Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09AITTAIPEI942
2009-08-06 09:46:00
UNCLASSIFIED
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Cable title:  

MEDIA REACTION: NORTH KOREA

Tags:  OPRC KMDR KPAO TW 
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VZCZCXYZ0012
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #0942/01 2180946
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 060946Z AUG 09
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2060
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 9322
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 0755
UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000942

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/P, EAP/PD - NIDA EMMONS
DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: NORTH KOREA

Summary: Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused news
coverage August 6 on the safety concerns over a reconstruction
project in Taipei City; on Typhoon Morakot, which is approaching
Taiwan; on the death of a well-known local entertainer; and on the
two U.S. reporters freed from North Korea. In terms of editorials
and commentaries, a column in the mass-circulation "Apple Daily"
called North Korean Leader Kim Jong Il the biggest winner in the
release of the two U.S. journalists. The article said Kim has
closed a deal with the United States without the slightest effort.
A news analysis in the pro-unification "United Daily News" said
that, with careful planning and calculations, North Korea will seek
something back from the United States. An editorial in the
conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China Post" praised
U.S. President Barack Obama for picking former President Bill
Clinton to secure the release of the two American journalists from
North Korea. The article said Washington has improved the
atmosphere in its relations with Pyongyang "at little cost to its
own prestige and honor." A separate "China Post" op-ed piece said
North Korea's pardon of the two American journalists suggests the
possibility that the nuclear crisis on the Korean Peninsula may be
resolved diplomatically. End summary.

A) "A Deal for Kim Jong Il That Costs Him Nothing"

Columnist Antonio Chiang wrote in his column in the mass-circulation
"Apple Daily" [circulation: 520,000] (8/6):

"[Former U.S. President Bill] Clinton paid a lightening visit to
Pyongyang and successfully brought the two female journalists back
to the United States. Washington offered a chance [for Pyongyang]
to get out of the current predicament, and Kim Jong Il helped save
[the United States'] face by doing it a favor. Both sides got what
they wanted, but Kim Jong Il is the biggest winner, because he has
closed a deal which cost him nothing. ... Both Japan and South
Korea were not too happy about Clinton's trip. What were the
contents of the 'sincere conversation' between Clinton and Kim? Did
the two make a secret deal? Will there be any change in [U.S.
President Bill] Clinton's position toward North Korea? Will the
sanctions against Pyongyang be replaced by a diplomatic dialogue?
This series of questions matter significantly for security relations

in East Asia. ...

"Now the ball is in Washington's court, but the Republican Party
will surely make things difficult for Obama if [he decides to]
handle the nuclear weapons of North Korea and those of Iran
separately. Washington has a lot of issues that it wants to discuss
with Japan and South Korea, but for Kim Jong Il, he simply played a
game without the slightest effort, which shook up the situation in
East Asia. He indeed deserves the title of being a 'rogue
strategist.'"

B) "With Careful Planning and Calculations, North Korea Wants
Something in Exchange"

Lee Ming, professor of the Department of Diplomacy at the National
Chengchi University, opined in the pro-unification "United Daily
News" [circulation: 400,000] (8/6):

"... What is noteworthy is that [Secretary] Hillary Clinton supports
Bill Clinton's action and is totally aware of the role and function
her husband played. [President Barack] Obama, needless to say, is
clearly aware that the significance of Clinton's trip this time was
not just to save people. Clinton expressed words of apology to
North Korea (Pyongyang said so, but he personally denied it),and
Pyongyang also granted a 'special pardon' [to the detained
journalists]. North Korea further anticipates that the bilateral
relationship will improve because of it, so that it will be able to
feel out the possibility of holding bilateral talks with the United
States in addition to the Six-Party talks. ... Pyongyang (allowed)
a peaceful ending by releasing the two journalists this time in
exchange for the 'gratitude' of the United States, and it will not
be too surprising if Washington pays something back to Pyongyang in
the future."

C) "Bill Clinton Scores a Big Success in Pyongyang"

The conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China Post"
[circulation: 30,000] editorialized (8/6):

"... Now that [North Korea leader] Kim [Jong-Il] has held his public
meeting with [former United States President Bill] Clinton, there
can be no doubt that Kim remains fully in charge of the North Korean
state. Like the rest of the world, Taiwan is eager to hear what the
former U.S. president has to say about his meeting with Kim Jong-Il
and what topics might have been discussed during their meetings. ...
For his part, [United States President Barack] Obama had to come up
with some kind of an arrangement to get the two reporters back home
without appearing to reward Pyongyang for its reckless behavior.

"His choice of Bill Clinton, a high-profile former president who
remains a leading figure in his Democratic Party, was brilliant. On
the one hand, Clinton is a senior enough figure to give adequate
face to the North Korean regime. The fact that Clinton's wife is
secretary of state also added to the prestige. But on the other
hand, Obama deliberately chose not to dispatch any high-ranking
senior officials from his own administration, giving him plausible
deniability if the mission failed to produce any results. The
criticism about rewarding bad behavior makes sense in terms of
Western values and culture. But in Asia, the visit was largely
viewed as a small face-saving mean of giving Pyongyang a way out of
the corner it had painted itself into.

"By sending a former president to spend a few hours with Kim
Jong-Il, the U.S. has improved the atmosphere of bilateral relations
at little cost to its own prestige and honor. Depending on what Kim
is up to now, North Korea might once again decide that the time is
right to make progress on more substantial issues in its interaction
with the rest of the world."

D) "U.S.-North Korea Relations Are Fragile"

Nehginpao Kipgen, a political analyst and general secretary of the
U.S.-based Kuki International Forum, opined in the conservative,
pro-unification, English-language "China Post" [circulation: 30,000]
(8/6):

"... While North Korea has been condemned by the international
community over its nuclear test in May and the subsequent U.N.
Security Council's unanimously adopted tightened sanctions,
Pyongyang is seeking a chance to show its good actions to the world.
The latest development on securing the successful release of Laura
Ling and Euna Lee was a sign of seeing room for resolving the
strained relations between Washington and Pyongyang through
diplomatic means. The pardon and release was described as
'humanitarian and peace-loving policy' by the North Korean
leadership. If there continues to exist a willingness on the part
of both Washington and Pyongyang for a negotiated solution, there is
hope that the North Korean nuclear crisis can be resolved
diplomatically."

WANG