SEOUL - PRESS BULLETIN; July 2, 2009

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 SEOUL 001049 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR ECON KPAO KS US SUBJECT: SEOUL - PRESS BULLETIN; July 2, 2009 TOP HEADLINES -------------- Chosun Ilbo, JoongAng Ilbo "Politics Puts the Powerless in Danger of Getting Fired" First Non-Regular Workers Laid Off in Non-Regular Workers' Bill Stalemate Dong-a Ilbo, Segye Ilbo, All TVs Ruling GNP Unilaterally Submits Revised Non-Regular Workers' Bill; Urges Main Opposition DP Rep. Choo to Resign from Leadership of National Assembly Environment and Labor Committee Hankook Ilbo, Seoul Shinmun Layoffs Have Become Reality for Many Non-Regular Workers, Following National Assembly's Failure to Revise Non-Regular Workers Law in Time Hankyoreh Shinmun Government Agencies and Public Companies at Forefront of Laying off Non-Regular Workers, on First Day of Implementation of Non-Regular Workers Law DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS -------------- The two Koreas will hold their third working-level talks on the joint Kaesong Industrial Complex today in North Korea. (JoongAng, Hankook, Hankyoreh) INTERNATIONAL NEWS -------------- In its latest move to keep pressure on North Korea for its second nuclear test, the U.S., on June 30, imposed financial sanctions on a North Korean company and an Iranian company allegedly linked to North Korea's nuclear and missile proliferation network. (All) The USG also informally named Robert King as Special Envoy for Human Rights in North Korea. (Chosun, Hankook, Seoul) In a related development, Ambassador Luis CdeBaca, Director of the State Department's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, in a July 1 video conference held at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, said that up to 70,000 North Koreans are engaged in forced labor overseas. (Chosun, Hankyoreh) According to the AP citing USG sources, the North Korean cargo ship, Kang Nam, which has been suspected of heading to Myanmar carrying weapons-related materials, suddenly turned around on June 28 and is headed back north. (All) According to an ROK intelligence source, ROK intelligence authorities have increased their surveillance of North Korea based on their judgment that there is a high possibility that North Korea may launch short-and medium-range missiles into the East Sea (Sea of Japan) early this month. (JoongAng) MEDIA ANALYSIS -------------- -N. Korea -------------- Washington's June 30 imposition of financial sanctions on a North Korean company and an Iranian company allegedly linked to North Korea's nuclear and missile proliferation network received wide press coverage. SEOUL 00001049 002 OF 004 According to media reports, it is the latest move by the U.S. to keep pressure on North Korea, whose nuclear ambitions have ratcheted up global tensions, and it is also the first time a foreign firm dealing with North Korea has been subject to sanctions under UNSC Resolution 1874. Most ROK media also gave attention to Washington's informal appointment of Robert King, a former staff director of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, as Special Envoy for Human Rights in North Korea. Conservative Chosun Ilbo viewed this as indicating Washington's intention to raise the North's poor human rights situation in earnest. Chosun also wrote in the headline: "Squeezing Money Flow, Chasing Ships and Criticizing Human Rights... U.S. Putting All-out Pressure on N. Korea." The June 30 AP report - that the North Korean cargo ship, Kang Nam, which has been suspected of heading to Myanmar carrying weapons-related materials, suddenly turned around on June 28 and is headed back north - also captured the attention of the ROK media. Conservative Dong-a Ilbo quoted a USG source as saying that it is uncertain whether the Kang Nam is returning to North Korea or changed course for another destination. Left-leaning Hankyoreh Shinmun speculated that the turnaround might have been prompted by the Myanmar government's alleged warning to North Korea that it would not allow the Kang Nam to dock if it was carrying materials banned under Resolution 1874. In a related development, conservative Chosun Ilbo noted a July 1 New York Times report saying that officials inside the White House are beginning to call the North Korean ship "The Cruise to Nowhere." According to Chosun Ilbo, the New York Times report said that some top U.S. officials are beginning to wonder whether North Korean leader Kim Jong-il ordered the North Korean ship out on a "fishing expedition" in the hope that a new American president will be his first catch. Right-of-center JoongAng Ilbo carried a front-page report, citing an ROK intelligence source, that ROK intelligence authorities have increased their surveillance of North Korea based on their judgment that there is a high possibility that North Korea may launch short-and medium-range missiles into the East Sea (Sea of Japan) early this month. OPINIONS/EDITORIALS -------------- THE STORY OF NEW TEN NATIONS IN NORTH EAST ASIA (Dong-a Ilbo, July 1, page 30; EXCERPTS) By Deputy Political News Editor Jeong Yong-gwan It seems that President Barack Obama is acutely aware of the U.S.'s standing in the world. The real crisis for the U.S. did not stem from a weakening of its military or economic power but from its "arrogance." We can diagnose that a lack of soft power, not hard power was at the core of the crisis. In the recent U.S.