SEOUL - MEDIA REACTION

UNCLAS SEOUL 000906 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR ECON KPAO KMDR KS US SUBJECT: SEOUL - MEDIA REACTION PRESIDENT'S JUNE 4 SPEECH IN CAIRO -------------- "OBAMA'S SPEECH DECLARES ERA OF 'COEXISTENCE OF CIVILIZATIONS'" Left-leaning Hankyoreh Shinmun editorialized (06/06): "What is most noteworthy in Obama's speech is that he said that any nation, including Iran, which was condemned by the Bush Administration as part of an 'axis of evil,' should have the right to access peaceful nuclear power and that, just as Israel's right to exist cannot be denied, neither can Palestine's. ... With this speech, Obama has taken a first step toward breaking Islam's distrust of the U.S. However, there are many obstacles to overcome. ... This is why some people say that they will watch to see if Obama's worlds will translate into action." "OBAMA'S CAIRO SPEECH" Editorial Writer Kim Tae-ik observed in conservative Chosun Ilbo (06/06): "It is said that Christianity is the eldest son of Judaism and that Islam is its second son. ... Since Christianity and Islam are like brothers (sharing the same roots in the) ancient Oriental civilization, the problem lies not in religion but in politics. Obama had a Muslim father and, as a child, he lived for four years in Indonesia, the world's largest Islam country. Will Obama be able to break the vicious cycle of the long-standing hatred between the West and the Islam world? The key lies in whether the powerful side (the U.S.) will take reliable action." EAST ASIA AND PACIFIC: DPRK -------------- "If China Wants to Denuclearize the Korean Peninsula, It Should be Proactive in Sanctioning N. Korea" Conservative Dong-a Ilbo editorialized (06/08): "At issue is the attitude of the Chinese government. China publicly says that it objects to nuclear development and proliferation on the Korean Peninsula, but is passive in imposing effective sanctions to prevent Pyongyang from developing nuclear weapons. We cannot understand how China, while failing to deter North Korea's nuclear development, can denuclearize the Korean Peninsula, prevent nuclear proliferation (from the North),and achieve peace and stability in Northeast Asia. ... If only China cooperates properly, we can deter North Korea's nuclear development as well as bring changes to North Korea. Now is the time for Beijing to think wisely about the real way to help North Korea." "OBAMA'S WORRISOME REMARKS ON N. KOREA" Left-leaning Hankyoreh Shinmun editorialized (06/08): "Many analysts are speculating that the recent string of North Korean provocations may have stemmed from an internal need to build a succession system. However, the provocations may also be attributable to both Washington's and Seoul's North Korea policies. Since taking office, President Lee Myung-bak has provoked North Korea with various measures, including his refusal to recognize the June 15 and October 4 Joint Declarations between the two Koreas. The U.S., for its part, has emphasized a policy of 'benign neglect' in lieu of sincere discussions with North Korea. ... It would be rash to abandon dialogue without having first made any proper efforts. It is also wrong to view dialogue in itself as a reward. The North Korean nuclear issue can only be resolved when the international community makes North Korea abandon its nuclear ambitions by fundamentally removing the uncertainty related to its system and bringing it fully into the international community. This is only possible through dialogue, not force." STEPHENS