President Moon Jae-in met with U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, the Democratic Whip, at the Secretariat Building of Yeomin-gwan on the Cheong Wa Dae compound for 40 minutes from 4 o’clock this afternoon.

President Moon greeted Senator Durbin by saying that he heard that the Senator has a special affinity with Korea as his two brothers are Korean War veterans and that he wholeheartedly welcomed him.

Senator Durbin thanked the President for remembering the fact and further explained it in detail, saying that his two elder brothers had fought in the Korean War as Navy sailors and that his memories of them were still fresh even though he had been a child back then. He went on to say that his family had lived with news about the Korean War and that, for that reason, his family has deep affection for Korea and wishes Korea stability and prosperity. He continued to say that he intended to pass on some discussions within the U.S. Congress on Korea today, delineating that the U.S. Congress is concerned about North Korea’s nuclear and missile developments and Kim Jong-un’s incessant tests and announcements.

President Moon explained that the Korean Government has been strongly denouncing the North’s ongoing violations of the UN resolutions as grave threats to international peace. He also said that he thought stronger sanctions and pressure would be needed through international cooperation.

Senator Durbin said that President Trump recently took unexpected action—he invited the entire Senate to the White House and declared a
shift to a new strategy of transforming North Korea by putting pressure on China from the existing policy of strategic patience with North Korea.

President Moon said that he is on the same page in that regard, making his case that the ultimate goal of such a process should be the complete dismantlement by the North of its nuclear program. He argued that that goal would not be easy to achieve in one fell swoop so a gradual approach should be taken. He continued to put forth his opinion that such a process could be established through negotiations with the North, therefore sanctions and pressure should be heightened so that North Korea would return to the negotiating table, for which cooperation with China would be necessary. He further explained his understanding that President Trump may have the same idea as his.

Senator Durbin then asked the President if he thought there had been any change in China over the past months, that is, any additional pressure against the North.

Noting that even though he would be able to better figure that out through his meeting with President Xi, President Moon said that the feelings he has gotten and many signs indicated enhanced efforts by China compared to the past. The President went on to say he surmised that China`s endeavors have, so far at least, played the role of curbing any additional nuclear test by the North. The President also said that there was no doubt that President Trump and his Administration`s firm stand and efforts had played a part to that end. In that respect, the President said, he believed there existed a shared understanding and cooperation between the United States and China.

The visiting U.S. Senator said he had listened to lots of news concerning the THAAD system after he arrived in Korea and asked for an explanation on Korea`s stance on it.

President Moon said that the United States and South Korea had jointly made a decision to deploy the system as a countermeasure against the North`s nuclear threat. The President went on to say that, even though it was a decision made by the previous Administration, his new Administration would never think less of the decision. However, the President added it should be noted that democratic procedures were absolutely required in Korea as in the United States to achieve legitimacy. He said that, first of all, there are voices demanding that an environmental impact assessment be properly carried out, adding that the same would be true in the United States. The President said that the previous Administration had failed to fully take into consideration such processes, emphasizing that procedural legitimacy has to be pursued. In this connection, the President said the United States needed to understand even though it would take some more time.

He continued to say that the measure he took yesterday concerning the THAAD system had a domestic purpose, making clear that it was neither intended to change the existing decision nor send a different message to the United States.

In addition, President Moon said that the previous Administration, prior to the announcement of the plan to deploy the THAAD system, had not informed the Korean people about it. He also said that, even just before the decision to put the system on the site, the previous Administration had maintained that nothing had been determined as there had not been a request from nor consultations with the United States. Noting that the system was deployed all of a sudden, the President said that, in the face of that unexpected turn of events, Koreans just wanted to listen to detailed explanations from the Government with regards to whether the system is effective against the North`s missiles, how the related costs would be shared if it is determined to be effective and how to deal with diplomatic problems with China and Russia that oppose the system.

Senator Durbin explained that he believes THAAD is to protect not just the U.S. military personnel in Korea but also the Republic of Korea and its people.

President Moon said he agrees with Senator Durbin and does not hold a different idea. The President added that the U.S. Forces Korea are playing a crucial role in the defense of Korea and therefore that cooperation between the two nations needs to be further strengthened. He explained that the protection of the American troops in the country, who are playing a critical role in the defense of the country, is also very important.

Senator Durbin asked how long it would take to discuss the issue through legitimate procedures.

President Moon said it is hard to predict definitely but he believes that the National Assembly can discuss it within a short period of time. The President also said that an evaluation of its environmental impact needs to precede the discussion, adding that it might take time but he believes that it is a cost that should be incurred in a democratic country.

Senator Durbin expressed his gratitude for the detailed explanation by President Moon. He said he would share what the President said with his colleagues in the Senate and decide the position they would take. The Senator said he understands that the environmental concerns need to be dealt with through reasonable and legitimate procedures, adding that he is aware that China is against the THAAD deployment and taking punitive measures against Korean companies.

In response, President Moon said the mood seems to have improved a bit with the launch of his Administration but the actions taken by China have not been lifted yet. The President said he believes that the difficulty in diplomatic relations with China can be attributed not just to its opposition to the THAAD deployment itself but also to the lack of explanatory procedures in advance. Saying he would explain to China, the President also asked the United States to make similar efforts in relation to China.

Finally, Senator Durbin said he was thankful for the lengthy time President Moon spared despite his busy schedule and congratulated him on the confirmation of the Prime Minister’s appointment by the National Assembly. The Senator, then, expressed hope that President Moon’s visit to the United States would help achieve progress in the bilateral relations.

The President said depending on how the schedule of his visit to the United States is planned, it would be possible to pay respect to the Korean War Veterans Memorial and lay flowers on it. He said he intends to honor, as much as possible, the Americans who fought to defend liberal democracy and security of Korea so far, especially the Korean War veterans. The President continued that he would not forget that Senator Durbin’s two elder brothers took part in the War.