Exclusive Interview
“For the North Korea-U.S. summit to happen again, there must be a significant change in the North Korean leader’s position.”
Democratic Senator Chris Coons (Delaware, pictured), who is considered a strong candidate for Secretary of State if Democratic presidential candidate and Vice President Kamala Harris wins the November presidential election, called North Korean Chairman Kim Jong-un a “brutal dictator” in a telephone interview with the Dong-A Ilbo on the 27th (local time) and said, “It is not right to exchange ‘love letters’ with a dictator.” He continued to strongly criticize, saying, “The dictator oppresses his own people, kidnaps and attacks foreigners, and threatens the region and security with nuclear weapons.”
Earlier, candidate Harris also said in her presidential nomination acceptance speech on the 22nd, “I will not please a tyrant or dictator like Kim Jong-un.”
Congressman Coons emphasized that if Harris is elected, we should further strengthen the security cooperation between South Korea, the US, and Japan in response to cooperation between North Korea, China, and Russia. He said, “Asia is facing a real challenge to democracy and security as North Korea, China, and Russia cooperate,” and “The anchor of the Indo-Pacific is the alliance between South Korea, the US, and Japan, and it is important that the three countries find a way to protect freedom together.”
Congressman Coons will visit Korea on the 4th of next month to attend the Korea-US-Japan Trilateral Economic Dialogue (TED). He emphasized, “To win (against China) in the 21st century artificial intelligence (AI) and space race, we need Korea’s technological prowess, innovation, and reliability,” and “Without cooperation with large Korean companies like Samsung, Hyundai Motors, SK, and LG, we cannot achieve AI innovation in the U.S.”
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![[단독]Harris to be US Secretary of State; Senator Chris Coons: “North Korea’s brutal dictator must change to make a North Korea-US summit possible”](https://dimg.donga.com/wps/NEWS/IMAGE/2024/08/29/126736377.4.jpg "[단독]Harris to be US Secretary of State; Senator Chris Coons: “North Korea’s brutal dictator must change to make a North Korea-US summit possible”")
“The United States, South Korea, and Japan should respect each other and work more closely together. We respect and understand the grievances of the Korean people due to past history. We hope that with the support of the United States, South Korea and Japan will make positive progress.”
In a telephone interview with the Dong-A Ilbo on the 27th (local time), U.S. Democratic Senator Chris Coons (Delaware) said, “Korea-US-Japan cooperation through improved Korea-Japan relations is President Joe Biden’s greatest achievement.” He emphasized that strengthening Korea-US-Japan security cooperation will be a top priority if Democratic presidential candidate and Vice President Kamala Harris is elected, amid North Korea, China, Russia, and Iran strengthening security cooperation and building an anti-American front.
Senator Coons, who has been active in the Foreign Affairs Committee for 14 years since entering the Senate, is mentioned as a co-chairman of Harris’s presidential campaign and as a top candidate for the next Democratic administration’s Secretary of State. A diplomatic source said, “Unlike President Biden, who led the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, Harris, who has less weight in the field of foreign affairs, may prefer Senator Coons as a partner-type Secretary of State rather than a staff-type.”
He is considered a principled North Korea advocate who strongly criticized the North Korea-US summit during the Donald Trump administration. Immediately after the first North Korea-US summit in 2018, he criticized, “Far from achieving North Korea’s promise of verifiable and irreversible denuclearization (CVID), it could end up as a handshake meeting like a reality show.”
Rep. Coons was cautious about the possibility of running for office, saying, “My priority is to focus on winning the presidential election.” He will visit Korea for the third time next month for economic talks among Korea, the U.S., and Japan, and said, “I am very much looking forward to visiting Korea,” and shouted in Korean, “Let’s go together.”
