By Kim Yon-se
Staff Reporter

Korea, the United States and Japan are moving to launch a joint security entity, which might also include Australia and New Zealand in the Asia-Pacific region.

The idea, which is still in the initial stages of discussion, may take shape when President Lee Myung-bak meets U.S. President George W. Bush next week, according to sources.

Once the proposed plan takes shape, they said, the two leaders could meet with Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda during the first half of the year.

The three leaders are likely to fine-tune a trilateral summit in the upcoming summit between Lee and Bush at Camp David, U.S. presidential retreat, on April 18-19 and between Lee and Fukuda in Tokyo on April 21, they said.

The United States is considering holding a Seoul-Washington-Tokyo summit mainly to discuss a defense coalition in Northeast Asia by forming an entity for a joint security regime, they added.

Presidential secretaries at Cheong Wa Dae neither confirmed nor denied the speculated summit between the three leaders at a designated venue in several months, though recent moves in the United States seem to indicate the possibility.

U.S. officials are said to have already notified the Lee administration of provisional schemes on launching a joint security entity.

Sources said the members of the speculated entity may also include several more countries in Oceania and Southeast Asia.

After Lee from the conservative Grand National Party won the Dec. 19 presidential election, U.S. conservatives like the Heritage Foundation suggested Korea, Japan and the United States arrange a joint security initiative as soon as possible.

``I think the key task for the trilateral security ties is how Korea will placate China, which would be excluded from the membership,'' a political expert said.

He alleged that the move is part of the strategy of the United States, which is trying to out-influence China in the Pan Asia-Pacific.

President Lee will likely be cooperative on suggestions of Bush over the project in the April summit. For example, Washington is expected to urge Seoul to fully participate in the U.S. missile defense plans and Proliferation Security Initiative.

If Lee is cooperative in these issues as well as agreeing to the full market opening to U.S. beef, it is possible the United States will offer upgrading of South Korea's sovereign rating as a gift, sources said.

As another gift, the two leaders could also discuss the visa waiver program for South Koreans planning to visit the United States.

kys@koreatimes.co.kr

Huh, it seems my rantings may develop into something real. If this $hit is legit, Korea should seriously think about nominating Thailand to be our delegate in the Southeast. Not only do we have excellent relations with the Thais, they don't act like we owe them something, i.e., Filipinos. Only problem is they don't touch borders with the enemy. A fu-king miracle that with Thailand's size and military power, they didn't bulldoze Cambodia and Vietnam already. Ah, the whole of Southeast Asia is graced with such a benevolent neighbor. A country that is powerful yet exercises restraint, truly worthy to be part of this historical alliance casting out evil back to the dilapidated $hithole called China.

Kay Dis Nine: Never forget how our Japanese brothers liberated us from Chinese colonization!

Enjoy the American troops raping little girls so you can protect yourself from a non-existent threat.

Don't flatter yourselves. The only 'colonization' China (not to be confused with the present day mutt population - the byproducts of countless northern barbarian epic rapage) ever attempted on Korean soil was 2,000 years ago . Even then, they were kicked out by bunch of nomads .

If you want to play low, then go back to your little room and play.

If this is a way to phase out the American over population of bases in the region. Then I am all for it. However I doubt this will ever be as effective as nato.

We need to stop teaming up with the dumb @$$ Japanese and USA.

Is this a joke? Who the hell wants to be with Koreans? All the Koreans will do is stab you in the back, burn and make BBQ out of your flag and cut off some fingers. Its sad that the US had to save South Korea's little @$$ in the 1950s. I say keep the Koreans in their little corner and let them cry. No one wants to be with an angry g@@k wanting to be accepted by powerful and civilized nations.

I wouldn't call Jerry Springer acting out butt fookin' haven who who invade other countries and lynch minorities a civilized country. If anything white Americans are savages.

^which superpower hasnt done all of that?

china? russia? anyone?

That's the least the US could do after Teddy Roosevelt stabbed Korea in the back - and besides, the US did it more for its own security interest than anything else you 'tard.

So you are saying it's okay.

What are you talking about? The Mongols destroyed your lands too, as well as internal squables amonst yourselves that destroyed the kingdom of Gorgeyo or something like that...Just remember even if you choose China as your enemy, Japan and U.S.A are useing both North and South Korea as buffer zones and strategic war fare.

Japan almost destroyed Korea's culture not too long ago, and yet your talking about Chinese domination hundreds of years ago?

Korea is lucky China, Mongolia, nor Japan wiped out the culture of Korea totally.

But now South Koreans are eating, dressing, acting like Americans. It';s the U.S.A turn to rape Korea's culture from within her.

You Korean's on here who keep bashing China but ignore Japan, U.S.A for damageing your land and culture also are a bunch of weaklings.

The world knows Korea is weak, and built the worst cars "Hyundai" for many decades.

Alot of the stuff you just said applies to your own motherland, as well.
Yeah, many foreign invaders have tried to destroy our culture, but guess what, they didn't.
Same thing happened to China, but also by western colonial powers.
China was raped by the west, but it was china's own leaders that wiped out most of China's own culture.
Great call, Mao! *waves his little red book for brainwashed fools*

Koreans don't eat, dress, and act like Americans.
Going to a western restaurant, or buying an american branded shirt isn't being a b|tch to America, dude.
Have you even been to China? Parents and children dress up to go to McDonalds. Don't be talking about being b!tches to foreigners.

