SEOUL - PRESS BULLETIN; October 8, 2009

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 SEOUL 001598 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR ECON KPAO KS US SUBJECT: SEOUL - PRESS BULLETIN; October 8, 2009 TOP HEADLINES -------------- Chosun Ilbo ROK Universities Move Up in World University Rankings; Seoul National University Placed 47th, KAIST 69th JoongAng Ilbo Vice Education Minister Lee Joo-ho Vows Not to Aid Universities Next Year If They Create Controversy in Selecting Students through Admissions Officer System This Year Dong-a Ilbo 90 Percent of Parole Applications Approved; from 2004 to August This Year, 8,820 Heinous Criminals were Released before Their Prison Terms Expired Hankook Ilbo With Countries Poised to Withdraw Stimulus Policies Following Australia's Rate Hike, ROKG Reiterates "Too Early to Exit Stimulus" Hankyoreh Shinmun Blue House Denies Allegations of Pressuring Telecom Companies for 25 Billion Won in Donations Segye Ilbo President Lee to Give More Power to Able State Firm Leaders Seoul Shinmun, All TVs Obama to Visit Seoul Nov. 18-19 DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS -------------- According to the Blue House, President Barack Obama will visit Seoul from Nov. 18-19 for a summit with President Lee Myung-bak. The two leaders are expected to discuss pending issues, including the North Korean nuclear issue. (All) Visiting U.S. Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Judith A. McHale visited Chosun Ilbo yesterday. She was quoted as saying: "Bill Gates' recommendation to go to Korea was not a joke. Korea's media technological innovations, such as e-books and T-papers, are amazing." (Chosun) INTERNATIONAL NEWS -------------- A senior State Department official said on Oct. 6 that the U.S. will not agree to one-on-one talks with North Korea unless it is given assurances in advance that the outcome will be an agreement to resume the Six-Party Talks. (Hankook, Hankyoreh, Segye, Seoul) Referring to China's recent massive economic aid to North Korea, an ROK Foreign Ministry official said yesterday that Seoul, via a diplomatic channel, has reconfirmed that there is no change in China's commitment to faithfully implement UN Security Council resolutions against North Korea. (JoongAng, Dong-a) According to a source in Beijing knowledgeable about North Korean affairs, China is preparing to provide North Korea with free aid worth an estimated 200 million Yuan following Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to Pyongyang. (Dong-a) MEDIA ANALYSIS -------------- -N. Korea -------------- SEOUL 00001598 002 OF 004 Most media gave attention to Oct. 6 remarks by a senior State Department official, quoting him as saying that the U.S. will not agree to one-on-one talks with North Korea unless it is given assurances in advance that the outcome will be an agreement to resume the Six-Party Talks. With regard to China's recent offer of massive aid to North Korea, right-of-center JoongAng Ilbo quoted an ROKG official as saying yesterday: "China wouldn't have violated UN Security Council Resolution 1874 against North Korea as one of five permanent UNSC members. However, it is true that there is concern that China's $20 million aid to North Korea, coming at a sensitive time when the international community squeezes the North's money flow through sanctions, may undermine the effect of sanctions directly and indirectly." Citing an ROK Foreign Ministry official, right-of-center JoongAng Ilbo and conservative Dong-a Ilbo reported that the ROKG, via a diplomatic channel, has reconfirmed that there is no change in China's commitment to faithfully implement UNSC resolutions against North Korea. JoongAng Ilbo editorialized: "China has the greatest leverage over North Korea. ... This is why China's participation in sanctioning North Korea following its second nuclear test was so important. The fact that the sanctions against North Korea have paid off so far is also due to China's participation. In this regard, regardless of its scale, China's offer of a 'bag of gifts' to North Korea is inappropriate, especially when the sanctions against the country remain in place." OPINIONS/EDITORIALS -------------- INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ON N. KOREA SHOULD NOT BE DISRUPTED (JoongAng Ilbo, October 8, 2009, page 46) During his visit to Pyongyang, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao reportedly offered massive economic aid to North Korea. This has sparked concern that international cooperation to enforce sanctions against North Korea is suffering a setback. Some observers say that China's offer of economic aid to North Korea may constitute a violation of UN Security Resolution 1874 which was adopted in June. If this is the case, it seems to present a serious problem. China, which has joined in sanctioning North Korea under UN resolutions since North Korea's second nuclear test, is moving away from international cooperation. This also deals a blow to Six-Party countries' "two-track strategy" of sanctions and dialogue. The ROK's Foreign Ministry yesterday said that the Chinese government officially explained to the ROKG about the overall results of Premier Wen's visit to Pyongyang via a diplomatic channel. The