美韩关系 重燃联盟火焰[20080406].pdf

P O L I C Y B R I E FU.S.-South Korea Relations:Rekindling an Alliance Flame A P R I L 2 0 0 8 1The honeymoon between Washington and Seoul will not last long without more harmony on the most important issue for the relationship:North Korean denuclearization.At the Camp David press conference with new South Korean President Lee Myung-bak,President Bush accentuated the positive and ignored the negative by choosing not to mention North Korea in his opening remarks.It was the fi rst sign of trouble in the new courtship between Washington and Seoul that began with Lee s inauguration in March.Lee s pro-U.S.stance and conservative approach to North Korea promised to bring the partners closer than they have been in a decade.His visit to Washington,D.C.in April should have set the course for alli-ance bliss.Lee was the fi rst South Korean leader invited to Camp David.He was presented with a promise of visa waiv-ers for South Koreans visiting America.Th e warm tone of his visit had been set in advance by landmark agreements to ease South Korean restrictions on importing American beef-a limit which threatened to derail congressional ratifi cation of the Korea-U.S.Free Trade Agreement(KORUS)ne