The White House said it would not comment on the claims of former President Moon Jae-in officials that “President Joe Biden’s side has conveyed his desire to meet with the outgoing South Korean President Moon Jae-in.”
Saloni Sharma, director of strategic communications at the White House National Security Council (NSC), responded to the VOA’s request for comment to confirm the authenticity of Moon’s explanation that the meeting between the two people was “the fact that the United States first proposed it,” said Jake Sullivan. “Nothing beyond what Jake said.”
Earlier, at a briefing at the White House on the 18th, Sullivan confirmed that “there is no scheduled meeting with former President Moon at this time.” When asked if there was any discussion about sending President Moon as special envoy to North Korea, Sullivan said, “I’m not aware of any discussion about that.”
Then, in an interview with the Korean media on the 19th, an official from the former president’s side said, “President Biden received a call today that the meeting was difficult.” I did.
Democratic Party lawmaker Yoon Gun-young, who is considered to be a close aide to former President Moon, also appeared on MBC radio that day and said, “It is clear that President Biden contacted him to see him, and it is also true that the White House said that he had no plans.” There was,” he said.
In the end, as the South Korean side claimed that it was the US that proposed and canceled this meeting, the White House kept quiet in reconfirming Sullivan’s remarks on the 18th that “there is no scheduled meeting” on VOA.
Earlier, on the 28th of last month, while Moon was in office, the Blue House brought up the possibility of a meeting first, saying, “President Biden is adjusting the schedule to meet with President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol after finishing his schedule with Yoon Seok-yeol.” He also added a detailed explanation, “Since it is a meeting with the outgoing president, it will be a character to resolve disputes with each other rather than a heavy agenda.”
Former presidential secretary Tak Hyun-min also said on CBS Radio on the 6th, “President Biden has received a request this time (to meet).”
This is Baek Sung-won from VOA News.
