President Roh Moo-hyun said Tuesday that South and North Korea should discuss ways to bring a lasting peace to the Korean Peninsula with other countries. He welcomed the agreement reached in the six-party talks in Beijing.
Later in the day, Roh, who is on a weeklong European tour, had a telephone conversation with President George W. Bush. The two exchanged views on the agreement struck Feb. 13 in the last round of the six-party denuclearization talks, his aides said.

Roh and Bush praised the deal and agreed to implement it as quickly and smoothly as possible, Roh"s spokesman, Yoon Seong-yong, said.

While meeting with South Korean residents of Spain, Roh said that the settlement of North Korea"s nuclear problem would lead to negotiations on the establishment of a permanent peace regime on the peninsula.

He attached significance to the permanent peace mentioned in the agreement, adding that it would pave the way for Seoul"s credit rating to be raised.

"The successful settlement of negotiations between South and North Korea on lasting peace as well as the nuclear problem would eliminate non-economic hurdles to South Korea"s ascent to the top of the global credit rating ladder," he said.

Roh said the formation of a multilateral security framework in Northeast Asia, as mentioned in the latest agreement between North Korea and the United States, would also help South Korea"s international credit standing.

South and North Korea are technically at war since the Korean War (1950-53) ended with an armistice between the American-led United Nations command, and North Korea and China.

Roh and Bush exchanged views on the signing of a treaty to formally end the Korean War and to restore peace on the peninsula when they met in Hanoi on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation in November.

North Korea agreed Tuesday to shut down its main nuclear reactor and eventually disable its nuclear arms program in exchange for energy assistance. It was just four months after the Stalinist state shocked the world by testing a nuclear weapon.

Roh flew to Rome for an official visit to Italy on the second leg of his three-nation tour Wednesday afternoon, wrapping up his four-day state visit to Spain.

He is scheduled to pay a one-day visit to the Vatican City on Thursday to meet Pope Benedict XVI. He will also meet Italian President Giorgio Napolitano to discuss ways to enhance bilateral relations.

Several Cabinet ministers and presidential secretaries, as well as a large economic delegation, are accompanying the president on the weeklong journey. Roh will return home Saturday, when the Lunar New Year holiday begins.

jinryu@koreatimes.co.kr