Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
93TOKYO9361
1993-06-21 03:18:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:  

CHOSEN SOREN ACTIVITIES IN JAPAN FOLLOWING

Tags:  PINR PINS PROP MNUC KN KS JA 
pdf how-to read a cable
R 210318Z JUN 93
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 5701
INFO AMEMBASSY SEOUL
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
USMISSION USVIENNA
USMISSION GENEVA
AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 TOKYO 09361 


GENEVA FOR CD DEL

USVIENNA FOR UNVIE

E.O.12356: DECL:OADR
TAGS: PINR PINS PROP MNUC KN KS JA
SUBJECT: CHOSEN SOREN ACTIVITIES IN JAPAN FOLLOWING
U.S.-DPRK NUCLEAR TALKS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 TOKYO 09361


GENEVA FOR CD DEL

USVIENNA FOR UNVIE

E.O.12356: DECL:OADR
TAGS: PINR PINS PROP MNUC KN KS JA
SUBJECT: CHOSEN SOREN ACTIVITIES IN JAPAN FOLLOWING
U.S.-DPRK NUCLEAR TALKS


1. CONFIDENTIAL -- ENTIRE TEXT.


2. SUMMARY: NORTH KOREA HAS INSTRUCTED KOREANS WHO
RESIDE IN JAPAN BUT ARE VISITING NORTH KOREA TO RETURN
TO JAPAN AND MAY NOT LET THEM VISIT NORTH KOREA UNTIL
THE END OF JULY. KOREANS LIVING ABROAD HAVE BEEN
INSTRUCTED TO INCREASE THE LEVEL OF IDEOLOGICAL
INDOCTRINATION. CHOSEN SOREN MEMBERS IN JAPAN BELIEVE
THAT THE DPRK THINKS INCREASED INDOCTRINATION IS
NECESSARY IN ORDER TO COUNTER POSSIBLE CORRUPTING
EFFECTS OF CONTACTS WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD, WHICH
NORTH KOREA ALSO SEEMS TO BE SUPPORTING. INCREASED
INDOCTRINATION MAY ALSO BE NECESSARY IF, AS SOME DPRK
BUREAUCRATS ADVISE, NORTH KOREA ADOPTS CERTAIN WESTERN
BUSINESS PRACTICES. CHOSEN SOREN MEMBERS BELIEVE THAT
THE U.S.-DPRK TALKS DID NOT SOLVE IMPORTANT ISSUES
(IAEA INSPECTIONS). THEY WORRY THAT THE NORTH MAY
BLOCK FURTHER COMPROMISE BY INSISTING ON "EQUAL"
TREATMENT (SUCH AS THE RIGHT TO INSPECT U.S. BASES).
NORTH KOREA IS ALSO USING A DIFFERENT TRANSLATION OF
THE POST-MEETING STATEMENT IN ORDER, APPARENTLY, TO
CONVINCE ITS PUBLIC THAT THE U.S. HAS AGREED TO
RESPECT THE KIM IL SUNG SYSTEM AND NOT JUST DPRK
SOVEREIGNTY. PYONGYANG HAS ALSO ASKED CHOSEN SOREN TO
STUDY WAYS OF ACQUIRING INFORMATION ABOUT THE PEACEFUL
USE OF NUCLEAR ENERGY. SOME CHOSEN SOREN MEMBERS
BELIEVE THAT THIS MAY INDICATE NORTH KOREA'S INTENTION
TO FOREGO THE MILITARY ASPECT OF ITS NUCLEAR PROGRAM.
END SUMMARY


3. HAJIME IZUMI (PROTECT STRICTLY),ASSOCIATE
PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SHIZUOKA, ON JUNE 18
DISCUSSED CHOSEN SOREN'S RECENT ACTIVITIES. (IZUMI IS
A LONG-TIME EMBASSY CONTACT WITH GOOD ACCESS TO THE
CHOSEN SOREN ORGANIZATION.)

