PRESS BULLETIN - January 30, 2009

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SUBJECT: PRESS BULLETIN - January 30, 2009

Opinions/Editorials


1. U.S., North Korea Should Return to "September 19 Six-Party
Statement"
(JoongAng Ilbo, January 30, 2009, Page 27)

2. Candlelight Comeback
(JoongAng Daily, January 30, 2009, Page 10)


Features


3. The WEST Program Is Criticized for Wasting Money
(Dong-a Ilbo, January 30, 2009, Page 12)

4. "ROK MND should be responsible for delayed relocation of USFK
bases to Pyeongtaek"
(Segye Ilbo, January 30, 2009, Page 15)
Top Headlines

Chosun Ilbo
Violent and Abusive Language Rampant on TV and the Internet

JoongAng Ilbo
New Facility Opens to Aid Search for Korean War Dead

Dong-a Ilbo
Medical Field Coming Clean about Double Publications

Hankook Ilbo
Home Prices Rising Again in Three Districts of Southern Seoul,
Lending Support to Those Opposed to Delisting the Districts
as "Speculation Zones"

Hankyoreh Shinmun
Police Attempted to "Manipulate Public Opinion" to Justify Their
Deadly Crackdown on Squatters' Protest in Yongsan

Segye Ilbo
Survey: Most Koreans Pick Stabilization of Prices
as ROKG's Top Priority

Seoul Shinmun, All TVs
Standard Prices of Homes Fall for First Time Since 2005


Domestic Developments


1. "WEST... WASTE?:" The ROKG has selected 325 college students and
graduates to study English and receive internships for 18 months in
the U.S. under the WEST (Work, English Study and Travel) program
agreed upon by the leaders of the two nations in August, but it is
facing skepticism from the participants because prospects for
internship employment are unclear and the expenses for the program
are not less than ordinary English language courses. (Dong-a)
Media Analysis

Davos - World Economic Forum
Most media coverage focused on the criticism of the U.S. made by
Chinese and Russian Prime Ministers regarding the current financial
crisis. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin was quoted as saying
pointedly: "Just a year ago at Davos, American delegates emphasized
the U.S. economy's fundamental stability. Today, investment banks,
the pride of Wall Street, have virtually ceased to exist." Chinese
Prime Minister Wen Jiabo was also cited as blaming the current
crisis, without naming any specific country, for inappropriate
macroeconomic policies of "some economies" and their unsustainable
model of development characterized by prolonged low savings and high
consumption and excessive expansion of financial institutions in
blind pursuit of profit. Conservative Chosun Ilbo titled its story,
"U.S. Got Told Off." Left-leaning Hankyoreh Shinmun's headline
read: "Davos Forum Turns into a Venue to Criticize 'U.S.-Style
Capitalism.'" Moderate Seoul Shinmun wrote in the headline: "China
Aims for Greater Say in Establishing a New Global Economic Order."

North Korea
Right-of-center JoongAng Ilbo ran an op-ed by Kim Keun-sik, a North
Korea expert at Kyungnam University, which said: "It is fortunate
that North Korea and the U.S. seem to be agreeing on the need to
resolve the North Korean nuclear issue through negotiations. In
order for those negotiations to proceed smoothly, however, the North
and the U.S. should return to the September 19, 2005 Joint Statement
and start from there. In fact, how to resolve the nuclear issue has
already been spelled out in the Joint Statement. A close look at
the Joint Statement tells us that Washington's concern that North
Korea may not give up its nuclear ambitions or Pyongyang's suspicion
that the U.S. may not abandon its hostile policy toward the North is
just an unfounded fear. This is why the details and spirit of the
September 19 Joint Statement should be the basis for future talks
between the North and the U.S."


Opinions/Editorials

U.S., North Korea Should Return to "September 19 Six-Party
Statement"
(JoongAng Ilbo, January 30, 2009, Page 27)

By Kim Keun-sik, Professor of Politics at Kyungnam University

It is fortunate that North Korea and the U.S. have an agreement to
resolve the North Korean nuclear issue through negotiations, but in
order to make smooth progress in those negotiations, the North and
the U.S. should agree to another principle: they should go back to
the September 19, 2005, Joint Statement and start from there.

