SEOUL - PRESS BULLETIN; March 10, 2009

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 10 SEOUL 000363 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR ECON KPAO KS US SUBJECT: SEOUL - PRESS BULLETIN; March 10, 2009 TOP HEADLINES -------------- Chosun Ilbo, Dong-a Ilbo ¶N. Korea Cuts Off Military Communication Lines with ROK, Virtually "Detaining" 620 ROK People in the North JoongAng Ilbo 621 ROK People Stranded in N. Korea Hankook Ilbo, Hankyoreh Shinmun, Segye Ilbo, Seoul Shinmun, All TVs 80 ROK People, Scheduled to Return from Kaesong Industrial Complex, Fail to Cross the Border after the North Korean Action DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS -------------- A spokesman for the General Staff of the (North) Korean People's Army, in a March 9 statement, said that North Korea will cut off military communication lines with the ROK and that they will remain disconnected for the duration of March 9-20 ROK-U.S. joint military drills. (All) The North Korean military also vowed to retaliate against attempts to intercept its planned "satellite" launch, arguing: "Shooting down our satellite (which was designed) for peaceful purposes will mean a war." (All) The ROKG denounced the North's action yesterday as a violation of inter-Korean agreements on military communications, and strongly urged Pyongyang to withdraw the measure. (All) According to the ROK Unification Ministry, there were a total of 620 (621) ROK people in North Korea as of yesterday, including 573 at the Kaesong Industrial Complex. The ROK people would likely remain stranded in the North at least until the ROK-U.S. joint drills end on March 20. (All) Stephen Bosworth, the U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy, was quoted as saying after a series of meetings with ROK officials in Seoul yesterday: "Obviously, this (the North Korean action) is something that we regret. We think that improved communications between the two Koreas must in the longer run be a key component of the Six-Party effort to reduce tension and to bring about the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula." Ambassador Bosworth also made it clear that he has no plans to visit North Korea on this trip to the region. (JoongAng, Dong-a, Hankook, Hankyoreh, Segye, Seoul) Local experts, meanwhile, raised the possibility of ROK workers in North Korea becoming "hostages" if an armed conflict occurs between the two Koreas. (Chosun) Experts also viewed the North Korean action as designed to grab the Obama Administration's attention in order to get the upper hand in future negotiations, as well as to put pressure on the ROK. (Dong-a, Seoul) INTERNATIONAL NEWS -------------- North Korea released the names of newly elected lawmakers yesterday, but all of leader Kim Jong-il's three sons were "absent" from the list, despite speculation about the possible political debut of Kim's youngest son, Jung-un, by election to the Supreme People's Assembly. (All) SEOUL 00000363 002 OF 010 In a related development, an ROK Unification Ministry official commented that this development might be intended to quell speculation on a possible power transition in the North and to tighten leader Kim Jong-il's grip on power. (Chosun) MEDIA ANALYSIS -------------- -North Korea -------------- The ROK media gave top front-and inside-page play to North Korea's announcement yesterday that it will cut off military communication lines with the ROK during the March 9-20 ROK-U.S. joint military drills. North Korea was further cited as having vowed to retaliate against attempts to intercept its planned "satellite" launch, arguing: "Shooting down our satellite (which was designed) for peaceful purposes will mean a war." The ROK media took special note of the safety of about 621 ROK workers in North Korea, including 573 at the Kaesong Industrial Complex. The ROK media reported that some 80 ROK people, scheduled to return yesterday from the inter-Korean industrial complex, failed to cross the border after the North Korean action, and surmised that the ROK workers would likely remain stranded in the North at least until the ROK-U.S. joint drills end on March 20. Stephen Bosworth, the U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy, was widely quoted as expressing regret over the North Korean move, saying after a series of meetings with ROK officials in Seoul yesterday: "Obviously, this (the North Korean move) is something that we regret. We think that improved communications between the two Koreas must in the longer run be a key component of the Six-Party effort to reduce tension and to bring about the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula." Ambassador Bosworth was further quoted as making it clear that he has no plans to visit North Korea on this trip to the region. Citing local experts, most of the ROK media raised the possibility of ROK workers in North Korea becoming "hostages" if an armed conflict occurs between the two Koreas. The media also viewed the North Korean action as designed to grab the Obama Administration's attention in order to get the upper hand in future