NAPSNet Daily Report 04 May, 2001

Recommended Citation

"NAPSNet Daily Report 04 May, 2001", NAPSNet Daily Report, May 04, 2001, https://nautilus.org/napsnet/napsnet-daily-report/napsnet-daily-report-04-may-2001/

 
CONTENTS

I. United States

1. EU Visit to DPRK
2. DPRK Missile Sales
3. US Spy Plane
4. US-PRC Relations
II. Republic of Korea 1. EU Delegation in ROK
2. EU-DPRK Talks
3. DPRK Leader’s Son in Japan
4. DPRK-German Relations
III. Japan 1. Kim Jong-Nam’s Illegal Entry into Japan
2. DPRK’s Response to Kim Jong-Nam’s Detention
3. Experts’ Views on Kim Jong-Nam’s Entry into Japan
4. Japanese History Textbook
5. Japanese Reaction to US NMD
6. Prime Minister’s Stance on Constitution
7. Japanese-US Relations
8. Japanese-Russian Territorial Issue
9. New Cabinet’s Approval Rate

I. United States

1. EU Visit to DPRK

Agence France Presse (“SOUTH KOREA LEADER SAYS EU MISSION WILL BOOST NKOREA-US DIALOGUE,” Soul, 5/4/01) and the Associated Press (Christopher Torchia, “S. KOREAN PRESIDENT APPLAUDS NORTH,” Seoul, 5/4/01) reported that ROK President Kim Dae-Jung said Friday that a landmark EU mission to the DPRK will boost attempts to start dialogue between the DPRK and the US. Kim stated, “To win the North Korean promise to maintain its missile moratorium until 2003 is an achievement bigger than we had expected. I believe it will have a positive effect on resuming U.S.-North Korea dialogue.” Kim told a joint press conference with Prime Minister Goeran Persson of Sweden, “This was a very good result and will have a positive repercussion on dialogue between North Korea and the United States.”

2. DPRK Missile Sales

The Associated Press (Christopher Torchia, “EU: N.KOREA WON’T STOP ARMS EXPORTS,” Seoul, 5/4/01) reported that Javier Solana, the European Union security affairs chief, said Friday that DPRK leader Kim Jong-il has not renounced the right to export missile technology, despite his pledge to extend a moratorium on missile tests until 2003. Solana said, “The answer was much more negative” when discussions in the DPRK turned to missile technology sales. He added, “(Kim Jong-il) claims that the export of (missile) technology is part of trade and that if he finds people who want to buy it, he will sell it.” Analysts said that the US will find it hard to persuade Kim to give up his missile capabilities outright because he considers them central to his goal of creating a powerful state. Stephen Bradner, an adviser to US forces in the ROK, wrote in a recent paper, “He will almost certainly consider these capabilities central to his own historic mission and therefore to his notion of his own identity.”

3. US Spy Plane

The Associated Press (Robert Burns, “U.S. SPY PLANE INSPECTION COMPLETED,” Washington, 5/4/01) reported that US Defense Department spokesman Lieutenant Commander Terry Sutherland said Friday that US technicians completed their inspection of the damaged Navy spy plane in the PRC and prepared to return to the US to report their recommendations on how to retrieve the aircraft. The inspection took a day longer than originally planned because on Thursday the PRC military hampered the technicians’ efforts by refusing to provide power to check the plane’s electrical systems. However, Sutherland said, the work went smoothly on Friday. Sutherland said that the five- member technical team plans to leave Hainan island on the morning of May 5 and fly to Hawaii to report to officials of US Pacific Command, which is responsible for military operations in Asia.

4. US-PRC Relations

US Department of State’s Office of International Information Programs (Merle D. Kellerhals, Jr., “POWELL SAYS U.S. MUST STAY ENGAGED WITH CHINA,” Washington, 5/3/01) reported that despite occasional “ups and downs” in its relations with the PRC, US Secretary of State Colin Powell said that the US must stay engaged. Powell said May 3 before a US Senate Appropriations subcommittee, “Our strategy is rather clear: work with them, our little ups and downs will come, but continue to work with them, continue to show them the benefit of moving in the direction that we think is the correct direction.” Powell said that it is important to let the power of democracy, the power of openness and the free enterprise system work in US engagement with the PRC. He said that the PRC is coming into the international community “and we need to keep encouraging it.” He added, “I think President Bush understands this. I think he demonstrated that in the way he handled the EP-3 incident and the way he’s handling the situation now. Calibrated, firm, but with an understanding of the … nature of the total relationship between us and China.” Powell called the PRC “a powerful, strong, proud nation in transition and transformation. And we should work with them to try to bring them into the international community.”

