South Korea's president warned Thursday (February 10) in an interview with foreign news agencies that the peninsula could slide back into a
"state of crisis"
if Pyongyang follows through on its threats to resume long-range missile fire. .
"If North Korea's series of missile launches go so far as to break the moratorium on long-range missile testing, the Korean peninsula could instantly fall back into the state of crisis we experienced five years ago."
, Moon Jae-in explained in a written interview with international news agencies including AFP.
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Pyongyang conducted an unprecedented series of seven weapons tests in January, including its most powerful missile launch since 2017, when leader Kim Jong Un provoked then-US President Donald Trump.
The negotiations that followed between the two leaders failed in 2019,
"very regrettably"
, explains Moon Jae-in, who believes that the two parties should have sought a more gradual approach to reach a less ambitious agreement.
"It would have been better to have a
'big deal'.
If that was too difficult, however, I think that a
"small agreement"
should have been sought to adopt a gradual approach"
, explains the Head of State, who assures that the
"necessary communication"
between him and Kim Jong Un did not stop.
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After talks broke down, Pyongyang redoubled its efforts to build up its arsenal, going so far as to threaten in January to end a self-imposed moratorium on long-range missile and nuclear tests.
Even if Donald Trump's successor, Joe Biden, adopts a more moderate diplomacy towards North Korea, Moon Jae-in expects a new summit between the American leader and his North Korean counterpart to take place
"a day"
.
"It's only a matter of time,"
he said.
Moon Jae-in, who pushed for talks during his five-year presidency, is due to step down in May after the constitution bars him from seeking a second term.
His successor will be elected on March 9.