Moon Administration Unhappy with U.S. Ambassador for Warning Them on North Korea Sanctions
Ambassador Harris continues to upset the Moon administration, but what did he say was inaccurate?:
The office of President Moon Jae-in openly reproached U.S. Ambassador Harry Harris for his remark on Moon’s stated plans to resume inter-Korean cooperation, calling it “very inappropriate.”
“It’s very inappropriate for the ambassador to make such a mention for media over remarks by the president of the hosting nation,” a Cheong Wa Dae official told reporters.
The official stressed that inter-Korean cooperation is a matter to be decided by the South Korean government, although Seoul is “always” in close consultation with Washington in making constant efforts for substantive progress in inter-Korean ties and the early resumption of dialogue between the United States and North Korea.
A spokesperson at the U.S. Embassy declined to comment directly on the presidential aide’s remarks.
“We are aware of the comment,” he told Yonhap News Agency. “We have nothing to offer at this time, and would refer you to Ambassador Harris’ recent public comments.”
Harris reportedly urged Seoul to hold prior consultations with Washington in its pursuit of allowing its nationals to make “individual” tours of Mount Kumgang on North Korea’s east coast.
It’s “better” to run such an issue “through the working group” to avoid “misunderstandings” that might trigger sanctions, he reportedly told a group of foreign reporters here, referring to a working-level consultation channel between the allies on North Korea affairs.
His remarks were viewed by many as a thinly veiled warning and an attempt to put pressure on the Moon administration as it seeks to jump-start inter-Korean projects that are unaffected by U.N. sanctions on the communist neighbor in a bid to help facilitate Pyongyang-Washington nuclear talks.
Yonhap
Essentially all Ambassador Harris is telling them is that before they attempt to do any projects with North Korea they better work it through the U.S. or face violating sanctions. It is pretty clear what the Moon administration is trying to do is find a way to get around the North Korean sanctions and Ambassador Harris is calling them out on it publicly.
Props to the Ambassador for being up front and public on this. Trump should do likewise.
commie moon pie can go frock himself. Any dealing with Norkistan should be in line with UN sanctions and consultation with the US. If commie moon pie can’t understand that perhaps he should step down from the office he obtained via a coup d’état. On second thought he should be hauled into prison and placed in President Park’s cell. Ambassador Harris has my full support.
This wasn’t a threat by the Ambassador. It was an overview of what he has probably expressed many times in many ways to the Moon Administration.
And the faux outrage is delicious coming from the team that put their successors in prison, wrecked the economy, and nearly destroyed national defense.
Sorry. Predecessors, not successors.