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Joseph Yun, the US State Department's top diplomat in charge of North Korea policy is retiring at the end of the week.
"I think this is a huge loss for the US government at a critical moment," Abraham Denmark, the director of the Asia Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. "He was a great advocate for dialogue and for diplomacy, and I think it's unfortunate that his voice will no longer be in the conversation inside the US government," Denmark said.
The State Department's point-man on North Korea, Joseph Yun, will leave his post on Friday.
His surprise departure reflects the widespread frustration within the State Department at diplomats' relative lack of power in the Trump administration, according to someone familiar with Yun's thinking.
It will leave another gaping hole in the United States' staffing on Korean issues. Washington has still not nominated an ambassador to South Korea, 13 months into the Trump administration.
I'm so jaded about Chinese interference in the koreas and NK's merely using negotiation as a means to extract cash etc. that I have to seriously ask what impact will this really have?
I'm so jaded about Chinese interference in the koreas and NK's merely using negotiation as a means to extract cash etc. that I have to seriously ask what impact will this really have?
Fair question, Mathguy. The short term impact is that the U.S. now has no top diplomat with a true depth of experience in North Korea and South Korea.
Yen's abrupt resignation "for personal reasons" is interesting is interesting in light of Cha's name being yanked from consideration for Ambassador to South Korea last month. Cha was supposedly at the top of the list but after he penned a piece about reserving military intervention as a last resort, suddenly he was kicked out of consideration. From what I've read, it sounds like Yun has sort of been filling in the gap, working with both South Korea and Japan. And, Yun also stressed negotiation over military action. So, we now have a gap in our team on several fronts in that region.
In the longer term, it also raises questions about which policy the administration is really going to pursue towards North Korea -- more negotiating or the "bloody nose" approach. I agree with you that NK is using negotiation for its own purposes, but at the same time, I'm not sure I'd want to go to war with them if another alternative is possible.
On a third level, the abrupt departure of another long term State Department person is another headache for Tillerson, and, of course, for the President as well.
Too early to see what, if anything, this means, but on that last point alone, Yun's surprise retirement is part of the story of what's going on at the State Department.
Fair question, Mathguy. The short term impact is that the U.S. now has no top diplomat with a true depth of experience in North Korea and South Korea.
Yen's abrupt resignation "for personal reasons" is interesting is interesting in light of Cha's name being yanked from consideration for Ambassador to South Korea last month. Cha was supposedly at the top of the list but after he penned a piece about reserving military intervention as a last resort, suddenly he was kicked out of consideration. From what I've read, it sounds like Yun has sort of been filling in the gap, working with both South Korea and Japan. And, Yun also stressed negotiation over military action. So, we now have a gap in our team on several fronts in that region.
In the longer term, it also raises questions about which policy the administration is really going to pursue towards North Korea -- more negotiating or the "bloody nose" approach. I agree with you that NK is using negotiation for its own purposes, but at the same time, I'm not sure I'd want to go to war with them if another alternative is possible.
On a third level, the abrupt departure of another long term State Department person is another headache for Tillerson, and, of course, for the President as well.
Too early to see what, if anything, this means, but on that last point alone, Yun's surprise retirement is part of the story of what's going on at the State Department.
I don't believe that any US action is going to change things much with NK at this time.
There won't be a war unless NK starts one due to the proximity of Seoul to the DMZ.
China wants NK as a belligerent as it gives them power of negotiation with the west so they have no interest in changing the status quo either.
As such, we waste way too much time bothering with NK. If they do something, counter it. Otherwise ignore them.
As the article rather carefully notes, the retiring gentleman is a 'special representative for North Korean polity', since we do not have diplomatic relations with North Korea.
We do have diplomatic relations with South Korea; sadly, we lack a diplomat to that country.
We also seem to lack diplomats to many countries, although President Trump did nominate, and the Senate duly advise and consented on, Ms. Gingrich being our representative to the Holy See in Rome.
Not to worry, Trump is on top of it. He ate at a Chinese restaurant once, and he thinks the waiter there would be a perfect fit for this job. Chinese, Korean, all the same to Trump, and he hires only the very best people.
Not to worry, Trump is on top of it. He ate at a Chinese restaurant once, and he thinks the waiter there would be a perfect fit for this job. Chinese, Korean, all the same to Trump, and he hires only the very best people.
Maybe he can add North Korea to Jared’s honey-do list.
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