Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09SEOUL1066
2009-07-07 05:22:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Seoul
Cable title:  

SEOUL - PRESS BULLETIN; July 7, 2009

Tags:  PREL PGOV MARR ECON KPAO KS US 
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 SEOUL 001066

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR ECON KPAO KS US
SUBJECT: SEOUL - PRESS BULLETIN; July 7, 2009

TOP HEADLINES
--------------

Chosun Ilbo, Hankook Ilbo, All TVs
Bloody "Silk Road"
140 Killed and 828 Others Injured
in Uighurs' Rioting in Western China

JoongAng Ilbo
President Lee Donates 33.1 Billion Won to Society

Dong-a Ilbo, Segye Ilbo, Seoul Shinmun
ROK Drops Four Places to 15th in Global GDP Ranking

Hankyoreh Shinmun
ROKG Urged to First Provide Subsidies to Upgrade
Non-regular Workers' Status to Regular Workers


DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS
--------------

Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Yu Myung-hwan told the National
Assembly yesterday that the ROKG plans to form an inter-ministry
task force to prepare for talks with the U.S. regarding revising the
ROK-U.S. Atomic Energy Agreement. Minister Yu went on to say that
his ministry will seek to begin the talks possibly later this year
and that the agenda will include pyro-processing of spent nuclear
materials. (Chosun, JoongAng, Dong-a, Hankyoreh, Segye, MBC)

According to military sources, the U.S. has expressed its position
that it can officially discuss revising its missile treaty with the
ROK through various channels, such as the annual Security
Consultative Meeting (SCM),in order to raise the permissible range
of ROK ballistic missiles. (Dong-a)


INTERNATIONAL NEWS
--------------

Chief nuclear negotiators from the ROK and Japan, in a July 6
meeting in Seoul, agreed to faithfully implement sanctions under UN
Security Council resolutions against North Korea, while at the same
time pursuing talks with the North. (JoongAng)

The North Korean cargo ship, Kang Nam, which has been suspected of
carrying banned weapons materials, returned to North Korean
territorial waters yesterday after being trailed for three weeks by
a U.S. Navy destroyer. (Chosun, JoongAng, Segye)

The UN Security Council will hold a plenary session today at Japan's
request, to discuss the North's July 4 launch of seven missiles into
the East Sea (Sea of Japan). (Chosun, Hankook, Hankyoreh, Segye,
Seoul, KBS)


MEDIA ANALYSIS
--------------

-N. Korea
--------------

Most ROK media carried inside-page reports that the North Korean

cargo ship, Kang Nam, which has been suspected of carrying banned
weapons materials, returned to North Korean territorial waters
yesterday after three weeks of being trailed by an American Navy
destroyer.

Conservative Chosun Ilbo, in an article entitled "Humiliation of the
Kang Nam," noted that this incident has shown the Obama
Administration's strong resolve to not make any concessions in
implementing UN Security Council resolutions against North Korea.

SEOUL 00001066 002 OF 006


The article went on to say that a major achievement in this episode
was persuading the Burmese junta, which has resumed friendly
relations with North Korea, not to permit the Kang Nam to stop
there.

In a commentary, right-of-center JoongAng Ilbo observed: "The Obama
Administration seems to think it needs to push North Korea to the
limit to bring it back to dialogue. ... Toward this end, the United
States must carry out independent measures aimed at squeezing North
Korea, such as financial sanctions and blocking the North's weapons
exports. At the same time, China has to be encouraged to implement
UN Security Council Resolution 1874. ... The United States thinks it
is now China's turn to respond. China will probably do so at the
U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue scheduled for late July.
Whether or not the Obama Administration's stern response to North
Korea will continue depends on what type of presents China will
bring to the party."

Right-of-center JoongAng Ilbo also gave play to a July 6 meeting in
Seoul between chief nuclear negotiators from the ROK and Japan, in
which the two officials agreed to faithfully implement sanctions
under UN Security Council resolutions against North Korea, while at
the same time pursuing talks with the communist state.

Pres. Obama's Visit to Russia
Citing the foreign media, the ROK media reported on a July 6
U.S.-Russia agreement in Moscow to reduce the number of nuclear
warheads in Russian and U.S. strategic arsenals to between 1,500 and
1,675 within seven years and the number of ballistic missile
carriers to between 500-1,100.