II. Republic of Korea

1. EU Delegation in ROK

The Korea Herald (“PRESIDENT KIM TO MEET EU LEADERS TODAY,” Seoul, 05/04/01) reported that ROK President Kim Dae-jung was to hold summit talks with European Union (EU) leaders at Chong Wa Dae Friday to discuss the European leaders’ visit to the DPRK. Swedish Prime Minister Persson and his EU delegation flew into Seoul Thursday afternoon after making a two-day visit to the DPRK, during which they met with DPRK leader Kim Jong-il to discuss the resumption of the stalled peace process on the peninsula along with other pending issues. Later in the evening, President Kim and Persson exchanged views on the outcome of the EU delegation’s visit to the DPRK at a dinner hosted by the ROK leader. Presidential spokesman Park Joon-young said that in today’s summit talks, Kim and the European leaders will discuss a wide range of matters of mutual concern, including relations between the European Union (EU) and the DPRK.

2. EU-DPRK Talks

The Korea Herald (Kim Ji-ho, “N.K. WILL NOT TEST MISSILES UNTIL 2003,” Pyongyang, 05/04/01) and Chosun Ilbo (“EU HOLDS SUMMIT TALKS WITH NORTH KOREA,” Seoul, 05/03/01) reported that DPRK leader Kim Jong-il told visiting Swedish Prime Minister Goran Persson on Thursday that his country will not test-fire ballistic missiles until 2003. Persson also said that Kim had confirmed during the summit, which was held in Paekhwawon Guesthouse, that he would “go for” his second summit meeting with President Kim Dae-jung. The Prime Minister said that he received the impression that Kim Jong-il would likely shelve any actions concerning DPRK rapprochement with the ROK and the US until the US administration formulates its policy toward the DPRK.

3. DPRK Leader’s Son in Japan

Chosun Ilbo (Park Jong-hoon, “NK LEADER’S SON ARRESTED IN JAPAN,” Tokyo, 05/03/01) reported that the Kyodo News Agency reported Thursday that a man arrested at Narita International Airport on charges of carrying a forged passport from the Dominican Republic was confirmed to be 30-year-old Kim Jong-nam, the eldest son of DPRK leader Kim Jong-il. The man admitted his identity, saying that he had come to Japan as a tourist with his family. A government source said that the group would be expelled to the PRC Friday morning to avoid diplomatic trouble with the DPRK.

4. DPRK-German Relations

Chosun Ilbo (“NORTH KOREA REFUSES ENTRY TO GERMAN LAWMAKERS,” Seoul, 05/03/01) reported that Hartmut Koschyk, a German lawmaker and head of the Korea-German Friendship Association, announced at a press conference Thursday that the DPRK’s refusal to allow entry of him and his group to the country through Panmunjom would seriously affect relations with Germany, which have only just begun. Koschyk said that beef being sent to the DPRK would arrive in six groups of 5,000 tons, following the resolution of some technical issues. He added that if transparent distribution was not observed, this would be the end to any aid.