In fact, how to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue was already
spelled out in the Joint Statement. North Korea is supposed to
dismantle all its nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs.
For its part, the U.S. is supposed to normalize its relations with
the North and provide a security guarantee to Pyongyang in return.
Both sides should carry out these obligations in phases according to
the action-for-action principle. A close look at the September 19
Joint Statement, which both parties officially signed and agreed to,
tells us that Washington's concern about the North not giving up its
nuclear ambitions or Pyongyang's suspicion that the U.S. may not
abandon its hostile policy toward the North is just an unfounded
fear. They should not forget that not only the contents of the
September 19 Joint Statement but also the process of having reached
the agreement is the result of mutual respect and compromise. The
North Korean nuclear issue already has a good solution: the
September 19 Joint Statement. This is why the contents and spirit
of the September 19 Joint Statement should be the basis for the
future talks between the North and the U.S.


Candlelight Comeback
(JoongAng Daily, January 30, 2009, Page 10)

Two press conferences were held yesterday related to the deadly
incident in Yongsan. In the morning, opposition parties and civic
organizations held a press conference and unveiled their plan to
hold an event on Feb. 1 at Cheonggye Plaza in memory of the "victims
of the Yongsan manslaughter and to deter MB's (President Lee
Myung-bak's) evil laws."

Then in the afternoon, a national civic group organized around the
Yongsan incident announced that an event to remember the victims
would be held every weekend, beginning this Saturday, and that areas
for candlelight vigils and for lighting incense in memory of those
who died in the standoff would be set up across the country.

Regretfully, the remarks remind us of the candlelight vigils of last
year that started with panic over mad cow disease. But what is most
worrisome is that these are the same civic organizations that
directed last year's candlelight vigils. Even their press conference
was billed as a "press conference to condemn violent and murderous
crackdowns and to deter MB's evil laws."

The purpose itself conveys the feeling that these groups want to use
the accident as a cause for anti-government protests. According to
the Korea Economic Research institute, the social costs for the
candlelight vigils last spring amounted to 3.7 trillion won ($2.64
billion). Amid the economic crisis, we must avoid wasting our
national resources and wealth again in the same manner.

In particular, the Democratic Party's plan to protest outside the
National Assembly is inappropriate. This kind of protest was an
extreme measure that political parties used under military rule

since their legal activities were severely checked and limited.
Instead, the party must find out whether the government is
responsible for the incident, and work within the National Assembly
to draw up and pass a bill to prevent a similar case from occurring.


The Democratic Party has an enormous amount of work to do in the
Assembly in February. First of all, it needs to hold confirmation
hearings after the Cabinet reshuffle. Various bills to revive the
economy that were postponed last year must no longer be delayed. A
law to prevent violence in the National Assembly must be
established.

The Democratic Party is a legitimate political party that must see
through social division and conflict and unite society by working
within the National Assembly.

If Democrats want to take to the streets they must give up their
positions as legislators. That's the least that they can do for the
people.


Features

The WEST Program Is Criticized for Wasting Money
(Dong-a Ilbo, January 30, 2009, Page 12)

By Reporter Hwang Kyu-in

Korean government selected 325 participants, but prospects for
internship employment are not clear, and the expenses for the
program are not cheaper than ordinary English language courses.

A female graduate surnamed Kim, 23, who majored in design, will head
to the U.S. this March under the WEST (Work, English Study and
Travel) program.

She had until January 29 to choose a company where she would like to
work, out of three U.S. sponsor companies including the ICD, CIEE,
and AIPT, but she did not know where she could get an internship
related to her major. This is because the detailed information on
the companies continued to change until the morning of January 29.


The graduate said, "When an overseas education center in Korea tries
to send 300 students to the U.S., about 20 to 30 consultants give
them advice. But participants of the WEST program are confused
because the information becomes available to them too slowly."

