[Editorial] Haley’s remarks about Pyeongchang Olympics casts doubt on US reliability as an ally

US President Donald Trump

It’s hard to believe the remarks that US government officials are making about whether American athletes will be attending the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. The uproar began when US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said during an interview with Fox News on Dec. 6 that American athletes’ participation in the Olympics was an “open question.” While Haley added that “I have not heard anything about that,” she said “it’s about how do we protect the US citizens in the area.”

Haley’s point was that the US is concerned about the safety of its athletes because of the North Korean nuclear threat, but this basically sent a message to the whole world to watch out for Korea because it’s a dangerous place. At a moment when the US ought to be guaranteeing the safety of the Olympics, it’s instead fueling paranoia about a crisis. Not only are these remarks very inappropriate, but they cast doubt on whether the US is a true ally.

Next, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders fanned the flames by remarking during the press briefing on Dec. 7 that the athletes’ attendance “will be a decision made closer to time” and that “ultimately, The President would certainly weigh in.”

Athletes’ attendance is decided by a country’s Olympic committee, and the US Olympic Committee decided back in September that the athletes would attend. Furthermore, President Trump said during a phone call with South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Nov. 30 that he had decided to send a high level government delegation to the Olympics. In light of this, Haley’s and Sanders’ remarks don’t make sense. Immediately after the briefing, Sanders “updated” her remarks by posting on Twitter that “The US looks forward to participating in the Winter Olympics in South Korea.”

This incident partly stems from Haley and Sanders’ qualifications – neither have any background in diplomacy. It can also be seen as a sneak peek into one aspect of the Trump administration’s attitude toward Korean Peninsula issues. What is more serious, however, is that the Trump administration has no regard for its allies and that its attitude and behavior toward them is incredibly chauvinistic. It’s widely believed in the US that there is little policy coordination inside the major government departments and the White House, and this situation further reinforces such anxieties.

Certain segments of South Korea’s conservative press have jumped on this incident to foment insecurity, as if the Korean Peninsula was really facing a serious crisis. Such a calculating approach is very wrong. Exaggerating contradictory statements resulting from a lack of coordination inside the American government to spread groundless rumors about a crisis is itself an act that aids the enemy, something the conservatives are often talking about.

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