Powell says Obama will 'listen' to Seoul on N. Korea, trade agreement

By Lee Chi-dong

SEOUL, Nov. 7 (Yonhap) -- Former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said Friday that the new U.S. government would "listen" to Seoul in its dealings with North Korea and other pending issues.

"President-elect Barack Obama is going to listen to what you think. He wants to
hear what your goals are," Powell said at a lecture here during his one-day stay.
"I am confident that he will send messages to nations around the world,
especially to South Korea, that the United States wants to work with you, wants
to have open, honest, and realistic dialogue with you."
Powell said the free trade agreement between the allies will be one of the thorny
issues the new leader will have to deal with in his early days in office.
He also said that while he supports the deal, "negotiated after many months, even
years of discussions, debates, and compromise," Obama may not. The trade deal was
signed last year but has not yet been ratified by the two countries' respective
legislatures.
"Mr. Obama has said he has some concern about the trade agreement with Korea and
he wants to look at it again, particularly in the field of automobiles," Powell
said.
Powell, who is expected to serve as a policy adviser in the Obama administration,
was optimistic, nevertheless.
"I am confident that once he takes office and begins to work with South Korea on
the issue, we will want to listen. We will take into account everything South
Korea says on that. I am also confident that he will do the same thing," he said.
"I am sure that the solution will arrive at some point."
Powell added that Obama will keep in touch with the South Korean authorities in
his push to rid North Korea of its nuclear program and remain steadfast despite
difficult negotiations with Pyongyang.
"Patience will be required and cooperation or coordination will be required among
the members of the six-party framework," he said, referring to the often-troubled
talks aimed at ending the North's nuclear ambitions. The Beijing-based
negotiations also include China, Russia, and Japan.
Powell, a retired four-star general and widely respected Republican, crossed
party lines to support Obama, helping the Democratic candidate tackle criticism
that he is inexperienced in foreign policy matters and military issues.
Obama said last month that if elected, he would ask Powell to play a role as one
of his advisers.
In a recent media interview, however, Powell said he isn't interested in serving
under a new administration, saying instead that he wants a new generation of
leaders to step up.
Powell also met with President Lee Myung-bak before leaving Seoul late Friday.