SEOUL - PRESS BULLETIN; JANUARY 29, 2010

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 SEOUL 000135 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR ECON KPAO KS US SUBJECT: SEOUL - PRESS BULLETIN; JANUARY 29, 2010 TOP HEADLINES -------------- Chosun Ilbo President Lee Calls for "Global Financial Safety Net" against Risky Capital Flows JoongAng Ilbo Universities Complain of ROKG's Push for Admissions Officer System Dong-a Ilbo Japanese Reporter Allowed to Enter ROK after 36 Years; He was Acquitted by Seoul Court of Involvement in a 1974 Spy Case in a Re-trial 36 Years after Conviction Hankook Ilbo ROK Military Cancels Scheduled Artillery Drills near Northern Limit Line, with N. Korea Firing More Shells into Yellow Sea for Second Day Hankyoreh Shinmun 16 of 29 Lawmakers on National Assembly's Land and Maritime Affairs Committee "Oppose Sejong City Revision Bill" Seoul Shinmun, Segye Ilbo, All TVs President Obama: "N. Korea Now Faces Increased Isolation and Stronger Sanctions" DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS -------------- Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell, in a Jan. 27 meeting with ROK correspondents in Washington, said that he trusts President Lee's leadership. (Chosun, JoongAng, Dong-a) This remark may be intended to dispel the controversy he created last year by saying that he was not aware of the president's "grand bargain" proposal to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue. (Chosun) Assistant Secretary Campbell also said that Washington has no plans at the moment to hold a second U.S.-North Korea dialogue. (JoongAng) According to ROKG sources, a key U.S. Defense official recently met with Blue House and ROKG officials and lawmakers to collect their opinions on the 2012 transfer of wartime operational control from the U.S. to the ROK. This may suggest that Washington may review the timing of the OPCON transfer. (Dong-a) INTERNATIONAL NEWS -------------- President Barack Obama, during his first State of the Union address on Jan.27, called on North Korea and Iran to abandon their nuclear ambitions, warning of stronger sanctions if they continue to pursue nuclear weapons in violation of international accords. (All) President Obama also indirectly stressed the need to ratify the KORUS FTA, saying: "If America sits on the sidelines while other nations sign trade deals, we will lose the chance to create jobs on our shores. ... That's ...why we will strengthen our trade relations in Asia and with key partners like South Korea and Panama and Colombia." (All) According to North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency yesterday, North Korea detained an American on Jan. 25 for illegally crossing its border with China. If confirmed, it will be the second such incident in a month. (Chosun, Dong-a, Hankyoreh, Segye) According to the United Nations Command (UNC),on Jan. 27, North SEOUL 00000135 002 OF 005 Korea proposed talks with the UNC to discuss the resumption of operations to excavate the remains of U.S. soldiers killed in the Korean War. (All) MEDIA ANALYSIS -------------- -President Obama's State of the Union Speech -------------- All ROK media covered President Obama's State of the Union address on Jan. 27. Coverage highlighted the President's statements: "These diplomatic efforts have also strengthened our hand in dealing with those nations that insist on violating international agreements in pursuit of nuclear weapons. That's why North Korea now faces increased isolation, and stronger sanctions - sanctions that are being vigorously enforced; " and "If America sits on the sidelines while other nations sign trade deals, we will lose the chance to create jobs on our shores. ... That's ...why we will strengthen our trade relations in Asia and with key partners like South Korea and Panama and Colombia." Most media interpreted these remarks as a warning to North Korea of stronger sanctions if it continues to pursue nuclear weapons, and his roundabout way of stressing the need to ratify the KORUS FTA. Moderate Hankook Ilbo wrote in the headline: "U.S. Reconfirms Intention to Reject N. Korea's Call for Peace Treaty before the North's Return to Six-Party Talks." Left-leaning Hankyoreh Shinmun editorialized: "President Obama's speech ran 71 minutes but only nine minutes were devoted to international affairs. It is said that a State of the Union Address, in recent years, has never treated international affairs as lightly as this one. ... There are many international issues that cannot be resolved without active U.S. efforts; It is still important for America to play an appropriate role in the international community. ... Since the launch of the Obama Administration, North Korea has