Bush and Roh “Spar” about Korean War Peace Treaty
by Richardson ~ September 7th, 2007. Filed under: Diplomacy, Korean War, Six-Party Talks, U.S.-Korea Relations.Update: see the transcript of the Bush-Roh exchange in comments (h/t P).
Original post: CVID isn’t dead - and both nuclear “programs” and “weapons” are named (I hope someone tells Chris Hill):
In a testy public exchange Friday with South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun, U.S. President George W. Bush said the United States would formally end the Korean War only when North Korea halts its nuclear weapons program.
The two leaders met on the sidelines of a 21-nation Pacific Rim summit here, spending much of their roughly one-hour session discussing the international standoff over the communist North’s pursuit of atomic arms.
They agreed there had been progress. But then they had a before-the-cameras back-and-forth that was remarkable in the diplomatic world of understatement and subtlety.
Roh pushed Bush to be “clearer” about his position on an official end to the 1950-53 Korean War. The two Koreas were divided by the conflict, which ended in a truce, not a peace treaty, meaning they still remain technically at war.
The leaders’ tone remained light, but Bush responded firmly: “I can’t make it any more clear, Mr. President. We look forward to the day when we can end the Korean War. That will happen when Kim Jong Il verifiably gets rid of his weapons programs and his weapons.”
[. . .]
The tense moments with Roh came as the leaders each made statements to reporters after their meeting. Roh concluded his by questioning why Bush hadn’t mention the issue of the war’s end.
“I might be wrong. I think I did not hear President Bush mention a declaration to end the Korean War just now,” Roh said through an interpreter. “Did you say so, President Bush?”
“It’s up to Kim Jong Il,” Bush said.
Roh pressed on. “If you could be a little bit clearer,” he said, prompting nervous laughter from the U.S. delegation and a look of annoyance from Bush.
Under a deal reached in February after years of tortuous negotiations, North Korea agreed to relinquish its nuclear programs, including one that has produced bomb material. In return, Washington agreed to open talks on normalizing relations with the North and explore removing a terrorism designation for Pyongyang, among other inducements. The parties to the agreement include China, Japan, Russia and South Korea as well as the U.S. and North Korea.
North Korea shut down its main nuclear reactor in July. And U.S. officials say Pyongyang also has agreed to disclose its nuclear programs and disable them by the end of this year. But the Bush administration is suspicious of the North, believing it cheated on an earlier nuclear deal by starting a separate program to enrich uranium while freezing a plutonium-based one.
The White House acted quickly to downplay the awkward exchange. National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe, said “there was clearly something lost in translation during the photo op.”
Johndroe said the United States and South Korea agree on the steps — already spelled out in the February agreement — that Pyongyang must take before there can be a full peace agreement.
Roh and Kim are scheduled to meet soon, and Bush said he appreciated that the South Korea leader would urge Kim to adhere to the terms of the deal. “We both agreed on the positive outlook for the six-party talks,” Roh said of Bush. (emphasis added)
Reminds me a bit of when the former ROK President Kim Dae-jung visited Bush after he tried to speak for the U.S. president, and was sort of put in his place. This may or may not have an affect on the Korean presidential election in December this year.
Also see (continually updated) ROK Drop the Marmot’s, DPRK Forum, Korean Unification Studies, and OneFreeKorea.
September 7th, 2007 at 8:17 am
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September 7th, 2007 at 9:15 am
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September 7th, 2007 at 11:51 am
U.S. President George W. Bush and South Korean president Roh Moo-hyun, Sydney, Australia, September 7, 2007:
I think Bush was clear from the start; if North Korea gets rid of nuke programs and nukes, then a peace treaty will be possible. Roh was clearly fishing for some sort of feel-good commitment from Bush. I’ll have to disagree with Joshua; I think Roh is stupid.
September 7th, 2007 at 12:44 pm
[...] Comments • North Korea Will Kill Some “Spies” 14 Jack, Richardson, slim [...] • Bush and Roh “Spar” about Korean War Peace Treaty 1 Richardson • North Korea: Japan Abducted a DPRK Citizen, ‘To Chu-ji’ 3 [...]
