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In today’s Report:

I. United States

II. Republic of Korea

I. United States

1. US Statement on Peace Talks and Food Aid

US State Department Spokesman Nicholas Burns (“STATE DEPARTMENT NOON BRIEFING, APRIL 21,” USIA Transcript, 4/22/97) commented on the failure of the DPRK to agree to the proposed US – ROK four-party peace talks, and on the food aid issue that emerged as the chief stumbling block. Burns stated that the US has “responded successfully, quite vigorously” and “with some compassion” to the DPRK’s wish for food assistance with $25 million proposed by the US in the last two months. Burns added that the US has responded to every request for food aid to the DPRK by the UN’s World Food Program over the last two years, and that the US has been the leading contributor. At the same time Burns reiterated that the US does not “link food aid to these political talks for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.” The food aid is strictly humanitarian, not political, Burns said. Burns also stated that “the offer of four-party peace talks is still on the table.” [Ed. note: Excerpts from Burns’ extensive comments on DPRK- related issues at this briefing will be distributed in a separate posting.]

2. Hwang Jang-yop Arrives in Seoul

The Associated Press (“PAPER: N. KOREA SAID TO HAVE NUKES,” Seoul, 4/22/97) reported Hwang Jang-yop arrived in Seoul from the Philippines on Sunday, 67 days after defecting to the ROK Embassy in Beijing. Hwang is being held in seclusion, and on the third day of his stay is said to be more psychologically stable following a medical check-up. The Agency for National Security Planning quoted a secret report, said to have been written by Hwang in August, as saying, “North Korea is capable of scorching S

In today’s Report:

I. United States

II. Republic of Korea

I. United States

1. Four-Party Peace Talks Meeting Postponed

The Associated Press (“NORTH KOREA WANTS DELAY IN TALKS,” New York, 4/18/97) reported that the DPRK on Friday delayed the resumption of talks with US and ROK officials to discuss the proposed four-party peace talks. The parties were to meet Friday to continue discussion begun in a meeting Wednesday, but the DPRK delegation repeatedly asked for postponements Friday and then asked the ROK delegation to remain in New York one more day. “North Korea simply told us to wait,” said a ROK official who had been scheduled to return home Friday and spoke on condition of anonymity. “They said they did not get instructions yet from Pyongyang. They did not know when they would get instructions. They asked us to stay one more night.” After consulting with the US, the ROK delegation decided to comply. Earlier, a US official said the delay was not necessarily an indication of a major problem. “We understand they are consulting with their capital and that is not inconsistent with diplomatic negotiations,” a State Department official said, also on condition of anonymity. The talks Wednesday reportedly ended mired in debate over conditions for additional food aid, and by the DPRK’s request for assurances that the future peace talks would take up the withdrawal of US troops from the divided Korean peninsula.

2. Meeting Postponement and DPRK Food Aid

Reuters (“N.KOREA DELAYS TALKS,” Washington, 4/18/97) reported that the DPRK’s decision to delay the scheduled meeting in New York Friday may have been a response to the U

In today’s Report:

I. United States

II. Republic of Korea

III. People’s Republic of China

IV. Japan

I. United States

1. Four-Party Peace Talks Meeting

Reuters (“KOREA TALKS ADJOURN BUT ALL SIDES SEE PROGRESS,” New York, 4/17/97) and the Associated Press (“NO COMMITMENT YET ON KOREA TALKS,” New York, 4/17/97) reported that the meeting among US, DPRK, and ROK delegations in New York Wednesday to discuss the four-party peace talks proposal ended inconclusively, but with all sides reporting progress and optimism that issues could be settled in a second meeting scheduled for Friday. Negotiators refused to go into detail about why Wednesday’s meeting left the matter of the DPRK’s participation in proposed peace talks unresolved. Chief US negotiator Charles Kartman told reporters, “We made some encouraging progress. There’s still more to be done. We’ll meet again on Friday to see if we can continue these discussions and achieve what we set out to do.” Kartman said “there aren’t any real blocks” to DPRK acceptance of the four-party talks proposal. “At this point, what we’re trying to do is come to agreement about what the agenda and other details might be.” Chief ROK negotiator Song Young-shik, speaking after the meeting adjourned, said “we expect to have an answer Friday” as to whether the DPRK would accept the proposal, adding he was “hopeful” it would be yes. “We had a very good discussion … There was encouraging progress,” Song said. Kim Gye-gwan, the DPRK’s lead negotiator, also reported progress and said “maybe we can expect something for this com

In today’s Report:

