Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06SEOUL2886
2006-08-23 09:42:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Seoul
Cable title:
DEPUTY MINISTER FOR POLICY PLANNING ON UNIFIL,
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHUL #2886 2350942 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 230942Z AUG 06 FM AMEMBASSY SEOUL TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9857 INFO RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT PRIORITY 0023 RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV PRIORITY 0587 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 1200 RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUALSFJ/COMUSJAPAN YOKOTA AB JA PRIORITY RHMFISS/COMUSKOREA J5 SEOUL KOR PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEHUL/USDAO SEOUL KOR PRIORITY RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0289
C O N F I D E N T I A L SEOUL 002886
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/22/2016
TAGS: KN KS MARR MNUC PARM PREL UNGA LE
SUBJECT: DEPUTY MINISTER FOR POLICY PLANNING ON UNIFIL,
UNSCR 1695 AND THE RACE FOR UNSYG
Classified By: CDA BILL STANTON. REASONS: 1.4 (b),(d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L SEOUL 002886
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/22/2016
TAGS: KN KS MARR MNUC PARM PREL UNGA LE
SUBJECT: DEPUTY MINISTER FOR POLICY PLANNING ON UNIFIL,
UNSCR 1695 AND THE RACE FOR UNSYG
Classified By: CDA BILL STANTON. REASONS: 1.4 (b),(d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: During the Charge's August 22 courtesy call
on Park In-kook, MOFAT Deputy Minister for Policy Planning
and Public Affairs, DM Park commented on three pending UN
issues. He said minimal ROK participation to date in UN
peacekeeping was an argument spurring positive ROKG
consideration of contributing troops to UNIFIL. He reported
that the ROKG had completed an interagency review of its
compliance with UNSCR 1695 and concluded that several export
control loopholes needed to be closed. He also informed the
Charge that in response to 1695, the ROK planned to increase
the scrutiny of its customs officials and apply greater
vigilance over third country technology transfers. DM Park
commented that the results of the last straw poll to choose
the next UN Secretary General had exceeded the ROK's
expectations, but that U.S. support was essential to Foreign
Minister Ban Ki-moon's bid for the job. END SUMMARY.
UNIFIL
--------------
2. (C) Deputy Minister Park said the general mood within the
ROKG was "very positive" toward contributing to the UNIFIL
peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, but cautioned that South
Korean press reports had inaccurately reported that the ROK
had already made up its mind. Park explained that the
request from the United Nations had been transmitted to the
ROK Ministry of National Defense (MND),and that MND was now
conducting its own internal assessment. When that was
finished, MND would make a proposal to the ROK interagency
process for approval by the National Assembly. In the
meantime, the ROK was closely watching the debate over
UNIFIL's rules of engagement, and the contributions of other
countries, Park disclosed. "I will do my best to expedite a
decision," he promised, adding that since Koreans currently
accounted for only 30 of 75,000 UN PKO troops around the
world. It was, in his opinion, "high time the ROK did
something to increase its contribution" to UN PKO efforts.
Park stated that this argument of his had proven effective
within the ROKG.
UNSCR 1695
--------------
3. (C) Turning to implementation of UN Security Council
Resolution 1695 -- demanding North Korea suspend all
activities related to its ballistic missile programs and
reestablish its commitments to a moratorium on missile
launches -- Park said the ROK had convened an interagency
group that looked into the matter. The group concluded that
no new actions were needed for the ROKG to comply with the
resolution, Park explained. He added, however, that their
review of the issue had uncovered "possible loopholes" the
DPRK might try to exploit in the future. The South Korean
government would therefore now focus its energy on closing
those loopholes. The ROK also planned to increase the
scrutiny of its customs officials and apply greater vigilance
over third country technology transfers, Park noted,
stressing that end user countries that had yet to join the
multilateral export control regime would be coming under
particularly careful scrutiny. Regarding UNSCR 1695's call
for all member states to be alert to the possibility that
DPRK entities might seek the assistance of financial
institutions to support North Korea's missile and WMD
programs, Park claimed that no special action was required by
the ROK, as his government had detected no suspect activities
by the DPRK entities of concern.