September 7th, 2007 at 1:25 pm
Listening to a report on NPR this morning, I found it interesting that the report ended by saying something to the effect that North Korea agreed in June to dismantle its nuclear program. I wonder how many other reporters have started referencing June instead of February. It’s b.s. like this that keeps the American public so misinformed about the true nature of the North Korea regime. Most Americans understand a deal, and are pissed we someone tries to back out of one. However, the media has managed to gloss over all of the crap that North Korea has pulled since February, starting with its bad faith insertion of the frozen funds issue into the deal. I don’t think this is the result of some media conspiracy, just sloppiness. I also think this proves that North Korea’s propaganda machine is effective on the American public. Not the kind of propaganda blasted over load speakers at the DMZ about how great North Korea is, but the kind of propaganda that says the United States is just bull-headed, and the North is trying its best to negotiate with America, but we keep throwing up obstacles.
September 7th, 2007 at 1:31 pm
Stewart,
I noticed the same thing. You point about the press and U.S. public is also well taken. Sloppiness and ignorance yes, but some is pure bias. Part of the reason I blog - ~1,000-1,400 readers a day is a start (though I’m probably preaching to the choir most of the time).
September 7th, 2007 at 6:16 pm
[...] #3: DPRK Studies believes Roh is just stupid while OFK believes this was planned attack on Bush before the Korean [...]
September 7th, 2007 at 6:30 pm
Notice how Roh effectively made it seem on the international stage that it is the United States that is preventing a “Peace Treaty” to “end” the Korean War.
I agreed with Richardson over at One Free Korea’s that Roh is an idiot, but I would not say that there is no Roh-thought behind what he does and when he does it…
September 7th, 2007 at 6:34 pm
Roh may have realized he was pushing Bush, but he should know better than to try. Kim Dae-jung learned that lesson after trying to speak on behalf of the U.S.
September 7th, 2007 at 10:19 pm
After reading the official Korean version at Cheonghwadae’s website, I conclude that Roh is not stupid but snarky. The K-E interpreter definitely took the bite out of Roh’s words when they were rendered into English.
[admin note: added link to this post]
▲ 부시 대통령 모두 발언 : 대통령 각하 시간 내주셔서 감사하다. 솔직하게 중요한 얘기를 나눴다. 우리는 양국관계에 대해서 얘기 나눴다. 굳건한 양국 관계, 그리고 아프간, 이라크 신생민주국가에 도움을 줘 감사하다는 말을 대통령께 했다. 우리는 6자회담에 대해 많은 이야기 했죠?
6자회담 중 있었던 많은 진전들에 대해 얘기했다. 북한 지도자와 정상회담에서 만나시면 그가 우리와 함께 한 약속들을 지속적으로 이행해 주시기 바란다는 말 전해주시기 바란다. (통역 수정 : 이행해 달라고 하겠다는 말씀에 감사드린다.)
그리고 각하와 제가 얘기를 나눈 것도 북한과 관련한 많은 재확인이 있었다. 북한 지도자가 그들의 핵 프로그램을 전면 신고하고 또 핵 프로그램을 전면 해체할 경우 많은 변화가 있을 것이다. 동북아시아에 있어 평화체계가 새롭게 설정될 것이라 생각한다. 그러나 앞으로 우리가 해야 할 부분이 많이 남아 있다. 그것에 대해 긍정적으로 생각하고 있다.
▲ 노 대통령 : 부시 대통령 말씀처럼 6자회담과 북핵, 한미 양자관계에 대해 많은 얘기를 나눴다. 이 같은 의제를 다루기 전에 이라크에서 평화를 정착시키기 위해 부시 대통령께서 노력하고 있는 것에 대해 지지한다는 것을 다시 한 번 표명했다.
