Korea’s Ambassador to U.S. Eyes Pastures New

In an address at the Rotary Club in Washington, D.C., Hong said despite evidence that the alliance between the two countries has been a success, some people cast doubt on the soundness of the two allies' relationship. What emerged from them was a “surprising” depth of misunderstanding by intellectuals and the media, Hong said, and correcting them was one of his most important duties as ambassador.

The five are:▲ anti-American sentiment is rife in Korea; ▲ Koreans no longer want U.S. troops in their country; ▲ Koreans place greater importance on their ethnic unity with North Korea than their alliance with the U.S.; ▲ President Roh Moo-hyun is overly progressive; ▲ Korea is leaning toward China and away from the U.S.

Hong attributed such conceptions to an insufficient understanding of changes sweeping Korea and the world at large, and to excessive focus on trivial incidents.

One major change in Korean society was that the decision-making process has become more complex, Hong said. Now dissenters need to be convinced, and the process takes longer as the democratization of Korean society progresses. There was also the realization that South Korea’s past policy of confrontation with North Korea failed to reduce tensions on the Peninsula or motivate the North to reform or change. The alternative was engagement, Hong said. At the same time, the end of the Cold War order created a new security environment where it became possible to forge productive ties with past enemies such as Russia and China, he said.

Hong said the Korea-U.S. alliance was going through a period of adjustment to these changes, but last month’s Korea-U.S. summit showed it was growing even firmer. He said Koreans still consider the U.S. their most important security partner. Shared historical experience, namely, the sacrifice of 37,000 Americans during the Korean War could not be erased or forgotten and formed the solid basis of the alliance, he added.

(englishnews@chosun.com )