President Obama spoke eloquently in South Korea on Monday in an initial address to world leaders gathered for the Seoul Nuclear Summit, and earlier to students at Hankun University. Sixty leaders of 54 global nations, including Russia and China, are meeting to institute a plan for securing
and accounting for the entirety of the world’s nuclear material by 2014.
In speaking, the President focused first on North Korea, a hostile adversary who is launching satellites and testing missiles in violation of a United Nations Security Council resolution, and ignoring a deal struck with the United States that it will not carry out nuclear or missile tests in return for food aid. Obama said, “The United States has no hostile intent toward your country and is committed to peace." He continued, "There will be no more rewards for provocations. You can continue down the road you are on, but we know where that leads." The president added, "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 opportunity they deserve." Then Obama offered a prediction: “The Koreas, North and South, will someday be united and free.”
President Obama also mentioned Iran, "Iran must act with the seriousness and the sense of urgency that this moment demands. Iran must meet its obligations." .
The president has long been committed to reduction of nuclear threat in the world. In Prague, in April of 2009, he presented his view that stockpiles of strategic nuclear weapons, as well as tactical weapons and warheads, need be reduced. On Monday, Obama declared, “The United States has a unique responsibility to act.” And later, “We have more nuclear weapons than we need."







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