Under the WEST program, as agreed by the leaders of the two nations
last August, students and graduates can take a language course for 5
months, work as interns for 12 months, and go sightseeing for 1
month, while staying in the U.S. for up to 18 months. A sponsor
company managed by the U.S. Department of State will help them to
find an internship and a language program. .

The Korean government expected that many of the language courses
(Korean students currently take) will be replaced by the WEST
program with cheaper expenses, but participants are skeptical of the
program.

A senior student surnamed Jang, 23, said, "I was proud to be going
to the U.S. as a representative of Korea when I applied for the
program. But I was disappointed by what's going on here. I
requested information from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
Trade, but I only heard that there are many trials and errors since
this is the first time the program is being implemented. There has
not been any orientation program until now."

Participants will need to have 12,500 dollars in order to stay in
the U.S. while taking a language course, but there is no system in
place to support the cost. Participants say, "If I have to pay for
all the costs, there is little difference between taking a language
training course through an overseas education center and the WEST
program."

A female senior student surnamed Yoo, 24, of Seoul National
University mentioned, "The strength of the WEST program lies in
getting an internship, compared with ordinary language courses. But
I'm not sure that I can work as an intern. The Korean government
has said that participants can stay in the U.S. on the salaries they
earned as interns. If we can't get an internship, it will be
nothing but a waste of time."

An official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, "We
selected 325 college students and graduates by taking into account
the number of internships available. We will help them find jobs
through a job fair, while they are taking language training courses
for 5 months."


"ROK MND should be responsible for delayed relocation of USFK bases
to Pyeongtaek"
(Segye Ilbo, January 30, 2009, Page 15)

By Reporter Park Byung-jin

USFK Commander Gen. Sharp visited ROK Defense minister Lee to
protest the delay

In relation to the current long-time delay of the USFK base
relocation to Pyeongtaek, it has become known that USFK Commander
Gen. Walter Sharp lodged a protest with Defense Minister Lee
regarding the plan to delay the relocation.

According to the ROK Ministry of National Defense (MND) and USFK
sources, Gen. Sharp visited the MND on January 16th. When he met
Minister Lee, he expressed his dissatisfaction with delaying the
USFK base relocation project that had previously been agreed upon by
the ROK and U.S. It is the first time that the USFK commander has
directly expressed his opinion on the base relocation issue.

An MND official said, "Gen. Sharp urged the MND to engage itself
actively in order to resolve complications between the ROK and the
U.S. over subordinate issues regarding the base relocation." The
official explained, "However, these issues are inevitably
time-consuming because they concern national interests." It is known
that the USFK wants to secure a suitable lease term for the
residence facilities for USFK service members, and secure the right
to place the construction orders for special facilities, including
communication centers and medical facilities.

The official analyzed, "The timing for the meeting between Gen.
Sharp and Minister Lee was only two days after former Chief of the
MURO Park Byung-hee was replaced on charges of receiving bribes. It
seems that Gen. Sharp put pressure upon (resolving the) base
relocation project, because these kind of issues can be dealt with
at the working level."

The 'D&D Focus', a South Korean monthly military magazine, also
reported yesterday that Gen. Sharp delivered 6-7 request items to
Minister Lee and urged MND to perform its obligation (to handle
them.).

The magazine also reported that Gen. Sharp took this step because
the U.S. Department of Defense had inspected the current status of
the relocation plan on many occasions from last December to earlier
this year, and USFK had been rebuked for this matter by a key
Pentagon official in charge of Korean affairs.

Gen. Sharp is concerned about the delay of every aspect of the
project including placing construction orders, designing building
sites, and constructing facilities.

The magazine added that the ROK and the U.S. sides are having
difficulty regarding the relocation of the U.S. 2nd Infantry
Division.

The ROK MND has been saying since March 2008 that it will announce a
specific timeline and the overall costs of the base relocation
project; however, the MND has postponed the announcement five
times.


Stephens
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