Portrait of Roh Moo Hyun
Politician · person
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Roh Moo Hyun on George W. Bush

Alliance manager (strong)

TL;DR

Roh Moo Hyun viewed George W. Bush as a partner in managing the US-ROK alliance and coordinating on North Korea's denuclearization.

Key Points

  • In October 2003, the two leaders agreed to work closely on resolving the North Korean nuclear issue within the Six-Party Talks framework.

  • Roh expressed appreciation for Bush's efforts toward resolving the nuclear issue during their 2003 meeting in Bangkok.

  • Roh supported Bush's efforts in Iraq and thanked him for his constructive position on the Visa Waiver Program in a 2007 meeting.

Summary

Roh Moo Hyun viewed his relationship with George W. Bush as an important and close one, characterized by frank discussion and reaffirmation of shared values like democracy and market economy. Key evidence of this partnership includes multiple meetings, such as one in Bangkok in October 2003 where they agreed on the goal of a nuclear-weapons-free Korean Peninsula and to cooperate on Iraq reconstruction, with Roh agreeing to dispatch additional South Korean troops. The focus of their engagement was largely centered on coordinating strategy regarding North Korea's nuclear program within the framework of the Six-Party Talks.

Despite the need to address complex issues like the realignment of U.S. Forces Korea and differences in approach to North Korean human rights, both leaders consistently stressed the strength and mutual benefit of the alliance. In later meetings, such as one in 2005, they reiterated shared principles on denuclearization and supported working towards a permanent peace structure on the peninsula. The South Korean leader publicly appreciated the U.S. President's efforts concerning the Six-Party Talks and the push for free and fair trade.

Key Quotes

Korea and the United States have been promoting the friendship between each other based on mutual trust, and we have been addressing the problem in this period of cooperation and friendship.

Although the Republic of Korea is not taking part in the full scope of the PSI, we support the principles and goals of the PSI and will fully cooperate in preventing WMD materiel transfer the northeast Asia region.

I believe that they are the same thing, Mr. President. If you could be a little bit clearer in your message, I think——

Frequently Asked Questions

Roh Moo Hyun consistently described his relationship with George W. Bush as a close and important partnership based on mutual trust. The leaders met multiple times to coordinate on major regional issues, particularly the North Korean nuclear program. They reaffirmed the strength of the US-ROK alliance during these high-level engagements.

The primary issue discussed by Roh Moo Hyun and George W. Bush was the peaceful resolution of the North Korean nuclear crisis through the Six-Party Talks. They also addressed bilateral matters, including the future of U.S. troop deployment in South Korea and economic cooperation, such as free and fair trade.

Yes, in October 2003, President Roh announced that South Korea would dispatch additional troops to Iraq following a comprehensive review of the situation. President Bush expressed gratitude for this principled determination, stating it would strengthen the alliance and contribute to Iraq's stabilization.

Sources9

* This is not an exhaustive list of sources.