그리고 부시 대통령께서 비자면제 프로그램과 관련해 매우 전향적이고 적극적 조치를 취해준 데 대해 매우 감사하다는 말씀을 드렸다.
6자회담이 매우 낙관적인 전망을 하게 해 대단히 기쁘고 의미 있게 평가하고 그것을 미국 정부와 부시 대통령께서 한반도와 동북아시아 평화를 만들겠다는 전략적 결단의 성과라고 저는 평가하겠다.
2005년 9월19일 9.19선언에서 한반도 평화체제를 위한 협상에 관해서 합의한 바 있다. 2006년 11월 베트남에서 부시대통령이 한반도 종전선언에 관한 의지를 다시 한 번 표명했다. 그 문제에 대해 다시 대화를 나눴고, 거듭 한반도에 전쟁시대를 종결하고 한반도 평화체제를 만들기 위해 북핵 해결이 되면 신속히 다음 단계로 신속 이행할 준비가 되어 있다는 말씀은 확인하셨다.
6자회담이 순조롭게 진행될 경우 그에 이어서 동북아 다자간 안보체제를 위한 협의를 진행해 나갈 것이라는데 대해서도 의견을 같이 했다. 그리고 남북정상회담에 관해 남북관계와 6자회담이 성공적으로 수행되도록 6자회담과 함께 남북관계와 6자회담이 상호 보완적으로 촉진하는 방향으로 진행될 것이라는 것을 제가 말씀드렸다.
각하께서 조금 전 말씀하실 때 한반도 평화체제 내지 종전선언에 대해 말씀을 빠뜨리신 것 같은데, 우리 국민들이 듣고 싶어 하니까 명확히 말씀을 해주셨으면 한다.
▲ 부시 대통령 : 제가 말씀드리고 싶은 것은 우리가 평화체제 제안을 하느냐 안하느냐가 중요한 것은 김정일 국방위원장에게 달려 있다. 무기를 없애고 검증 가능해야 한다. 그런 목표를 향해 진전이 이뤄지고 있지만 아무래도 결정은 그쪽에서 해야 할 것이다.
▲ 노 대통령 = 똑같은 이야기이다. 똑같은 얘기인데, 김정일 위원장이나 한국 국민들은 그 다음 얘기를 듣고 싶어 한다. (웃음)
▲ 부시 대통령 = 더 이상 어떻게 분명히 말씀드릴지 모르겠다. 한국에서 전쟁은 우리가 끝낼 수 있다. 하지만 그러기 위해서는 김정일 씨가 그의 무기에 관해서 검증 가능하도록 폐기해야 할 것 같다.
September 7th, 2007 at 10:31 pm
Somehow Roh being a smartass with Bush on TV seems a lot worse that just being foolish; it’s downright moronic.
September 8th, 2007 at 6:00 am
That is why I think Roh is just incompetent by thinking the theatrics and hysterics often used in Korean politics is acceptable in a global setting such as APEC.
September 8th, 2007 at 8:19 am
I’m starting to come around to your “Roh is an idiot” viewpoint. Roh and Bush met for an hour prior to the photo-op, didn’t they? Bush was simply reaffirming the US’ consistent stance, yet Roh couldn’t contain his annoyance in front of the cameras. I wonder if Roh actually imagined that he could weedle a commitment to a peace treaty to be delivered on a silver platter to Kim Jong-il at their October summit.
September 8th, 2007 at 8:40 am
Considering what you translated (my Korean is no where good enough to attempt it [edit - now that I look at the text a little closer, I do actually understand that portion]) at ROK Drop:
I’m about at a loss for words on Roh’s behavior. Ok I’m not, but petty name calling isn’t fun (any more).
September 8th, 2007 at 3:56 pm
As I noted at One Free Korea’s, I think part of the motivation with Roh (and I’m sure it was subconscious) was that he felt Bush was fair game due to his interpretation of what he has seen going on in the US and world media on Bush….
