Moon’s first press conference of 2018. He announces that he is ready to hold talks with North Korean leaders. “Japan must recognize the truth and apologize to the victims” he said with regards to the Comfort Women problem. ( From Reuters / aflo )

 
South Korea resumed talks with North Korea in January after its suspension 2 years ago.

Also in January, South Korean president Moon Jae-in declared the Japan-South Korea agreement on the Comfort Women problem was a ‘farce’ and announced his intention to demand Japan to pay JPY1 billion as compensation.

The Japanese government decided to reject the demand on the basis that South Korea is rehashing an already settled issue.

The two moves are related, and Moon Jae-in has some dangerous hidden ambitions behind his offer to hold talks with North Korea now struggling in a tight corner.

The Aim: Korea Unification

Moon’s aim is simple: direct negotiations with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Moon’s great desire is the reunification of the Korean Peninsula. To accomplish this, he has provided humanitarian aid to North Korea and made an appeal to the U.S. to postpone the joint military exercise to appease Kim.

This ambition for unification can also be seen in the February Winter Olympic Games. South Korea founded a joint female ice hockey team with North Korea and plans to champion a flag of reunification. They are using the Olympic games as a political device.

The U.S. has responded to the situation by promising to halt military intervention during the North-South talks, and intends to watch how it turns out.

For the nuclear and missile developing North, South Korea’s proposal for talks is a long wished for opportunity: they can gain time to continue nuclear developments. They waited until January to announce their participation in the Olympics, to ease the scandal and avoid trouble for the host country.

South and North to Reunite Over Anti-Japan Sentiments

South Korea’s rehashing of the Japan-South Agreement over the Comfort Women problem is a silent message to North Korea that Japan is the ‘supposed enemy’ whom they must defeat ‘together’. Anti-Japan diplomacy is convenient for Moon as it can gather support from the people.

Moon is selling North Korea favours while the latter struggles under pressure from the U.S.-based world order, and is gradually building a pathway to Korean reunification.

The most serious problem here, however, is North Korea’s nuclear development; and they have given no response about it. In other words, the whole scheme is advancing to North Korea’s advantage.

Additionally, Moon has not given thought to bringing an end to the Kim regime, so there is still a high possibility that the reunification will happen with North Korea assuming leadership over the new country.

If a new non-democratic anti-Japan state arises, it will be a major threat to Asia and the world. That is to say, Moon’s ambition for Korean reunification is highly dangerous and lacks clear thought of unintended consequences.

Whatever the future, we can clearly say that North Korea has no intention of stopping their nuclear and missile developments. The international community must see through Moon’s ambitions, strengthen sanctions on North Korea, and aim for the destruction of the Kim regime.