Presidential adviser Moon Chung-in, left, and Serge Halimi, editor of Le Monde diplomatique, speak on the U.S.'s East Asia Policy and peace on the Korean Peninsula Wednesday in Seoul. Korea Times photo by Oh Young-jin
By Oh Young-jin
Presidential adviser Moon Chung-in, who is known to have great influence on President Moon Jae-in's foreign policy, said Wednesday three leaders ― Kim Jong-un, Donald Trump and Moon ― were equally responsible for creating the atmosphere for peace on the Korean Peninsula.
Moon gave the answer when asked whether U.S. President Donald Trump should take most credit for progress, during a Q&A session after his public dialogue with Serge Halimi, editor of Le Monde diplomatique, in Seoul, Wednesday.
"This dynamic of peace can't be made possible without North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's initiative or without President Moon Jae-in's good offices," Moon said. "Then, they are combined with the Trump factor, which is creating a virtuous cycle so far."
He said "it is too premature" when asked whether all three deserve a Nobel Peace Prize. There was speculation that Kim and Moon, or all three, could win the prize but the Oslo committee named others.
Regarding the latest idea to break the deadlock between the North and the U.S. over denuclearization, Moon said Pyongyang would not accept it.
The idea, suggested by Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, is to have the North demolish its key nuclear facility in Yongbyon, in return for the declaration of the end of the Korean War by the two Koreas and the U.S. to skip the impasse over reporting of the North's nuclear program and inspections.
"The North would want to have the U.N. sanctions removed for that," Moon said.
Meanwhile, Moon and Halimi agreed on their desire not to make a choice between the U.S. and China as the two big powers are locked in a hegemonic battle, the beginning of which is the ongoing trade war. The two talked about a multi-polar world order in which the big players reach a balance of power.
