President Barack Obama, March 26, 2012
Special Speech by
Barack Obama, the President
of the United States of America
Seoul, Republic of Korea 10:32
A.M. KST
PRESIDENT
OBAMA: Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you so much. Thank you. (Applause.)
Please, thank you very much.
To
President Park, faculty, staff and students, thank you so much
for this very warm welcome. It is a great honor to be here at Hankuk
University of Foreign Studies. (Applause.) I want to thank Dr.
Park for, a few moments ago, making me an honorary alumni of the
university. (Applause.)
I
know that this school has one of the world’s finest foreign language
programs -- which means that your English is much better than my
Korean. (Laughter.) All I can say is, kamsa hamnida. (Applause.)
Now, this is my third visit
to the Republic of Korea as President. I've now been to Seoul
more times than any other capital -- except for Washington, D.C.,
of course. This reflects the extraordinary bonds between our
two countries and our commitment to each other. I’m pleased that
we’re joined by so many leaders here today, Koreans and Americans,
who help keep us free and strong and prosperous every day. That
includes our first Korean-American ambassador to the Republic
of Korea -- Ambassador Sung Kim. (Applause.)
I’ve seen the deep connections
between our peoples in my own life -- among friends, colleagues.
I’ve seen it so many patriotic Korean Americans, including a
man born in this city of Seoul, who came to America and has dedicated
his life to lifting up the poor and sick of the world. And last
week I was proud to nominate him to lead the World Bank -- Dr.
Jim Yong Kim. (Applause.)
I’ve also seen the bonds in
our men and women in uniform, like the American and Korean troops
I visited yesterday along the DMZ -- Freedom’s Frontier. And
we salute their service and are very grateful for them. We honor
all those who have given their lives in our defense, including
the 46 brave souls who perished aboard the Cheonan two years
ago today. And in their memory we reaffirm the enduring promise
at the core of our alliance -- we stand together, and the commitment
of the United States to the defense and the security of the Republic
of Korea will never waver. (Applause.)
Most of all, I see the strength
of our alliance in all of you. For decades, this school has produced
leaders -- public servants, diplomats, businesspeople -- who’ve
helped propel the modern miracle that is Korea-- transforming
it from crushing poverty to one of the world’s most dynamic economies;
from authoritarianism to a thriving democracy; from a country
focused inward to a leader for security and prosperity not only
in this region but also around the world -- a truly “Global Korea.”
So to all the students here
today, this is the Korea your generation will inherit. And I
believe there's no limits to what our two nations can achieve
together. For like your parents and grandparents before you,
you know that the future is what we make of it. And you know
that in our digital age, we can connect and innovate across borders
like never before -- with your smart phones and Twitter and Me2Day
and Kakao Talk. (Laughter and applause.) It’s no wonder so many
people around the world have caught the Korean Wave, Hallyu.
(Applause.)
Or consider this: In advance
of my visit, our embassy invited Koreans to send us your questions
using social media. Some of you may have sent questions. And
they called it, Her"Ask President Obama." Now, one
of you -- maybe it was you, maybe it was somebody else -- this
is true -- asked this question: “Have you posted, yourself, a
supportive opinion on a website under a disguised name, pretending
you are one of the supporters of President Obama?” (Laughter.)
I hadn’t thought of this. (Laughter.) But the truth is I have
not done this. Maybe my daughters have. (Laughter.) But I haven’t
done that myself.
So our shared future -- and
the unprecedented opportunity to meet shared challenges together
-- is what brings me to Seoul. Over the next two days, under
President Lee’s leadership, we’ll move ahead with the urgent
work of preventing nuclear terrorism by securing the world’s
nuclear materials. This is an important part of the broader,
comprehensive agenda that I want to talk with you about today
-- our vision of a world without nuclear weapons.
Three years ago, I traveled
to Prague and I declared America’s commitment to stopping the
spread of nuclear weapons and to seeking a world without them.
I said I knew that this goal would not be reached quickly, perhaps
not in my lifetime, but I knew we had to begin, with concrete
steps. And in your generation, I see the spirit we need in this
endeavor -- an optimism that beats in the hearts of so many young
people around the world. It’s that refusal to accept the world
as it is, the imagination to see the world as it ought to be,
and the courage to turn that vision into reality. So today, with
you, I want to take stock of our journey and chart our next steps.
Here in Seoul, more than 50
nations will mark our progress toward the goal we set at the
summit I hosted two years ago in Washington -- securing the world’s
vulnerable nuclear materials in four years so that they never
fall into the hands of terrorists. And since then, nations --
including the United States -- have boosted security at nuclear
facilities.
