P.M. Goh Against Revision of ROK-US Mutual Defense Treaty

"For an inter-Korean summit meeting, Pyongyang’s opinion is very important, so we are closely watching North Korea’s attitudes. For now there has been no progress," said Prime Minister Goh Kun at the National Assembly’s Interpellation on Unification and Foreign Affairs yesterday.

In response to the question of Rep. Lee Chang-bok of the ruling Millennium Democratic Party about whether to push ahead with an inter-Korean summit meeting, the prime minister said, "The two Koreas have effectively agreed on the opening of a summit meeting and the new governments believe the agreement is still valid."

"The ROK-US Mutual Defense Treaty is not more unfavorable to us compared with such U.S. treaties with other nations, such as Japan. At present the government does not consider any revision of the treaty," he said.

With respect to a road map to resolve the North Korea nuclear crisis during his visit to Washington last month, Foreign Affairs-Trade Minister Yoon Young-Kwan explained that if Pyongyang did not advance in its nuclear weapons development, Seoul and Washington would provide the rogue state with corresponding rewards and begin multilateral talks.

When Rep. Park Jin of the opposition Grand National Party asked him whether he had made preparations in case the North did not accept the idea of halting its nuclear weapons program, Minister Yoon said, "Though there is continuing dialogue on this issue between South Korea and the U.S., it is difficult to talk about it because it remains a sensitive issue in terms of strategy."

Meanwhile, at the interpellation session, some lawmakers said that because President Roh Moo-hyun`s government is a leftist one, a conservative prime minister’s role cannot but be limited. In response Mr. Goh retorted, "The words `leftist government` is not suitable. I am trying to carry out the role of prime minister as stipulated in the Constitution and am ready to bear the responsibilities herein."

Yong-Gwan Jung Jong-Hoon Lee yongari@donga.com taylor55@donga.com