-ROK summit, President Obama left a fresh impression when he tried to show modesty and sincerity, deepen mutual understanding, and seek a common ground. President Obama's firm position, that he would not tolerate North Korea's nuclear program, apparently struck a greater chord than his predecessor's "iron fist." Through dialogue and communication with other countries, President Obama is establishing the justification for U.S. policy on North Korea. Therefore, it seems that North Korea, which is now blustering about nuclearization and Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICMB),faces a real crisis. FEATURES -------------- ¶N. KOREA 'TRAFFICKING IN SLAVE LABOR' SEOUL 00001049 003 OF 004 (Chosun Ilbo, July 2, 2009, page 3) The North Korean government is directly engaged in the trafficking of slave labor, claimed Luis CdeBaca, the Director of the U.S. State Department's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, on Wednesday. He was speaking at a video press conference at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul. He said that it is regrettable that North Korean defectors in China are exploited and the North is running forced labor camps but there is another type of forced labor. He said that the regime is sending North Koreans overseas to work under exploitative contracts with Southeast Asian, Eastern European and Middle Eastern nations. CdeBaca said European countries no longer accept North Korean workers, citing an example of the Czech Republic, which has not concluded a labor contract with North Korea since 2007. But he called for diplomatic efforts to persuade countries like Mongolia, Thailand and Laos, which do import labor from North Korea, to protect the workers' rights. In the "Trafficking in Persons Report 2009" released on June 16, the State Department says, "While exact figures are unknown, estimates of the number of North Korean contract workers recruited by the (North Korean) regime to work overseas for (North Korean) entities and firms vary widely, ranging from 10,000 to as high as 70,000." The maximum number of 70,000 is more than four times the figure of 15,000 estimated by the 2008 report. "There continues to be credible reports that North Koreans sent abroad are subjected to harsh conditions. Their movements and communications are restricted by (North Korean) government 'minders' and they face threats of government reprisals against them or their relatives in North Korea if they attempt to complain to outside parties," the report says. "Worker salaries are deposited into accounts controlled by the North Korean government, which keeps most of the money for itself, claiming fees for various 'voluntary' contributions to government endeavors." The report ranks North Korea at Tier 3, the lowest rank, alongside Iran, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and Sudan. (We have compared the English version on the website with the Korean version and made some changes to make them identical.) AMBASSADOR CDEBACA: "NORTH KOREAN DEFECTORS AND ETHNICALLY KOREAN CHINESE ARE EXPOSED TO HUMAN TRAFFICKING" (Hankyoreh Shinmun, July 2, 2009, Page 15) By Reporter Ryu Yi-geun Ambassador Luis CdeBaca, who released the State Department's Annual Trafficking in Persons Report, urges the ROKG to investigate discrimination against migrant workers and the overseas sex trade. A crisis begets victims. The most vulnerable class is hit hardest. The worst global economic crisis since the Second World War is putting women, children, and migrant workers in danger. The International Labour Organization (ILO) warned that this year 12.3 million people, greater than the population of Greece, could be trapped in the sex trade, forced labor, or conscription of child soldiers around the world. In its annual "Trafficking in Persons Report," which was published on June 16, the U.S. Department of State placed 52 countries on the watch list for human trafficking. This is a 30 percent increase from the previous year. Ambassador Luis CdeBaca, Director of the State Department's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, said in a July 1 video interview with ROK media outlets, "In an economic crisis, workers become more vulnerable. Due to economic poverty, they easily fall prey to the schemes of human traffickers." Usually, indebtedness is linked to human trafficking. He cited "lack of action" as the biggest stumbling block to SEOUL 00001049 004 OF 004 eradicating human trafficking. "When asked, people answered that they are opposed to human trafficking, but they do not consider it an issue related to their daily lives," he said. "We need to take action, such as boycotting products made using victims of human trafficking." With regard to human trafficking of North Korean refugees in China, Ambassador CdeBaca noted, "In China, North Korean defectors and Chinese of Korean ethnicity could easily end up being trafficked because they are seen as minority populations. First of all, through the UN, we need to figure out what North Korean defectors are exactly doing in China." He also called on the ROK to take up two tasks-- urging the ROKG to investigate discrimination against migrant workers in the ROK and Korean men engaging in child sex trade during their trips to Thailand and Cambodia. He said, "Even if (Americans) sexually abuse a child overseas, we can bring them back to the U.S. for prosecution. The ROK should do the same." "NORTH KOREAN GOVERNMENT IS LABOR BROKER... WORKERS ARE VULNERABLE TO FORCED LABOR" (JoongAng Ilbo, July 2, 2009; Excerpts) Yonhap News Ambassador Luis CdeBaca said, "It will be much more effective to punish (child sex abusers) in their own countries rather than punish them under the criminal law of the local nation." In order to prevent the spread of human trafficking for forced labor or sex trade, he said, "Although it is important to find and punish those involved in human trafficking, it is also important to raise the awareness of this issue among ordinary citizens." He added, "Next year is going to be the 10th anniversary of the UN Anti-Human Trafficking Protocol. I hope that the ROKG, which has made strong efforts to prevent human trafficking, will soon ratify the UN Protocol." (These are excerpts from the article. The untranslated portions are identical to the Chosun Ilbo and Hankyoreh Shinmun stories.) STEPHENS