By Yi Whan-woo
Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha hopes the PyeongChang Winter Olympics will serve as an opportunity for the denuclearization of North Korea, she said Tuesday.
However, she remained cautious over whether North Korea will join the South's first Winter Games slated for February 2018, claiming there are possibilities of Pyongyang's additional military provocations.
But if the repressive state participates in the Olympics, it will help make a breakthrough in inter-Korean ties and create momentum in resolving the North Korea nuclear crisis, Kang said.
"We will be able to make progress in diplomatic efforts for North Korea's denuclearization on the occasion of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics," the foreign minister said during a press meeting in downtown Seoul. "The PyeongChang Games will be successful with or without North Korea. But if Pyongyang joins, it will help pave the way for cross-border contact and also bring momentum for issues on North Korea's nuclear program."
Regarding the Kim Jong-un regime's nuclear and ballistic missile provocations next year, Kang said "it's possible."
She speculated the reclusive state may shift to a peace offensive as well. "This is why we are paying close attention to its New Year's address," she said.
"We're open to all possibilities, including both dialogue and provocations, and are making preparations accordingly in a through manner."
The foreign and unification ministries have been working closely to cope with North Korea's possible participation in the Winter Olympics, according to Kang.
The PyeongChang Winter Olympics will be held from Feb. 9 to 25, followed by the Winter Paralympics from March 8 to 18.
A unification ministry official said the Kim regime appears to be preparing to compete in the Paralympics, claiming its physically challenged winter sports athletes recently trained overseas.
Meanwhile, Kang said Cheong Wa Dae was in charge of Presidential Chief of Staff Im Jong-seok's disputed trip to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) early this month, while the foreign ministry provided relevant support.
It has been rumored President Moon Jae-in hurriedly sent Im as his special envoy to straighten out misunderstandings regarding Korea's nuclear power plant project in the UAE.
Kang said the government will consult with the United States more closely and learn details regarding U.S. President Donald Trump's vision to bolster U.S.-led security cooperation in the "Indo-Pacific region."
This poses a dilemma for Seoul because it is apparently aimed at containing a rising China, South Korea's largest trading partner.
Kang said the government will make "all possible efforts" to put Seoul-Beijing relations on track in every sector, after the two sides agreed to reconcile over deployment of a U.S. missile shield here.
She expressed regret over the foreign ministry's involvement in a now-defunct international aid project, which was intended to benefit former President Park Geun-hye's corrupt confidant Choi Soon-sil.
Kang claimed a foundation controlled by Choi first came up with the project and Cheong Wa Dae mobilized foreign and other relevant ministries to support the program during Park's term.
