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CNN Live Saturday
South Korea: U.S. Willing to Attack North Korea
Aired January 18, 2003 - 16:02 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.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Our top story this afternoon, another wrinkle in the U.S. standoff with North Korea, a dramatic statement coming out of South Korea raising some eyebrows and some questions as well.
Let's go to Washington and check in with White House Correspondent Suzanne Malveaux. Suzanne, what's the latest?
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well Anderson, President Bush has said time and time again the administration has no intention of invading North Korea, no intention of striking North Korea.
But a dramatic statement today from the president-elect of South Korea Roh Moo-hyun who said on South Korean television that as recently as last month that top U.S. officials were indicating that they were willing and perhaps would attack its neighbor.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROH MOO-HYUN, PRESIDENT-ELECT OF SOUTH KOREA (through translator): At the time of the elections, some hard line U.S. officials who held considerable responsibility in the administration talked about the possibility of attacking North Korea. I then felt so desperate.
I couldn't even say in public what would happen if the United States attacked North Korea because I would make the people afraid. I then felt that no matter what differences I might face with the United States, I would oppose an attack on North Korea. Fortunately, opinion in the United States started to change toward resolving the matter peacefully.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: Now, Roh does not say allegedly who said what. These comments are baffling. Both White House and State Department officials I talked to earlier today and the White House releasing a statement saying once again, and I'm quoting here that "The president has made it clear that the U.S. has no intention of invading North Korea and he has indicated he wants to find a peaceful resolution to the current situation North Korea has brought upon itself."
But, Anderson, I should tell you that U.S. military, as well as intelligence officials tell CNN that since North Korea had declared that it was resuming some of its nuclear weapons programs that it was engaged in what it calls prudent planning for military options with North Korea, saying that look they did not have any intention of attacking North Korea. This is simply out of an abundance of caution -- General Myers.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEN. RICHARD MYERS, CHAIRMAN, U.S. JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF: You would expect the secretary of defense and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the whole Department of Defense community be working all sorts of contingencies for various situations and you can be assured that's happening.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: The Pentagon saying emphatically it has no plans to attack North Korea, that in fact it would not be advantageous to the administration to do so. They would widely expect that North Korea would retaliate and attack South Korea as well as U.S. soldiers across the demilitarized zone.
One of those plans we are told from sources would be U.S. Special Forces going in, taking surgical strikes against nuclear targets to rather dismantle them and not destroy them. But again, we are being told from officials that there is no intention whatsoever of striking or invading North Korea -- Anderson.
COOPER: All right, Suzanne Malveaux, live at the White House, thanks very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired January 18, 2003 - 16:02 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Our top story this afternoon, another wrinkle in the U.S. standoff with North Korea, a dramatic statement coming out of South Korea raising some eyebrows and some questions as well.
Let's go to Washington and check in with White House Correspondent Suzanne Malveaux. Suzanne, what's the latest?
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well Anderson, President Bush has said time and time again the administration has no intention of invading North Korea, no intention of striking North Korea.
But a dramatic statement today from the president-elect of South Korea Roh Moo-hyun who said on South Korean television that as recently as last month that top U.S. officials were indicating that they were willing and perhaps would attack its neighbor.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROH MOO-HYUN, PRESIDENT-ELECT OF SOUTH KOREA (through translator): At the time of the elections, some hard line U.S. officials who held considerable responsibility in the administration talked about the possibility of attacking North Korea. I then felt so desperate.
I couldn't even say in public what would happen if the United States attacked North Korea because I would make the people afraid. I then felt that no matter what differences I might face with the United States, I would oppose an attack on North Korea. Fortunately, opinion in the United States started to change toward resolving the matter peacefully.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: Now, Roh does not say allegedly who said what. These comments are baffling. Both White House and State Department officials I talked to earlier today and the White House releasing a statement saying once again, and I'm quoting here that "The president has made it clear that the U.S. has no intention of invading North Korea and he has indicated he wants to find a peaceful resolution to the current situation North Korea has brought upon itself."
But, Anderson, I should tell you that U.S. military, as well as intelligence officials tell CNN that since North Korea had declared that it was resuming some of its nuclear weapons programs that it was engaged in what it calls prudent planning for military options with North Korea, saying that look they did not have any intention of attacking North Korea. This is simply out of an abundance of caution -- General Myers.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEN. RICHARD MYERS, CHAIRMAN, U.S. JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF: You would expect the secretary of defense and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the whole Department of Defense community be working all sorts of contingencies for various situations and you can be assured that's happening.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: The Pentagon saying emphatically it has no plans to attack North Korea, that in fact it would not be advantageous to the administration to do so. They would widely expect that North Korea would retaliate and attack South Korea as well as U.S. soldiers across the demilitarized zone.
One of those plans we are told from sources would be U.S. Special Forces going in, taking surgical strikes against nuclear targets to rather dismantle them and not destroy them. But again, we are being told from officials that there is no intention whatsoever of striking or invading North Korea -- Anderson.
COOPER: All right, Suzanne Malveaux, live at the White House, thanks very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
