South Korea leader to 'advance' U.S. ties
By Christopher Torchia
Associated Press
SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea's president-elect, who has said he would be more assertive in relations with the United States, promised today to work with Washington to resolve concerns about North Korea's nuclear weapons development.
Associated Press
Roh Moo-hyun was declared winner in elections yesterday that took place amid rising anti-U.S. sentiment in South Korea. During the election campaign, Roh said he was not anti-American, but insisted he would not "kowtow" to his country's chief ally.
Pro-government candidate Roh Moo-hyun and his wife, Kwon Yang-sook, raised joined hands at party headquarters in Seoul yesterday. Roh declared victory in South Korea's presidential election on a platform of more assertiveness with the United States.
On the morning after his victory, Roh said the traditional friendship between South Korea and the United States must "mature and advance."
Many experts have said Roh's stance seeking engagement with North Korea would clash with Washington's tougher approach with Pyongyang, which said last week that it would revive a frozen nuclear power plant previously suspected of being used to make weapons.
But Roh today promised cooperation with Washington.
Associated Press
"In order to resolve peacefully the problem related to North Korea's nuclear development, we will take initiatives through close cooperation between the Republic of Korea and the United States," he told a news conference at the National Assembly.
A huge screen shows a smiling Roh Moo-hyun of the Millennium Democratic Party as his supporters wave a South Korean flag and cheer outside his party headquarters in Seoul. Roh yesterday claimed victory in South Korea's presidential election after narrowly defeating conservative opposition leader Lee Hoi-chang.
Roh also indicated that he would push for changes in the Status of Forces Agreement — the legal code governing the 37,000 U.S. soldiers stationed in South Korea and a key source of friction in relations.
Roh, a 56-year-old human rights lawyer, narrowly defeated opposition leader Lee Hoi-chang, a conservative whose tough stance on North Korea may have cost support among young voters who view him as closely aligned with U.S. policy.
At the White House, press secretary Ari Fleischer said President Bush "warmly congratulates" Roh.
With about 99.9 percent of the votes counted from yesterday's balloting, Roh had 48.9 percent and Lee 46.6 percent. Turnout among the nation's 35 million eligible voters was 70.2 percent, almost 11 percent lower than in the 1997 presidential election.
President Kim Dae-jung's five-year term ends in February. Under South Korean law, he was barred from seeking re-election.
