SEOUL - MEDIA REACTION

UNCLAS SEOUL 001527 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR ECON KPAO KMDR KS US SUBJECT: SEOUL - MEDIA REACTION UN SUMMIT ON CLIMATE CHANGE -------------- "CHINA ISSUES PLAN TO CUT GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS; NOW IS TIME FOR U.S. TO RESPOND" Right-of-center JoongAng Ilbo editorialized (09/24): "China pledged to curb its carbon dioxide emissions by a notable margin by 2020... The U.S. should take a forward-looking attitude like China by having the cap-and-trade bill passed without delay in the Senate. This will pave the way for a new pact to be struck in Copenhagen to replace the Kyoto Protocol which expires in 2012." "Taking Initiative on Climate Change" Left-leaning Hankyoreh Shinmun editorialized (09/24): "Chinese President Hu Jintao's promise of "marked reductions" is significant in that it marks a breakthrough in discussions, as China can now serve as a locomotive for other developing countries and the U.S. ... Above all, the key is Washington's active attitude. President Obama should exercise leadership to persuade Congress to join this noble global cause. China as well must fulfill its responsibility as a "G-2" nation by presenting specific reduction targets, and the ROK must also assume an active approach." EAST ASIA AND PACIFIC: DPRK -------------- "Why Are Seoul and Washington Out of Sync?" Conservative Chosun Ilbo editorialized (09/24): "The reason why the U.S. is cool to President Lee's proposal is that, with the U.S. stressing both sanctions and dialogue toward the North, Washington is not pleased that President Lee's 'grand bargain' seems to have pulled sanctions against the North off the table. " "Truth and Falsehood of Nuclear Umbrella" Right-of-center JoongAng Ilbo editorialized (09/24): "If North Korea carries out a nuclear attack, will the U.S. extend its nuclear umbrella (to the ROK) at the right time? We are not sure whether the U.S. president will mount a nuclear attack against North Korea without any hesitation. If North Korea executes a terror attack with small nuclear weapons, the U.S. may be in a position to wage a nuclear war even though it does not pose a direct threat to its own security. At this time, if the North offers compensation (for its action) while making some plausible excuses, the U.S. president will be likely to make a "rational decision" by dismissing North Korea's nuclear attack as bygones. We should declare that if North Korea is recognized as a nuclear state, we have no choice but to develop nuclear weapons. This is the only way to prevent North Korea from being recognized as a nuclear state with the condition that it will not proliferate its nuclear weapons." STEPHENS