South Korea, Japan, Pakistan
and others are building new centers to improve nuclear security
and training. Nations like Kazakhstan have moved nuclear materials
to more secure locations. Mexico, and just yesterday Ukraine,
have joined the ranks of nations that have removed all the highly
enriched uranium from their territory. All told, thousands of
pounds of nuclear material have been removed from vulnerable
sites around the world. This was deadly material that is now
secure and can now never be used against a city like Seoul.
We’re also using every tool
at our disposal to break up black markets and nuclear material.
Countries like Georgia and Moldova have seized highly enriched
uranium from smugglers. And countries like Jordan are building
their own counter-smuggling teams, and we’re tying them together
in a global network of intelligence and law enforcement. Nearly
20 nations have now ratified the treaties and international partnerships
that are at the center of our efforts. And I should add that
with the death of Osama bin Laden and the major blows that we’ve
struck against al Qaeda, a terrorist organization that has actively
sought nuclear weapons is now on the path to defeat.
So in short, the international
community has made it harder than ever for terrorists to acquire
nuclear weapons, and that has made us all safer. We’re building
an international architecture that can ensure nuclear safety.
But we’re under no illusions. We know that nuclear material,
enough for many weapons, is still being stored without adequate
protection. And we know that terrorists and criminal gangs are
still trying to get their hands on it -- as well as radioactive
material for a dirty bomb. We know that just the smallest amount
of plutonium -- about the size of an apple -- could kill hundreds
of thousands and spark a global crisis. The danger of nuclear
terrorism remains one of the greatest threats to global security.
And that's why here in Seoul,
we need to keep at it. And I believe we will. We’re expecting
dozens of nations to announce over the next several days that
they’ve fulfilled the promises they made two years ago. And we’re
now expecting more commitments -- tangible, concrete action --
to secure nuclear materials and, in some cases, remove them completely.
This is the serious, sustained global effort that we need, and
it's an example of more nations bearing the responsibility and
the costs of meeting global challenges. This is how the international
community should work in the 21st century. And Korea is one of
the key leaders in this process.
The United States will continue
to do our part -- securing our own material and helping others
protect theirs. We’re moving forward with Russia to eliminate
enough plutonium for about 17,000 nuclear weapons and turn it
instead into electricity. I can announce today a new agreement
by the United States and several European partners toward sustaining
the supply of medical isotopes that are used to treat cancer
and heart disease without the use of highly enriched uranium.
And we will work with industry and hospitals and research centers
in the United States and around the world, to recover thousands
of unneeded radiological materials so that they can never do
us harm.
Now, American leadership has
been essential to progress in a second area -- taking concrete
steps towards a world without nuclear weapons. As a party to
the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, this is our obligation,
and it’s one that I take very seriously. But I believe the United
States has a unique responsibility to act -- indeed, we have
a moral obligation. I say this as President of the only nation
ever to use nuclear weapons. I say it as a Commander-in-Chief
who knows that our nuclear codes are never far from my side.
Most of all, I say it as a father, who wants my two young daughters
to grow up in a world where everything they know and love can’t
be instantly wiped out.
Over the past three years,
we’ve made important progress. With Russia, we’re now reducing
our arsenal under the New START Treaty -- the most comprehensive
arms control agreement in nearly 20 years. And when we’re done,
we will have cut American and Russian deployed nuclear warheads
to their lowest levels since the 1950s.
As President, I changed our
nuclear posture to reduce the number and role of nuclear weapons
in our national security strategy. I made it clear that the United
States will not develop new nuclear warheads. And we will not
pursue new military missions for nuclear weapons. We’ve narrowed
the range of contingencies under which we would ever use or threaten
to use nuclear weapons. At the same time, I’ve made it clear
that so long as nuclear weapons exist, we’ll work with our Congress
to maintain a safe, secure and effective arsenal that guarantees
the defense not only of the United States but also our allies
-- including South Korea and Japan.
My administration’s nuclear
posture recognizes that the massive nuclear arsenal we inherited
from the Cold War is poorly suited to today’s threats, including
nuclear terrorism. So last summer, I directed my national security
team to conduct a comprehensive study of our nuclear forces.
That study is still underway. But even as we have more work to
do, we can already say with confidence that we have more nuclear
weapons than we need. Even after New START, the United States
will still have more than 1,500 deployed nuclear weapons, and
some 5,000 warheads.
