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SEOUL – South Korean president tries – and fails so far – to rally European support for loosening sanctions against North Korea, may also put it at odds with Trump administration's efforts to keep up the pressure on Pyongyang.
After the rapid easing of relations between Seoul and Pyongyang this year, South Korean President Moon Jae-in calls on European leaders on a nine-day trip through Paris, Rome and Vatican City, Brussels and Copenhagen to strengthen their engagement with North Korea.
He hopes that European leaders will support his approach by focusing on dialogue and engagement, similar to the ones they pursued with Iran and, before the administration. Trump, with North Korea. In doing so, Mr Moon hopes to speed up the process of denuclearization.
But this approach also entails risks at a time of increasing friction between Seoul and its ally in Washington, which continues to maintain or even increase pressure on Pyongyang.
It also seems that European leaders are not fully present. Although they have repeatedly praised Mr. Moon's proximity to the North and maintained their own diplomatic relations with Pyongyang, most have made it clear that this is not the time to ease the pressure of sanctions on Korea. North.
A senior European diplomat said that there was some "consternation" in the bloc to the idea that Seoul is pleading for a lifting of sanctions at this stage before a permanent denuclearization process has been put in place. European diplomats have repeatedly said that it was crucial that Washington and Seoul remain on the same track in the negotiations.
With Europe and the United States already at odds over a number of diplomatic issues, the diplomat also said that the European Union remained firm on Washington's determination to maintain pressure on sanctions, which it had insisted on. recent contacts with his South Korean counterparts. Unusually, no statement will be issued after Friday's summit between EU leaders and South Korea, which the diplomat described as "partly because of differences of opinion" over South Korea. North.
During Monday's meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, whose country holds a permanent seat on the UN Security Council, Moon urged Macron to reward North Korea's efforts to achieve denuclearization.
"We must encourage North Korea's process of denuclearization by relaxing US sanctions when it is determined that the process is at least at an irreversible stage," Moon said at a conference. press release with Mr. Macron.
Moon underlined the North's willingness to open its Punggye-ri underground nuclear test site to international inspectors, demonstrating Kim Jong Un's sincerity in denuclearization.
But Macron insisted that sanctions would continue to be enforced until the North took more concrete steps to end its nuclear and missile defense program.
During his meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Wednesday, Mr Moon asked Italy and the EU to show their "support" to North Korea, saying that Mr Kim had " really progressed "in the process of denuclearization.
Conte said he would generally support South Korea's position but did not comment on sanctions.
The leaders' comments echo those of the EU's foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, following the third inter-Korean summit held in Pyongyang last month. In a statement, she praised the written list of North Korea's commitments, but said: "We hope these measures will make concrete progress" in the introduction of a peace without nuclear weapons on the Korean peninsula.
North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un held a friendly summit with the South Korean president, while trying to push forward the denuclearization talks with Washington. Jonathan Cheng from the WSJ explains. Photo: Pyongyang Press Corps via AP
"Mr. Moon's main focus during his trip to Europe was to lift EU sanctions," said Ramon Pacheco Pardo, chairman of KF-VUB Korea at the Institute of Technology. Brussels European Studies.
Mr Pacheco Pardo said that he thought that the EU would be more open to North Korea's commitments after Mr Moon's trip, but added that the EU would probably not give up on its insistence on the complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantling of North Korea's nuclear program, as defined by the UN
"It is difficult for the EU to say that it is against international law," said Pacheco Pardo.
In addition to its adherence to US sanctions, the European Union has been actively lobbying African and Asian countries to fully implement the restrictions imposed last year. The bloc has also imposed its own sanctions unanimously, which go beyond the measures taken by the United States.
For Moon, there is also a risk of anger against Washington, which fears that easing the isolation of the North undermines the effectiveness of negotiations on denuclearization.
US officials said the improved relations with North Korea should be tied to the nuclear issue and the sanctions would remain in force until North Korea completely abandons its nuclear program and its nuclear programs. missiles.
Nevertheless, Moon has played a role of substitution for Kim on the diplomatic scene in recent months, urging the international community to strengthen its ties with North Korea.
On Thursday, Moon met Pope Francis at the Vatican and passed on what he described as a message from the North Korean leader inviting the pontiff to go to Pyongyang. Pope Francis said that he would consider a trip when he would receive an official invitation from the North.
-Laurence Norman in Brussels contributed to this article.
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