NAPSNet Daily Report Thursday, December 08, 2005

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NAPSNet Daily Report Thursday, December 08, 2005

NAPSNet Daily Report Thursday, December 08, 2005

I. NAPSNet

Preceding NAPSNet Report

I. NAPSNet

1. DPRK on KEDO Project

BBC Worldwide Monitoring (“NORTH KOREAN PAPER CRITICIZES JAPANESE POSITION ON LIGHT WATER REACTORS”, 2005-12-07) reported that in the wake of the announcement of the decision to stop the construction of two light water reactors, Chief Cabinet Secretary of Japan Abe insisted that “North Korea compensate for the financial loss.” According to the DPRK news agency, Nodong Sinmun, the illogical and unreasonable remarks made by Abe clearly prove that Japan is no more than a political waiting maid and diplomatic servant for the US. Furthermore, the report stated that the DPRK has every right to demand compensation for the losses caused by the stoppage of the LWR construction.

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2. Kim Dae-jung to Visit DPRK

Korea Herald (“ROH ASKS KIM D.J. TO VISIT PYONGYANG”, 2005-12-08) reported that President Roh Moo-hyun has asked former President Kim Dae-jung to visit the DPRK to help improve inter-Korean ties. “President Roh requested former President Kim to visit North Korea if his condition allows,” said Kim Man-soo, spokesman of Cheong Wa Dae. Kim hasn’t answered the request.

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3. Inter-Korean Economic Cooperation

Yonhap News (“S. KOREA PUSHING FOR ANOTHER INTER-KOREAN INDUSTRIAL PARK”, 2005-12-08) reported that a ROK provincial government is pushing to establish an additional joint inter-Korean industrial complex near the border with DPRK, a ROK lawmaker said Tuesday. Gangwon Province is discussing with DPRK authorities the establishment of a complex in its city of Cheolwon, said Kang Jae-sup, floor leader of the main opposition Grand National Party. “The industrial complex intends to comprise mostly small companies, and North Korean workers would come down and engage in production activities, so you can see it as a reversal of the Kaesong complex,” Kang said.

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4. DPRK-Russian Relations

Interfax (“DETAINED RUSSIAN SHIP DIRECTED TO SET COURSE FOR N. KOREAN PORT”, 2005-12-08) reported that DPRK authorities intend to direct the Russian ship Ternei arrested off the Korean shore to the nearest DPRK port of Kimch’aek. Ternei was detained by DPRK border guards on December 5 after it sought shelter from a storm in DPRK territorial waters on its way from the ROK port of Pusan to Vladivostok.

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5. DPRK Human Rights

Korea Herald (“NORTH KOREA HUMAN RIGHTS FORUM OPENS AMID PROTESTS”, 2005-12-08) reported that an international forum on DPRK human rights kicked off in Seoul yesterday, despite some protests and the government’s deliberate detachment. While the conference commenced with a welcoming dinner at Shilla Hotel in downtown Seoul, about 20 progressive civic and religious groups denounced the forum in an adjacent part of the city, raising questions over the “hidden political motives” of the forum. The groups claimed in a news conference that it was “yet another violation to human rights to push for a collapse of one’s regime citing human rights improvement.”

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6. ROK Opposition on DPRK Human Rights

Yonhap News (“OPPOSITION LEADERS DENOUNCE LUKEWARM STANCE OF ROH GOV’T ON N.K. RIGHTS “, 2005-12-08) reported that the ROK’s conservative opposition and religious leaders called Thursday for the Roh Moo-hyun administration to speak out on human rights violations in the DPRK.

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7. US on DPRK Human Rights

The Korea Times (“US PUSHES SEOUL TO TACKLE NK RIGHTS”, 2005-12-08) reported that a US special envoy Thursday prodded the ROK to take a more active role in tackling human rights abuses in DPRK. Jay Lefkowitz urged ROK officials to tie humanitarian aid deliveries to improvements in Pyongyang’s human rights record. “I know that the issue of human rights in North Korea is a very immediate issue for the South Korean government,” Lefkowitz said during a meeting with Chun Young-woo, deputy minister for international organizations. He said he wanted to discuss ways the US and the ROK can “cooperate together bilaterally” on the issue.

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8. Japan on DPRK Human Rights

The Korea Times (“JAPAN NAMES NK HUMAN RIGHTS ENVOY “, 2005-12-07) reported that Japan named Fumiko Saiga, its ambassador to Norway, as a special envoy on DPRK human rights, Yomiuri Shimbun reported Tuesday. The newly-created post, following Washington’s appointment in August of Jay Lefkowits, apparently aims at finding solutions to Pyongyang’s past abductions of Japanese people. But the Japanese Foreign Ministry said the purpose of the new post is to deal with various subjects related to the third committee of the UN General Assembly and the UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva, the Japan Times reported.

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9. Defectors on DPRK Human Rights

China Daily (“NORTH KOREA DEFECTORS CALL TO IMPROVE RIGHTS”, 2005-12-08) reported that nine former DPRK special forces soldiers who defected to the ROK vowed Wednesday to push for regime change in their homeland unless it abolishes political prison camps and improves human rights. The Association of Free North Korean Soldiers made the pledge at a press conference a day before ROK, US and other officials and activists open a high-profile international conference on human rights abuses in the DPRK.

