U.S., S. Korea "United" Over Rocket Launch

Obama, South Korean Leader Agree Rocket Launch Would Demand A United International Response

(CBS/AP)  President Obama and his South Korean counterpart agreed Thursday on the need for a "stern, united" international response if North Korea goes ahead with a planned rocket launch.

Mr. Obama and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak met on the sidelines of a 20-nation summit on the economic crisis, spending the bulk of their time on the latest flare-up with the North, already in international crosshairs over its nuclear weapons program. The two leaders convened before joining their peers in session aimed at broad, coordinated responses to help the economy recover.

North Korea says it will send a communications satellite into orbit on a multistage rocket sometime from Saturday to Wednesday, but the U.S., South Korea and Japan call the plan a cover for testing long-range missile technology and a potential violation of a U.N. Security Council resolution banning ballistic activity by North Korea. Mr. Obama told Chinese President Hu Jintao on Wednesday that the U.S. would consider the launch provocative and that the U.S. would seek punishment at the United Nations in response.

CBS News White House correspondent Chip Reid reports that the two men made no public mention of the standoff with North Korea, but after the Obama-Lee meeting, the South Korean presidential office issued a statement saying that the two leaders had agreed to keep working on a verifiable dismantling of North Korea's nuclear programs.

The statement added that the two agreed on the need "for a stern, united response from the international community" and to work together to make that happen.

Senior White House officials confirmed that description of the meeting.

The U.S. will have its own missile defense system on alert but will hold fire as long as the North Korean missile does not threaten American territory.

Instead the U.S. will ask the United Nations to impose sanctions against North Korea for violating a ban on missile testing, Martin reports.

CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric reports that neither Mr. Obama nor Lee hinted Thursday at what specific actions they might take in response to a rocket launch by the North, but both countries have said they will take the matter to the United Nations Security Council, hoping for tougher sanctions.

As the meeting was getting underway, Mr. Obama said in front of reporters that South Korea is one of "America's closest allies and greatest friends" and he lauded Lee's leadership. Mr. Obama said the two would discuss a range of issues, including defense and "peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula."

A senior Obama aide said that Mr. Obama's very friendly and complementary remarks toward Lee in public were meant as a display of his personal support for Lee's handling of the North Korean issue. Lee has sought to drum up support from world leaders, including while in London, for punishing its neighbor if the launch goes forward and has been vilified in the North for his efforts.

CNN said on its Web site that Pyongyang has started to fuel the rocket. The report, citing an unidentified senior U.S. military official, said the move indicates final preparations for the launch. Experts say the missile can be fired about three to four days after fueling begins. The Obama officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to more fully describe the private talks, would not comment on intelligence related to the rocket.

But they said, without elaborating, that the U.S. and Japanese militaries have been consulting closely. Japan is preparing to intercept any debris and regional powers have begun to deploy ships to monitor the launch. U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has said that the U.S. has no interception plans.

The North has countered with its own warnings against any interception efforts - or even efforts to monitor the launch. It says its armed forces are at a high level of combat-readiness.

The leaders also discussed a free trade agreement between the two countries, the official said.

South Korea and the U.S. agreed in 2007 under former President George W. Bush to a free trade deal that would slash tariffs and other barriers to trade. The countries' legislatures, however, failed to ratify the deal as their farmers and labor groups opposed it, and Obama has hinted he might seek to renegotiate it.

Mr. Obama told Lee that he understood there were difficulties with the deal on both sides, but that he wants to "make progress" on it, the officials said.

[pepperwood2]

"You can be guaranteed that there are going to be some customers there at this launch, maybe Iranians, maybe others, who are going to be very interested if it succeeds in trying to buy into that technology," he said.

Bill & now Hilary ought to feel pretty proud of the rocket & nuclear secrets that Bill shared with the North Koreans when Bill was in charge of his Hen House. Why it was just going to be used to build Nuclear Power Plants for the People. I promise! So Sad.

[irreverent1-2009]

Breaking news! Kim Jong-il has been declared the 11th annual winner of his country's highest rated television show "North Korean Idol". He beat out 23,000,000 other contestants for the top spot again!

[texasbeta]

Perfect chance to try out our antimissile defense system. What's North Korea going to retaliate with oxen and wooden carts.
Posted by brainteaser2

They have something like the 5th largest army in the world...you might need to read before you type.

