Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06SEOUL1322
2006-04-21 08:11:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Seoul
Cable title:  

MOU PREVIEWS APRIL 21-24 INTER-KOREAN MINISTERIAL

Tags:  PREL MNUC EAID PHUM KN KS 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0011
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHUL #1322/01 1110811
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 210811Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY SEOUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7445
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0507
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 7259
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 0586
RUEHUM/AMEMBASSY ULAANBAATAR 1181
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RHMFISS/COMUSKOREA J2 SEOUL KOR
RHMFISS/COMUSKOREA J5 SEOUL KOR
RHMFISS/COMUSKOREA SCJS SEOUL KOR
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SEOUL 001322 

SIPDIS

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NSC FOR CHA

E.O. 12958: DECL: AFTER KOREAN REUNIFICATION
TAGS: PREL MNUC EAID PHUM KN KS
SUBJECT: MOU PREVIEWS APRIL 21-24 INTER-KOREAN MINISTERIAL


Classified By: DCM Mark C. Minton. Reasons 1.4 (b, d).

SUMMARY
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SEOUL 001322

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NSC FOR CHA

E.O. 12958: DECL: AFTER KOREAN REUNIFICATION
TAGS: PREL MNUC EAID PHUM KN KS
SUBJECT: MOU PREVIEWS APRIL 21-24 INTER-KOREAN MINISTERIAL


Classified By: DCM Mark C. Minton. Reasons 1.4 (b, d).

SUMMARY
--------------


1. (C) In an April 20 preview of the April 21-24
inter-Korean ministerial in Pyongyang, Assistant Minister for
Unification Policy and Public Affairs Lee Kwan-sei told the
DCM that the ROK planned to urge the DPRK to return to the
Six Party Talks and agree to the resumption of general
officer-level military talks, as well as pursue inter-Korean
economic cooperation that was mutually beneficial and less
one-sided. South Korea would also call on North Korea to
cooperate with the international community on the issue of
human rights in the DPRK and agree to establish a joint
consultative body with the ROK for preventing and dealing
with natural disasters in the Korean Peninsula. Lee
acknowledged that Seoul would seek to introduce a resolution
to the issue of South Korean abductees and remind Pyongyang
of former President Kim Dae-jung's proposed visit to the
DPRK. He flatly denied that Seoul would raise the issue of a
second inter-Korean summit, adding that he did not know
whether Unification Minister Lee Jong-seok would be granted
an audience with Kim Jong-il in Pyongyang. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) On April 20, Assistant Minister for Unification
Policy and Public Affairs Lee Kwan-sei previewed the April
21-24 inter-Korean ministerial to be held in Pyongyang. Lee,
noting that the ministerial was the first high-level
bilateral contact between the Koreas since December, said
Seoul was eager for positive results from the talks,
especially since the ROKG was engaging the DPRK under adverse
conditions -- including the long delay in the resumption of
the Six Party Talks.

NUCLEAR ISSUE: ROK TO URGE EARLY RETURN TO SIX PARTY TALKS
-------------- --------------


3. (C) Lee said the ROK would focus on persuading the DPRK
to return to the Six Party Talks at the earliest opportunity
and make the strategic decision to resolve the nuclear issue.
In this regard, South Korea would explain to the North

Koreans the perspectives of the international community and
the worldwide political climate surrounding the nuclear
issue. The ROK would also present its position on the
nuclear issue, as well as those of the other participants to
the Six Party Talks.

RESUMPTION OF MILITARY TALKS, TWO-SIDED ECON COOPERATION
-------------- --------------


4. (C) According to Lee, the ROK planned to urge the
resumption and regularizing of inter-Korean general
officer-level military talks, possibly leading to a defense
ministerial at some point. The ROK also intended to suggest
pursuing inter-Korean economic cooperation with new joint
projects that clearly demonstrated benefits to both Koreas,
as opposed to one-sided assistance from the ROK. For
example, Lee stated, the ROK would suggest the joint usage of
the Han River estuary by both Koreas. The intersecting
regions of the Imjin and Somjin Rivers had thick aggregates
of sand, which the DPRK could sell to South Korean
construction firms. Joint extraction projects could also
help prevent flooding along the riverbanks and help reduce
military tensions in the area, Lee said.

