NAPSNet Daily Report Monday, April 03, 2006

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NAPSNet Daily Report Monday, April 03, 2006

NAPSNet Daily Report Monday, April 03, 2006

I. NAPSNet

II. CanKor

Preceding NAPSNet Report

I. NAPSNet

1. US on DPRK Nuclear Program

Chosun Ilbo (“N.KOREA HAS SIX NUCLEAR WEAPONS: LAPORTE “, 2006-04-03) reported that the former commander of the US Forces Korea, Leon LaPorte, says the DPRK already has between three and six nuclear weapons. The retired general claimed the weapons had been made before the 1994 Geneva Agreement, in which the DPRK pledged to freeze its nuclear activities, and added the number must have grown by now. He made the remarks in an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo newspaper. He emphasized that the ROK-US Alliance is crucial as a deterrent against the DPRK.

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2. DPRK on ROK Nuclear Submarine

Yonhap News (“PYONGYANG BLASTS SEOUL’S ALLEGED NUKE SUBMARINE PLAN “, 2006-04-01) reported that the DPRK said Saturday it will step up efforts to bolster its nuclear deterrent, claiming that the ROK is trying to develop a nuclear-powered submarine with US help. “The South Korean authorities’ moves to go nuclear cannot but be a serious development as they gravely threaten peace on the Korean Peninsula, the destiny of the nation and the security in Northeast Asia,” the DPRK Anti-Nuke Peace Committee said in a statement.

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3. Swiss Firm on Proliferation Accusations

Chosun Ilbo (“SWISS COMPANY DENIES HELPING N. KOREA PROLIFERATE WMD “, 2006-04-02) reported that a Swiss company accused by the US government of helping the DPRK proliferate weapons of mass destruction on Friday denied all charges. The chairman of Kohas AG, Jakob Steiger, in a statement said the company does not export to the DPRK and that it just makes metal shelving for books or crockery and imports raw metal from the PRC and the DPRK.

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4. ROK, Russia Discuss Six Party Talks

LexisNexis (“SOUTH KOREAN ENVOY TO VISIT RUSSIA NEXT WEEK FOR CONSULTATIONS ON STALLED NUCLEAR TALKS”, 2006-03-31) reported that the ROK’s nuclear envoy will visit Russia next week in efforts to seek a resumption of stalled talks on curbing the DPRK’s nuclear weapons program, the ROK Foreign Ministry said Friday. “South Korea and Russia are scheduled to exchange assessments on recent developments regarding the North’s nuclear issue and discuss ways of resuming the six-way talks and ways to advance the implementation of the joint statement in case the talks are resumed,” the ministry said in a press release.

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5. Inter-Korean Athletic Cooperation

Korea Times (“NORTH AND SOUTH KOREA ARE OFTEN FRIENDLIEST ON THE FIELD”, 2006-04-02) reported that the role the DPRK will play this week at the meeting in Seoul of the Association of National Olympic Committees is prompting curiosity among international sports observers. The DPRK and the ROK have tentatively agreed to join in putting up a delegation for this year’s Asian Games scheduled to be held in Doha, Qatar, in December. Kim Jung-kil, president of the Korean Olympic Committee, confirmed that he had a discussion with Chang Ung, the DPRK’s IOC representative, during the Turin Winter Olympics and reached a consensus on the issue.

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6. Inter-Korean Economic Cooperation

Korea Times (“ROH ENCOURAGES CEOS TO INVEST MORE IN N. KOREA “, 2006-04-02) reported that President Roh Moo-hyun Saturday asked ROK businessmen to proactively participate in inter-Korean economic cooperation projects, saying that business has leeway to move even in cases of political deadlock. “For better inter-Korean relations, I hope our businessmen move faster with a frontier spirit than the government,” Lee Byung-wan, presidential chief of staff, quoted Roh as saying. The president said the government’s initiatives for inter-Korean economic programs take longer than those from businesses because government policies are subject to political and diplomatic considerations.

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7. US on Kaesong Complex Wages

Chosun Ilbo (“SEOUL DISMISSES U.S. CLAIMS ABOUT KAESONG COMPLEX “, 2006-03-31) reported that the ROK government on Friday protested against remarks from a US official criticizing conditions at the joint-Korean Kaesong Industrial Complex. The Unification Ministry condemned remarks by the US special envoy for DPRK human rights, Jay Lefkowitz, that DPRK laborers at the complex are paid less than US$2 a day and conditions there should be inspected by the International Labor Organization.

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8. US Military on DPRK Politics

Yonhap News (“KIM JONG-IL ‘SLIPPING’ IN CONTROL, POWER TRANSFER QUESTIONABLE”, 2006-04-03) reported that DPRK leader Kim Jong-il is beginning to “slip” in his grip on power, and even if he can pass on his power to his chosen successor, the regime is not likely to survive long, a US military researcher said Monday. In a report published by the Strategic Studies Institute of the US Army War College, professor Andrew Scobell called the DPRK an “eroding totalitarian regime” that surprisingly survived the passing of Kim Il-sung, father of the current leader.

