Joint Press Release: R.O.K.-U.S. Sub-Ministerial Strategic Consultations

As a follow-up of the ministerial-level Strategic Consultation held January 19, 2006, both parties had an in-depth discussion on a wide range of bilateral, regional and global issues including the current situation in Northeast Asia, security cooperation, UN reform, the R.O.K.-U.S. alliance, the North Korean nuclear issue, and inter-Korean relations.

Both parties reconfirmed that the R.O.K.-U.S. alliance has steadily strengthened based on shared values of democracy, human rights, and free market economy, and has played a vital role in the maintenance of peace and stability on the Korean peninsula and Northeast Asia. They reaffirmed their joint commitment to further strengthen the alliance.

Both parties shared the view that North Korea’s nuclear test is a grave threat to peace and security on the Korean peninsula, Northeast Asia and beyond. They welcomed the recent agreement to resume the Six-Party Talks, and highlighted the importance of maintaining a united voice in the international community through full and effective implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution 1718.

Both parties reaffirmed the position that North Korea will not be recognized as a nuclear-weapon State. They looked forward to achieving an agreement at an early date on ways to implement the September 19 Joint Statement and to bring North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons and nuclear related programs through the Six-Party Talks. To this end, both parties agreed to conduct close and in-depth consultations on issues relating to resuming the Six-Party Talks and formulating strategies between the R.O.K. and the U.S. heads of the delegations of the Talks.

Both Vice Minister Yu and Under Secretary Burns agreed to continue to cooperate in resolving international security concerns such as fighting the global war on terror, promoting security cooperation in Northeast Asia and preventing proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery.

Both parties recognized the significance of close and in-depth consultations through the Strategic Consultation in promoting R.O.K.-U.S. relations, and agreed to consult on holding a Ministerial Strategic Consultation at a mutually convenient time.