Bush, Roh Condemn N. Korea Nukes

President, S. Korean Leader Say Nuclear Program 'Will Not Be Tolerated'

(CBS/AP) 
Mr. Bush and Roh conferred in Gyeongju, the ancient capital of Korea.

Mr. Bush's eight-day journey to Asia offers him a reprieve from troubles at home, where his approval rating has fallen to the lowest point of his presidency. Unhappiness over the war in Iraq has hurt the president's popularity and credibility, and Republicans are nervous about how the war and the president's other woes will affect next year's midterm elections.

Roh has been a major supporter of Mr. Bush's Iraq policy. South Korea is the third-largest contributor of troops behind the United States and Britain, deploying more than 3,000 soldiers. Like Mr. Bush, Roh's domestic approval ratings are down, and his foes call him a lame duck.

Mr. Bush flew here for the annual summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, representing 21 countries that account for about half the world's trade. APEC is expected to call for progress at the next round of World Trade Organization talks in Hong Kong next month toward a global trade agreement.

APEC represents "a significant bloc in the WTO membership," said Faryar Shirzad, deputy national security adviser for international economic affairs. "And so when they speak and lay out an agenda of ambition, it's an agenda that the membership at the WTO takes note of and helps drive the negotiating dynamics in a constructive way."

In addition to the APEC meetings, the president will hold separate talks with the leaders of Malaysia, Russia and Indonesia before traveling to China on Saturday.

Looking ahead to talks about North Korea, Mr. Bush said his objective was to remind his partners that they need to stick together and send a consistent message.

The most recent round of negotiations adjourned Friday with no sign of progress, but it's likely they will resume in Beijing next month or in January. In September, North Korea promised to end its nuclear program in exchange for aid, diplomatic recognition and security guarantees.

New Mexico governor Bill Richardson is one of few outsiders to see inside North Korea's nuclear facilities, reports Roberts. During a visit last month, he became convinced that this time, the North is serious.

"I think that was a major signal, saying 'Look, we are ready to show you this, we are ready to destroy it, we are ready to demolish it, we are ready for verification. But we want a lot in return,'" Richardson said.

North Korea has insisted that it will not make any move until the United States first offers concessions for giving up its nuclear weapons. Washington has refused the demand.

That hard line puts the White House somewhat at odds with the summit host, South Korea, which is anxious to bring its northern neighbor out of isolation, reports Roberts.

The Pentagon has begun pulling thousands of U.S. troops out of South Korea, where it has maintained a contingent of about 37,000 since the cease-fire amid concerns that the communist North might try to reunite the two Koreas by launching an all-out attack.