Washington Grows More Comfortable with Inter-Korean Economic Projects

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks with the Republic of Korea’s Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha at ASEAN 2018 Singapore.

Stephen E. Biegun, the United States special representative for North Korea, met with Lee Do-hoon, South Korea’s special representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs, in Seoul on October 29 to discuss North Korea’s uncooperative attitude toward denuclearization amid its pursuit of joint economic projects with South Korea.

There are signs of rising discord between the U.S. and South Korea as nuclear talks with the North have stalled. According to CNBC, Biegun told Lee that both countries have a shared goal “to bring an end to 70 years war and hositilites on the Korean Peninsula.” However, the U.S. sees denuclearization of North Korea as a precondition for such peace.

Washington remains critical of South Korea’s decision to pursue a number of inter-Korean economic cooperation projects because North Korea has not complied to complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization (CIVD). The Washington Post reports that the shutdown of several test sites earlier this year was reported by foreign journalists but not examined by experts.

The two Koreas agreed to initiate a joint field survey of a cross-border railway. However, the  effort was halted in August by the U.S.-led United Nations Command (UNC), which oversees the border. The UNC claimed that it could not authorize South Korea to operate a test train through the demilitarized zone (DMZ) because the government did not abide by the procedure.

The UNC’s action is unusual given that it has been flexible with the prior notification rule that Korea did not follow. The U.S. remains adamant in delaying the joint ventures between North and South Korea until North Korea takes further measures in the denuclearization process.

According to Bloomberg, the UN economic sanctions and the U.S. financial embargo imposed on North Korea remain, and the U.S. refuses to offer economic aid to North Korea until there are signs of further progress.

Some of the annual joint military drills between the U.S. and South Korea were suspended; Yonhap News reports that Secretary of Defense James Mattis has suggested to continue these military exercises. Experts suggest that such action could provoke Kim Jong-un and ruin the sense of optimism that prevailed in early 2018. North Korea and the U.S.- led UN forces are in fact still at war because the Korean War did not end in a treaty but an armistice in 1953.

South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon responded positively that the U.S. is not entirely opposed to inter-Korean projects. Despite public support in America for such efforts,  Bruce Klingner of the Heritage Foundation stated that Washington is extremely concerned and upset over President Moon Jae-in’s rush to foster economic projects in spite of the United States’ warning to slow down, according to the Choson Ilbo.

South China Morning Post reports that Biegun will also visit Japan and China this week to continue diplomatic efforts to achieve complete denuclearization in North Korea.