III. Japan

1. Kim Jong-Nam’s Illegal Entry into Japan

The Yomiuri Shimbun (“MAN DETAINED AT NARITA BELIEVED KIM JONG IL’S SON,” 05/04/2001) reported that Japanese authorities detained a man, who is believed to be Kim Jong-nam, the eldest son of DPRK leader Kim Jong-il, at Narita airport for attempting to enter the country illegally on May 1, officials said on May 3. Immigration officers detained the man when he arrived from Singapore at about 3:40 p.m. on Tuesday aboard Japan Airlines Flight 712 with two women and a 4-year-old boy, the officials said. Later on Thursday, the Justice Ministry and immigration authorities began proceedings to deport the four to a third country. The man reportedly told investigators through an interpreter that he is son of Kim Jong-il and “wants to go to Tokyo Disneyland.” The man, who was wearing glasses, was found to possess a forged Dominican Republic passport when he went through the immigration counter at Narita airport’s terminal No. 2. The Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau’s Narita branch detained the four. Investigators said that the man appeared to be about 30 years old. One woman was aged 33 and the other 30. According to sources close to Japanese public security authorities, Kim has attempted to sneak into Japan several times under a false name to visit sightseeing spots. On Thursday evening, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi summoned Yutaka Kawashima, administrative vice foreign minister, to a Tokyo hotel where Koizumi was staying to inform him of the incident. Koizumi later discussed how to handle the issue with Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda and Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Teijiro Furukawa. According to Foreign Ministry sources, the government is unable to directly deport the detainees to the DPRK as Japan does not have diplomatic ties with the DPRK. The government thus began negotiations with the PRC to temporarily accept the four, but the PRC had yet to issue an official agreement as of Thursday night, the sources said. Fukuda told reporters later in the day that the final decision on the matter would be made by the justice minister rather than the prime minister, apparently implying that the government wants to avoid the development of a political problem. Government sources said that the DPRK can do nothing but ask the PRC for help in getting things set straight. Meanwhile, officials of the pro-DPRK General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon) in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, said that they learned about the incident from news reports, but vehemently ruled out any possibility of such an incident’s occurring. “Such an incident as reported would never happen,” an official at Chongryon’s Tokyo headquarters said. “We cannot make any further comment. We resent the sense of alarm that has emerged.” The report added that Kim Jong-nam, according to reports from Seoul, was born in 1971 to Song Hye-rim, Kim Jong-il’s second wife and that the younger Kim, a prospective successor to his father, is known as a computer enthusiast.

The Yomiuri Shimbun (“MAN BELIEVED TO BE KIM JONG-NAM LEFT JAPAN,” 05/04/2001) reported that the four people who were detained by Japanese legal authorities for illegal entry, including the man believed to be Kim Jong-nam, son of DPRK leader Kim Jong-il, left the Narita Airport for Beijing at 10: 50 a.m. on May 4.

The Yomiuri Shimbun (“SOURCES: KIM SNEAKED INTO JAPAN AROUND 1995,” 05/04/2001) reported that Kim Jong-nam the North Korean leader’s eldest son, sneaked into Japan with a forged passport around 1995 to visit tourist spots, including Tokyo Disneyland, with people linked to the DPRK during a weeklong stay in the Kanto region, according to sources. The sources said that Japanese public security authorities did not recognize him when he arrived at Narita airport because there are few close-up images and little other information available on the younger Kim, who has never appeared in public. The immigration office reportedly failed to detect at the time that his passport was forged. Public security officers, however, tailed the young man from the airport, where he was greeted respectfully by people with links to the DPRK. The authorities suspected that the man was engaged in intelligence activities or had a contact in Japan. During the weeklong visit, Kim stayed in a first-class hotel in Tokyo, and visited Tokyo Disneyland and other spots. Subsequent investigations by authorities confirmed the man to be Kim, who entered Japan using a forged Latin American passport. According to Western intelligence agencies, Kim’s family members apparently were seeking to leave Europe for Tokyo immediately before Kim entered Japan, but gave up the attempt. Including the most recent trip, Kim has entered Japan on three different occasions, according to the sources. Regarding Tuesday’s attempted entry into Japan by a man possessing a forged Dominican Republic passport, public security authorities and others were on alert, as they had obtained information that Kim was planning to come to Japan soon. On Tuesday, however, nobody linked to the DPRK was spotted at Narita airport. According to Narita airport officials, the man arrived at about 3:40 p.m. Tuesday aboard Japan Airlines Flight 712. When he proceeded to the immigration counter at Narita’s terminal No. 2, an alarm buzzer went off, detecting an abnormality in his passport. According to the Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau’s Narita airport branch, the man was wearing a T-shirt, brown vest and black pants. A boy accompanying the man was wearing white pants and a short-sleeved shirt. Both looked like tourists, they said. If someone enters the country using a forged passport, the immigration office has two choices–filing a criminal complaint against the would-be illegal entrant with police on suspicion of violating the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Law or deporting him. If the purpose of the attempted entry is obviously to work illegally in Japan, the entrant is usually subject to deportation. If the visit is deemed to be linked with criminal activities, however, police arrest the person when a complaint is filed by immigration authorities. In Tuesday’s case, the man was not arrested.

