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S. Korean president-elect encouraged by U.S. stanceRoh lauds diplomacy in North Korea nuclear crisis
SEOUL, South Korea (CNN) -- South Korea's president-elect said Saturday he was relieved that the United States was using diplomacy instead of possible military action to resolve its nuclear dispute with North Korea. Asked about the U.S. stance toward North Korea, Roh Moo-hyun said, "When the subject of the North Korean nuclear problem comes up, my feeling is to ... sigh a huge sigh of relief." Roh's remarks on KBS-TV were his first on national television since he was elected December 19. He takes office next month. He appeared on a panel with several university professors. "Realistically, when I was elected, the hard-line people and even people in responsible positions in the U.S. administration were talking about the possibility of striking North Korea," Roh said. "I thought that this had to be stopped by all means." Roh didn't name anyone in his references to the United States. The United States "has no intention of invading North Korea," White House spokeswoman Jeanie Mamo said Saturday. President Bush "has indicated he wants to find a peaceful resolution to the current situation North Korea has brought upon itself." However, U.S. military and intelligence officials told CNN on Saturday that the Bush administration has been involved in what one official called "prudent planning" for military options against North Korea. (Full story) North Korea has said it was restarting its nuclear program, frozen under a 1994 agreement, because the United States had failed to follow through on agreements that would have provided North Korea with light water nuclear reactors. Such reactors cannot create material for use in nuclear weapons, unlike the Yongbyon reactor, which can produce plutonium. The communist nation said it was forced to restart its Yongbyon nuclear reactor to provide power after Washington stopped sending it heavy fuel oil shipments. This month, North Korea announced it was pulling out of the nuclear nonproliferation treaty, which took effect in 1970. Since the announcements, the United States, South Korea and Japan -- all treaty signers -- have held trilateral talks in an effort to get North Korea to end its nuclear ambitions. Envoys also have visited the nation. Russian Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Losyukov arrived in Beijing, China, on Friday to discuss the situation with the North Koreans, and two American diplomats -- special envoy Maurice Strong and Assistant Secretary of State James Kelley -- were in Beijing after visiting the North Korean capital, Pyongyang. Two Koreas to talk in SeoulCabinet-level talks are scheduled between the two Koreas next week in Seoul, the South Korean capital, and Roh said he would be willing to meet the North Korean delegation. "Luckily, public opinion in the United States has turned so there are now specific plans to resolve this issue peacefully, and I don't think the U.S. will go back to its previous position. The issue now is how to make a dialogue," Roh said. The president-elect predicted that North Korea will choose to halt its nuclear program. "If you look at what North Korea has done so far, I believe that North Korea desperately wants their security guarantee, and they are aggressive about opening up and reforming," he said. "In order to open up and reform, they will need the support of the South Korean government and neighboring countries." -- CNN Seoul bureau chief Sohn Jie-ae and White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux contributed to this report.
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