Approval of Impeachment Bill; Reaction from U.S., Japan, China

Regarding the passing of the bill to impeach President Roh, the U.S. State Department said on March 12 that it is watching the situation carefully.

“We are aware of the news report (about approval of the impeachment bill). We are watching the development of the situation carefully,” said the U.S. State Department. It added that it was trying to make contact with the U.S. Embassy in Korea.

The Japanese government avoided official comment on the principle of non-intervention in the domestic affairs of other states. Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi refused the press’ request for comment right after the approval of the impeachment bill, saying, “It is a problem of Korea. I am not in a position to say anything about it.”

However, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs was perplexed about the unexpected development of the situation and is busy collecting information to calculate its influence on the general election and the South-North Korea relationship. A source from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, “It will not make an immediate effect on the Korea-Japan relations.”

China also did not give any official response, but it seems to have been shocked. A western source from Beijing said that the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs was astonished by the fact that impeachment of the president by the National Assembly is possible.

It added that the Chinese government had supported former President Kim Dae-jung’s Sunshine Policy and President Roh’s policy of peace and prosperity and that it hoped there would be no changes in the six-party talks in regard to Korean policy toward China and the solution of North Korea’s nuclear weapon issue.

Russia is anxious about President Roh’s scheduled visit to Russia in the first half of this year. Itar-tass, a government-managed news agency, conveyed that the possibility of President Roh’s visit is a concern of Russia.