NAPSNet Daily Report 12 October, 2010
Contents in this Issue:
1. US Nuclear Policy Toward the DPRK
National Public Radio (“US OFTEN WEIGHED NORTH KOREA `NUKE OPTION'”, New York, 2010/10/11) reported that from the 1950s Pentagon to today’s Obama administration, the US has repeatedly pondered, planned and threatened use of nuclear weapons against the DPRK, according to declassified and other US government documents released in this 60th-anniversary year of the Korean War. Air Force bombers flew nuclear rehearsal runs over the DPRK’s capital during the war. Just this past April, issuing a U.S. Nuclear Posture Review, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said “all options are on the table” for dealing with Pyongyang — meaning US nuclear strikes were not ruled out. The stream of new revelations about US nuclear planning further fills in a picture of what the DPRK calls “the increasing nuclear threat of the US,” which it cites as the reason it developed its own atom-bomb program — as a deterrent.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130455759
2. Sino-US Military Relations
The Associated Press (Anne Gearan, “CHINA TRIES TO CALM NERVES OVER ASIA SEA ACTIVITY”, Hanoi, 2010/10/12) reported that the PRC worked to calm nerves among Asian neighbors jittery over its recent attempts to assert greater control over disputed waters, while its rival Washington stressed its national interest in keeping those seas free for commerce.Robert Gates said the US has a stake in the growing number of disputes about ownership of Asian island chains and ship routes through waters the PRC claims. “China pursues a defense policy that is defensive in nature. China’s defense development is not aimed to challenge or threaten anyone, but to ensure its security and promote international and regional peace and stability,” PRC Gen. Liang Guanglie said in a speech to his counterparts. “Security of a country relies not only on self-defense capabilities, but also on mutual trust with others.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101012/ap_on_re_as/as_china_asia_security_7
3. US-Japan Security Alliance
Kyodo (“JAPAN, U.S. AFFIRM COOPERATION ON DISPUTED SENKAKU ISLANDS”, Hanoi, 2010/10/11) reported that Japanese and US defense chiefs agreed in their talks Monday that their countries will jointly respond in line with a bilateral security pact toward stability in areas in the East China Sea covering the Senkaku Islands that came into the spotlight in disputes between Japan and the PRC, according to Japanese officials. The officials said Japanese Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa his U.S. counterpart Robert Gates also affirmed the need for strengthening collaboration with countries in the region over the situation in the East China Sea.
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/rss/nn20101012a4.html
4. Japanese Nuclear Technology Exports
Balkans,com (“JAPAN INTERESTED IN CONSTRUCTING A NUCLEAR POWER PLANT IN TURKEY”, 2010/10/11) reported that a Japanese delegation submitted a letter from the Japanese economy, trade and industry minister highlighting possible cooperation between Japan and Turkey in Turkey’s energy sector, said Taner Yildiz, the minister of energy and natural resources. “We see this offer from Japan as an important bid in terms of our efforts to construct nuclear power plants in Turkey. However, we told them that we cannot give them a definite answer before concluding our negotiations with South Korea,” says Yildiz. Nobuaki Tanaka who is the Japanese Ambassador to Turkey made a brief speech yesterday in Ankara, where he highlighted Japan’s growing interest in Turkey’s energy field, especially when it comes to nuclear and renewable energy.
http://www.balkans.com/open-news.php?uniquenumber=74244
5. ROK Nuclear Energy Technology
Korea Times (Kang Hyun-kyung, “PRIME MINISTER KIM TOUTS NUCLEAR FUSION TECHNOLOGY”, 2010/10/11) reported that Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik pinpointed climate change and the depletion of traditional energy resources as two grave global challenges impeding countries’ efforts to make their economy grow amid the tough economic environment. Describing nuclear fusion energy as a dream technology that can resolve the problems simultaneously, he pledged the ROK’s full support for the global effort to research and develop the alternative energy for its commercial use so that nations can benefit from the technology. Kim said the ROK, which is exporting its advanced nuclear technology to foreign nations by building nuclear reactors, was ready to share its advanced nuclear fusion technology with the international community.
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2010/10/113_74343.html