I. NAPSnet

1. Six Party Talks

BBC News (“DEEP DIVISIONS AT N KOREA TALKS “, 2005-09-15) reported that talks on DPRK’s nuclear ambitions appear to have stalled, delegates meeting in Beijing have said. The chief US negotiator said the talks were at a “standoff”, while a DPRK spokesman blamed the US for the lack of progress. The impasse stems from a new DPRK demand that it be provided with a light-water nuclear reactor as part of a deal to give up nuclear weapons.

(return to top) Donga Ilbo (“BUSH AND HU JINTAO DISCUSS WAYS TO PRESSURE THE NORTH TO RENOUNCE ITS NUCLEAR PROGRAM”, 2005-09-14) reported that the PRC President Hu Jintao and his US counterpart, George W. Bush, discussed ways to pressure DPRK to make a strategic decision to rid its nuclear program. US President’s Special Assistant Michael Green said, “Both leaders reaffirmed the Nuclear-free Korean Peninsula principle, which Bush and former PRC President Jiang Zemin agreed to two and a half years ago. Also, they agreed to cooperate to achieve the goal.” (return to top)

2. DPRK on Six Party Talks

Yonhap News (“N. KOREA VOWS NOT TO GIVE UP ITS DEMAND FOR LIGHT-WATER REACTOR”, 2005-09-15) reported that DPRK said that it will never give up its demand for light-water reactor, calling it a key to settlement of the ongoing tension over its nuclear program. “In building trust on the Korean Peninsula, the provision of light-water reactor forms its very basis,” Hyun Hak-bong, a DPRK delegation member, told reporters. Hyun said DPRK is prepared to scrap its graphite-moderated nuclear reactors in operation or under construction only after the US promises to build an unspecified number of light-water reactors.

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3. Russia on Six Party Talks

RIA Novosti (“DIPLOMACY IS THE WAY TO BREAK STALEMATE IN IRAN AND NORTH KOREA – KREMLIN”, 2005-09-15) reported that the Russian leadership has reiterated its commitment to resolving the conflicts over the DPRK’s nuclear programs through diplomacy, a Kremlin source said, ahead of US-Russian presidential talks on the sidelines of the UN World Summit. The source said that at the talks, Presidents Vladimir Putin and George W. Bush were expected to highlight the progress of the six party talks and to discuss ways to move the process forward.

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4. DPRK Nuclear Activity

CNN (“EXPERT: PHOTOS OF NK NUKE ACTIVITY RESUMPTION AT REACTOR IS MODEST, ANALYST SAYS”, 2005-09-14) reported that new satellite photos show for the first time that DPRK has resumed some work on a nuclear reactor that could enable the DPRK state to vastly increase stocks of weapons-grade plutonium, but the activity seems to be modest, an analyst said. The photos, obtained by the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security, also appear to confirm earlier reports that the DPRK have unloaded and restocked a smaller plutonium-producing reactor at its Yongbyon nuclear complex.

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5. DPRK-Pakistan Transfer of Nuclear Weapons Technology

The International Herald Tribune (“SCIENTIST AIDED N. KOREA, PAKISTAN CHIEF CONFIRMS”, 2005-09-15) reported that President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan says he believes that a Pakistani expert who ran the world’s largest nuclear proliferation ring exported “probably a dozen” centrifuges to DPRK to produce nuclear weapons fuel. He added, however, that after two years of interrogations, there was still no evidence about whether the expert also gave DPRK a PRC-origin design to build a nuclear weapon.

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6. Inter-Korean Ministerial Talks

The Korea Herald (“TWO KOREAS TRY TO RESOLVE DIFFERENCES”, 2005-09-15) reported that ROK and DPRK were struggling yesterday to resolve differences over Seoul’s proposals for a peace mechanism and a troubled cross-broader tourism project on the second full-day of inter-Korean dialogue in Pyongyang. The DPRK called for the ROK to end the joint military drills with the US and scrap the half-century-old National Security Law.

