The Korea Times close
National
  • Politics
  • Diplomacy
  • Defense
  • Labor & Environment
  • Law & Crime
  • Health & Welfare
  • Embassy
  • Seoul & Provinces
  • Education
  • Foreign Communities
  • Obituaries
  • Multicultural Youth Award
Biz & Tech
  • Auto
  • IT
  • Game
  • Manufacturing
  • Retail & Food
  • Energy
  • Construction
  • Airlines
Finance
  • Policies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Banks
  • Non-banks
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
Lifestyle
  • Arts
  • Books
  • Travel & Cuisine
  • Trend
  • Fashion
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
  • Translation Award
Entertainment
  • K-pop
  • K-dramas & Shows
  • Movies
  • Music
  • Performances
  • Asia Model Festival
Sports
  • Football
  • Golf
  • Baseball
  • Other Sports
World
  • Asia Pacific
  • Americas
  • Europe & Africa
  • SCMP
Video
  • On the Spot
  • Feature
  • News
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
Community
  • The Korea Times
  • all menu
  • search
  • facebookfacebook
  • twittertwitter
  • youtubeyoutube
  • Site Map
  • E-paper
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • LogIn
search close
  • The Korea Times
  • all menu
  • search
  • facebookfacebook
  • twittertwitter
  • youtubeyoutube
  • Site Map
  • E-paper
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • LogIn
search close
National
  • Politics
  • Diplomacy
  • Defense
  • Labor & Environment
  • Law & Crime
  • Health & Welfare
  • Embassy
  • Seoul & Provinces
  • Education
  • Foreign Communities
  • Obituaries
  • Multicultural Youth Award
Wed, December 11, 2019 | 10:23
Panetta-Clinton discord
Posted : 2012-06-15 18:55
Updated : 2012-06-15 18:55
Mail
Print Preview
Font Size Up
Font Size Down
By Lee Tae-hoon

The defense chiefs of South Korea and the United States made contradictory statements about an unsettled bilateral issue, after emerging from a two-plus-two meeting in Washington, Thursday.

Talking about Seoul’s wish to gain understanding from Washington about wishing to increase the strike range of its missiles, U.S. Secretary of Defense, Leon Panetta stated:“I think we are making good progress, and our hope is that we can arrive at an agreeable solution soon.”

However, Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin said the missile range issue was, “not raised on the agenda. It was not raised in today's talks.”

Currently, Seoul is banned from developing or possessing ballistic missiles with a range of more than 300 kilometers and a payload of over 500 kilograms under an agreement with Washington based on the global Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR).

The bilateral talks drew together Panetta, Kim, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan.

Korean military officials say the different statements from the two defense chiefs could be attributed to a difference the U.S. Defense Department has with the State Department on the issue.

“I think Panetta might have blurted out the Pentagon’s position that wants to let Seoul have its way,” a senior military official said on condition of anonymity.

South Korea’s military has been calling for an extension of the missile’s range in order to cover all North Korean territory, possibly up to 1,000 kilometers, and reduce the missile gap between the two states, which still technically remain at war.

He pointed out that the State Department’s position differs with Panetta’s view. The department is a staunch propagator of nonproliferation and is concerned that Washington’s approval for the revision could be seen as a violation of the MTCR and start a domino effect.

They say the international community might interpret Seoul’s development of long-range missiles as breaching the MTCR that the United States and the six remaining G7 countries established in 1987 to restrict the export of long-range missiles.



Currently, 34 countries are members of the MTCR, including Russia, Canada, Brazil and Germany. Seoul joined the multilateral export control regime in 2001.

In March, President Lee Myung-bak expressed optimism over the revision of a bilateral ballistic missile agreement with the United States, but President Barack Obama refuted the claim.

Obama said in a joint press conference with Lee in Seoul that it was a technical issue dealt with at a military level, not presidential level when asked about Seoul’s push to extend the range of its ballistic missiles.

Washington has been reluctant to give a green light to the extended missile range as it fears other countries, including potential rivals, will follow suit and develop longer-range ballistic missiles capable of carrying weapons of mass destruction, such as nuclear warheads.
Emailleeth@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter








 
 
  • number164 Vietnamese students vanish in South Korea
  • numberSeoul's home prices to continue on upward spiral
  • numberEx-Daewoo Group Chairman Kim Woo-choong dies at 82
  • numberKorean's first-ever Filipino street food tour at QUIAPO MARKET in Manila [VIDEO]
  • numberMoon to hold summits with Xi, Abe
  • numberFormer Daewoo Group Chairman Kim Woo-choong dies at 82
  • numberUltrafine dust rising to 'very bad' levels in Seoul
  • numberFootwear malfunction in front of Kim Il-sung
  • numberDaughter of Herald ex-head gets suspended jail term for drug use
  • numberRocketman vs. Dotard: war of words is back
  • Kim Gun-mo accused of rape Kim Gun-mo accused of rape
  • TWICE Jihyo injured at airport due to fans TWICE Jihyo injured at airport due to fans
  • TV show airs singer Kim Gun-mo's love story despite sexual assault claim TV show airs singer Kim Gun-mo's love story despite sexual assault claim
  • U2 says 'women of the world unite' in Korea U2 says 'women of the world unite' in Korea
  • Hyun Bin, Son Ye-jin appear in TV series after romantic rumors Hyun Bin, Son Ye-jin appear in TV series after romantic rumors
DARKROOM
  • Children deserve better

    Children deserve better

  • Global climate change: time is running out

    Global climate change: time is running out

  • CA cave fire burns more than 4,300 acres

    CA cave fire burns more than 4,300 acres

  • No money, no hope: South Korea's 'Dirt Spoons'

    No money, no hope: South Korea's 'Dirt Spoons'

  • Hong Kong democrats score historic victory

    Hong Kong democrats score historic victory

  • About Korea Times
  • CEO Message
  • Times History
  • Content Sales
  • Media Kit
  • Contact Us
  • Location
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Mobile Service
  • RSS Service
  • Ombudsman
  • hankookilbo
  • Dongwha Group
  • Code of Ethics
Copyright