ID :
65681
Sun, 06/14/2009 - 09:23
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/65681
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Lee, Obama urged to put forth strong proposals to deter N. Korea's nuke
By Hwang Doo-hyong
WASHINGTON, June 13 (Yonhap) -- A U.S. expert on Korea on Saturday urged the leaders of South Korea and the United States to come up with strong proposals to deter North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
"I think it is appropriate to evaluate how well they are doing at this point,
given North Koreans are launching missiles and doing a nuclear test," Walter
Lohman, director of the Asian Studies Center at the Heritage Foundation, said in
an interview with Yonhap News Agency ahead of the summit meeting between South
Korean President Lee Myung-bak and U.S. President Barack Obama early next week.
Lohman was addressing North Korea's second nuclear test after nearly three years,
missile launches, and threats to boycott the six-party talks and terminate the
armistice that ended the 1950-53 Korean War. While North Korea insists the U.N.
Security Council apologize for its condemnation of a rocket launch in early
April, the council Friday adopted a fresh resolution to punish the North for the
recent nuclear test with an overall arms embargo and financial sanctions.
"We have to work out it and examine what exactly we are going to get out of
this," Lohman said.
The scholar proposed that Lee and Obama seek bilateral talks with North Korea for
a breakthrough in the stalled multilateral nuclear talks, but added, "Any sort of
contacts with North Korea should be in the context of a broader commitment of the
six-party talks."
The scholar said he expects Lee and Obama to express support for the six-party
talks during the summit, the second of its kind since early April, when they met
in London on the margins of the G20 economic summit.
"They will support the six-party talks," he said. "There will be some statement
to that effect. I think that's a continuity between the previous administration
and this administration to the six-party talks."
The fate of the six-party talks has been in question in recent months amid
allegations that North Korea either favors bilateral negotiations with the U.S.
or has no intention of abandoning its nuclear arsenal.
The North's recent provocations are widely seen as the effort of North Korean
leader Kim Jong-il, who apparently suffered a stroke last summer, to lay the
groundwork for smooth power transition to his third and youngest son, Jong-un.
Lohman advised Lee and Obama not to lower expectations on China's role in
dissuading Pyongyang from going nuclear despite growing pessimism over Beijing's
role, especially after the North's second nuclear test.
"I think the first thing we have to do is not to lower our expectations, lower
our goals to accommodate the Chinese before talks even start," he said. "The best
way to pressure them is to put forward proposals that are strong and necessary to
stop the North Korean nuclear program."
He stressed the need for South Korea to enhance its capability against North
Korean missiles.
"The American side missile defense is important," he said. "But we also need a
Korean missile defense. We need to maintain our posture on a longer border."
Lohman said he does not expect Obama to ask Lee to send Korean troops to
Afghanistan, but would consider such a request legitimate.
"I would support a request on that," he said. "I would hope President Lee
Myung-bak would be responsive."
On a possible delay in South Korea's retaking of wartime command control of its
troops from the U.S., Lohman said, "I don't think it should be something Lee
Myung-bak should raise right now."
Some South Korean conservatives, after North Korea's second nuclear test last
month, have demanded the transfer be postponed from the current schedule of April
2012.
"I don't think the U.S. side will raise it at all," he said. "I know it is a good
time for Lee Myung-bak to raise it. As we are getting closer to the transfer, I
think Americans will be more open to talking about the delay. They should wait
until we get closer."
The scholar was pessimistic about the prospect of Lee and Obama moving closer to
the ratification of the pending Free Trade Agreement signed in 2007, citing a
lack of consensus in the Democratic Congress, which is getting more protectionist
amid the worst recession in decades.
"I think you can expect Obama to say something supportive, but he will also talk
about some problems," he said. "I am not expecting anything soon on our side on
that FTA. I am not expecting any move anytime soon. They don't seem to be
inclined to vote on it in Congress right now. But someday, not in the immediate
future, maybe next year, it will be possible."
Lohman said Lee and Obama have many common interests, which should help them
develop a good personal relationship despite their ideological differences.
Lee "did actually have some common interests and common values" with President
George W. Bush, he said. "I think a lot of common interests and common values, he
is going to also share with Obama. I would expect some good chemistry between
them. Ideological difference doesn't matter in terms of their personal
chemistry."
