SEOUL - PRESS BULLETIN; April 9, 2009

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 SEOUL 000581 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR ECON KPAO KS US SUBJECT: SEOUL - PRESS BULLETIN; April 9, 2009 TOP HEADLINES -------------- Chosun Ilbo, Segye Ilbo, Seoul Shinmun Former President Roh and His Wife to be Summoned Soon over Receipt of Money from Taekwang Industrial Chairman Park, who is at the Center of Bribery Scandal JoongAng Ilbo Former President Roh's Son: "I Invested $10,000 in a U.S. Venture Company... I Never Used Even 10 Won of Chairman Park's Money" Dong-a Ilbo Taekwang Industrial Chairman Park: "I Provided $5 Million to Former President Roh's Nephew-In-Law at the President's Request" Hankook Ilbo Taekwang Chairman Park Allegedly Told Prosecutors that He Provided Money to Roh's Former Secretary, Asking Him to Deliver the Money to Roh Hankyoreh Shinmun Former President Roh's Son Met Taekwang CEO with the Former President's Nephew-In-Law DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS -------------- According to an ROKG official, Seoul supports U.S.-North Korea talks on the North's missile issue within the framework of the Six-Party Talks. (Hankyoreh) INTERNATIONAL NEWS -------------- North Korea's latest rocket launch could spark an arms race in Northeast Asia. Japan is using the launch as an opportunity to beef up its military power; it has decided to advance its military build-up plan by one year. China also is strengthening its military capability, itself wary that the U.S., the ROK and Japan are using the rocket launch as a pretext to increase their military power. (JoongAng) North Korea will open the 12th Supreme People's Assembly session today, beginning Kim Jong-il's third term as the country's leader. (All) According to the April 7 issue of The New York Times, the U.S. seeks to replace the walk-through metal detectors at airport checkpoints with whole-body imaging machines, which provide an image of the naked body. The whole-body imaging machines are currently in use at 19 airports in the U.S. This move would likely spark controversy over human rights violations, because the body-imaging machines are the "equivalent of a physically invasive strip-search." (Chosun, JoongAng, Hankook, Seoul, MBC) MEDIA ANALYSIS -------------- -North Korea -------------- Right-of-center JoongAng Ilbo gave prominent inside-page play to its report claiming that North Korea's latest rocket launch could spark an arms race in Northeast Asia. The report explained that Japan is using the launch as an opportunity to beef up its military. China also is strengthening its military capability, itself wary that the U.S., the ROK and Japan are using the rocket launch as a pretext to SEOUL 00000581 002 OF 005 increase their military power, according to the report. JoongAng Ilbo editorialized: "The effects of North Korea's rocket launch are serious. ... There are some in the ROK who want to see us develop our own missile and nuclear programs. Japan is also taking this as an opportunity to reinforce its military power. North Korea has certainly succeeded in attracting international attention, but that is the end of the story. As long as the North continues to threaten the world, the international community has no choice but to respond with sanctions or similar measures." Citing local experts, who looked at video footage of the North's rocket launch released by AP, conservative Chosun Ilbo claimed that the North's rocket was made using the technology of the "Long March-1" rocket China fired in the 1970s. Left-leaning Hankyoreh Shinmun quoted an ROKG official as saying yesterday that Seoul supports U.S.-North Korea talks on the North's missile issue within the framework of the Six-Party Talks. The newspaper noted that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton proposed in March that the missile issue should be included on the agenda for the Six-Party Talks, and speculated that the ROKG hopes this position could help bring North Korea to the negotiation table as soon as possible. OPINIONS/EDITORIALS -------------- LAUNCH FALLOUT (JoongAng Ilbo, April 9, 2009, Page 46) The effects of North Korea's rocket launch are serious. The United Nations Security Council has yet to agree on a response to the launch. There are some in the ROK who want to see us develop our own missile and nuclear programs. Japan is also taking this as an opportunity to reinforce its military power. North Korea has certainly succeeded in attracting international attention, but that is the end of the story. As long as the North continues to threaten the world, the international community has no choice but to respond with sanctions or similar measures. The North is celebrating the successful launch of a communications satellite, but the world knows that nothing made it into orbit. Even if this launch was just a show for the opening of the North's Supreme People's Assembly, it is still absurd. However, if the launch was designed to promote the North's "military-first policy," its effects are not likely to last. The North is a reclusive regime, but news about the failure of the launch will soon spread, increasing the North Korean people's distrust of their leaders. Meanwhile, the North has detained two American journalists and a Korean worker, perhaps as a negotiating tool. The North probably