I. NAPSNet

1. UN Resolution on DPRK

Associated Press (“CHINA, RUSSIA OFFER ALTERNATIVE UN RESOLUTION ON NORTH KOREA”, 2006-07-13) reported that the PRC and Russia introduced a draft resolution in the Security Council to counter demands for mandatory UN sanctions against the DPRK over its missile tests but got a cool reception from the West. Unlike the Japanese draft, the Russian-PRC text does not make the proposed weapons-related sanctions mandatory and does not invoke Chapter Seven of the UN charter, which can authorize sanctions or even military action. The alternate draft merely “calls upon all member states not to procure missiles or missile-related items, materials, goods and technologies” from the DPRK.

(return to top) Agence France-Presse (“UN SECURITY COUNCIL SEEKS TO RECONCILE RIVAL DRAFTS ON NORTH KOREA”, 2006-07-13) reported that key members of the UN Security Council scrambled to try to reconcile rival proposals aimed at censuring the recalcitrant DPRK for its missile tests, ahead of a vote they hope to have by the end of week. Recalling that a vote on the Western-backed draft was deferred pending the outcome of a high-level PRC mission to Pyongyang, US Ambassador John Bolton said his PRC counterpart Wang Guangya reported that “there was no news at all” from the Pyongyang talks. “It looks to me like Pyongyang’s intransigent attitude remains unchanged,” Bolton said, adding that under those circumstances the US and Japan would push for “a vote sooner rather than later.” But Wang held out hope the council would be able to come up with a unified stance to respond to Pyongyang’s defiance. “To maintain the unity of the Security Council is more important than maintaining our own resolutions. I do hope that people will show a spirit of compromise,” he noted. Bolton stressed that it was important to give the PRC and Russia “a chance to explain their text, explain the significant differences and weakness in their text compared to ours, and then try and take that into account.” (return to top) Kyodo (“JAPAN TO WORK ON N. KOREA RESOLUTION BASED ON CHINA-RUSSIA PROPOSAL”, 2006-07-13) reported that in an apparent compromise to the PRC and Russia, the Japanese government intends to draw up a UN draft resolution that condemns the DPRK’s July 5 missile launches but may not include strong measures such as sanctions, which Tokyo had earlier espoused, several government officials said Thursday. “What is important is to adopt a binding resolution,” a senior Japanese Foreign Ministry official said, suggesting that Japan could back down from its position to push for a sanctions resolution, which it presented last week, in the face of PRC and Russian opposition. (return to top)

2. Inter-Korean Ministerial Talks

JoongAng Ilbo (“NORTH KOREANS LEAVE EARLY AS TALKS RUPTURE”, 2006-07-13) reported that the inter-Korean ministerial talks in Busan broke down yesterday, with the delegates unable to agree even on the next meeting date. Pyongyang’s delegation complained that Seoul had raised “irrelevant” issues, such as the salvo of missiles the DPRK launched on July 5. The two delegation heads met in the morning; Kwon Ho-ung demanded 500,000 tons of additional rice from his ROK counterpart, Unification Minister Lee Jong-seok. Mr. Lee again refused, saying that no more assistance will be forthcoming until the missile crisis is settled. Mr. Kwon’s response was, “It is inappropriate to have any further discussions,” according to Lee Gwan-se, the Seoul delegation’s press spokesman.

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3. DPRK-PRC Relations

Yonhap (“TOP CHINESE OFFICIAL SAYS RELATIONS WITH N. KOREA REMAIN UNCHANGED”, 2006-07-13) reported that the PRC’s State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan reportedly said that PRC-DPRK relations would remain unchanged despite complicated international political situations, according to the DPRK’s Korean Central Broadcasting Station on Thursday. “The current international circumstances are complicated, but the Chinese and North Korean peoples’ desire to further develop bilateral friendly relations remains unchanged,” Tang was quoted by the DPRK’s broadcaster as saying during his visit on Wednesday to the DPRK Embassy in Beijing.

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4. DPRK on ROK-NATO Affiliation

Yonhap (“N. KOREA CRITICIZES REPORTED U.S. PROPOSAL ON S. KOREA’S NATO AFFILIATION”, 2006-07-13) reported that the DPRK on Thursday disparaged a purported US proposal that the ROK affiliate itself with NATO, calling it an attempt to quickly reinforce US-led multinational forces to the Korean Peninsula in times of a conflict.

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5. US-ROK Security Alliance

Agence France-Presse (“US GENERAL CONFIRMS PLAN TO END JOINT COMMAND IN SKOREA “, 2006-07-13) reported that a top US military commander has confirmed a plan to scrap a joint command for US and ROK forces, in a major change to the five-decade alliance. “We are considering creating two independent commands — one ROK and one US, with US forces in a supporting role and restructured to take advantage of US air and naval warfare capacility,” General B.B. Bell said.

