[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 33 (Tuesday, March 13, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Page S2214]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            THE VISIT OF SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT KIM DAE JUNG

  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I want to share with my colleagues a 
letter that Representatives Gephardt, Lantos, Skelton, Senators Biden 
and Levin, and I recently sent to President Bush. The letter outlines 
our support for efforts to work with our South Korean friends to 
address the threats to our security emanating from North Korea.
  Like President Bush, we harbor no illusions about the challenges 
posed by the North Korean government. To say North Korea's actions the 
past several decades have greatly troubled the United States and the 
world is an understatement. However, we also recognize that we cannot 
simply ignore the challenges the current regime poses for the 
international community; the stakes, which include the proliferation of 
missile technology, are simply too high.
  Last week Secretary Powell publicly recognized that the Clinton 
Administration made progress in addressing the threats posed by North 
Korea. We agree with that assessment. We believe the record shows that 
the Clinton Administration fell just short of reaching a comprehensive 
agreement with the North Koreans that would have dramatically reduced 
tensions between the two Koreas and between North Korea and the rest of 
the world.
  Given the urgency of these threats and the fact that a breakthrough 
appeared imminent just months ago, it is in the U.S. national interest 
to pursue additional discussions with the North Koreans. Only by 
allowing our negotiators to sit down with their North Korean 
counterparts will we be able to determine whether that recent progress 
contains the seeds of a comprehensive and verifiable agreement with 
North Korea.
  Let us be clear. The burden here is on the North Koreans to prove 
that they will join the international community. We may find that a 
deal is not possible. But to walk away from that effort now, without 
knowing whether a deal is possible, is to pass up an opportunity to 
address a principal threat to the United States and to our friends in 
the region, South Korea chief among them.
  We urge the President to work with President Kim and our South Korean 
friends--with our strong support--to test North Korea's commitment to 
peace through a comprehensive and verifiable agreement on its nuclear 
and missile activity. The stakes are too high and the issues too urgent 
to do otherwise.
  I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record a letter dated 
March 6, 2001.
  There being no objection, the letter was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                Congress of the United States,

                                    Washington, DC, March 6, 2001.
     The President,
     The White House, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. President: We are writing in regard to your 
     upcoming meeting with Republic of Korea President Kim Dae 
     Jung. Korea is a steadfast ally in a strategic part of the 
     world, and we are pleased you will meet with President Kim 
     early in your administration.
       We understand that President Kim's efforts toward 
     rapproachement with North Korea will be a subject of your 
     meeting. In the context of those efforts, late last year 
     North Korea suggested it may be ready to permanently address 
     U.S. and allied concerns regarding its nuclear and missile 
     capability--a major destabilizing force in East Asia and a 
     principal threat to the security of the U.S. and its allies 
     in the region.
       Your meeting with President Kim offers an opportunity to 
     stand with our South Korean friends to test whether North 
     Korea is indeed committed to peace. Given North Korea's often 
     far-reaching demands and record of disregarding international 
     norms, we are under no illusions about the difficulty of 
     getting comprehensive and verifiable agreements with North 
     Korea that address our concerns about its current and future 
     nuclear and ballistic missile activities. We believe, 
     however, the stakes are high and the issues involved demand 
     urgent attention, and it is evident to us that the continued 
     engagement of the U.S. Government on this matter could serve 
     to reduce a serious potential threat to our national 
     security.
       We therefore hope you thoroughly explore the possibility of 
     reaching agreements that are in our national interest, and 
     ask that you clearly demonstrate to President Kim our 
     government's ongoing commitment to working constructively 
     with the Republic of Korea to confront this major strategic 
     challenge.
       Should you choose this path to work with the Republic of 
     Korea to address these critical concerns, we stand ready to 
     support you.
           Sincerely,
     Sen. Tom Daschle,
       Senate Democratic Leader.
     Rep. Richard Gephardt,
       House Democratic Leader.
     Sen. Joseph R. Biden, Jr.,
       Ranking Member Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
     Rep. Tom Lantos,
       Ranking Member House International Relations Committee.
     Sen. Carl Levin,
       Ranking Member Senate Armed Services Committee.
     Rep. Ike Skelton,
       Ranking Member House Armed Services Committee.

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