WEBVTT

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- Well good afternoon and welcome everybody

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to the fourth Two Plus Two.

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(Korean translator in background)

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We're delighted, Secretary Carter and I are very delighted

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to welcome our counterparts here

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and we look forward to

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a very fruitful discussion on a number of topics.

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We have quite a broad array,

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agenda, and we're delighted to welcome

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the distinguished representatives of your government here

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of the Republic of Korea.

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For decades, our alliance has underwritten

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the peace and the stability of the Korean Peninsula

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and our bonds have really never been stronger.

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Now more than ever,

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the actions and the policies of North Korea

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are at the forefront of all of our concerns.

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The DPRK's latest nuclear test

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and its repeated ballistic missile tests

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are a threat to regional stability

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and yet another blatant example of a violation

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of multiple UN Security Council resolutions.

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There should be no doubt that the United States

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will do whatever is necessary to defend ourselves

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and to honor the security commitments

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that we have made to allies including the Republic of Korea.

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And we will deploy as soon as possible

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a terminal high altitude area defense battery

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to our Korean ally.

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Every country has a responsibility to cooperate

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in rigorously enforcing sanctions

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that have been imposed by the UN Security Council.

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We need to ensure working together

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that the DPRK pays a price for its dangerous actions,

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even, and I want to emphasize this, even,

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as we work for the peaceful denuclearization

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of the Korean Peninsula.

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Our two presidents met just last month

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and reaffirmed our determination to stand united

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in our approach to the threat that is posed by North Korea.

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They also made clear that while our shared security

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is a central element of the dialogue

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between our governments today,

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we are also working to strengthen

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every aspect of our relationship.

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This includes efforts to promote

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strong and sustainable economic growth,

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to promote trilateral and multilateral cooperation,

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and to enhance respect for human rights,

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the principles of good governance,

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and the rule of law.

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We also recognize that our partnership has to focus

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as our citizens do, on issues of the future,

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including clean energy,

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the need to take strong and effective action

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to curb climate change, on global health security,

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countering terrorism, and to ensure

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that we have in place smart rules

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in order to guarantee the preservation

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of an open, secure, and reliable internet.

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Together, we have built a dynamic partnership

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that is further strengthened by our academic ties.

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Each year, thousands of U.S. students

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have a chance to learn firsthand about Korea,

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while an unprecedented number of Korean students

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are studying in America, and in the process,

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all of them are developing friendships that last a lifetime.

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Today there are more than two million Koreans

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and Korean-Americans living throughout the United States.

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Their economic and social contributions

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to the United States

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and to our bilateral relationship are profound.

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So our meeting today and the defense ministerial,

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that obviously, the defense ministers

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will engage in tomorrow,

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they come at a pivotal moment.

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For the security of our people,

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the prosperity of our economies,

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the economic of our health of our citizens,

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are all at stake.

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Minister Yoon, Minister Han, on behalf of President Obama

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and the American people, we thank you for your commitment

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to strengthening the U.S.-ROK alliance,

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now and for future generations.

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My pleasure to recognize my colleague and friend Ash Carter.

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- Thank you, Secretary Kerry, I appreciate it.

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Good afternoon, everyone.

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First of all, it's an honor to join Secretary Kerry

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here today to welcome our counterparts

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of the Republic of Korea, Foreign Minister Yoon

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and Defense Minister Han, here in Washington

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to discuss our strategic alliance

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and our shared future.

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As Secretary Kerry said, for over 60 years,

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we've built this alliance based on our common values,

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shared interests, and mutual trust.

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We've stood together as a linchpin

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of regional security and prosperity.

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Today and tomorrow we'll continue to modernize our alliance

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and to seize new opportunities

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and to address the evolving threats

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and we'll make the plans we need to strengthen

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peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula

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in the region and around the world.

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In the Korean Peninsula, the recent dramatic increase

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in North Korean nuclear tests and ballistic missile launches

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remind us of the grave threats it imposes

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to our collective security.

