MEDIA REACTION IN SEOUL

UNCLAS SEOUL 002399 STATE FOR EAP/PD FOR SWALKER, EAP/P, EAP/K STATE PASS USDA ELECTRONICALLY FOR FAX/ITP SCHEIKH STATE PASS USTR FOR RCASSIDY USDOC FOR 4430/IEP/OPB/EAP/JDONIUS TREASURY FOR OASIA/MGREWE CINCPAC FOR J-74 E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR ECON KS US KPAO KMDR SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION IN SEOUL Subject: Media Reaction; Seoul East Asia and Pacific: DPRK, nuclear program, Six-Party Talks "Seoul and Washington Must See Eye to Eye on North Korea" Conservative Chosun Ilbo editorialized (12/13): "With the collapse of the latest round of the Six-Party Talks, the ROK and U.S. governments are talking about suspending a shipment of 450,000 tons of heavy fuel oil, the remaining balance from 1 million tons promised to the North in an Oct. 3, 2007 agreement. That stick may be necessary if North Korea keeps refusing to allow sampling as part of the nuclear verification process. Seoul and the incoming Obama Administration will need to share the same road map for navigating the North Korean nuclear issue. That must be the starting point for dealing with the matter successfully." "Six-Party Process Reveals Its Fundamental Limitations" Right-of-center JoongAng Ilbo editorialized (12/13): "The biggest reason (for the collapse of the latest round of the Six-Party Talks) is the Bush Administration's failure to grasp the substance of North Korea's negotiating strategy, wavering between hard-line and conciliatory policies on the country. Even though the Six-Party Talks have produced some achievements, they are far from progress in terms of the substantive goal of dismantling North Korea's nuclear programs." "New Momentum for Six-Party Talks" Left-leaning Hankyoreh Shinmun editorialized (12/13): "North Korea seems to be thinking that it should hold on to the verification issue as a card to play against the incoming Obama Administration. There is, of course, some possibility that aspects of Pyongyang's relationship with Washington could change when Obama is inaugurated, since he has pledged to have comprehensive negotiations and direct, high-level talks with North Korea. However, no matter what the situation, it is crystal clear that there will be no resolution to the verification issue without agreement on sampling collection. If the North wants more meaningful dialogue with the Obama Administration, the best thing for the North to do would be to respond favorably to the adoption of a verification protocol, and now would not be too late." Stephens