WASHINGTON, June 13 (Yonhap) -- A U.S. expert on Korea on Saturday urged the leaders of South Korea and the United States to come up with strong proposals to deter North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
"I think it is appropriate to evaluate how well they are doing at this point,
given North Koreans are launching missiles and doing a nuclear test," Walter
Lohman, director of the Asian Studies Center at the Heritage Foundation, said in
an interview with Yonhap News Agency ahead of the summit meeting between South
Korean President Lee Myung-bak and U.S. President Barack Obama early next week.
Lohman was addressing North Korea's second nuclear test after nearly three years,
missile launches, and threats to boycott the six-party talks and terminate the
armistice that ended the 1950-53 Korean War. While North Korea insists the U.N.
Security Council apologize for its condemnation of a rocket launch in early
April, the council Friday adopted a fresh resolution to punish the North for the
recent nuclear test with an overall arms embargo and financial sanctions.
"We have to work out it and examine what exactly we are going to get out of
this," Lohman said.
The scholar proposed that Lee and Obama seek bilateral talks with North Korea for
a breakthrough in the stalled multilateral nuclear talks, but added, "Any sort of
contacts with North Korea should be in the context of a broader commitment of the
six-party talks."
The scholar said he expects Lee and Obama to express support for the six-party
talks during the summit, the second of its kind since early April, when they met
in London on the margins of the G20 economic summit.
"They will support the six-party talks," he said. "There will be some statement
to that effect. I think that's a continuity between the previous administration
and this administration to the six-party talks."
The fate of the six-party talks has been in question in recent months amid
allegations that North Korea either favors bilateral negotiations with the U.S.
or has no intention of abandoning its nuclear arsenal.
The North's recent provocations are widely seen as the effort of North Korean
leader Kim Jong-il, who apparently suffered a stroke last summer, to lay the
groundwork for smooth power transition to his third and youngest son, Jong-un.
Lohman advised Lee and Obama not to lower expectations on China's role in
dissuading Pyongyang from going nuclear despite growing pessimism over Beijing's
role, especially after the North's second nuclear test.
"I think the first thing we have to do is not to lower our expectations, lower
our goals to accommodate the Chinese before talks even start," he said. "The best
way to pressure them is to put forward proposals that are strong and necessary to
stop the North Korean nuclear program."
He stressed the need for South Korea to enhance its capability against North
Korean missiles.
"The American side missile defense is important," he said. "But we also need a
Korean missile defense. We need to maintain our posture on a longer border."
Lohman said he does not expect Obama to ask Lee to send Korean troops to
Afghanistan, but would consider such a request legitimate.
"I would support a request on that," he said. "I would hope President Lee
Myung-bak would be responsive."
On a possible delay in South Korea's retaking of wartime command control of its
troops from the U.S., Lohman said, "I don't think it should be something Lee
Myung-bak should raise right now."
Some South Korean conservatives, after North Korea's second nuclear test last
month, have demanded the transfer be postponed from the current schedule of April
2012.
"I don't think the U.S. side will raise it at all," he said. "I know it is a good
time for Lee Myung-bak to raise it. As we are getting closer to the transfer, I
think Americans will be more open to talking about the delay. They should wait
until we get closer."
The scholar was pessimistic about the prospect of Lee and Obama moving closer to
the ratification of the pending Free Trade Agreement signed in 2007, citing a
lack of consensus in the Democratic Congress, which is getting more protectionist
amid the worst recession in decades.
"I think you can expect Obama to say something supportive, but he will also talk
about some problems," he said. "I am not expecting anything soon on our side on
that FTA. I am not expecting any move anytime soon. They don't seem to be
inclined to vote on it in Congress right now. But someday, not in the immediate
future, maybe next year, it will be possible."
Lohman said Lee and Obama have many common interests, which should help them
develop a good personal relationship despite their ideological differences.
Lee "did actually have some common interests and common values" with President
George W. Bush, he said. "I think a lot of common interests and common values, he
is going to also share with Obama. I would expect some good chemistry between
them. Ideological difference doesn't matter in terms of their personal
chemistry."