advocated a resolution of its nuclear issue through dialogue, increasing the possibility of a breakthrough on the nuclear issue, depending on the U.S.'s attitude. It is high time for a more forward-looking role from the U.S." -N. Korea -------------- North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency's report yesterday - that an American is being held in North Korea for illegally crossing its border with China on Jan. 25 - captured the attention of the ROK media. According to media reports, the North did not identify him or give any details about why he entered the North. If confirmed, it will be the second such incident in a month, according to media reports. Most media carried reports that North Korea proposed talks with the United Nations Command (UNC) on Jan. 27 to discuss resuming the joint recovery of the remains of U.S. soldiers killed in the Korean War. The proposal coincided with the North's artillery shootings into waters near the Northern Limit Line in the Yellow Sea, the de facto maritime border between the two Koreas. Chosun Ilbo editorialized: "North Korea has been employing a two-track strategy toward the ROK and the U.S. since late last year by aggressively seeking economic cooperation and humanitarian aid on one hand while heightening military tension on the other. ... The reason why North Korea continues to make provocations, such as the latest artillery fire near the NLL, is that it is caught in an obsolete mindset that threats and appeasement are the most effective way to elicit aid from the ROK and the U.S. ... Only if North Korea stops its nuclear development and provocations and returns to the Six-Party Talks and inter-Korean dialogue will the door open for economic aid for the North." Moderate Hankook Ilbo wrote in the headline: "'Double-faced' N. SEOUL 00000135 003 OF 005 Korea; North Suggests Joint Recovery of Remains of Fallen U.S. Soldiers while Firing Artillery... an Attempt to Raise Negotiating Power." OPINIONS/EDITORIALS -------------- OBAMA'S STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS FAILS TO SHOW (U.S.'S) GLOBAL LEADERSHIP (Hankyoreh Shinmun, January 29, Page 31) U.S. President Barack Obama's State of the Union Address yesterday (Korean time) focused on domestic issues such as economic (measures) and job creation. Facing public anger over the U.S.'s lingering economic woes, President Obama put his priority on creating jobs. In order to relieve the burden on struggling middle-class families, he promised to provide tax cuts and extend other benefits. He said, "We will work within the budget to invest in what we need and sacrifice what we don't," pledging to increase investments in education and environment. He noted, "I take my share of the blame for not explaining it (health care reform) more clearly to the American people," adding that he will not "walk away from reform." The controversy over the health care reform has been dividing the U.S. society. President Obama's speech apparently shows that he has readjusted his policy priorities by reflecting public opinions (which have become worse over the past year.) Obama's popularity rating, which stood at 70 percent when he took office, dropped to 50 percent. A Republican candidate won a U.S. Senate race in Massachusetts, (which is a traditional Democratic stronghold.) We are somewhat worried about this policy readjustment, particularly in international issues. President Obama's speech ran 71 minutes but only nine minutes were devoted to international affairs. It is said that a State of the Union Address, in recent years, has never treated international affairs as lightly as this one. This may be understandable if the U.S.'s overseas policy is changing from unilateralism to multilateralism (so that international issues involve not only the U.S.'s effort but also other countries'.) There are many international issues that cannot be resolved without active U.S. efforts; It is still important for America to play an appropriate role in the international community. President Obama said, "These diplomatic efforts have also strengthened our hand in dealing with those nations that insist on violating international agreements in pursuit of nuclear weapons. That's why North Korea now faces increased isolation, and stronger sanctions - sanctions that are being vigorously enforced." However, he has neither laid out any substantial proposals to resolve the current stalemate in the North Korean nuclear issue nor demonstrated his determination to do so. This attitude will be a stumbling block to improving relations between the U.S. and North Korea, which have remained hostile for more than 50 years, and to bringing stability to the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia. Since