[정치]North Korea left the ball in the South and the United States … will it be a piece of cake after Biden’s launch?

[앵커]

As North Korea has practically handed the ball over to us and to the United States, the focus is now on the inauguration of US President Biden.

While North Korea first demanded to withdraw its hostile policy against North Korea, the message from the Biden government is expected to be a big variable in the situation on the Korean peninsula this year.

Reporter Hwang Hye-kyung reports.

[기자]

North Korea demanded that the United States withdraw its hostile policy and the South Korean government to bring in advanced military equipment and stop joint training between Korea and the United States.

However, it is difficult for the United States and our government to act first in a situation where North Korea has shown no intention of denuclearizing or speaking out.

It is for this reason that the perspectives of the experts are not so bright on the content of the North Korean party conference.

[박원곤 / 한동대학교 국제지역학과 교수 : 조건이라는 것이 사실상 한국이나 미국 모두 받아들이기 매우, 거의 불가능한 수준이기 때문에 (바이든 행정부가) 대북정책을 검토하고 입안하는 과정에서 자신들의 입장을 반영해서 충분히 수용하라는 일종의 압박이라고…(읽힙니다.)]

However, attention has been drawn since the inauguration of the Biden administration that North Korea has made room for dialogue with the United States.

This is because biden-elect, which has yet to deliver an official message to North Korea after the elections, could lead to a quick dialogue and deterioration of the situation, depending on the plans it will reveal during its seizure ceremony possession and later in the process of establishing policy toward North Korea.

[임을출 / 경남대학교 극동문제연구소 교수 : 미국이 국내 문제 해결에 집중할 수밖에 없는 상황이고 북한 문제에 관심을 가질 겨를이 없거든요. 코로나 문제 회복, 또 경제 회복, 지금 산적한 문제가 있거든요. 그런데 그랬을 때 과연 북한 문제를 어떻게 우선순위에 놓을 수 있을까….]

The combined ROK and US military training conducted in March was also piloted.

North Korea, which has always called for the cessation of the combined exercises, also points this time as a clue to the restoration of trust and reconciliation between the two Koreas, which is expected to deepen the problems of the military authorities of the Republic of Korea and the United States.

[신범철 / 경제사회연구원 외교안보센터장 : (방역협력, 금강산 협력 등은) 본질적인 문제가 아니다, 그렇기 때문에 우리 정부가 제안한 이슈별 협력은 하지 않겠고 근본적인 문제를 풀자 하는 건데 (한미 연합훈련 등은) 미국하고 관련돼 있으니까 북미 관계를 먼저 풀어 보고 그 다음에 남북관계를 살피겠다….]

While some have pointed out that the success or failure of the peace process on the Korean peninsula depends on how actively the Korean government now moves against North America,

Expectations and concerns cross over whether North Korea will be able to once again meet the “spring day of three years ago.”

This is YTN Hwang Hye-kyung.

[저작권자(c) YTN & YTN plus 무단전재 및 재배포 금지]