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Opinion
Why South Korea’s next leader should revive 6-party nuclear talks
Given the Trump-Kim bromance and with a potential new approach by Seoul, a return to six-party talks grows likelier
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Dr Sungju Park-Kang is a research fellow at the DPRK Strategic Research Centre and assistant professor of international relations at KIMEP University, Kazakhstan.
South Korea is heading to a presidential election on June 3, triggered by the impeachment of Yoon Suk-yeol after his bungled attempt at martial law. Lee Jae-myung, leader of the opposition Democratic Party, is a clear front-runner. With the formation of a Lee administration in South Korea looking likely, the United States would have a rare opportunity to explore North Korea’s denuclearisation.
US President Donald Trump has boasted of his close connection to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, with whom he had summit meetings during his first term. Trump might want to prove himself as a peacemaker and great statesman by resolving the denuclearisation issue. Indeed, Trump has indicated his willingness to meet Kim again: in January, days into his second administration, and again in February and March.
At the same time, South Korea’s Lee is widely expected to pursue a friendlier policy towards North Korea – and China – than former president Yoon. This would create a favourable environment for denuclearisation.
During the previous Biden administration in the US, Yoon failed to forge a balanced and viable strategy to engage with North Korea. There is a high probability that a Trump-Lee duo could do better on North Korea.
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