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CNN Live At Daybreak
Seoul Reacts to Pyongyang's Withdrawal From Nuclear Treaty
Aired January 10, 2003 - 06:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: South Korea is extremely concerned about the north's decision to pull out of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.
Let's go to Seoul now. Rebecca MacKinnon is following the controversy.
Good morning -- Rebecca.
REBECCA MACKINNON, CNN TOKYO BUREAU CHIEF: Hello, John.
Well, South Korea's government just concluded an emergency meeting of its national security council, trying to consolidate South Korea's next move in this latest ratcheting up of tensions. The South Korean government is calling on North Korea to reverse its decision to withdraw from the NPT, calling it a grave threat to international peace and stability.
Now, South Korean President Kim Dae-jung is still holding out the hope that diplomacy can be brought to bear, and that this will not come to any kind of military conflict, saying also that he's concerned that further tension, if it is not stopped soon, could affect South Korea's economic development, as well as its stability.
Now, South Korea is still holding out hope that its government's policy, called the Sunshine Policy, of engaging North Korea and still help to bring about a resolution to this conflict. South Korea will be holding high-level meetings with North Korea here in Seoul later in the month, and there's a hope that at least at that point, South Korea can have some success in urging North Korea to come to the table and negotiate with the United States -- John.
VAUSE: Rebecca, surely, though, to South Korea, this is a bit of a slap in the face. They've been asking for dialogue between the United States and North Korea. It didn't look it was happening. But just as Washington tries to appease North Korea, they ratchet to push up some more.
MACKINNON: Yes, now this is part of the -- shall we say -- manic depressive pattern of relations with North Korea. You have this situation where there's a bit of hope, there's a ray of hope, it looks like there may be talks, and then suddenly there's a slap in the face. And it's considered by people who follow North Korea to be a classic move, where it will ratchet up tensions as soon as things seem to be easing off, to keep up the sense of urgency, so that people feel they have limited time and become more likely to make concessions to North Korea. So, this is all part of their negotiating tactics. Exactly where it's going to lead, who knows -- John.
VAUSE: OK, Rebecca MacKinnon there for us in Seoul, South Korea. Thank you for bringing us up to date.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Treaty>
Aired January 10, 2003 - 06:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: South Korea is extremely concerned about the north's decision to pull out of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.
Let's go to Seoul now. Rebecca MacKinnon is following the controversy.
Good morning -- Rebecca.
REBECCA MACKINNON, CNN TOKYO BUREAU CHIEF: Hello, John.
Well, South Korea's government just concluded an emergency meeting of its national security council, trying to consolidate South Korea's next move in this latest ratcheting up of tensions. The South Korean government is calling on North Korea to reverse its decision to withdraw from the NPT, calling it a grave threat to international peace and stability.
Now, South Korean President Kim Dae-jung is still holding out the hope that diplomacy can be brought to bear, and that this will not come to any kind of military conflict, saying also that he's concerned that further tension, if it is not stopped soon, could affect South Korea's economic development, as well as its stability.
Now, South Korea is still holding out hope that its government's policy, called the Sunshine Policy, of engaging North Korea and still help to bring about a resolution to this conflict. South Korea will be holding high-level meetings with North Korea here in Seoul later in the month, and there's a hope that at least at that point, South Korea can have some success in urging North Korea to come to the table and negotiate with the United States -- John.
VAUSE: Rebecca, surely, though, to South Korea, this is a bit of a slap in the face. They've been asking for dialogue between the United States and North Korea. It didn't look it was happening. But just as Washington tries to appease North Korea, they ratchet to push up some more.
MACKINNON: Yes, now this is part of the -- shall we say -- manic depressive pattern of relations with North Korea. You have this situation where there's a bit of hope, there's a ray of hope, it looks like there may be talks, and then suddenly there's a slap in the face. And it's considered by people who follow North Korea to be a classic move, where it will ratchet up tensions as soon as things seem to be easing off, to keep up the sense of urgency, so that people feel they have limited time and become more likely to make concessions to North Korea. So, this is all part of their negotiating tactics. Exactly where it's going to lead, who knows -- John.
VAUSE: OK, Rebecca MacKinnon there for us in Seoul, South Korea. Thank you for bringing us up to date.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Treaty>