SEOUL TO URGE COOPERATION ON DPRK HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUE
-------------- --------------


5. (C) In addition, the ROK would raise the issue of human
rights conditions in North Korea, Lee stated. The South
Korean delegation would convey the concerns of the
international community on the dismal human rights situation
in North Korea candidly to their North Korean counterparts,
urging them to cooperate with the international community on
the issue. Seoul would also stress that continually denying
the charges of human rights violations did not advance
Pyongyang's interests.

JOINT BODY ON NATURAL DISASTERS
--------------

6. (C) Lee added that South Korea also planned to recommend
the establishment of an inter-Korean joint consultative body
for preventing and dealing with such natural disasters as
fires, floods, yellow sand from China's deserts, and outbreak
of contagious diseases. Highlighting Seoul's past successes
with working with North Korea on meteorological studies on
yellow sand, extinguishing fires in North Korea with South
Korean helicopters, and providing medical supplies for
disease outbreaks, Lee expressed hope that the DPRK would
welcome the idea of a consultative body. The ROK delegation
would also discuss various joint projects that the two Koreas
had agreed upon, but not yet implemented.

SEOUL SEEKS COMPREHENSIVE RESOLUTION OF ABDUCTEE ISSUE
-------------- --------------


7. (C) Responding to the DCM's query, Lee acknowledged that
the ROK would press the DPRK on the issue of South Korean
abductees. The ROK planned to discuss a comprehensive
approach to resolving the issue, broken down in two steps --
determining the welfare and whereabouts of the individuals
and arranging reunions with their families, and repatriating
them eventually. Noting that Seoul estimated 485 South
Koreans were living involuntarily in North Korea, Lee
underscored that the ROK was prepared to repatriate these
people even if it had to compensate the DPRK for any costs
incurred from repatriation. Recalling that both Japan and
West Germany had incurred costs while repatriating their
citizens from the DPRK and East Germany, respectively, Lee
said the ROK had various plans for covering its own costs.
The specific format and medium for compensating the DPRK
would not, however, be decided until the North Koreans
provided specific feedback at the ministerial. (NOTE: The
figure above does not include POWs, also thought to number
around 500. END NOTE.)


8. (C) The DCM asked whether the ROK intended to address, in
its comprehensive plan for abductees, other nationals
abducted by the DPRK, such as the Japanese. Lee responded
the ROK would focus only on ROK citizens, noting that it was
difficult enough discussing Korean abductees with the DPRK.
Seoul would, however, discuss cases such as South Korean
citizen Kim Young-nam, who was reported recently as Japanese
abductee Megumi Yokota's husband in North Korea, in the
overall framework of discussing South Korean abductees, Lee
said.

ROK TO RAISE KIM DAE-JUNG VISIT, NOT MENTION SECOND SUMMIT
-------------- --------------


9. (C) On the issue of the proposed visit to Pyongyang by
former President Kim Dae-jung, Lee explained that the DPRK
owed the ROK a response since Kim had planned to visit North
Korea per Pyongyang's invitation. As such, the ROK
delegation would raise the issue at the ministerial in
Pyongyang. The South Koreans would not, however, mention the
next inter-Korean summit. The ROK had, on many occasions,
conveyed to the DPRK that it was open to another summit
regardless of timing or venue and did not believe it was
necessary to raise the issue without prompting from the DPRK.

NO CONFIRMED LEE JONG-SEOK-KIM JONG-IL MEETING
-------------- -


10. (C) Lee said it was impossible to know whether
Unification Minister Lee Jong-seok would be granted an
audience with Kim Jong-il. Recalling Kim's past practice of
delaying his June 2000 summit with former President Kim
Dae-jung by one day, and giving just a few hours' notice to
former Unification Minister Chung Dong-young before their
June 2005 meeting, Lee stated that current Minister Lee,
likewise, would not know whether he was meeting Kim until the
actual day of the meeting.
VERSHBOW