    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1993, Book I)]
    [July 11, 1993]
    [Page 1061]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 1061]]

    Exchange With Reporters at the Demilitarized Zone
    July 11, 1993

    North Korea

        Q. How many more years do you think this line will hold?
        The President. I don't know. I hope it won't be long. But in the
    meanwhile, I'm glad these people are here. All these young men are doing
    something very important. And when you see, as I said, when you see the
    way North Korea's been behaving, their presence here is even more
    important. The American people should be very proud of them. They are
    making a major contribution to the defense of freedom and also to the
    spread of freedom. And in the end our side of that bridge will prevail.
        Q. Do you think they know you're here?
        The President. I imagine they do. They were certainly looking. And
    someday they'll be able to----
        Q. Menacingly?
        The President. Well, I hope someday they'll just be able to walk on
    over here in peace.
        Q. Knowing what you know now, do you think they're more likely or
    less likely, the North Koreans, to comply with the treaty?
        The President. Well, I don't know. They've been rather calm in
    response to my trip here. And that is somewhat encouraging. But it
    doesn't make any sense. When you examine the nature of the American
    security commitment to Korea, to Japan, to this region, it is pointless
    for them to try to develop nuclear weapons because if they ever use them
    it would be the end of their country. All they have to do is read our
    security agreements.
        So I hope that this trip will serve to get things back on track. And
    I hope they will comply. The President of South Korea, President Kim,
    has laid out a long-term gradual way of reunification that is clearly in
    the interest of the people on both sides of this great divide. But we
    can't even resume that until they make it clear that they're going to
    stay in the Non-Proliferation Treaty regime, they're going to allow the
    inspectors back in, they're not going to try to become a nuclear power.
    That's the major issue for this day. And until that happens, we just
    need to redouble our resolve and make it clear where we are.
        Q. Well, weren't they moving toward rapprochement, and all of a
    sudden something happened, they were really----
        The President. They seemed to be. And, as I said, President Kim
    reached out to them. And it's clear that the people of South Korea would
    like reunification to be possible, if you can preserve democracy and
    freedom.
        So we'll just have to see. The wisdom of what our country has done
    for 40 years is basically demonstrated by this abrupt change in North
    Korean policy. We know what works. If we just stay strong and we stay
    resolute and we stay firm, we know that will work. And eventually, we
    have to hope that they will take the sensible course and that we can
    then resume the thaw that was in place before this last unfortunate
    development.
        Thank you.

    Note: The exchange began at 2:55 p.m. at the Bridge of No Return.