Right-of-center JoongAng Ilbo wrote in the headline: "U.S.-Russia
Relations 'Reset'... New Chapter Opens for Reconciliation; Obama,
Medvedev Agree on a New Nuclear Arms Reduction Pact to Replace the
1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START)" Conservative Dong-a
Ilbo, meanwhile, headlined its article; "U.S.-Russia Nuclear Arms
Reduction Agreement Likely to Lead to Pressure on France, India and
China to Do the Same"

-Uighur Riots in Xinjiang
--------------
The ROK media gave straight, front-and inside-page play to the July
5 bloody clashes in China's volatile western Xinjiang region between
Muslim Uighurs and Han Chinese, in which at least 140 people were
killed and 828 others injured. The casualty toll, if confirmed,
would make this the single worst episode of violence in China in
many years and one of the deadliest ethnic clashes in years,
according to media reports.

Newspapers carried the following headlines: "Bloody 'Silk Road'...
Uighur Protesters Shout for Independence; Discrimination, Huge Gap
between Rich and Poor... Uighurs Explode with Anger" (conservative
Chosun Ilbo); "China Wary that Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region
Might Become a 'Second Tibet'" (conservative Dong-a Ilbo, moderate
Hankook Ilbo)


OPINIONS/EDITORIALS
--------------

FIRST STEP FOR "PEACEFUL NUCLEAR SOVEREIGNTY" IS BUILDING TRUST
(Dong-a Ilbo, July 7, 2009, Page 39)

By Kim Tae-woo, researcher at the Korea Institute for Defense
Analyses

With North Korea's nuclear threat intensifying, some people in the
ROK are calling out for nuclear armament. Foreign Affairs and Trade
Minister Yu Myung-hwan's July 2 statement, "The Seoul-Washington
nuclear cooperation agreement should be revised so that a complete
nuclear fuel cycle will be recognized" is now causing a stir.
However, despite its sensitive timing, Yu's remark is not related to
discussion of nuclear armament.


SEOUL 00001066 003 OF 006


The ROK declared abandonment of (nuclear) enrichment and
reprocessing activities 18 years ago.

Military nuclear sovereignty, which refers to the right to have
nuclear weapons, is based on the logic that as the North threatens
us with its nuclear weapons, we should also respond with our nuclear
weapons. On the other hand, peaceful nuclear sovereignty means the
right to be free to use atomic energy peacefully, without including
nuclear weapons. Nevertheless, in the past, discussions about the
ROK's nuclear sovereignty were fraught with confusion between
peaceful nuclear sovereignty and military nuclear sovereignty.

It is natural that a member of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
(NPT) should give up its nuclear weapons, but in the case of the
ROK, abandonment of nuclear enrichment and reprocessing activities
came not only under the NPT but also under the Joint Declaration on
the Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula that was issued by
then-President Roh Tae-woo in 1991. Although enrichment is key to
producing nuclear fuel, and reprocessing is essential to recycling
spent fuel rods and disposing of them in an environment-friendly
way, both steps are subject to inspection because they are both
steps involved in the manufacturing of nuclear weapons. For the
ROK, which is heavily reliant on nuclear energy, it is natural to
have facilities for these activities with inspections, but the Roh
Tae-woo Administration proclaimed that the ROK would abandon nuclear
enrichment and reprocessing activities, saying that it would help
persuade the North to stop pursuing its nuclear development. At
that time, I argued, "If we give up enrichment and reprocessing
activities, we will regret it in coming years," but few listened to
me.

After a long time, nuclear sovereignty is now being discussed again.
In short, however, military nuclear sovereignty, which is illegal
under the NPT, is not an option for the ROK to choose. Still,
considering that the ROK depends on nuclear energy for 40 percent of
its electric power production, it is urgent to secure peaceful
nuclear sovereignty, but before that, there are several aspects to
think about.

First, (the ROK) should have in-depth consultations with the U.S.
based on trust. (These consultations) are needed to placate the
U.S. as an ally since there are a plethora of important pending
issues (with the U.S.) such as the establishment of a strategic
alliance, the extension of nuclear umbrella and the transfer of
wartime operational control. Also, (the consultations are needed)
from the realistic perspective that the U.S. is the country which is
leading the initiative against the proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction. In the 1980s, Japan obtained recognition of all
nuclear activities including plutonium production under a
"comprehensive agreement." This was made possible due to (the
influence of) then-leader Nakasone Yasuhiro, who had a vision of
(Japan's) future based on the deep trust between the U.S. (and
Japan.) Second, since a country like North Korea pushes for
nuclearization in defiance of (the international) agreement,
advanced countries including the U.S. are making efforts to outlaw
the spread of (nuclear) enrichment and reprocessing. Therefore, the
ROK should make its way through this international nuclear politics.
This is the price the ROK should pay because it "fastened the first
button incorrectly."

