U.S.–S. Korea relationship weakened, official says

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U.S.–S. Korea relationship weakened, official says
By Ashley Rowland, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Wednesday, April 16, 2008

SEOUL — A former prime minister of South Korea told a group of American and South Korean defense specialists Monday that the alliance between the United States and South Korea is important but has weakened in recent years.

Lee Hong-koo, prime minister from December 2004 to December 2005, said the United States’ “preoccupation” with Iraq and the Middle East has undermined U.S. efforts to understand Asia’s importance.

He made the comments during a session of the Republic of Korea-U.S. Defense Analysis Seminar, held every two years in South Korea.

More than 70 specialists from the two countries are attending the three-day seminar, held at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses near Korea University.

Lee said a meeting later this week in Washington between President Bush and new South Korean president Lee Myung-bak is important to developing the relationship between the two countries and will be a “clear signal” to North Korea to lessen its nuclear posture.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=54061