negotiations, as well as to put pressure on the ROK. The ROK media also gave wide attention to the North's release yesterday of the names of newly elected lawmakers, noting that all of leader Kim Jong-il's three sons were "absent" from the list, contrary to speculation about the possible political debut of Kim's youngest son, Jung-un, by election to the Supreme People's Assembly. Chosun Ilbo quoted an ROK Unification Ministry official as commenting that this development might be intended to quell speculation on a possible power transition in the North and to tighten leader Kim Jong-il's grip on power. JoongAng Ilbo editorialized: "Cutting off military communications means that the last channel for the two Koreas to communicate in case of an emergency has disappeared. If an accidental clash takes place between the two Koreas, a failure to communicate might mean a war. Since the Lee Myung-bak Administration was launched, Pyongyang has put pressure on Seoul by expelling South Korean authorities from the industrial complex, reducing the number of South Korean workers stationed there and imposing strict limits on land travel in and out of the North. Now it has taken the extreme measure of paralyzing the transportation of manpower and goods. The North says that the blackout will only be in effect during the military exercise, but if the situation worsens, the safety of South Korean workers stationed in the industrial complex could be seriously jeopardized." Dong-a Ilbo's editorial argued: "North Korea... blocked the return of 80 South Koreans who sought to go home from the inter-Korean industrial complex in the North Korean border city of Kaesong. This 'detention' was a de facto provocation. This is quite a precarious action that a normal country would not consider. Even a small SEOUL 00000363 003 OF 010 mistake can lead to confrontation in a stand-off situation. To prevent this, military communications were set up. The North must be afraid of how the international community as well as the ROK and the U.S. will respond to the cutoff of the hotline." -Stem Cell Research -------------- JoongAng Ilbo's editorial noted President Barack Obama's announcement to allow federal funding for stem cell research, stating: "The U.S. government is working to create new development plans with the latest technologies, and it seems as though Obama's policies are designed to do more than simply overcome the economic crisis. They contain the beginnings of a sketch for what industry in the 21st century can become. The Administration's first experiments involve the biotechnology industry, the use of alternative energy and stem cell research. Though there are doubts as to whether the U.S. will succeed, it is more likely that when a country as powerful as the U.S. starts new projects, other countries will follow along. So, too, should the ROK be on the alert for industry innovations." The Obama Administration's Engagement Policy Chosun Ilbo ran an inside-page report on the Obama Administration's "engagement policy" to bring U.S. enemies to the dialogue table. Citing a March 9 Wall Street Journal report, Chosun noted that U.S. friends and allies in the Middle East and Eastern Europe are looking "glumly" at the Obama Administration's recent series of conciliatory gestures toward Iran, Syria and Russia. Chosun headlined its story: "Obama's Embrace of Enemies Makes Allies Anxious" OPINIONS/EDITORIALS -------------- A New Low for Kim Jong-il (Dong-a Ilbo, March 10, 2009, Page 31) North Korea cut the inter-Korean military hotline yesterday and blocked the return of 80 South Koreans who sought to go home from the inter-Korean industrial complex in the North Korean border city of Kaesong. This detention was a de facto provocation. Fears are growing over the safety of 573 South Koreans remaining in the complex. The North, which has raised bilateral tension since a South Korean tourist at the Mount Kumgang resort was shot dead last year, is now threatening the security of South Koreans in the complex. Seoul must ensure their safety at all costs. The North severed the hotline because of the start of the South Korea-U.S. joint military drills Key Resolve and Foal Eagle. The North had been notified by the United Nations Command about the exercises and was invited to observe (the exercises),yet Pyongyang blasted them as an exercise to invade North Korea. This is quite a precarious action that a normal country could not consider. Even a small mistake can lead to confrontation in a stand-off situation. To prevent this, military communications were set up. The North must be scared of how the international community, as well as South Korea and the United States, will respond to the cutoff of the hotline. Severing communications and detaining residents in the complex nullified the agreement on military guarantees for transit, communication and customs clearance in inter-Korean restricted areas, and (also nullified) an accord guaranteeing South Koreans' entrance, stay and personal security. Whether the North can force the South to observe the 2000 and 2007 inter-Korean agreements is unclear. North