SOUTH KOREA: U.S. Assistant Secretary of State, Kurt Campbell in Seoul to discuss North Korea

Record ID: 187213

  • Title: SOUTH KOREA: U.S. Assistant Secretary of State, Kurt Campbell in Seoul to discuss North Korea
  • Date: 15th January 2013
  • Summary: INCHEON, SOUTH KOREA (JANUARY 15, 2013) (REUTERS) (*** FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY ***) U.S. ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR EAST ASIAN AND PACIFIC AFFAIRS KURT CAMPBELL AND HIS PARTY WALKING OUT TO AIRPORT LOBBY CAMPBELL AND HIS PARTY SURROUNDED BY JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE, KURT CAMPBELL SAYING: "I just want to underscore, very directly, how great it is to be back and how much we look forward to maintaining the strongest possible relationship between our two countries after the important political steps both in Seoul and Washington." JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL SENIOR DIRECTOR FOR ASIAN AFFAIRS, DANIEL RUSSEL SAYING: "He (President Obama) has asked us to come to bring his warm greetings to President-elect Park and to consult closely both with the transition team and the current government on a range of issues and to bring back to him." VARIOUS OF CAMPBELL AND RUSSEL WALKING AT AIRPORT LOBBY SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (JANUARY 15, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF RALLY NEAR U.S. EMBASSY AGAINST CAMPBELL'S VISIT PROTESTER HOLDING UP BANNER WITH SLOGAN, READING IN ENGLISH: "STOP SANCTIONS, START DIALOGUE" MORE OF RALLY (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) PROTEST LEADER, YOO YOUNG-JAE, SAYING: "Assistant Secretary Campbell would strongly urge South Korea to militarily cooperate with Japan. It is for the military alliance among South Korea, Japan and the United States, which threatens peace in the Northeast Asia. So we are decisively against the visit by the U.S. delegation led by Campbell." PERFORMANCE: MAN WEARING HAT WITH US FLAG PUTS A BAR CONNECTING BOXES OF SOUTH KOREA AND JAPAN WITH KOREAN WORDS READING: "SOUTH KOREA - JAPAN MILITARY PACT" PERFORMER MOVING BOX WITH KOREAN WORDS: "TRIANGULAR ALLIANCE AMONG SOUTH KOREA, THE U.S. AND JAPAN" BOXES PLACED IN FRONT OF BANNER WITH SLOGAN WRITTEN IN KOREAN AND ENGLISH: "NO! US-JAPAN-S.KOREA MILITARY ALLIANCE, START 6-PARTY TALKS!" MORE OF RALLY SOUTH KOREA'S FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN CHO TAI-YOUNG WALKING INTO ROOM JOURNALISTS BRIEFING (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN, CHO TAI-YOUNG, SAYING: "The United Nations Security Council has been discussing it. After the year-end and the beginning of the year, they have started discussions in a full-scale. Our government's stance is that the effective measures should be taken." BRIEFING CHO LEAVING
  • Embargoed: 30th January 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Korea, Republic of
  • Country: South Korea
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA32BGDTKTO6L2QRXVNURMB91B4
  • Story Text: U.S. Assistant Secretary of State, Kurt Campbell arrived in Seoul on Tuesday (January 15) to meet South Korean officials and president-elect Park Geun-hye.
    "I just want to underscore, very directly, how great it is to be back and how much we look forward to maintaining the strongest possible relationship between our two countries after the important political steps both in Seoul and Washington," said Campbell upon his arrival at Incheon International Airport.
    The top U.S. diplomat for East Asian Affairs plans to meet on Wednesday (January 16) South Korea's President-elect Park Geun-hye as well as Deputy Foreign Minister Kim Kyou-hyun, Unification Minister Yu Woo-ik and Defence Minister Kim Kwan-jin to discuss various matters including North Korea and Japan, local media said.
    Campbell was accompanied by U.S. Assistant secretary of Defense Mark Lipport and National Security Council Senior Director for Asian Affairs Daniel Russel.
    "He (President Obama) has asked us to come to bring his warm greetings to President-elect Park and to consult closely both with the transition team and the current government on a range of issues and to bring back to him," Russel said.
    Seoul's Yonhap News agency reported on Tuesday that Campbell would deliver a letter from U.S. President Barack Obama to Park, who will take office next month.
    Elsewhere in the capital, a small group of anti-war and pro-North Korea activists staged a rally against Campbell's visit near Seoul's U.S. Embassy.
    More than 20 protesters chanted slogans, criticizing military alliance among South Korea, Japan and the United States, and supporting resumption of six-party talks among two Koreas, Japan, the U.S. China and Russia to discuss the North's nuclear programme.
    "Assistant Secretary Campbell would strongly urge South Korea to militarily cooperate with Japan. It is for the military alliance among South Korea, Japan and the United States, which threatens peace in the Northeast Asia. So we are decisively against the visit by the U.S. delegation led by Campbell," said Yoo Young-jae, a protest leader.
    The trip came as the United States, South Korea, Japan and their European allies had pushed at the United Nations to expand sanctions on North Korea after its rocket launch on December 12th.
    Seoul's foreign ministry demanded on Tuesday that effective measures be taken against North Korea.
    "The United Nations Security Council has been discussing it. After the year-end and the beginning of the year, they have started discussions in a full-scale. Our government's stance is that the effective measures should be taken," said spokesman Cho Tai-young during a news briefing.
    Campbell is expected to leave South Korea on Wednesday (January 16) heading for Japan.
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