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| Moon Chung-in, President Moon Jae-in's special adviser for unification, diplomacy and security affairs, speaks during an interview with The Korea Times last Oct. 24. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul |
By Kim Yoo-chul
Only North Koreans can dismantle nuclear and missile facilities in North Korea, not international experts, according to President Moon Jae-in's security adviser, Moon Chung-in.
Moon said Washington should offer some substantial concessions beyond opening a liaison office in Pyongyang to make the upcoming second Washington-Pyongyang summit successful.
He made the remarks in an interview with Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun.
"Only North Korean technicians are able to disband its nuclear warheads safely and completely," said Moon, special adviser for unification, diplomacy and national security.
"This is because the North Korean experts designed and outlined core specifics of its nuclear facilities and entirely handled the nuclear development. It's required for the United States to offer a rewards programs to help the regime remain cooperative in the ongoing collective work toward dismantling its nuclear program."
The adviser didn't say whether the U.S. officially asked North Korea to hand over a list of nuclear experts who were directly involved in the development of its intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) as one of the prerequisites to comply with Washington's repeated calls to disband its nuclear program, verifiably and completely.
North Korea tested its first ICBM ― the Hwasong-14 ― on July 4, 2017, shocking the world by demonstrating advanced capabilities beyond what many believed possible for the rogue country.
The Trump administration initially refused to believe it, but later acknowledged that North Korea had, in fact, launched an ICBM. ICBMs are regarded as a direct threat to the U.S. mainland, though it's still unconvinced North Korea has mastered warhead miniaturization, re-entry systems and missile guidance due to technological challenges.
The presidential aide told the Japanese daily that North Korea "would be dissatisfied" if the United States only agreed to end the Korean War and open a liaison office in the North Korean capital as these are "superficial and not something relating to actual economic benefits the North want."
"An early restart of economic projects with South Korea such as reopening of Gaeseong Industrial Complex and other economic projects are needed, as one evident point is Kim Jong-un most wants sanctions relief to revive his country's dilapidated economy with financial assistance from the restarts of now-halted inter-Korean business projects," Moon said.
Regarding Trump's repeated requests for a very detailed timeframe and measures on how and when the denuclearization should take place, the presidential aide said, "This issue would be addressed if North Korea allows the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) back onto its soil for inspection of its nuclear, uranium and plutonium enrichment facilities.
"First, the North reports its nuclear, uranium and plutonium enrichment facilities, then IAEA will be allowed back for verification. If Kim agrees to this procedure with Trump at their Hanoi summit, then that would be much progress and help Trump justify easing of some economic sanctions," according to the presidential aide.
The Korea Times was the first to report that North Korea has "in principle" agreed with the United States to allow IAEA inspectors back in its territory with security guarantees of IAEA inspectors.
Creating separate working-level groups to check the degree of the developments over agreed-upon issues would be a "good card" for both Trump and Kim to each claim a "diplomatic win," Moon added.