Korea will be making a mistake if its actions are geared to divert its people's attention away from their economic difficulty. Kim Jong-il must think hard why Seoul is not budging toward Pyongyang's repeated threats and provocations. Even after a limit was placed on South Korean visits to the complex in December last year, the number of North Korean workers there was raised to 38,000. South Korea knows that North Korea badly needs the complex despite its provocative words. SEOUL 00000363 004 OF 010 Not surprisingly, North Koreans approved candidates designated by their government in the North's parliamentary elections. Few countries are as undemocratic as North Korea in the 21th century. Who can believe North Korea's talk of sovereignty and peace when it lies so much? The South Korean government must do its best to secure the safety of South Koreans in the business complex, while calmly dealing with the North's threats. Rather than provoking Pyongyang, Seoul should cooperate with the international community to get the detained people home. * This is a translation provided by the newspaper, and it is identical to the Korean version. Protect Kaesong Workers (JoongAng Ilbo, March 10, 2009, Page 26) North Korea has unilaterally severed a military communications channel, the only means of communication between the South and the North, citing the South Korea-U.S. annual military exercise Key Resolve as the reason. Consequently, travel by South Korean workers who pass through the military demarcation line to go to and from the Kaesong Industrial Complex hasstopped. Around 700 civilians who were about to go to the industrial park yesterday could not do so, as they did not receive approval from the North. On the same day some 80 South Koreans had difficulty returning home from the North. This is a serious situation, and we cannot rule out the possibility that 500 or so South Korean workers who remain in the Kaesong complex may become hostages. As South Korea and the United States have repeatedly emphasized, Key Resolve is a drill for defensive purposes in case of a sudden North Korean military attack on the South. This is not the first year we've held the exercise. The South Korean and U.S. military authorities even invited the North Korean military to watch the drill. Cutting off military communications means that the last channel for the South and the North to communicate in case of an emergency has disappeared. If an accidental clash takes place between the two Koreas, a failure to communicate might mean a war. Since the Lee Myung-bak Administration was launched, Pyongyang has put pressure on Seoul by expelling South Korean authorities from the industrial park, reducing the number of South Korean workers stationed there and imposing strict limits on land travel in and out of the North. Now it has taken the extreme measure of paralyzing the transportation of manpower and goods. The North says that the blackout will only be in effect during the military exercise but, if the situation worsens, the safety of South Korean workers stationed in the industrial park could be seriously jeopardized. The Kaesong Industrial Complex, the symbol of economic cooperation between the South and the North, has stayed on track despite ups and downs. Ninety-three South Korean companies employ 39,000 North Korean workers there. Last year, the industrial park enjoyed $250 million in production, up 36 percent from the previous year. But now we must not cling to its meaning as a symbol. Nothing is more important than the safety of our people. We must take a determined stand and even consider closing the industrial complex completely if that becomes unavoidable (in order to protect) their safety. * This is a translation provided by the newspaper, and it is identical to the Korean version. Safe Return of ROK Workers at Kaesong Industrial Complex Should be Ensured (Hankook Ilbo, March 10, 2009, Page 35) If North Korea continues to bar ROK people stranded in the Kaesong Industrial Complex from returning, this will be an intolerable act of detention. For any reason, it is unforgivable to restrict border crossings of civilians who have nothing to do with military drill or SEOUL 00000363 005 OF 010 political issues. North Korea should see that ROK workers are returned safely as soon as possible. Many Koreans feel anxious about North Korea's repeated threats of merciless military retaliation. However, observers say that it would be difficult for the North to carry out a military move at the risk of its escalating into an all-out war. North Korea's threat, which has reached its climax, can be an expression of fear about Key Resolve, a military exercise mobilizing a large scale of military force and firepower. We should not respond to North Korea's threat too sensitively. Sealing off Kaesong Is the Wrong Move (Chosun Ilbo, March 10, 2009, Page 27) The transit of personnel and materials in and out of the Kaesong Industrial Complex has been completely halted with North Korea's abrupt announcement early Monday morning that it would sever all military communication channels with South