President Lee Myung Bak, speaking in San Francisco on Tuesday 26th, once again emphasized the importance of maintaining peace on the Korean Peninsula through strength.

“The Republic of Korea has always tolerated [provocations] not because it lacks strength, but in order to maintain peace,” he asserted. “However, we have come to realize that tolerance is not the way to deter provocations.”

“If North Korea provokes us, it is now our firm stance that it should receive a still greater punishment,” he went on.

In addition, President Lee compared the per capita income of North and South, saying that in the 60 years since division, South Korea has achieved economic success and development similar to that of Japan because “we maintain liberal democracy”.

He noted also that although there are a multitude of different views in South Korea, he affirmed the success of his country “through a strong liberal democracy and a market economy we have created a society in which citizens live well and human rights are guaranteed.”