SEOUL, South Korea--(Business Wire)--
Office of the Press Secretary
President Lee Myung-bak of the Republic of Korea and President
George W. Bush of the United States of America held a summit meeting
in Seoul on August 6, 2008. The two Presidents recalled that their
first summit meeting at Camp David on April 19 was a milestone in the
development of a ROK-U.S. strategic alliance for the 21st century. In
their August 6 meeting, the two leaders had in depth discussions on
the development of the ROK-U.S. Alliance, the approval of the
Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement, the North Korean nuclear issue and
other North Korea-related issues, and ways to expand cooperation on
important bilateral, regional and global issues.
The two Presidents agreed to develop the ROK-U.S. Alliance in a
future-oriented way, based upon the traditional friendly relationship
and mutual trust between the two nations. They also agreed to further
strengthen strategic coordination and cooperation between the two
countries with a view to the prompt resolution of the North Korean
nuclear issue and the creation of a new peace structure on the Korean
Peninsula and in Northeast Asia.
Our Alliance
The two Presidents affirmed that the Alliance between the Republic
of Korea and the United States has contributed to peace and prosperity
on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia for over fifty years.
They reconfirmed their strong commitment to further developing the
Alliance's fundamental mission through enhancing the countries'
combined defense capabilities and continuing to implement the relevant
agreements concerning the transition of wartime operational control
and the relocation and realignment of U.S. Forces in the Republic of
Korea.
The two Presidents resolved to move forward with developing the
Alliance into a strategic and future-oriented structure to better
address changes in the security environment and future needs in the
21st Century. The two Presidents shared the view that on the basis of
common values and trust, the scope of cooperation within the Alliance
needs to broaden and deepen to encompass not only security
cooperation, but also political, economic, social, and cultural
cooperation. They further agreed to develop the Alliance in a way that
will also contribute to peace and prosperity at the regional and
global level.
Free Trade Agreement
The two Presidents reaffirmed that the Korea-U.S. Free Trade
Agreement (KORUS FTA) will boost trade, increase economic growth and
create jobs in both the United States and Korea, while also adding an
enduring economic pillar to our two countries' bilateral partnership.
Toward that end, the two Presidents committed themselves to working
with their respective legislatures to approve the KORUS FTA as soon as
possible.
North Korea
The two Presidents welcomed the progress made toward implementing
the second-phase actions for the implementation of the Joint Statement
of September 19, 2005 and shared the view that this progress
contributes to peace and stability in Northeast Asia. They also agreed
that a rigorous verification regime needs to be established in order
to ensure the completeness and correctness of the declaration
submitted by North Korea, and that the fulfillment of all the parties'
obligations should be ensured through a monitoring mechanism within
the Six-Party Talks framework.
The two Presidents urged North Korea to promptly complete its
commitments in the second phase of the denuclearization process and,
through third-phase actions, to implement full abandonment of all its
nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs. The two Presidents
reaffirmed their intent to take corresponding measures together with
other participating countries in the Six-Party Talks, and agreed to
continue close coordination between the Republic of Korea and the
United States for the further progress in the Six-Party Talks.
The two Presidents made it clear that they are committed to
helping North Korea integrate into the international community and
thereby partake in the peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula
and in Northeast Asia. The two Presidents reaffirmed their commitment
to improving the human rights situation in North Korea and shared the
view that in the process of normalizing relations, meaningful progress
should be made on improving North Korea's human rights record.
President Bush reiterated his full support for President Lee's
recent proposal to resume inter-Korean dialogue and his initiative to
help improve the economic conditions for the North Korean people in
the context of continued progress on denuclearization and to offer a
path for the two Koreas to live side-by-side in harmony and
prosperity, opening the way to their eventual unification. The two
Presidents agreed to continue close cooperation and policy
coordination on their relations with North Korea.
President Bush expressed his regret and condolences regarding the
shooting death of a South Korean tourist at the Mt. Geumgang resort
area on July 11, and urged relevant North Korean authorities to engage
in inter-Korean dialogue to promptly resolve the case and prevent any
recurrence of such a tragedy.
Broad-based Cooperation
President Bush expressed deep appreciation for the contribution
Korea has made to peace and reconstruction in Iraq, Afghanistan and
other conflict areas. The two Presidents affirmed their commitment to
continue working to forge an international consensus on ambitious,
realistic and achievable steps to respond to the challenge of global
climate change, including through our joint efforts in the Major
Economies Meeting process and the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean
Development and Climate. The two Presidents shared the view that more
efforts by the international community are needed to address global
issues and threats such as terrorism, WMD proliferation, transnational
crimes, and energy security, and they agreed to continue close
consultations on ways to cooperate in this regard.
The two Presidents agreed to actively promote close cooperation in
the fields of civil space exploration, and space science and in the
peaceful use of nuclear energy. The two Presidents also agreed to
enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples by
working to launch the Work, English Study and Travel (WEST) Program,
which will provide an opportunity for Korean university students to
study English, work, and enrich their knowledge and experience in the
United States.
The two Presidents also noted that the two governments have made
great strides toward the Republic of Korea's full membership in the
U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP). They pledged to continue joint efforts
to bring about Korea's participation in the VWP by the end of this
year, thereby further solidifying the already strong people-to-people
links between Korea and the United States.
President Lee welcomed President Bush's visit to Seoul which
follows the Camp David Summit of last April and the Summit held last
month on the occasion of the G-8 Summit. President Bush thanked the
government and people of the Republic of Korea for their warm
hospitality.
White House Press Office
1-202-456-2580
Copyright Business Wire 2008