I. United States

II. Republic of Korea

I. United States

1. US Announces More Food Aid to DPRK

The US State Department on April 15 issued the following press release (“STATE DEPT. ON HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO NORTH KOREA,” USIA Transcript, 4/16/97): “NORTH KOREA: HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE. In response to an expanded appeal targeted specifically towards feeding children by the United Nations World Food Program (WFP), and after consultation with the Republic of Korea and Japan, the United States Government has decided to provide humanitarian assistance in the amount of 50,000 metric tons of corn valued at approximately $15 million for use in assisting the 2.4 million children under the age of 6 in North Korea who we believe are at risk. Flooding in 1995 and 1996 destroyed considerable farm land in the DPRK. This exacerbated North Korea’s chronic food production shortfalls, resulting in widespread food shortages and malnutrition. The WFP estimates this year’s shortage at 1.8-2.3 million metric tons, or nearly half of North Korean needs. The U.S. Government assistance will be in the form of PL 480 Title II Emergency Food Aid. Specifically, the U.S. Government will provide corn to feed nursery and kindergarten children under age 6. The U.S. Government has chosen the WFP as the channel for this assistance because of the WFP’s proven ability to monitor distribution to ensure that aid reaches those in need.” [Ed. note: Most major media carried stories on this announcement. Excerpts from US State Dep

In today’s Report:

I. United States

II. Republic of Korea

I. United States

1. US Announces US-DPRK Missile Talks

US State Department Spokesman Nicholas Burns (“STATE DEPARTMENT NOON BRIEFING, APRIL 14,” USIA Transcript, 4/15/97) announced that missile talks between US and DPRK officials will be held in New York City May 12-13. “The focus will be on concerns of the United States regarding North Korean missile-related activities,” Burns said. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Robert Einhorn will lead the US delegation. Burns could not confirm Japanese media reports that say that the DPRK has already deployed its “Rodong” missiles. “We have concerns, not only about that missile but about various missile-related activity of the North Koreans,” Burns said. “We’re concerned about a variety of missile-related activities and various allegations that have been made. And that is why we have sought these talks with the North Koreans. I think we last spoke to them formally in April 1996, so it is high time for another meeting.” The missiles are reported to have ranges of up to 800 miles and are capable of carrying chemical, biological and nuclear warheads as well as conventional warheads. Burns also noted that DPRK, ROK and US officials will meet in New York City April 16 to discuss the proposed four-party peace talks, adding that although the US hopes that the DPRK will use the meeting to agree to the four party talks, “It is not at all clear that we will have a final response from the North Koreans on Wednesda

In today’s Report:

I. United States

II. Republic of Korea

I. United States

1. Four-Party Peace Talks

The AP-Dow Jones News Service (“N. KOREA TO ACCEPT PROPOSED PEACE TALKS THIS WEEK – REPORT,” Seoul, 4/14/97) reported that the ROK’s national MBC television said Monday that the DPRK has abandoned its demand for huge aid as a precondition for joining peace talks with the ROK and the US. The television station quoted government sources as saying that the DPRK will withdraw the key condition for accepting peace talks when its representatives meet with US and ROK officials in New York on Wednesday. The ROK Foreign Ministry said it was unable to confirm the report. On Saturday, the DPRK Foreign Ministry accused Washington and Seoul of using food aid as a political weapon, but added that food aid and the peace talks are “different things.” [Ed. note: Please see the following related item.] Such a decision by the DPRK would clear the way for talks on a permanent peace settlement for the divided Korean Peninsula to take place for the first time in 24 years. At the meeting this coming Wednesday, the US and the ROK expect the DPRK to respond formally to the joint US-ROK proposal for four-party peace talks, which would also include the PRC.

The Associated Press (“N.KOREA KNOCKS US, S.KOREA ON FOOD,” Seoul, 4/12/97) reported that on Saturday the DPRK’s official Korean Central News Agency quoted a DPRK foreign ministry spokesman as acknowledging that the country’s food shortage is “very serious,” but adding t

In today’s Report:

I. United States

II. Republic of Korea

I. United States

1. US Defense Officials Take Hard Stance on DPRK

The Associated Press (“COHEN WANTS N. KOREAN CONCESSIONS,” Osan Air Base, ROK, 4/11/97) and Reuters (“U.S. UNSURE ABOUT NORTH KOREAN MANEUVERS,” Washington, 4/11/97) reported that US Defense Secretary William Cohen told a news conference at the conclusion of his ROK visit Friday that the US was puzzled by recent DPRK military maneuvers, and warned that the DPRK must retreat from its “militaristic approach” toward the ROK before it can expect large-scale food aid. “There will be considerations of food assistance, but there will also be some expectation of reciprocal actions of good will on the part of the North Koreans,” Cohen said. “There has to be some indication on the part of the North Korean government that it wishes to reach some kind of an accord to move away from this militaristic approach that they have taken,” he said. However, he also said that this did not mean the DPRK would be required to pull back some of its heavy weapons and troops from the border area as a precondition. In a later interview with reporters en route to Washington, Cohen said that the DPRK’s acceptance of peace talks with the ROK would be a positive first step, but that he had heard nothing during his visit to indicate the DPRK was ready for peace. He added that DPRK tank and troop movements did not appear directly threatening, and could be aimed at quashing unrest among civilians. He said that the US

