SEOUL - PRESS BULLETIN; September 3, 2009

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 SEOUL 001413 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR ECON KPAO KS US SUBJECT: SEOUL - PRESS BULLETIN; September 3, 2009 TOP HEADLINES -------------- Chosun Ilbo Cities in South Gyeongsang Province Follow Example of Cities in Gyeonggi Province in Seeking to Merge JoongAng Ilbo ROKG, Ruling Party Seek to Revise Workers' Bill So That Non-regular Workers Can Work After Their Two-Year, Non-Regular Employment Period Dong-a Ilbo ROKG Officially Gives Up President Lee's Election Pledge for 7 Percent Economic Growth Hankook Ilbo Survey: 90 Percent of Lawmakers Favor Constitutional Amendment During Current National Assembly's Term; 53 Percent Favor Presidential System that Allows President to Seek Second Four-Year Term after Four Years in Office Hankyoreh Shinmun Court Suspends Publication of History Textbook that was Revised without Consent from Authors to Modify Parts Education Ministry Saw as "Left-leaning" Segye Ilbo, Seoul Shinmun, All TVs Fitch Upgrades Outlook for ROK Economy to "Stable" DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS -------------- Unification Minister Hyun In-taek, at a Sept. 2 forum hosted by ruling Grand National Party (GNP) lawmakers, called North Korea's recent conciliatory gestures a "tactical change." (Chosun, Dong-a, Hankook, Hankyoreh, Segye, Seoul) According to a diplomatic source in Washington, Stephen Bosworth, the U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy, will visit Seoul tomorrow to discuss pending issues, including North Korea's nuclear issue. (JoongAng) INTERNATIONAL NEWS -------------- The two U.S. journalists held for illegally entering North Korea claimed on Sept. 1 that they were on Chinese soil when they were arrested by North Korean border guards. (All) MEDIA ANALYSIS -------------- -N. Korea -------------- Most newspapers carried an inside-page report quoting Unification Minister Hyun In-taek as saying at a Sept. 2 forum hosted by ruling party lawmakers: "There has been a change in North Korea's attitude since July, but we perceive it to be a change in tactics and not in the fundamentals. We observe no change in the North's attitude on the Six-Party Talks and the nuclear issue." Citing a diplomatic source in Washington, right-of-center JoongAng Ilbo reported from Washington that Stephen Bosworth, the U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy, will visit Seoul from Sept. 4-6 to discuss pending issues, including North Korea's nuclear issue. According to the report, Ambassador Bosworth will likely discuss countermeasures against the North's recent "charm offensive." The report also commented that the result of his SEOUL 00001413 002 OF 003 discussion in Seoul will be noteworthy, given the North's invitation to him to visit this month. All ROK media gave attention to a report quoting the two U.S. journalists held in North Korea for 140 days as claiming on Sept. 1 that they were on Chinese soil when they were arrested by North Korean border guards. FEATURES -------------- ¶N. KOREA'S CONCILIATORY GESTURES "MERELY TACTICAL" (Chosun Ilbo, September 3, 2009, Page 5) By Reporter Lim Min-hyuk Unification Minister Hyun In-taek on Wednesday said North Korea's recent charm offensive toward the U.S. and South Korea represents "tactical changes" but notably omits the most important issue. "There has been a change in North Korea's attitude since July, but we perceive it to be a change in tactics and not in the fundamentals. We obsere no change in the North's attitude on the Six-Party Talks and the nuclear issue." He made the remarks in a keynote speech at a National Assembly seminar hosted by the National Unity Forum, a fraternity of Grand National Party lawmakers. "Although North Korea has lifted various kinds of curbs in inter-Korean business, we still have doubts whether it has made fundamental changes," he said. "I don't think North Korea has taken a very forward-looking attitude by lifting the curbs. They were lifted on matters that had already been agreed on (between the two sides). Everything was belatedly put back on track." Hyun called for inter-Korean issues to be solved based on national consensus. "Any North Korea policy not based on such consensus is meaningless," he said. Recalling his meeting with a North Korean delegation during the funeral for former President Kim Dae-jung, he said it was remarkable "as the first such meeting between senior government officials from both Koreas since the new government's inauguration. (However, this was nothing but a small first step. I believe that whether the first step will lead to a bigger development depends on North Korea." "How inter-Korean relations will develop will depend on North Korea," he added. (This is a translation provided by the newspaper, and it is identical to the Korean version.) U.S. SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR NORTH KOREA BOSWORTH VISITS SEOUL TOMORROW TO DISCUSS COUNTERMEASURES AGAINST "PYONGYANG'S CONCILIATORY MOVES" (JoongAng Ilbo, September 3, 2009, Page 8) By Washington Correspondent Kim Jung-wook A diplomatic source in Washington said on September 2, local time, that U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy Stephen Bosworth will visit the ROK from September 4-6 to discuss pending issues, including North Korea's nuclear issue, with ROKG officials. The U.S. Department of State will soon officially announce the itinerary for Bosworth's visits to the ROK, China and Japan, the nations involved in the Six-Party Talks. The source said, "Special Representative Bosworth plans to arrive in the ROK on September 4 and meet with ROK foreign policy and security officials, including Seoul's top negotiator to the Six-Party Talks, Wi Sung-lac, for discussions about the North Korean nuclear issue." Before or after the Seoul visit, Bosworth, accompanied by key White House and State Department officials, including Special Envoy for SEOUL 00001413 003 OF 003 the Six-Party Talks Sung Kim, will also go to Japan and China to coordinate their overall positions, the source added. During meetings with officials from the three countries, including Wi Sung-lac, Ambassador Bosworth reportedly will thoroughly coordinate the conditions and format that would be necessary for resuming talks with North Korea and the contents of the comprehensive package. North Korea has recently been stepping up a charm offensive. In particular, the result of his discussion in Seoul will be noteworthy, given the North's invitation to him to visit this month. ROKG authorities said that since North Korea has recently expressed interest in holding talks with the ROK and the U.S., a key issue for discussion will be how (the ROK and the U.S.) will respond (to the North's overtures.) TOKOLA