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The Korea-U.S. alliance should be developed from the standpoint of the Northeast Asian community. | |
A peace structure in Northeast Asia and the Korea-U.S. alliance cannot absolutely exist or be placed together. Korea must actively recommend one of the U.S.’ strategies for the Northeast Asian region that corresponds the most with national interests while maintaining the Korea-U.S. alliance. On the other hand, the U.S. can form a composition for exercising its role and interests under an order of resolving the hostile relations in Northeast Asia, and mutually cooperate and integrate among Northeast Asian countries, such as in the EU. An important point is knowing which path in world history we are taking and how much influence will it will have on us. It involves the issue of our will and competence. We have to proceed with persuasion through dialogue, even if there is partial dissent. The Korea-U.S. alliance cannot be maintained just by wanting it. The Korea-U.S. alliance will be maintained permanently when the respective goals of Korea and the U.S. for Northeast Asia and the Korean Peninsula coincide or the alliance will face a crisis. A cooperative order in Northeast Asia, such as the one in the EU, must be established rather than taking the hostile relations between China and the U.S. for granted and setting them forth as a premise of the unchanging conditions. You are well aware how much taboos and difficulties there have been until the line of reconciliation and cooperation between South and North Korea became the line of the entire nation. I believe that such issue is not that particular when considering the speed of development of the relationship between the two Koreas. We must have a strong military. The primary goal of strong armed forces is to prevent a war, but armed forces can also empower us with the right to speak out against a threat of war through dialogue and cooperation. We need the power to make suggestions to the U.S. and China. If we succeed in establishing a peaceful and cooperative order in Northeast Asia, we can live with China and Japan on equal footing although they are much stronger. < May 20, 2005, Ministerial Report on Business > |