U.S. president welcomes Seoul's participation in PSI

By Byun Duk-kun
SEOUL, May 26 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Barack Obama welcomed Seoul's joining of
the U.S.-led anti-proliferation campaign Tuesday, saying Seoul's participation is
"very important," a spokesman for South Korean President Lee Myung-bak said.

The South Korean president had told Obama of his decision to join the
Proliferation Security Initiative during their telephone conversation held
earlier Tuesday.
Seoul's foreign ministry formally announced its full participation in the PSI,
expected since North Korea's April 5 rocket, which partly aims to intercept
transfer of weapons of mass destruction by countries like North Korea.
The announcement came one day after Pyongyang said it successfully conducted a
second nuclear test on Monday. North Korea conducted its first-ever nuclear
experiment in October 2006.
"President Obama said he was glad and welcomed our decision to join the PSI,
noting South Korea's participation is very important and that every other member
country of the PSI will welcome its decision," Lee Dong-kwan, a spokesman for the
South Korean presidential office, told reporters.
The U.S.-led initiative was launched in 2003, but Seoul had refused to fully take
part in the campaign, citing possibility of creating unnecessary tension with the
North, which has long been suspected of trafficking illicit weapons, narcotics
and counterfeit currency.
Pyongyang has said Seoul's participation in the PSI will be considered a
declaration of war.
"The initiative is participated in by 94 countries throughout the world. Frankly
speaking, it is abnormal not to take part," the Cheong Wa Dae spokesman said of
the reason for Seoul's decision to take part in the PSI.
bdk@yna.co.kr
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