Korea. A spokesman for the General Staff of the People's Army said in a statement that the communist country would "take much tougher military control over the joint-management areas in the East and West Sea in order to guarantee the safety of these areas," trying hard to make it seem as if their moves were defensive in nature. The military drills which North Korea is citing as problems are the "Key Resolve" and "Foal Eagle" exercises, which are annual defense drills that South Korea carries out with the U.S. and about which it has given the North ample notice. But North Korea is ratcheting up tensions, with its military issuing a combat readiness stance and severing its only communication link with South Korea, something it has not done before. Other countries such as China and Russia conduct military drills with their allies. And other neighboring countries, excluding North Korea, are not citing any problems with the latest exercises. The observations of South Korean and foreign analysts - that North Korea is ratcheting up tensions to unite its people under a common cause - gain more credence considering that North Koreais in the midst of a regime reshuffle, launching its 12th Supreme People's Assembly. Feeling the direct impact of the North Korean blockade are the 90 or so small and mid-sized South Korean businesses that have set up manufacturing operations in the Kaesong complex. On Monday alone, 726 workers and 373 vehicles were unable to enter the complex. The longer the blockade drags on, (the more) problems those businesses will face in manufacturing products there and (the more money they will) lose due to delays in meeting delivery schedules. But the damage is not restricted only to the South Korean businesses and the 39,000 North Korean workers who make a living there. North Korea has once again shown the world its penchant for unilaterally scrapping bilateral agreements. What is clear is that the move has diminished the merits of the Kaesong complex and undermined the credibility of the entire country. By ratcheting up tensions at a time when the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama is in the midst of reexamining its entire global policies, including the North Korean nuclear dilemma, the North may succeed to some degree in diverting the world's attention onto the Korean Peninsula. But its typical method of grabbing attention by overturning the table leads to more losses than gains. It only diminishes North Korea's international credibility by further consolidating its image as a troublemaker intent on creating more problems on top of its nuclear program. * This is a translation provided by the newspaper, and it is identical to the Korean version. No Communication Line between North and South Korea (Hankyoreh Shinmun, March 10, 2009, Page 23) Inter-Korean relations are getting worse every day. North and South have no open line of communication now because the contact link SEOUL 00000363 006 OF 010 between military officials on both sides has been shut down by the Northerners because it is angry about the U.S.- Republic of Korea "Key Resolve" military exercises (March 9-20). The wireless hotline between naval ships was already non-functional, so all means of communication between North and South have broken down. You get the feeling we are returning to the Cold War days when officials had almost little regular contact and attacked each other with loudspeakers, yelling propaganda across the DMZ. The closing of the militaries' communications line is having an effect on companies at the Kaesong Industrial Complex, which used that channel to handle the procedures for getting people and goods across the borders. Hundreds of Southerners scheduled to visit the North yesterday were unable to go, and Southerners in Kaesong are being inconvenienced, (with the result) that the Kaesong Industrial Complex could be hurt, just as tours to Kaesong City and Mount Kumgang came to a screeching halt. Southern companies operating factories there are going to become increasingly anxious about their investments. There can be no justification for the North's one-sided decision to hold the industrial complex as leverage. North Korea is limiting this latest action to the period of the ROK-U.S. 'Key Resolve' military exercises. Some observers hold that Pyongyang is not going to do anything really extreme as long as it has hopes of improving relations with the U.S. Not that this latest development should be taken lightly, either. This North Korean move is an extension of its March 5 warning that ROK civilian airplanes would no longer be allowed through the North's airspace and the earlier declaration that it would invalidate all inter-Korean military agreements. So it is possible that North Korea could play yet another card, even after the military exercises are over, if changes are not brought to the current, chilly relations between the two Koreas." Key Resolve is a yearly military exercise that assumes (that a) war (has begun),which replaces the RSOI (Reception, Staging, Onward Movements and Integration) exercises by the U.S. and South