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10. Experts on DPRK Human Rights

Reuters (“S.KOREA PERPETUATES N.KOREA RIGHTS ABUSE: EXPERTS”, 2005-12-08) reported that according to experts, inaction by the ROK on human rights violations in the DPRK not only perpetuates suffering there but also encourages misguided and dangerous beliefs about the state, experts and defectors said on Thursday. The ROK government argues that it does work to improve human rights but prefers not to make it a high-profile topic for fear of aggravating Pyongyang.

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11. DPRK Bird Flu

Yonhap News (“N. KOREA HEIGHTENING BIRD FLU WATCH: REPORTS “, 2005-12-08) reported that the DPRK is stepping up its efforts to prevent a possible outbreak of avian influenza pandemic in the country, putting people with high fevers in quarantine, the DPRK’s quarantine officials said Thursday. In an interview with the DPRK Central Television Broadcasting Station, Choi Jong-nam, the head of the DPRK’s quarantine office, said the country must increase its quarantine efforts to check airline attendants and sailors coming from overseas for symptoms of the bird flu virus.

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12. Japan & Iraq

Japan Today (“JAPAN FORMALLY EXTENDS SDF IRAQ MISSION INTO 3RD YEAR”, 2005-12-08) reported that the government formally extended the deployment of its Self-Defense Forces troops in Iraq into a third year with an eye to withdrawing key ground troops as early summer 2006.

(return to top) Japan Today (“KOIZUMI, JORDAN KING DISCUSS IRAQ”, 2005-12-08) reported that Jordanian King Abdullah II and Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi praised each others efforts and agreed to continue their cooperation in the reconstruction efforts in Iraq. (return to top)

13. Japan & Role of the SDF

The Yomiuri Shimbun (“NEW SDF LAW TO UPGRADE ROLE OF PKOS”, 2005-12-08) reported that the Self-Defense Forces’ international cooperative peace operations, which presently are a secondary duty of the SDF, will be upgraded to a primary duty of national defense under the revised Self-Defense Forces Law.

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14. Japan-PRC Relations

The Japan Times (“CHINA TENSIONS SPARK FEARS OF ESCALATION”, 2005-12-07) reported that while Japan’s rivalry with the PRC in the East China Sea is currently limited to competition over underground gas, many are fretting a real conflict between the two major players if incidents in the sea spin out of control from distrust and lack of communication.

(return to top) Xinhua (“CHINA: JAPAN RESPONSIBLE FOR BILATERAL DIFFICULTIES”, 2005-12-08) reported that a senior PRC official said that the PRC is not responsible for the current difficulty facing bilateral relations between it and Japan. (return to top)

15. Japan-Asia Relations

Japan Today (“ASO DOWNPLAYS YASUKUNI ISSUE”, 2005-12-08) reported that Foreign Minister Taro Aso once again downplayed the issue of the war-linked Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo as a “political” one, stressing that Japan maintains overall good ties with neighbors the PRC and ROK, especially in cultural and economic aspects.

(return to top) The China Post (“HISTORY SHOULD NOT BLOCK JAPAN’S ASIAN TIES: FOREIGN MINISTER”, 2005-12-08) Japan should reflect on the pain it caused China and South Korea in the past, but history should not be made into an obstacle to future ties, said Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso. (return to top)

16. Russia & East Asia Summit

ITAR-TASS: News Agency (“MALAYSIA INVITES PUTIN TO ADDRESS EAST ASIA SUMMIT”, 2005-12-07) reported that Malaysia has invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to address the first-ever East Asia Summit.

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17. PRC- Russia Cooperation

Xinhua (“CHINA, RUSSIA PREPARE FOR CULTURAL EXCHANGES”, 2005-12-08) reported that the PRC and Russia held talks Thursday on issues related to holding large-scale cultural activities in the coming two years, a move to strengthen bilateral strategic partnership.

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18. Cross Strait Relations

Xinhua (“LIEN CHAN RECEIVES DOCTORAL DEGREE IN HK”, 2005-12-08) reported that Honorary Chairman of the Kuomintang Lien Chan in recognition of his important contributions towards the peaceful development of cross-strait relations, the promotion of understanding among the Chinese people, and the advancement of higher education and Chinese culture was conferred an honorary doctorate by the PRC University of Hong Kong.

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19. PRC International Cooperation

Xinhua (“BEIJING, FOREIGN POLICE OFFICERS VOW TO ENHANCE CO-OP”, 2005-12-08) reported that sixty-seven police liaison officers from 33 foreign embassies including the United States, Greece, Belgium and Japan said here Thursday that they will strengthen cooperation and keep close contact and exchanges with their Beijing counterparts.

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20. PRC Military

Xinhua (“CHINESE MILITARY SPENDING TRANSPARENT: FM SPOKESMAN”, 2005-12-08) reported that Foreign Ministry Spokesman Qin Gang said Thursday that the PRC’s military spending is open and transparent when asked to comment after Japanese Foreign Minister Aso Taro in a speech urged the PRC to increase military transparency.

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21. PRC Chemical Spill

Xinhua (“DAM PLANNED IN HEILONGJIANG TO CONTAIN CROSS-BORDER POLLUTION”, 2005-12-07) reported that Northeastern Heilongjiang Province is considering a proposal raised by the Russian side to build a temporary dam at the confluence of its Heilong and Wusuli rivers to prevent the water sources of a neighboring Russian city from being contaminated.

(return to top) Xinhua (“CHINA TO MINIMIZE POLLU-TION DAMAGE TO RUSSIA”, 2005-12-08) reported that PRC President Hu Jintao said Thursday that the PRC will spare no effort to minimize the water-borne pollution damage to Russia, which was caused by the toxic spill in the Songhua River. (return to top)