Asia-Pacific

Obama pledges US to defend ROK

(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-11-24 08:57

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama on Tuesday pledged the United States would defend the Repbulic of Korea. Yet with its options limited, the US sought a diplomatic rather a military response to one of those most ominous clashes between the Koreas in decades.

"South Korea (ROK) is our ally. It has been since the Korean War," Obama said in his first comments after the two koreas exchangeed fire. "And we strongly affirm our commitment to defend South Korea as part of that alliance."

The president, speaking to ABC News, would not speculate when asked about military options. He was expected to telephone ROK President Lee Myung-bak late Tuesday night, and he met into the evening with his top national security advisers to discuss next steps.