Friction in U.S.-South Korea ties

Friction in U.S.-South Korea ties

The chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives' Committee
on International Relations, Henry Hyde, has said that if South
Korea expects military assistance from the United States, it
should clearly state who its enemy is.

Hyde's strong remarks came during a hearing dealing with the
North Korean nuclear crisis. He said that the omission of the
term "main enemy" from the South Korean Defense Ministry's most
recent white paper - the designation that had usually been
applied to North Korea before - left in doubt the main reason for
the U.S.-South Korea alliance.

Our government needs to make it clear that we do not pursue an
unconditional engagement policy with the North, but one with
strategic flexibility. There is a strong possibility that the
longer the nuclear crisis is prolonged, the more voices like
Hyde's will emerge.
-- JoongAng Daily, Seoul