`South Korea Must Lead Negotiation on North Korea’s Conventional Military Power`

Minister of National Defense Kim Dong-Shin, who is officially visiting the U.S., met the U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld on 21st (Korea time) and discussed on current issues against North Korea including the military threats of North Korea.

During the meeting, the two secretaries discussed five topics including, ▲ evaluation on the level of North Korea’s military threatening and maintaining of the U.S.-South Korea joint defense system, ▲ the U.S.- South Korea cooperation on policy against North Korea, ▲ the U.S.’ missile defense system, ▲ review on the U.S.’ defense policy, and ▲ mutual assistance to maintain security in the Northeast Asia region.

Minister Kim said, ``the U.S. and South Korea need to wisely untangle the current issues of nuclear power, missiles, and conventional weapons based on the firm joint defense system. He also stressed the proper allotment of roles in which International Atomic Energy Agency should takes charge of nuclear power, the U.S. should undertake missiles, and South Korea should take on the conventional weapons.

Prior to the meeting, Minister Kim met the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage on 20th and talked about how they can strengthen the policy against North Korea under current cooperative system.

According to a representative from Ministry of National Defense, Deputy Secretary Armitage said, ``South Korea’s policy against North is proceeding to a right direction. And South Korea’s explanation given at the U.S.-ROK-Japan Trilateral Coordination and Oversight Group (TCOG) meeting in Hawaii has been well applied to establish the U.S.’ new policy toward North Korea.

Lee Chol-Hi klimt@donga.com