And to talk more on this, we're joined by Dr. Woo Jung-yeop, a research fellow at the
Sejong Institute.
Thank you for coming in today.
Q1 So there’s been a series of very rare inter-Korean
exchanges for the Winter Olympics since the start of the year.
What do you think about the progress so far?
Q2 The joint Korean women’s ice hockey is certain
to grab global attention during the Olympics.
And North Korea is also participating in other areas as well, with a cheer leading squad
also due to arrive here.
How do you think North Korea’s Olympic participation will play out?
Q3 North Korea’s ceremonial head of state Kim
Yong-nam is set to visit the South during the Olympics and all eyes are already on the
‘friendly letter’ from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un that he’s expected to bring
with him.
What can we expect from that letter?
Q4 Another team of North Korean artists including
singers and dancers who will perform during the Pyeonchang games left the North this morning
on board the ferry Mangyongbong and entered the South Korean waters this afternoon.
But we hear North Korea has changed its border-crossing method three times before it decided to take
the ferry.
Why the fickle?
Q5 The Olympic spirit is all good, very friendly
and peaceful, but we can’t overlook the controversies surrounding North Korea’s
Olympic participation.
One of them, is whether any of inter-Korean exchange violates the global sanctions imposed
on Pyongyang.
Was there any violation so far?
Do you think the joint inter-Korean preparation for the games will undermine the existing
sanctions on North Korea in anyway?
Q6 Last week, a South Korean chartered plane,
with South Korean ski athletes onboard couldn’t take off until the very last minute due to
Washington’s independent sanctions on North Korea-bound flights.
Some, are raising concerns that North Korea’s Olympics participation will harm Seoul-Washington
alliance.
Your thoughts?
Q7 Much attention is also focused on when the
South Korea-U.S. joint military drills that were delayed upon Seoul’s request will begin.
When do you expect the drills to begin?
Q8 Japanese PM Shinzo Abe also called on President
Moon Jae-in to conduct the South Korea-U.S. joint drills as soon as the Olympics close.
What do you read from the call?
Was it diplomatically appropriate?
Q9 According to CNN this morning, U.S. President
Donald Trump’s daughter and White House advisor Ivanka Trump will visit South Korea
along with a presidential delegation to attend the Olymics closing ceremony.
Implications to her visit?
---> U.S. Vice President Mike Pence will also be visiting South Korea for the games, and
he's scheduled to stopped by Japan before his arrival.
What kind of message would he send to North Korea while he's here?
Q10 Some 26 heads of state, as well as high ranking
officials will visit South Korea for the Olympics, which will mark the first time since 1988
Seoul Olympics.
What kind of outcome do you expect from President Moon’s Olympics diplomacy?
Q11 President Moon is expected
to hold a series of multilateral talks with world
leaders and high-ranking officials.
What do you look forward to the most?
Q12 Some here in South
Korea criticize that Winter Olympics is
being politically used by leaders of both North
and South Korea.
What’s your
take
on that?