Bush Adviser Defends U.S. Stance on North Korea

WASHINGTON - Condoleezza Rice, the White House national security adviser, said Tuesday that the Bush administration will not reward North Korea's "delinquent behavior" as the Clinton administration had been prone to do.

Ms. Rice cited a North Korean threat shortly after George W. Bush took office to resume its missile tests as an example of the United States' firm and consistent approach toward the North.

During a White House policy briefing of the International Democrat Union, a group of self-styled "conservative, Christian Democrats," Ms. Rice said the United States warned the North that if it went ahead with the tests, it would prove only that it is not worthy of the international community's trust.

Ms. Rice asserted that the North's recent decision to freeze missile tests until 2003 was influenced by that U.S. reaction.

Political leaders of some 20 countries attended the briefing, including Reps. Chung Jey-moon, Cho woong-kyu and Park Won-hong of the Grand National Party.

Mr. Park said Ms. Rice emphasized "the United States' support for Korea's sunshine policy, but only in conjunction with meticulous verification," that North Korea is living up to any agreements made between the two Koreas, as well as North Korea and the U.S.

by Kim Jin