Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09SEOUL1024
2009-06-30 06:22:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Seoul
Cable title:
SEOUL - PRESS BULLETIN; June 30, 2009
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 SEOUL 001024
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR ECON KPAO KS US
SUBJECT: SEOUL - PRESS BULLETIN; June 30, 2009
TOP HEADLINES
--------------
Chosun Ilbo
Rival Parties Fail to Reach Agreement on Non-Regular Workers, with
Hundreds of Thousands of Non-Regular Workers Set
to Lose Jobs Next Month If Proposed Labor Law Revision Is
Not Passed This Month
JoongAng Ilbo, Dong-a Ilbo, Segye Ilbo,
Seoul Shinmun, All TVs
President Lee Pledges Not to Push Canal Project
during His Term in Office
Hankook Ilbo
Finance Minister Yoon Hints at Shelving Planned Corporate
and Individual Income Tax Cuts
Hankyoreh Shinmun
City Mayors and Provincial Governors Suspected of Illegal Donations
and Breach of Trust
DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS
--------------
Despite North Korea's second nuclear test and its series of
provocations, the ROKG has decided to budget some 1.5 trillion won
for the Inter-Korean Cooperation Fund for 2010, a level similar to
the 2009 budget. (Hankook)
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
--------------
Britain's Financial Times reported on June 28 that the third son and
heir apparent of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il actually visited
China in mid-June. The report came after intensive, two-day coverage
on the junior Kim's alleged trip by Japan's Asahi Shimbun, which was
officially denied by the Chinese government. (Chosun, Dong-a,
Hankyoreh, Segye, Seoul, all TVs)
MEDIA ANALYSIS
--------------
-N. Korea
--------------
Conservative Dong-a Ilbo ran an op-ed written by former Foreign
Minister Han Sung-joo: "While North Korea is boycotting the
Six-Party Talks, we should continue diplomatic efforts, in addition
to (implementing) sanctions under the UNSC Resolution. At present,
the only way to do this is to hold consultations among the five
nations of the Six-Party Talks - not including North Korea. ... For
these consultations, the delegates from the five nations do not
necessarily need to meet regularly in the same place. The talks
could involve two, three, or all five nations. ... The five-party
consultations should not be pursued (as a means) to replace the
Six-Party Talks. The consultations should just be a tool for
resuming the Six-Party Talks. ... Mindful of the North, China has
had reservations about five-party consultations. However, if the
ROK and the U.S. agree (on these ... points),then Beijing has no
reason to reject five-party consultations."
-Honduras
--------------
Most newspapers led their international news section with a report
on the June 28 coup in Honduras in which the army ousted elected
President Manuel Zelaya and sent him into exile.
Conservative Chosun Ilbo, in a report entitled "'Honduras Coup'...
Obama's Solution?," commented that the ouster of the anti-American
SEOUL 00001024 002 OF 003
president would be welcome news for the U.S. but that accepting such
a coup would also be burdensome for the U.S. The Chosun report went
on to comment that Obama's diplomatic capability has been put to the
test.
Conservative Dong-a Ilbo filed a similar report entitled "Favor?
Oppose?... Obama in a Dilemma over Policy toward Central and South
America."
OPINIONS/EDITORIALS
--------------
NORTH KOREA'S NUCLEAR ISSUE AND TRUTH AND FALSEHOOD OF FIVE-WAY
CONSULTATIONS
(Dong-a Ilbo, June 30, page 30)
By Han Sung-joo, professor at Korea University and former Foreign
Minister
In the 2004 U.S. presidential race, Republican candidate President
George W Bush and Democratic candidate John Kerry engaged in a
heated debate over the Six-Party Talks. Senator Kerry argued that
the U.S. should hold bilateral talks with North Korea within the
framework of the Six-Party Talks while President Bush was
steadfastly opposed to it. At that time, the Bush Administration
was reluctant to talk bilaterally with North Korea because Pyongyang
admitted, during the 2002 U.S.-North Korea talks, to having an
enriched uranium program but later denied it. Through the Six-Party
Talks, the U.S. intended to engage not only Japan, the ROK and
Russia but also China while preventing North Korea from reversing
what it had said. Moreover, the Six-Party Talks were meant to make
sure that, should an agreement be reached, the five parties
(excluding North Korea) will take a shared responsibility to
guarantee and implement the agreement (on the North Korean nuclear
issue.)