I firmly believe that we can
ensure the security of the United States and our allies, maintain
a strong deterrent against any threat, and still pursue further
reductions in our nuclear arsenal.
Going forward, we’ll continue
to seek discussions with Russia on a step we have never taken
before -- reducing not only our strategic nuclear warheads, but
also tactical weapons and warheads in reserve. I look forward
to discussing this agenda with President Putin when we will meet
in May. Missile defense will be on the agenda, but I believe
this should be an area of cooperation, not tension. And I’m confident
that, working together, we can continue to make progress and
reduce our nuclear stockpiles. Of course, we’ll consult closely
with our allies every step of the way, because the security and
defense of our allies, both in Europe and Asia, is not negotiable.
Here in Asia, we've urged
China -- with its growing nuclear arsenal -- to join us in a
dialogue on nuclear issues. That offer remains open. And more
broadly, my administration will continue to pursue ratification
of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. And after years of delay,
it’s time to find a path forward on a new treaty that verifiably
ends the production of fissile materials for nuclear weapons
-- ends it once and for all.
By working to meet our responsibilities
as a nuclear power, we’ve made progress in a third area -- strengthening
the global regime that prevents the spread of nuclear weapons.
When I came into office, the cornerstone of the world’s effort
-- which is the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty -- was fraying.
Iran had started spinning thousands of centrifuges. North Korea
conducted another nuclear test. And the international community
was largely divided on how to respond.
Over the past three years,
we have begun to reverse that dynamic. Working with others, we’ve
enhanced the global partnership that prevent proliferation. The
International Atomic Energy Agency is now conducting the strongest
inspections ever. And we’ve upheld the basic bargain of the NPT:
Countries with nuclear weapons, like the United States and Russia,
will move towards disarmament; countries without nuclear weapons
will not acquire them; and all countries can have access to peaceful
nuclear energy.
Because of these efforts,
the international community is more united and nations that attempt
to flout their obligations are more isolated. Of course, that
includes North Korea.
Here in Korea, I want to speak
directly to the leaders in Pyongyang. The United States has no
hostile intent toward your country. We are committed to peace.
And we are prepared to take steps to improve relations, which
is why we have offered nutritional aid to North Korean mothers
and children.
But by now it should be clear,
your provocations and pursuit of nuclear weapons have not achieved
the security you seek; they have undermined it. Instead of the
dignity you desire, you're more isolated. Instead of earning
the respect of the world, you've been met with strong sanctions
and condemnation. You can continue down the road you are on,
but we know where that leads. It leads to more of the same --
more broken dreams, more isolation, ever more distance between
the people of North Korea and the dignity and the opportunity
that they deserve.
And know this: There will
be no rewards for provocations. Those days are over. To the leaders
of Pyongyang I say, this is the choice before you. This is the
decision that you must make. Today we say, Pyongyang, have the
courage to pursue peace and give a better life to the people
of North Korea. (Applause.)
This same principle applies
with respect to Iran. Under the NPT, Iran has the right to peaceful
nuclear energy. In fact, time and again the international community
-- including the United States -- has offered to help Iran develop
nuclear energy peacefully. But time and again Iran has refused,
instead taking the path of denial, deceit and deception. And
that is why Iran also stands alone, as the only member of the
NPT unable to convince the international community that its nuclear
program is for peaceful purposes -- the only member. That’s why
the world has imposed unprecedented sanctions, slowing Iran’s
nuclear program.
The international community
is now poised to enter talks with Iran’s leaders. Once again,
there is the possibility of a diplomatic resolution that gives
Iran access to peaceful nuclear energy while addressing the concerns
of the international community. Today, I’ll meet with the leaders
of Russia and China as we work to achieve a resolution in which
Iran fulfills its obligations.
There is time to solve this
diplomatically. It is always my preference to solve these issues
diplomatically. But time is short. Iran’s leaders must understand
they, too, face a choice. Iran must act with the seriousness
and sense of urgency that this moment demands. Iran must meet
its obligations.
For the global response to
Iran and North Korea’s intransigence, a new international norm
is emerging: Treaties are binding; rules will be enforced; and
violations will have consequences. We refuse to consign ourselves
to a future where more and more regimes possess the world’s most
deadly weapons.
And this brings me to the
final area where we’ve made progress -- a renewed commitment
to harnessing the power of the atom not for war, but for peaceful
purposes. After the tragedy at Fukushima, it was right and appropriate
that nations moved to improve the safety and security of nuclear
facilities. We’re doing so in the United States. It’s taking
place all across the world.
