Diplomatic efforts toward denuclearization are accelerating

President Moon calls leaders of neighboring countries' to report on inter-Korean summit results

After the leaders of South and North Korea released their Panmunjom Declaration for Peace, Prosperity and Unification of the Korean Peninsula on Apr. 27, diplomatic efforts toward denuclearization have been accelerating once more. South Korean President Moon Jae-in had a series of phone calls with US President Donald Trump on Apr. 28 and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Apr. 29 as he gears up for the frenzied summit diplomacy that will unfold in May.

During his phone calls with Trump, Abe and Putin, Moon explained the results of the inter-Korean summit. In Moon’s phone call with Trump, the two leaders agreed that it would be best to hold the North Korea-US summit as soon as possible to maintain the momentum from the success of the inter-Korean summit. Moon’s telephone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping will take place at a later date because of scheduling conflicts related to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to China.

During his phone call with Abe, Moon told the Japanese Prime Minister that Kim Jong-un had declared his willingness to engage in dialogue with Japan at any time. Abe responded that Japan would create an opportunity for dialogue with North Korea and that if necessary he would ask Moon for assistance, to which Moon replied that he would be happy to take steps to build a bridge between North Korea and Japan. It is notable that Moon mentioned South Korea’s role as a mediator between North Korea and Japan, since this suggests that Moon and Kim had an in-depth discussion about historical issues and about the normalization of diplomatic relations between North Korea and Japan.

Moon’s quick action indicates his determination to translate the positive outcome of the inter-Korean summit into success at the North Korea-US summit. It can also be seen as an attempt to shore up confidence and support from Korea’s neighbors, which will be necessary for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and for the establishment of a peace regime prior to the North Korea-US summit. If the North Korea-US summit is pushed forward to May, this is likely to only accelerate the discussion of denuclearization that was triggered by the inter-Korean summit. Before that happens, Moon faces the challenge of narrowing the gap between North Korea and the US in regard to the methodology of denuclearization.

Next month, Moon will be meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in Tokyo. While this marks the resumption of a regular summit between South Korea, China and Japan that was discontinued in 2015, the question of the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula will probably occupy a large part of the agenda. Moon is also expected to tell Li about his and Kim’s commitment to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and ask for Li’s support. Since China is one of the parties to the armistice agreement, this discussion is also likely to touch upon the declaration of the end of the war and the pursuit of a peace treaty that was discussed during the inter-Korean summit.

Moon and Trump are also scheduled to hold a summit shortly before Trump’s summit with Kim, and the preceding summit could well determine the success of the one that follows. During their summit, Moon and Trump will probably put the finishing touches on their strategy to achieve the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. With each passing day, Moon’s guidance from the “driver’s seat” is becoming more important.

By Yoo Kang-moon, senior staff writer and Seong Yeon-cheol, staff reporter

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