President Moon Jae-in (second from left) poses for a photo with the heads of U.S. research institutes in New York on Sept. 20. From left are Korea Society President Thomas Byrne, Council on Foreign Affairs President Richard Haass, President Moon and Kevin Rudd, president of the Asia Society Policy Institute.

By Yoon Sojung

Photos = Cheong Wa Dae 

President Moon Jae-in met with heads of U.S. research institutes in New York on Sept. 20, explaining to them Seoul’s policy direction in regard to North Korean issues, and he asked for their cooperation on developing Seoul-Washington ties. 

At the meeting were Korea Society President Thomas Byrne, Council on Foreign Affairs President Richard Haass and Asia Society Institute President Kevin Rudd. In the meeting, President Moon told them that the Korean government puts an emphasis on bolstering sanctions and pressure, and also on the principle of solving the matter in a peaceful manner. 

President Moon said, “The Korean Peninsula is experiencing some of the tightest tension ever.” 

“Under such circumstances, I would like to listen to valuable opinions from Korean Peninsula experts on how to tackle the current crisis,” he said. 

President Moon Jae-in discusses measures to respond to North Korean issues and how to develop Seoul-Washington ties with heads of U.S. research institutes in New York on Sept. 20.

Specialized in the Korean Peninsula and related global issues, the participating heads of the think tanks talked about the central role that the Seoul-Washington alliance plays and the policy cooperation that is based on that foundation. They highlighted continued cooperation between Korea, the U.S. and Japan, and backing from China. 

They emphasized the need to make creative initiatives that could lead to progress in resolving North Korean nuclear weapons issues in a diplomatic manner, and the need to make efforts to create appropriate conditions for that goal.