Biden, Moon Vow Unity on North Korea as U.S. Names New Envoy

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Source: Bloomberg

(Bloomberg) -- President Joe Biden said he would appoint a special envoy to address issues regarding North Korea and vowed to coordinate policy toward Pyongyang closely with South Korea’s government.

Following meetings with South Korean President Moon Jae-in in Washington on Friday, Biden said he’s appointing Ambassador Sung Kim to be the special envoy and that the U.S. and South Korea are willing to take “pragmatic steps” to reduce tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

“We are both deeply concerned about the situation” on the peninsula, Biden said at the start of a press conference on Friday, adding that “total denuclearization is our objective.”

Moon praised the appointment of Sung Kim, a career diplomat, and said he hoped for a positive response from North Korea’s government over the shared commitment to diplomatic outreach. Sung Kim has been serving as American ambassador to Indonesia after previously serving as chief American envoy to the Philippines and South Korea.

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/biden-moon-vow-unity-on-north-korea-as-us-names-new-envoy/ar-AAKfqvF?ocid=DELLDHP&li=BBnb7Kz

[Martin68]

1. Biden is rapidly healing breaks with allies that occurred during the Trump disadministeration.

[soryang]

2. President Moon has to look to his legacy

It is late in his administration. There is a fundamental well of goodwill between the US and South Korea. That is what this agreement represents. Many of the differences between the US and South Korea are papered over in this agreement which is aimed primarily at domestic audiences. It will be up to Moon's successors to steer the alliance in one direction or another. The wartime Opcon issue is absurdly overdue for resolution. There is an inherent contradiction to the "lockstep" approach to North Korea, and other words in the agreement referencing South Korean initiatives toward the North. Campbell and Sung Kim have the ability to move the negotiations with North Korea in the right direction based upon the foundation of the Singapore statement when the opportunity arises (covid permitting).

If Sung Kim is reduced to becoming a baby sitter for Indo-Pacific Command/USFK complaints about South Korean policies, then this will go nowhere. If a right wing reactionary government replaces the Moon administration, it could be decades.