South Korea-North Korea Allies? Moon Jae-in Wants To Snub Trump, Woo Kim Jong Un

After liberal reformer Moon Jae-in was sworn in as the new President of South Korea, Tuesday, the future of the decades-long alliance between South Korea and the United States has become foggy. It is being speculated that Moon is interested in reviving the ancient “sunshine policy” of South Korea, which entails reopening the path to establishing diplomatic relations with North Korea.

The “sunshine policy,” which was originally implemented by former South Korean President Kim Dae-jung and subsequently followed up by Roh Moo-hyun back in 1998-2008, could seriously threaten the aggressive military policy currently adopted by President Donald Trump’s administration towards Kim Jong Un and his nuclear-weapons program.

“I want to say it sternly. Military action on the Korean peninsula cannot happen without Korea’s consent,” Moon wrote during his presidential campaign, the Atlantic reports. The above statement was in reply to Trump’s announcement that the U.S. government might launch a military strike against North Korea in an attempt to back its leader to a corner.

Read: Kim Jong Un Is A 'Crazy Fat Kid,' Sen. John McCain Says

However, there are a number of common political agendas that both Moon and Trump agree upon. They both consider North Korea’s expanding nuclear artillery to pose a growing threat to the entire world and that the sanctions, which are imposed on the same, should be maintained going forward.

The point where Moon differs from Trump’s North Korean policy is the level of diplomacy that should essentially be involved. While Trump has made it explicitly clear that the time for extending an olive branch to Kim and his government is over, Moon wants to keep the option of mending diplomatic relations with the northern half of the Korean peninsula open.

As a start, Moon has expressed his desire to set up an industrial park and tourist destination, which would be managed in unison by both North and South Korea.

“I am confident to lead the diplomatic efforts involving multiple parties, which will lead to the complete abandonment of the North Korean nuclear program, and bring the relationship between South and North to peace, economic co-operation and mutual prosperity,” Moon said during a debate in April, News reported.

Read: Kim Jong Un's Regime Issues Threat To US Over Possible Preemptive Strike

Moon’s hopeful approach towards North Korea is in stark contrast with the political stance of the Park Geun-hye, the impeached former president of South Korea, who had conformed to Trump’s plan of adopting a stern rhetoric with Kim.

Moon also vehemently opposes the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), the missile defence system that Trump has deployed in South Korea, CNN reported.

Tensions arose when Trump failed to invite the government in Seoul to weigh in on the security concerns that they might have due to the deployment of THAAD, despite engaging in elaborate conversations with both Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe regarding the same.