S. Korea, U.S. Agree to Further Alliance

President Lee Myung-bak and U.S. President George W. Bush agreed on Saturday to develop the current South Korea-U.S. alliance into a comprehensive strategic alliance of the 21st century. The alliance aims to expand common interests based on universal values and firm trust, in order to respond to new challenges to security and changes in internal and external situations in a more effective way.

The two leaders had a summit meeting in Camp David nearby Washington, D.C. They also decided to maintain the current size of the United States forces in Korea (28,500 persons), disabling the plan to reduce the size by 3,500 persons additionally by the end of this year, in order to maintain and reinforce the joint defense capacity of the two countries.

Lee and Bush also agreed that “North Korea’s possession of nuclear weapons cannot be withstood at any rate, and every effort will be made through the six-party talks to lead North Korea to abolish all nuclear programs swiftly.”

To this end, the two leaders decided to urge North Korea to complete the disablement of the nuclear facilities in Yongbyon as soon as possible and to register all nuclear programs completely and accurately. South Korea and the United States will take corresponding measures depending on North Korea’s actions.

After the summit the two leaders held a joint press conference and announced that they agreed “not to have hostile intentions toward North Korea and to make efforts to help North Korea out of international isolation and to improve the quality of life of the North Korean residents.”

President Bush added, “I support South Korea’s policies on North Korea that include President Lee’s “Vision 3000, Denuclearization and Openness.” When North Korea makes a strategic determination and performs it, the United States will make positive move toward improving relations with North Korea.”

In order to better respond to the apparent improvement in the North Korean nuclear issue, the two leaders concurred on the establishment of a separate forum of directly related parties at an appropriate point of time for building a peaceful regime on the Korean Peninsula.

Regarding the KORUS FTA, the two leaders decided to do their best so that the parliaments of both countries will ratify the agreement within this year.

In addition, Presidents Lee and Bush determined to expand substantial cooperation in such fields as trade, investment, energy and environment, and to activate various types of youth exchange programs, including the employment of 400 second generation Korean Americans and 100 American citizens as English teachers in South Korea.

Along with the aforementioned agreements, the two leaders also came to the decision to improve the way of sharing the cost of defense and to raise South Korea’s status in the U.S. Department of Defense’s Foreign Military Sales program, while simultaneously making close cooperation through the United Nations and other multilateral international organizations so as to tackle together global issues such as the spread of weapons of mass destruction, international alliance against terrorism, climate change, disaster relief, cross-border crimes and the improvement of human rights and democracy.

Meanwhile President Lee requested U.S. President Bush to visit South Korea when he comes to Japan to attend the G8 summit conference scheduled in July. President Bush accepted the invitation, saying, “I’m pleased I’m invited.”

On the same day, President Lee ended his five-day visit to the United States and left for Tokyo. He will return to Seoul on Monday after having a summit meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda.

swpark@donga.com