Goodbye Bush, Hello Obama?
Premier Han Says Not Much Will Change Whoever Wins US Election
By Michael Ha
Staff Reporter
Seoul officials said Tuesday that not much will change no matter who wins the U.S. presidential election on Nov. 4. During an interpellation session at the National Assembly, Prime Minister Han Seung-soo said that whoever wins Tuesday's election, Korea-U.S. cooperation and alliance will remain strong.
Lawmakers asked Prime Minister Han and also Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan questions on a range of issues including foreign policy, security and inter-Korean relations.
They wanted to know how Barack Obama from the liberal Democratic Party views the Korea-U.S. alliance and what possible changes he might bring, should he win the White House.
One legislator speculated that if Obama prevails, one could expect Washington to embrace a different North Korea policy.
Prime Minister Han replied, ``Whoever becomes the next U.S. President, the North Korea-U.S. diplomacy will start on the basis of firm South Korea-U.S. alliance."
One lawmaker asked Minister Yu whether an Obama presidency would result in Seoul and Washington having divergent views on North Korea. This year, both President Lee Myung-bak and U.S. President George W. Bush have favored a conservative, hawkish approach toward the Stalinist country, though both have arguably softened their stance in recent months.
Yu forecast there won't be any significant problems or changes under the Obama presidency.
``Basically, the Obama camp also actively supports strengthening the bilateral alliance. They also support our North Korea policy of resolving the nuclear problem through six-nation discussions. Policy-wise, we don't think there will be any significant problems," Yu said.
The foreign minister also said that in order for the U.S.-North Korea relations to improve, specific steps for denuclearization ― and Pyongyang's strategic resolve to follow these steps ― must be verified. Washington would also want to see Pyongyang address other issues including human rights abuse in the North, Yu said.
Answering questions about inter-Korean diplomacy, Prime Minister Han also told lawmakers that building another inter-Korean economic zone, similar to the existing Gaesung Industrial Complex, is ``a very good idea."
Rep. Yim Tae-hee from the governing Grand National Party is proposing introducing a bill that would create an inter-Korean industrial area in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, which is located just south of the truce village of Panmunjeom.
``We will support it as much as we can," the prime minister said.