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7. Inter-Korean Economic Cooperation

Yonhap News (“N. KOREA TO CONTINUE BUSINESS WITH HYUNDAI: CHUNG”, 2005-09-15) reported that according to the ROK’s Unification Minster, the DPRK vowed Thursday to continue its Mount Kumgang tourism business with Hyundai Group. He added that Ri Jong-hyuk, vice chairman of DPRK’s Asia Pacific Peace Committee, would soon meet with Hyundai Group Chairwoman Hyun Jeong-eun to discuss ways of normalizing the troubled joint tourism venture.

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8. Kim Yoon-kyu on Inter-Korean Economic Cooperation

The Korea Times (“KIM HOPES TO CONTRIBUTE TO S-N COOPERATION”, 2005-09-15) reported that former Hyundai Asan CEO Kim Yoon-kyu, who was fired by Hyundai for his alleged embezzlement, has expressed his willingness to continue to play a role in boosting economic cooperation between the ROK and the DPRK. “The inter-Korean economic cooperation projects should continue to work toward the reunification of the separated Korea,’’ Kim said.

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9. DPRK-Japanese Relations

Mainichi Daily (“JAPAN OFFERS TO RESUME NORMALIZATION TALKS WITH NORTH KOREA”, 2005-09-15) reported that Japan has offered to resume normalization talks with DPRK in a message delivered by ROK, pool reports said. ROK Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said he passed the message from Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to the DPRK during inter-Korean Cabinet-level talks Thursday in Pyongyang.

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10. UN on Nuclear Proliferation

Agence France Presse (“WORLD LEADERS SHAKE HEADS AS REFORMS TO CHECK NUCLEAR ARMS SPREAD DUMPED”, 2005-09-15) reported that after months of wrangling, world leaders were shaking their heads over the dumping of proposed UN reforms to check nuclear weapons proliferation and disarmament. Despite increasing concerns over illicit nuclear weapon networks and terrorists seeking weapons of mass destruction, proposed new rules on nuclear weapons proliferation and disarmament were completely disregarded.

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11. Japan on UNSC Reform

Agence France Presse (“JAPAN FLEXES FINANCIAL MUSCLE, UN ELITE-CLUB SEAT STILL OUT OF REACH”, 2005-09-15) reported that as world leaders hold a historic get-together on the 60th UN anniversary, Japan is struggling to keep Security Council reform on the agenda amid warnings that money cannot buy prestige. Koizumi is expected to make another pitch for the increasingly remote goal at the United Nations on Thursday, following on Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura’s plea on Wednesday.

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12. ROK on UN Reform

Joongang Ilbo (“‘IMPERIAL TENDENCIES’ STILL LINGER, ROH TELLS UN”, 2005-09-15) reported that President Roh Moo-hyun warned against “major-power centrism” and called for reform of the UN Security Council to recover the body’s “moral authority.” On UN reform Mr. Roh said, “Any reform plan … should serve to facilitate harmony among nations, rather than presage another variant of great power politics.” Although Mr. Roh was no more specific than that call for harmony and warning about great-power politics, a Blue House official was more detailed. “The speech aimed at reminding the world of Japan’s tendencies now to turn to the right, as seen in the continued visits to the Yasukuni Shrine.”

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13. Russia on UN Reform

MosNews (“RUSSIA’S PUTIN CALLS FOR PRESERVING UNITED NATIONS”, 2005-09-15) reported that Russian president Vladimir Putin has called on the international community to preserve the UN as a unique ground for dialogue and building of the secure world. Putin quoted by Reuters also said the UN Security Council must be at the center of global efforts to fight terrorism.

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14. PRC on UN Reform

Agence France Presse (“CHINA CALLS FOR “FAIR AND EFFECTIVE” SECURITY ORDER”, 2005-09-15) reported that PRC leader Hu Jintao called on world leaders at a summit here Thursday to establish a new “fair and effective” security order and step up cooperation in combating global terrorism. Hu also urged a worldwide energy dialogue and joint efforts to maintain energy security. The leader of the Asian Communist giant said the United Nations should be “the core” of collective security efforts. “Such a role can only be strengthened and must not in any way be weakened,” he said.

