Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09SEOUL398
2009-03-16 06:17:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Seoul
Cable title:
SEOUL - MEDIA REACTION
how-toVZCZCXRO0121 RR RUEHGH DE RUEHUL #0398 0750617 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 160617Z MAR 09 FM AMEMBASSY SEOUL TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3596 RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC 8249 RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 5507 RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 9321 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5399 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC RHHMUNA/USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI RUEHGH/AMCONSUL SHANGHAI 0404 RUEHSH/AMCONSUL SHENYANG 4029 RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI 3021 RUEHGP/AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE 6261 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0644 RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 2029 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1060 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1681
UNCLAS SEOUL 000398
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR ECON KPAO KMDR KS US
SUBJECT: SEOUL - MEDIA REACTION
NORTH KOREA
--------------
"Missile Madness"
Right-of-center JoongAng Ilbo editorialized (03/14): "North Korea's
missile experiment will shake the balance of security over all of
Northeast Asia. First of all, it will stir Japan's anxiety over
safety. In 1998 Japan seethed at the North's launch of a rocket
that flew over the Japanese islands. Because of the launch,
right-wing forces in Japan easily called for enhancement of military
capacity and such capacity was, indeed, boosted. The same will
happen this time too if North Korea goes ahead with its plan.
That's why some say right-wingers in Japan would welcome North
Korea's missile test-launch."
"Seoul Must Deal More Firmly with North Korea"
Conservative Chosun Ilbo editorialized (03/16): "After North Korea
notified international agencies of what it claims is a satellite
launch, the ROKG seems to have decided that there is nothing it can
do. Since the signs of an imminent missile test by North Korea were
detected in early February, the ROKG has tried to prevent it through
cooperation with the Obama Administration. The fact that Pyongyang
apparently ignores such diplomatic pressure shows either that North
Korea has no respect for the ROK-U.S. effort or that the effort
lacks the requisite resolve. Recently Washington is said to have
been reluctant to share intelligence on North Korea with Seoul, out
of suspicion that Seoul keeps leaking it. Cooperation over North
Korea can hardly move forward in such a situation. The ROKG must
reassure the public that it is fully prepared to deal with North
Korean provocations, instead of being left helpless before them."
STEPHENS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR ECON KPAO KMDR KS US
SUBJECT: SEOUL - MEDIA REACTION
NORTH KOREA
--------------
"Missile Madness"
Right-of-center JoongAng Ilbo editorialized (03/14): "North Korea's
missile experiment will shake the balance of security over all of
Northeast Asia. First of all, it will stir Japan's anxiety over
safety. In 1998 Japan seethed at the North's launch of a rocket
that flew over the Japanese islands. Because of the launch,
right-wing forces in Japan easily called for enhancement of military
capacity and such capacity was, indeed, boosted. The same will
happen this time too if North Korea goes ahead with its plan.
That's why some say right-wingers in Japan would welcome North
Korea's missile test-launch."
"Seoul Must Deal More Firmly with North Korea"
Conservative Chosun Ilbo editorialized (03/16): "After North Korea
notified international agencies of what it claims is a satellite
launch, the ROKG seems to have decided that there is nothing it can
do. Since the signs of an imminent missile test by North Korea were
detected in early February, the ROKG has tried to prevent it through
cooperation with the Obama Administration. The fact that Pyongyang
apparently ignores such diplomatic pressure shows either that North
Korea has no respect for the ROK-U.S. effort or that the effort
lacks the requisite resolve. Recently Washington is said to have
been reluctant to share intelligence on North Korea with Seoul, out
of suspicion that Seoul keeps leaking it. Cooperation over North
Korea can hardly move forward in such a situation. The ROKG must
reassure the public that it is fully prepared to deal with North
Korean provocations, instead of being left helpless before them."
STEPHENS