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Let's start this morning with the latest from Washington... where Korea and the United States
have adopted a joint declaration to further develop the Seoul-Washington alliance,...
which marks its 60th anniversary this year.
The agreement came during summit talks between President Park Geun-hye and U.S. President
Barack Obama at the White House on Tuesday.
The declaration includes pledges to strengthen cooperation in various fields,... from security
to energy.
For details, our presidential correspondent Eoh Jin-joo joins us live on the phone from
Washington D.C.
So Jin-joo, what was discussed during the meeting?
You-sun,... as widely expected, North Korea emerged as the most pressing agenda.
Presidents Park and Obama reaffirmed that they will not tolerate nor reward North Korea's
provocations and threats,... and said bad behavior will only further isolate the country
from the world.
At a press conference following a private meeting with Obama in the Oval Office,...
President Park said they saw eye-to-eye on the need to step up the two countries' deterrent
capability against North Korea's nuclear program and conventional threats.
She stressed the North will fall apart if it continues to depend on its nuclear weapons
development while sacrificing the lives of its people.
The South Korean president hit home her point that economic development cannot come along
with nuclear weapons.
President Obama also made it clear Pyongyang will no longer get what it wants through aggression.
He said "the days when North Korea could create a crisis and elicit concessions are over."
But, Jin-joo... both leaders left the door open for dialogue, right?
Yes, that's correct.
President Park said South Korea and the U.S. are ready to support the North,... should
it change its attitude to become a responsible member of the international community.
This comes in line with her push for a plan to restore confidence on the Korean peninsula.
President Park called on the international community to unite and speak with one voice,
to strategically place North Korea in a position where it has no choice but to change... instead
of just waiting for Pyongyang to change on its own.
Meanwhile,... Obama said the international community would welcome North Korea's decision
to change,... but first wants to see action that shows it's ready to move in a different
direction.
Now,... as we mentioned earlier,... this year marks the 60th anniversary of the South Korea-U.S.
alliance. The two leaders promised to further develop their bilateral ties for the next
few decades.
Yes,... the joint declaration adopted by the two leaders says they will further strengthen
and amend the Korea-U.S. alliance so it continues to act as a "linchpin" for peace and stability
on the Korean peninsula and northeast Asia.
They agreed to upgrade their comprehensive strategic alliance into a "global partnership"...
to expand their cooperation globally.
Now quickly going over some other topics that were discussed during their summit.
Presidents Park and Obama discussed a range of common interests, including the global
economy, energy policy, development cooperation plans as well as the Syrian civil war.
Okay Jin-joo, thank you for that report.
That was our presidential office correspondent Eoh Jin-joo reporting from Washington D.C.