Beyond participating in the Six-Party Talks, China played a leading
role as a host. China became a more active supporter of the
Six-Party Talks than the U.S. For Russia, Japan and China, the
Six-Party Talks paved the way for them to engage in the North Korean
nuclear issue. North Korea initially did not view the Six-Party
Talks favorably but joined due to the possibility of bilateral
contact with the U.S. During the Roh Moo-hyun Administration, the
ROK served as a mediator to some extent, apparently because it took
a soft attitude toward North Korea.
The U.S. began to hold bilateral talks with North Korea after
October 2006 when North Korea carried out a first nuclear test. The
Bush Administration had demanded a complete, verifiable, and
irreversible dismantlement of the North's nuclear weapons program.
However, upon realizing that (this U.S. stance) only gave North
Korea the opportunity and time to operate nuclear facilities and
produce nuclear weapons, the U.S. entered into negotiations with
North Korea and in February 13, 2007 reached an agreement calling
for Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear program in three phases, which
meant shutting down, and disabling and dismantling nuclear
facilities.
(Five-way consultations) should be a tool for restarting the
Six-Party Talks
For two years since the February 13 Agreement, North Korea froze its
nuclear facilities and kept discussing the dismantling of its
nuclear programs (with the U.S.) until the end of 2008. It was a
lull period in North Korea's nuclear program development. However
at some stage, the North decided to produce additional nuclear
materials and build nuclear facilities. Pyongyang apparently
decided to "actualize" the nuclear and missile programs at the same
time. This plan became evident when North Korea rejected the
verification protocol in December last year, launched a long-range
rocket, and conducted a second nuclear test this year. (Therefore,)
it may be concluded that Pyongyang has (its own) schedule in mind
and intends to complete its nuclear and missile technology. When it
resumed its nuclear activities, North Korea announced it would not
SEOUL 00001024 003 OF 003
return to the Six-Party Talks. North Korea also vowed to pursue
their uranium enrichment program.
By "coming out" with the existence of their highly enriched uranium
program, North Korea is now seemingly starting to manufacture
nuclear weapons. North Korea intends to accelerate its efforts to
produce nuclear weapons in flat defiance of the UN Security
Council's sanctions.
In this situation, although the five states of the Six-Party Talks
are urging the North to rejoin the Six-Party Talks, it is doubtful
whether Pyongyang will accept their call. Even if the North returns
to the Six-Party Talks in exchange for compensation from China as it
did before, that in itself is not expected to lead to the resolution
of the North Korean nuclear issue. Therefore, while North Korea is
boycotting the Six-Party Talks, we should continue diplomatic
efforts, in addition to (implementing) sanctions under the UNSC
Resolution. At present, the only way to do this is to hold
consultations among the five nations of the Six-Party Talks - not
including North Korea. To this end, there are several things to
take notice of.
First, consultations among the five countries should not be the same
in nature as the Six-Party Talks. For these consultations, the
delegates from the five nations do not necessarily need to meet
regularly in the same place. The talks could involve two, three, or
all five nations. They could be held at the working-level or summit
level. Such talks can be held within the framework of the ASEAN
Regional Forum or Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. Second, the
five-party consultations should not be pursued (as a means) to
replace the Six-Party Talks. The consultations should just be a
tool for resuming the Six-Party Talks. Just as the Six-Party Talks
made it possible to hold bilateral discussions between the U.S. and
North Korea, the five-party consultations should be beneficial to
the Six-Party Talks.
Finally, the five-party consultations should not be an end in
itself. In other words, even if the five-party meeting is actually
held, we cannot satisfactorily say that we have achieved a
diplomatic goal. A simple meeting among the ministers or leaders of
the five countries does not mean the resolution of the North Korean
nuclear issue. Excessive expectations for the talks or any attempt
to glorify the talks must be avoided. Mindful of the North, China
has had reservations about the five-party consultations. However,
if the ROK and the U.S. agree (on these three points),then Beijing
has no reason to reject five-party consultations. A resolution to
the North Korean nuclear issue should be sought based on the three
pillars - "pressure" through sanctions, "diplomacy" through
five-party consultations, and "conciliation" by providing rewards
for cooperation.
