Biden said he is sending professional diplomat Sung Kim as the special envoy for the region. Sung Kim Sung once served as South Korea’s ambassador to South Korea.

Moon said that Biden’s move “reflects the firm commitment of the United States to explore diplomacy and its preparation for dialogue with North Korea.”

Moon came to Washington to seek the new diplomatic urgency of the United States to contain North Korea’s nuclear program, despite the White House’s hint that it would take a longer-term view on this issue. It was also among the best at Biden’s meeting: China’s coordination of vaccine distribution, climate change and regional security issues.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, their meeting was only the second time Biden had a face-to-face meeting with a foreign leader.

Biden said that they had a long formal meeting in the afternoon and pointed out that his staff were repeatedly interrupted to warn them of overtime. Biden said: “But I am very happy that this meeting allowed us to move everything back.” He emphasized the “long history of common sacrifice” between the two countries.

Moon said: “The world is welcoming the return of the United States.” This is an oblique reference to former President Donald Trump’s attempt to break away from certain aspects of American diplomacy.

The White House announced last month that it had completed its review of North Korea’s policy and that Biden would deviate from the strategy of his two recent predecessors and reject Trump’s more personal efforts to win North Korean leaders Kim Jong Un and Barack Obama. The way to let go.

But the U.S. government has yet to elaborate on what its third attempt to induce North Korea to abandon its nuclear program will look like.

Moon started his day at the White House building with US Vice President Kamala Harris (Kamala Harris) and Biden’s senior advisers. Moon also attended the Medal of Honor award ceremony for 94-year-old veteran Ralph Puckett, who was praised for his outstanding performance in the Korean War more than 70 years ago.

Mu En said: “Without sacrificing the veterans including Colonel Pucket… the freedom and democracy we enjoy today cannot flourish in Korea.” Mu En praised Pucket as a “true hero.”

The “flexible” way forward

Moon, who will step down in May, is eager to resume the deadlocked negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang and between Seoul and Pyongyang. However, the Biden administration confirmed in March that it had made outreach efforts to the North, but it was unsuccessful, but it was less enthusiastic about the idea of ??direct negotiations in the short term.

When asked if Biden was willing to have a direct dialogue with Kim Jong-un like Trump did twice, press secretary Jen Psaki disagreed.

She said of Biden: “I don’t want this to be the top priority on his agenda.”

Nevertheless, Moon made it clear before the meeting that he would push Biden lightly in order to resume diplomatic efforts with the North.

Moon told reporters this month: “For the rest of my term, I will not be pressured by time or become impatient.” “But if there is an opportunity to restart the peace watch and promote the peace process on the Korean peninsula, I will do my best. What you can.”

A senior government official did not have the right to discuss the matter publicly, and briefed reporters on Mu En’s visit under the condition of anonymity. He avoided the question of whether the government is willing to provide North Korea sanctions to begin dismantling its nuclear and ballistic weapons program.

The official said that the United States hopes to outline a “flexible” path forward and fully understand the past efforts.

Biden is also expected to use this meeting to urge South Korea to adopt more ambitious 2030 goals to curb carbon emissions, and to urge Seoul to take more actions to deal with China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region.

It is expected that Moon will seek Biden’s help to help South Korea increase its supply of coronavirus vaccines. South Korea provides only 5% of the country’s population with vaccines.

Biden urges Moon to take a hard line on China

Biden also hopes that Moon will take a firm stand on China’s activities against Taiwan and other provocative actions taken by Beijing in the region. Biden tried to summon allies in the Pacific to coordinate on China. Biden regarded China as the most powerful economic competitor of the United States.

At the beginning of his presidency, Biden expressed his concerns about Beijing’s trade policy and human rights record, and emphasized the concerns of regional allies about the growing Chinese military.

Biden noted Japan’s concern that China’s growing military activities and extensive territorial claims constitute a security threat. Japan is caught in a dispute with China because Beijing requires Japan to control the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands (called the Diaoyu Islands in China) in the East China Sea. He also hopes to strengthen relations with India, which has been tested in the military confrontation with China along the disputed border in eastern Ladakh.

But South Korea may be more reluctant to talk about China. China is an important trading partner and it is also seen as the key to dealing with the Kim Jong Il regime.

Michael Green, who served as the senior director of the National Security Council for Asia during George W. Bush’s administration, said that South Korea is in a difficult situation.

Green, senior vice president of Asia and Japan, said: “South Korea’s strategic ambiguity policy has proved to be more and more embarrassing and almost untenable for Seoul, because other non-US or Japanese intermediary powers are adjusting their China policies.” Strategy With the chairman of the International Research Center.