Obama: U.S. Commitment to South Korea “Will Never Waver”

13 October 2011

President Obama, shown with South Korea's President Lee Myung-bak, said North Korea “continues to pose a direct threat to the security of both our nations.”

President Obama reaffirmed the strong alliance between the United States and South Korea and said both countries are “entirely united” in their efforts to convince North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program.

Speaking with South Korea’s President Lee Myung-bak at the White House October 13, Obama said that, along with expanded bilateral economic cooperation from the recently approved free-trade agreement, the United States and South Korea are also deepening their security cooperation and their ability to deter threats.

“The commitment of the United States to the defense and security of the Republic of Korea will never waver. And as we have for decades, the United States will maintain our strong presence in the Asia-Pacific, which is a foundation for security and prosperity in Asia in the 21st century,” Obama said.

The president said North Korea “continues to pose a direct threat to the security of both our nations,” and that its leadership faces a clear choice.

“If Pyongyang continues to ignore its international obligations, it will invite even more pressure and isolation. If the North abandons its quest for nuclear weapons and moves toward denuclearization, it will enjoy greater security and opportunity for its people. That’s the choice that North Korea faces,” Obama said.

President Lee said his country wants to see North Korea become “a responsible member of the international community” and abandon its nuclear ambitions, which he said is “the only way to ensure happiness for its people and to embark on that path to development.”

“North Korea’s continued pursuit of nuclear weapons poses a serious threat to peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula and the world. We will continue to work towards denuclearization of the peninsula,” he said.

Through peaceful and diplomatic efforts, “Korea and the United States will continue to consistently apply a principled approach so that we can achieve our strategic objective,” Lee said.

“When it comes to cooperation between our two governments, we speak with one voice and we will continue to speak with one voice,” he said.

In remarks with Reuters News Service in Washington October 11, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said the United States and South Korea have been closely consulting and cooperating “to an unprecedented degree” on their approach to Pyongyang.

“We have been willing to remain engaged with the North Koreans on a range of issues that they are following up on,” she said.

The secretary noted that South Korea is a treaty ally of the United States and that it is therefore important for both countries to “stay closely allied” and continue working together on a common approach.