Clinton shows concern over N. Korea hostility

Addressing two of the United States' biggest worries in Asia, President Clinton Friday said communist North Korea may be taking a more hostile approach to America and its Asian allies and he warned of increased trade tensions with Japan.

Closing out a two-day visit to Japan, Clinton said he was reviewing his administration's policy toward North Korea, which considers the United States an enemy and remains in a technical state of war with South Korea 45 years after a Korean War cease-fire.He said William Perry, a former U.S. defense secretary, was overseeing the policy review.

At a joint news conference at the Akasaka Palace, Clinton and Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi said both nations realize Japan should act quickly to help pull Asia out of its economic crisis. Clinton struck a conciliatory tone, but earlier in the day he talked of possible trade wars.

Clinton and Obuchi both said that North Korea must come clean on a suspected secret nuclear weapons site and limit its ballistic missile program. The Washington Post reported in Friday's editions that the program has been accelerated.

"There are some disturbing signs there," Clinton said, without offering any details.

Obuchi, recalling North Korea's firing of a ballistic missile over Japanese territory on Aug. 31, said the event was "a very shocking experience" for the Japanese. He said the incident made it even more important for North Korea to clear up suspicions about its nuclear ambitions. Clinton said the missile shot was destabilizing and "disturbed us greatly."

Clinton said a U.S. team he sent to North Korea this week to insist on seeing a suspected secret nuclear weapons site was met with "completely unacceptable" conditions. The North Koreans demanded a $300 million payment in exchange for the inspection, U.S. officials said.

"It's fair to say that no one can be absolutely sure of whether the North Korean position is simply a product of economic difficulties so they're attempting to get more money out of various countries for doing what they ought to be doing anyway, or whether they really are moving toward a more hostile posture," Clinton said. "We will evaluate that very carefully."

Later Friday Clinton was flying to Seoul for a two-day visit that will include meeting with U.S. troops at an Army training range and at Osan Air Base, host to U.S. Air Force U-2 spy planes that keep an eye on North Korea.

Clinton also will discuss the North Korea missile and nuclear problems with South Korean President Kim Dae-jung, officials said.

At his news conference in Tokyo, Clinton stressed the importance of Japan's economic revival. He said Obuchi's government must move quickly to implement its newest economic recovery plan. And he also cautioned that unless Japan becomes more open, today's tensions over trade will only get worse.