[INTERVIEW] 'Dialogue will make sanctions effective' says ruling party leader

Ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Chairwoman Rep. Choo Mi-ae speaks during an interview with The Korea Times at her office in the Natinoal Assembly, Oct. 30. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

Ruling party leader defends Moon's two-track NK policy

By Kim Hyo-jin

Pursuing both sanctions and dialogue is the most practical way to effectively counter North Korea's nuclear and missile threats, the ruling party leader said Monday.

Ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Chairwoman Rep. Choo Mi-ae showed strong support for President Moon Jae-in's pledge to engage with the belligerent country while maintaining sanctions.

"There's nothing more dangerous than approaching the North Korea issue with an all-or-nothing attitude. Dealing with the North is a sort of a synthetic art," she said in an interview with The Korea Times.

"The ultimate goal of our North Korea policy is denuclearization and building peace on the peninsula, which can hardly be achieved only with sanctions and pressure. Our choice should be a two-track policy of seeking dialogue and sanctions."

As an advocate of an engagement policy, Choo said she was alarmed by U.S. President Donald Trump's war drive against North Korea as South Korean people who live within almost instant reach of the North's artillery will be significantly harmed.

"It's disturbing that heightened tension fanned by an unnecessary war of words between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un could lead to an accidental conflict and put us in danger," she said.

"Trump should stop making bellicose rhetoric and sincerely find a peaceful and diplomatic solution for the North's nuclear issue."

She added this will be her core message to Washington officials during her planned visit to the U.S. between Nov. 14 and 19.

The ruling party leader is expected to meet White House National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster as well as top policymakers including House Speaker Paul Ryan and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.

Choo suggested that the U.S. actively seek dialogue with North Korea, and at the same time, the Moon government, as a mediator, should encourage such a process while resuming inter-Korean dialogue channels.

"Now, the international community has a tight squeeze on North Korea; its sanctions and pressure are more effective than ever before. While pressing North Korea, South Korea should nudge the country to come to the negotiating table by assuring the North that the South will act as a balanced coordinator in the negotiating process," she said.

Choo sees the security condition in Northeast Asia as having become more complicated than ever with "strongmen" taking power in stakeholders on the peninsula.

Difficulties in policy coordination have grown bigger after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Liberal Democratic Party-led coalition secured an overwhelming victory in the recent general election, which is expected to propel Abe's ambition of militaristic expansion, she noted.

To navigate the renewed regional order, she believes Moon should continue sending a message to neighboring countries that Seoul will take the driver's seat in dealing with North Korea, a logic which apparently hinges on the power of inter-Korean dialogue and reconciliation.

"Moon's vision of taking the initiative on the North Korea issue will become more important while each country comes to further prioritize its self-interests," she said. "He should repeatedly demonstrate his determination so the country better positions itself in the changing Northeast Asia order."

Humanitarian aid, Gaeseong industrial complex

Choo expressed her strong support for the Moon government's decision to provide $8 million worth of humanitarian assistance to North Korea. She stressed that humanitarian aid to the poverty-stricken country does not go against the sanction-focused policy direction of the international community.

In September, the government decided to provide $4.5 million to the World Food Program (WFP) and $3.5 million to UNICEF to support their projects helping infants and pregnant women in the North.

"We are just taking parallel steps with the international community. Cooperation with the international community on North Korea has to do with both sanctions and humanitarian aid," she said.

"The U.N. resolution also made it clear that sanctions against the North do not have a negative impact on humanitarian aid to the country."

She dismissed the controversy over the "timing," which critics say would harm the concerted international efforts to pressure the country.

"Hunger does not wait for us. If possible, aid should be offered at the right time and to the right places," she said.

"The assistance will be indirectly given through international organizations. It does not make sense that the decision can be an indication of the government's stance toward North Korea."

Choo has been a vocal critic of the previous Park Geun-hye government's shutdown of the inter-Korean industrial park in Gaeseong. She believes the Moon Jae-in government has to resume its operations given its symbolic meaning for inter-Korean reconciliation.

"It was a huge mistake for the Park administration to unilaterally pull out of the project in the name of politics," she said.

"The estimation of damages suffered by companies is 800 billion won according to the government, or 1.5 trillion won according to the South Korean investors, not to mention the foundation of mutual trust was completely shattered.

"Its immediate resumption might be unlikely but we should make every effort to achieve the goal even though it is related with how the nuclear issue is sorted out."

But she added the government should sternly respond to the North's secret operation of factories and facilities owned by the South Korean companies without reporting to Seoul. Concerns have grown over the government having no particular measures to halt such a unilateral move.

"It is a cruel act that aggravates the pain of already-victimized South Korean businessmen who invested in the industrial complex. The unification ministry has to step up dispelling mutual distrust on the stalled project."

Who is Choo Mi-ae?

Choo is a rare politician in Korea who has stayed in one party for over 20 years while the party's name has changed multiple times, and mergers and splits between parties have continued.

A judge with 10 years of experience, she entered politics in 1995 as a vice spokeswoman of the National Congress for New Politics led by ex-President Kim Dae-jung.

Since her first victory in the general election in 1996, she has clinched her parliamentary seat in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, five times, a record for a female politician.

She led the party's win in three presidential elections. Spearheading Kim's presidential campaign in 1997, especially with her leadership and determination to fight against regionalism in Daegu, she earned a nickname Choo d'Arc after Joan of Arc.

In 2004, she successfully raised funds for Roh Moo-hyun's presidential campaign, leading to his victory. The campaign where she canvassed with a piggy bank in her hands got her another nickname "piggy bank mom."

She became the first female leader of the party in June 2016 and, as the head of the party's election planning committee, led former party leader Moon's campaign to victory in the snap election in May.

Choo positively assessed the state management of the Moon administration over the past six months. "It has worked on reassuring the people that they are the owners of the country. It embraced the spirit of the candlelit rallies, uniting people in different generations, classes and regions. I feel proud as one of the voters," she said.

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