The International Herald Tribune reported that analysts said on August 9 that DPRK leader Kim Jong-il has opened the way to having at least some US troops stay in the ROK.  Kim reportedly made clear his acceptance of a US military presence in the ROK during talks in Pyongyang in June with ROK President Kim Dae-jung.  

Choi Jin-wook, research fellow at the Korean Institute of National Unification, said, "Those with Kim Dae-jung in the talks have said that Kim Jong-il said that U.S. forces may stay."  Choi said that the remark appeared logical, as another in a series of statements by both Kim Jong-il and his father, Kim Il-sung, suggested that they were in no hurry for US troops to withdraw and would not demand a US pullout as a prerequisite for reunification.  

The Japanese daily Asahi Shimbun reported on August 9 that Kim Jong-il had interrupted when Kim Yong-sun, secretary of the Workers' Party, told Kim Dae-jung that "U.S. troops must withdraw."  Kim Jong-il had asked "if there is a problem with U.S. troops on the peninsula, and if so, what are the problems."  According to the Asahi Shimbun, when Kim Yong-sun responded, "No matter what happens, U.S. troops must withdraw," Kim Jong-il said, "Let's leave it at that."  The newspaper quoted Kim Jong-il as affirming that "U.S. forces had better stay on to maintain peace even after the two Koreas are unified."  

However, a senior ROK official said that the Asahi Shimbun report had presented a skewed account of the meeting.  He suggested that Kim Jong-il had indicated that the DPRK's constant calls for complete withdrawal of US troops were "not exactly identical with what they are really thinking."  The official said there was "some sort of strategic ambiguity on the part of North Korea about this matter.  To a certain extent, keeping this ambiguity is a wise strategy."  

A US spokesman said that while Kim Dae-jung was understood to have strongly argued that a continued US troop presence could be a stabilizing force on the peninsula after an eventual reunification, the US could not comment on how Kim Jong-il had reacted.  Analysts say that Kim Il-sung had told Japanese visitors shortly before he died, "We do not want withdrawal of U.S. forces immediately" but favor "gradual withdrawal."  

Choi also said Kim Il Sung also told a US emissary in 1991 that "U.S. troops may stay on the Korean Peninsula if their status and role is changed."  Choi said that the most common interpretation of those remarks was that the DPRK wanted the ROK to sever its military alliance with the US while several thousand US troops remained as "peacekeepers" without heavy weaponry.  Choi said, "North Korea knows the United States will not withdraw its troops, but as peacekeepers they would no longer be a threat." (Don Kirk, "A NORTH KOREAN SHIFT ON OPPOSING U.S. TROOPS?" Seoul, 8/10/00)