John Kerry: “I was briefly downstairs in a meeting with President Kim Dae Jung of South Korea. I will take a few moments to share…”

“I was briefly downstairs in a meeting with President Kim Dae Jung of South Korea. I will take a few moments to share with my colleagues some thoughts about our policy with respect to North Korea, which obviously has profound implications for the region, as well as for the United States. Mr. President, one of the major questions facing the United States and its South Korean and Japanese allies is how to deal with the ballistic missile threat posed by North Korea. Pyongyang has already demonstrated its capacity to launch a 500 kilogram warhead to a range of at least 1000 kilometers. The failed test of the Taepo Dong-2 missile in August 1999 clearly shows North Korea's interest in developing a longer range missile capability. North Korea's proliferation of missiles, missile components, technology and training to states such as Pakistan and Iran further magnifies the need to get Pyongyang to end its missile program. The Clinton administration left a framework on the table which could, if pursued aggressively by the Bush administration, go a long way toward reducing the threat posed by North Korean missiles and missile exports. Our South Korean allies clearly want us to continue the discussions that the Clinton administration began with North Korea on the missile question. Two days ago Secretary of State Colin Powell stated that the Bush administration would "pick up" where the Clinton administration left off. Apparently not.…”