[toolmangler-2009]

The North has countered with its own warnings against any interception efforts - or even efforts to monitor the launch. It says its armed forces are at a high level of combat-readiness




What the heck does N. Korea think it can do if Japan shoots down the rocket, Invade Japan? stupid jerks. Even China would not back that play

[brainteaser2]

Perfect chance to try out our antimissile defense system. What's North Korea going to retaliate with oxen and wooden carts.

[hankvreeland]

You sickos who rant about both Mr. Bush and Mr. Obama remind me of the equally benighted people in New York who were calling Mr, Lincoln an ignorant gorilla. The country and the world are in serious trouble and your comments are about helpful as giving a razor blade to someone who is constipated.

[quickly101]

Here we go again. If we're not careful we are going to scare N.Korea to death by all the "tough" talk. We should have shot the stupid missle down, that would send a message to Iran as well.

[bwaltersNYC]

North Korea is incredibly weak -- the regime cannot survive without outside aid. It's time to call their bluff. Let them launch their missiles. As the Washington Post reported last weekend, North Korea is still a very long way from being able to miniaturize a nuclear warhead so that it will fit on a missile. The missiles that NK does have are cheap knockoffs of 1950's technology the Soviets exported; they are notoriously inaccurate and unreliable.

North Korea does not pose an existential threat to anyone, except South Korea. The US should pull out its garrison and let the South Koreans babysit their own border. It's only a matter of time before NK collapses of its own accord. In the meantime, the best thing to do is simply ignore them.

[bajajohn1]

BarrySotero; Your comments make me very happy. Very happy indeed. Happy because I know that you are feeling very miserable your Bush Fiasco incompetents lost the last election. Happy because you will be miserable for the next four years, and who knows, maybe eight.

[straightmate]

That stupid missle won't fly. If it should fly no one knows where it will go. American kids could build one better. Not to say NK isn't dangerous, this just isn't catastrophic. 10 years from now it might be different.

[straightmate]

SPARKPLUG, not fireplug.

[dltrey0305]

I'd pis* on a fireplug if I knew it would help (war Games) LOL

[bajajohn1]

How times have changed. Japan is a strong ally and partner with the U.S. on a host of issues. Japan's Navy and other military forces are ready to defend their island nation against the evil regime governing North Korea. The Chinese who support N. Korea with food and medicine, need to go there and grab the high-heeled demigod Kim Join Il by the neck and tell him to stop provoking the rest of the world.

[bajajohn1]

Saber rattlers are not strong. Just like a barking dog seldom bites, true strength requires
soberness and resoluteness when others bang their war drums. Such Republican vitriol, a mere 14% of the American population, making a bunch of constant noise, pleasing only unto themselves.

[mjlewis6]

The US will NOT assume any facts regarding this launch. Material/data gathered will be submitted to the UN along with other data collected by South Korea and Japan....and likely China and the Russian Federation. The SIX way talks will resume when North Korea has finally recognized there is no alternative to giving up its military option of nuclear weapons development for energy and food assistance for its starving civilian population.

[notblue]

pythoncharlie, as it appears you are very unaware of many thingsone you should be aware of is the FACT that the DEMOCRATS HAVE COMPLETE CONTROL OF BOTH HOUSES OF CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENCY, which means that any "war mongering" from the present on has nothing to the with the repuiblicans. Get it? Probably not!

[sjc_1]

The cold war was very profitable for Republican defense contractors. If they could just find a way to start another one, they would be on easy street. It is a big bad world out there and we all know it, but we can have a strong defense without spending money we do not have. It is just a matter of reining in the Military Industrial Complex.

[aziridine]

I thought this missile has a range of 900 miles. What does that have to do with the US? It's Japan's problem. Does Obama intend to get enmeshed in every little squabble around the world?

It'd sure be nice to spend less than the 700 billion Obama spends on the military each year. China and Russia spend about an eighth of that amount!

[presjfk]

There is a reason Japan has not stepped up, its the WWII surrender they signed. they are not allowed to have a military and the USA is obligated to provide that security. You and I may agree that it is time the US pull out of Japan and let the country defend itself.

This would really **** North Korea off...China and Asia as a whole as well.