2. DPRK’s Response to Kim Jong-Nam’s Detention

The Yomiuri Shimbun (“N. KOREA ‘KNOWS NOTHING’,”MAN DETAINED AT NARITA BELIEVED KIM JONG IL’S SON,” Pyongyang, 05/04/2001) reported that DPRK government officials said Thursday night that they knew nothing about the incident in which a man who may be Kim Jong-nam, DPRK leader Kim Jong-il’s eldest son, was detained at Narita airport on Tuesday on suspicion of illegal entry.

3. Experts’ Views on Kim Jong-Nam’s Entry into Japan

The Yomiuri Shimbun (“AUTHORITIES MAY HAVE KNOWN KIM’S ENTRY BEFOREHAND,” 05/04/2001) reported that regarding the reason for Kim Jong-nam’s entry into Japan, Japanese experts on the DPRK speculated that the entry was part of Kim Il-son’s education of his successor or that the entry was for Kim Jon-nam to see the development of information technology (IT) in Japan. Hajime Izumi, professor of International Relations at Shizuoka City University, said, “Kim Jong-il has wanted Kim Jong-nam to actively go abroad and see things. Perhaps, this time, too, Kim Jong-il encouraged Kim Jong-nam to do so.” Masao Okonogi, professor at Keio University, also pointed out, “(The entry) was part of Kim Jong-il’s education of his successor. I don’t think it was special mission, and sightseeing was also part of the objective (of his coming to Japan).” An unidentified journalist specializing on the Korean Peninsula said, “Kim Jong-nam is the leader of IT policy within the Workers’ Party. His entry may have aimed to see the real situation of IT in Japan.”

4. Japanese History Textbook

The Sankei Shimbun (Hiroshi Funazu, “HATOYAMA PROMISED TO DO BEST NOT TO ADOPT PROBLEMATIC HISTORY TEXTBOOK,” 05/04/2001) reported that visiting leader of the Japanese Democratic Party Yukio Hatoyama told ROK President Kim Dae-jung at Chonghwadae on May 3 that he would do his best to prevent Japan from adopting nationalistic history textbooks. Hatoyama said to Kim, “It is a regret that the textbook issue has emerged to undermine Japanese-ROK relations that have been improving.” Kim replied, “Personally, (the issue) was greatly shocking.” Kim also stated, “I told the government to cautiously, academically, and objectively examine whether there are distortions in the textbooks and to act in a way that facilitates Japan to spontaneously revise the distorted parts.”

5. Japanese Reaction to US NMD

The Japan Times (“FUKUDA WARY OF MISSILE DEFNESE PLAN,” 05/03/2001) reported that Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda said on May 2 that Japan may urge the US to be prudent in its plan to deploy a national missile defense (NMD) system. Fukuda stated, “The fact that the US, our ally, plans to deploy such a system may be all right, but we must avoid a situation in which such systems expand throughout the world.” Fukuda also said, “Depending on developments, we may have to say something to the US.” Fukuda said that although he understands the US wish to deploy the system as deterrence against ballistic missile attacks, he hopes the deployment will not prompt other countries to set up similar systems. US officials said in Washington on May 1 that the administration will dispatch Richard Armitage, US deputy secretary of state, to Japan next week to brief officials on US President George W. Bush’s plan to deploy the system. He will be in Japan on Monday and Tuesday before going to the ROK later in the week.

6. Prime Minister’s Stance on Constitution

The Japan Times (“KOIZUMI FLOATS POPULAR VOTE FOR NATION’S PRIME MINSITER,” 04/28/2001) reported that newly elected Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi stated concerning Constitutional revision on April 27 that he hopes that his initiative will help break Japan’s postwar mentality that has long prevented any attempt to revise the 1946 Constitution, but that he finds it difficult to revise the war-renouncing Article 9 of the Constitution right away. Koizumi stated, “It would be difficult to put that on the political agenda at this moment.” However, Koizumi said, “We should stop branding anybody speaking about revising the Article 9 as hawkish or a rightist.” Koizumi also said that Article 9, which stipulates that Japan shall never maintain “land, sea and air forces,” fails to reflect reality, noting that the nation has had its own military forces, the Self-Defense Forces (SDF), since 1954. Koizumi stated, “It is hard to support the argument that the SDF are not military forces,” he said at the Prime Minister’s Official Residence. “And I don’t think Japan should be left unarmed, either.” Koizumi added that revising Article 9 is also desirable in order to allow Japan to engage in “collective defense” and defend its allies, including the US, in the event of a regional crisis.

