Thread by @NoonInKorea

Foreign Minister Kang in another mini-controversy after Japan's Nihon-Kezai reports SoS Pompeo "blew up on her" after learning about the military agreement signed by SK and NK at the Pyongyang summit. N-K quotes Pompeo, "What do you think you're doing?"
news.joins.com/article/230344…

N-K: "There was no prior discussion about the nature of the military agreement SK struck with NK." Pompeo was said to be particularly upset about the 'no fly zone' established within proximity of MDL. US reconnaissance planes regularly fly near the area for surveillance of NK

Kang pretty much acknowledged something like that happened when asked about it at the National Assembly: "I wouldn't characterize it as 'furious' or 'blew up' but there was dissatisfaction re not being fully informed. So yes, I was asked a lot of questions"

But N-K's timing of Pompeo "blowing up" may have been off. Kang clarifies, "This was before the Pyongyang summit. After the summit, Pompeo sent congrats and praised Moon's efforts." In other words, Pompeo wasn't fully briefed about the agreement terms to be signed in Pyongyang

Chosun reports Pompeo was upset re 2 specific things: (1) the military agreement with no fly-zone clauses and (2) the Pyongyang joint statement which declared that a ground-breaking ceremony for linking railways and roads will take place by the year-end

This sounds very plausible: those who covered the summit realize that clause regarding the ground-breaking ceremony was strange; it could violate UNSCR sanctions, many thought. But the ceremony in itself is innocuous: it's what ensues afterward and what it implies

Kang also admits there is a rift regarding the "pace" of inter-Korean cooperation: "There're differences of opinion re how quickly we should proceed ... There are issues between US-SK and between allies. But we overcome them through close coordination"

Despite all this, Kang made sure to emit positive vibes at the UNGA 2 weeks later by accepting Pompeo's cheek kiss, something which most SK officials aren't accustomed to giving or receiving. Traces back to her days working for umpteen UN bureaucracies
news.joins.com/article/230063…