[뉴스VOW=현주 기자]
[세상소리뉴스=VOICE OF WORLD] 윤석열 대통령이 23일 CNN뉴스 단독 인터뷰를 했다. 북한 중국 등 주변 국가들과 국제사회에 대해 그의 경제동맹 정책을 들어본다.
취임 후 2주 전 첫 CNN과 인터뷰에서 “공은 김 위원장의 결정에 있다고 생각한다.... 우리와 대화를 시작하는 것이 그의 선택이라고 생각한다”고 밝힌 바 있었다.
북한에 대해, 윤 대통령은 “북한의 도발이나 갈등을 일시적으로 피하는 것만으로는 우리가 해야 할 일이 아니다.... 지난 5년 동안 이런 종류의 접근법은 실패로 판명되었다”며 문재인 정부 대북 정책과는 다른 입장을 냈다.
윤 대통령은 “북한이 붕괴되는 것을 원하지 않는다.... 내가 원하는 것은 한반도의 공동번영이다.... (북)핵 능력을 강화하는 것이 국제 평화 유지에 도움이 된다고 생각하지 않는다”고 밝혔다.
한미 공동성명을 기조로 윤 대통령은 ‘합동 군사훈련 재개 확대’는 “순전히 방어적인 것”이며, 정기 정규 군사훈련은 “전 세계 모든 군대가 준비 태세를 유지하는 기본 의무”라고 말했다.
그는 북핵 공격시 미국은 ‘미사일 방어’와 ‘핵우산’을 포함한 지원을 제공할 거라면서도, “한반도에 전술핵무기를 재배치할 가능성”은 배제했다고 덧붙였다.
윤 대통령은 바이든의 인도-태평양 경제 프레임워크(Indo-Pacific Economic Framework)에 가입하는 건 한국의 ‘국익’에 있다고 했고, 역내 가치가 다른 중국보다 민주주의 국가들을 위한 경제계획을 우선했다.
그는 또한 한국이 백신, 기후 변화 및 선진기술을 포함한 분야에서 협력하기 위해 미국, 호주, 인도 및 일본으로 구성된 비공식그룹 ‘쿼드’ 또는 안보 교류 등 여러 실무 그룹에 합류하는 것을 고려하고 있다고 강조했다.
한국은 공식 ‘쿼드’ 회원 자격을 계속 고려하고 추구할 것이라고도 말했다. ‘쿼드’는 동아시아 역내 중국의 영토 확장 야심이 커지면서 더욱 활발하게 활동하고 있고, 베이징은 이 블록이 “유해한” 냉전 정신을 상징하는 반중국 “파벌”이라고 비난했다.
윤 대통령은 중국을 향해 전임자와는 달리 ‘경제적 라이벌’로 묘사했고, 미국과의 긴밀한 관계가 베이징의 분노를 자극해 ‘경제 보복’ 위협도 있을 거라고 속내를 털어놓았다.
그는 “안보와 기술 분야에서 미국과 동맹을 강화한다고 해서 중국과 경제협력이 중요하지 않다고 생각하는 것은 아니다”라며, 한중 모두 상호협력에 의존하고 있다.
그러면서 “중국이 이 문제에 지나치게 민감하게 반응하는 것은 합리적이지 않다고 생각한다”며 여유를 보였다.
[CNN 영어 인터뷰 전문]
The age of appeasing North Korea is over and any new talks between Seoul and Pyongyang must be initiated by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, South Korea's new conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol said on Monday.
Speaking exclusively to CNN in his first media interview since taking office two weeks ago, Yoon said: “I think the ball is in Chairman Kim's court -- it is his choice to start a dialogue with us.”
North Korea has launched 15 missile tests so far this year -- more than in the past two years combined -- and last month Kim vowed to “strengthen and develop" its nuclear forces at the "highest possible” speed.
From his new presidential office at the former defense building in Seoul, Yoon told CNN South Korea and its allies stand ready for any acts of North Korean provocation.
“Just to escape temporarily North Korean provocation or conflict is not something that we should do,” he said, pointing at the previous liberal administration's conciliatory strategy. “This kind of approach over the past five years, has proven to be a failure.”
Yoon, a former prosecutor and newcomer to politics, has consistently emphasized his tougher stance on North Korea and desire to strengthen the South’s military -- a departure from predecessor Moon Jae-in, who had promoted dialogue and peaceful reconciliation.
Despite his stance, Yoon said Monday he didn't want North Korea to “collapse.” “What I want is shared and common prosperity on the Korean Peninsula,” he said -- but added, “I do not believe that enhancing [North Korea’s] nuclear capability is helpful and conducive to maintaining international peace.”
The US, China and the Quad
Given North Korea's recent surge in missile testing and resumed activity at its underground nuclear test site, regional leaders were on edge over the weekend as Yoon met with US President Joe Biden in Seoul.
US officials had warned the North could be preparing for an underground nuclear or intercontinental ballistic missile test during Biden’s visit -- his first Asia trip since taking office.
So far, that hasn't happened. But the two men found common ground, Yoon said, showing CNN a gift received from Biden, a sign that read, “The buck stops here.” The quote is often associated with former US President Harry S. Truman. “I don't know how (Biden) knew that I like this statement,” Yoon said, placing it in the middle of his desk.
Throughout his campaign, Yoon emphasized the importance of South Korea's close security alliance with the US -- a push that was on full display after his meeting with Biden, when the US President praised their relationship as reaching “new heights.”
After their meeting, the two leaders announced in a joint statement they would begin discussions on restarting and potentially expanding joint military drills that had been halted under Biden's predecessor -- a step likely to draw fury from North Korea.
On Monday, Yoon defended the move as purely defensive. Regular military training is “the basic duty of every military around the world to maintain their readiness,” he said.
He added that in the case of an attack, the US would provide assistance including missile defense and its “nuclear umbrella,” the promise of protection from a nuclear-armed state to a non-nuclear ally.
However, he ruled out the possibility of “redeploying tactical nuclear weapons on the [Korean] Peninsula.” But South Korea could see its partnership with the US and other regional players expand in other ways.
Yoon said it was in South Korea's “national interest” to join Biden's Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, a newly-unveiled economic plan for like-minded democracies in the region that is widely seen as a counter to China's sway.
He added that South Korea is also considering joining several working groups of the “Quad,” or Quadilateral Security Dialogue -- an informal group made up of the US, Australia, India and Japan -- to collaborate in areas including vaccines, climate change and emerging technology.
However, he stopped short of saying the South would seek official Quad membership, saying it was something they would “continue to consider.”
The Quad has become more active in recent years as concerns grow about China's territorial claims in the region, with all four leaders set to hold an in-person summit in Tokyo on Tuesday. Beijing has condemned the bloc as an anti-China “clique” emblematic of a “poisonous” Cold War mentality.
For years, South Korea has tried to balance its US alliance with growing economic ties with China -- but Seoul’s relations with Beijing have become strained in recent years.
Throughout his campaign, Yoon took a cooler tone than his predecessor toward China, portraying the country as an economic rival. When asked about the risk of provoking Beijing's fury by forging closer ties with the US, Yoon brushed off the threat of economic retaliation.
“Even if we strengthen our alliances with the United States in security and technology, it does not mean that we think our economic cooperation with China is unimportant,” he said.
Besides, he added, both South Korea and China depend on their mutual cooperation -- "so I do not believe it is reasonable for China to be overly sensitive about this matter."
현주 기자 sockopower@outlook.com
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