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9. US on DPRK Financial Sanctions

Chosun Ilbo (“N.KOREAN REGIME FEELING PINCH FROM SANCTIONS: U.S. “, 2006-04-03) reported that the US Treasury Department says its ongoing financial sanctions against the DPRK put “huge pressure” on the regime that could have a “snowballing … avalanche effect.” Under Secretary Stuart Levy was quoted in the latest edition of Newsweek. “In today’s interconnected financial world, an official U.S. move to blacklist a foreign bank would be the kiss of death, since any financial institution doing business in dollars needs to hold accounts in correspondent U.S. banks in order to complete transactions,” the weekly said. “Washington has finally found a strategy that is putting real pressure on the regime — going after its sources of cash, all across the world.”

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10. US on DPRK Human Rights

Associated Press (“US ENVOY, ANNAN DISCUSS HUMAN RIGHTS IN NORTH KOREA”, 2006-03-31) reported that the US special envoy on DPRK human rights called on UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to use his moral authority to promote human rights in the country. “We spoke about the importance of raising international consciousness on the issue of human rights in North Korea and the terrible deprivation of human rights by that regime,” Jay Lefkowitz told reporters after the brief meeting. He pointed to the “moral authority of the United Nations and the secretary general can add to the struggle for human rights in North Korea.”

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11. Japan on Abductees in DPRK

Kyodo News (“JAPAN URGES N. KOREA TO INVESTIGATE SUSPECTED ABDUCTEES “, 2006-04-03) reported that Japan has provided Pyongyang with details on a number of missing Japanese citizens who a private organization suspects may have been abducted by the DPRK, and has urged it to investigate their whereabouts, Japanese officials said Friday.

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12. USFJ Realignment

The Japan Times (“JAPAN WANTS TO LIMIT REALIGNMENT TAB TO 50%: ASO”, 2006-03-30) reported that Japan wants to keep its share of the expenses for moving some 8,000 US Marines to Guam from Okinawa to under half, Foreign Minister Taro Aso said. His remarks came in response to a question from Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Kosaburo Nishime during a meeting of the lower chamber’s Special Committee on Okinawa and Northern Problems.

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13. Japan Military Emergency Plan

The Japan Times (“ALL PREFECTURES’ ATTACK-EMERGENCY PLANS NOW OK’D”, 2006-04-01) reported that the Cabinet approved contingency plans Friday for Tokyo and 23 prefectures that feature measures designed to protect the public from an armed attack, finalizing approval of emergency response plans for all of 47 prefectures.

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14. Japan SDF Deployment to Iraq

The Associated Press (“ASO: TROOPS TO STAY PUT IN IRAQ UNTIL STABILITY RESTORED”, 2006-04-03) reported that Japanese troops may stay in southern Iraq until a degree of political stability is restored in the country, Foreign Minister Taro Aso said Sunday, denying media reports they might pull out by May. Officials have repeatedly said they will carefully consider security conditions, as well as plans of British and Australian troops stationed there, before deciding when to withdraw the 600 troops from the southern city of Samawah.

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15. Japan Nuclear Power

The Japan Times (“NUCLEAR REPROCESSING PLANT BEGINS TRIALS”, 2006-04-01) reported that Japan Nuclear Fuel Ltd. began a test run Friday of Japan’s first spent nuclear fuel reprocessing plant, in Rokkasho, Aomori Prefecture. The test run will involve the same procedures as an actual operation, in which the spent fuel will be reprocessed to extract plutonium and uranium.

(return to top) The Japan Times (“NUCLEAR AGENCY OKS SHIKOKU ELECTRIC MOX PLAN”, 2006-03-29) reported that the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency issued a permit Tuesday to Shikoku Electric Power Co., allowing it to proceed with development of a “pluthermal” nuclear power system that will generate electricity by burning a fuel mixture containing plutonium at its No. 3 reactor in Ikata, Ehime Prefecture. If the project is approved by residents, the utility will replace about a quarter of the reactor’s fuel with plutonium-uranium mixed oxide fuel, or MOX, to begin pluthermal power generation by fiscal 2010. (return to top) The Japan Times (“GOVERNMENT DRAFTS PLANS FOR REACTOR TO SUCCEED MONJU”, 2006-03-31) reported that the Japan Atomic Energy Agency proposed a blueprint Thursday for nuclear technology development that envisions a 1,500-megawatt fast-breeder reactor to succeed the prototype fast-breeder reactor Monju in Tsuruga, Fukui Prefecture. Like Monju, the envisaged reactor will use sodium coolant and burn plutonium-uranium mixed oxide fuel (MOX) made from spent fuel, stockpiles of which have been growing rapidly. The government is set to contribute to the US-led Global Nuclear Energy Partnership initiative in the area of fast-breeder reactor technology and fuel reprocessing technology. (return to top)

16. Japan on UNSC Reform

Kyodo (“JAPAN DROPS PLAN TO SUBMIT NEW UNSC REFORM BID”, 2006-03-30) reported that Japan has given up plans to submit a new draft resolution on UN Security Council reform this spring, UN diplomatic sources said Tuesday. It is the first formal notification of Tokyo’s internal decision to other members of the so-called Group of Four — Brazil, Germany and India — that were jointly working to become the new permanent UNSC members.

