2+2 MEETING TO MARK 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF KOREAN WAR

C O N F I D E N T I A L SEOUL 001814 BEIJING PLEASE PASS TO NSC SENIOR DIRECTOR BADER FROM AMBASSADOR STEPHENS FOR EAP ASSISTANT SECRETARY CAMPBELL AND NSC SENIOR DIRECTOR BADER E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/16/2029 TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON KDEM KN KS SUBJECT: 2+2 MEETING TO MARK 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF KOREAN WAR Classified By: Ambassador Stephens. Reasons: 1.4 (b/d). ¶1. (C) Kurt/Jeff: As a deliverable for the POTUS visit, the Blue House has proposed announcing a one-off "2 plus 2" ministerial in 2010 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the beginning of the Korean War. I strongly believe this is a proposal worth considering. A high-profile event featuring the Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense and their ROK counterparts would not only honor the approximately two million living Korean War veterans but also highlight the success of the Alliance over 60 years and showcase the prospects for even greater future cooperation. Young Koreans especially are not often exposed to the sacrifice we made during the war and its contribution to modern Korea's success. This would be a unique opportunity to address that problem. ¶2. (C) High-level bilateral participation in commemorative events would call international attention to a great success story for American foreign policy. The U.S.-ROK partnership and Korea's development since the Korean War stand as enormous achievements for both our countries. Long hailed for its economic success, in recent years Korea's thriving democratic institutions and rich civil society have solidified its standing as pillar of democratic values in Asia. Senior USG participation in commemorative events would help bring, among other things, greater regional attention to this important dimension of Korea's miraculous renaissance. ¶3. (SBU) Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the 60th anniversary will be the last decennial milestone to honor Korean War veterans while significant numbers of them are still alive. According to Veterans Administration statistics, there were roughly four million Korean War veterans alive for the 50th anniversary in 2000; only two million are still with us, and the VA estimates that by 2010 the average age of Korean War veterans will be 79. STEPHENS