Korea Passing
Korea Passing (코리아 패싱) is a neologism for the phenomenon of the Republic of Korea being alienated from the international community during discussions on North Korea in 2017.[1]
The origin and use of Korea Passing
In 2017, during presidential candidate discussions, Yoo Seung-min, the Bareun Party candidate, mentioned 'Korea Passing'. Yoo argued that Korea was isolated in its diplomatic relations with the global community.[2] The term derives from Bill Clinton's 1998 visit to China without visiting Japan, which the Japanese media termed 'Japan passing', signifying "Japan's alienation from the global society." In early 2017, 'Korea Passing' emerged as a diplomatic keyword related to the situation facing South Korea.[3][4]
Criticism
Originally, 'passing' is a Japlish term, and the correct English expression is "being given the cold shoulder". Also, some argue that it's more of a "Konglish" term, and that governments are unlikely to use it. However, major U.S. media outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and Fox News, mentioned Korea Passing as a new term related to the South Korea situation.[5][6]
Controversy
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United States
South Korea-U.S. Friction on North Korea and THAAD
Park Geun-hye was impeached in March 2017, and there was a strong possibility that Moon Jae-in, known for his more friendly stance toward North Korea, would win the upcoming election. The Trump administration worried that the incoming South Korean government might be less forceful in imposing sanctions on North Korea.[7][8]
Tensions on the Korean Peninsula escalated when North Korea conducted its sixth nuclear test in September 2017, following several ballistic missile launches in April 2017. In response, the Trump administration increased sanctions and pressure on North Korea. The Moon Jae-in administration, taking office at the same time, prioritized the safety of the North Korean regime.[8][9]
The administration also pursued policies aimed at resuming the Kaesong Industrial Complex and Mount Kumgang tours, seeking economic cooperation with North Korea. This directly led to conflicts between South Korea and the United States.[9]
Donald Trump contacted Shinzo Abe immediately after North Korea's missile launches, but did not contact Moon Jae-in. This further fueled the controversy surrounding Korea Passing.[10][11]On the other hand, Moon Jae-in raised questions about transparency in the deployment of the THAAD in South Korea. The U.S. Department of Defense responded to these questions.[12]
U.S. side reaction
The New York Times ignited the controversy by asserting that South Korea would be an "odd man out" due to differences in North Korea policy at a Korea-U.S.-Japan summit on September 21, 2017. Later, Donald Trump visited South Korea on November 7 and held a press conference with Moon Jae-in. Trump stated that "Korea is a very important country" and "there will be no exclusion," denying the "Korea Passing" claim. However, conservative opposition parties maintained that Trump's comments were typical diplomatic rhetoric, and the "Korea Passing" controversy persisted, lacking any concrete agreement.[13]
Following the U.S.-South Korea summit, Trump expressed appreciation for Moon Jae-in's cooperation on the North Korea issue and noted some progress. Nevertheless, the Wall Street Journal criticized Moon Jae-in's policies regarding the Kaesong Industrial Complex, the THAAD issue with China, describing him as an "unreliable friend," suggesting continued negative views of the Moon Jae-in administration within U.S. society.[14]
Controversy between South Korea and the U.S. during the North Korea-U.S. summit.
On May 19, 2018, Donald Trump called Moon Jae-in shortly before Moon's visit to the U.S., questioning the discrepancy between Moon's pledges and North Korea's stance on denuclearization. Trump expressed dissatisfaction.[15]
During the May 22 summit between South Korea and the U.S., Trump maintained a stern demeanor. Trump held a press conference with few opportunities for Moon Jae-in to respond to questions, even refusing to use an interpreter for Moon Jae-in's final response.[16]
On May 24, 2018, Trump unexpectedly announced the cancellation of the planned June 2018 North Korea-U.S. summit. The Blue House learned of the cancellation through Twitter.[17]
This prompted renewed controversy about "Korea Passing," with Hong Jun-pyo of the Liberty Korea Party arguing that the Moon Jae-in administration was excluded from the North Korea-U.S. summit negotiations and that the success of the negotiation depended on the U.S. and China.[18][19]
On June 30, 2019, during the 2019 Koreas–United States DMZ Summit, according to John Bolton's book The Room Where It Happened, Donald Trump did not want Moon Jae-in to join him.[20]
China
China's reaction to the inauguration of the Moon Jae-in administration also contributed to the controversy.[21]
Conflict between South Korea and China over THAAD deployment
Moon Jae-in decided on additional THAAD deployment, prompting criticism from Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi who described it as "pouring cold water on relations between the two countries". Xi Jinping also reportedly expressed displeasure, saying that Moon Jae-in had deceived them.[21][22]On October 31, 2017, South Korea and China issued a joint statement outlining "results of consultations between the two countries on improving relations". In this context, China demanded that South Korea promise not to: deploy additional THAAD, participate in the U.S. missile defense system, and cooperate with the U.S. and Japan.[23][22] This sparked controversy regarding South Korea's diplomatic concessions. China did not apologize for its THAAD retaliation, nor did they prevent future instances, emphasizing that normalized relations depended on adherence to the "no-three-things" agreement. This left open the possibility of future tensions.[24]