that were held until 2007, and the old Team Spirit exercises that were held as regular joint war games up to the year 1994. The North attacked the exercises during the Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun Administrations, too, but it never cut off communications and the North Korean People's Army command never ordered war-preparation stance. The fact that the North's (current) attitude is similar to it its attitude during the Team Spirit exercises, then, is an indicator as to how poor relations are right now. Once relations go sour, you have a vicious cycle in which one action leads to more serious ones. The South Korean government seems to be waiting for Pyongyang to get tired of its current tactics. There is nothing much left to do but anger and offend each other if relations get to the point of no return. This is not the way to go about coexistence and mutual prosperity. The social, economic, and international political cost to be paid by both sides is just too great. The Seoul government needs to find some solutions before more time is lost. * This is a translation provided by the newspaper, and it is identical to the Korean version. FEATURES -------------- 570 S. Korean Staff Detained in Biz Complex in NK (Dong-a Ilbo, March 10, 2009, Front Page) North Korea's cutoff of an inter-Korean military hotline yesterday left some 570 South Korean staff in the Kaesong Industrial Complex stranded. This came as South Korea and the United States began their annual joint military exercises Key Resolve and Foal Eagle. A spokesman for the (North) Korean People`s Army issued a statement around 3 a.m., saying, "We will put stricter military control on SEOUL 00000363 007 OF 010 areas in the East and West Seas jointly controlled by the two Koreas that are open, while war exercises to invade us are conducted. We will cut off inter-Korean military communication." Pyongyang did not respond to Seoul's three attempts at contact via military communication in the morning. Last year, North Korea severed the direct inter-Korean hotline at the border village of Panmunjom Nov. 12. The North's unilateral decision forced a stop to exchanges at the inter-Korean transit office, which took place six times a day under communications measures guaranteed by the military authorities of both Koreas. The Unification Ministry in Seoul said 242 South Koreans and 163 vehicles scheduled to come back to the South through the inter-Korean transit office in the afternoon failed to head to the South. In addition, 726 South Koreans and 373 cars were barred from entering the Kaesong Industrial Complex. Ministry spokesman Kim Ho-nyoun said, "Generally, 1,200 to 1,300 South Korean businessmen and workers stay in the complex, but many of them came to the South over the weekend to spend time with their families. As of Monday, 573 people and 380 cars remain in the North." "Pyongyang must retract this decision in order to guarantee the free flow of people to Kaesong and the Mount Kumgang area and (the free flow of) communications. The government will take necessary action immediately to guarantee our people's safety and help business go smoothly." The North hit back, saying, "We will immediately respond to a ballistic attack aimed at our satellite (which was designed) for peace purposes with the strongest military means. An attack on our "peace-intended" satellite will mean war." The North's army also issued a separate "report" on the beginning of the joint military drills, saying, "We sent an order to retaliate if even a spark of fire is seen in our republic's air, land or sea." * This is a translation provided by the newspaper, and it is identical to the Korean version. Bosworth Says, "Korean Peninsula Should Be Denuclearized," Indicating that the Six-Party Talks and U.S.-North Korea Dialogue Will Go Hand in Hand (Hankyoreh Shinmun, March 10, 2009, Page 4) By Reporter Lee Je-hoon Closed-door meeting with President Lee U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy Stephen Bosworth appeared in front of domestic and foreign reporters on the second floor of the annex of the Central Government Complex at Doryum-dong, Seoul, at 6 p.m. on March 9. This effectively marked the end of his tour of China, Japan, and the ROK, which started on March 3. Considering that his remarks are a "message toward the North" based on the outcome of discussions with the ROK, China, and Japan, they cannot but draw much attention. Overall, he stressed two points. First, he emphasized, "The fundamental goal of the United States is the complete and verifiable denuclearization of the Korean peninsula." Second, he said, "We continue to regard the Six Party process as the central element of our effort to continue with the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula." He added, "We are hopeful that we can see the resumption of the Six Party process in the relatively near future. And I think we have the basis for further consultations with our other partners in the Six Party process." He indicated that he will continue the "efforts on denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula through the Six-Party Talks" and create an environment for the early resumption of the Six-Party Talks. SEOUL 00000363 008 OF 010 He did not go as far as to mention "U.S.