Foreign ministry downgrades office handling NK nuclear talks

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, Thursday, it will downgrade the Office of Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs by placing it under a new entity tentatively named the Office of Diplomatic Strategy and Information, as part of a major reshuffle.

The apparent downsizing of the bureau responsible for negotiations on the North Korean nuclear issue reflects a broader approach within the Yoon Suk Yeol government, emphasizing deterrence over talks with North Korea, according to analysts.

“The reorganization was driven by the recognition that Korean Peninsula affairs have expanded beyond solely addressing nuclear and missile threats from North Korea and now encompass a multifaceted agenda that includes issues like cybersecurity and financial sanctions,” Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul said during a 2024 policy plan briefing on Thursday evening, announcing the planned reshuffle.

The briefing was held hours after Cho reported the policy plans to President Yoon Suk Yeol.

The minister explained that the new office will be responsible for overseeing not only existing Korean Peninsula affairs but also diplomatic strategy, foreign intelligence, and international security.

The functions of the current Office of Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs will be absorbed by what is tentatively called the Korean Peninsula Foreign Policy Unit, one of the four divisions to be established under the Office of Diplomatic Strategy and Information.

The head of the Korean Peninsula Foreign Policy Unit will hold a deputy director-general level position, representing a downgrade from the current leadership structure, where the Office of Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs is headed by a vice-ministerial official.

The reshuffle takes place approximately 18 years after the establishment of the Office of Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs during the high-stakes six-party negotiations on denuclearization in 2006, which involved the two Koreas, the United States, China, Russia, and Japan. It transitioned into a permanent organization in 2011 as Pyongyang continued to develop its nuclear arsenal.

Yang Moo-jin, president of the University of North Korean Studies, who perceives the planned reshuffle as a de facto disbandment of the Korean Peninsula office, expressed concerns that it undermines the pivotal role the organization has played in fostering peace in the region.

“The Office of Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs has played a vital role in pursuing peace on the peninsula. It is very disappointing that the government made this announcement without consulting with experts,” he told The Korea Times.

The downsizing of the office, occurring amid stalled talks with Pyongyang, is likely to further diminish the possibility of negotiations, Yang added.