As we do, let’s never forget
the astonishing benefits that nuclear technology has brought
to our lives. Nuclear technology helps make our food safe. It
prevents disease in the developing world. It’s the high-tech
medicine that treats cancer and finds new cures. And, of course,
it’s the energy -- the clean energy that helps cut the carbon
pollution that contributes to climate change. Here in South Korea,
as you know, as a leader in nuclear energy, you’ve shown the
progress and prosperity that can be achieved when nations embrace
peaceful nuclear energy and reject the development of nuclear
arms.
And with rising oil prices
and a warming climate, nuclear energy will only become more important.
That’s why, in the United States, we’ve restarted our nuclear
industry as part of a comprehensive strategy to develop every
energy source. We supported the first new nuclear power plant
in three decades. We’re investing in innovative technologies
so we can build the next generation of safe, clean nuclear power
plants. And we’re training the next generation of scientists
and engineers who are going to unlock new technologies to carry
us forward.
One of the great challenges
they’ll face and that your generation will face is the fuel cycle
itself in producing nuclear energy. We all know the problem:
The very process that gives us nuclear energy can also put nations
and terrorists within the reach of nuclear weapons. We simply
can’t go on accumulating huge amounts of the very material, like
separated plutonium, that we’re trying to keep away from terrorists.
And that’s why we’re creating
new fuel banks, to help countries realize the energy they seek
without increasing the nuclear dangers that we fear. That’s why
I’ve called for a new framework for civil nuclear cooperation.
We need an international commitment to unlocking the fuel cycle
of the future. In the United States we’re investing in the research
and development of new fuel cycles so that dangerous materials
can’t be stolen or diverted. And today I urge nations to join
us in seeking a future where we harness the awesome power of
the atom to build and not to destroy.
In this sense, we see how
the efforts I’ve described today reinforce each other. When we
enhance nuclear security, we’re in a stronger position to harness
safe, clean nuclear energy. When we develop new, safer approaches
to nuclear energy, we reduce the risk of nuclear terrorism and
proliferation. When nations, including my own, fulfill our responsibilities,
it strengthens our ability to ensure that other nations fulfill
their responsibilities. And step by step, we come closer to the
security and peace of a world without nuclear weapons.
I know that there are those
who deride our vision. There are those who say ours is an impossible
goal that will be forever out of reach. But to anyone who doubts
the great progress that is possible, I tell them, come to Korea.
Come to this country, which rose from the ashes of war -- (applause)
-- a country that rose from the ashes of war, turning rubble
into gleaming cities. Stand where I stood yesterday, along a
border that is the world’s clearest contrast between a country
committed to progress, a country committed to its people, and
a country that leaves its own citizens to starve.
Come to this great university,
where a new generation is taking its place in the world -- (applause)
-- helping to create opportunities that your parents and grandparents
could only imagine. Come and see some of the courageous individuals
who join us today -- men and women, young and old, born in the
North, but who left all they knew behind and risked their lives
to find freedom and opportunity here in the South. In your life
stories we see the truth -- Koreans are one people. And if just
given the chance, if given their freedom, Koreans in the North
are capable of great progress as well. (Applause.)
Looking out across the DMZ
yesterday, but also looking into your eyes today, I’m reminded
of another country’s experience that speaks to the change that
is possible in our world. After a terrible war, a proud people
was divided. Across a fortified border, armies massed, ready
for war. For decades, it was hard to imagine a different future.
But the forces of history and hopes of man could not be denied.
And today, the people of Germany are whole again -- united and
free.
No two places follow the same
path, but this much is true: The currents of history cannot be
held back forever. The deep longing for freedom and dignity will
not go away. (Applause.) So, too, on this divided peninsula.
The day all Koreans yearn for will not come easily or without
great sacrifice. But make no mistake, it will come. (Applause.)
And when it does, change will unfold that once seemed impossible.
And checkpoints will open and watchtowers will stand empty, and
families long separated will finally be reunited. And the Korean
people, at long last, will be whole and free.
Like our vision of a world
without nuclear weapons, our vision of a Korea that stands as
one may not be reached quickly. But from this day until then,
and all the days that follow, we take comfort in knowing that
the security we seek, the peace we want, is closer at hand because
of the great alliance between the United States and the Republic
of Korea -- (applause) -- and because we stand for the dignity
and freedom of all Koreans. (Applause.) And no matter the test,
no matter the trial, we stand together. We work together. We
go together. (Applause.)
Katchi
kapshida!
Thank
you very much. (Applause.)
END 11:03 A.M. KST