In a Newsweek article new Korean president Lee Myung-bak commented on a possible summit with Kim Jong-il and the future of the US-ROK Alliance:

South Korea’s new president, Lee Myung-bak, said he agrees on the need for a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, but won’t push for such a meeting for domestic political gains, according to Newsweek’s online edition Sunday.

“The leaders of the two Koreas should think about how to improve the lives of their 70 million people,” Lee said in his interview with the U.S.-published magazine.

“If we open up our minds, sit down and discuss these matters heart to heart, a summit would be helpful. (But) I will not have a formal summit just for the sake of domestic politics,” said Lee, who will be sworn in as South Korea’s new president Monday.

Lee then reiterated his determination to denuclearize North Korea.  [Yonhap]

It is nice that he says now that he won’t meet with Kim Jong-il because of domestic politics but lets see what happens when he is down in the opinion polls.  Also good luck denuclearizing North Korea because it isn’t going to happen for reasons I have stated over and over again on this blog and have proven to be correct over and over again.

Here is what Lee had to say about the future of the US-ROK Alliance:

Turning to ties with the U.S., Lee said his government will pursue a “future-oriented relationship” with Washington. “In the beginning, Korea received unilateral help from the U.S. in both security and economic matters. But now we need a future-oriented relationship.”

So how is attempting to delay the war time control hand over to the South Korean military and delaying the relocation of the 2nd Infantry Division a “future-oriented relationship”?  It sure sounds like business as usual to me?