前南韓總統說「最大脅威是美日」

Recently the Yomiuri News on-line reported the following:

韓国元大統領「最大脅威は日米」…０７年に発言

　【ワシントン＝白川義和】米国のロバート・ゲーツ元国防長官は１４日発売の回顧録「Ｄｕｔｙ（任務）」で、ソウルで２００７年１１月に韓国の盧武鉉(ノムヒョン)大統領（当時）と会談した際、盧氏が「アジアでの最大の安保上の脅威は米国と日本だ」と述べ、反米姿勢に仰天したと振り返った。

　後任の李明博(イミョンバク)前大統領は対照的に「意志が強く、現実的でとても親米的だった」と評価した。１０年１１月の北朝鮮による韓国・延坪島(ヨンピョンド)砲撃では、韓国が「我々から見て過度に攻撃的な報復計画」を準備していたと明かした。

　一方、０９年１０月に訪米した中国の徐才厚・中央軍事委員会副主席（当時）に対しては、北朝鮮が崩壊した場合の核兵器や核物質の保全などについて、「米中が率直な対話を行うことに相互の利益がある」と説得したが、徐氏は不快そうに聞くだけだった。

（2014年1月15日23時15分  読売新聞）

(試譯文)

American former Defense Secretary Robert Gates in his memoirs "Duty" which was on sale on the 14^th noted that when he conferred with South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun (at that time) in Seoul in November 2007, Mr. Roh said "the greatest threat to security in Asia is the U.S. and Japan"; he looked back and was surprised at this anti-American posture.

The successor, former President Lee Myung-bak was appraised by contrast as having "a strong will and was realistic and had a very pro-American sentiment". When South Korea’s Daeyeonpyeongdo was bombarded by North Korea in November 10th, South Korea had prepared "a retaliation plan that seen by us as too offensive".

On the other hand, about the preservation of nuclear weapon and the nuclear material etc. when North Korea collapsed, although he persuaded Xu Caihou, the Vice President of the Central Military Commission of China (at that time) who visited the U.S. in October 2009 that "it would be for mutual profits for the U.S. and China to perform a frank dialogue", Mr. Xu merely listened to it and showed signs of discomfort.

(23:15 on January 15, 2014    Yomiuri Shimbun)

It is interesting to note the marked difference in perception between former South Korean leaders as far as their national security world view is concerned.