ROK REQUESTS NOGUN-RI SCHOLARSHIP EXTENSION

C O N F I D E N T I A L SEOUL 003612 SIPDIS SIPDIS OSD PASS TO FINNEGAN E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/21/2014 TAGS: PREL MARR MASS KS SUBJECT: ROK REQUESTS NOGUN-RI SCHOLARSHIP EXTENSION Classified By: POL M/C Joseph Y. Yun. Reasons 1.4 (b,d). ¶1. (SBU) On October 19, poloff received a demarche from Deputy Director Kang Dae-soo of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade's (MOFAT) North America Division (NAD) II. Kang shared that MOFAT Director General Cho Tae-yong met with Chung Goo-do, president of the Nogun-Ri victims' representatives, on October 3 to explain, in person, the details of the Nogun-Ri scholarship as described in the USDS Lawless letter of September 29. ¶2. (SBU) DG Cho explained to Chung that although the scholarship beneficiaries will not be exclusively limited to victims' families, he pleaded the ROKG would negotiate with the USG to ensure that most beneficiaries would be from the victims' families. DG Cho also told Chung the scholarship fund would be an asset to the young generation. He requested that the victims' representatives take a fresh look at ways to implement the scholarship program. ¶3. (SBU) Chung assured DG Cho that he would discuss the details of the meeting with other victims' families, but cautioned it would be difficult to consult with them all by the end of October. He therefore requested an extension. ¶4. (SBU) Deputy Director Kang told poloff that while the ROK Embassy in Washington had been notified of the timelines for the scholarship fund in early August, the actual letter containing the deadline did not reach MOFAT until September ¶29. Kang requested an extension of the November 1 deadline, but did not specify how much additional time the victims' families would need to complete their scholarship program proposal. VERSHBOW