―In her acceptance speech as the Democratic presidential nominee, candidate Harris said she would not try to please dictators like North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
“That’s exactly what it says. Vice President Harris knows the value of democracy. The Korean War, which saved South Korea from the communist dictatorship of North Korea, was a fight for the values of democracy that we have protected for decades. The current fight between democracy and authoritarianism in Ukraine is also one of the most important fights to protect democracy.”
– Does this mean that it is difficult to expect a North Korea-US summit under the next Democratic administration?
“It’s hard to say what Harris will do after she’s elected. But (for a North Korea-U.S. summit) there has to be a major change in the North Korean leader’s position. Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump exchanged, to borrow his term, “love letters” with the North Korean leader. It’s not right to exchange “love letters” with a brutal dictator who oppresses his own people, kidnaps and attacks foreigners, and threatens regional security with nuclear weapons.”
―There are also concerns that the results of the U.S. presidential election could lead to a reduction or withdrawal of U.S. troops stationed in Korea.
“I think that if candidate Trump is elected, (reduction or withdrawal of US troops in Korea) could become a reality. Candidate Trump has expressed this intention several times. He is making a mistake. I think he misjudges how US troops in Korea and Japan have contributed to the security and prosperity of the United States. US troops in Korea are a legacy that has worked together to protect Korea and for Korea’s development, and the Korean military is a very capable, well-trained, and excellent partner. Therefore, I see (the stationing of US troops) not as a cost to the US, but as a mutual investment for our security and future.”
-How should we respond to cooperation between North Korea, Russia, China, and Iran?
“The next US administration should build on the success of the Biden administration by promoting Quad and AUKUS cooperation and further strengthening US-ROK-Japan cooperation. All countries in the Indo-Pacific, including Australia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Vietnam, are concerned about an increasingly aggressive China. They are also looking for opportunities to strengthen their relationships with potential partners. The anchor of the Indo-Pacific is the US-ROK and US-Japan alliances, and it is important for the three countries to find ways to protect freedom together.”
-Do you think Korea should play a bigger role in regional security, such as in the Taiwan Strait?
“We must all increase our investment in our military capabilities and joint training. When the ROK, the US, and Japan conduct joint training around the Korean Peninsula, we can demonstrate to our adversaries that we can defend a free and open Pacific and work together for peace and prosperity in space, air, and sea.”
―I am visiting Korea to discuss Korea-US-Japan economic cooperation… .
“I will hold a series of meetings with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defense, the Director of National Security, and the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy in Korea, along with a bipartisan delegation from the U.S. Senate, and I will hold meetings with economic and political leaders from Korea, the U.S. and Japan. I believe that President Biden’s greatest achievement is to strengthen cooperation between Korea, the U.S. and Japan by improving Korea-Japan relations. Asia is facing real challenges to democracy and security. North Korea, China, and Russia are increasingly cooperating. Korea and Japan, as trusted allies of the U.S., should respect each other and cooperate more closely. I respect and understand the grievances of the Korean people that stem from history. I hope that Korea and Japan will make positive progress with the support of the U.S..”
-The key areas of economic cooperation between Korea and the US are….
“Candidate Harris has said she will beat China in AI and space in the 21st century. To achieve this goal, Korea’s technological prowess, innovation, and reliability are key. Without Samsung, Hyundai, SK, and LG, we cannot transition to a clean energy economy or achieve AI innovation. The United States is fortunate to have Korea as a partner and ally in achieving this important goal. We must find ways to work more closely together to develop energy transition and AI that strengthen free and open societies and democracies.”
-What is your outlook on the results of the November presidential election?
“I am very excited that candidate Harris has been nominated as our party’s (Democratic) presidential candidate. As co-chair of Harris’ presidential campaign, I look forward to (victory).”
-You are being mentioned as a candidate for Secretary of State… .
“I appreciate the fact that I have a good relationship with candidate Harris. But my focus is on winning the election. What happens after the election should be discussed later. So today, I will just say (in Korean) ‘Let’s go together’ and ‘Thank you.’”
2024-08-28 20:57:48