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In light of these provocative acts,

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our combined defense posture must be robust

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and our deterrence must be incredible.

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As President Obama and I and Secretary Kerry

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have both stated and all stated clearly,

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U.S. commitment to the defense of South Korea is unwavering.

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This includes our commitment to provide extended deterrents

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guaranteed by the full spectrum

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of U.S. defense capabilities.

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Make no mistake, any attack on America or our allies

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will not only be defeated,

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but also any use of nuclear weapons will be met

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with an overwhelming and effective response.

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As we look at the Asia Pacific more broadly,

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the U.S. rebalance is entering its next phase.

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And we're seeing allies and partners come together

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with a principled and inclusive security network

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to contribute to regional security

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and uphold shared principles.

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One example is the growing trilateral cooperation

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between the Republic of Korea, Japan, and the United States,

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which is helping to solve and coordinate our response

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to North Korean provocations.

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This week, we'll discuss ways to expand our cooperation

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and to ensure that the region's principal

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and prosperous future is realized.

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As we look beyond the Asia Pacific,

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the scope of our lines is growing

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to address global challenges, in particular,

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we're partnering on assistance to Afghanistan

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and accelerating the certain defeat of ISIL.

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So today, we'll talk about additional areas

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where our alliance can continue to contribute

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to global security.

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In this ministerial,

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and in my meeting with Minister Han tomorrow

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at our Security Council data meeting, or S.E.M.,

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we'll reaffirm our commitment to our ironclad alliance.

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We'll coordinate on how to address today's challenges,

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especially North Korea,

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and we'll make plans for our alliance's future,

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working together in the Asia Pacific and beyond

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for decades to come.

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Thank you and I look forward to our discussion.

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- Thank you very much, Secretary Carter.

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Foreign Minister Yoon?

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- (Speaking in Korean)

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- [Translator] Thank you.

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(interpreter drowned out by speaker)

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- Thank you very much, Defense Minister.

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Minister Han?

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- [Translator] Thank you very much.

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I would like to first thank

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Secretary Carter and Secretary Kerry

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for their endeavors to host this Two Plus Two meeting

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despite their very busy schedules.

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The ROK-U.S. alliance established in 1953

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with the signing of the ROK-U.S. Defense Treaty,

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has been safeguarding peace and stability

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in the Korean Peninsula from the DPRK's

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provocations and threats for the past 63 years.

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Even as we speak, our ironclad

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combined defense posture is firmly in place.

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I am grateful for the contributions of our ally,

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the U.S., to the security of ROK

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and the advancement of our alliance

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as well as for the support of the Secretary of State

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and the Secretary of Defense to these ends.

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North Korea has been advancing

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its nuclear missile abilities,

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publicly threatening the ROK and the U.S.

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as well as the international community as whole.

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Under such grave security environment,

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it is more timely than ever for our two nations'

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Foreign Affairs and Defense Ministers

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to discuss actions against the North

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and its threat including the nuclearization

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as well as a way forward for our alliance.

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This year alone, North Korea pressed ahead

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with two nuclear tests and explicitly threatened

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our two nations and the international community

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by blathering on about this nuclearization

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and threatening the continental U.S.

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This mounting threat of North Korea's

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nuclear and missile programs,

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as was stated by President Park Geun-hye

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is like a dagger against our throats,

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a pressing issue that must be urgently resolved.

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If North Korea's threats continue unabated as now,

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it will pose a direct and real threat

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not only on the Korean Peninsula

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but also to the U.S. and beyond.

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As such, I hope that we'll derive

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a more solid and watertight measure against Pyongyang

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at this meeting today.

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I look forward to discussing ways to promote

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firm and extended deterrence and build

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an even more robust combined rigorous posture

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on the Korean Peninsula to enable us to strongly respond

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to any threats and provocations of North Korea.

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Thank you.

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- Well, thank you to each of our colleagues

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for their quick summaries here.

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Now I would ask our friends of the media

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if they would leave us privacy

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so we can begin our conversations.

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We'd appreciate it very much.

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Thank you for being here with us.