SEOUL - PRESS BULLETIN; December 11, 2009

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 SEOUL 001941 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR ECON KPAO KS US SUBJECT: SEOUL - PRESS BULLETIN; December 11, 2009 TOP HEADLINES -------------- Chosun Ilbo, JoongAng Ilbo, Dong-a Ilbo, All TVs Foreign Language High Schools Get Handed New Rules; Must Trim Class Sizes, Adopt Admissions Officer System and Reflect Only English Scores in Screening Process Hankook Ilbo, Hankyoreh Shinmun Bosworth Says U.S., N. Korea Reach Common Understanding to Resume Six-Party Talks and Implement September 19 Joint Statement Segye Ilbo ROK's Economic Growth Expected to Hit 5 Percent Next Year Seoul Shinmun ROKG to Create 200,000 More Jobs Next Year DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS -------------- North Korea yesterday accepted the ROKG's offer of antiviral drugs aimed at helping the North deal with H1N1 flu. The ROKG plans to provide antiviral drugs for about 500,000 people to the North. (All) INTERNATIONAL NEWS -------------- Stephen Bosworth, the U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy, told reporters after returning to Seoul yesterday from his three-day trip to Pyongyang that the U.S. and North Korea reached a common understanding on the need to resume the Six-Party Talks. (All) Ambassador Bosworth, however, said that it remains to be seen when or how the North will return to the Six-Party Talks, adding, "This is something that will require further consultations among all six of us." (All) MEDIA ANALYSIS -------------- -N. Korea: Ambassador Bosworth's Visit -------------- Coverage of yesterday's press remarks in Seoul by U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy Stephen Bosworth was extensive, with most newspapers offering front-page articles about his three-day visit to North Korea. Coverage highlighted Ambassador Bosworth's statements: "We identified some common understandings on the need for, and the role of, the Six-Party Talks and the importance of implementation of the 2005 Joint Statement;" "It remains to be seen when and how the DPRK (North Korea) will return to the Six-Party Talks;" "We did not ask for, nor did we meet with, Chairman Kim Jong-il;" "These (meetings) were exploratory talks, not negotiations;" and "As for a message to the North Koreans from President Obama, in effect, I am the message." Most media expected further U.S.-North Korea talks to come after consultations among the five members of the Six-Party Talks excluding North Korea. Conservative Chosun Ilbo viewed this visit to Pyongyang by Ambassador Bosworth as successful in maintaining the momentum of dialogue, and observed in an editorial: "(Ambassador Bosworth's SEOUL 00001941 002 OF 005 remarks) mean that there will be difficult diplomatic negotiations between the North and the other parties of the Six-Party Talks before the multilateral talks actually resume." Conservative Dong-a Ilbo editorialized: "We cannot give good marks to North Korea, which did not clearly promise to return to the Six-Party Talks. If we must talk about the achievement of this dialogue, it seems to be that the U.S. and North Korea exchanged their true intentions for the first time. ... If North Korea acknowledged the need for the Six-Party Talks, it has no reason to drag its feet. The later the North rejoins the Six-Party Talks, the harsher the suffering caused by the UN sanctions." An editorial in moderate Hankook Ilbo stated: "We don't think that Ambassador Bosworth's visit to North Korea was meaningless. The fact that the two sides have shared the importance of implementing the September 19 Joint Statement, which provides the raison d'tre of the Six-Party Talks, represents a great step forward toward restarting the Six-Party Talks. As Ambassador Bosworth put it, if the two sides had candid and sincere talks, their mutual trust could also be deepened further. We hope that this (momentum) will lead the U.S. and North Korea to reach an agreement to resume the Six-Party Talks as early as possible through ... further dialogue." Left-leaning Hankyoreh Shinmun editorialized: "Since the U.S. has demonstrated its determination for negotiations, it is North Korea's turn to make a decision. More than anything else, there is no reason for the North to delay its return to the Six-Party Talks. Any issues of concern - whether it is a peace treaty, normalization of ties or economic aid - can be discussed only when the Six-Party Talks resume." OPINIONS/EDITORIALS -------------- WHAT NEXT IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH N. KOREA? (Chosun Ilbo, December 11, 2009, Page 35) U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy Stephen Bosworth returned empty-handed from a three-day visit to North Korea. But he said he had "extensive and useful talks" with North Korea's Vice Foreign Minister Kang Sok-ju, identifying "some common ground" on the need for and the role of the Six-Party Talks and the importance of the implementation of the 2005 statement of principles. However, Bosworth said it remains to be seen when and how North Korea will return to the Six-Party Talks, and that further negotiations would be necessary with the ROK, China, Japan and Russia. In other words, tough negotiations remain. Regarding