[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1994, Book II)]
[October 18, 1994]
[Pages 1794-1795]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks on the Nuclear Agreement With North Korea
October 18, 1994

    Good afternoon. I am pleased that the United States and North Korea 
yesterday reached agreement on the text of a framework document on North 
Korea's nuclear program. This agreement will help to achieve a 
longstanding and vital American objective: an end to the threat of 
nuclear proliferation on the Korean Peninsula.
    This agreement is good for the United States, good for our allies, 
and good for the safety of the entire world. It reduces the danger of 
the threat of nuclear spreading in the region. It's a crucial step 
toward drawing North Korea into the global community.
    I want to begin by thanking Secretary Christopher and our chief 
negotiator, Ambassador at

[[Page 1795]]

Large Bob Gallucci, for seeing these negotiations through. I asked Bob 
if he'd had any sleep, since he's going to answer all your technical 
questions about this agreement, and he said that he had had some sleep. 
So be somewhat gentle with him. After meeting with my chief national 
security advisers, and at their unanimous recommendation, I am 
instructing Ambassador Gallucci to return to Geneva on Friday for the 
purpose of signing an agreement.
    The United States has been concerned about the possibility that 
North Korea was developing nuclear weapons since the 1980's. Three 
administrations have tried to bring this nuclear program under 
international control. There is nothing more important to our security 
and to the world's stability than preventing the spread of nuclear 
weapons and ballistic missiles. And the United States has an unshakeable 
commitment to protect our ally and our fellow democracy South Korea. 
Thirty-eight thousand American troops stationed on the Peninsula are the 
guarantors of that commitment.
    Today, after 16 months of intense and difficult negotiations with 
North Korea, we have completed an agreement that will make the United 
States, the Korean Peninsula, and the world safer. Under the agreement, 
North Korea has agreed to freeze its existing nuclear program and to 
accept international inspection of all existing facilities.
    This agreement represents the first step on the road to a nuclear-
free Korean Peninsula. It does not rely on trust. Compliance will be 
certified by the International Atomic Energy Agency. The United States 
and North Korea have also agreed to ease trade restrictions and to move 
toward establishing liaison offices in each other's capitals. These 
offices will ease North Korea's isolation.
    From the start of the negotiations, we have consulted closely with 
South Korea, with Japan, and with other interested parties. We will 
continue to work closely with our allies and with the Congress as our 
relationship with North Korea develops.
    Throughout this administration, the fight against the spread of 
nuclear weapons has been among our most important international 
priorities, and we've made great progress toward removing nuclear 
weapons from Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and from Belarus. Nuclear weapons in 
Russia are no longer targeted on our citizens. Today all Americans 
should know that as a result of this achievement on Korea, our Nation 
will be safer and the future of our people more secure.
    Now I'd like to ask Ambassador Gallucci to come up and make a 
statement and answer your questions.

Note: The President spoke at 5:09 p.m. in the Briefing Room at the White 
House.