NAPSNet Daily Report Thursday, August 09, 2007
- 1. Inter-Korean Summit
2. DPRK Heavy Rains
3. US MIA from Korean War
4. Koreas and the Olympics
5. ROK Hostages in Afghanistan
6. Japan MSDF Mission
7. US-Japan Relations
8. Shanghai Cooperation Organization Drill
9. PRC Environment
I. NAPSNet
1. Inter-Korean Summit
Voice of America (“SOUTH KOREA SAYS SUMMIT WITH NORTH MAY SPEED UP NUCLEAR WEAPONS DIPLOMACY”, 2007-08-09) reported that the ROK’s top official in charge of DPRK policy says a planned summit will boost multinational efforts to end the DPRK’s nuclear weapons programs. ROK Unification Minister Lee Jae-joung said that Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons programs will be a top agenda item for this month’s North-South summit. ROK President Roh Moo-hyun is to travel to Pyongyang for meetings with leader Kim Jong Il from August 28 to 30. The event is a repeat of the first summit seven years ago, which began a thaw in relations.
(return to top) Thomson Financial (“SKOREAN TECHNOLOGY SHARES CLOSE HIGHER ON INTER-KOREAN SUMMIT NEWS”, 2007-08-08) reported that ROK’s technology-laden KOSDAQ index closed higher Wednesday, with broad sentiment buoyed by news that the Korean leaders will hold their first summit meeting in seven years. (return to top) Donga Ilbo (“BUSINESS CIRCLE WELCOMES SOUTH-NORTH SUMMIT”, 2007-08-9) eported that business organizations such as the Federation of Korean Industries, the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Korea International Trade Association all released comments welcoming the inter-Korean summit. (return to top)
2. DPRK Heavy Rains
Reuters (“NORTH KOREA SAYS HIT BY FLOODS, FARMS DAMAGED”, 2007-08-09) reported that a deluge of rain caused severe flooding in the DPRK, heavily damaging the agricultural sector. More heavy rains are expected in the next several days.
3. US MIA from Korean War
US Department of Defense Press Release (“SOLDIER MISSING IN ACTION FROM THE KOREAN WAR IS IDENTIFIED”, 2007-08-09) reported that the Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and returned to his family for burial with full military honors. He is Sgt. Frank Bunchuk, U.S. Army, of Medina, N.Y. He will be buried Thursday in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C.
4. Koreas and the Olympics
Korea Times (“KOREAS TALK UNIFIED TEAM”, 2007-08-9) reported that a second inter-Korean summit could be the solution to the prolonged issue of creating a unified Korean team for the Beijing Olympics next year. Since December 2005, the two Koreas have discussed the possibility of a joint team on four occasions but they have failed to reach a conclusion because of a disagreement on how to select athletes.
5. ROK Hostages in Afghanistan
Chosun Ilbo (“SEOUL AND TALIBAN YET TO DECIDE ON SPECIFICS OF FACE-TO-FACE TALKS”, 2007-08-09) reported that there are conflicting reports regarding the possible face-to-face talks between the ROK government and the Taliban. Marajudin Pathan, the governor of Ghazni province told several US news agencies that ROK government officials and Taliban militants will soon agree on the venue for their first face-to-face talks. But Taliban spokesman Qari Yousef Ahmadi denied the reports saying that news has been falsely made up by someone.
(return to top) Korea Times (“KOREA TO PULL AFGHAN AID GROUPS OUT”, 2007-08-09) reported that the ROK’s ambassador told tribal elders from eastern Afghanistan that ROK aid organizations would pull out of the country within a month, in an apparent effort to help free the 21 hostages being held by Taliban militants, a report said. ROK Ambassador Kang Sung-zu also said that if the 21 hostages are released and if the Afghan government can provide a security guarantee, then ROK aid organizations might return one day. (return to top)
6. Japan MSDF Mission
Agence France-Presse (“US SAYS UP TO JAPAN TO BACK ANTI-TERROR OPERATIONS”, 2007-08-09) reported that the US said it was up to Japan to decide whether it wanted to back US-led “war on terror” operations, following criticism by the Japanese opposition over Tokyo’s logistical backing for US forces. “If I were given a decision-making position, I regret to say Japan would not participate in an operation led by the United States,” Ozawa told him. But Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s coalition still enjoys a solid majority in the more powerful lower house of parliament, which means that the opposition at best could stall efforts to extend the Afghanistan mission.
7. US-Japan Relations
Agence France-Presse (“RICE, JAPANESE DEFENSE MINISTER HOLD SECURITY TALKS”, 2007-08-09) reported that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met with Japanese Defense Minister Yuriko Koike for security talks expected to touch on Afghanistan and Japanese interest in the advanced F-22 fighter jet. Koike’s meeting with Rice followed talks at the Pentagon with US Defense Secretary Robert Gates for a what a US defense spokesman described as “a strategic review of global, regional and bilateral interests.”
8. Shanghai Cooperation Organization Drill
The Associated Press (“LEADERS OF CHINA, RUSSIA, CENTRAL ASIAN STATES TO OBSERVE WAR GAMES”, 2007-08-09) reported that the leaders of the PRC, Russia, and four Central Asian states will observe joint war games being held this month by their countries’ armed forces, the PRC’s foreign ministry said Thursday. The Aug. 9-17 drill, called “Peace Mission 2007,” in eastern Russia will coincide with an annual summit of the six-nation Shanghai Cooperation Organization, PRC Assistant Foreign Minister Li Hui told reporters at a briefing.
(return to top) Itar-Tass (“NO MILITARY-POLITICAL BLOC TO BE CREATED WITHIN SCO”, 2007-08-09) reported that successful economic activities within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) “are impossible without building up security in the region, particularly involving the SCO military agencies in this process,” Chief of the Russian General Staff Gen. He stressed that “no military-political bloc or union will be created, as this would contradict the SCO fundamental principles.” (return to top)
9. PRC Environment
Agence France-Presse (“BEIJING DISMISSES OLYMPICS POLLUTION FEARS “, 2007-08-09) reported that Beijing Olympic organisers said they were confident that athletes would compete in clean air next year despite revelations that events could be postponed because of pollution. “We are well aware of the challenges but we are confident that air quality will be good for the Olympics,” Beijing Olympic organising committee (BOCOG) spokesman Sun Weide told AFP. “We have been working hard on this problem and the signs are that our work has been effective.”