First report after 8 days, including North Korea and President Yoon's declaration of martial law.

■ Host: Lee Yeojin Anchor
■ Starring: Kim Hyung-seok, former Vice Unification Minister

* The text below may differ from the actual broadcast content, so please check the broadcast for more accurate information. Please specify [YTN 24] when quoting.

[Anchor]
This is a Korean Peninsula review time to analyze North Korean issues and diplomatic security news on the Korean Peninsula in depth. Today, former Vice Unification Minister Kim Hyung-seok came out. Hello,

[Kim Hyung-seok]
Hello,

[Anchor]
According to North Korea's report on the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol, the first report was made eight days after martial law was declared, and it was reported two days after the impeachment was passed. Is there a background in reporting such a time difference?

[Kim Hyung-seok]
I think I thought about it internally. In the case of martial law, it seems to have been delayed a little because it may lead to military action, and the approval of the impeachment has a propaganda effect on the system. So, I think there is also a kind of intention to promote the system by notifying North Koreans that President Yoon Suk Yeol, who has such a strong position toward North Korea, is in the corner.

[Anchor]
Is it irrelevant to the two-state theory that North Korea has begun to argue this year?

[Kim Hyung-seok]
I don't think it's straight away. In the case of two state theories, such as denying previous agreements between the two Koreas or abolishing the power lines of the Gyeongui Line, the Donghae Line, and the Kaesong Industrial Complex would be the result of two state theories. But regarding this impeachment, you said it was the most warring country. I think it was intended to inform North Koreans of the chaotic situation inside the hostile country and to have a kind of psychological stability and the relative superiority of the North Korean system.

[Anchor]
While reporting on the pro-impeachment rally, North Korea reported that our high-rise buildings were almost invisible. When the Park Geun Hye government was impeached in the past, wasn't our high-rise buildings mosaic-processed and reported?

[Kim Hyung-seok]
So from North Korea's point of view, especially the two-state theory, the most hostile countries are much richer than themselves, which is negative. So that's why you don't expose it as much as possible. So, from Kim Jong-un's point of view, it is said to build a socialist powerhouse, and one of them is an economic powerhouse. This economic powerhouse has no results. Since there is no such thing, we are trying to exclude North Koreans' disappointment in this part and materials that can bring it.

[Anchor]
North Korea's provocations, which have continued this year, have stopped a little as we entered the impeachment process. Wasn't it the last time to spray garbage balloons on the 28th of last month?

[Kim Hyung-seok]
That's right. It's the so-called filth balloon. As things stand now, even if North Korea does not send a filth balloon, the unstable situation within our Republic of Korea that they want is maintained. That's why you don't have to send trash balloons. The second case is that North Korea will have to unite and set a new direction for the overall situation at the end of the year, and the third case is probably not on the press.There are no North Korean defector groups or so-called anti-North Korean leaflets that North Korea is a problem with, right? First of all, North Korea is quiet.

[Anchor]
Let's also look at the news of sending North Korean troops. According to what the National Intelligence Service said, the North Korean military began to be deployed to the front line this month, but hasn't it been almost two months since they were dispatched? Should I say that the adjustment period is over now?

[Kim Hyung-seok]
That's right. It's been two to three months since the beginning of October. So for now, in the eyes of the international community, the period of adaptation has already ended, and isn't it that they are actually engaged in combat? So there are various numbers about the number of casualties. And through the video, the combat situation of soldiers who are believed to be North Korean soldiers is also coming out.

[Anchor]
However, the foreign media seems to have a logo for the North Korean military's death toll of about 200, but the NIS seems to have revealed it conservatively, about 100. And about 1,000 people were injured. Why is there a big difference?

[Kim Hyung-seok]
It's probably a matter of access to the situation of war. There's one thing, and the second thing is, isn't it different for each person to present about it? There are cases where Ukraine does it, and there are cases where Russia does it. So I think there is an inevitable difference in this so-called accessibility, and then the subject of presentation.

[Anchor]
Where do you see it as closer, which number is more?

[Kim Hyung-seok]
Perhaps our intelligence authorities have evaluated the evaluation accurately considering all such situations. So we can think that our government's judgment is most true.

[Anchor]
As expected, North Korea is not reporting on this at all, is it?

[Kim Hyung-seok]
We are not reporting right now. And actually, this itself would be difficult to report. Because there are immediate deaths, and even if it is a controlled society, there will be internal agitation because it is a huge shock to parents.

So I'm not reporting on this part, but most of them know about North Korea sources and other things. At the same time, some even say that if you go to a battlefield and produce results, you will go to the Labor Party or raise your status, so I hope that ordinary soldiers who are not necessarily special forces soldiers will go in this area. And there is also a story that says that they try to take out their own children from places where they can use their own power inside North Korea, such as Pyongyang.

