The Top Diplomats Yu and Clinton
Agreed to Upgrade The Alliance Into
A "21st-Century Strategic One" The Seoul-Washington Alliance:
South Korea's Foreign Minister Yu Myunghwan
(right) and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton hold a joint press conference following
their talks, at the MOFAT (Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and Trade) in central Seoul, on Feb. 20,
2009. During their talks, Minister Yu and
Secretary Clinton agreed to closely cooperate
in tackling the North Korean issue, and to foil
any reckless attempt by the North to keep
South Korea and the United States apart. They
also agreed to work together to upgrade the
Seoul-Washington alliance into a "21st-Century
Strategic Alliance."
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's visit to South Korea has served as an opportunity for Seoul and Washington to reaffirm their efforts to achieve the denuclearization of North Korea. Clinton and South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan sent a clear message to Pyongyang that they would not tolerate the communist state's development of nuclear weapons. Yu and Clinton, on February 2009, agreed to closely cooperate in tackling the North Korean issue, and to foil any reckless attempt by the North to keep South Korea and the United States apart. It is imperative that the traditional allies work together to prove that it is futile for the North to resort to its anachronistic policy of having direct talks with the United States while marginalizing the South. In this regard, we welcome the agreement between the top diplomats, calling for a push towards "complete and verifiable" dismantlement of the North's nuclear programs through the Six-Party Talks. It is urgent that Seoul and Washington translate the accord into action to prod the world's last Stalinist country to return to the table and make good on its commitments to denuclearization. Clinton and Yu have called on Pyongyang to refrain from taking provocative actions and to go back to inter-Korean talks to ease tensions and move toward reconciliation and peace. The North Korean leadership should pay heed to the call by doing its best to revive the stalled six-party negotiations and the South-North talks, which have been suspended since conservative President Lee Myung-bak took office in February 2008. The North is required to resume dialogue with the South and sit again with nuclear disarmament negotiators of the United States and other six-party nations. We hope the Kim Jong-il regime will change itself to enjoy economic aid, security guarantees, and diplomatic incentives in return for denuclearization.This is certainly the best option for North Korea. During their talks, the two ministers also agreed to work together to upgrade the Seoul-Washington alliance into a "21st-Century Strategic Alliance." "I hold great hopes for the future of our partnership because it is more than a regional partnership. It is becoming a global strategic alliance that rests upon on shared commitments and common values, democracy, human rights, market economy and the pursuit of peace," Clinton said. Minister Yu and Secretary Clinton agreed to exert joint efforts to overcome the global financial crisis, as well as ensure the success of the upcoming G-20 Summit meeting in London in April. The two ministers looked forward to holding a Korea-U.S. Summit Meeting at the earliest date possible to further consolidate bilateral alliance, as well as cooperation in key global issues. They concurred in working together to this end. Also, they shared the view that Korea and the US must work together to move forward in the Free Trade Agreement. Moreover, both ministers recognized the importance of stability and reconstruction in Afghanistan for world peace and prosperity, and decided to strive toward this goal. Lastly, Yu and Clinton noted that this foreign ministers' meeting was a significant occasion where Korea and the United States have further strengthened policy coordination and consolidated bilateral cooperation. Based on what had been discussed during this meeting, the two ministers agreed to make joint efforts in strengthening mutual trust and cooperation.
Later in the day, Clinton paid a courtesy call on President Lee Myung-bak at Cheong Wa Dae. Clinton conveyed U.S. President Barack Obama's wish to hold bilateral talks with Lee at the upcoming G-20 Summit in April in London, according to the officials at the presidential office. During the meeting with Clinton, Lee asked for the new U.S. government to strengthen cooperation with Seoul in resolving the North Korean nuclear crisis. "It is very important for us to strengthen the relations between South Korea and the United States, as well as those with Japan, China and Russia to resolve the North Korean issue and other issues," Lee told Clinton. Clinton responded the U.S. government was also "very much looking forward" to working with its Asian ally to overcome international security issues, such as North Korea's nuclear program, as well as addressing the world economic turmoil. "We will try to convince the North Koreans to begin a process within the Six-Party Talks toward the complete and verifiable elimination of nuclear weapons," said Clinton. Hillary Clinton arrived at Seoul Airport in Seongnam on February 19, for a two-day trip. Embarking on her first trip to South Korea as the top U.S. diplomat, Clinton was greeted by new South Korean Ambassador to the United States Han Duk-soo at a military air-port south of Seoul. She had traveled to South Korea in 1993 and 1996 as first lady. This is the first official visit to South Korea by a high-ranking U.S. official since Barack Obama became President. Seoul is the third stop on her week-long Asian tour that began on February 18 and has already taken her to Japan and Indonesia. She picked up Asia as her maiden overseas trip as top U.S. diplomat.
