Obama in HUFS (26th March, 2012)
President Obama speaks to faculty, staff and students of Hankuk University in Seoul about global progress toward nuclear non-proliferation.
The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release March 26, 2012 Remarks by President Obama at Hankuk University
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, "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
이 내용은 방송을 듣고 받아 적은 내용입니다.
따뜻하게 환영해줘 감사합니다. 한국외대에 온 것을 기쁘게 생각합니다. 박 총장께서 몇분전 명예졸업생을 만들어준 것도 감사합니다.
이 학교가 세계최고 외국어학교이고, 여러분들의 영어가 내 한국어보다 나을 것입니다. 내가 할 줄 아는 한국말은 감사합니다 정도입니다.
대통령으로서 한국 세번째 방문입니다. 워싱턴 빼고 서울을 가장 많이 방문했는데 이는 특별한 유대관계와 의지 보여주는 것입니다.
주한 미국대사로 임명된 성 김 대사도 참석했습니다. 또 양국민 간 깊은 유대관계를 목격했습니다. 많은 한국계 이민자들에게서 보았고, 평생 가난하고 아픈 사람들 위해 바친 사람도 있다. 지난주 그를 세계은행 총재로 임명했습니다.
또 하나는 양국 유대관계를 군인들에게서 봅니다. 어제 방문한 비무장 지대 한국군 양국 군인에게서 봤습니다. 이들에게 경의 표합니다. 나라 위해 몸바친 천안함 장병에게 경의 표합니다.
우리는 함께 합니다 . 한국의 우리의 방위와 안보에 대한 의지는 절대 흔들리지 않을 것입니다.
한국은 가장 가난한 나라에서 가장 역동적인, 폐쇄적인 나라에서 안보와 번영의 리더로, 전세계에서 글로벌코리아로 성장했습니다. 이것이 바로 여러분 세대가 물려받을 한국입니다. 나는 우리 양국이 한다면 이룰 수 있는 것 무한하다고 생각합니다. 미래라는 것은 바로 우리들 손에 달려있습니다.
미투데이, 카카오톡으로 전세계가 하나로 연결돼 있습니다. 이래서 전세계 사람들이 한류열풍에 휩쓸릴 수밖에 없는 것입니다. 내가 이번에 방문하기 전에 주한미대사관에서 여러분에게 소셜미디어를 통해서 질문을 받았다고 합니다. 제목은 오바마 대통령에게 보내는 질문이었다고 합니다.
혹시, 대통령께서는 다른 이름을 사용해서 웹사이트에 들어가서 자신이 지지자인 것처럼 글을 남긴 적이 있느냐는 것입니다. 질문에 매우 놀랐지만 실제로 그런 적은 없습니다. 어쩌면 저의 딸들이 그랬을지도 모르겠습니다.
공통의 도전에 대처할 수 있는 이 기회를 위해서 저는 도전해왔습니다. 앞으로 이틀동안 이명박 대통령과 함께 세계 핵재료를 통제할 것에 대해 이야기 할 것입니다. 오늘 내가 여러분께 하고 싶은 주제, 핵무기 없는 세상에 대한 중요성에 대한 것입니다.
3년전에 프라하에서, 저는 미국의 핵무기 확산 방지에 대한 의지를 밝혔습니다, 나는 이 목표가 내 생애에 이루어지지 못할 것을 알고 있지만, 구체적인 조치로 시작해야 했습니다.
나는 이 노력이 필요한 정신을 봅니다. 이 정신이란 것은 전 세계의 젊은이들이 가질 수 있는 정신입니다. 그 비전을 현실로 만드는 용기입니다.
그래서 저는 오늘 여러분들과 함께 여정을 그려보고 만나고자 합니다. 우리가 2년전 워싱턴에서 얘기했던 목표의 진척상황을 확인할 것입니다.
핵문제를 통제하고, 그 이후에 한국, 일본, 파키스탄 등의 나라는 새로운 센터를 설립함으로써 사람들을 교육하고 있습니다. 바로 어제 우크라이나는 모든 고농축 우라늄을 자국에서 제거했습니다. 다시는 서울과 같은 도시를 공격하는데 쓰이지 않을 것입니다.
또 우리는 핵무기 거래 암시장을 타파하기 위해 모든 노력을 하고 있습니다. 요르단과 같은 나라들은 밀매 단속단을 만들어서 단속하고 있습니다. 또 다른 나라들도 이러한 노력을 해나가고 있습니다.
약 20개국이 이 문제에 대한 조약과 파트너십을 약속했습니다. 이렇게 해서 국제사회는 테러리스트들이 핵물질을 취득하는 것이 더 어렵게 만들었습니다. 그래서 세계는 더 안전해졌습니다. 하지만 우리는 아직 할 일을 많다는 것을 알고 있습니다. 아직 많은 핵물질을 만들 수 있는 물질들이 방치되고 있습니다.
