Moon says ‘new order’ being formed on Korean Peninsula

President Moon Jae-in on Monday said the geopolitical order on the Korean Peninsula was taking on a new form, citing developments concerning North Korea.

“Separately from the North-US summit, Chairman Kim Jong-un is set to visit Russia, and a visit to North Korea by President Xi Jinping is expected in the near future,” Moon said at Monday’s Cabinet meeting.

“In addition, the possibility of a North Korea-Japan summit is open. A new order on the Korean Peninsula is being formed. A new order on the Korean Peninsula will lead to a new order in Northeast Asia.”

Valentina Matviyenko, chairwoman of Russia’s Federation Council, revealed on Friday that Moscow and Pyongyang were working to arrange a visit for Kim, while Beijing was reportedly weighing options for a fourth meeting between Xi and Kim.

Moon went on to say that the process was necessary to establish a permanent peace on the peninsula. He also said that Seoul must cooperate with the US and other concerned nations on “dismantling the last Cold War on Earth.”

At the meeting, Moon also praised US President Donald Trump for the success of Moon’s meeting with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo the previous day, and called on the Cabinet to maintain close cooperation with the US.

On Sunday, Pompeo met Moon to discuss his latest visit to Pyongyang and revealed that he and North Korean officials had agreed to arrange a second meeting between Trump and Kim.

Pompeo, however, said that the location and date of the meeting had yet to be finalized, feeding speculation.

Sweden and Switzerland are once again being mentioned as possible locations, as was the case ahead of the June 12 US-North Korea summit in Singapore.

Other potential venues include Washington, DC, and the truce village of Panmunjom.

Panmunjom, however, is considered an unlikely choice with the matter of the end of the Korean War still outstanding, while the possibility of Washington hosting the event has been linked with the US midterm elections on Nov. 6.

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)