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15. ROK Military Reforms

Joongang Ilbo (“MINISTRY OF DEFENSE ANNOUNCES DETAILS OF MILITARY REFORM PLAN”, 2005-09-15) reported that aiming at downsizing the nation’s troops to 500,000 and modernizing them with state-of-the-art arms by 2020, the Ministry of National Defense yesterday announced details of its defense reform plan. The 15-year plan is designed to ready the ROK armed forces for a changed security environment and the challenges of modern-day warfare. The Defense Ministry said the plan focused on restructuring the military by breaking away from the outdated principle that the ROK should have an equal number of troops to those of the DPRK.

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16. Japan Relations with the PRC, ROK

Reuters (“JAPAN PM POLL WIN SEEN GOLDEN CHANCE FOR ASIA TIES “, 2005-09-15) reported that Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi’s huge election victory could provide a golden opportunity to mend fences with the PRC and ROK rather than being an impediment to better ties, analysts say. It is far from clear, however, whether Koizumi — who has angered PRC and ROK with his visits to Yasukuni shrine for the war dead — will make use of the opportunity.

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17. Japanese Military

Kyodo (“JAPAN BUYS RUSSIAN WEAPONS TO TEST ARMOR: JANE’S”, 2005-09-15) reported that the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force is buying an assortment of Russian-made weapons to test the ballistic protection of its vehicles and body armor, according to Jane’s Defense Weekly. The purchases, which will be Japan’s first acquisition of Russian military equipment, are due to begin in the next fiscal year via a Japanese trading company with contacts in Russia.

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18. Japan Anti-Terror Unit

Reuters (“JAPAN MAY SET UP ANTI-TERROR UNIT AT US BASE-PAPER”, 2005-09-15) reported that Japan and the US plan to station a new Japanese anti-terrorist unit at a US military base in Japan, another sign of closer military cooperation between the allies, a Japanese daily reported on Thursday. The Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) said the two sides had begun preparations to set up the anti-terrorist command center next year at Camp Zama, a US base just west of Tokyo. Japanese and US officials see the idea as a central element of the redeployment of US forces in Japan, the daily added.

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19. PRC on Cross Strait Relations

Reuters (“CHINA OFFERS AID FOR POOR STATES REJECTING TAIWAN”, 2005-09-15) reported that PRC President Hu Jintao offered the world’s poorest countries tariff-free trade, debt relief and cheap loans on Wednesday — but excluded about a dozen states which recognize the PRC’s rival Taiwan. Poor countries that recognize the PRC would also enjoy debt forgiveness and interest-free loans, said Hu. He noted that the PRC had already reduced or canceled debt to some African states.

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20. Sino-Indian Relations

Agence France Presse (“INDIA AND CHINA INJECT “URGENCY” INTO BOUNDARY DISPUTE TALKS “, 2005-09-15) reported that Asian giants India and the PRC have agreed to resolve their longstanding boundary dispute – the product of a brief border conflict in 1962 – with “greater urgency”, a report said. The two neighbours reiterated the need to seek a “reasonable solution” with “greater urgency,” the report said quoting Indian foreign ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna.

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21. Sino-US Relations

Reuters (“CHINA SAYS BUSH EXPECTED TO VISIT AFTER APEC MEET”, 2005-09-15) reported that US President George W. Bush is expected to visit the PRC following a meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in November, a PRC Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Thursday. “During their New York meeting, President Bush expressed hope he could make a trip at a time convenient to both parties,” PRC Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told a news conference.

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22. PRC Environment and GDP

Xinhua (“ENVIRONMENTAL ELEMENTS TO BE INCLUDED IN GDP CALCULATION”, 2005-09-15) reported that the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA), the PRC’s environment watchdog, vowed to take into account environmental elements when assessing its economic growth, the head of SEPA said here Wednesday. “We will find out new economic development evaluation systems which take resource consumption and environmental losses into consideration,” said Xie Zhenhua, director general of SEPA.

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II. CanKor

23. CanKor Focus

CanKor (“EDUCATION, HEALTH AND SOCIAL PROTECTION IN THE DPRK”, 2005-06-15) If the current six-party process results in a settlement of the nuclear weapons issue, part of the package deal will involve incentives to advance the DPRK’s economic development goals. CanKor editor Erich Weingartner reflects on the social development tasks that face international assistance in the fields of education, health and social protection in the DPRK.

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