STEPHENS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR ECON KPAO KS US
SUBJECT: SEOUL - PRESS BULLETIN; June 30, 2009
TOP HEADLINES
--------------
Chosun Ilbo
Rival Parties Fail to Reach Agreement on Non-Regular Workers, with
Hundreds of Thousands of Non-Regular Workers Set
to Lose Jobs Next Month If Proposed Labor Law Revision Is
Not Passed This Month
JoongAng Ilbo, Dong-a Ilbo, Segye Ilbo,
Seoul Shinmun, All TVs
President Lee Pledges Not to Push Canal Project
during His Term in Office
Hankook Ilbo
Finance Minister Yoon Hints at Shelving Planned Corporate
and Individual Income Tax Cuts
Hankyoreh Shinmun
City Mayors and Provincial Governors Suspected of Illegal Donations
and Breach of Trust
DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS
--------------
Despite North Korea's second nuclear test and its series of
provocations, the ROKG has decided to budget some 1.5 trillion won
for the Inter-Korean Cooperation Fund for 2010, a level similar to
the 2009 budget. (Hankook)
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
--------------
Britain's Financial Times reported on June 28 that the third son and
heir apparent of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il actually visited
China in mid-June. The report came after intensive, two-day coverage
on the junior Kim's alleged trip by Japan's Asahi Shimbun, which was
officially denied by the Chinese government. (Chosun, Dong-a,
Hankyoreh, Segye, Seoul, all TVs)
MEDIA ANALYSIS
--------------
-N. Korea
--------------
Conservative Dong-a Ilbo ran an op-ed written by former Foreign
Minister Han Sung-joo: "While North Korea is boycotting the
Six-Party Talks, we should continue diplomatic efforts, in addition
to (implementing) sanctions under the UNSC Resolution. At present,
the only way to do this is to hold consultations among the five
nations of the Six-Party Talks - not including North Korea. ... For
these consultations, the delegates from the five nations do not
necessarily need to meet regularly in the same place. The talks
could involve two, three, or all five nations. ... The five-party
consultations should not be pursued (as a means) to replace the
Six-Party Talks. The consultations should just be a tool for
resuming the Six-Party Talks. ... Mindful of the North, China has
had reservations about five-party consultations. However, if the
ROK and the U.S. agree (on these ... points),then Beijing has no
reason to reject five-party consultations."
-Honduras
--------------
Most newspapers led their international news section with a report
on the June 28 coup in Honduras in which the army ousted elected
President Manuel Zelaya and sent him into exile.
Conservative Chosun Ilbo, in a report entitled "'Honduras Coup'...
Obama's Solution?," commented that the ouster of the anti-American
SEOUL 00001024 002 OF 003
president would be welcome news for the U.S. but that accepting such
a coup would also be burdensome for the U.S. The Chosun report went
on to comment that Obama's diplomatic capability has been put to the
test.
Conservative Dong-a Ilbo filed a similar report entitled "Favor?
Oppose?... Obama in a Dilemma over Policy toward Central and South
America."
OPINIONS/EDITORIALS
--------------
NORTH KOREA'S NUCLEAR ISSUE AND TRUTH AND FALSEHOOD OF FIVE-WAY
CONSULTATIONS
(Dong-a Ilbo, June 30, page 30)
By Han Sung-joo, professor at Korea University and former Foreign
Minister
In the 2004 U.S. presidential race, Republican candidate President
George W Bush and Democratic candidate John Kerry engaged in a
heated debate over the Six-Party Talks. Senator Kerry argued that
the U.S. should hold bilateral talks with North Korea within the
framework of the Six-Party Talks while President Bush was
steadfastly opposed to it. At that time, the Bush Administration
was reluctant to talk bilaterally with North Korea because Pyongyang
admitted, during the 2002 U.S.-North Korea talks, to having an
enriched uranium program but later denied it. Through the Six-Party
Talks, the U.S. intended to engage not only Japan, the ROK and
Russia but also China while preventing North Korea from reversing
what it had said. Moreover, the Six-Party Talks were meant to make
sure that, should an agreement be reached, the five parties
(excluding North Korea) will take a shared responsibility to
guarantee and implement the agreement (on the North Korean nuclear
issue.)