KOREANS RESIDING IN JAPAN TOLD TO RETURN
--------------

4. IZUMI MET WITH CHOSEN SOREN MEMBERS ON JUNE 14.
THEY TOLD HIM THAT THE DPRK ORDERED KOREANS WHO WERE
IN NORTH KOREA AT THE TIME BUT WHO PERMANENTLY RESIDE
IN JAPAN, TO RETURN TO JAPAN, BEGINNING ON JUNE 15.
KOREANS IN JAPAN WERE INFORMED THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE
ABLE TO TRAVEL TO NORTH KOREA UNTIL THE END OF JULY.
SOME HIGH-RANKING CHOSEN SOREN MEMBERS, HOWEVER, WERE

ALLOWED TO REMAIN IN NORTH KOREA.


5. SOME KOREAN RESIDENTS OF JAPAN RETURNED TO JAPAN
ON JUNE 10 ON A SHIP THAT ARRIVED IN NIIGATA. SOME OF
THEM, ALONG WITH CHOSEN SOREN'S SENIOR LEADERSHIP,
ATTENDED A SPECIAL CHOSEN SOREN MEETING IN TOKYO ON
JUNE 11. IZUMI SAID THAT THE MEETING WAS PRIVATE AND
CLOSED. THOSE RETURNING FROM NORTH KOREA SAID THAT
THE DPRK HAD INSTRUCTED CHOSEN SOREN TO INCREASE
IDEOLOGICAL INDOCTRINATION WITHIN THE KOREAN COMMUNITY
IN JAPAN.


6. THIS INSTRUCTION, CHOSEN SOREN MEMBERS NOTED, WAS
IN LINE WITH A STATEMENT KIM JONG IL MADE ON APRIL 27
IN A PRIVATE SPEECH TO SENIOR CADRES IN WHICH HE SAID
THAT IT WAS NECESSARY TO STRENGTHEN IDEOLOGICAL
TEACHING IN ORDER TO RAISE THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF
"ORDINARY" KOREANS AND OF KOREANS LIVING OVERSEAS.


7. CHOSEN SOREN MEMBERS FOUND THAT THE NEW DIRECTIVE
AND THE APRIL 27 KIM JONG IL STATEMENT SEEMED TO
CONTRADICT A KJI STATEMENT OF MARCH 1991, IN WHICH HE
SAID THAT KOREANS LIVING ABROAD FACE DIFFERENT
EXPERIENCES AND THEREFORE SHOULD BE ALLOWED SOME
FLEXIBILITY IN ADJUSTING TO THEIR OWN CIRCUMSTANCES.
THEY ALSO RECALLED AN AUGUST 15, 1992 STATEMENT BY KIM
IL SUNG (ANOTHER PRIVATE SPEECH) IN WHICH THE GREAT
LEADER SAID THAT NORTH KOREA WOULD ADOPT A MORE OPEN
POLICY TOWARD THE OUTSIDE WORLD, SUPPOSEDLY USING THE
KOREAN EXPRESSION "KAEBANG," WHICH MEANS "OPEN DOOR."
(IZUMI COMMENTED THAT THIS MAY BE THE ONLY TIME KIM IL
SUNG HAS USED THIS EXPRESSION IN SUCH A CONTEXT.)


8. CHOSEN SOREN, IZUMI RELATED, MANAGED TO RECONCILE
THE NEW DIRECTIVE ON INCREASED IDEOLOGICAL
INDOCTRINATION WITH THE PREVIOUS APPARENT POLICY OF
ENCOURAGING SOME OPENNESS TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD,
PARTICULARLY IN THE CASE OF OVERSEAS KOREANS. CHOSEN
SOREN CONCLUDED THAT THE DPRK LEADERSHIP STILL FAVORED
OPENNESS BUT THAT, IN ORDER TO WARD OFF THE CORRUPTING
EFFECTS OF CONTACT WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD, IDEOLOGICAL
INDOCTRINATION WOULD ALSO HAVE TO INCREASE.


