Bush Calls Kim Jong Il Tyrant Again

U.S. President George W. Bush called North Korean leader Kim Jong Il a tyrant again on November 6.

Particularly, the remark came with the fifth round of the six-party talks a couple of days ahead on November 9, so it is drawing attention on how it will affect the talks. President Bush attended the Summit of the Americas held in Argentina and then visited Brazil. While having a conversation with young Brazilian leaders at the U.S. Embassy in Brasilia, the capital of Brazil, in the morning, Mr. Bush said that Japan is on the same side with the U.S. in terms of dealing with a tyrant in North Korea. Although he didn’t say exactly who the tyrant is, it is clear that he referred to Kim Jong Il in the context. President Bush used the word “tyrant” while explaining that even though his father, George H.W. Bush, had fought against Japanese forces, Japan’s Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi is a friend of the U.S. because Japan is a country which has established democracy.

President Bush mentioned “a tyrant” again saying, “In democratic countries, the weak also have the right and can express their opinions through the process of lawmaking. However, in autocratic countries, there are no rights without supporting the tyrant.”

He has used various names in referring to Kim Jong Il. When he called the North Korean leader “Mr. Kim Jong Il” in a press conference in May and in the Korea-U.S. summit meeting on June 10, he was appraised to have had a positive influence on the resumption of the six-party talks in July.

Soon-Taek Kwon maypole@donga.com