NAPSNet Daily Report Thursday, August 30, 2007

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"NAPSNet Daily Report Thursday, August 30, 2007", NAPSNet Daily Report, August 30, 2007, https://nautilus.org/napsnet/napsnet-daily-report/napsnet-daily-report-thursday-august-30-2007/

NAPSNet Daily Report Thursday, August 30, 2007

NAPSNet Daily Report Thursday, August 30, 2007

I. NAPSNet

Preceding NAPSNet Report

I. NAPSNet

1. US-DPRK Working Group Meeting

The Korea Times (“‘NK TERRORISM LIST REMOVAL DEPENDS ON DENUCLEARIZATION'”, 2007-08-30) reported that the United States will talk to the DPRK next week about terms for removing it from the list of terrorism-sponsoring nations, a key demand made by Pyongyang in their negotiations toward denuclearization and diplomatic normalization, the top US nuclear envoy said. “We are going to have a discussion about things that they need to do… how far we are going to expect to see denuclearization go” in order to remove Pyongyang from the list, said Hill.

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2. DPRK Flood Aid

Korea Times (“SEOUL TO DONATE $2 MIL. FOR NK RELIEF”, 2007-08-30) reported that the ROK will provide $2 million in relief to flood-stricken DPRK via the United Nations, the Ministry of Unification said. Seoul already pledged $58 million worth of relief supplies for the communist state to help hundreds of DPRKoreans affected by weeks of severe flooding and related disasters. The ROK’s decision on the $2 million support has been made at the request of the United Nations seeking to raise $14 million to help the DPRK, Vice Unification Minister Lee Kwan-se said in a weekly briefing.

(return to top) Kyodo (“CHINA TO GIVE ASSISTANCE TO N. KOREAN FLOOD VICTIMS”, 2007-08-30) reported that the PRC will provide assistance such as medicine and equipment to the DPRK to help the country’s flood-stricken victims, a PRC Foreign Ministry spokesman said, without revealing the volume or value of the aid. The PRC “pays great attention to the situation” in the DPRK, Liu Jianchao said in a statement on the ministry’s website. The government decided to provide aid “to help the flood victims to overcome difficulties and rebuild their homes,” he said. (return to top) Chosun Ilbo (“EU EARMARKS FLOOD AID FOR N.KOREA”, 2007-08-30) reported that the European Commission has allotted 2 million euros (W2.56 billion) for emergency relief for the estimated 500,000 DPRK victims of the recent massive floods. The funds will be delivered to international relief agencies in the North through the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid Office. The money will go towards medicine, medical equipment, drinking water, food, sanitary equipment, waterproof sheets, and blankets. (return to top)

3. ROK Hostages in Afghanistan

Joongang Ilbo (“HOSTAGE ORDEAL COMES TO AN END AS FINAL 7 FREED”, 2007-08-30) reported that the final seven Koreans held by the Taliban were freed last night, ending a 43-day hostage crisis that tested Seoul’s diplomacy and negotiation skills. “We are all healthy,” Jae Chang-hee said in a satellite phone interview with the JoongAng Ilbo on his way to be handed over to tribal elders.

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4. US-ROK Trade Relations

Korea Herald (“USTR REAFFIRMS FTA WITH SOUTH KOREA NOT SUBJECT TO RE-NEGOTIATION”, 2007-08-30) reported that the top US trade negotiator said that the free trade agreement with the ROK would not be re-negotiated, but that Seoul does need to resolve the beef issue in order to gain congressional approval, Yonhap News Agency reported. “We do not intend to re-negotiate,” U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab said at a press roundtable ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Sydney next month.

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5. Japan-PRC Relations

The Asahi Shimbun (“KOMURA URGES CLEAR CHINA MILITARY POLICY”, 2007-08-30) reported that New Defense Minister Masahiko Komura called on the PRC to improve the transparency of its growing military, ministry officials said. Komura made the request at a meeting with his PRC counterpart, Cao Gangchuan, at the ministry in Tokyo, sources said. Komura also tried to allay the PRC’s fears about the ballistic missile defense system now being set up jointly by Japan and the US. The ministers also raised the possibility of setting up a hot line between the two countries to exchange information during emergencies.

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6. PRC Climate Change

Asahi Shimbun (“CHINA NOT READY TO JOIN POST-KYOTO PROTOCOL PACT”, 2007-08-30) reported that the PRC should not be obligated to join any post-Kyoto Protocol international pact to curb global warming, a senior PRC environmental official said. Han Wenke, director-general of the Beijing-based Energy Research Institute of the National Development and Reform Commission, said the PRC was simply not ready to join an international framework to combat global warming after the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012.

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7. PRC Leadership

The Associated Press (“CHINA REPLACES 5 CABINET MINISTERS “, 2007-08-30) reported that the PRC replaced five Cabinet ministers — including the finance minister and the head of the secret police — the government said, just weeks ahead of a major Communist Party meeting that will set the country’s policies for the next five years. The others replaced were the ministers of supervision and personnel, and the minister in charge of the State Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense.

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8. Report # 290

CanKor (“THE ROLE OF THE CHURCH FOR PEACE AND UNIFICATION IN KOREAN PENINSULA”, 2007-08-30) An international consultation on “The Role of the Church for Peace and Unification in Korean Peninsula” was held from 9-11 August in Seoul, Republic of Korea (ROK). It was the first time that the “ecumenical” and “evangelical” families of Korean churches have held a joint meeting on this subject. Also invited were churches from the international community. The occasion was part of celebratory events commemorating the 100th anniversary of what came to be known as the “Great Korean Revival”, a series of religious events in 1907 that gave Pyongyang (currently capital of the DPRK) the nickname “Jerusalem of the East”. This issue of CanKor includes addresses by the two keynote speakers and the concluding consultation statement. The Hon. Rev. Dr. Lee Jae-Joung, Minister of Unification, explains how the churches of South Korea have been in the vanguard of peace and unification efforts. The Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia, general secretary of the World Council of Churches, calls for a parallel meeting of churches from nations involved in the Six Party Talks to persuade respective governments to diffuse tension and conflict on the peninsula so that people can live together in peace.

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