South Koreaâs Foreign Minister Resigns
South Koreaâs foreign minister resigned Thursday, a day after President Roh Moo-hyun accused ministry officials of criticizing his foreign policy.
"To hell with this. I quit!" | Roh accepted Yoon Young-kwanâs resignation, saying the Foreign Ministry was not fully backing his administrationâs policy of "independence" from Washington.
So, Roh is just another America-bashing ingrate, it seems
Roh took office a year ago promising to stand up on equal footing with South Koreaâs top ally. Rohâs office did not say who would replace Yoon.
"We were thinking of Kim Jong Il, but he doesn't want to take a pay cut..." | The resignation comes at a critical juncture as South Korea and the United states wrangle with North Korea over its nuclear weapons programs and discuss sending South Korean troops to help the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq.
Incredible timing on this, makes you wonder if lil kimmie isnât already in control of s. korea
Yoon said at a news conference there were "some differences in perspective" between members of his staff and members of Rohâs National Security Council. He said the Foreign Ministry should serve to implement the presidentâs policy. He acknowledged people were concerned about remarks reportedly made by his officials and said he took the dispute "heavily" and was "sincerely sorry." Yonhap news agency quoted Jeong Chan-yong, a personnel affairs staffer for Roh, as saying the foreign minister was taking responsibility for failing to rein in criticism by ministry officials.
"Cheeze! That boy's crazy!"
"You can't say that!" | Local media reported that several officials in the North American affairs division, which handles U.S. relations, criticized Rohâs policy as unrealistic.
at least SOMEONEâS head isnât completely buried in their a**
In turn, some National Security Council members accused Yoon of leaning too much toward the United States, Yonhap reported. Yoon said Thursday his nationâs alliance with the United States is "very useful" in resolving issues such as the North Korean standoff.
jeez, ya think? maybe you should find out HOW useful
Roh took office a year ago promising to stand up to Washington on equal footing.
He has since been criticized by his prime constituency for agreeing to the Iraqi troop dispatch and taking a firmer position in talks over North Koreaâs nuclear weapons crisis.
criticized by whom? the communists? Iâm really beginning to think the ROK is lost, we should fall back, maybe to hawaii, and let them stew in their own juices; this is just unbelievable when weâre about to try and deal with the NORKS
Posted by: 4thInfVet 2004-01-15 |