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End Iraq War? Korean War Isn't Over Yet

Bush and Roh spar about closure on 50-year-old conflict

By Sam Gale Rosen,  Newser Staff

Posted Sep 7, 2007 12:50 PM CDT
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(Newser) – President Bush got into an unusually undiplomatic tiff with South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun in Sidney today when the latter urged the US to declare a formal end to the Korean War that concluded with a truce—but no treaty—50 years ago. Bush said the US position is to wait until North Korea's Kim Jong Il gets rid of his nuclear program. Roh either didn't understand or didn't like the answer, and asked for clarification.

Then he asked for clarification again. "I can't make it any more clear, Mr. President," Bush finally snapped, visibly irritated. The White House has downplayed the awkward exchange and is saying the two leaders' meeting at the Asia-Pacific summit went well. "There was clearly something lost in translation," says a National Security Council spokesman.

South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun listens as President Bush, not pictured, makes a statement to reporters at the end of their meeting on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Sydney, Australia, Friday, Sept. 7, 2007. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun listens as President Bush, not pictured, makes a statement to reporters at the end of their meeting on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Sydney, Australia, Friday,...   (Associated Press)
President Bush, right, listens as South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun speaks during their meeting on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Sydney, Australia, Friday, Sept. 7, 2007. Pictured from left to right
President Bush, right, listens as South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun speaks during their meeting on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Sydney, Australia, Friday, Sept. 7, 2007. Pictured from left to...   (Associated Press)
President Bush listens as South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun, not pictured, makes a statement to reporters at the end of their meeting on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Sydney, Australia, Friday, Sept. 7, 2007. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
President Bush listens as South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun, not pictured, makes a statement to reporters at the end of their meeting on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Sydney, Australia, Friday,...   (Associated Press)
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Related Links

More from the summit
CNN

A more positive spin on the exchange
Korea Times

World • US

 
South Korea • Roh Moo Hyun • Asia Pacific summit • Korean War • Kim Jong Il • Iraq war • George W. Bush

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