Park Meets Top US Officials

“During the course of what will be a long campaign, I probably won’t be commenting on every single utterance or decision that the candidates make”, Obama said during a White House news conference with the South Korean president.

South Korea has sought an apology and compensation for surviving Korean victims.

“In order to increase cooperation, supply resources and nurture the professionals who will plan for the future projects, it is essential to establish a law to promote inter-Korean exchanges on cultural assets”, said Jeong Tae-hern, vice president of the Council of South and North Historians.

In addition to North Korea nuclear ambitions, Obama said that he and Park discussedtrade, climate change, the global fight against the Islamic State and mutual efforts on cyber-security.

Park stood between Russian President Vladimir Putin and the autocratic leader of Kazakhstan as Chinese tanks and mobile missiles that are rattling the nerves of a few of China’s Asian nations trundled past.

In a conflict with either country, South Korea would benefit from the potential USA deployment of Lockheed Martin’s Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in the country.

But it remains to be seen if Park can translate ever-closer relations with China into vital backing from Pyongyang’s biggest benefactor, or overcome skepticism in Washington about whether the initiative can work.

Park did not elaborate on whether Tokyo and Seoul had made substantive progress on the divisive issue of sexual exploitation of Korean women by Japan’s imperial army during the war. China addressing its concerns on North Korea’s provocations in last month’s summit with Obama was also seen to instill confidence in South Korea’s drive to bring Pyongyang back to the negotiation table.

The United States appreciates President Park’s tireless efforts to improve inter-Korean relations, including through repeated overtures to North Korea, and welcomes President Park’s principled approach that resulted in a peaceful resolution of the August tensions.

“So there’s no contradiction between the Republic of Korea having good relations with us, being a central part of our alliance, and having good a relationship with China”, Obama said. The two countries have traded words over cybersecurity, territorial disputes and more. We will maintain our robust deterrence posture and continue to modernize our alliance and enhance our close collaboration to better respond to all forms of North Korean provocations.

South Korea had started its loudspeaker messaging for the first time in years after two of its soldiers were wounded by North-set landmines in the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).

South Korea’s president is walking a fine line as she looks to strengthen her nation’s alliance with the United States against nuclear-armed North Korea, while deepening ties with China, the North’s sole ally. “We want them to be cooperating with us in putting pressure on the DPRK”, Obama noted.