9. IN IZUMI'S VIEW, THE DPRK CONSIDERS INCREASED
INDOCTRINATION AS A WAY TO STRENGTHEN LOYALTY TO AND
BELIEF IN THE DPRK SYSTEM AND ALSO AS A MEANS OF
"PROTECTING" INDIVIDUALS EXPOSED TO CORRUPTING OUTSIDE
INFLUENCES.

IN PYONGYANG . . .
--------------

10. IZUMI SAID THAT ANOTHER REASON FOR THE INCREASED
EMPHASIS ON IDEOLOGICAL TRAINING IS THAT, IN NORTH
KOREA, SOME BUREAUCRATS REPORTEDLY SUPPORT NORTH
KOREA'S ADOPTING WESTERN BUSINESS PRACTICES IN ORDER
TO MAKE NORTH KOREA MORE ATTRACTIVE TO POTENTIAL
INVESTORS. IZUMI SAID THAT, IN PARTICULAR, SOME
BUREAUCRATS ARE PUSHING FOR NORTH KOREA TO ACCEPT
WESTERN NOTIONS OF CONTRACT LAW. HOWEVER, IDEOLOGUES
ARGUE THAT ACCEPTING SUCH PRACTICES WOULD THREATEN THE
PURITY OF NORTH KOREA'S SYSTEM. THEY THEREFORE OPPOSE
THE BUREAUCRATS' SUGGESTION. CHOSEN SOREN BELIEVES
THAT ONE WAY TO REFORM BUSINESS PRACTICES AND ALSO
MAINTAIN PURITY IS TO INCREASE INDOCTRINATION SO THAT
THE POSSIBILITY OF CORRUPTION CAN BE MINIMIZED. (OR
SO THE THINKING GOES.)

NORTH KOREANS IN JAPAN
--------------

11. IZUMI SAID THAT THE SYSTEM OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS RUN
BY CHOSEN SOREN IS RELATIVELY WELL-ORGANIZED. THERE
ARE ABOUT 20 SUCH PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN JAPAN AS WELL AS
ONE PRIVATE UNIVERSITY IN THE TOKYO AREA CATERING TO
NORTH KOREANS. IZUMI SAID THAT CHOSEN SOREN MAINTAINS
A MUCH STRONGER PRIVATE SCHOOL SYSTEM THAN DO KOREANS
SYMPATHETIC TO SOUTH KOREA. THUS, CHILDREN OF CHOSEN
SOREN MEMBERS PROBABLY RECEIVE MUCH STRONGER
IDEOLOGICAL INDOCTRINATION THAN DO CHILDREN IN SCHOOLS
ORIENTED TOWARDS THE ROK.

U.S.-DPRK NUCLEAR TALKS
--------------

12. IZUMI SAID THAT NORTH KOREA USES A TRANSLATION OF
THE STATEMENT ISSUED AFTER THE RECENT NEW YORK TALKS
THAT DOES NOT CONFORM TO THE ENGLISH-LANGUAGE
VERSION. (IZUMI WAS AWARE THAT THE LATTER IS
CONSIDERED THE "OFFICIAL" VERSION.) CHOSEN SOREN,
EXPOSED TO THE ENGLISH AND JAPANESE VERSIONS, AS WELL
AS THE DPRK VERSION, DOES NOT CONSIDER THE TALKS TO
HAVE BEEN A SUCCESS FOR THE NORTH. CHOSEN SOREN
MEMBERS REALIZE THAT THE IAEA INSPECTION ISSUE IS
UNRESOLVED. THEY BELIEVE IT HIGHLY POSSIBLE THAT
NORTH KOREA WILL EVENTUALLY HAVE TO SUBMIT TO IAEA
INSPECTIONS.


