Korea: U.S.-Korean Relations -- Issues for Congress

Abstract

North Korea's decision in December 2002 to restart nuclear installations at Yongbyon that were shut down under the U.S.-North Korean Agreed Framework of 1994 and its announced withdrawal from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty create an acute foreign policy problem for the United States. The main elements of Bush Administration policy are (1) demanding that North Korea totally dismantle its nuclear programs; (2) withholding any U.S. reciprocal measures until North Korea takes visible steps to dismantle its nuclear programs; (3) assembling an international coalition to apply pressure on North Korea in multilateral talks; and (4) planning for future economic sanctions and military interdiction against North Korea. China organized six-party talks among the United States, China, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, and Russia in mid-2003, but the talks have made little progress. U.S. attempts to isolate North Korea in the talks have been countered by North Korea's strategy of threats to leave the talks, the issuance of settlement proposals, accusations that the United States plans an "Iraq-like" attack on North Korea, and denials that it has a uranium enrichment program. Differences have emerged between the Bush Administration and South Korea over policies toward North Korea. South Korea emphasizes bilateral reconciliation with North Korea and a policy more equidistant between the United States and China. The South Korean public has become critical of Bush Administration policies and the U.S. military presence. Anti-U.S. demonstrations erupted in 2002, and Roh Moo-hyun was elected President after criticizing the United States. In 2003-2004, the Pentagon announced plans to relocate U.S. troops in South Korea away from the demilitarized zone and Seoul. The United States will withdraw 12,500 troops between the end of 2004 and September 2008.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 16, 2005
Accession Number
ADA461420

Entities

People

  • Larry Niksch

Organizations

  • Library of Congress

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Agreements
  • Congress
  • Drug Trafficking
  • Economic Sanctions
  • Governments
  • Military Personnel
  • Money
  • Negotiations
  • North Korea
  • Nuclear Bombs
  • Nuclear Fuels
  • Nuclear Materials
  • Nuclear Reactors
  • Nuclear Weapons
  • Treaties
  • United States
  • Weapons Of Mass Destruction

Fields of Study

  • Political science

Readers

  • International Relations, focusing on Korea-Africa and North Korea-South Korea relations, and Nigeria-Latin American Relations.
  • Nuclear Non-Proliferation and International Security
  • Strategic Security Studies