MEDIA REACTION IN SEOUL

UNCLAS SEOUL 000012 SIPDIS 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 Gaza, Arab-Israeli engagement "Global response to Gaza" Right-of-center JoongAng Ilbo editorialized (01/05): "The U.S. should clarify its position on an immediate and unconditional cease-fire. The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting last Saturday but failed to release a statement calling for an immediate cease-fire, as the U.S. was insisting that Hamas should stop their rocket attacks before agreeing on a cease-fire. The U.K., Germany and Japan, the U.S.'s traditional allies, have not clarified their official positions, while European countries as well as Arab nations are censuring the Israeli invasion. If the global community is divided over such an intense conflict, we will never stop the gunfire in the Gaza Strip." "Massacre and Peace Are Incompatible" Left-leaning Hankyoreh Shinmun editorialized (01/05): "The U.S. is also heavily responsible (for the current situation in the Middle East.) As a nation which has provided huge military assistance to Israel, the U.S. was practically the only one nation in the world that supported Israel's invasion of the Gaza Strip. In fact, this attack is similar to the attack by the George W. Bush administration on Iraq. It is not too farfetched to say that the Bush administration, which failed to learn anything from the Iraq war, incited Israel to stage war." Stephens