President Roh Said North Is Not the Next Target of U.S.

President Roh Moo-hyun said on March 24, “An high-ranking official in the U.S. government has repeatedly said that North Korea is different from Iraq, so the U.S. government will resolve North Korea’s nuclear threat peacefully.” The president also said that government officials should try to ease public concerns over national security by preventing groundless speculation related to North Korea’s nuclear issue from further circulating. President Roh made the remark at a meeting with senior presidential secretaries and aides, “Some experts at home and abroad have made their case for a possibility that the U.S. may attack North Korea after Iraq. However, that is not the case.”

“Although our government has nothing to do with the unfounded speculation concerning possible U.S. attack against the North, it is playing an important role in the U.S. policy toward North Korea,” he added.

Song Kung-hee, Chung Wa Dae spokesperson, said, “The President disclosed his position on the recent speculation related to North Korea by saying that although the government has decided in principle to persuade the U.S. government to delay the discussion on the issue of the realignment of U.S. troops until the North’s nuclear issue is fully addressed, reports having quoted unreliable sources said that the U.S. would go if Koreans want. The government will strictly crack down on such misreports down the road.”

The spokesperson added, “The government has already exchanged its opinion with the U.S. government and asked it not to show sensitive reactions to those false reports. And as far as I know, Foreign Minister Yoon Young-kwan has already conveyed our government message to the U.S. government through a reliable diplomatic channel.”

Jeong-Hun Kim jnghn@donga.com