the launch of the Obama Administration, North Korea has advocated a resolution of its nuclear issue through dialogue, increasing the possibility of a breakthrough on the nuclear issue, depending on the U.S.'s attitude. It is high time for a more forward-looking role from the U.S. ¶N. KOREA'S ARTILLERY SHOOTINGS WILL ONLY INCREASE ISOLATION (Chosun Ilbo, January 29, 2010, Page 31) After firing around 100 shells toward the Northern Limit Line (NLL), the de-facto maritime border close to the Baeknyong and Daecheong islands on the West Sea, on Wednesday, North Korea fired around 10 more rounds on Thursday at its side of the NLL near Yeongpyeong Island. The North had declared a no-navigation zone around the NLL this week, which included the South Korean side of the maritime border. Its intent was to keep South Korea from raising a fuss, SEOUL 00000135 004 OF 005 since it had been warned in advance. The North was testing its ability to fire a barrage of rounds at a single target using 130 mm coastal artillery, 240 mm multiple rocket launch systems and 170 mm self-propelled howitzers. The 100 or so rounds fired by those armaments all landed on the North Korean side of the NLL. There is a strong possibility that North Korea deliberately avoided having the shells land on the South Korean side of the NLL, even though the North vehemently protests the legitimacy of the maritime border. North Korea's MLRS have a range of 60 km, while its self-propelled howitzers have a range of 54 km. The purpose of North Korea's latest provocation was to warn South Korea that it could attack its naval vessels and civilian ships at any time. Even while this was going on, North Korean officials met with UN Command representatives at the border truce village of Panmunjom on Wednesday and proposed the resumption of excavation work uncovering the remains of American soldiers killed in the Korean War. In his New Year's address, President Lee Myung-bak vowed to start efforts to recover the remains of South Korean soldiers in the North but North Korea responded to the U.S. instead. North Korea has been employing a two-track strategy toward the ROK and the U.S. since late last year by aggressively seeking economic cooperation and humanitarian aid on one hand while heightening military tension on the other. The North is gearing up to attract foreign capital and request economic assistance from the South Korean government and businesses. But the reason why North Korea continues to make provocations, such as the latest artillery fire near the Northern Limit Line, is that it is caught in an obsolete mindset that threats and appeasement are the most effective way to elicit aid from the ROK and the U.S. President Barack Obama, in his state of the Union address, said that "North Korea now faces increased isolation and stronger sanctions (due to its nuclear ambitions)." Only if North Korea stops its nuclear development and provocations and returns to the Six-Party Talks and inter-Korean dialogue will the door open for economic aid for the North." But it is refusing to see the road ahead and remains focused on the past. (This is a translation provided by the newspaper, and it is identical to the Korean version.) FEATURES -------------- ASSISTANT SECRETARY CAMPBELL "TRUSTS PRESIDENT LEE'S LEADERSHIP" (Chosun Ilbo, January 29, 2010, Page 4) By Washington Correspondent Lee Ha-won The remark may be intended to dispel the controversy over President Lee's "grand bargain" proposal. "I have watched many summits, but no summit was as productive as the summit between U.S. President Barack Obama and ROK President Lee Myung-bak. From President Lee, I felt a positive and trustworthy leadership, which I did not feel from other foreign leaders," said U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell. Ahead of his trip to the ROK on February 2, Assistant Secretary Campbell publicly praised President Lee's leadership on January 27. On that day, he asked for a meeting with Korean correspondents at the Foreign Press Center in Washington D.C. and paid tribute to President Lee in his opening remarks. He noted, "President Lee is pushing for an initiative of "Global Korea" very logically. The idea of "Global Korea" is to expand the ROK's influence and interest on the Northeast Asian stage." These remarks seem intended to dispel the controversy that Assistant Secretary Campbell created last September by saying that he was not familiar with President Lee's "grand bargain" proposal on the North SEOUL 00000135 005 OF 005 Korean nuclear issue. At that time, after Assistant Secretary Campbell made such a remark, President Lee stated, "So what if Mr. So-and-so says he is not aware of (the grand bargain.)" STEPHENS