thought that holding the Americans hostage would provide it with an opening to engage the U.S. in direct talks. The launch also seems aimed at creating division in the ROK by presenting it with an obstacle to its North Korea policy. What North Korea has done is ugly and inhumane. This latest crisis, with the preceding events, has also negatively impacted the Kaesong Industrial Complex. Prior to the launch, the North prevented ROK officials from freely traveling to and from the joint industrial zone, demanded that an annual ROK-U.S. military drill be stopped and called on the ROK to change its North Korea policy. As tensions begin to escalate, companies already operating within the Kaesong complex are reconsidering their prospects and cancelling plans for new factories. The two Koreas have invested a decade into the project, but the future now seems precarious. The North must regain its sense of reason. It is impossible to imagine any nation building diplomatic ties with the world while simultaneously threatening it with nuclear arms and missiles. North Korea should take China's example to heart. Only a generation after its decision to adopt reforms, China has developed into a superpower SEOUL 00000581 003 OF 005 competitive as the United States. Vietnam is another example of an emerging economy growing out of decades of reform. Is it too much to expect the North to follow in the footsteps of these nations, which managed rapid growth while maintaining socialist regimes? (This is a translation provided by the newspaper, and it is identical to the Korean version.) FEATURES -------------- ROKG OFFICIAL: SEOUL SUPPORTS U.S.-NORTH KOREA TALKS OVER MISSILE WITHIN SIX-PARTY TALKS (Hankyoreh Shinmun, April 9, 2009, Page 6) By reporter Lee Yong-in Amid international discussions over a response to North Korea's rocket launch, the ROKG reportedly decided to support U.S.-North Korea talks on the North's missile issue within the framework of the Six-Party Talks. An ROKG official said on April 8 that in whatever manner possible, North Korea's missile issue should be dealt with. The U.S. and the ROK share the view that the North's missile issue should be addressed at U.S.-North Korea talks within the Six-Party Talks. In fact, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton proposed in March that the missile issue should be included on the agenda for the Six-Party Talks. This position could help bring North Korea to the negotiation table as soon as possible. Missile talks would mean (the possibility of) compensation (for North Korea). Accordingly, the U.S. intention is to engage North Korea in talks more actively by increasing the amount of compensation the North could receive. Putting missile talks within the framework of the Six-Party Talks might be advantageous for the U.S. since responsibilities and risks could be shared. In light of the progress on U.S.-North Korea missile talks in 2000, the U.S. is in a position to offer to launch North Korea's satellite into orbit in return for a moratorium on its missile firing. Russia might offer to launch North Korea's satellite instead. Moreover, whenever U.S.-North Korea talks are deadlocked, we can expect arbitration and coordination from China. The Six-Party Talks are the only way for the ROK to secure room for diplomatic maneuver since inter-Korean relations are strained. That is why the ROKG officials continue to stress the need to resume the Six-Party Talks. Also, a long-distance rocket is the main issue of contention between North Korea and the U.S. Therefore, many experts believe that there is a high possibility that after dealing with the missile issue through bilateral talks, the U.S. and North Korea may hold working-level talks towards normalizing U.S.-North Korea relations. This is why the Six-Party Talks and U.S.-North Korea bilateral talks regarding the missile issue go hand in hand. However, experts are concerned that if the missile issue is also discussed during the Six-Party Talks negotiating the nuclear issue, the Talks may stall for quite a long time. A diplomatic observer said on condition of anonymity that negotiations to set timetables for both nuclear dismantlement and missile compensation will delay matters. KOREA-U.S. VISION ASSOCIATION (KUVA) FOUNDED (Maeil Business Newspaper, April 9, 2009, Page 37) By reporter Yun Won-seop Kim Jin-hyun was elected as founding President. The Korea-U.S. Vision Association (KUVA) bringing together Koreans who have participated in U.S. Department of State-sponsored exchange programs was established on April 8. Kim Jin-hyun, Chairman of the SEOUL 00000581 004 OF 005 World Peace Forum, was elected as the first President of the KUVA. At the founding ceremony held on the same day at the Seoul Press Center, President Kim said, "KUVA members are those aware of the importance and closeness of ROK-U.S. relations in the 20th century. He stressed that the Association will serve to bolster the ROK-U.S. alliance. President Kim noted that Korea's success has allowed its people to share common values, such as liberty and human rights, with the U.S. He added that the U.S. said Korea is increasingly becoming a more valuable Asian ally, capable of exchanging "high civilized values" with the U.S. The State Department-sponsored exchange programs include the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP),Fulbright