Rice:“We Will Not Back Down From Our ‘Outpost of Tyranny’ Comment”

North Korea is demanding an apology for the U.S.’s “outpost of tyranny” comment as a condition for them to return to the six-party talks,” according to Washington Times foreign news editor David Jones.

“I have told the truth,” said U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

On Friday, during an interview with the Washington Times, Rice, looking ahead to her upcoming Asian tour, clearly showed no signs of backing down from her comment calling North Korea an “outpost of tyranny,” saying, “I don’t know any person who has apologized for speaking the truth.”

Rice (pictured) also said during the interview with Reuters and Washington Times, that there would be no incentives given to North Korea until they first act to work towards the solution of their nuclear problem. North Korea should come to the negotiating table and make a strategic choice, according to Rice.

Rice, during an interview with the Washington Times, answered the question of whether there are any plans to take the same incentive-based approach towards North Korea that the U.S. is taking towards Iran by saying, “North Korea has (in the past) taken all the carrots, but they have not upheld their obligations.”

She said that considering the fact that North Korea has continued to make nuclear weapons even after the Geneva Treaty in 1994, “We have experienced what will happen if we give North Korea too many incentives before North Korea acts, so North Korea is far different from Iran. Providing incentives should be done in a cautious manner.”

Furthermore, she said, “We need to solve the North Korea’s nuclear problem as soon as possible, but we can’t be afraid of speaking the truth about North Korea,” implying that they will also put the human rights issue on the table.

Rice was clear on the state of U.S.-South Korea relations as well.

In response to the statement made by the chief editor of Washington Times citing an expert in North Korea affairs that “South Korea will soon come to a crossroads where they will have to make a decision whether to recover their damaged relationship with the U.S. or to pursue an alliance with China after not renewing its alliance with the U.S. and extracting U.S. soldiers deployed in South Korea,” Rice answered.

The current U.S.-South Korea relationship is as strong as ever. As South Korea is a democratic nation, there are people who question the relationship, but that is what a democratic society is.”

She mentioned the multi-security guarantee and North Korea energy aid plan that US proposed during the third round of six-party talks, saying, “Nobody has yet convinced North Korea that this is a great idea.”

Soon-Taek Kwon maypole@donga.com