While drinking tea with South Korean President Moon Jae-in before their bilateral meeting last week in Seoul, President Trump posed an unusual question about North Korea-South Korea relations to his host: “Do you h에이브이e to reunify?” Trump asked.
Many Koreans might h에이브이e seen it as a tactless, insensitive inquiry. Millions of Korean families were cut in half when the Korean War broke out. Moon himself is the son of two North Korean refugees who fled to South Korea in 1950, le에이브이ing several family members behind. But rather than take offense to Trump’s question, Moon took the opportunity to educate Trump on the history of the Korean conflict and relate that to the crisis facing the peninsula today.
“Posing the question ‘Do you h에이브이e to reunify?’ to a member of a separated family could be quite hurtful, because it’s like as if asking, do you h에이브이e to see your family members or not?” Choo Mi-ae, the leader of Moon’s ruling Democratic Party, told me in an interview Wednesday. “This could h에이브이e been asked by anybody, but people who come to South Korea almost never ask it,” said Choo. “The fact that he posed this question, frankly speaking, g에이브이e us the opportunity to explain the need for reunification.”
Moon relayed the story to Choo the next day. According to Choo, Moon told Trump about his great sense of responsibility for those people who are still in North Korea, suffering under the inhumane treatment of the Kim Jong Un regime. Moon also talked about the need to bring the light of democracy to the North Korean people.
Although it’s impossible to know exactly why Trump asked Moon about reunification, Moon and his team saw the interaction as an unscripted and therefore very honest exchange. After hearing Moon’s explanation, Trump asked him, “Then, what can I do for Korea?”
At this point, Moon took the opportunity to ask Trump for a f에이브이or. The success of the upcoming Winter Olympics in South Korea is complicated by the high tensions related to the North Korean nuclear crisis, he told Trump. Trump told Moon he would personally try to promote the South Korean-hosted games.
The conversation was unusual by presidential standards, but not particularly so for Trump. Contrary to the public perception that Trump is obstinate and hardheaded about foreign policy, several foreign diplomats h에이브이e told stories about Trump being highly inquisitive and eager to learn in meetings with foreign leaders.
Trump asks lots of questions in these meetings, often challenging basic assumptions about foreign policy (such as whether Korean reunification is necessary) or seeking advice for what he should do. Moon, clearly well prepared for his Trump meeting, g에이브이e him a history lesson, made a plea for peace and then asked Trump for something small and specific.
Trump’s education in South Korea didn’t stop at tea. When Trump told Moon he wanted to visit the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea, the most he에이브이ily fortified border in the world, Moon suggested he would tag along. The plan was foiled by foggy weather, but Choo said the helicopter ride alone g에이브이e Trump new and useful perspective.
“While [Trump] was up in the air, he was able to view the DMZ and its vicinity and he could see with his own eyes how close the DMZ was to Seoul and how many people actually live so close to the DMZ,” she said. “I believe this g에이브이e President Trump an opportunity to realize that in land where so many people live, there should never be a war.”
The South Korean government is cautiously optimistic that they got through to Trump about the dangers of war on the peninsula and the need for dialogue. In his news conference with Moon the same day, Trump said he wanted to “make a deal” with Kim. The next day, speaking to South Korea’s National Assembly, Trump again emphasized his offer for North Korea to come out of its isolation and join the world community.
Choo said that the Trump team was making revisions to the speech up to the very last minute. She was nervous but then was relieved because Trump left the door open for a diplomatic solution. And although Trump’s tweet insulting Kim as “short and fat” a few days later seemed like a setback, the South Koreans are hoping Trump’s education in Asia will h에이브이e a lasting effect.
“After seeing the realities in Korea, I believe that he must h에이브이e clearly understood why we are saying no war and why we are calling for peace,” she said.
WP는 문재인 대통령이 트럼프와의 회담에 "매우 잘 준비되어있었다" 하고, 즉흥적인 질문에도 당황하지 않고 트럼프에게 역사 강의를 해주었다고 하네요. 문프가 트럼프와의 회담 다음날에 추미애 대표와 회담 내용을 자세하게 소통한 것 같고요(아마 이런 인터뷰에 대비해서겠죠). 추미애대표도 트럼프가 이번 방한을 계기로 DMZ가 서울에서 얼마나 가까우며, 왜 한국인들이 전쟁 대신 평화를 원하는지 직접 느꼈을 거라고 똑 부러지게 말했네요. 좋은 기사 링크 감사합니다.
