Portrait of Moon Jae-in
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Moon Jae-in on Foreign Policy

Engagement with North Korea (strong)

TL;DR

Moon Jae-in pursued ambitious engagement with North Korea, while balancing the US alliance and China's growing regional influence.

Key Points

  • He agreed with the US president in 2018 to suspend annual joint military exercises as part of his engagement effort with the North.

  • His foreign policy featured a 'double allegiance' strategy, aiming to manage the US alliance while deepening regional cooperation with China.

  • The administration emphasized its New Southern Policy (NSP), focusing diplomatic travel on ASEAN and India, outside the four major surrounding powers.

Summary

Moon Jae-in's foreign policy was centrally focused on realizing peace and prosperity on the Korean peninsula, guided by an ambitious mission to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue and develop sustainable inter-Korean relations. His core stance was one of active engagement, believing economic incentives and political dialogue would temper the North's behavior, in contrast to containment policies favored by some allies. This approach was evidenced by his repeated signals of willingness to provide aid for dialogue and his agreement with the US president to suspend joint military exercises. However, his policy encountered significant challenges, failing to achieve denuclearization or a sustained improvement in inter-Korean ties, partly due to a strategic miscalculation regarding the North Korean regime's intentions, which prioritized self-preservation. Furthermore, his administration navigated increased US-China strategic competition, adopting a 'double allegiance' strategy to maintain the US alliance while seeking deeper ties with China, a balancing act which caused friction with Washington and an inability to secure support for easing sanctions on Pyongyang.

Frequently Asked Questions

Moon Jae-in's primary foreign policy objective was to realize peace and prosperity on the Korean peninsula. This involved an ambitious mission centered on denuclearization, improving inter-Korean relations, and establishing a new economic community between the two Koreas.

He sought to maintain the essential security alliance with the United States while simultaneously deepening a strategic partnership with China, a strategy described as 'double allegiance.' This balancing act was intended to give South Korea greater autonomy, particularly in managing inter-Korean affairs.

The policy ultimately failed to achieve its major goals; North Korea continued to develop its nuclear program, and inter-Korean ties stalled after 2019. Analysts suggest this was due to a strategic miscalculation about the North's intentions to give up its nuclear assets.