ROKG said that China has reconfirmed that there is no change in its commitment to faithfully implement UNSC resolutions against North Korea. According to Chinese and North Korean media, Premier Wen signed agreements on economic cooperation with Pyongyang but the details have not yet been disclosed. However, considering the past record, China is presumed to have offered considerable free aid including food and energy assistance. Our common sense is that China, a permanent member of the UN Security Council and responsible member of the international community, must have considered whether its offer of economic aid to North Korea might constitute a violation of UNSC resolutions. But if China pledged to provide massive economic assistance that goes beyond the requirements of UNSC resolutions, this should be taken seriously. UNSC Resolution 1874 calls upon (all nations and financial institutions) not to enter into new commitments for grants, financial assistance, and concessional loans except for humanitarian and development purpose or denuclearization purpose. Small-scale humanitarian aid such as food or medical assistance is not a problem but massive free aid could be in violation of UNSC resolutions. SEOUL 00001598 003 OF 004 China has the greatest leverage over North Korea. Unless China takes active steps, sanctions against North Korea will become meaningless. This is why China's participation in sanctioning North Korea following its second nuclear test was so important. The fact that the sanctions against North Korea have paid off so far is also due to China's participation. In this regard, regardless of its scale, China's offer of a 'bag of gifts' to North Korea is inappropriate, especially when the sanctions against the country remain in place. North Korean leader Kim Jong-il took a dubious attitude by expressing a conditional willingness to return to the Six-Party Talks. It is odd that China offered huge gifts to the North to gain this (small) result. If China unilaterally decided to provide massive free aid to Pyongyang without prior consultations with the other Six-Party countries, this casts doubt over China's willingness to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula. In a summit involving the ROK, China and Japan, which will take place in Beijing in October 10, China should provide a clear explanation of (its actions.) FEATURES -------------- UNDER SECRETARY MCHALE: "BILL GATES' RECOMMENDATION TO GO TO KOREA WAS NOT A JOKE" (Chosun Ilbo, October 8, 2009, Page 30) By Reporter Choi Woo-suk U.S. Under Secretary of State McHale visits Chosun Ilbo... "Media technological innovations, such as e-books and T-papers, are amazing." "Korea's media technological innovations, such as e-paper newspapers, mobile news, e-books, and T-papers, are amazing." U.S. Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Judith A. McHale made the statement on October 7 after being briefed on developments in Korea's media industry. She added, "Former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates recommended visiting Korea to see technological innovations, and that was not a joke." In particular, after looking around the "U Media Lab," Chosun Ilbo's exhibition hall of newspapers of the future, she noted, "I have seen the future of newspapers. This can set a good example for U.S. newspapers, which are having difficulty." Under Secretary McHale, the former CEO of the American prominent media company, Discovery Communications, also took a lot of interest in cross-media projects, such as Chosun Ilbo's documentaries on North Korean defectors (titled "Crossing Heaven's Border") and on Asian women and alienated children (titled "Our Asia"). "Cross media" refers to airing the same content through a variety of media forms, such as newspaper, broadcasting, DMB (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting) and IPTV (Internet Protocol Television),at the same time. She said, "Discovery Communications also produced cross-media programs involving newspapers and broadcasts in partnership with The New York Times or the U.K.'s BBC. Chosun Ilbo's efforts will succeed." Under Secretary McHale, who arrived in Korea on October 5 for the first time for a four-day, three-night trip, is in charge of improving the U.S.'s image abroad under the Obama Administration. She said, "In order to get a deep understanding of Korea, I am only visiting Korea (on this trip.)." It is highly unusual for a high-ranking USG official to make an official visit to Korea for several days. During her visit to Korea, Under Secretary McHale listened intensively to the views which Koreans have about the U.S. by meeting with college students, opposition leaders and SEOUL 00001598 004 OF 004 businesspeople. The daughter of a U.S. Foreign Service Officer, Under Secretary McHale grew up in Britain and South Africa and graduated from the University of Nottingham in the U.K. and Fordham University School of Law in New York. After starting her career as General Counsel for MTV Networks in the 1980s, she moved to Discovery Communications in 1987 and served as its COO, CEO, and President. During her tenure, Discovery Channel grew into a renowned global media enterprise with 1.4 billion subscribers in 170 countries. TOKOLA