A group of South Korean opposition lawmakers who returned from a trip to the United States claimed Tuesday that U.S. government officials and congressional leaders have expressed an intent to engage in renegotiations on the transfer of wartime control after the change of government in South Korea.
They also said the U.S. has decided on a policy to retaliate against North Korea with potent military force if the communist state pushes ahead with nuclear weapons tests.
"There was controversy over the U.S. policy on North Korea, but they made clear their position during our visit. U.S. sanctions against Pyongyang will continue consistently, strongly and in accordance with principle," said Rep. Chun Yu-ok, a member of the Grand National Party's (GNP) delegation to the U.S.
In a report to a meeting of key party officials, she also claimed that the U.S. officials and congressional leaders they met expressed willingness to take strong measures, including military action as specified in the United Nations charter, if North Korea goes ahead with nuclear tests. North Korea is preparing to conduct underground nuclear tests, according to some foreign media reports.
The delegation demanded that the U.S. leave room to renegotiate South Korea's takeover of wartime control of its troops from the U.S. when a new government is installed here in 2008, the GNP report said. The report also said some U.S. leaders complied with the request.
During the trip, the GNP delegates met with Robert Joseph, U.S. undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill, Sen. Sam Brownback, a Republican from Kansas, former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage and John Tilleri, a former commander of the United States Forces Korea (USFK).
South Korea and the U.S. are in the middle of negotiations over the timetable for the transfer of wartime control. South Korea hopes to regain the command by 2012, while the U.S. has proposed handing it over as early as 2009. The final results will be unveiled at an annual meeting in Washington of the two sides' defense chiefs next month.
Seoul, Sept. 26 (Yonhap News)
U.S. officials willing to renegotiate wartime control: S.Korean lawmakers |
