[ISSUE TALK] Moon Jae-in's Berlin Declaration: one year on

신(新) 베를린 선언 1년, 앞으로의 과제는? - 우정엽 박사 대담


Helping us look back at the landmark speech, I have Dr. Woo Jung-yeop,... from the Sejong Institute joining me in the studio today. Dr. Woo thank you for joining us.

My pleasure.

1 - It's been quite a year in inter-Korean affairs. Who would have guessed all the changes we've seen on the geopolitical scene on the peninsula since President Moon Jae-in gave that speech in Berlin, not to mention how much of what he proposed a year ago has actually come true. First can you explain to our viewers what he actually laid out in that speech?

2 - It seems President Moon has achieved much of what he set out to do a year ago. How would you rate his progress on the declaration so far?

3 - What has he not been able to achieve? What does he need to work on now? What has he been limited by?

4 - One event that pretty much conveys the current state of the renewed ties between the two Koreas is the set of inter-Korean basketball games that are taking place in Pyongyang this week. But the North Korean leader himself, Kim Jong-un, was nowhere to be seen at the first game between South and North in 15 years.
And seems like he didn't attend today's game either. He is renowned for being a fervent fan of the sport. What do you make of his absence?

5 - Now, from the court to the forest, the two sides also held talks at Panmunjom on Wednesday over cooperation in forestry projects. They agreed to start looking into joint initiatives to protect their forests, but can you explain why forestry is a key word now in inter-Korean affairs. What about international sanctions... wouldn't they interfere in joint projects like these ones?

6 - There has been much speculation that Kim Jong-un's change of attitude since the turn of the year is due to Kim wanting to develop the regime's economy, which we can estimate took priority over the regime's nuclear and missile programs. If international sanctions crippling the regime's economy are lifted, surely the possibilities,...economically speaking,...are very promising and very attractive. How do you see Kim's plans playing out?

7 - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is heading to North Korea soon for summit follow-up talks. However, currently South Korean unification minister is also in Pyongyang for the basketball games. He was scheduled to come back on Friday, but there is chatter the he will stay for an extra day and possibly hold trilateral talks with Pompeo and officials from North Korea. What do you reckon?

8 - The talks between Pompeo and North Korean officials are expected to determine how affairs on the Korean Peninsula will be carried out. How do you think the talks will go? How far do you think North Korea will concede, or at least compromise,...right now?

Thank you for your time.