S. Korea:Silence on the Cheong Wa Dae-White House Hotline(Bush not talking to Roh for 9 months)

Chosun Ilbo ^ | 06/20/06

[TigerLikesRooster]

Silence on the Cheong Wa Dae-White House Hotline

Full nine months have passed since President Roh Moo-hyun and U.S. President George W. Bush last spoke on the phone, giving rise to speculation that the two heads of state have nothing to say to each other.

Their last conversation was on Sept. 20 last year, the day after six-nation talks in Beijing produced a statement of principles whereby North Korea agreed to give up its nuclear program. Roh called Bush for what was their 12th phone conversation. The Korean president was then in his 31st month in office, making for a chat between the two leaders approximately every 2.6 months. They appeared to hold close consultations whenever major issues came up. But since then, nothing.

More than a month has now passed since tensions started to build up over what the U.S. says is North Korea's imminent test launch of a ballistic missile, but the presidents have not discussed this. Meanwhile, Bush called Chinese President Hu Jintao two weeks ago to ask him to use his influence in the North to stop the missile launch, according to the June 17 New York Times.

Bush talks to Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi so often on the phone that it no longer generates media attention. He is to send his own presidential jet for Koizumi when the premier visits the U.S. According to Japanese media, the pair talked on the phone for 10 minutes on May 31 to discuss the future of their bilateral alliance. Bush reportedly starts his day by conducting phone conversations with leaders around the world.

Roh and Bush met in Gyeongju last November, but that was on the sidelines of the APEC summit here rather than in a separate forum.

The silence between the two presidents suggests a fundamental rift in the two allies’ policies. It was only recently, after all, that the Foreign Ministry's special envoy on international security, Moon Chung-in, said, "President Roh is losing patience with President Bush.”

[TigerLikesRooster]

Why talking to him? Roh always says one thing, turn around, and do backstabbing.

The only time Bush may talk to him would be to give him something bordering on ultimatum.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Ping!

[elhombrelibre]

Agreed. The man is no help, and he encourages the North Korean communists by being such a wimp. The stakes are high here and the South Koreans need to realize we're nearing the end of any diplomacy and passive approaches that may work with the nut-case in North Korea.

[Spktyr]

The worst part is that Roh doesn't realize that by doing so he's cutting himself out of the new alliances that the US is forming. Japan and India are going to be our most important allies in the region for the next 40-50 years (at least) and they will get favorable treatment based on that. Roh could have taken the opportunity to join in and elevate South Korea's status and even mend fences with Japan in the name of a common enemy, but noooo....

Roh is screwing his own country out of their future.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Re #4

I agree. He screwed up royally, when the historical strategic realignment is in progress. The guy must still believe that he did something good by "standing up to" U.S. His name will be etched in Korean history as one of the most incompetent rulers.

[Nextrush]

The appeasement government of South Korea is a nuisance to dealing with the problem of North Korea.

[sam_paine]

His name will be etched in Korean history as one of the most incompetent rulers.

I dunno. When I try to understand Korean thinking in this area, I use women as a template.

Koreans will NOT think Roh is incompetent. He 'correctly' in their minds held a defiant pose when he was being 'dissed' by Bush. If Bush had kissed his backside, then Roh would be free to do as Bush pleased. But since Bush is merely doing what makes sense and is spending little time on trying to bring Roh along on the path of common sense, he's being left behind. And the Koreans will be proud of their fearless, left-behind leader. It's wierd. But to them, it makes sense that Bush is in the wrong here.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Re #17

Roh's constituency would do that.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Re #7

It is true that Roh panders to victimhood. He even paints himself as a victim. He is busy convincing others that all the wrongs in the world are done to him, drawing sympathy for him, and outrage against his opponents.

[Monti Cello]

Full nine months have passed since President Roh Moo-hyun and U.S. President George W. Bush last spoke on the phone, giving rise to speculation that the two heads of state have nothing to say to each other.

This opening is pure scrappleface.

[FreeReign]

Their last conversation was on Sept. 20 last year, the day after six-nation talks in Beijing produced a statement of principles whereby North Korea agreed to give up its nuclear program....They appeared to hold close consultations whenever major issues came up. But since then, nothing.

Maybe he just wing the wong number.

Anyway, contact hasn't been "nothing" since Sep. '05.

November 17th 2005 | Gyeongju, Korea ...

PRESIDENT ROH: (As translated.) Good afternoon. I just had a very constructive and meaningful meeting with President Bush.....

PRESIDENT BUSH: Mr. President, thank you. Mr. President, thank you very much. You do have a beautiful country. And we've got a strong relationship. We've got a good personal relationship, and our countries are bound together by common values and our deep desire for freedom and peace. Thank you very much for your hospitality. I've really been looking forward to my second trip to your wonderful country.... I told the President during our discussions that I felt like the ties between our two countries has never been better....

Link

[operation clinton cleanup]

Full nine months have passed since President Roh Moo-hyun and U.S. President George W. Bush last spoke on the phone, giving rise to speculation that the two heads of state have nothing to say to each other.

I suspect from the USA point of view, there is nothing more to say at this time. The ball is in SK's court, so to speak.

[operation clinton cleanup]

It is true that Roh panders to victimhood. He even paints himself as a victim. He is busy convincing others that all the wrongs in the world are done to him, drawing sympathy for him, and outrage against his opponents.

Sounds like South Korea elected their own "Bill Clinton". To bad they couldn't learn from our mistakes sooner.

[ChEng]

The South Koreans are not unlike the Europeans in that we gave them a free security ride during the "Cold War". Our fault, perhaps, but time for them to take responsibility for their future. Maybe time to pull another brigade or two, or all our troops, out of Korea. Somewhere along the line they have to grow some stones. If, after fifty years of prosperity and Westernization the South Koreans can't face up to third world North Koreans, well, sorry for them. Might result in an object lesson for the Euros..

[sam_paine]

Roh's constituency would do that.

Do you think that's a large majority of the thinking in SoKo?

[TigerLikesRooster]

Re #15

It is now a minority. Much of young generation currently is in cognitive dissonance. Their heart leans toward anti-American and pro-North view. Their head says that their personal interest(especially jobs, economic situation) will be served better by cutting down on such a view. "No view," or "neutral" has become a new vogue.

[sam_paine]

"No view," or "neutral" has become a new vogue.

I wonder if it's really all that "new."

I have never been able to talk politics with Koreans. Even drunk! They just don't have any opinions. Not only do they not seem to bicker on FR type sites, they don't even seem to keep up with the news.

If you really get them drinking, I have seen one guy go off on a "do nothing" tangent. Said that we were pushing Kimmy Ill too much. Just keep sending him rice and all will be fine. "Well," I asked, "meanwhile what about all the poor bastards up there dying under the bleak conditions?"

He said, "Reunification would be a disaster to our economy because of those people." "Look at what happened to West Germany," he went on, "when they had to reabsorb all that dead weight."

Humans trapped under oppression. 'Dead weight.' Let me finish my barbecue, get back in my Mercedes and forget about my cousins up north thankyouverymuch.