While speaking to in an interview prior to the G20 meetings, Obama also said that the world is looking to the G20 to work together to strengthen the global economic recovery, continue to repair the financial system and promote the stability of global markets. Here are the excerpts:
President Lee and I both recognize the importance of
the US-Korea Free Trade Agreement. It has the potential to set the stage for a
better, stronger and more fair trade relationship between South Korea and the
United States. The goal of this agreement is to generate new economic and
business opportunities and create jobs, in both our countries. Our work
together on the KORUS FTA will set a high standard for trade agreements in the
region and the world. When President Lee and I last met at the Toronto G20
Summit in June, we instructed our teams to make their utmost efforts to resolve
outstanding issues and prepare the agreement for legislative approval.
During my visit to the Blue House, President Lee and I
will take stock of how far we have come in this joint effort and see if we can
achieve even further progress. When I first met President Lee at the White
House in June last year, we were committed to building an alliance to ensure a
peaceful, secure and prosperous future for the Korean Peninsula, the
Asia-Pacific region, and the world. Those words from our Joint Vision
encapsulate what both our countries seek to accomplish: building a US-Korean
Alliance that can fully meet the demands and the evolving challenges of the
21st century. We are increasing our cooperation on overseas development
assistance, sustainable energy, climate change the financial crisis and
addressing security issues in the region.
Naturally, we are jointly focused on the security of the
Peninsula and the efforts to achieve the full and verifiable denuclearization
of North Korea. Our alliance continues to grow, along with the expansion of the
warm ties between the Korean and American people.
The world is looking to the G20 to work together to
strengthen the global economic recovery, continue to repair the financial
system and promote the stability of global markets. The United States will do
its part to restore strong growth, reduce economic imbalances, and calm
markets. But no one country by itself can achieve our common objective of a
strong, sustainable, and balanced recovery. We want to work with our G20
partners to ensure that all nations — emerging and advanced, surplus and
deficit — do their part to generate a vigorous and well-balanced recovery. We
also hope to work through the G20 to strengthen economic governance
institutions like the IMF, implement effective financial sector reforms, carry
out our earlier G20 pledge to phase out fossil fuel subsidies, and work to
reach agreement on the Doha WTO talks.
The Seoul G20 Summit is the first G20 summit to be held
in a country that was not a member of the G8, and Korea has shown exceptional
leadership on this historic occasion. When the leading economies agreed last
year to move discussions of economic policy coordination from the G8 grouping
to the G20, one reason was to give emerging economies like the Republic of
Korea the opportunity to play a more prominent role in global economic
policymaking and bring their particular experiences to bear on the global
policy debate. For example, this year Korea has very helpfully highlighted the
important role of growth in development. Korea's impressive performance as G20
Chair this year has demonstrated the tremendous benefit and indeed necessity of
bringing more countries to the table to work together to address these
international economic issues, and I am looking forward to a productive Seoul
Summit under the capable leadership of President Lee.
First of all, I would like to highlight the strong
bond between the United States and the Republic of Korea. This is my second
visit to Seoul since I became president, and, this year, our two countries are
marking the 60th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War. Our deep
friendship has been forged through a history of shared sacrifice and we
continue to stand together to face threats, globally and regionally. This
shared history and strong alliance is the foundation on which our North Korea
policy is built.
Eight months ago, 46 sailors aboard the Cheonan lost
their lives in an unjustified attack by North Korea. I spoke with President Lee
shortly after the attack to convey my deepest condolence and offer America's
assistance in any way possible. I reaffirmed that the United States was fully committed
to the defense of the Republic of Korea and that our two countries will work
even closer than before to counter the North Korean threat. North Korea cannot,
and will not, drive a wedge between two longtime friends in Asia; in fact, it
has solidified our alliance and unity.
While the Republic of Korea emerged as a prominent
regional and global player from the ashes of the Korean War, North Korea has
chosen a path of confrontation and provocation, pursuing nuclear and ballistic
missile programs. It's clear that such a path runs counter to the best interest
of the region and the international community. Since I took office, I have
offered North Korea a helping hand. Working with our regional partners, we are
prepared to offer North Korea a different future: instead of choosing the
isolation that has compounded the suffering of its own people, North Korea
could join the international community. Instead of poverty and hunger, North
Korea could enjoy economic prosperity and provide a better life for the North
Korean people. But in order to take this path, North Korea must abandon
belligerent behavior, address the Republic of Korea's concerns, and take
irreversible steps toward denuclearization. North Korea must live up to its own
commitments in the Six-Party Talks and its international obligations under UN
Security Council Resolutions.
The United States and our regional allies and partners
stand ready to welcome and assist North Korea when it chooses this path.
The United States has an important role in promoting
regional stability and America's approach to Asia begins with our alliances.
Korea and Japan are two key allies in Northeast Asia and these alliances serve
as the foundation for America's engagement in the Asia Pacific region.
Americans and South Koreans have safeguarded regional peace and security for
the past half century and supported the region's remarkable economic growth.
Both of our countries have benefited tremendously from this partnership. Today,
we are working not just to sustain our alliance, but to update and broaden our
partnership — here and beyond the Korean Peninsula. More broadly, multilateral
fora such the G20 meeting, the APEC meetings that begin later this week, the
East Asian Summit that was held last month, and the ASEAN Regional Forum all
play important roles in promoting integration throughout the Asia-Pacific
region.
Similar to the Korean people, families are very
important to Americans, and I am no exception. Of course there is never enough
time for families, but we try to do our best. Michelle and I wanted the girls
to have as close to a "normal life" as possible at the White House
and I think they're enjoying it — and Bo has a big role to play in that!
Michelle and I look forward to all of the time that we get to spend with Malia
and Sasha. We like to go to their soccer games on the weekends, and always try
to have dinner together so we can talk about their day.