In today’s Report:

I. United States

II. Republic of Korea

III. Japan Report

I. United States

1. Four-Party Talks

US State Department Spokesman Nicholas Burns (REPORT ON STATE DEPARTMENT NOON BRIEFING, APRIL 10,” USIA Report, 4/10/97) stated that representatives of the US, the DPRK and the ROK will meet April 16 in New York City. “The North Koreans have requested this meeting, and we anticipate that they will provide a response to our proposal for a four-party peace conference. We, of course, hope that this response will be positive,” Burns said. The same individuals who met on March 5 in New York for the initial US-ROK briefing for DPRK officials on the four-party proposal are expected to lead the delegations for next week’s meeting. Leading the respective delegations at the prior briefing were Acting Assistant Secretary of State Charles Kartman, DPRK Deputy Foreign Minister Kim Kye-gwan, and ROK Assistant Foreign Minister Song Young-shik. Burns added that the US will have a bilateral meeting with DPRK officials after the April 16 trilateral meeting to discuss issues such as missile proliferation, missing-in-action military service personnel, and technical issues relating to the establishment of liaison offices. Regarding the World Food Program’s appeal for more food contributions for the DPRK, Burns said that the US expects to have a response by next week.

The Associated Press (“U.S. AWAITS REPLY FROM NORTH KOREA,” Washington, 4/10/97) reported US State Department Spokesman Nicholas Burns’ comments that the US expects

In today’s Report:

I. United States

II. Republic of Korea

III. People’s Republic of China

I. United States

1. DPRK Famine Situation

US State Department Spokesman Nicholas Burns (“STATE DEPT. NOON BRIEFING, APRIL 8,” USIA Transcript, 4/9/97) stated that the US may respond to the World Food Program’s recent doubling of its appeal for food aid to the DPRK to 200,000 metric tons for food commodities, valued at US$95.5 million, to help meet the DPRK’s increasingly severe food shortage. Burns stated, “The United States has not made a formal decision about additional food assistance to North Korea. However, we remain open to appeals by the United Nations humanitarian agencies. We are seriously reviewing this expanded request by the World Food Program.” Burns noted Monday’s announcement by Cargill Corp. that it had reached agreement with the DPRK “for an initial, modest commercial sale of wheat in the near future.” Burns also defended past US responses to World Food Program appeals on behalf of the DPRK. “As you know, the United States has consistently responded positively to these requests for food assistance. We announced in late February, of course, US$10 million in food assistance for the first appeal that was made by the World Food Program. … Since the Fall of 1995, we’ve given a total of US$18.4 million in cash and in-kind donations to the North Koreans as a response to United Nations appeals.”

Reuters (“N.KOREA TO RESPOND NEXT WEEK TO PEACE PROPOSAL,” Seoul, 4/9/97) reported that an unna

In today’s Report:

I. United States

II. Republic of Korea

III. Russian Federation

I. United States

1. DPRK Famine Situation

The Associated Press (“CARGILL, N. KOREA MAKE WHEAT DEAL,” Minnetonka, Minn., 4/8/97) reported that a spokeswoman for Cargill Inc. said Tuesday that the company has signed an agreement to sell an undisclosed amount of wheat to the DPRK. The commodities-trading giant did not disclose the financial terms of the sale. “We have reached an agreement with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea for a commercial sale of US wheat to be shipped in the near future,” Cargill spokeswoman Lori Johnson said, adding that the agreement was signed Saturday. Johnson said that it was Cargill’s first commercial sale of grain to the DPRK. The company received a license last December from the US Treasury Department authorizing it to sell up to 500,000 metric tons of wheat or rice, she said. The United States has imposed a trade embargo against North Korea but permits the sale of humanitarian goods on a case-by-case basis. Ms. Johnson held out the possibility that Cargill could make future grain sales to the DPRK, saying the license gives Cargill continued authority to negotiate with the Pyongyang government.

Reuters (“NORTH KOREAN FAMINE AID EFFORTS GAIN MOMENTUM,” Tokyo, 4/8/97) and the Associated Press (“REP. STUNNED BY N. KOREA FAMINE,” Tokyo, 4/8/97) reported that on Tuesday international relief efforts for North Korea gained momentum as fears about its military intentions gave way to urgent action to avert the “h