When asked why he did not demand a direct apology from President Bush unlike his rival Lee Hoi-chang of the Grand National Party and Democratic Labor Party presidential candidate Kwon Young-ghil during a televised debate Tuesday, Roh said he was thinking over whether it was appropriate for a presidential candidate to make demands when anti-American sentiment was rising.

Noting friendship with traditional allies, including the United States, should be strengthened and that America in particular will keep playing an important role in the future for national security, Roh said if elected, he will meet with President Bush to discuss ways of dealing with North Korea's nuclear weapons program as a top priority.

Regarding the revision of the status of forces agreement with the US, he said the jurisdiction should be revised to a similar level of SOFA's with Germany and Japan, and the environmental clauses must be revised. (Shin Jeong-rok, jrshin@chosun.com )