Beyond participating in the Six-Party Talks, China played a leading
role as a host. China became a more active supporter of the
Six-Party Talks than the U.S. For Russia, Japan and China, the
Six-Party Talks paved the way for them to engage in the North Korean
nuclear issue. North Korea initially did not view the Six-Party
Talks favorably but joined due to the possibility of bilateral
contact with the U.S. During the Roh Moo-hyun Administration, the
ROK served as a mediator to some extent, apparently because it took
a soft attitude toward North Korea.
The U.S. began to hold bilateral talks with North Korea after
October 2006 when North Korea carried out a first nuclear test. The
Bush Administration had demanded a complete, verifiable, and
irreversible dismantlement of the North's nuclear weapons program.
However, upon realizing that (this U.S. stance) only gave North
Korea the opportunity and time to operate nuclear facilities and
produce nuclear weapons, the U.S. entered into negotiations with
North Korea and in February 13, 2007 reached an agreement calling
for Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear program in three phases, which
meant shutting down, and disabling and dismantling nuclear
facilities.
(Five-way consultations) should be a tool for restarting the
Six-Party Talks
For two years since the February 13 Agreement, North Korea froze its
nuclear facilities and kept discussing the dismantling of its
nuclear programs (with the U.S.) until the end of 2008. It was a
lull period in North Korea's nuclear program development. However
at some stage, the North decided to produce additional nuclear
materials and build nuclear facilities. Pyongyang apparently
decided to "actualize" the nuclear and missile programs at the same
time. This plan became evident when North Korea rejected the
verification protocol in December last year, launched a long-range
rocket, and conducted a second nuclear test this year. (Therefore,)
it may be concluded that Pyongyang has (its own) schedule in mind
and intends to complete its nuclear and missile technology. When it
resumed its nuclear activities, North Korea announced it would not
SEOUL 00001024 003 OF 003
return to the Six-Party Talks. North Korea also vowed to pursue
their uranium enrichment program.
By "coming out" with the existence of their highly enriched uranium
program, North Korea is now seemingly starting to manufacture
nuclear weapons. North Korea intends to accelerate its efforts to
produce nuclear weapons in flat defiance of the UN Security
Council's sanctions.
In this situation, although the five states of the Six-Party Talks
are urging the North to rejoin the Six-Party Talks, it is doubtful
whether Pyongyang will accept their call. Even if the North returns
to the Six-Party Talks in exchange for compensation from China as it
did before, that in itself is not expected to lead to the resolution
of the North Korean nuclear issue. Therefore, while North Korea is
boycotting the Six-Party Talks, we should continue diplomatic
efforts, in addition to (implementing) sanctions under the UNSC
Resolution. At present, the only way to do this is to hold
consultations among the five nations of the Six-Party Talks - not
including North Korea. To this end, there are several things to
take notice of.
First, consultations among the five countries should not be the same
in nature as the Six-Party Talks. For these consultations, the
delegates from the five nations do not necessarily need to meet
regularly in the same place. The talks could involve two, three, or
all five nations. They could be held at the working-level or summit
level. Such talks can be held within the framework of the ASEAN
Regional Forum or Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. Second, the
five-party consultations should not be pursued (as a means) to
replace the Six-Party Talks. The consultations should just be a
tool for resuming the Six-Party Talks. Just as the Six-Party Talks
made it possible to hold bilateral discussions between the U.S. and
North Korea, the five-party consultations should be beneficial to
the Six-Party Talks.
Finally, the five-party consultations should not be an end in
itself. In other words, even if the five-party meeting is actually
held, we cannot satisfactorily say that we have achieved a
diplomatic goal. A simple meeting among the ministers or leaders of
the five countries does not mean the resolution of the North Korean
nuclear issue. Excessive expectations for the talks or any attempt
to glorify the talks must be avoided. Mindful of the North, China
has had reservations about the five-party consultations. However,
if the ROK and the U.S. agree (on these three points),then Beijing
has no reason to reject five-party consultations. A resolution to
the North Korean nuclear issue should be sought based on the three
pillars - "pressure" through sanctions, "diplomacy" through
five-party consultations, and "conciliation" by providing rewards
for cooperation.
STEPHENS