Military

DATE=2/19/02

TYPE=INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT

TITLE=CHOON/KOREA

NUMBER=3-55

BYLINE=KENT KLEIN

DATELINE=WASHINGTON

INTERNET=

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HOST: President Bush arrives in South Korea to a mixed reception, partly because of his comment a few weeks ago that North Korea is part of an "axis of evil" that promotes terrorism. Choon Heum Choi (choon hum chay) is a senior research fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification, based in Seoul. He tells V-O-A News Now's Kent Klein that South Koreans' opinions about Mr. Bush's visit vary, based largely on their feelings toward their own government's policy toward the North:

MR. CHOI: One side has a pro-American attitude and the other was very much an anti-American posture. But the problem is how to get the right course for the Bush administration to engage toward North Korea. That is a very important thing. And it is a very good opportunity for South Korea to listen and to discuss how to deal with North Korea.

MR. KLEIN: When Mr. Bush referred to North Korea as being part of an "axis of evil," do you think that did more harm or more good?

MR. CHOI: Personally, I think it is the right point to the North Korean present situation. As a matter of fact, one and a half years ago, South Korea and North Korea had, on June 15th, a declaration, which said North Korea's leader Kim Chong-il, will visit South Korea. But that visit still has not yet materialized. So President Bush's mentioning North Korea as an "axis of evil," in a sense, is the right one, because North Korea still possesses weapons of mass destruction, such as nuclear weapons and biological and chemical weapons.

MR. KLEIN: What do you think has to change for unification to get back on course?

MR. CHOI: First of all, we have to concentrate on eliminating North Korea as a potential threat, because North Korea has weapons of mass destruction. Without their getting rid of the weapons, it is very difficult for South Korea and North Korea to get together and hold discussions on unification. So to talk about North Korea's weapons of mass destruction is very appropriate.

MR. KLEIN: Do you believe President Kim will discuss this with Mr. Bush when he visits?

MR. CHOI: I think President Kim Dae-jung will support the American position on North Korea's possession of weapons of mass destruction. But I don't think President Kim Dae-jung will discuss this subject in detail.

MR. KLEIN: During President Bush's visit, he is expected to go to the Demilitarized Zone and look over into North Korea and say a few words at that point. That of course is full of symbolism for us back here in the United States. How is that symbolism seen in South Korea?

MR. CHOI: I think that there are two things. President Bush's gesture at the DMZ will give an impression to South Koreans that the United States is a country which can make the Korean Peninsula stable and peaceful. Second, if Bush goes to the DMZ, then the South Korean people believe that the U.S. and South Korean alliance system is still intact.

In order to maintain a stable and prosperous U.S.-South Korea alliance system, the United States has to keep in mind that stability and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula, especially in South Korea, is the top priority. The second priority will be how to deal with North Korea. That kind of message will be more helpful to the South Koreans to coordinate with the United States.

HOST: Choon Heum Choi (choon hum chay) is a senior research fellow at the Korea Institute for National Unification. He spoke with V-O-A's Kent Klein from his office in Seoul.

NEB/KK/RAE