7. Japanese-US Relations

The Japan Times (“KOIZUMI FLOATS POPULAR VOTE FOR NATION’S PRIME MINSITER,” 04/28/2001) reported that newly elected Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said on April 27 that Japan’s relationship with the US will remain the linchpin of foreign policy, adding that he hopes to meet with US President George W. Bush “at the earliest possible opportunity.” Koizumi also stated, “The reason why Japan stormed into the war was, in short, that it was being isolated from the world,” he said. “We should never forget this lesson that the most important thing is to be engaged with the world.”

8. Japanese-Russian Territorial Issue

The Japan Times (“KOIZUMI FLOATS POPULAR VOTE FOR NATION’S PRIME MINSITER,” 04/28/2001) reported that newly elected Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said on April 28 concerning the Japanese-Russian territorial issue that he will pursue Japan’s claim to all Russian-held islands off Hokkaido–Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan and the Habomai group of islets. Koizumi stated, “We must not send a wrong message to Russia…. What we need to do is to have Russia recognize that all the disputed islands belong to Japan.”

9. New Cabinet’s Approval Rate

The Yomiuri Shimbun (“CABINET GLEANS 87% APPROVAL POLL FINDS RECORD-HIGHT SUPPORT FOR NEW KOIZUMI ADMINSTRATION,” 04/29/2001) reported that Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi’s newly formed Cabinet received an approval rating of 87.1 percent–a record high–from respondents to a Yomiuri Shimbun telephone poll conducted on April 27 and 28, immediately after its formation. High expectations for Koizumi, who became prime minister on the strength of a landslide victory in the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) presidential election, are believed to have boosted the approval rating. A total of 1,500 people were approached by telephone nationwide, and there was a 62 percent response rate. Koizumi’s approval rating–a stark contrast to the lows in which his predecessor, Yoshiro Mori, wallowed–is the highest ever recorded in a Yomiuri telephone-or-direct interview poll since it began conducting such surveys right after the formation of new administrations. Meanwhile, 42 percent of the respondents said they believe the economic recovery–the most urgent task ahead of the new administration–will be achieved. Koizumi’s approval rating knocked the 71.9 percent gleaned by then Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa in a September 1993 poll out of the top spot for a newly formed administration. The next highest approval rating was that of the late Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka, who took 60.5 percent in an October 1972 poll. In the latest poll, Koizumi’s disapproval rating stood at 6.1 percent. Of the respondents, 78 percent said that they had high expectations for Koizumi, while 11 percent said they had moderate expectations of the new prime minister, making a combined total of almost 90 percent. Forty-seven percent said they hold expectations because they find Koizumi’s political philosophy clear, 21 percent said he has leadership abilities and 19 percent said he is reliable. Only 5 percent of the respondents cited Koizumi’s LDP origins as their reason for entertaining hopes for Koizumi as prime minister. While only 8 percent of the respondents think Koizumi has a pretty good chance to implement policies he has advocated, 80 percent are optimistic that he will be able to carry out his policies to a certain extent. Those who were very or somewhat satisfied with a cabinet lineup that departs from factional lines to include women, young lawmakers and experts from the private sector came to 75 percent. Asked how long they want the Koizumi administration to exist, 47 percent said they hope the new administration will exist as long as possible and 37 percent said two to three years, indicating that more than 80 percent of the respondents hope for a long-term Koizumi administration. Fifty-eight percent of the respondents thought the LDP will change under the Koizumi administration as opposed to 30 percent who did not think so. Among political parties, the LDP garnered a 37.8 percent support rating. Fifty-four percent of respondents said that they hope the LDP will win in the summer House of Councillors elections.

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Tokyo, Japan

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Moscow, Russian Federation

Yunxia Cao: yule111@sina.com
Shanghai, People’s Republic of China

Dingli Shen: dlshen@fudan.ac.cn
Shanghai, People’s Republic of China

John McKay: John.McKay@adm.monash.edu.au
Clayton, Australia

 


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