Pyongyang distant from Seoul, closer to Moscow; what is the utmost concern?

北 통일 지우기, 북러밀착 지속 한반도 정세 전망은? North Korea and Russia’s ties are seemingly getting more and more stronger, with Pyongyang providing Moscow with weapons in exchange for necessities the regime is in dire need of. Experts say such cooperation between the two rogue states is very concerning, adding it could have a very serious effect on Korean Peninsula geopolitics. This comes amid the regime’s active removal of unification references, erasing the achievements of Kim Jong-un’s predecessors --Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il. To get to know more about how tensions on the peninsula are developing, we invited Go Myong-hyun, a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for National Security Strategy. Doctor Go, welcome. We also have Bruce Klingner, a Senior Research Fellow from the Heritage Foundation. Good to have you with us, Mr. Klingner. (GO) Q1. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un recently started to erase unification references, dismantling a monument honoring the unification efforts of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il and so on. What are the reasons behind such a move? (KLINGNER) Q2. Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho pointed out that such erasing of achievements made by predecessors could create confusion among North Korea’s elite. How do you see such a view? (GO) Q3. Moving to Russia-North Korea ties, it appears to be even stronger than ever with Putin gifting Kim Jong-un a luxury car and around a hundred Russian tourists visiting Pyongyang. How is Russia viewing North Korea right now? (KLINGNER) Q4. Kim Jong-un recently has been engaging in activities related to people’s livelihoods and some experts say this is because he was able to secure funds through boosted ties with Russia. How do you see this? (GO) Q5. During a UNSC briefing on issues related to Ukraine at UN headquarters, the South Korean foreign minister expressed concerns that if North Korea receives something in return from Russia, it could threaten security on the Korean peninsula and beyond. What could Pyongyang receive from Moscow that we should be most worried about? (KLINGNER) Q6. Both the EU and the U.S. imposed sanctions on Russia, and the European Union even included North Korea’s defense minister Kang Sun-nam and the regime’s missile bureau. Can these measures be effective though? (GO) Q7. Top diplomats from South Korea, the U.S. and Japan held a trilateral meeting on the margins of the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting, and highlighted the importance of three-way cooperation. What was among the main agenda items discussed? (KLINGNER) Q8. After Cuba normalized ties with South Korea, North Korea suggested that Kishida pay a visit to Pyongyang, though some conditions were attached. Given that Kishida is in need of something big to help his approval rating, is a significant improvement in bilateral relations between Pyongyang and Tokyo possible? (GO) Q9. If we were to see a significant improvement in bilateral ties between Pyongyang and Tokyo in the near future, would this in any way affect the trilateral relationship between Washington, Seoul and Tokyo? (EXTRA) Q10. According to the Daily Mail, Kim Jong-un has a secret son who is kept out of the public eye because he’s too pale and thin. What’s your view on this report, and if that is true, does that mean we cannot be sure that Kim Ju-ae is the heir apparent? Unfortunately, that’s all the time we have for today’s edition. Thank you, Doctor Go and Mr. Klingner for your time and insights. We appreciate it. #NorthKorea #KimJongun #Diplomacy #Unification #북한 #김정은 #외교 #통일 #Arirang_News #아리랑뉴스 📣 Facebook : 📣 Twitter : 📣 Homepage : 2024-02-28, 18:30 (KST)