I was interviewed last night for Arirang News’ “On Point” segment on its morning news program, “New Day,” and discussed how a Harris policy would compare with Trump’s policy toward both North and South Korea. I also discussed the visit to Washington, DC, of Unification Minister Kim Youngho. Many thanks to anchor Kim Da Mi for her questions.

Here is an excerpt of my on-air remarks on Trump’s probable policy:

The top issue is to deal with Ukraine. Just the other day, Trump was on the phone with Zelensky. Zelensky was correct to reach out to Trump because they’re going to have to talk with each other [if Trump were to win].

But I think what Trump would focus on first is to make a deal with Putin, which will probably freeze the [frontlines] exactly where they are, and it will not be a good situation, but he doesn’t want to spend any more money defending Ukraine in a [war] that he probably believes can’t be won.

But once he’s done that, here’s my little prediction of what [Trump] would say, and this is sort of a quote, once he dealt with the [Ukraine] issue.

He would say, “Korea is a rich country and you’re selling the latest weapons around the world. You don’t need U.S. troops on your soil and we have to save the U.S. a lot of money. So I will draw down the numbers of our troops and maybe leave a few hundred there after four years.”

“And meanwhile, the situation on the peninsula has become parlous since 2021 in terms of the tensions on the peninsula — and they would not have occurred if I had been President.” And in fact, he said this to Korean audiences over the last three years by video.

So he would probably then say, “I will make a deal with Kim and let him keep a few nukes and just short-range missiles, in exchange for our stopping all military exercises with both Korea and Japan, and the troop drawdown.”

But Trump would probably say that current ROK policy exacerbates tension with Kim Jong-un and has to stop. And I would predict he would say that it’s best that President Yoon makes a determination, and makes the effort, to meet with Chairman Kim and finds a way to get along.

…I would also add that given Kim’s partnership with Putin, Kim may decide not to meet with Trump at all because he figured he’s not good for his word and he’s not good for his money. But Putin is the unknown in this whole situation because he may intervene between Trump and Kim and then we’d have to see exactly where the chips fall.

Below is the full interview:

Photo at top: Vice President Kamala Harris visits the Korean DMZ in September 2022.

I was interviewed today for Arirang News’ “On Point” segment on its morning news program, “New Day,” and discussed North Korea’s launching of hundreds of trash-laden balloons across the DMZ into South Korea in advance of the ROK’s first Korea-Africa summit. I also discussed the North’s recent super-large multiple rocket launcher test, as well as current DPRK relations with both Russia and China. Many thanks to anchor Choi Min-jung for her questions.

Here is the full interview:

Photo at top: Trash spilled from a balloon sent by North Korea that landed in Incheon, South Korea in early June.

I finally converted the DVD of my May 21, 2004 interview with CNN International on Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi’s second visit to North Korea (see photo above; his first was in 2002) to a digital file (itself converted from a low-res VHS tape they sent me). I got to use CNN’s brand new studio at their New York headquarters at Columbus Circle (CNN has since moved to Hudson Yards). Here it is from 20 years ago (my segment begins 10 seconds into tape):

I was interviewed yesterday for Arirang News’ “On Point” segment on its morning news program, “New Day,” and discussed Kim Yo-jong’s KCNA statements regarding a prospective summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, which now looks less likely. I also discussed the meetings with senior Chinese officials by Kim Song-nam, head of the KWP’s International Department, on the 75th anniversary of DPRK-China relations. Many thanks to anchor Kim Da Mi for her questions.

Here is the full interview:

Photo at top: Prime Minister of Japan Junichiro Koizumi went to Pyongyang and met Supreme Leader Kim Jong-il on September 17, 2002

I was interviewed yesterday on Arirang News’ flagship “Within the Frame” public affairs newscast, along with Dr. Go Myong-hyun, Senior Research Fellow, Institute for National Security Strategy, to discuss North Korea’s latest developments, particularly its relations with Russia, China and the U.S. Many thanks to veteran anchor Han Da-eun for her incisive questions and moderating.

The full interview is below:

I was interviewed today on Arirang News’ “Within the Frame”discussion program particularly about two recent articles by DPRK analysts Robert Carlin and Dr. Siegfried Hecker, and Amb. Robert Gallucci, all of whom are apprehensive about North Korea’s intentions in 2024, including serious indications of it preparing for war.  I was joined by Dr. Kim Young-jun, Professor of International Politics, National Security College, Korea National Defense University (KNDU). Many thanks to host Kim Bo-kyoung for her thoughtful questions and willingness to allow me to speak at greater length on the key question in this segment.

The full interview is below:

Photo at top: Kim Jong-un inspects the test-fire of a submarine-launched strategic cruise missile in North Korea in late January.

I was interviewed yesterday on Arirang News’ flagship “Within the Frame” public affairs newscast, along with Dr. Go Myong-hyun of The Asan Institute, to discuss North Korea’s  decision to no longer regard South Korea as part of a divided Korea with it shares the goal of reconciliation and unification, but simply as another state, with whom it is in an adversarial relationship. Many thanks to host Kim Bo-kyoung for her questions.

Here is the full interview:

Photo at top: Kim Jong-un attends a meeting with a group of major commanding officers of the Korean People’s Army at the headquarters of the Korean Workers Party Central Committee in Pyongyang on Dec. 31, 2023.

I was interviewed yesterday for Arirang News’ “On Point” segment on its morning news program, “New Day,” and discussed the Korean Workers’ Party Central Committee plenum, which was part-way through its annual end-of-year session. I also address recent unhelpful statements by the ROK that added fuel to the North’s bellicose rhetoric and needlessly increase tensions. We also discussed that Kim Jong Un will turn 40 next month and has now been in office for 12 years. Many thanks to anchor Kim Da Mi for her questions.

Here is the full interview:

Photo at top: Kim Jong-un attends the second-day session of a year-end plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the Korean Workers’ Party in Pyongyang on Dec. 27, 2023.

I was interviewed yesterday for Arirang News’ “On Point” segment on its morning program, “New Day.” I discussed the trilateral meeting of the national security advisors of the U.S., ROK and Japan held in Seoul on Saturday. We also discussed White House Asia czar Kurt Campbell’s comments on North Korea during his Senate testimony, and whether Kim Jong Un’s daughter, Ju-ae, is being groomed for succession. Many thanks to anchor Kim Da Mi for her questions.

Here is the full interview:

Photo at top: White House Indo-Pacific policy advisor, Kurt Campbell, testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee at a hearing on his nomination to become Deputy Secretary of State, Dec. 7, 2023. Below are Campbell’s remarks on North Korea during the Q&A session:

I was interviewed today on Arirang News’ flagship “Within the Frame” public affairs newscast, along with Dr. Go Myong-hyun of The Asan Institute, to discuss North Korea’s first successful military satellite launch and the breakdown of the Sept. 2018 inter-Korean military agreement, both of which have raised regional tensions. Many thanks to host Kim Bo-kyoung for her questions.

Here is the full interview:

Photo at top: Kim Jong-un and daughter Ju-Ae attend a banquet in Pyongyang last week to celebrate the launch of the Malligyong-1 spy satellite.