Program, Eisenhower Fellowship, and Congress Youth Exchange (CYX),which have produced approximately 3,000 alumni in aggregate. It seems that the KUVA's founding has paved the way to integrate and develop these alumni organizations. The Association has 15 steering members including Director for the Future Foundation Koo Hae-woo and plans to increase the number of board members. Also, the Association plans to register its general alumni association as a non-profit organization with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. "NORTH KOREA SHOWS MUCH PROGRESS IN ROCKET TECHNOLOGY" ... JAPAN ADVANCES MILITARY EXPANSION PLAN BY A YEAR (JoongAng Ilbo, April 9, 2009, Page 6) By Correspondents Kim Dong-ho and Chang Se-jung from Tokyo and Beijing North Korea's long-range rocket launch is expected to spark an arms race in Northeast Asia. Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party even raised the need for "nuclear armament." The Japanese Ministry of Defense is showing signs of increasing its supply of high-tech armaments in earnest. The ministry has decided to devise its next mid-term defense plan this year, a year earlier than initially planned, because of the threat from the North. Under this plan for military expansion from 2010 to 2014, Japan will finish building its Missile Defense (MD) system by 2012. Japan also plans to persuade the U.S. to allow it to introduce F-22 stealth fighters. China is concerned about this development. Although the Chinese government has not made any official comments yet, China's state-run media is keeping close tabs on military expansion plans in the U.S., Japan and the ROK. There are concerns that Japan's move toward military buildup may provoke China, further intensifying an arms race in Northeast Asia. Japan Finds Justification for Military Expansion According to Japanese media, Rep. Goji Sakamoto of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP),who is responsible for strengthening the party structure, said during an April 7 liaison conference of staff members, "They (the North Koreans) possess nuclear (weapons programs). Isn't it okay to say that Japan also 'has them'?" Although some Japanese ultra-rightists have raised the need for nuclear armament, it is very unusual for a LDP leader to mention nuclear armament at the party's official meeting. As his remark was expected to stir up controversy, Rep. Sakamoto backed off, stating at a press conference, "Don't you know that Japan can neither go nuclear nor withdraw from the UN? I simply made these comments to suggest that we should respond sternly with North Korea." However, his comments also boosted rightists' calls for "nuclear armament." On April 8, Japanese media gave wide coverage to analyzing images of the rocket launch, which were released by the North a day earlier, and advances in Pyongyang's military technology. Geichi Noki, a military commentator and missile technology expert, said in The Asahi Shimbun, "Because of the rocket's sleek design and stable structure, North Korea seems to have made a great deal of headway in SEOUL 00000581 005 OF 005 rocket technology." Military commentator Kenske Ebada also noted, "Despite its large size, the rocket went up very fast right after liftoff, which showed that the North has made good technological progress." The Yomiuri Shimbun reported, "The ROK's missile has a range of only 300 kilometers, and so it is difficult for the ROK to respond to the North," adding, "The ROK is also discussing ways to extend its missile range and build the MD system." Observers say that the reason why Japanese media and military experts think highly of North Korea's rocket technology and even mention the ROK's response is because Japan wants to justify beefing up its military capabilities. Thus far, whenever North Korea has engaged in military action such as launching a Taepodong missile, Japan has enhanced its military capabilities, which includes building the MD system. While guarding against other nations' move, China strengthens its military power Under the headline, "The U.S., Japan and the ROK Using North Korea's Satellite Launch as Excuse for Military Buildup," Beijing's Shinkyungbo reported on April 8, "Japan intends to have mid-range cruise missile capabilities." Guangzhou Daily carried a special feature story focused on Japan's military expansion under the headline, "Japan Quietly Going Down Road toward a Military Power." Reporting that the U.S., Japan and the ROK developed the MD system under the pretext of deterring North Korea's rocket launch, China is warning against the possibility of the ROK's full participation in the U.S. and Japanese-led Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI). Professor Ryu Chang-ryoong at Tsinghua University, an expert on Japanese affairs, said, "The U.S. and Japan, which have been developing the MD system on the pretext of curbing North Korea, will use the North's launch to accelerate their development efforts." Some analysts say that China will also accelerate its efforts at strengthening its national security. As the world's third greatest economic power, China has sharply increased its military spending every year. This year, as well, China has earmarked 480.6 billion yuan (about 96 trillion won) for its military budget, up 14.9 percent from last year. STEPHENS