Anchor: President Moon Jae-in's foreign policy brain says if North Korea suspends its nuclear and missile activities, South Korea in return will reduce the scale of its annual military exercises with the U.S. Speaking in a policy forum in Washington, special foreign policy adviser Moon Chung-in said that the government's environmental assessment for the full deployment of the THAAD antimissile system test will take a year.
Kim Bum-soo has more. 

Report: The South Korean president's foreign policy brain said that Seoul is ready to recognize Kim Jong-un as the North Korean leader and resume dialogue.

Speaking at a Woodrow Wilson Center seminar on Friday, Presidential Special Adviser Moon Chung-in said Seoul favors linking denuclearization to a peace treaty, and resuming the six party talks.

[Sound bite: Presidential Special Adviser Moon Chung-in (English)]
"If North Korea suspends its nuclear and missile activities, then we may consult with the U.S. about scaling down U.S.-ROK joint exercises and training. I think what he has in mind is we may scale down deployment of American strategic weapons over the Korean Peninsula"

The honorary Yonsei University professor explained that the South Korean government now pursues "incremental, comprehensive and fundamental" denuclearization of North Korea, beginning with a freeze on its nuclear and missile programs.

The adviser said that Seoul seeks a peaceful coexistence or a "de-facto unification" with the North, adding the North's provocations will not be tolerated.

As South Korea suspended an additional deployment of the THAAD antimissile system after putting in place two launchers and a radar, he said the pending environmental assessment will take a year. 

[Sound bite: Presidential Special Adviser Moon Chung-in (English)]
"Four seasons; spring, summer, autumn, and winter. They should go through a full seasonal cycle and measure its environmental impact."

He also said that Seoul should now have the wartime operational control of the South Korea-U.S. allied forces.

[Sound bite: Presidential Special Adviser Moon Chung-in (English)]
"He made it very clear that he wants to get back the wartime operational control from the U.S. I think that President Donald Trump would love that idea."
Kim Bum-soo, KBS World Radio News. 

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