An argument for "military nuclear sovereignty" has a chilling
effect.

It is urgent that we obtain a guarantee for legal nuclear activities
but, at present, the ROK should take a cautious approach. The ROK
should consider how the U.S. viewed previous (ROK) governments that
reacted emotionally without considering complicated international
politics, and should confirm whether mutual trust between the ROK
and the U.S. has been sufficiently restored. The ROK should also
consider its own capabilities (regarding nuclear sovereignty.) If
we think that "scientists, not politicians" should argue for nuclear
sovereignty, this attitude does not give due respect to the other
party (the U.S.) If so, we are not yet ready to seek a right to
peaceful nuclear sovereignty. Things will become worse if the media

SEOUL 00001066 004 OF 006


encourages (the ROK) to have military nuclear sovereignty that
covers both legal and illegal activities. Achieving peaceful
nuclear sovereignty is a process of securing recognition of legal
activities through our leverage and international trust.


THE BIG SQUEEZE
(JoongAng Ilbo, July 6, 2009, Page 41)

By Kim Sung-han, a professor of international relations at Korea
University Graduate School of International Studies

The U.S. must carry out independent measures for squeezing North
Korea, such as financial sanctions and blocking weapons exports.

Shortly after North Korea launched a long-range missile on April 5,
a closed-door seminar was held in Washington and a high-ranking
official in the Barack Obama Administration delivered a speech
before dinner.

He said that when Special Representative for North Korea Policy
Stephen Bosworth visited China he delivered a message that, if North
Korea did not launch a missile, he intended to visit Pyongyang, and
Washington would have direct dialogue with the North Korean
government in the future.

The official lamented that North Korea went ahead with the missile
launch in spite of Bosworth's message, using the metaphor that
Washington held out its hand to shake, but instead, North Korea
slapped it on the face.

After the official's speech, another person at the seminar asked him
whether he intended to negotiate for the release of the two women
journalists detained in North Korea. The official said he didn't
feel comfortable talking about the journalists.

About a month later, on May 25, North Korea conducted its second
nuclear test. The United Nations Security Council convened and
passed Resolution 1874, one of the sternest (measures) the UN has
adopted since the Korean War (1950-1953).

In addition, the United States has been monitoring the North Korean
cargo ship Kang Nam, which is suspected of carrying objects banned
under Resolution 1874. It also stopped an additional supply of food
aid, saying that transparency in the distribution of food was not
guaranteed.

North Korea refused to take U.S. food aid in March.

It is also known that the United States has frozen or closed bank
accounts in many places, including Malaysia, that appear to belong
to North Korea.

The Obama Administration can take such strict measures because it
did not have the same bitter experience as its predecessor.

The George W. Bush Administration underwent a painful experience in
November 2006 when the ruling party was defeated in the midterm
election, shortly after North Korea's nuclear test in October of
that year. The Bush Administration regarded the defeat as voters'
stern judgment of its Iraq and North Korea policy.

After that, the Bush Administration thought there was still a chance
that some kind of deal with the North Koreans could be made. It
tried to patch up the nuclear issue based on the vague concept of
"disabling" the North's nuclear facilities in an attempt to make
some headway in foreign affairs.

The Obama Administration, which has more than three years left in
its term, believes its predecessor's approach sent the wrong message
to North Korea: that sanctions would never lead to real action and
the United States would surely come to the negotiation table in the
end.


SEOUL 00001066 005 OF 006


Since he was a presidential candidate, President Obama has
maintained the necessity for direct diplomacy to resolve the North
Korea issue. He thought it was better to meet face-to-face with
leaders of so-called rogue states and resolve complicated pending
issues rather than regard seeing them as taboo.

But as North Korea has continued its provocations, the Obama
Administration seems to think it needs to push North Korea to the
limit to bring it back to dialogue.

What we need to remember, though, is that in North Korea, the
security of the regime is more important than national security.
So, according to Washington's reasoning, North Korea will come to
the negotiation table only when Kim Jong-il himself feels that the
security of his regime could be at risk.

Toward this end, the United States must carry out independent
measures aimed at squeezing North Korea, such as financial sanctions
and blocking North Korea's weapons exports. At the same time, China
has to be encouraged to implement UN Security Council Resolution

1874.