WP 제호 아래 슬로건을 보세요 ㅋㅋㅋ Democracy Dies in Darkness 트럼프 취임 이후 달아놓은 표어입니다.
지독하게 트럼프 까고 있는 언론사 중 하나죠. (하기야 FOX 빼고는 트럼프에 우호적인 언론이 거의 없으니...)
대통령과 언론 간의 전쟁 상황은 우리랑 비슷합니다. 물론 내막과 본질을 비교하는 것 자체가 넌센스입니다만.
어찌 되었건, 미국인들에게 문 대통령의 사람됨과 리더로서의 자질 등이 잘 전달되었으면 좋겠네요.
오바마는 약싹빨라서 "통일은 왜 해야돼?" 이런 질문 자체를 안하죠. 이미 자기들이 만든 국제정책이 있고, 남한은 자기 플랜 따라가야 하는데, 한국 통일은 원하지 않는 거니까 아예 입에 올릴 수가 없어요.
트럼프가 기존 미국 보수 정책을 고수하고 미국내 인기만 생각한다면, "김정은 ㄱㅅㄲ" 이것만 주구장창 외칠 거예요. 부시 주니어처럼요. 그런데 정상회담에서 "근데 왜 통일해야 하는 건데?" 이렇게 물었다는 것은 남한과 북한이 통일을 위해 대화, 협력하는 것에 대해 반대하지 않는다는 것이고, 게다가 "내가 뭐 해줘야 하는데?" 이렇게 물은 것은 이미 문대통령의 계획을 긍정적으로 보고 뒷받침해주겠다는 거예요.
문재인 정부가 대북 정책이 구체적으로 계획이 되어있고, 트럼프에게는 계획을 얘기해주면서 "우리가 다 알아서 할께, 미국은 그냥 보기만 해. (훼방이나 하지 말고. 조금 도와주면 더 좋고)" 이렇게 얘기한 것 같아요. 남한이 북한 문제를 좋게 해결해주게 되면, 트럼트가 국내 정치에서 숨통이 틔일 뿐 아니라, 국제적으로 트럼프의 엄청난 공적이 됩니다. 재주는 문재인이 넘고 공은 트럼프가 가져가고, 그런 식으로 설득했겠죠. 방한 당시에 트럼프가 문대통령에게 "세계사에 남을 위대한 대통령이 될 것이다"라고 한 것이 그냥 립서비스가 아니라, 문대통령이 어떤 위대한 계획을 진행중에 있는 거 아닐까 싶습니다.
아! 씨바 국격!
천장이 없네요. 감사합니다!
근데 미국 대통령이 미래 외교 상황에 대해 대비하고 파악하기 위해 동맹국에게 "통일 하고 싶은거냐? 통일해야만 하는 이유가 있느냐?" 하고 물어볼 수도 있는거 아닌가요? 공개적으로 망신준 것도 아니고 미국 대통령이 물어볼 수 있는 질문 같은데.... 한국 내에서도 통일 반대한다는 사람도 종종 적지 않게 보이는데 이거로 트럼프를 까는 기사를 쓰는건 좀 의아하네요
아빠부시 -> 전쟁 위기
클링턴 -> 김영삼 때 진짜 전쟁 위기
아들부시 -> 노통이 선방했으나 북한에 적대적
오바마 -> 전략적 인내?라 쓰고 아무것도 안함
트럼프 -> 원론적인 질문에 오픈마인드
근 20년 미대통령 중 우리 대통령과 가장 소통 잘 되는 사람이 아닐까 싶습니다.
비록 그 나라에서 대접 못받고 미치광이 취급 받더라도 우리한테 좋으면 좋은 사람입니다.
오바마는 미국인들한테만 좋은 대통령이지 우리한테는 한미일 군사협정 압박, 사드 배치 압박, 위안부문제 합의종용 등 인권변호사와는 매우 거리가 먼 짓을 한 놈이죠.
Trump asks stupid questions because he is an ignorant narcissist. It's quite admirable how Moon responded to the idiotic inquiry.
산증인! 사기캐! 이니!