Full text of joint statement on Korea-U.S. alliance

WASHINGTON, June 16 (Yonhap) -- The following is the full text of a joint
statement on the future of the South Korea-U.S. alliance issued at the end of a
bilateral summit between South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and U.S. President
Barack Obama in Washington on Tuesday.

JOINT VISION FOR THE ALLIANCE OF THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA AND THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA
The Republic of Korea and the United States of America are building an Alliance
to ensure a peaceful, secure and prosperous future for the Korean Peninsula, the
Asia-Pacific region, and the world.
Our open societies, our commitment to free democracy and a market economy, and
our sustained partnership provide a foundation for the enduring friendship,
shared values, and mutual respect that tightly bind the Korean and American
peoples.
The bonds that underpin our Alliance and our partnership are strengthened and
enriched by the close relationships among our citizens. We pledge to continue
programs and efforts to build even closer ties between our societies, including
cooperation among business, civic, cultural, academic, and other institutions.
The Republic of Korea-United States Mutual Defense Treaty remains the cornerstone
of the ROK-U.S. security relationship, which has guaranteed peace and stability
on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia for over fifty years. Over that
time, our security Alliance has strengthened and our partnership has widened to
encompass political, economic, social and cultural cooperation. Together, on this
solid foundation, we will build a comprehensive strategic alliance of bilateral,
regional and global scope, based on common values and mutual trust. Together, we
will work shoulder-to-shoulder to tackle challenges facing both our nations on
behalf of the next generation.
The Alliance is adapting to changes in the 21st Century security environment. We
will maintain a robust defense posture, backed by allied capabilities which
support both nations' security interests. The continuing commitment of extended
deterrence, including the U.S. nuclear umbrella, reinforces this assurance. In
advancing bilateral plan for restructuring the Alliance, the Republic of Korea
will take the lead role in the combined defense of Korea, supported by an
enduring and capable U.S. military force presence on the Korean Peninsula, in the
region, and beyond.
We will continue to deepen our strong bilateral economic, trade and investment
relations. We recognize that the Korea-U.S. (KORUS) Free Trade Agreement could
further strengthen these ties and we are committed to working together to chart a
way forward. We aim to make low-carbon green growth into a new engine for
sustainable economic prosperity and will closely cooperate in this regard. We
will strengthen civil space cooperation, and work closely together on clean
energy research and the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
Through our Alliance we aim to build a better future for all people on the Korean
Peninsula, establishing a durable peace on the Peninsula and leading to peaceful
reunification on the principles of free democracy and a market economy. We will
work together to achieve the complete and verifiable elimination of North Korea's
nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs, as well as ballistic missile
programs, and to promote respect for the fundamental human rights of the North
Korean people.
In the Asia-Pacific region we will work jointly with regional institutions and
partners to foster prosperity, keep the peace, and improve the daily lives of the
people of the region. We believe that open societies and open economies create
prosperity and support human dignity, and our nations and civic organizations
will promote human rights, democracy, free markets, and trade and investment
liberalization in the region. To enhance security in the Asia-Pacific, our
governments will advocate for, and take part in, effective cooperative regional
efforts to promote mutual understanding, confidence and transparency regarding
security issues among the nations of the region.
Our governments and our citizens will work closely to address the global
challenges of terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, piracy,
organized crime and narcotics, climate change, poverty, infringement on human
rights, energy security, and epidemic disease. The Alliance will enhance
coordination on peacekeeping, post-conflict stabilization and development
assistance, as is being undertaken in Iraq and Afghanistan. We will also
strengthen coordination in multilateral mechanisms aimed at global economic
recovery such as the G20.
The Republic of Korea and the United States of America will work to achieve our
common Alliance goals through strategic cooperation at every level. Proven
bilateral mechanisms such as the Security Consultative Meeting and the Strategic
Consultations for Allied Partnership will remain central to realizing this shared
vision for the Alliance.
(END)