George W. Bush

==== North Korea condemnation ====
{{Main|North Korea–United States relations}}
Bush publicly condemned [[Kim Jong-il]] of North Korea and identified North Korea as one of three states in an "[[axis of evil]]". He said that "the United States of America will not permit the world's most dangerous regimes to threaten us with the world's most destructive weapons."<ref name=sotu2002 /> Within months, "both countries had walked away from their respective commitments under the U.S.–DPRK [[Agreed Framework]] of October 1994."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nwc.navy.mil/press/Review/2003/Summer/art1-su3.htm|title=The United States, North Korea, and the End of the Agreed Framework|last=Pollack|first=Jonathan D.|publisher=Naval War College Review|date=Summer 2003|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060818114650/http://www.nwc.navy.mil/press/Review/2003/Summer/art1-su3.htm|archive-date=August 18, 2006|volume=LV I|issue=3}}</ref> North Korea's October 9, 2006, [[2006 North Korean nuclear test|detonation]] of a nuclear device further complicated Bush's foreign policy, which centered for both terms of his presidency on "[preventing] the terrorists and regimes who seek chemical, biological, or nuclear weapons from threatening the United States and the world".<ref name=sotu2002 /> Bush condemned North Korea's position, reaffirmed his commitment to "a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula", and said that "transfer of nuclear weapons or material by North Korea to states or non-state entities would be considered a grave threat to the United States", for which North Korea would be held accountable.<ref name="autogenerated2">{{cite web |url=https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2006/10/20061009.html |title=President Bush's Statement on North Korea Nuclear Test |date=October 9, 2006 |access-date=June 23, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080822122622/http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2006/10/20061009.html |archive-date=August 22, 2008 |via=[[NARA|National Archives]] |publisher=[[White House]] }}</ref> On May 7, 2007, North Korea agreed to shut down its nuclear reactors immediately pending the release of frozen funds held in a foreign bank account. This was a result of a series of three-way talks initiated by the United States and including China.<ref>{{cite news |agency=[[Associated Press]] |url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,270397,00.html |title=North Korea Ready to Shut Down Reactor 'Immediately' |publisher=Fox News |date=May 7, 2007 |access-date=September 1, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070509020138/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0%2C2933%2C270397%2C00.html |archive-date=May 9, 2007 }}</ref> On September 2, 2007, North Korea agreed to disclose and dismantle all its nuclear programs by the end of 2007.<ref>{{cite news |title=U.S.: North Korea agrees to shut down nuke facilities |agency=Associated Press |publisher=CNN |date=September 2, 2007 |url=http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/09/02/koreas.nuclear.ap/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070917103449/http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/09/02/koreas.nuclear.ap/index.html |archive-date=September 17, 2007 }}</ref> By May 2009, North Korea had restarted its nuclear program and threatened to attack South Korea.<ref>{{cite news |last=McCurry |first=Justin |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/may/27/north-korea-threat-attack-south |work=The Guardian |location=UK |title=North Korea restarts nuclear reactor and threatens to attack south |date=May 27, 2009 |access-date=June 23, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090528094725/http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/may/27/north-korea-threat-attack-south |archive-date=May 28, 2009 }}</ref>

On June 22, 2010, "While South Korea prospers, the people of North Korea have suffered profoundly," he said, adding that communism had resulted in dire poverty, mass starvation, and brutal suppression. "In recent years," he went on to say, "the suffering has been compounded by the leader who wasted North Korea's precious few resources on personal luxuries and nuclear weapons programs."<ref>{{cite news |last=Park |first=Joseph |url=http://continentalnews.net/2010/06/24/george-w-bush-delivers-message-at-korean-war-prayer-meeting-in-seoul-892.html |work=Continental News |location=France |title=George W. Bush Delivers Message At Korean War Prayer Meeting In Seoul |date=June 22, 2010 |access-date=June 24, 2010 |archive-date=August 22, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080822122622/http://continentalnews.net/2010/06/24/george-w-bush-delivers-message-at-korean-war-prayer-meeting-in-seoul-892.html }}</ref>