GOVERNOR ROMNEY VISITS KOREA

UNCLAS SEOUL 004247

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL ABLD KS KN
SUBJECT: GOVERNOR ROMNEY VISITS KOREA


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney visited
South Korea on December 6-7 and met with a wide range of
government and non-governmental leaders, gave a speech to
AMCHAM, visited the DMZ and received a briefing from USFK.
The Governor's meetings focused on North Korea and the
current state of U.S.-ROK relations. END SUMMARY.

PM Han Myeong-suk
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2. (SBU) In Governor Romney's December 7 meeting with Prime
Minister Han Myeong-suk, Han recognized that U.S. support had
helped Korea to become the economic power it was today. She
said that the U.S. and Korea had a healthy relationship,
despite the occasional difference of opinion. She also
stressed the need for dialogue between the U.S. and North
Korea, even while efforts were made to enforce UN
resolutions. Han said that Korea had a different view on
North Korea because of its shared border and proximity to the
North. Because of this, the ROK must be very careful with
its policies in regard to the Proliferation Security
Initiative (PSI),Kaesong Industrial Complex (KIC) and the
Kumgang Mountain tourism project. ROKG decisions related to
these issues were made after much debate and consideration,
not lightly. The Governor praised Han, the first female
Prime Minister in Korea, for breaking new ground on behalf of
women in Korea and around the world, and recognized her own
personal suffering and sacrifice in pursuit of democracy in
Korea.

Unification Minister Lee Jong-seok
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3. (SBU) Departing Unification Minister Lee Jong-seok
described South Korea's engagement strategy toward North
Korea. Lee posited two futures for North Korea: either the
DPRK would successfully accelerate its economic
transformation or its economy would collapse. North Korean
economic transformation was both essential and inevitable, he
said. Lee urged Seoul and Washington to place a priority at
the Six Party Talks on resolving the nuclear issue, over
illicit activities or human rights, because a nuclear DPRK
would undermine stability on the Peninsula and threaten U.S.
non-proliferation interests. Lee assessed that despite the
DPRK missile launches and nuclear test, the North was in the
process of changing because it was faced with no option but
to reform. Governor Romney cautoned that hoping for change
would not make it happen. Efforts to improve engagement with
North Korea should not prolong the DPRK regime.

A/FM Cho Jung-pyo
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4. (SBU) In a forty-minute call on Acting Foreign Minister
Cho Jung-pyo on December 7, Governor Romney sought Cho's
insights into North Korea, regional relations and
anti-Americanism in the ROK. Sticking close to his talking
points -- this was Cho's first meeting with a foreign
dignitary as Acting Foreign Minister (and since becoming Vice
Minister December 1) -- Cho reiterated that while it was the
ROK's firm position that a nuclear North Korea would not be
tolerated, the issue had to be resolved in a peaceful manner.
Moving to regional issues, Cho said that China had an
important role to play and that its historically special
relationship with North Korea gave China some influence, but
he did not know how much more than the ROK. Cho told Gov.
Romney not to be too concerned about anti-Americanism in
Korea. Anti-Americanism was not a deep problem in the ROK
and that most incidents were specific reactions to particular
incidents.


5. (SBU) Cho expressed admiration for Boston's
bio-technology and pharmaceutical sector and said that he
wanted to build a close relationship with Massachusetts in
furtherance of the ROK's goal of developing its own bio-tech
sector. Gov. Romney welcomed Cho's overture and said that
many overseas representatives had offices in Boston to track
the most recent developments. However, Gov. Romney shared
that bio-tech, which employs only 30,000 people in
Massachusetts, was not a job-creating industry.


6. (SBU) Cho registered concern over the inclusion of "So
Far from the Bamboo Grove," a children's book about a
Japanese girl in Korea after World War II, in the curriculum
of several Massachusetts school districts. According to Cho,
the book contributes to a negative perception of Koreans.
Gov. Romney thanked Cho for bringing the issue to his
attention. While each of the 351 school districts in
Massachusetts has the authority to determine its curriculum,
Gov. Romney said that he could advise the districts not to
use certain material or to present a more balanced approach.

Gyeonggi Governor Kim Moon-soo
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7. (SBU) In a lunch meeting with Gyeonggi Governor Kim
Moon-soo, the two governors discussed North Korea and the
differences and similarities in running a U.S. state and a
Korean province. Kim said he hoped to match Governor
Romney's success as governor. Governor Romney marveled at
the 9.8 percent economic growth that Gov. Kim has overseen in
the last year. On North Korea, Kim said the U.S. had
basically the right North Korea policy, but he hoped that the
U.S. would focus as much as it could on the Korean Peninsula.
Only with lots of effort could the Korean Peninsula become
denuclearized and united. Kim said that the U.S. and ROK
should work hard to remain close to maintain peace and
stability in East Asia and check a rising China.

VERSHBOW