Modernity, democracy is all associated with the west, so i guess basically all countries in the world that want to succeed and become wealthy are all being "raped" by america, as you say.

WTF does Hyundai have anything to do with this? Is that the best you can come up with?
Hyundais are well made, reliable cars.

Hyundai well made? their logo looks almost identical to the Japanese Honda cars, i'll give credit where its due though, Hyundai have come along way atleast they look good.

But Hyundai's were the cheapest & the most to break down soon after bought brand new, you either weren't born or grew up in the 1980's, Hyundai's back then were like the Pinto's in the 1970's.

It still does not explain why you even brought Hyundai into the current discussion, halfwit.

Tis' the limit of their idea of wit and logical reasoning.

Agreed. But how are we going to destroy the nascent alliance?

America is going to destroy itself, so that much is solved.

Yeah. But we're taking Korea with us.

I don't see how that's possible.

It's always the same thing,
Everytime USA and Korea tighten their military alliance the chinese try to put an end by throwing bull$hits about both countries to each other. Simply it won't work.
China is desperate to ruin this alliance and drag South Korea to it's military influence zone but it will never happen.

You know, I really, really don't understand why there are some Koreans who will bash China but look up to the US and Japan. Now, I understand that China has been a pretty big jerk to Korea in the past, and I won't deny this. I understand that living next door to a huge, belligerent neighbor like China would make you a little paranoid. The thing I don't understand is how so many Koreans can overlook the current US occupation in Korea. How is this acceptable to you? How can you tolerate 30,000 + foreign troops who rape your women, vandalize your businesses, and generally strut around like the own everything?

I don't get it. I am Chinese, but if I was Korean, I would be pretty pissed off at the US presence. If I were Korean, my number 1 priority would be to unify my country and get the US out of my land. No country could be considered truely independent if it has a foreign army occupying it.

As for the Thai.... well... any country who sells their children to white men for sex is not a country I would respect. Sorry.

Your views don't count really, since your country is a big reason why Korea-US joint security was enacted and is needed. Who'd give a damn what you feel?

Ah, yes... typical response from a Korean nationalist online. Does your shoulder get tired from that huge chip you've got on it?

Thankfully, most Koreans I've met do not share your negative attitudes. I believe that if there is to be progress and peace in Asia, it is important to come to some kind of understanding and compromise. I acknowledge that China has been belligerent to Korea in the past, and I respect their desire for security. I understand why many Koreans dislike the Chinese, especially when you have rabid mobs of Chinese students waving red flags, and I fully sympathize. Most Koreans I've spoken with will be open to discussion on the topic, but unfortunately, you are not one of them. Your attitude will only prolong tension and bad feelings, and that is a pity.

lol thats gay. you can team up with the US and but NK cant team up with China? i know you guys almost won till China stepped in, but dayum. talk about bitter. explain why NK had to fight both, without help, while SK could team up?

The Koreans are really getting the bejesus beaten out of them. Feeling alone?

Because they had Soviet assistance? Don't really see what you're getting at really.

And don't try to be patronizing, I've seen what you Chinese can and will do to enforce their views. You attempt to nod at some greater future goals, but your unwillingness to admit your part in the current situation seems to simply reinforce my views and positions. It's all you - you - you for you Chinese, so why shouldn't I do the same eh? This [It's all your fault] - business.

dude, your high. i have no idea what you are talking about. it was a simple point on 2v1 vs 2v2. stop being so bitter.

China teaming with NK is like US teaming with Iraqis; good luck with that.

they already did, in the war. which was that we were talking about. thx for reading and not being an idiot though.

oh yeah you were referring to commie pack.
Good luck with commie pack! LoL

thx....curious, do you ALL like to run away from the issue at hand or....

the other guy said this " It's all you - you - you for you Chinese, so why shouldn't I do the same eh? This [It's all your fault] - business." hes high.

you bring in commie. ok?

when is someone going to answer the simple question why dude 1 can team with dude 2, but dude 3 cannot team wit dude 4.

Korea-US alliance might seem the right thing to do in a worldly point of view but not spiritually you know. Why Korea should sacrifice its own people and well-being in exchange for "security" if you know what I mean? Was this the first time Korea is doing this? No, Korea has done that during Hideyoshi's invasion with the help of ming dynasty and what its soldiers caused was only destruction and trouble.

If you read the bible, it states clearly that it warns against alliances and reliances to other countries, that it actually weakens one's nation. So I think Korea should throw away this dependent mentality on other countries and trust GOD. Buddha didn't save Korea in the past so it is already proved wrong. If any Buddhist or adherent to other religion think is right, why don't they rely on their gods to see if they really save them?

I think it's possible that events may be overtaking the discussion on this thread. Check this out:

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Korea/JF25Dg01.html

While the ROK seeks to maintain independence in its own way, the DPRK may be seeking some measure of independence from the PRC and SK by having the US play the supply role of the Soviet Union during the cold war. What's happening in NE Asia is a game within a game within a game. Who knows where this will come out, but you must admit the situation gets stranger and stranger. What would be the impact of a DPRK/US relationship on the ROK's ability to engineer reunification? The dance of the great powers, DPRK and ROK is a fascinating waltz. One plausible outcome is the withdrawal of USFK from the ROK as part of an understanding with the DPRK.