수십만명의 목숨을 앗아가고 전 세계의 위기를 만들 수 있습니다. 세계 안보의 가장 큰 위협입니다. 그래서 우리는 노력해야 합니다, 그리고 할 수 있습니다. 그리고 더 많은 구체적이고 실제적인 조치를 통해서 핵물질을 없애겠다는 노력을 하겠다는 말들이 필요합니다. 미국은 미국이 할 일을 계속 할 것입니다. 러시아와 함께 플루토늄을 전기로 전환할 것입니다.
미국의 두 번째 다짐은, 내가 매우 진지하게 생각하는 것 중 하나인데, 미국은 독특한 책임이 있다고 생각합니다. 도덕적 책임입니다. 핵무기를 사용한 유일한 나라의 대통령으로써 이 말을 합니다. 또 핵무기를 가까이 두고 있는 나라의 대통령으로써 이 말을 합니다. 나는 사랑하는 딸들의 아버지 입장으로서, 나의 딸들이 사랑하는 것들이 가지고 있는 모든 것이 한꺼번에 사라지는 사회를 만들지 않을 것이라고 말합니다.
핵탄두를 최저 수준으로 감축하게 될 것입니다. 나는 미국이 새로운 핵을 개발하지 않을 것임을 분명히 합니다. 그리고 핵무기를 사용하거나 사용하겠다고 위협할 수 있는 범위를 좁혔습니다. 그리고 핵무기가 존재하는 한, 우리는 일본과 한국 등 핵무기가 없는 나라를 존중하는 행동을 취할 것입니다.
그래서 지난 여름, 나는 국가 안보팀에게 미국의 핵전략에 대한 검토를 제안했습니다. 그러나 할 일이 많이 남은 상황에서도, 우리는 지금 필요 이상의 핵무기를 보유하고 있다고 확실히 말할 수 있습니다. 나는 미국과 동맹국의 안보를 보장하고 우리가 강하게 억제하면서도, 핵을 감축하는 것이 가능하다고 말합니다.
우리는 앞으로 러시아와 이에 대한 논의를 계속 할 것입니다. 나는 5월에 푸틴 대통령과 이것에 대해 논의할 것이고, 미사일에 대해서도 논의해 나갈 것입니다. 동맹국과도 긴밀히 협의할 것입니다.
아시아에서, 우리는 중국에 대해서, 핵이슈에 관련해서 같이 할 것을 권유했고, 아직 답변을 기다리고 있습니다. 이제는 핵무기용 군열 종식을 위한 새로운 조약을 위한 협의를 제안해야 합니다. 우리는 세 번째 분야에서도 진전을 이뤘습니다.
내가 취임했을 때 핵 확산을 막는 조약은 와해되고 있었습니다. 이란이 수만개의 핵을 만들고, 북한이 핵실험을 강행했었습니다. 그리고 지난 3년간, 우리는 이 문제에 대한 파트너십을 개선했습니다. 우리는 NPT의 핵심 제재를 이행했습니다. 비보유국들은 이를 획득하지 않을 것이고, 모든 국가들은 평화적 핵 사용을 할 수 있다는 것이 그것입니다. 이런 것 때문에 국제사회 관계는 좋아졌고, 그러나 이러한 것에 동의하지 않은 나라들이 있습니다. 그 중 하나가 북한입니다.
미국은 북한에 대한 어떤 적대적 의도도 가지고 있지 않으며, 우리는 평화에 헌신하고 있습니다. 우리는 관계 개선에 대해 적극적으로 나설 의지가 있으며, 하지만 북한의 도발과 핵무기 취득에 관해서는, 그들의 행동은 이러한 존중을 무너트리고 있다는 것을 알아야 합니다. 북한은 계속 이 길을 갈 수도 있을 것이지만 우리는 그 길의 끝을 압니다.
골이 더 깊어지고, 존엄성의 사이는 더욱 멀어질 것입니다. 그리고 여기서 확실히 할 것은, 이제 더 이상 도발에 대해서 보상하지 않을 것이라는 겁니다. 그런 시절은 끝났습니다. 선택은 북한 앞에 있고, 그것은 북한만의 선택입니다.
