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Park Jin, President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol’s nominee for foreign minister, addresses the press outside an office for confirmation preparations in Seoul on April 18. (Yonhap News)

Nominee for South Korean foreign minister Park Jin said Monday that “the existing policy of appeasement cannot prevent continued provocations by North Korea,” arguing that “substantial policy changes are necessary in regard to North Korea right now.”

Park was on his way to the planning office for confirmation hearings located in the Naesu neighborhood of central Seoul when he met with reporters and said, “Despite its purpose, [the Moon Jae-in administration’s] Korean Peninsula peace process showed its limits.”

Park mentioned North Korea’s announcement that it had test-fired a “newly developed tactical guided weapon,” criticizing Pyongyang for “escalating the security situation on the Korean Peninsula, a move that runs counter to security, peace, and stability on the Korean Peninsula.”

He continued, saying that “the Yoon Suk-yeol administration will carry out balanced, common-sensical policies towards North Korea” and “maintain consistent policies through pressure and persuasion and strive towards North Korea’s denuclearization and peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.”

Park commented that the schedule and agenda for a Korea-US summit had yet to be finalized, adding that the summit should take place at an early date “since the situation on the Korean Peninsula is serious and the international situation is rapidly changing.”

Regarding the area of joint cooperation with the US, Park mentioned the need to work together to counter North Korean threats, security and technological cooperation related to global supply chain reorganization, cooperation regarding global issues such as COVID-19 and climate change, and joint efforts for peace, democracy, and independence in Ukraine.

Park Jin, President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol’s nominee for foreign minister, addresses the press outside an office for confirmation preparations in Seoul on April 18. (Yonhap News)

In reference to the Quad, Park described the dialogue as “a gathering of democracies and a consultative body that contributes to peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.” Park went on to say that, although South Korea is not an official member of the Quad, it was important to expand cooperation with the Quad and other similar bodies in areas where Korea is strong.

“In particular, it is necessary to seek to gradually expand the scope of Korea's participation in the fields of COVID-19, climate change, and emerging technologies through the Quad working groups,” Park said.

Regarding relations with China, Park called China “an important partner” for Korea.

“China is an important partner of Korea in terms of economic and trade and cultural exchanges as well as in terms of strategic communication,” adding that high-level strategic communications with China will be pursued.

Regarding Japan, Park said, “Korea and Japan share democracy and a market economy, and there are many areas to cooperate for peace and stability in Northeast Asia, especially peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.”

Park went on to state, “Since we both share an alliance with the US, if relations between the two countries continue to stagnate and become uncomfortable, both sides will suffer.”

By Lee Je-hun, senior staff writer

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]