(return to top) Korea Times (“S. KOREA, US DISCUSS FUTURE ALLIANCE”, 2006-07-13) reported that Senior defense officials from the ROK and the US met in Seoul to review the progress of their program to shape a new military alliance allowing the ROK military to assume a greater role in its security, the Defense Ministry said. Kwon An-do, assistant defense minister for policy, represented the ROK delegation at the two-day meeting, while the US side was led by Deputy Under Secretary of Defense Richard Lawless. They discussed drawing up a roadmap for the ROK to exercise independent control of its armed forces during wartime. (return to top)

6. US Military Sales to the ROK

Donga Ilbo (“U.S. NIXES GLOBAL HAWK SALE TO KOREA”, 2006-07-13) reported that according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, military authorities in the ROK have requested the US to sell it four Global Hawks in 2008 in order to secure independent surveillance ability on the DPRK. However the US put out a “not for sale” policy and have rejected the ROK’s requests. The US is thought to have rejected the request for fear that the core technology might be leaked. Some are known to be worried that confidential information collected on the DPRK using the Global Hawk might be leaked to the DPRK.

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7. US-ROK Trade Relations

Chosun Ilbo (“KOREA TRIES TO KEEP 100 SERVICES OUT OF FTA WITH U.S.”, 2006-07-13) reported that the ROK delivered a reserve list of some 100 services to the US on Thursday, the fourth day of their free-trade talks in Seoul. Areas it wants to keep out of a free trade agreement include public utilities such as communications and electricity, as well as broadcasting, law, mandatory elementary and middle school education and delivery services. The ROK also wants to keep its optical market closed since opticians need a license here.

(return to top) Agence France-Presse (“US NEGOTIATORS BOYCOTT DISCUSSION ON MEDICINES “, 2006-07-13) reported that US negotiators boycotted discussions on medicines in talks with the ROK, clouding prospects for the early conclusion of a free trade deal, officials said. “The United States has stopped discussion on medicines, expressing concern about our new policy,” Kim said. US firms insisted the new system would end up discriminating against their products. (return to top) The Los Angeles Times (“TENS OF THOUSANDS IN S. KOREA PROTEST TRADE PLAN”, 2006-07-13) reported that in the vintage style of noisy ROK protests, tens of thousands of people wearing red bandannas filled the plaza in front of City Hall on Wednesday, banging drums and chanting in opposition to a proposed free trade pact with the US. Police estimated the crowd at 70,000, a turnout that probably would have been larger if not for torrential rains. (return to top)

8. US-Japan Missile Defense Cooperation

Kyodo (“U.S. MISSILE INTERCEPTOR TO BE DEPLOYED IN JAPAN AS EARLY AS AUGUST”, 2006-07-13) reported that Japan and the US have decided to deploy surface-to-air Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missile interceptors at the US Kadena Air Base and the US Air Force’s Kadena Ammunition Storage Area in Okinawa Prefecture as early as this summer, possibly in August, government sources said Thursday. In the first-ever deployment of such a weapons system at a US base in Japan, a total of 24 launching pads are planned to be installed, requiring an additional 600 US troops to be stationed in the prefecture, according to the sources.

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9. Japan-PRC Relations

Kyodo (“CHINA, JAPAN AGREE TO BOOST AIR TRAFFIC “, 2006-07-13) reported that Japan and the PRC agreed Thursday to boost air traffic between the two countries, giving them the green light to go forward with an about 20 percent increase in the volume of passenger flights and a twofold increase in the volume of cargo flights, Japanese government officials said.

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10. PRC Economy

The Associated Press (“CHINA TRYING AGAIN TO TAME BOOMING ECONOMY “, 2006-07-13) reported that the flurry of construction in Changsha, a southern PRC city that until recently was far removed from the industrial bustle of affluent coastal areas, is typical of the building frenzy that has Beijing’s economic planners worried. “Chinese authorities are now scrambling to regain control over a runaway economy,” Morgan Stanley economist Stephen S. Roach wrote in a recent report.

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11. PRC Media Control

The Associated Press (“CHINA JAILS REPORTER OVER ESSAYS ON GRAFT “, 2006-07-13) reported that a PRC reporter who posted essays on foreign Web sites criticizing the ruling Communist Party was sentenced Thursday to two years in prison on subversion charges, his lawyer said. Li Yuanlong, a reporter for the newspaper Bijie Daily in the southern city of Bijie, was detained in September after posting essays on foreign Web sites.

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