North Korea's demand for Washington to sign a peace treaty to replace the armistice that halted the Korean War, Bosworth said all of the participants are ready to discuss a peace regime once the Six-Party Talks resume. The September 19 statement of principles adopted during the Six-Party Talks back in 2005 stipulates that negotiations will take place over a permanent peace framework on the Korean Peninsula. The offer by the U.S. does therefore not go beyond the parameters of the terms agreed so far. North Korea will try to use the peace treaty as a reason for returning to the Six-Party Talks, and once the negotiations resume, the North could even demand a withdrawal of U.S. troops from the ROK. A peace treaty should be discussed between the ROK and North Korea, with the U.S. and China playing supporting roles. Seoul must come up with compelling logic to convince the U.S., China, Japan and Russia (to take supporting roles, instead of lead roles, with respect to a peace treaty) and map out precautionary measures. (This is a translation provided by the newspaper, and it is identical to the Korean version.) LEE ADMINISTRATION MUST TAKE FIRST STEP TOWARDS DIALOGUE WITH N. SEOUL 00001941 003 OF 005 KOREA (Hankyoreh Shinmun, December 11, 2009, Page 35) Steven Bosworth, U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy, made the statement, "Talks in North Korea have been worthwhile" on Thursday after completing his three-day visit to North Korea. This statement can be interpreted to mean that although Bosworth did not obtain North Korea's pledge to return to the Six-Party Talks, he believes that both the U.S. and North Korea felt that they were able to communicate their intended messages to each other. It also seems from what was the first official meeting of high-ranking officials between the U.S. and North Korea since Barack Obama's inauguration that both sides are committed to increasing their efforts to resolve the North Korea nuclear issue. The U.S. has clearly shown its commitment to resolving the core problems that North Korea has discussed at the negotiation tables. Representative examples are the matter of the peace agreement and building a peace system. Bosworth explained the U.S. intention to directly present the peace agreement that U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has made reference to several times. Accordingly, there is a high possibility that if the Six-Party Talks restart, the framework for a peace agreement more concrete than the September 19, 2005 Joint Statement could be made. The six parties could immediately begin to work on peace agreement negotiations. The reason why North Korea has been emphasizing the peace agreement is that it wants to receive a security guarantee from the U.S. that would carry over in the event of a transition in administrations. The Obama Administration seems to recognize that request in light of the fact that the nuclear negotiations have been so full of twists and turns. Since the U.S. has demonstrated its determination for negotiations, it is North Korea's turn to make a decision. More than anything else, there is no reason for the North to delay its return to the Six-Party Talks. Any issues of concern - whether it is a peace treaty, normalization of ties or economic aid - can be discussed only when the Six-Party Talks resume. The Lee Administration should reset its North Korea policy in order to increase its role in negotiations on denuclearization of the peninsula. Up until now, the Lee Administration has put weight on a policy of pressure that has slowed down any progress towards dialogue. Moreover, inter-Korean relations have been in a stalemate as a result of insisting on denuclearization as a prerequisite for dialogue. This kind of attitude from the Lee Administration makes the nuclear issue much more difficult to resolve in that it also has narrowed North Korea's options. From this point forward, the Lee Administration should enact a policy that supports nuclear negotiations and a positive circle of communication surrounding inter-Korean relations and the North Korea nuclear issue. Above all, the ROKG should resolve the issues concerning the resumption of the Mt. Kumgang and Kaesong tourism projects as soon as possible and secure a channel of communication between high-ranking officials of both countries. Presently, other participants in the Six-Party Talks are moving towards earnest nuclear negotiations in a calm but clear manner. It is essential for the Lee Administration to make a sincere contribution now in order to bear the fruits that could come from the current situation. (This is a translation provided by the newspaper, and it is identical to the Korean version.) EVEN THOUGH OUTCOME OF BOSWORTH'S N. KOREA VISIT IS DISAPPOINTING (Hankook Ilbo, December 11, Page 39) U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy Stephen Bosworth returned to Seoul yesterday after his three-day visit to Pyongyang. But the outcome of his visit seems disappointing. At a press SEOUL 00001941 004 OF 005 conference, Ambassador Bosworth said, "We identified some common understandings on the need for, and the role of, the Six-Party Talks and the importance of implementation of the 2005 Joint Statement." He added, however, "It remains to be seen when