13. CHOSEN SOREN MEMBERS THINK THAT NORTH KOREA WILL
REFER TO THOSE TERMS, IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE
STATEMENT, THAT CALL FOR "UNPREJUDICED, IMPARTIAL, AND
EQUAL" TREATMENT. THEY WORRY THAT THE DPRK WILL REFER
TO THESE TERMS AND DEMAND "EQUAL" TREATMENT (E.G., THE
RIGHT TO INSPECT U.S. BASES) AND THEREBY MAKE
COMPROMISE DIFFICULT. IZUMI SAID THAT CHOSEN SOREN
SEEMS TO WANT TO RESOLVE REMAINING NUCLEAR ISSUES
SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.


14. IZUMI SAID THAT THE NORTH KOREAN VERSION OF THE
STATEMENT DOES NOT CORRECTLY TRANSLATE "SOVEREIGNTY"
("SHUKEN" IN THE JAPANESE PRONUNCIATION OF THE SAME
CHINESE CHARACTERS USED ALSO IN KOREAN). INSTEAD, THE
DPRK VERSION USES THE EXPRESSION "JISHUKEN," WHICH HAS
A MEANING CLOSER TO THE ENGLISH WORD "INDEPENDENCE."
IZUMI SAID THAT, IN KOREAN, "JISHUKEN" CAN ALSO MEAN
"NATIONAL SYSTEM" OR "INDEPENDENT NATIONAL SYSTEM."
THE USE OF THIS TERM, IZUMI SAID, INDICATES THAT NORTH
KOREA IS TRYING TO TELL ITS PEOPLE THAT THE U.S. HAS
AGREED TO RESPECT THE DPRK'S "INDEPENDENT NATIONAL
SYSTEM" (I.E., THE KIM IL SUNG REGIME) RATHER THAN
SIMPLY ITS SOVEREIGNTY.


15. IZUMI ALSO NOTED THAT AT THE POST-MEETING PRESS
CONFERENCE, THE DPRK REP REFERRED TO "SHUKEN,"
"JISHUKEN," AND EACH COUNTRY'S "DIFFERENT POLITICAL
SYSTEMS" AS MATTERS ON WHICH THE U.S. AND DPRK REACHED
AGREEMENT. IZUMI SAID THAT THIS ALSO SHOWED THAT
NORTH KOREA WAS TRYING TO USE THE MEETING TO SHOW THE
NORTH KOREAN PUBLIC THAT THE U.S. HAS AGREED TO
RESPECT THE KIM IL SUNG SYSTEM.

NON-MILITARY NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY
--------------

16. IZUMI SAID THAT PYONGYANG ALSO INSTRUCTED CHOSEN
SOREN TO STUDY WAYS OF COLLECTING MATERIAL (OF
WHATEVER ORIGIN) CONCERNING THE PEACEFUL USE OF
NUCLEAR ENERGY. PYONGYANG DID NOT, HOWEVER, EXPLAIN
THE REASON FOR THIS INSTRUCTION. IZUMI SAID THAT SOME
CHOSEN SOREN MEMBERS BELIEVE THAT NORTH KOREA MAY WANT
TO GIVE UP THE MILITARY ASPECT OF ITS NUCLEAR PROGRAM
AND CONVERT TO PURELY CIVILIAN APPLICATIONS. (IZUMI
SAID THAT CHOSEN SOREN SUPPORTED THIS IDEA, IF THIS IS
A CORRECT INTERPRETATION OF THE DPRK'S INTENTIONS.)
CHOSEN SOREN MEMBERS RECALLED THAT, FOLLOWING THE
FIRST IAEA INSPECTIONS IN JUNE 1992, THE DPRK'S REP IN
GENEVA SAID THAT, IF THE WEST WERE TO HELP NORTH KOREA
DEVELOP A LIGHT WATER REACTOR SYSTEM, THE NORTH MIGHT
STOP ITS REPROCESSING PROGRAM.


ARMACOST