-North Korea diplomatic normalization," an issue which the North would want to hear. However, he touched upon U.S.-North Korea relations. When asked if U.S.-North Korea high-level contact might undermine the Six-Party Talks, he responded, "The U.S. has always been willing to have high level contacts with the North Koreans," adding, "It certainly does not mean in this case that our commitment to the Six Party process is any less." This is a message saying that (he) will pursue the Six-Party process and the U.S.-North Korea high-level dialogue at the same time. When reporters asked him if he is going to North Korea, he answered with a laugh, "I'm going home tomorrow." Bosworth is scheduled to depart for Washington on the morning of March 10. However, he recently said, "We want dialogue with North Korea," adding, "Probably, at some point of time, I think (I) will visit North Korea." ROK Chief Delegate to the Six-Party Talks Wi Sung-lac said, "We had discussions and exchanged ideas with U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy Bosworth about ways to prevent Pyongyang's missile launches and resume the Six-Party Talks." Regarding the Six-Party Talks, Wi said, "We are willing to have any consultations, including those about the verification (of North Korea's nuclear declaration)." In addition, he stressed the will to resume the Six-Party Talks at an early date, saying, "If only the multilateral talks are held, they will be beneficial." It is noteworthy that President Lee Myung-bak had a closed-door meeting with U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy Bosworth at the Blue House on the afternoon of March 9. This is because the meeting clearly shows that on the occasion of Bosworth's visit, the ROKG attaches much significance to the coordination of North Korea policies between Seoul and Washington. On March 9, Special Representative Bosworth also met with almost all high-ranking government officials on foreign policy and security, including the Prime Minister, the Ministers of Unification, Foreign Affairs and Trade, and National Defense, and the Presidential Senior Secretary for Foreign Policy and Security. This contrasts sharply with his schedules in China and Japan, where he met with neither Chinese President Hu Jintao nor Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso. In view of both the level and the scope of participants in the meetings, it can be said that the ROK-U.S. discussions dominated the U.S.-China and U.S.-Japan discussions. Is U.S. Influence Waning? (JoongAng Ilbo, March 10, 2009, Page 4) The government of Kyrgyzstan decided to shut a U.S. air base. During her visit to China, Clinton focused on selling U.S. Treasury bonds rather than speaking for human rights. U.S. sends a reconciliation gesture to Taliban's moderates, signaling a change in its foreign affairs policy. In Central Asian Kyrgyzstan, legislators on March 10 passed a bill closing a U.S. air base in its territory. This came after the U.S. rejected demands for an increase in annual rent for the base and Russia persuaded Kyrgyzstan to drive out U.S. forces in return for massive aid. With the passage of the bill, the U.S. forces should leave the country within six months. In her visit to Beijing last month, U.S. Secretary of State Clinton urged China to continue investing in U.S. Treasury bonds. She avoided (discussing) the issue of human rights in China, which could mar important U.S.-China relations. This is in stark contrast to her visit to Beijing in 1995 when she harshly criticized China on human rights. . Newsweek, a U.S. news magazine, reported that this is one of the signals that the influence of the U.S. is waning. The U.S., the world's biggest power, is seen as shaky in the international community due to financial crisis it triggered. With its economic power declining, the U.S. is noticeably weakening in terms of its diplomatic power and military power. SEOUL 00000363 009 OF 010 Defeated in a struggle of power with Russia The U.S. has used Kyrgyzstan's Manas base as an important staging post for U.S forces fighting in Afghanistan. Each month, 15,000 U.S. soldiers and 500 tons of goods are ferried into Afghanistan through the Manas base. However, if the U.S. air base is closed, this will put a damper on President Obama's plan to deploy additional 30,000 soldiers. The U.S. forces are to be driven out of the Manas base because of Moscow's money and influence. According to the AFP News Agency, Kyrgyzstan has received 150 million dollars in aid from the U.S., including 63 million dollars of rent. But Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev said that the U.S. ignored his repeated demands for an increase in annual rent for the base. In the meantime, Russia offered a 2.15 billion dollars aid package and loan and President Bakiyev accepted it. Newsweek analyzed that Kyrgystan's decision to shut a U.S. air base is due largely to Moscow's ardent