Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06SEOUL574
2006-02-21 08:07:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Seoul
Cable title:
KIM DAE-JUNG POSTPONES PYONGYANG TRIP TO JUNE
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHUL #0574 0520807 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 210807Z FEB 06 FM AMEMBASSY SEOUL TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6096 INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 0115 RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 7121 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 0195 RHMFISS/COMUSKOREA J2 SEOUL KOR PRIORITY RHMFISS/COMUSKOREA J5 SEOUL KOR PRIORITY RHMFISS/COMUSKOREA SCJS SEOUL KOR PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SEOUL 000574
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 2/21/2016
TAGS: PREL KS KN
SUBJECT: KIM DAE-JUNG POSTPONES PYONGYANG TRIP TO JUNE
REF: SEOUL 383
Classified By: POL M/C Joseph Y. Yun. Reasons 1.4 (b/d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L SEOUL 000574
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 2/21/2016
TAGS: PREL KS KN
SUBJECT: KIM DAE-JUNG POSTPONES PYONGYANG TRIP TO JUNE
REF: SEOUL 383
Classified By: POL M/C Joseph Y. Yun. Reasons 1.4 (b/d).
1. (C) Former President Kim Dae-jung indicated over the
weekend that he will delay until June his proposed visit to
Pyongyang. As reported REFTEL, Kim had hoped to travel from
Seoul to Pyongyang and back by rail in April. The delay
comes in response to charges from the opposition parties,
including Kim's own Democratic Party (DP),that a visit in
April would have significant impact on the May 31 nation-wide
local elections. In announcing the postponement, Kim's
spokesman specifically cited the former president's desire to
not to intrude on the domestic political scene. Kim also
concluded that a June visit would enable him to avoid the
potential awkwardness of being asked to participate in
festivities related to Kim Il-Sung's birthday (April 15).
June also marks the sixth anniversary of the historic 2000
North-South summit in Pyongyang.
2. (C) COMMENT: For the time being, the announcement of a
postponement appears moot as the DPRK has yet to respond to
Kim's proposed visit. A senior aide to Kim told us February
21 that a response from Pyongyang is not likely to come until
after ongoing celebrations in honor of Kim Jong-il's birthday
wind down, perhaps toward the end of the month.
3. (C) CONT'D COMMENT: The prospect of a visit to Pyongyang
by Kim Dae-jung continues to have reverberations on the
domestic political scene, as most analysts assume that the
euphoria generated by such a visit would mostly benefit the
pro-engagement ruling Uri Party. This speaks to the
inextricable link between North-South relations and Korean
domestic politics -- and Kim Dae-jung's enduring influence on
both. END COMMENT.
VERSHBOW
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 2/21/2016
TAGS: PREL KS KN
SUBJECT: KIM DAE-JUNG POSTPONES PYONGYANG TRIP TO JUNE
REF: SEOUL 383
Classified By: POL M/C Joseph Y. Yun. Reasons 1.4 (b/d).
1. (C) Former President Kim Dae-jung indicated over the
weekend that he will delay until June his proposed visit to
Pyongyang. As reported REFTEL, Kim had hoped to travel from
Seoul to Pyongyang and back by rail in April. The delay
comes in response to charges from the opposition parties,
including Kim's own Democratic Party (DP),that a visit in
April would have significant impact on the May 31 nation-wide
local elections. In announcing the postponement, Kim's
spokesman specifically cited the former president's desire to
not to intrude on the domestic political scene. Kim also
concluded that a June visit would enable him to avoid the
potential awkwardness of being asked to participate in
festivities related to Kim Il-Sung's birthday (April 15).
June also marks the sixth anniversary of the historic 2000
North-South summit in Pyongyang.
2. (C) COMMENT: For the time being, the announcement of a
postponement appears moot as the DPRK has yet to respond to
Kim's proposed visit. A senior aide to Kim told us February
21 that a response from Pyongyang is not likely to come until
after ongoing celebrations in honor of Kim Jong-il's birthday
wind down, perhaps toward the end of the month.
3. (C) CONT'D COMMENT: The prospect of a visit to Pyongyang
by Kim Dae-jung continues to have reverberations on the
domestic political scene, as most analysts assume that the
euphoria generated by such a visit would mostly benefit the
pro-engagement ruling Uri Party. This speaks to the
inextricable link between North-South relations and Korean
domestic politics -- and Kim Dae-jung's enduring influence on
both. END COMMENT.
VERSHBOW