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NK`s Fear of US Military Capability Conducive to Peaceful Resolution

NK`s Fear of US Military Capability Conducive to Peaceful Resolution

Posted May. 16, 2003 21:38,   

한국어

President Roh Moo-hyun May 16 said that, in the wake of the Iraq war, the North Korean leadership is increasingly concerned over the military capacity of the US, and which he think might be conducive to achieving a peaceful resolution of the US-North Korean nuclear standoff.

The President made the remark in an interview with the US PBS broadcasting network when host of the TV program Jim Lehrer asked him the question of whether the increased fear in the North Korean leadership of the US military capability would be helpful to seeking a peaceful resolution of the issue.

In response to another question whether he is concerned about any possibility of the North`s using nuclear weapons to attack the South, he said, “The North seems to use the issue as a means of extracting a security guarantee and economic aid from the US. However, there is a possibility of exporting nuclear weapons, if it fails to achieve what it expects from the on-going negotiations. Moreover, if it feels a threat to the stability of the regime, it may use them. However, I don`t think the North might use nuclear weapons to carry out a preemptive strike against the South.”

President Roh met with reporters on a chartered airplane heading for San Francisco from Washington. In the meeting, he said the reporters, “Even if the issue might be settled in a peaceful way, South Korea should have a flexible approach to dealing with Pyongyang. We cannot afford to make concessions to whenever the North wants the South to do so”

Furthermore, He was asked by reporters a question over whether there is any possibility that the South Korea`s announcement of taking a flexible approach to the extent or timing of inter-Korean exchanges depending on developments in the North Korean nuclear issue might strain future inter-Korean relationship. He replied that there might be a variety of changes in future developments of negations to seek a peaceful resolution to the issue.

On his arriving, he met with Korean residents in San Francisco. In the meeting, the President said, “Candle light protests staged in Korea should not be interpreted as anti-American sentiments. They should be regarded as one of ways of expressing opinions publicly. However, in expressing themselves, undesirable acts, including setting fire on the Stars and Stripes and making fun of the US president, should be avoided.”

Later, the President met with some ten prominent business leaders in the western US, including the vice chairman of Hewlett Packard, the vice chairman of Intel, the chief vice president of Microsoft and so on. President Roh asked the US business leaders to invest more in Korea.

The President will fly back to Seoul in the morning of May 17, wrapping up his weeklong visit to the US.



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