This week, Dr. Joëlle Hivonnet joins the podcast to discuss her four-year tenure as the EU’s deputy head in Seoul from 2016, a tumultuous era in inter-Korean relations defined by both tensions and diplomacy.

Hivonnet talks about how U.S. President Donald Trump's threats against North Korea transformed into summit talks between leader Kim Jong Un, South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Trump, and how those developments ushered in a period of optimism for the EU.

She also challenges the notion that Europe has a limited role in the peninsula’s affairs, particularly after North Korea’s direct involvement in the war in Ukraine. The EU’s agenda is being “totally dominated” by the Ukraine-Russia war, and North Korea’s deployment of troops and munitions in support of Moscow’s invasion is clear evidence that issues involving the DPRK now relate to the 27-member state organization, she said.

Hivonnet, now retired, worked in EU postings for over 30 years, including in Geneva and Kathmandu. Prior to working for the EU, she was a senior lecturer at the University of Northumbria in England. 

About the podcast: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insight from our very own journalists.

NK News subscribers can listen to this and other exclusive episodes from their preferred podcast player by accessing the private podcast feed. For more detailed instructions, please see the step-by-step guide at nknews.org/private-feed.