ROK-US Alliance

Reciprocal Approaches Needed on NK Policy

A deadline is approaching for North Korea to report its nuclear program. U.S. President George W. Bush has sent a letter to North Korean leader Kim Jong-il while the U.S. Congress has confirmed a plan to provide fund to help encourage the envisioned denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula. Despite the U.S. efforts, however, the North has yet to show a sincere attitude, calling on the U.S. to meet its side of the bargain first.

North Korea has stressed the need for the United States to remove it from its list of nations that sponsor terrorism. Alerted by the sign of protraction in nuclear negotiation, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the North Korean nuclear issue has faced a crucial juncture. Given this, the importance of a close alliance between South Korea and the United States cannot be overemphasized.

President-elect Lee Myung-bak has urged North Korea to abandon its nuclear ambition to pave the way for full-fledged inter-Korean economic exchanges. ``Discarding the nuclear program is the way for North Korea to step toward prosperity,'' he said. Lee said his North Korea policy will be pursued on a pragmatic and reciprocal basis, a stance that matches well with that of the U.S.

During a telephone talk, U.S. President George W. Bush called on Lee to show a resolute attitude toward the North Korean nuclear problem. Bush said Seoul and Washington should lead North Korea to better way for development while taking resolute stances on its nuclear issues. Rice also urged North Korea to faithfully report its nuclear program if it wants to enjoy various kinds of benefits.

These and other facts show the incoming Lee administration will join hands with the U.S. administration in dealing with the North Korean nuclear issue. Lee has vowed efforts to persuade the North to dismantle its nuclear facilities as this will help maintain its regime and ease the worsening economic difficulties facing the reclusive nation. The U.S. plans to dispatch a group of ranking officials to Korea to discuss pending issues with Lee and his staffers.

Prior to the telephone dialogue, Lee also met with U.S. Ambassador to Korea Alexander Vershbow and underlined the need for the two allies to keep close cooperative ties within the framework of the six-party negotiations for settlement of the nuclear row. The current government has been criticized for its unilateral assistance to the North without reciprocal approach.

We also welcome Lee's statement that he would also raise the issue of North Korea's human rights, in compliance with the U.S. stance. ``Though the previous administrations refrained from any criticism against and took measures only to please North Korea, I would not do so,'' he said. Lee is lauded for his stance on North Korea and hope he will pursue the pragmatic policies steadfastly.