and how the DPRK (North Korea) will return to the Six-Party Talks." This shows that he didn't receive assurances from North Korea that it will return to the Six-Party Talks. That is why his remarks that this visit was very useful sound quite hollow. Of course, we did not expect that his visit would lead to an immediate resolution of the North Korean (nuclear) issue. The North demanded a peace treaty (with the U.S.),which the U.S. is unlikely to accept, as a precondition (for returning to the Six-Party Talks.) Meanwhile, the U.S. wanted to limit the bilateral talks to a discussion of the North's return to the Six-Party Talks and the implementation of the September 19 Joint Statement. Still, we considered the possibility that both sides might reach an agreement dramatically and achieve a breakthrough in resuming the Six-Party Talks. However, this did not happen. In addition, the U.S. and North Korea did not agree on the schedule of their future talks. But we don't think that Ambassador Bosworth's visit to North Korea was meaningless. The fact that the two sides shared the importance of implementing the September 19 Joint Statement, which provides the raison d'tre of the Six-Party Talks, represents a great step forward toward restarting the Six-Party Talks. As Ambassador Bosworth put it, if the two sides had candid and sincere talks, their mutual trust could also be deepened further. We hope that this (momentum) will lead the U.S. and North Korea to reach an agreement to resume the Six-Party Talks as early as possible through a New York channel or further dialogue. A peace treaty, which North Korea strongly demands, should be discussed within the framework of the Six-Party Talks because it is stipulated in the September 19 Joint Statement. If North Korea insists on signing a peace treaty (with the U.S.) without pledging to return to the Six-Party Talks, we cannot but suspect that the North has ulterior motives. Six-Party countries need to pay more attention to establishing a peace regime on the Korean Peninsula in order to bring North Korea back to the Six-Party Talks. DELAYED RESUMPTION OF SIX-PARTY TALKS WILL INCREASE N. KOREA'S SUFFERING (Dong-a Ilbo, December 11, 2009, Page 35) The U.S.-North Korea dialogue was held for the first time since the launch of the Barack Obama Administration, but, in the end, the North did not promise to return to the Six-Party Talks. During his three-day two-night stay in Pyongyang, U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy Stephen Bosworth only met with North Korea's First Vice Foreign Minister Kang Sok-ju and Chief Nuclear Envoy Kim Kye-gwan. Ambassador Bosworth said at yesterday's press conference in Seoul that he did not request a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, nor did he carry President Obama's personal letter for Kim. In other words, it was a working-level dialogue where both sides exchanged what they wanted to say. Ambassador Bosworth said, "(The U.S. and North Korea) identified some common understandings on the need for and the role of the Six-Party Talks and the importance of the implementation of the 2005 Joint Statement." He indicated that the dialogue was meaningful. Although it is encouraging that the North, which had declared the Six-Party Talks dead, acknowledged the need for the multilateral talks and mentioned the implementation of the September 19, 2005 Joint Statement, it is too early to say that North Korea will change. The U.S. repeatedly emphasized that it would not reward North Korea simply for returning to the Six-Party Talks. We cannot give good marks to North Korea, which did not clearly promise to return to the Six-Party Talks. If we must talk about the achievement of this dialogue, it seems to be that the U.S. and North Korea exchanged their true intentions for the first time. While mentioning the possibility of dialogue, North SEOUL 00001941 005 OF 005 Korea hinted that it would not continuously aggravate the situation with its brinkmanship tactics. Ambassador Bosworth also stressed that he had "very useful" talks in North Korea. The talks can be said to be beneficial to the U.S., too, since it obtained direct information on the North, based on which Washington can judge North Korea's intention and future strategy. An ROKG official took a neutral view of the dialogue, saying that it was neither a success nor a failure. Following his briefing to the ROKG, Ambassador Bosworth will visit China, Japan, and Russia starting today to explain the results of the meeting with the North and discuss future measures. Follow-up consultations will continue to assess the outcome of the U.S.-North Korea dialogue and determine how to respond (to the North Korean issue). North Korean leader Kim has said that he would decide whether to participate in the Six-Party Talks, depending on the outcome of the U.S.-North Korea contact. If North Korea acknowledged the need for the Six-Party Talks, it has no reason to drag its feet. The later the North rejoins the Six-Party Talks, the harsher the suffering caused by the UN sanctions. As President Obama said to the North through Ambassador Bosworth, if the North abandons its nuclear ambitions, it will have a different future. A return to the Six-Party Talks is the starting point of that road. STEPHENS