Former President of NATO stage ‘multilateral debut’… Strengthening Western Comprehensive Security (Comprehensive)

On the way home from Madrid for 3 nights and 5 days… Digested 16 diplomatic schedules in three days

How to improve relations between Korea and Japan… Dilemma of Dilemma in China’s Closeness to NATO in ‘Value Solidarity’

South Korea, the United States and Japan agree on cooperation with North Korea… ‘Economic Security’ Sales Diplomacy

(Madrid = Yonhap News) Reporter Lee Jun-seo = President Yoon Seok-yeol was on his way home from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit held in Madrid, Spain on the 30th (local time).

As the leader of the Asia-Pacific partner ‘AP4’ (Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand) invited by NATO, the European-centered collective security system, for the first time, he held a multilateral diplomacy schedule of 3 nights and 5 days. It is the first overseas visit and diplomatic debut for President Yoon, who took office on the 10th of last month.

In the concept of so-called ‘value diplomacy’, it focused on accelerating sales diplomacy by making contact with major European countries simultaneously in terms of ‘economic security’ while closely contacting the Western camp.

It is also worth noting that through the three-nation summit held in four years and nine months, cooperation with North Korea was strengthened, and the first step in improving Korea-Japan relations by making contact with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida several times is also noteworthy.

Basically, we focused on ‘comprehensive security’, which broadens our diplomatic position by strengthening cooperation with NATO members in various fields such as economy, human rights, and technology amid the rapidly changing international situation. It is in the same vein that it presented three goals: solidarity with value norms, cooperation on emerging security, and global network.

On the other hand, it is evaluated that, in conjunction with NATO’s adoption of a new strategic concept, which newly defined China as a ‘challenge’, how to solve our relationship with China has emerged as a difficult diplomatic task.

Due to the nature of the multilateral stage, it is also evaluated that there is a limit to drawing detailed agreements on specific issues.

◇ Breathtaking diplomatic schedule… bilateral 10 cases, multilateral 3 cases

President Yoon arrived in Madrid on the night of the 27th and conducted a total of 16 diplomatic events for three days from the 28th to the 30th.

Since it is a multilateral stage in which the heads of more than 30 countries participate, it has digested bilateral contacts 10 times up to the full side (summary talks).

Starting with the Korea-Australia summit, I sat face to face with the heads of the Netherlands, France, Poland, Denmark, Canada, the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom, as well as the European Union (EU) Standing Chairman Charles Michel. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Turkiye (Turkey) held an unscheduled and informal meeting at the NATO summit.

An official from the presidential office said, “President Turkiye was passing by and greeted President Yoon and sat down for a while. The meeting with the leaders of Finland and Romania was canceled in the process of coordinating the schedule at the site.

At the same time, three multilateral meetings were held: the NATO summit, the Korea-US-Japan summit, and the summit of four Asia-Pacific partners.

In addition, a total of 16 diplomatic events, including meetings with the King of Spain and NATO Secretary-General, and luncheons with Spanish entrepreneurs are held.

In conjunction with the negotiations for accession between Sweden and Finland, the NATO Secretary-General’s meeting was postponed once, and President Yoon, who was waiting at the meeting, turned away, or the Korea-Finland summit was canceled.

◇ South Korea, the United States and Japan strengthen cooperation with North Korea… ‘Chinese check’ human-tae strategy is also on the agenda

Above all, the diplomatic agenda that drew attention is three multilateral meetings. The focus was on reaffirming the Western camp’s support for North Korea’s denuclearization.

The Korea-U.S.-Japan summit held on the 29th after the first in four years and nine months is the highlight.

U.S. President Joe Biden in the central ‘host seat’ of the conference room, President Yoon and Prime Minister Kishida sat face to face. A consensus was formed on the need for regional security cooperation at a time when tensions around the Korean Peninsula are rising, such as North Korea’s imminent 7th nuclear test.

At the NATO summit that followed, President Yoon became the first South Korean leader to take the podium. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was right in front of him, and US President Biden was behind him.

In a three to four-minute speech, President Yoon emphasized that “in order to lead North Korea to the path of denuclearization, it is necessary to clearly show that the international community’s will for denuclearization is stronger than the reckless will to develop nuclear and missile programs.”

Separately, the so-called Indo-Pacific strategy was put on the table at the summit of the four Asia-Pacific partners.

It is interpreted as a trailer for the full-fledged strategic link between NATO, the European security system, and the Indo-Pacific region.

◇ ‘China’s alternative market is Europe’ Sales diplomacy with defense and nuclear power… Busan Expo support request

In the series of bilateral talks, sales diplomacy tailored to each country (economic diplomacy) was highlighted

Green hydrogen and North Korean nuclear cooperation with Australia, semiconductor supply chain with the Netherlands, nuclear technology and space industry with France, infrastructure (new airport) and nuclear and defense industry with Poland, and climate change and renewable energy issues with Denmark .

The defense industry and nuclear power are considered the primary targets.

It is expected that concrete results will come out immediately in the defense sector.

Referring to the Korea-Polish summit, Choi Sang-mok, chief economic officer, said, “The defense cooperation between the two countries has been discussed in depth, and I expect substantial progress in the near future. I think this will be the first outcome of summit sales diplomacy.”

It is interpreted to mean that the export of Korean weapons to Poland, such as the FA-50 fighter, K-2 tank, and K-9 self-propelled artillery, has entered the visible range.

Regarding nuclear power plants, all efforts were made to win orders for the Czech Republic and Poland, where the selection of a business operator was imminent. The UK and the Netherlands are also considered candidates for nuclear power export.

It also continued the bid for the 2030 Busan World Expo (Expo) against European countries.

At the Korea-Poland summit, President Yoon delivered a brochure promoting the Korean nuclear power plant to the Polish president.

jun@yna.co.kr

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