Secretary of State Clinton said that her government has no plan yet for top-level contact with North Korea, amid a protracted stall in efforts to denuclearize the communist nation. In a roundtable with some South Korean news outlets in Seoul, the secretary of state adamantly said she is not even considering a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il: "I have no intention or plan," she said. "It is not something we are even contemplating." In a joint news conference following talks with Minister Yu, on February 20, Clinton also warned North Korea of its recent threatening rhetoric against South Korea. Clinton urged North Korea to stop its campaign of threats, including preparations to testlaunch a ballistic missile. "North Korea is not going to get a different relationship with the United States while insulting and refusing dialogue with the Republic of Korea," she said. "We are calling on the government of North Korea to refrain from being provocative and unhelpful in the war of words that it has been engaged in, because that is not very fruitful." Clinton called on Pyongyang not to proceed with its planned test-launch of a ballistic missile that not only violates a 2006 U.N. resolution, and but also could jeopardize the six-party denuclearization process. Clinton said, "It is clear that North Korea is required to suspend all activities related to its ballistic missile program. U.N. Resolution 1718, prohibiting the North's ballistic missile activities, was adopted in 2006 after North Korea test-launched several missiles, including a Taepodong-2 ballistic missile believed to have a range of 6,700 km and capable of hitting Alaska. At the press conference, Minister Yu said that South Korea and the United States would not tolerate North Korean nuclear weapons. "We also reached a common view that North Korea must halt provocative activities and unconditionally engage in inter-Korean dialogue as early as possible," Yu added after talks with his U.S. counter part Clinton. "The Republic of Korea's achievement of democracy and prosperity stands in stark contrast to the tyranny and poverty across the border to the North. North Korea is not going to get a different relationship with the United States while insulting and refusing dialogue with the Republic of Korea. We are asking the government of North Korea to refrain from the provocative and unhelpful war of words it has been engaged in," Clinton answered to a question on North and South Korea.
The relationship between the United States and Korea is deep and enduring, and it is indispensable to our shared security," said Clinton. During her stay in Seoul, Secretary of State Clinton visited Ewha Womans University and had a special lecture under the entitle of "Women's Empowerment Is Key To Progress," at the university, on Feb. 20, 2009. Clinton said, "Without security, children can't even imagine their futures and may not have the potential to actually live up to their talents. Our two countries have joined together as a force for peace, prosperity, and progress. Korean and American soldiers have served shoulder-to-shoulder in so many places around the world. "We know that the most acute challenge to stability and security in Northeast Asia is the regime in North Korea, and particularly its nuclear program. It bears repeating that President Obama and I are committed to working through the Six-Party Talks. "We have an opportunity to move those forward and that it is incumbent upon North Korea to avoid provocative actions and unhelpful rhetoric toward the people and the leaders of the Republic of Korea. Remember that the North Korean Government committed to abandoning all nuclear weapons and returning at an early date to the Treaty of Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons. "I make the offer again right here in Seoul: If North Korea is genuinely prepared to completely and verifiably eliminate their nuclear weapons program, the Obama Administration will be willing to normalize bilateral relations, replace the peninsula's longstanding armistice agreement with a permanent peace treaty, and assist in meeting the energy and other economic and humanitarian needs of the Korean people. "Also essential to our shared security and prosperity is a resolution to the global economic crisis. Korea and the United States have both benefited from a strong economic relationship, and your leaders and I today discussed ways we can develop that relationship further. We are going to work on a vision of a much more comprehensive strategic relationship. "We want more partnerships to bring not just government leaders together, but business and professional and academic and political and people-to-people. We want to work with Korea so that both of us will be leaders in getting at the root causes of global climate change and vigorously pursuing a clean energy agenda. "And I applaud your country for being a global leader in this area, and for calling on the ingenuity and skills of the Korean people to promote green technologies that will create jobs and protect our planet and enhance our security."
Clinton has stated that her main objective during her first visit to Asia is to "listen," meaning that what South Korean leaders say and do (whether or not such actions can win support from the Korean public) will shape the near-term potential of the relationship, particularly with regard to South Korea's potential contributions to helping curb international pirates off the Somali coast and post-conflict stabilization in Afghanistan. Instead of responding to U.S. requests for assistance in global "hot spots," South Korea should establish its contributions to the international community based on its own perceived interests, knowing that international perceptions of Korea's prestige and influence as a global leader will depend on its capacity and willingness to undertake commensurate responsibilities. The North Korean leadership should realize that its recent provocations will not serve its interests, while a return to the Six-Party Talks and the fulfillment of its obligations under the North Korea denuclearization deal is the only solution for the energy and cashstrapped country. Tension on the Korean Peninsula has risen to new heights in recent weeks at the discovery of preparations for a launch in the North. Satellite imagery indicates that Pyongyang could be ready to launch a longrange ballistic missile by the end of the month. The missile could be either a prototype Taepodong-2 missile or a Paektusan-2 space launch vehicle, according to Jane's Defense Weekly.¡Ú