UNSYG Race
--------------
4. (C) Asked by the Charge about the status of the campaign
by Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon to become the next UN
Secretary General, DM Park commented that the results of the
SIPDIS
last straw poll had "exceeded the ROKG's expectations." He
called the upcoming poll in September a watershed event in
the process, and firmly stated that South Korea needed the
"unswerving support" of the U.S. Government, "for that is a
prerequisite for our final success."
STANTON
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/22/2016
TAGS: KN KS MARR MNUC PARM PREL UNGA LE
SUBJECT: DEPUTY MINISTER FOR POLICY PLANNING ON UNIFIL,
UNSCR 1695 AND THE RACE FOR UNSYG
Classified By: CDA BILL STANTON. REASONS: 1.4 (b),(d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: During the Charge's August 22 courtesy call
on Park In-kook, MOFAT Deputy Minister for Policy Planning
and Public Affairs, DM Park commented on three pending UN
issues. He said minimal ROK participation to date in UN
peacekeeping was an argument spurring positive ROKG
consideration of contributing troops to UNIFIL. He reported
that the ROKG had completed an interagency review of its
compliance with UNSCR 1695 and concluded that several export
control loopholes needed to be closed. He also informed the
Charge that in response to 1695, the ROK planned to increase
the scrutiny of its customs officials and apply greater
vigilance over third country technology transfers. DM Park
commented that the results of the last straw poll to choose
the next UN Secretary General had exceeded the ROK's
expectations, but that U.S. support was essential to Foreign
Minister Ban Ki-moon's bid for the job. END SUMMARY.
UNIFIL
--------------
2. (C) Deputy Minister Park said the general mood within the
ROKG was "very positive" toward contributing to the UNIFIL
peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, but cautioned that South
Korean press reports had inaccurately reported that the ROK
had already made up its mind. Park explained that the
request from the United Nations had been transmitted to the
ROK Ministry of National Defense (MND),and that MND was now
conducting its own internal assessment. When that was
finished, MND would make a proposal to the ROK interagency
process for approval by the National Assembly. In the
meantime, the ROK was closely watching the debate over
UNIFIL's rules of engagement, and the contributions of other
countries, Park disclosed. "I will do my best to expedite a
decision," he promised, adding that since Koreans currently
accounted for only 30 of 75,000 UN PKO troops around the
world. It was, in his opinion, "high time the ROK did
something to increase its contribution" to UN PKO efforts.
Park stated that this argument of his had proven effective
within the ROKG.
UNSCR 1695
--------------
3. (C) Turning to implementation of UN Security Council
Resolution 1695 -- demanding North Korea suspend all
activities related to its ballistic missile programs and
reestablish its commitments to a moratorium on missile
launches -- Park said the ROK had convened an interagency
group that looked into the matter. The group concluded that
no new actions were needed for the ROKG to comply with the
resolution, Park explained. He added, however, that their
review of the issue had uncovered "possible loopholes" the
DPRK might try to exploit in the future. The South Korean
government would therefore now focus its energy on closing
those loopholes. The ROK also planned to increase the
scrutiny of its customs officials and apply greater vigilance
over third country technology transfers, Park noted,
stressing that end user countries that had yet to join the
multilateral export control regime would be coming under
particularly careful scrutiny. Regarding UNSCR 1695's call
for all member states to be alert to the possibility that
DPRK entities might seek the assistance of financial
institutions to support North Korea's missile and WMD
programs, Park claimed that no special action was required by
the ROK, as his government had detected no suspect activities
by the DPRK entities of concern.
UNSYG Race
--------------
4. (C) Asked by the Charge about the status of the campaign
by Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon to become the next UN
Secretary General, DM Park commented that the results of the
SIPDIS
last straw poll had "exceeded the ROKG's expectations." He
called the upcoming poll in September a watershed event in
the process, and firmly stated that South Korea needed the
"unswerving support" of the U.S. Government, "for that is a
prerequisite for our final success."
STANTON