efforts to increase its influence in the Central Asia region which was a part of the former Soviet Union. The U.S. badly needs support from China During her visit to China, Secretary Clinton urged China to continue investing in U.S. Treasury bonds. This shows that the U.S. is in dire straits. China possesses U.S. bonds worth 1 trillion dollars including Treasury bonds and instruments. This could give China influence over U.S. economy. If China calls in its U.S. bonds all at once, U.S. dollars will plunge in value. An expert observed that if this happens, there could be an economic 'Pearl Harbor'. He added that even if China raises the interest rate, dollars will crash in value. U.S. foreign policy becomes softer. In an interview with the New York Times on March 6, President Obama said that the U.S. will reach out to Taliban's moderates and leave open the possibility of reconciliation. Even considering that the U.S. said it is possible to have dialogue with hostile countries such as Iran and North Korea, its professed position to talk with the Taliban seems to show that its one-sided diplomatic and security policy is no longer effective. The U.S. is hurrying to improve ties with Cuba. Britain's daily newspaper, the Guardian's internet edition opined that the U.S. will attempt to reshape its ties with Cuba at the Summit of the Americas scheduled to be held in Trinidad and Tobago next month. North Cuts off Military Communications with South (Hankyoreh Shinmun, March 10, 2009, Page 3) By Reporter Sohn Won-je Seoul seems slow to react to the situation, but has almost exhausted non-military means for pressuring Pyongyang for change. Early on March 9, North Korea declared that it is cutting off the military hotline between North and South during Seoul's "Key Resolve" joint military exercises with the United States, and immediately began blocking the passage of South Korean personnel to and from the Kaesong Industrial Complex. Some 726 Southerners were scheduled to visit the North later that day but were unable to go, while roughly 80 Southerners set to return from Kaesong were unable to return onschedule. Border crossings had been taking place by using the communication line that exists between the militaries of both sides to convey travel plans, and the loss of that channel of communication means that necessary information cannot be conveyed. Despite this, the Seoul government seems halfhearted in its management of the situation. Later the same morning, the South's Ministry of Unification issued a spokesperson's statement. It was a little stronger in tone than previous comments by the ministry spokesman in response to other North Korean moves meant to pressure the South. But that was all. And Unification Ministry statements continue to be all too weak in attaining the desired effects. The statement of SEOUL 00000363 010 OF 010 March 9 says the South Korean government "will swiftly take the necessary measures for the safety of our personnel in Kaesong and at Mount Kumgang and for the smooth continuance of projects there," but the only action it took was to indirectly ask Pyongyang, through the Kaesong Industrial Complex Management Committee, to allow Southern personnel to cross the border. Reportedly, the North Korean counterpart said it is "waiting for instructions from above" and has made no further response. Seoul still is not considering retaliatory moves. It is worried about the safety of the Southerners still in Kaesong if the situation were to escalate and, furthermore, there have been no signs of a potential military clash, since the North Korean military has not been observed in any unusual activity. The assumption is also that the North will not let the situation get so far out of hand that it would look like it is deliberately holding Southerners, something that could bring international wrath and military action on the part of the United States and the South. The problem, then, is that other than making demands and requests, Seoul has no other means at its disposal. Inter-Korean relations have been worsening for some time now, and almost all available channels have broken down. It has almost exhausted non-military means to pressure Pyongyang for change, like with rice and fertilizer. Pyongyang has continued with a barrage of measures meant to step up pressure on Seoul since the inauguration of President Lee Myung-bak. It expelled Southern officials in the North, put restrictions on land travel across the border, nullified various military agreements and warned about the possibility of armed clashes, and now it has halted Southern civilian air travel through its airspace during the Key Resolve exercises. Each and every time, the Lee Administration's strategy has been to deliberately ignore what has happened, deciding "not to get excited or upset" at "each little North Korean threat." Now that those threats have revealed themselves in the form of concrete action, however, Seoul is left with its hands tied, unable to do much more than watch. * This is a translation provided by the newspaper, and it is identical to the Korean version. STEPHENS