SEOUL, Nov. 11 (UPI) -- President Obama's Veterans Day speech in South Korea Thursday included a call to North Korea to change course.
In his speech to U.S. troops, their families, civilian Defense Department employees and Korean veterans at Yongsan Garrison, Obama said there is a stark contrast between the South, which has flourished under a democracy since the Korean War, and the North, which has stagnated economically under its Communist regime.
"It's a contrast so stark you can see it from space, as the brilliant lights of Seoul give way to utter darkness in the north," Obama said in remarks prepared for delivery at the event. "This is not an accident of history. It is a direct result of the path that has been taken by North Korea -- a path of confrontation and provocation; one that includes the pursuit of nuclear weapons and the attack on the [South Korean navy ship] Cheonan last March.
"In the wake of this aggression, Pyongyang should not be mistaken: The United States will never waver in our commitment to the security of the Republic of Korea. The alliance between our two nations has never been stronger, and along the with the rest of the world, we have made it clear that North Korea's continued pursuit of nuclear weapons will only lead to more isolation and less security."
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Obama went on to say "there is another path available to North Korea."
"If they choose to fulfill their international obligations and commitments to the international community, they will have the chance to offer their people lives of growing opportunity instead of crushing poverty -- a future of greater security and greater respect; a future that includes the prosperity and opportunity available to citizens on this end of the Korean peninsula," he said.
The president also told the service members and their families "this nation recognizes your sacrifice, and we are grateful for your service, too."
Obama said the nation's commitment to its military forces means taking care of veterans after they complete their service.
"It's why I asked for one of the largest increases in the VA [Veterans Administration] budget in the past 30 years," he said.
Obama arrived in South Korea Wednesday ahead of the Group of 20 summit of leaders of the top global economies.
Obama cut his visit to Indonesia short because volcanic ash from Mount Merapi could have grounded Air Force One, administration officials said.
The president's visit to South Korea, the third of his four-country visit, includes meeting with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and a bilateral discussion with Chinese President Hu Jintao.
The G20 summit Thursday and Friday could be tense as the United States and China accused one another of manipulating currency without regard to other economies and G20 leaders admitted global economic recovery is moving ahead in "a fragile and uneven way," CNN reported.
Besides the global economic recovery, G20 leaders are expected to focus mechanisms to ensure balance and sustainable growth, White House officials said.
"We see the G20 as fundamental not just to our international economic agenda, but to our ability to have a lasting recovery at home, because fostering balance, global growth is essential to fostering growth here in the American economy," Ben Rhodes, deputy national security adviser for strategic communications, said in advance of Obama's trip.
While in Seoul, Obama will receive a special and very personal gift, a Korean name, South Korean news agency Yonhap reported.
The Korea-U.S. Alliance Friendship Society said it would confer the name "Oh Han-ma" on the president.
"It is our sincere hope that the conferment of the Korean name to U.S. President Barack Obama will further solidify the alliance with South Korea, forged by blood during the Korean War," Suh Jin-sup, head of the Seoul-based society, said in a statement.
The family name "Oh," meaning a "country" in Chinese characters, comes from the Korean pronunciation of the letter "O" in "Obama," Suh said. The name "Han-ma" combines two Chinese characters, with "Han" meaning "Korea" and "Ma" standing for "horse," a U.S. symbol, Sun said.
