative experts questioned its sincerity. In his interview, Park appeared to blame the United States for the halt in the denuclearization process, saying that “North Korea thinks that they did everything, including keeping the moratorium promise to suspend further nuclear and missile tests, but questions what the United States did in return.” When the reporter told Park that it appears nothing has improved from the Sunshine Policy, Park argued that “there has been no war and there were inter-Korean summits and U.S.-North Korea summits.” The reporter responded by saying that North Korea’s nuclear and missile capabilities have improved in the meantime. Park raised his voice and said, “you should not use a double standard.” He added that “South Korea’s defense capabilities improved significantly under the Moon administration.”]
North Korea launched a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) on May 7, three days before President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol takes office. It was followed immediately after the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which was believed to be the Hwasung-17, at a higher altitude. North Korea has continued high-intensity provocations head of the inauguration of the Yoon administration and U.S. President Joe Biden’s visit to South Korea. The U.S. State Department said, “The United States assesses that the DPRK is preparing its Punggye-ri test site and could be ready to conduct a test there as early as this month, which would be its 7th test.”
The last pillar of the Moon Jae-in administration’s North Korean policy, which the administration repeatedly praised, was the “moratorium,” in which North Korea declared that it would stop nuclear tests and ICBM launches ahead of the 2018 Singapore Summit (with the United States). However, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called for a quick review of nuclear tests and the resumption of ICBM launches at a meeting of the Workers’ Party in January.
Within two months, he began to run wild again after pushing ahead with the ICBM provocation that improved the missile’s performance and flight distance compared to four years ago. Test-firing of missiles and rockets targeting South Korea was more frequent. Last month, North Korea fired a ballistic missile with a flight distance of 110 kilometers and an altitude of 25 kilometers and said it was “strengthening the operation of tactical nuclear weapons.”
Kim Yo-jong’s threat that “the South Korean military will endure a disastrous fate that is close to destruction and annihilation” could be realized at any time. The Moon administration’s so-called Korean Peninsula Peace Process is completely bankrupt.
Nevertheless, President Moon exchanged surreal personal letters with Kim Jong-un shortly before leaving office. Moon said, “I have taken a clear step to change the fate of the Korean Peninsula in cooperation with Kim Jong-un,” and Kim said, “I respect President Moon’s agony and hard work for our people’s cause.”
Park Jie-won, head of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), said in an interview with this newspaper a few days ago, “I also think Kim Jong-un will not give up nuclear weapons.” He added that “North Korea will continue to shoot missiles and conduct nuclear tests.”
The NIS is at the forefront of monitoring and analyzing North Korea’s movements for the sake of national security. Park would have known earlier that denuclearization promised by Kim Jong-un is a fantasy and it is poised to resume missile launches and nuclear tests at any time.
Nevertheless, until just recently, the NIS chief had been calling on the National Assembly to reduce the scale of the joint military exercises with the United States, calling them to consider “the big picture of North Korea’s denuclearization.”
Then, only a few days before the end of the administration, he confessed his true feelings, saying, “I don’t believe in Kim Jong-un’s denuclearization [promise].” Those who have given false information to the people in line with the political interests of the Moon administration have taken responsibility for managing the fate of the country for the past five years.