The United States reconfirmed its promise to offer the nuclear
umbrella to South Korea and Japan, thereby lifting China's worries
over the possible nuclear armament of its two neighbors.

The United States thinks it is now China's turn to respond. China
will probably do so at the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic
Dialogue scheduled for late July. Whether or not the Obama
Administration's stern response to North Korea will continue depends
on what type of presents China will bring to the party.

(This is a translation provided by the newspaper, and it is
identical to the Korean version.)


FEATURES
--------------

U.S. COULD DISCUSS RAISING SEOUL`S MISSILE RANGE
(Dong-a Ilbo, July 7, 2009, Front Page)

By Reporter Yoon Sang-ho

At the annual Security Consultative Meeting, the U.S. military could
officially bring up the topic of revising the bilateral missile
guideline to increase the permissible range of South Korean
ballistic missiles. This comes amid the growing demand for missile
sovereignty by South Korean politicians in the aftermath of North
Korea's long-range missile launches.

In a meeting with advisers to National Defense Committee members
from both the ruling and opposition parties Thursday, a top U.S.
military official reportedly told a briefing, "The revision of the
bilateral missile guideline can be discussed through various
channels such as the Security Consultative Meeting and the Military
Committee Meeting."

The two meetings are regular consultative bodies between the defense
ministers and chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of both nations.
A source said, "If South Korea suggests a revision of the
guideline, the issue can be sufficiently discussed through
consultation between military authorities or further bilateral
talks."

The 90-minute briefing was held Thursday at the (South) Korea-U.S.
Combined Forces Command in Seoul's Yongsan district with 20 advisers
invited by U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Walter Sharp. The
briefing covered the transfer of wartime operational control,
relocation of the U.S. military garrison and other matters, followed
by a question and answer session.

A top Seoul military source said, "U.S. forces have actively agreed
to discuss the revision issue. Therefore, the two sides are highly

SEOUL 00001066 006 OF 006


likely to launch a full-fledged discussion on the missile guideline
revision as early as October, when the 41st Security Consultative
Meeting is scheduled."


The missile guideline puts a substantial restriction on South
Korea's development of mid and long-range ballistic missiles. Under
a bilateral agreement with Washington signed in the 1970s, Seoul
agreed not to develop or possess missiles with a range exceeding 180
kilometers and capable of carrying warheads weighing more than 500
kilograms.

The late President Park Chung-hee had originally pledged to
independently develop a missile with a range of 300 kilometers, but
the signing of the 1979 agreement reduced that figure to 180
kilometers, a range that covers the North Korean capital of
Pyongyang.

(This is a translation provided by the newspaper, and it is
identical to the Korean version.)


SEOUL SEEKS RENEGOTIATION OF NUCLEAR PACT
(Chosun Ilbo, July 7, Front page)

By Reporter Choi Gyung-un

Seoul is considering a taskforce to deal with a renegotiation of the
Atomic Energy Agreement with the U.S. that would enable South Korea
to expand nuclear activities. Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan on
Monday said the taskforce could be led by the Foreign Ministry's
special ambassador for energy and resources "in cooperation with
other government agencies concerned."

Minister Yu spoke in the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs, Trade
and Unification Committee. "The government will make preparations
to begin negotiations in the second half of this year for the
purpose of getting the maximum peaceful and commercial use of atomic
power reflected in the agreement," he said.

Minister Yu said that the two countries will discuss ways of
reprocessing, including so-called pyro-processing at high
temperatures. Unlike the more common wet reprocessing technology,
pyro-reprocessing, also known as a dry recycling, offers nearly zero
possibility of nuclear arms use, given that it makes it difficult to
extract pure plutonium. Asked by GNP lawmaker Yun Sang-hyeon if
pyro-reprocessing does not violate the Nuclear Non-Proliferation
Treaty (NPT) or the Joint Declaration on the Denuclearization of the
Korean Peninsula that took effect in 1992, Minister Yu said it
doesn't. Meanwhile, the National Assembly Unification, Foreign
Affairs and Trade Committee decided to push to set up a subcommittee
to discuss the issue of using nuclear energy peacefully, including a
revision of the Seoul-Washington nuclear cooperation agreement.
Committee Chairman Park Jin said, "We will actively push a plan to
set up a subcommittee tentatively named "Subcommittee on Diplomatic
Strategies for Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy."

(We have compared the English version on the website with the Korean
version and added some sentences to make them identical.)


STEPHENS