the Plane with US Deputy Secretary of state Steven Biganos landed in three hours and two minutes of local time at a military base, the U.S. air force in Osan, about 60 kilometers South of Seoul. As explained in the diplomatic service of the Republic of Korea (ROK), this airfield was chosen deliberately to minimize contact of the American delegation to the Koreans. The world is still a raging pandemic coronavirus. For Began and his delegation made an exception, allowing not sit put a two week quarantine, but the number of attendants is also minimized.
the Main work is the US Deputy Secretary of state will take place on Wednesday, when he will meet with foreign Minister Kang Kyong Hwa, his main partner in the negotiations, first Deputy head of the MFA of Cho Se-Yung and several other officials. It is possible that began be adopted and the recently appointed head of the state security Department of the presidential administration With Hoon, которы1 oversees all issues of government, security, military sphere and foreign policy. Thursday, June 9, the U.S. delegation will head to Japan and then back home.
Earlier it was rumored that began may call in Panmunjom and there will hold talks with the North Koreans, but for the past few days, senior representatives of the DPRK twice just said: “We are with US now, nothing to talk about, there would be no negotiations!”. So, most likely, at this time, the US Undersecretary of state, who also personally oversees and U.S. relations with the DPRK, without dialogue with North Korean counterparts.
At the moment we know the basic theme of negotiations Began in Seoul: policy against the DPRK, the situation on the Korean Peninsula and in the region and bilateral relations.
These dry formulations of basic questions can not from the experts to conceal the fact that communication is not so simple, to a certain extent, the United States and South Korea will make “probing” each other, and there may be discrepancies for a number of serious issues.
the Main stumbling block may be a discrepancy about line against North Korea. The recent deterioration of inter-Korean relations, in which the DPRK blew up the inter-Korean liaison office in Kaesong, has pushed the political leadership in Seoul to the idea that they should more actively develop cooperation with Pyongyang and not really look at the US position, which requires Seoul’s strict adherence to the sanctions and the overall line pressure on North Korea, while Washington does not get what he wishes from the North Korean side.
In Seoul, a number of senior politicians have said repeatedly lately, as the deadline imposed on the country by Washington bilateral working gr��PPU, which aims to control of the United States for all projects and activities of South Korea against the DPRK. Repeatedly the Americans have already blocked through this group some of the initiatives of Seoul against Pyongyang. It’s not like many people in South Korea, where I go to pursue more independent of the United States line, and North Korea does not skimp though on hard but often true in essence saying that, say, South Korea itself solves nothing without a nod from the United States.
in addition, only four days ago in key positions related to foreign policy, security and the DPRK, in the top leadership of Kazakhstan have been major changes as a result of which wide powers are given to the people who are celebrated for their independence against the United States and/or desire to develop cooperation with the DPRK. This new Director of National intelligence service of the ROK Pak Chi-Won, which under President Kim Dae-Jung was the main organizer from the South the inter-Korean summit of 2000 and the current Director of the office of state security of the presidential administration With Hoon, who took part in the organization of all inter-Korean summits, and Minister of unification Lee In-Yong, Advisor to the President on foreign policy issues lim Jeong Seok, head of the parliamentary Committee on foreign policy and unification song young-Gil. The last three General policy is directly said that it was time “to learn to act independently and not look to the United States”, “US troops in Korea can be cut, and then withdraw”, and with the DPRK “is to promote dialogue and cooperation, easing of sanctions against Pyongyang”.
it is Clear that in the first place in the North Korean direction of foreign policy of Kazakhstan gathered a “bunch” of people with distinct views and obvious intentions, it is clearly worried Washington, which has completely different plans against the DPRK. Stephen began here and try to figure out how serious this is and, if necessary, is likely to lead to Seoul the need “not to run over the North track ahead of the American locomotive.”
However now the big question is will it follow its recommendations in South Korea, since the U.S. will soon be presidential elections, and the leader of the ROK moon Jae-In has repeatedly stressed the need for the development of inter-Korean cooperation. So it is highly unlikely that Began tomorrow will be tough negotiations with South Korean allies.
But on this complex topic are not limited. US-ROK still can’t agree on how much Seoul should pay for the stay of US troop levels on the Korean Peninsula with a total population of 28 500 people. We are talking about a particular share in the expenses of the US military, which will take on the Koreans. They agreed to pay, but the Americans want much more than willing to pay in Seoul.
Tobesides, US Undersecretary of state intends to call upon the Republic of Korea to actively participate in the de facto American anti-China economic bloc “the Network of economic prosperity” (EPN, Economic Prosperity Network). Seoul does not want to get involved in the fight USA and China, and definitely make someone’s party because the United States is the main political and the second economic, as China is the main trading partner of Korea.
In General, tomorrow Stephen Began will be in Seoul very intense and busy day. Given his character and the ability to make a stone face with a slight smile in front of reporters, it is likely that he will be able when dealing with the media to get away with vague and evasive phrases. But sooner or later it will become evident whether the United States at this time to return to Seoul on the path that Washington considers “correct” in the first place against North Korea, or South Korea can still “show character” and act more independently.