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17. Japan-PRC Relations

The Japan Times (“STOP VISITING YASUKUNI, WE’LL HAVE SUMMIT: HU”, 2006-04-01) reported that PRC President Hu Jintao on Friday blamed Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi’s visits to the war-linked Yasukuni Shrine for the deterioration of bilateral ties, adding that the PRC will hold a summit with Japan when the visits stop, Japanese politicians who met with Hu said.

(return to top) The Associated Press (“ASO SAYS CHINA A THREAT; SHRINE OVERTURES REBUFFED”, 2006-04-03) reported that Foreign Minister Taro Aso on Sunday called the PRC a military threat and Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe rebuffed conciliatory gestures by Beijing over Yasukuni Shrine in comments likely to heighten tensions between the two nations. (return to top) The Associated Press (“JAPAN’S DIRECT INVESTMENT IN CHINA RISES “, 2006-04-03) reported that Japan’s direct investment in the PRC rose 19.8 percent to a record $6.53 billion last year despite anti-Japanese demonstrations in the PRC last April, a Japanese trade group said. Direct investment from Japan in 2005 — excluding banking, securities and insurance sectors — surpassed the previous record of $5.45 billion registered in 2004, the Japan External Trade Organization said. (return to top)

18. Cross Strait Relations

Agence France-Presse (“CHINA AND US WEAPONS ON AGENDA AS TAIWAN LEADERS MEET”, 2006-04-03) reported that Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian plans to hold talks with the leader of the opposition to discuss tense relations with the PRC and controversy over a 10 billion dollar US weapons package. Ma Ying-jeou, the mayor of Taipei who won the leadership of the Kuomintang (KMT) party in July last year, requested the face-to-face talks after returning from a high-profile trip to the US last month.

(return to top) Agence France-Presse (“TAIWAN PRESIDENT WARNS OF CHINA’S INVASION TIMEFRAME, SNUBS CALL FOR TALKS “, 2006-04-03) reported that the PRC plans a “military showdown” with Taiwan in less than a decade, the island’s President Chen Shui-bian said. Rejecting an opposition call to resume talks with Beijing based on earlier guidelines, Chen said it is not he but PRC leaders who have tried to alter the status quo in the Strait by stockpiling weaponry targeting Taiwan. (return to top)

19. PRC-Australia Uranium Deal

Agence France-Presse (“CHINA-AUSTRALIA DEAL PAVES WAY FOR MAJOR URANIUM EXPORTS”, 2006-04-03) reported that Australia and the PRC have signed a landmark nuclear safeguards agreement, opening the way for major exports of uranium to fuel the PRC’s booming nuclear power industry. Critics have charged that the deal, which officials said would not result in shipments for several years, paves the way for regional instability and environmental problems.

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20. PRC Economy

The New York Times (“LABOR SHORTAGE IN CHINA MAY LEAD TO TRADE SHIFT”, 2006-04-03) reported that persistent labor shortages at hundreds of PRC factories have led experts to conclude that the economy is undergoing a profound change that will ripple through the global market for manufactured goods. The shortage of workers is pushing up wages and swelling the ranks of the country’s middle class, and it could make PRC-made products less of a bargain worldwide.

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II. CanKor

21. Report #243

CanKor (“CURRENT EVENTS”, 2006-03-31) A DPR Korean company official and his family arrive in Seoul after seeking asylum at the RO Korean embassy in Hungary. The ROK and the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) join forces to improve the health of infants and to build the capacity of the DPRK’s medical establishment. This cooperation is anticipated to help improve perceptions regarding transparency in the ROK’s provision of aid to its northern neighbour. The Koreas begin construction of a major water treatment facility in Kaesong. Upon completion in 2007, the facility will supply 60,000 tons of water daily for the Kaesong Industrial Complex and DPR Korean households.

(return to top) CanKor (“FOCUS”, 2006-03-31) Despite the current freeze in the Six Party Talks, the ROK forges ahead with inter-Korean projects in all sectors. The rationale is that future prosperity in the region depends on the establishment of “a system for peace, North-South economic cooperation, and the development of the rule of law.” This week’s CanKor FOCUS reviews the progress of this process. (return to top)