(C) SOUTH KOREA: KUDOS AND FOLLOW-UP ON ROK

S E C R E T STATE 040440 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/22/2034 TAGS: PINR PGOV PREL AF KS SUBJECT: (C) SOUTH KOREA: KUDOS AND FOLLOW-UP ON ROK PLANS TO AID AFGHANISTAN DESPITE MEDIA COMPLICATIONS (C-AL8-02816) REF: SEOUL 002431 Classified By: SUZANNE MCCORMICK, DIR., INR/OPS. REASON: 1.4(C). ¶1. (C) WASHINGTON ANALYSTS READ REFERENCED REPORTING WITH INTEREST. REPORTING REFERENCED PROVIDES EXCELLENT INSIGHT INTO THE LEVEL OF SUPPORT SOUTH KOREA IS CONSIDERING PROVIDING TO AFGHANISTAN, AND HOW SEOUL IS CHARACTERIZING THE ISSUE WITH DOMESTIC MEDIA. SENIOR US POLICYMAKERS HAVE EXPRESSED GREAT INTEREST IN THIS ISSUE, AND WASHINGTON ANALYSTS WILL BE WRITING TO SUPPORT POLICYMAKER INTEREST. ¶A. (C) AS TIME AND RESOURCES PERMIT, AND THROUGH THE COURSE OF NORMAL BUSINESS, PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION ON PROSPECTS FOR NATIONAL ASSEMBLY PASSAGE OF THE VARIOUS LEVELS OF SUPPORT BEING CONSIDERED FOR AFGHANISTAN, AND HOW SOUTH KOREAN OFFICIALS ASSESS US POLICYMAKERS COULD AID THEIR EFFORTS TO PROMOTE THIS ISSUE TO A POTENTIALLY SKEPTICAL SOUTH KOREAN PUBLIC. MANY THANKS, AND REGARDS FROM WASHINGTON. ¶2. (U) PLEASE CITE C-AL8-02816 IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF REPORTING IN RESPONSE TO THE ABOVE QUESTIONS. CLINTON