South Korea's point man on North Korean affairs on Sunday said his country and the United States have a broad understanding on most issues but still have areas of differences when it comes to North Korea-related issues.
"Because South Korea and the U.S. are allies, we share similar views in many areas that require strategic understanding," Unification Minister Lee Jong-seok said while speaking on a local television program.
"However, we have different opinions regarding North Korean issues," he added.
The minister said these were mainly geopolitical and strategical differences. South Korea has asked the U.S. to find common ground but Washington is intent on sticking to its own positions, Lee said.
Lee said that despite questions being raised about just how alert South Korea is to the developing threat of North Korea's weapons, the country has ramped up its defense spending in recent years in a drive to modernize its defense system.
"In the past three years, the current administration has increased its military expenditure by 9 percent each year," he said.
"Who would believe that the government is not alert, as it has been increasing its military power and modernizing its defense system?" The administration's state of alertness regarding North Korean missiles was called into question by subtle remarks issued earlier by top U.S. military commander in South Korea General B.B. Bell.
Earlier this week, the minister also said that his country would oppose any additional sanctions by Washington against the communist North, alleging that the United States "does not" speak for the international community all the time.
Following the launch of seven missiles earlier this month by North Korea, the U.S. and Japan have been trying to apply international sanctions against the reclusive state.
Seoul, July 23 (Yonhap News)
S. Korea, U.S. do not see eye to eye on some N. Korean issues: minister |
