Remarks By

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage

At The Republic of Korea Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Seoul, Korea

May 9, 2001



We§re delighted to be back here. I came to Seoul today at the request of President George W. Bush to consult with President Kim Dae Jung and his colleagues and government on several matters. I also brought a letter from President Bush for President Kim in which President Bush expressed strong support for President Kim§s engagement policy with the North. He made some comments about our new strategic framework and also indicated to President Kim that our policy review is nearly wrapped up and we wanted to get President Kim§s latest thinking on North Korea and on our approach to North Korea. And finally the letter stated, among the things our policy review would show, that we would continue to support the Agreed Framework.



I also was able to discuss with President Kim and his colleagues, and will continue tomorrow to discuss, a new strategic framework, which in our view, has several elements: one, nonproliferation; second, counter-proliferation; the third, missile defense; and fourth, the view that the United Sates is willing unilaterally to reduce our nuclear arsenal down below the levels envisioned in START II. We would like others, and the Russian Federation, to come along with us, but we are willing to do it, unilaterally, down to the level where we can protect ourselves and our allies. Those

discussions, as I say, will continue tomorrow. I did not come to present the Republic Korea with a fait accompli. I did not come to present any final decisions on so-called missile defense. It was simply to get the views of our friends and allies on this matter so I can carry them back to the President.





Richard Armitage