North Korea
North Korean policy shifted under the Moon Jae-in administration. The South Korean government consistently proposed military talks, Red Cross talks, and requested North Korea's participation in the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, but North Korea remained unresponsive for some time, sparking controversy.[10]
North Korea's participation in the 2018 Winter Olympics initially appeared promising, following Kim Jong-un's New Year's message indicating their intent to participate. Inter-Korean relations flourished, even after the successful inter-Korean summit in April 2018. However, disagreements over denuclearization and North Korea's unilateral disregard for the South Korean side reignited the "Korea Passing" controversy.[25]
North Korea unilaterally canceled scheduled high-level talks, strongly denouncing the joint South Korea-U.S. military exercise "Max Thunder" and condemning the defection of Thae Yong-ho as "human scum."[26]
In June 2020, North Korea demolished an inter-Korean liaison office.[27]
Japan
In Japan, "politely ignoring" the Moon Jae-in administration was considered the best approach.[28]
Japan's 2019 Defense White Paper downgraded South Korea's standing as a security partner, effectively giving South Korea the "cold shoulder."[29][30] Since 2018, the cooperative relationship between the two countries has been weakened, particularly concerning the "Agreement on the Settlement of Problems concerning Property and Claims and on Economic Co-operation between Japan and the Republic of Korea." Japan has been waiting for South Korea to resolve this international issue.[31]
South Korea's failure to arrange a summit meeting with Japan during the 2019 G20 Osaka summit further fueled controversy over Korea Passing.[32][33] A former Korean foreign minister, Gong Ro-myung, criticized the Korean government for amateurish handling of the situation, leading to catastrophic deterioration in Korea-Japan relations.[34]
See also
- Foreign relations of South Korea
- THAAD
- Moon Jae-in
- Donald Trump
- North Korea-United States summit (disambiguation)
- 2017 North Korean nuclear test
- Globalization
References
- ↑ Lyons, John. "In the North Korea Standoff, South Koreans Say, 'What About Us?'". WSJ. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
- ↑ "코리아 패싱 검색어 1위 왜?" ['Korea Passing' has been searched most. Why?]. 매일경제-Everyday Economics (in 한국어). Retrieved 2019-11-10.
- ↑ Fifield, Anna; Taylor, Adam (2017-11-03). "As Japan buddies up to Trump, South Korea frets it's being disrespected". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
- ↑ Lyons, John. "In the North Korea Standoff, South Koreans Say, 'What About Us?'". WSJ. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
- ↑ "[뉴스와 콩글리시] '운전자론' 무색하게 한 '코리아 패싱'" [[News and Konglish] Korea passing deprived the 'Driver theory']. www.dt.co.kr (in 한국어). Retrieved 2019-11-10.
- ↑ "논란 된 '코리아 패싱' 콩글리시?···정부 "미국도 안 쓰는 용어"" [Is 'Korean Passing' Konglish? Government says 'The term isn't spoken by English.']. news.naver.com (in 한국어). Retrieved 2019-11-10.
- ↑ "트럼프의 대북 정책이 확정됐다" [Trump's North Korea policy has been confirmed]. 허프포스트코리아 (in 한국어). 2017-04-27. Retrieved 2019-11-10. Unknown parameter
|trans-website=ignored (help) - ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Exclusive: Trump administration weighing broad sanctions on North Korea - U.S. official". Reuters. 2017-03-21. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 "[단독]"트럼프, 문재인 정부 대북지원에 불만… 한미FTA 폐기에 영향"" [[Exclusive] Trump criticizes Moon Jae-in's North Korea policy]. www.donga.com (in 한국어). 2017-09-29. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 "끝내 대답없는 북한… '코리아 패싱' 위기 앞에 선 문재인 정부" [North Korea remains unresponsive... The Moon Jae-in administration faces a 'Korea Passing' crisis]. 한국일보 (in 한국어). 2017-08-01. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
- ↑ "트럼프·아베, 文에 '지금이 그럴 때냐' 몰아붙여" [Trump and Abe pressure Moon, saying, "Is this the right time?"]. www.munhwa.com. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
- ↑ 수정 2017.06.23 11:31, 입력 2017 06 23 04:32 (2017-06-23). "[단독] 미 국방부, 문 대통령의 사드 주장을 반박" [U.S. Department of Defense refutes Moon's claims]. 중앙일보 (in 한국어). Retrieved 2019-11-10. Unknown parameter
|trans-website=ignored (help) - ↑ Sang-Hun, Choe (2017-09-20). "South Korea's Leader Will Be Odd Man Out in Meeting With Trump and Shinzo Abe". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
- ↑ Board, The Editorial. "South Korea's Bow to Beijing". WSJ. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
- ↑ "문 대통령에 전화한 트럼프, 왜 당신과 북 얘기 다른가 물어" [Trump called Moon, asking why their stances on North Korea differ]. 중앙일보 (in 한국어). 2018-05-21. Retrieved 2019-11-10. Unknown parameter
|trans-website=ignored (help) - ↑ "Remarks by President Trump and President Moon of the Republic of Korea Before Bilateral Meeting". The White House. Archived from the original on 2018-05-23. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
- ↑ "靑, 트럼프 미북정상회담 중단선언에 "상황 파악중"" [Blue House assesses situation after Trump's announcement of the cancellation of the North Korea-U.S. summit]. news.chosun.com (in 한국어). 2018-05-24. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
- ↑ 사무처장, 이태경 헨리조지포럼 (2018-05-28). "트럼프의 마음을 돌린 문재인과 김정은" [Moon Jae-in and Kim Jong-un swayed Trump]. www.pressian.com (in 한국어). Retrieved 2019-11-10.
