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Further alliance outlines could come during Bush’s July Korea visit
April 21, 2008
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Bush also promised Seoul the same level of access to U.S. weapons as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. The comments came as leaders of the United States and South Korea said they have agreed to expand the Korea-U.S. alliance from the Korean Peninsula to elsewhere in the world.Under the plan, Korea will contribute more to U.S.-led efforts to spread the market economy and democracy. But the two presidents said specific details of the newly upgraded alliance, called a 21st Century Strategic Alliance, will be outlined in another round of talks to be held in July when President Bush visits South Korea. Kim Seong-hwan, international relations professor at Korea University, said, “Now with South Korea forging far stronger and broader alliance with the U.S. than ever, one must see how China will react.” “We reached an agreement to maintain the current U.S. troop level on the Peninsula. This is mutual agreement that benefits both our nations and will strengthen our alliance,” Bush said in a joint press conference held in Camp David, Maryland. The conference wrapped up a two-day presidential summit with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak. The decision marks a sharp turnaround from Washington’s prior plan to reduce the U.S. military stronghold here by 3,500 to some 25,000 by the end of this year. Many experts viewed the proposed reduction as a sign of eroding defense and political ties between the two countries. “Korea has asked to upgrade its foreign military sales status with the United States and to have the same access to U.S. military technologies as NATO and other key allies, and I strongly support this request,” President Bush said. Under the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program, South Korea has to go through a long Congressional review whenever it makes an order worth more than $50 million from U.S. weapons producers. But according to the upcoming change in its status, the $50 million ceiling is lifted to $100 million and Congressional review will take no more than 15 days. President Bush also said he would try to win the long-delayed Congressional approval on the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement. The comment came a day after Seoul announced a full resumption of U.S. beef imports, as demanded by many Capitol Hill legislators who threatened to veto the trade bill unless Seoul fully opens up its beef market to U.S. imports. “The Korea free-trade agreement is a priority for this administration, and we will press hard with the United States Congress,” President Bush said. The two presidents also said the countries signed a memorandum of understanding on U.S. visa waiver programs for Koreans, so that they can visit the U.S. without a visa for up to a month. While Washington made several announcements in favor of Seoul, some issues the U.S. has long asked that Seoul carry out were left unmentioned. For instance, the two leaders did not address how Seoul will respond to Washington’s request to join the U.S.-led missile defense program and proliferation security initiative, aimed at intercepting any shipments of weapons of mass destruction and missiles. But President Lee hinted that such politically sensitive issues may be discussed at the upcoming presidential summit in Seoul. “As the international situation as well as the economic and security situation change dramatically, our alliance is also called upon to undergo new changes,” Lee said in the press conference. Both leaders also stressed the equally stern stance towards North Korea’s nuclear program, highlighting the need for a complete verification of the country’s soon-to-be declared list of its nuclear inventory and activities. “I believe if North Korea’s declaration is not satisfactory or if the verification is not satisfactory, we could probably have a temporary achievement, but in the long term, that will cause a lot more serious problems,” Lee said. By Choi Sang-yeon JoongAng Ilbo / Jung Ha-won Staff Reporter [hawon@joongang.co.kr] |
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