week, while expressing frustration over the
slow pace of diplomacy and the continuance of
U.S.-South Korea military drills that it sees as an
invasion rehearsal.
Choi Kang, a senior analyst at Seoul’s Asan
Institute for Policy Studies, said Moon’s
comments could create friction with Washington
and also send a wrong message to North
Korea, which may think that its brinkmanship is
working and push further to increase pressure
on Seoul.
He said Moon’s comments are “a confession that
Seoul doesn’t have many cards in its hands.”
He said it was unclear whether Moon’s
suggestion that he could create a breakthrough
in the trade row with Japan through inter-
Korean relations was realistic.
Choi also said Moon’s words would strengthen
views that the trade dispute between
South Korea and Japan may signal a larger
geopolitical divergence between the U.S. allies
over North Korea and other security issues.
He said that may complicate Washington’s
efforts to maintain cooperation to deal with the
North’s nuclear threat and counter the regional
influence of China.
Moon met with North Korean leader Kim Jong
Un three times last year and they agreed to
resume economic cooperation when possible,
voicing optimism that international sanctions
could end to allow such activity. But the inter-
Korean peace process has halted since the
collapse of a nuclear summit between Kim and
U.S. President Donald Trump in February over
disagreements over exchanging sanctions relief
and disarmament.
South Korea said it plans to spend 7.8 trillion
won ($6.5 billion) over the next seven years to
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