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President Roh Moo-hyun on Thursday downplayed the threat North Korea¡¯s missile tests in July imply. The Taepodong-2 missile it unsuccessfully launched ¡°was not capable of reaching U.S. territory but its range was too long to target South Korea,¡± Roh told reporters after meeting his Finnish counterpart Tarja Halonen. ¡°This is why I think the missiles were not for any actual military attack but for political purposes.¡±
¡°One of the reasons why the North Korean missile issue is becoming more difficult to deal with is that the majority of the media¡± in South Korea, the U.S. and Japan ¡°regard them as real military threats, not as a tool for political purposes,¡± the president told a Finnish reporter. ¡°I don¡¯t think of them as military threats.¡± It was the first time Roh has confirmed the position directly rather than by way of Cheong Wa Dae officials
The president also said Seoul sees ¡°no signs or evidence that North Korea will carry out a nuclear test or if so, when.¡± Asked if it is possible that North Korea will carry out a nuclear test, Roh said, ¡°There is no evidence to support that possibility and people have offered only assumptions that the North could do it.¡± Senior government officials in charge of security, however, have said otherwise. Asked about news that cables were spotted in Gilju, North Hamgyeong Province, National Intelligence Service Director Kim Seung-kyu told the National Assembly¡¯s Intelligence Committee, ¡°It is unclear if the objects are directly related to preparations for a nuclear test¡± but ¡°North Korea could conduct a nuclear test at any time if leader Kim Jong-il makes the decision.¡± Unification Minister Lee Jong-seok told the National Assembly on Aug. 24, ¡°The possibility that North Korea will conduct a nuclear test cannot be ruled out¡± and, "North Korea declared last year that it has nuclear arms, and it appears that there is a logical possibility that the test may occur.¡±
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President Roh Moo-hyun in a joint press conference with his Finnish counterpart Tarja Halonen in Helsinki on Thursday.
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Meanwhile, Roh met with Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen on his second day in the North European country and discussed boosting bilateral trade, investment and human exchanges and expand cooperation in the IT and science. The two leaders focused on cooperation to promote joint research and development efforts in cutting-edge technology at government level. Roh is to attend the ASEM gathering which starts on Sunday in Helsinki.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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