마찬가지 원칙은 이란에게도 적용됩니다. 여러 차례 국제사회에서는 이란에게 평화적으로 원자력을 개발하는데 도움을 주겠다고 제안했지만, 이란은 이것을 거절했습니다. 그래서 이란이 고립되었습니다. 이란은 NPT 국가 중 자국의 핵개발이 도움이 된다는 것을 증명하지 못한 유일한 국가입니다. 국제사회는 이란과도 대화할 준비가 돼 있습니다. 외교적으로 해결할 수 있는 해결책이 있습니다. 나는 오늘 러시아와 국제 관계자들과 만나서 이란과의 해결책을 생각해볼 것입니다. 이런 것을 해결할 수 있는 외교적 시간이 충분히 있습니다. 그러나 이란의 지지자들은, 이러한 문제에 대해 진지하고 시급하게 대처해야 한다는 것을 알아야 합니다. 북한의 비타협적 행동으로 인해 새로이 조약이 생겨나고 있기 때문이고, 그것의 위반에는 결과가 따를 것입니다.
우리가 발전을 이룬 마지막 공약에 대해 말하겠습니다. 후쿠시마 원전 사고 이후에, 여러 국가들이 핵시설의 안전과 보안을 강화한 것은 옳습니다. 미국도 그렇습니다. 그런 과정에서 핵기술이 우리 삶에 가져온 놀라운 혜택을 잊지는 말아야 할 것입니다. 음식이 안전해지고, 최첨단 의술이 생겼습니다. 원자력은 에너지도 되고 청정 에너지로서 탄소 공해를 줄여줍니다.
한국은 이를 잘 알고 있습니다. 원자력 에너지의 선두주자인 한국은, 평화적인 원자력 사용을 수용했을 때 가능한 것을 보여주었습니다. 원자력의 중요성은 높아질 것이고, 그래서 미국은 원자력 사업을 다시 시작했습니다. 혁신 기술에 투자하고 있고, 공학자들과 과학자들도 훈련시키고 있습니다. 이들이 그리고 여러분 세대가 마주칠 새로운 도전 중 하나가, 연료주기입니다.
그래서 나는 민간 핵 협력을 위한 새로운 공약을 제안했습니다. 미국은 새로운 연료주기에 대한 핵 개발에 투자함으로써 나는 오늘 다른 국가들에게 원자력 에너지가 잘 활용되었을 때 파괴가 아닌 발전으로써 강화작용을 할 수 있다고 말할 것입니다. 우리는 안전하고 청정한 에너지를 사용할 수 있게 될 것입니다. 미국을 포함한 국가들이 우리의 책임을 다할 때, 다른 나라들도 책임을 다할 수 있게 도울 것입니다. 그리고 우리는 핵무기 없는 세상, 평화로 나아갈 것입니다.
어떤 사람들은 우리의 목표가 달성 불가능하다고 비웃고 절대 될 수 없다고 생각합니다, 하지만 나는 그렇게 의심하는 사람에게 한국에 와보라고 말합니다. 전쟁의 폐허에서 번영을 이룬, 한국에 와보라고 합니다. 그리고 내가 어제 서 있었던 비무장지대에 서서, 발전과 국민에게 헌신한 나라와 국민을 굶주리게 하는 나라 사이의 극명한 대조를 보라고 말합니다. 그리고 훌륭한 한국외대에 와보라고 합니다. 여기서 신세대가 자리를 잡아가고 있습니다.
그래서 여러분의 부모님이나 조부모님은 상상해 볼 수도 없었던 것을 하고 있습니다. 그리고 이 자리에 있는 용기 있는 여러분을 보라고 말합니다. 그리고 자유가 주어진다면, 북한 주민들도 진전을 이룰 수 있습니다. 어제 비무장지대를 넘어서 바라본, 그리고 오늘 여러분들의 눈을 보면서, 나는 우리가 이룰 수 있는 변화를 지향하는 한국의 모습을 봅니다. 양국은 수십년간 다른 미래가 있다는 것을 모르고 갈라섰습니다. 그리고 독일인들은 오늘날 새로운 자유로운 하나의 민족이 되었습니다. 어느 조국도 같은 경로를 거치진 않습니다.
하지만 역사의 흐름은 영원히 거스를 수 없다는 것은 변하지 않는 사실입니다. 분단된 한반도도 마찬가지입니다. 모든 국민들이 염원하는 그 날이 쉽게 오지는 않겠지만, 분명 올 것입니다. 그리고 그 날이 오면, 불가능하게 느껴졌던 일들이 가능해질 것입니다. 이산가족 상봉 등등. 핵무기 없는 세계라는 우리의 비전처럼 하나된 한국이라는 비전도 빨리 실행되지는 않겠지만 우리가 원하는 안보, 평화가 한미동맹으로 훨씬 가까워졌다는 것을 말합니다.
그리고 한국인의 존엄성과 자유를 우리가 수호했기에 이것이 가능했다고 말합니다.
어떤 시련이 있든 우리는 함께 할 것이고, 같이 갈 것입니다. 같이 갑시다(한국말로)
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