I think this is perhaps somewhat Korean — a piling on effect….Roh basically showed he has concluded the world hates Bush so much, he could score some points by kicking him in the balls in front of the world, and he doesn’t understand Western culture (and diplomatic culture) well enough to know that even if most of Europe hates Bush too (or liberals in the US), this is not a way they want to see Bush-bashing done….that this sort of thing is diplomatically taboo……That he could have probably said pretty much the same thing to Korean reporters after the video-op or to the international press too just later on, but it was not acceptable to say it like that in that forum face to face — unless he wanted to make clear to the US and world that South Korea as a nation and the US (under Bush) are actively against each other on at least NK policy….
September 8th, 2007 at 5:21 pm
I think usinkorea is correct that Roh would never have tried his theatrics if he didn’t feel that bashing Bush in front of an international audience wouldn’t cost him anything. I have to wonder if anyone has told Bush what Roh really said. Roh wants Bush to help him with the visa waiver issue and now I can’t really imagine Bush will be to eager to help on that issue now.
September 8th, 2007 at 5:56 pm
[...] Comments • Bush and Roh “Spar” about Korean War Peace Treaty 12 GI Korea, usinkorea, Richardson [...] • North Korea Turns 59 1 Jack • [...]
September 10th, 2007 at 4:23 am
[edit: commenter banned]
September 10th, 2007 at 8:19 pm
All of this controversy could have been avoided had the State Department spent the money and hired interpreters who are competent–i.e., who (a) knows what the sensitive terminologies are, and (b) does not get sloppy especially in front of the press and leave out vital phrases.
As some of you noted, President Bush did say “peace treaty” and “end to Korean War” in his opening remarks, but was not properly translated into Korean by the State Department translator. This is what provoked the entire exhcange. But at least the Korean side had a diplomat interpreting for President Roh who was competent enough to edit out potentially “undiplomatic” comments on the fly.
It should be noted that this is NOT the first time that photo ops and other press availabilities with the Korean side unnecessarily became a tense affair due to the interpreter on the US side.
Word of advice to anyone at the State Dept: there is a huge pool of competent Korean Americans you can dip into; just go out there and find someone who is even half competent.
September 10th, 2007 at 8:24 pm
Actually, I believe it was a ROK government translator (i.e., Roh’s translator), not a U.S. DoS one.
Also note: the translator was a female, not male, and Roh’s translator was the one speaking for him during the televised meeting. That exact translation was also used in the White House transcript.
Thus I’m fairly certain It was Roh’s translator.
Unless you have any proof besides how you assume things work.
September 10th, 2007 at 9:46 pm
For my response to Richardson see the postings in the following link: http://rokdrop.com/2007/09/07/bush-and-roh-argue-over-north-korea-at-apec-summit/
This site has a copy of Korean transcript of the exchange, with President Bush’s remarks as translated by the US translator. See above. Compare the translation with the English transcript, which could reasonably lead to the conclusion that the seemingly tense exchange between the two presidents may have been avoided had the US interpreter interpreted things correctly–i.e., using the proper terminology given the context of the meeting.
September 10th, 2007 at 9:57 pm
Bush and Roh met before the televised meeting, as GI Korea points out, and it is almost guaranteed that Roh understood exactly what Bush was talking about.
Roh’s actual (Korean) response bears this out – he said that’s the “same story” and KJI/ROK people want a “different story” or the “next step.”
‘Clearly’ - by his response in Korean - Roh understood exactly what Bush was saying, and Roh was pushing for the U.S. to offer NK a peace treaty before denuclearization.
That is the real issue.
A translating error did not cause that; an error in thinking by Roh did.
Signing off for the night…
September 11th, 2007 at 6:41 am
I speak Korean, and I agree with you, Richardson. JaeNY is just repeating Korean media spin. Witness Roh’s remarks yesterday about how he’s not going to discuss denuclearization at the summit because that topic might upset KJI.
September 11th, 2007 at 7:25 am
Thanks. It seems ‘clear’ that if Roh’s response recognized that Bush answered the same way twice, that translation isn’t the issue.
September 11th, 2007 at 7:55 pm
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