Carter, who talked to the Chosun Ilbo before and after last week's Beijing talks, said that if North Korea continues with its nuclear program and therefore forces the United States to make a choice, a preemptive strike is inevitable. Carter had constructed plans to attack Yongbyon under the order of then Defense Secretary William Perry.

Carter said that in 1993 Washington had judged that North Korea would continue with its nuclear program, and that if his plan had been implemented, the nuclear facilities would have been destroyed. He said that U.S. policies for the Korean Peninsula were the result of bilateral consultations, and that former President Kim Dae-jung had agreed with the U.S. opinion that forceful measures should be taken if negotiations with Pyongyang fail.

The Bush administration will consider preemptive strikes if there are no positive outcomes from the talks with North Korea, Carter said, adding that South Korea should prepare for this. He added that Korean-American relations were seriously strained and that both governments should educate the public on the seriousness of the current situation on the Korean Peninsula. (Lee Ha-won, may2@chosun.com )