- ↑ "'한반도 운전자론' 힘 받았다…靑, 남북미 연쇄회동 대비" ['Korean Peninsula Driver Theory' gains strength; Blue House prepares for consecutive North-South-US summits]. SBS NEWS (in 한국어). 2018-05-01. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
- ↑ Sarah Kim (June 22, 2020). "Trump didn't want Moon in DMZ, writes Bolton". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 "끝내 대답없는 북한… '코리아 패싱' 위기 앞에 선 문재인 정부" [North Korea remains silent... The Moon Jae-in administration faces a 'Korea Passing' crisis]. 한국일보 (in 한국어). 2017-08-01. Retrieved 2019-11-10. Unknown parameter
|trans-website=ignored (help) - ↑ 22.0 22.1 "한국, 사드 추가배치 포기하고 중국과 교류 정상화" [Korea renounces additional THAAD deployment, normalizes relations with China]. monthly.chosun.com (in 한국어). 2017-11-01. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
- ↑ "3不은 對中 굴욕외교인가 체면 세워주기인가" [Is the "3 Noes" policy diplomatic humiliation or face-saving?]. news.kmib.co.kr (in 한국어). 2017-11-03. Retrieved 2019-11-16.
- ↑ "한중 '해빙'…'3불 약속' 불씨 남겨" [South Korea and China's thaw... embers remain due to the "3 noes" promise]. www.ichannela.com (in 한국어). Retrieved 2019-11-16.
- ↑ "문전박대 당한 南…'코리아패싱' 또다시 시작됐나" [South Korea's treatment... Has "Korea Passing" begun again?]. news.chosun.com (in 한국어). 2018-05-22. Retrieved 2019-11-16.
- ↑ 손병산. "고위급회담 취소…'맥스 선더'와 "인간쓰레기"" [High-level talks canceled... "Max Thunder" and "human trash"]. MBC NEWS (in 한국어). Retrieved 2019-11-16.
- ↑ Choe Sang-Hun (June 16, 2020). "North Korea's Wrecking of Liaison Office a 'Death Knell' for Ties With the South". The New York Times. Retrieved August 29, 2020.
- ↑ Jiji Press (June 6, 2019). "Quote of the day: Polite ignorance could be the best way to deal with the administration of South Korean President Moon Jae-in". Japan Today. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
- ↑ "Defence of Japan 2019". MOD, Japan. 2019. Retrieved August 23, 2020.
- ↑ Kyodo (August 10, 2019). "Japan to give South Korea cold shoulder as security partner in new defense white paper". The Japan Times. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
- ↑ "Failure of the Republic of Korea to comply with obligations regarding arbitration under the Agreement on the Settlement of Problems concerning Property and Claims and on Economic Co-operation between Japan and the Republic of Korea (Statement by Foreign Minister Taro Kono)" (Press release). MOFA, Japan. July 19, 2019. Retrieved August 22, 2020.
- ↑ NEWSIS (June 19, 2019). "손학규 "국제사회에서 韓 제대로 역할하는지 의문"" [Sohn Hak-kyu "It is questionable whether Korea plays a proper role in the international community."]. newsis (in 한국어). Retrieved 2019-11-16.
- ↑ "G20 한일정상회담 불발…靑 "日, 준비 안돼"" [G20 South Korea-Japan summit is canceled, Blue House "Japan is not ready yet"]. 연합뉴스TV (in 한국어). June 25, 2019. Retrieved 2019-11-16. Unknown parameter
|trans-website=ignored (help) - ↑ "Korean gov't acted like amateurs, had it coming with Japan". Korea JoongAng Daily. August 15, 2019. Retrieved August 29, 2020.
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