U.S.-North Korea relations growing uncertainty...Whether it's conversation or hard-line, there are concerns about "passing."

Trump to name ultra-hardliners in key positions on North Korea policy

'Second Trump' North Korea policy, hardline outlook rather than dialogue

Uncertainty in U.S.-North Korea relationship escalates...Concerns over 'passing' in South Korea

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yeol emphasizes "strengthening coordination and cooperation between South Korea and the U.S."

[Anchor]
Expectations for the resumption of U.S.-North Korea dialogue grew as former U.S. President Trump, who held two U.S.-North Korea summits, regained power.

Some predict that Trump's second term will be different as hardliners have been appointed as key aides in charge of North Korea policy.

Amid growing uncertainties in U.S.-North Korea relations, the South Korean government seems to be busy trying to ensure that South Korea's position is not excluded.

Reporter Hong Sun-ki reports.

[Reporter]
As former U.S. President Donald Trump succeeded in regaining power, the possibility of resuming dialogue between North Korea and the U.S. also increased.

This is because Trump himself showed confidence in resolving the North Korean nuclear issue by showing off his friendship with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

[Donald Trump / U.S. President-elect (last July): I will get along well with Chairman Kim Jong-un when I return to the White House. Kim Jong-un is also hoping and missing me. It's a good thing to get along with someone who has a lot of nuclear weapons.

However, ultra-hardliners have been appointed to the secretary of state and the White House national security adviser in charge of U.S. policy toward North Korea, and changes in the tide are being felt.

Representative Michael Waltz, who was nominated as national security adviser, is a hardliner who even mentioned the possibility of a preemptive strike on North Korea in 2017 when tensions between the U.S. and North Korea were rising,
Secretary of State nominee Marco Rubio
also compared Kim Jong-un to a tyrant and said he should be removed.

This is why the next U.S. administration's North Korea policy is likely to go ultra-hard rather than dialogue.Uncertainty in U.S.-North Korea relations is expanding further in the future as the possibility of a '∀'
{dialogue' and a 'hard-line' response coexist.

However, from our perspective, which is a party to peace on the Korean Peninsula, it is as important as whether it is dialogue or hard-line.

A high-ranking Foreign Ministry official stressed that our position should be reflected even if the U.S.-North Korea talks are held, which can be seen as worrying about the possibility that our position will not be reflected amid the strong confrontation between North Korea and the U.S.

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yeol's emphasis on strengthening foreign policy coordination and cooperation between South Korea and the U.S. is also interpreted to this effect.

[Jo Tae-yeol / Minister of Foreign Affairs (last 12th: (The Trump administration's foreign policy stance) is in large part consistent with the Yoon Suk Yeol administration's diplomatic stance. Based on these policy points of contact, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wants to further strengthen cooperation through detailed policy coordination with the second Trump administration.

President Yoon Suk Yeol's active push for a meeting with President-elect Trump also seems to be taking into account the uncertainty of the second Trump administration's North Korea policy at home and abroad.

This is YTN Hong Seon-gi.

Video editing Ma Young-hoo
Design Lee Na-young