(EDITORIAL from the Korea Times on Feb. 16)

Clinton???s visit: Korea, US should work together to solidify alliance

South Koreans hope the four-nation Asian visit by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton this week will pave the way for a breakthrough in the nuclear standoff
with North Korea.

She is scheduled to stay in Seoul Feb. 19-20 as part of her
first overseas trip as the top American diplomat. Her tour has significant
implications, revealing the Barack Obama administration's North Korea policy.
At the top of her agenda is North Korea's nuclear weapons program. Seoul and
Washington are likely to broadly agree on how to tackle the nuclear issue. It is
imperative that two countries step up cooperation to solidify their traditional
alliance to help find a solution to the nuclear problem.
It's worth noting that the new U.S. administration has stressed diplomacy and
engagement with North Korea despite a series of provocative acts by the communist
state. Tensions have been growing due to Kim Jong-il's regime's threats to scrap
all inter-Korean agreements, nullify a West Sea border and wage a military
campaign against the South. Pyongyang is also preparing to test-fire a long-range
missile ahead of Clinton's visit.
In this context, South Korea and the U.S. are required to work together to foil
the North's reckless efforts to ratchet up tensions on the Korean Peninsula. The
two countries should send a clear message that Pyongyang can never succeed with
its notorious brinkmanship tactics and nuclear blackmail. It's important that the
two sides no longer play into the hands of the North, which is aiming at more
concessions.
There is no discord between Seoul and Washington over the continuation of the
six-nation talks for the North's nuclear disarmament. In a speech to the Asia
Society in New York City Friday, Clinton reaffirmed that the Obama administration
will continue the six-party negotiations. She also expressed the U.S government's
willingness to normalize relations with North Korea as long as the world's last
Stalinist country abandons its nuclear program.
Clinton also said the U.S. is ready to replace the peninsula's armistice
agreement with a permanent peace treaty. She did not miss the chance to remind
the North of other benefits, including energy and other economic aid, from its
denuclearization. Despite her reconciliatory gesture, Clinton warned North Korea
not to destabilize regional security with repeated threats. She urged the North
to ``avoid any provocative action and unhelpful rhetoric toward South Korea."
The Obama government should clarify that it will not accept North Korea as a
nuclear power in order not to send a wrong signal to the recalcitrant state.
Seoul and Washington must also deactivate Pyongyang's outdated policy of
sidelining South Korea while scrambling for direct talks with the U.S. It's
urgent to revive the six-party denuclearization talks and upgrade the alliance
between Seoul and Washington.
Other important issues such as the global economic crisis and a Korea-U.S. free
trade agreement (FTA) must not be dwarfed by North Korean affairs. We hope
Clinton's visit will serve as an opportunity for the two nations to make greater
efforts to help stabilize the financial market and speed up economic recovery.
She is also urged to strive to narrow differences on the FTA for the speedy
ratification of the landmark trade deal. We hope her first overseas mission is a
success.
(END)