So even though North Korea is not reporting it, the inside knows everything. It's just when to report it and how to report it. As a first step, we already exchanged ratifications on the so-called military alliance between North Korea and Russia and reported it. This is over, and I think the next time, if there is a reasonable opportunity, I will probably report in a propaganda manner that I did heroic acts.

[Anchor]
The National Intelligence Service is also watching the possibility of Chairman Kim Jong-un sending some additional troops among the storm troopers. What do you think of this part?

[Kim Hyung-seok]
It's certainly possible when the war in Ukraine itself continues and Russia needs additional troops in the meantime. So, since President Trump said he would end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours after taking office this time, I think it will determine how the war in Ukraine will continue, and the additional dispatch of North Korean troops will be determined accordingly.

[Anchor]
But if that happens, will there be any internal opposition from North Korea?

[Kim Hyung-seok]
There must be some internal backlash. Because as of now, there are 100 people, but 100 to 200 people. Didn't you watch this on video? Because of the drone attack, it runs away and then actually damages the bodies of the dead believed to be North Korean soldiers, so this can no longer be hidden inside North Korea. Then it's definitely a burden on the regime for Kim Jong-un on this part.

[Anchor]
Not long ago, U.S. President-elect Trump appointed Richard Grenell as a special presidential envoy in charge of special missions, including North Korea. For this reason, there are observations that Trump will actively engage in North Korea-U.S. dialogue from the beginning of his inauguration, so what do you think?

[Kim Hyung-seok]
In general, isn't it a general interpretation of whether it's a little behind the priority? So, I think most of them think that they will adjust various conflicts between the U.S. and Ukraine, the Middle East, and the U.S. and then go to North Korea. However, since President Trump does not follow the existing pattern, there is a possibility that President Trump may do it quickly.

At a recent press conference in Florida, I talked about Kim Jong-un. And we're always talking about a kind of bromance, and there's a lot of positions, but we're nominating the kind of person that you've talked about as a special adviser, and then Richard Alex Wing, and people who have had North American conversations in the past. So maybe President Trump will do the Ukraine war part first, but in the past, he tried to win the U.S. national interest through stability in Northeast Asia from the so-called maximum pressure and engagement policy.

If North Korea does something unexpected like that, the situation on the Korean Peninsula will be difficult, and this will also be difficult for the U.S. economy, including various semiconductors. If the situation in Northeast Asia is stabilized, it will benefit the U.S. economy along with the change in relations with China. From that point of view, some say that dialogue between North Korea and the U.S. has fallen in priority, so they may say so, but they may not.

So we are not just going to wait, but the stability of the Korean Peninsula is really important when it comes to the national interest of the U.S., especially President Trump, and when it comes to saving the U.S. economy, the North Korean issue must be resolved. From that point of view, I hope that the second Trump administration of the U.S. will address the North Korean issue with high priority. I hope that we will express our position and approach it positively.

[Anchor]
With the world situation surrounding the Korean Peninsula rapidly changing, we are now in the process of impeachment, raising concerns about whether we will be passed in the process of the new Trump administration's North Korea policy. How should we respond?

[Kim Hyung-seok]
First of all, I think there's a very high possibility of passing. Because if we look directly at the impeachment process, President Trump is a top-down format. So because it's done between the leaders, it's the whole situation that can be done accordingly. Then, since North Korea also has two national theories, I think it will be a situation like why a third party is involved when it is with the United States.

However, rather than worrying about our passing here, what direction will be concluded when there is a dialogue between North Korea and the U.S. So, although there is talk of disarmament on the nuclear issue, the nuclear threat will be reduced, and eventually the direction of North Korea's openness, right?

Then that's the change in inter-Korean relations that we want, the change in North Korea. So, rather than being too nervous or anxious about passing, what should we do when such a dialogue between North Korea and the U.S. is connected and the door to North Korea is opened? I think we should step up and prepare for such a way to open North Korea from now on.

[Anchor]
Finally, to talk about the North Korean plenary session, which is expected to be held next week, didn't you block the inter-Korean road by advocating the two-state theory this year? What policies do you think you will implement next year?

[Kim Hyung-seok]
First of all, I think I'll keep the current trend. Because for North Korea, there is a war situation in Ukraine. And then President Trump, but there are various variables in the situation of the Republic of Korea right now, such as whether he will really do it like he did in the first period. Therefore, in this situation, it is more likely to maintain the existing position rather than presenting a new position.

So for the United States, let's say we can't give up on the nuclear issue anymore. And then I don't think they'll give a special message about the south. However, I think they will not sit idly by and act hostile to North Korea.

[Anchor]
So far, I have spoken with former Vice Unification Minister Kim Hyung-seok. Thank you for today.