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| U.S. Vice President Joe Biden delivers a speech at Yonsei University in Seoul, Friday. It was the first time that a U.S. vice president made a speech on policies in Korea. / Yonhap |
By Nam Hyun-woo
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden on Friday sent a strong message to North Korea to drop its nuclear program, saying that the U.S. won't accept a permanent division of the two Koreas.
"The U.S. will not tolerate or accept nuclear-armed North Korea," Biden said during a speech at Yonsei University in Seoul. He said that North Korea should know that it cannot pursue prosperity unless it abandons its nuclear program.
During the speech he stressed, "There is one issue that many countries agree with. North Korea's nuclear program is a clear and present danger… Let there be no doubt, the U.S. is committed to do anything what it takes to defend our allies and ourselves against North Korean aggression."
He also warned that the reclusive regime cannot pursue prosperity unless it abandons such a weapons program.
Biden addressed variety of issues, including the significance of Korea-U.S. partnership, improvement of Korea-Japan relations and economic growth.
"The entire region will be more stable and more secure if the leading democracies -- Japan, South Korea and the United States -- are able to improve their relations and cooperation with one another," he said. He called for better relations between Korea and Japan to improve stability in the North East Asian region.
Biden said that Korea and the U.S. have shared a "journey," which was successful and prosperous due to "our parents' sacrifice," during the past 60 years.
"It's a fact, we, the U.S., could not have any better partner than South Korea to share that journey," he said.
Biden also appraised Korea's recent decision to join a U.S.-led regional trade pact, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, saying that he "welcomes" this.
Regarding China's unilateral announcement of its new air defense identification zone (ADIZ), he reiterated that he delivered "serious concerns" to China and that the U.S. does not recognize it.
Biden arrived in Korea on Thursday night on the final leg of his week-long Asia trip. He flew in from China after an earlier stop in Japan. He is scheduled to spend three days in Korea.
Before his speech, he visited Cheong Wa Dae and met President Park Geun-hye.
"It's never been a good bet to bet against America, and America will continue to place its bet on South Korea," said Biden during the meeting. "President Obama's decision to bring rebalance to the Pacific Basin is not in question. The United States never says anything it does not do," he added.
At his earlier stop in Tokyo, Biden has said that the U.S. is "deeply concerned" about China's move.
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