Tejinder Singh – AHN News Correspondent
Washington, DC, United States (AHN) – Officials across the U.S. government reacted with caution Monday to the weekend death of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il, instead collectively conveying America’s unwavering commitment to South Korea.
Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta spoke with South Korean Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin about the death of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il in a 15-minute telephone call Monday morning, Pentagon press secretary George Little told journalists.
“The secretary conveyed to Mr. Kim the strong commitment of the United States to peninsular stability and to our alliance,” he said. “He made it clear that the United States stands with Korea in this time of uncertainty.”
“Both men agreed that it was critical to remain prudent with respect to all matters related to our security posture there, and pledged to keep one another informed in the coming days,” read a statement from the Pentagon.
Panetta was briefed on Kim’s death immediately after word reached the outside world over the weekend, Little said.
“He has been closely monitoring the situation ever since,” Little said. “He has been in contact with senior officials here in the department.”
Little said there was “no truth” to rumors that Americans would be evacuated from South Korea as a caution. He also denied there would be any increase in force protection for U.S. forces in Korea or that any unusual military movements had been detected after the death of the North Korean dictator.
The press secretary said there had been no movement of the 36,000 U.S. service members stationed in South Korea.
On the announcement from North Korean officials that Kim’s son, Kim Jong Un, will take over the isolated country, Little said, “I wouldn’t comment on the particulars of succession at this stage.”
“Obviously, we are closely monitoring the succession process. The North Koreans are in a period of mourning at this point, and that being said, the military does exercise a prominent role in North Korea, but I wouldn’t want to speculate at this stage,” added the spokesman.
Defense department officials, along with their South Korean counterparts, believe that a North Korean missile test conducted earlier on Monday was pre-planned and not connected to Kim’s death, a senior Pentagon official said on background.
Later, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in a joint press conference with Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba, said “We both share a common interest in a peaceful and stable transition in North Korea, as well as in ensuring regional peace and stability.”
The Japanese official echoed Clinton’s sentiments. “We share the recognition that it is important to make sure that the latest events would not negatively affect the peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula,” added Gemba. Citing the situation in North Korea, Gemba said, “Secretary Clinton and I reaffirmed to continue to make frequent contact with each other.”
Former Republican presidential candidate and U.S. Sen. John McCain, in a statement, said the world was “a better place now that Kim Jong-il is no longer in it.”
“For more than six decades, people in North Korea have been consigned to lives of dire poverty and cruel oppression under one of the most totalitarian regimes the world has ever known,” said, McCain. “I can only express satisfaction that the Dear Leader is joining the likes of Qaddafi, Bin Laden, Hitler, and Stalin in a warm corner of hell.”
Human rights activists called the death of Kim Jong Il an unprecedented opportunity for North Korea’s new leaders, including Kim Jong Un, to turn a new page on the human rights situation in the country and put an end to widespread and systematic violations.
“North Korea remains a closed country and access is therefore urgently needed for independent and neutral human rights monitors, in particular the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in North Korea and international humanitarian organizations,” said Souhayr Belhassen, president of the International Federation for Human Rights.
The International Coalition to Stop Crimes against Humanity in North Korea (ICNK) urged DPRK leaders to “immediately put an end to practices such as forced labor, forced abortion of returnees, torture or executions, close all kwan-li-so (political prisoners’ camps) and release all political prisoners and abductees.”
Benedict Rogers, East Asia team Leader at Christian Solidarity Worldwide, commented, “While there may be a period of uncertainty and instability in the days ahead, the international community should ensure that the severe human rights and humanitarian crisis in North Korea is placed firmly on the agenda alongside security and political concerns.”
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