CONTENTS
1. DPRK-US Relations
2. Kim Jong-il’s Russia Visit
3. PRC-US Relations
4. PRC-Taiwan Unification
5. Taiwan Role in US Missile Defense
6. US Military Policy in Asia
II. Republic of Korea 1. ASEAN Forum
2. DPRK Claims for Copyrights
3. Inter-Korean Cultural Exchange
I. United States
1. DPRK-US Relations
Agence France Presse (“NORTH KOREA WANTS ‘EQUAL’ DIALOGUE WITH US,” Hanoi, 7/25/01) reported that senior DPRK foreign ministry envoy Ho Jong told the Association of Southeast Asian Nations security forum Wednesday that it was “sincerely interested” in talking to the US. Ho emphasized that the talks “should there be a dialogue, it should be conducted on the basis of equality.” Ho was quoted by an ASEAN official as saying, “The DPRK-US relationship is important to facilitate a peaceful solution to the Korean peninsula issue. Reports that are going around that North Korea is a threat to the US are not true. We want to seek a peaceful reunification through dialogue and negotiation, without foreign intervention.” However, a senior State Department official said that the two sides were no closer to resuming dialogue. The official said that US Secretary of State Colin Powell and Ho had barely a personal exchange, merely saying “hello.” The official said, “The Secretary to the group as a whole said we were preparing for a serious discussion with the North Koreans.” Foreign ministers from the 23 nations taking part in the forum “took note of the DPRK’s position concerning the DPRK-US Agreed Framework of 1994.” Ho told the delegates that he regretted “the lack of full reflection of the factual situation on the Korean peninsula in the chairman’s statement.” According to a text of his comments, Ho said, “The document has failed to mention even a word about the DPRK-US relations, a main factor in maintenance of peace and security on the peninsula. It is nothing but an escape from the realities and it does not help to encourage the process of peace and stability on the Korean peninsula.”
2. Kim Jong-il’s Russia Visit
The Washington Post (“FOR THE RECORD,” 7/25/01) reported that DPRK leader Kim Jong Il will visit Russia in early August, Russian news agencies reported, citing informed sources in Moscow. [Ed. note: This article was included in the US Department of Defense’s Early Bird news service for July 25, 2001.]
3. PRC-US Relations
The Washington Post (“FOR THE RECORD,” 7/25/01) released some remarks by PRC Ambassador Yang Jiechi at the National Press Club in Washington on July 24. Yang said, “Despite the differences between them, China and the United States have a great deal in common. As the world’s largest developing country and the largest developed one, and as permanent members of the UN Security Council, our two countries are faced with the common responsibility for promoting peace, stability and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region and the world as a whole. The two countries also share a stake in addressing such global concerns as alien smuggling, drug trafficking, climate change and the spread of disease. Our cooperation in these areas has a direct impact on the welfare of the world…. About regional security issues, I think that China and the U.S. are cooperating to prevent nuclear proliferation and are trying hard to maintain stability in some areas. China’s annual defense spending, despite being greatly exaggerated by some so-called ‘experts,’ remains less than 10 percent of that of the United States. The new concept of security that we advocate now at the ASEAN Regional Forum stresses that countries should take measures to enhance political trust and expand economic cooperation so as to achieve comprehensive security. China is willing to have dialogue with all the countries in the region, including the United States, and carry out productive cooperation with them.” [Ed. note: This article was included in the US Department of Defense’s Early Bird news service for July 25, 2001.]
4. PRC-Taiwan Unification
Agence France Presse (“TAIWAN’S KMT HALTS PLANS FOR CHINA REUNIFICATION POLICY PLATFORM,” Taipei, 7/25/01) reported that Taiwan’s leading opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party Wednesday halted plans to include a proposal for eventual reunification with the PRC in its party platform after objections from senior members. The proposal, which calls for the formation of a confederation linking Taiwan and the PRC before any potential reunification, was greeted with criticism at a meeting of the party’s decision-making Central Standing Committee. Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou, also a member of the committee, was quoted by KMT spokesman Wang Chih-kang as saying, “More studies should be made to see if it is compatible with the National Reunification Guidelines.” The KMT said that several of its surveys suggest that the proposal was approved by at least 40 percent of the Taiwanese people. The KMT had planned to have the proposal be discussed by the party Congress at the end of July.
5. Taiwan Role in US Missile Defense
Deutsche Presse-Agentur (“TAIWAN COULD BE INCLUDED IN MISSILE DEFENSE, U.S. SAYS,” Washington, 7/25/01) reported that John Bolton, US under secretary of state for arms control and international security, said on July 24 that Taiwan could be welcomed under the protective umbrella of President George W. Bush’s proposed missile defense system. Bolton said, “President Bush has made it clear in his earlier remarks that the defense of Taiwan is something we regard as very important, and this could well be an element of it.” He held out the prospect of consultations with Taiwan authorities “as our research and development continues for theater-wide and other missile defense systems.” While Bush has said that the system could protect US allies and “friends,” Bolton’s statement was the first official acknowledgment that Taiwan may be included.
6. US Military Policy in Asia
The Washington Times (Bill Gertz, “RUMSFELD AFFIRMS ASIAN PRESENCE,” 7/25/01) reported that US Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said in an interview with The Washington Times on July 24 that the US needs to keep a strong military presence in Asia to deter any future threats from the PRC. Rumsfeld said, “I never believed that weakness was your first choice. I have always felt that weakness is provocative, that it kind of invites people to do things that they otherwise wouldn’t think about doing. To those who would argue that the United States should be something other than strong, and capable of contributing to the peace and stability in the world, I would argue that history says the contrary.” He said that the PRC is facing an uncertain future as it tries to balance economic reform with its political dictatorship. He added, “My view of China is that its future is not written, and it is being written.” Rumsfeld also discussed some of the internal discussions under way regarding the US Defense Department’s new military strategy for Asia, which is being drawn up by Andrew Marshall, the US Defense Department’s top strategic planner. Rumsfeld said that the new strategy will seek to recognize that “Asia is different from Europe in terms of distances, in terms of the kind of countries that are there, and the nature of the political and economic systems.” He said to deal with future military challenges in Asia, the US Defense Department needs different capabilities “in the first instance, for the purpose of deterring, and in the second instance, for the purpose of prevailing” in a conflict. US Defense Department officials said that the strategy for Asia will involve moving more naval and air forces closer to the continent to be ready to deal with conflicts in Taiwan or the Korean peninsula. The strategy also is likely to call for fewer land forces because of the wide expanses of the Pacific Ocean and the difficulty of rapidly moving heavy armored divisions long distances. He said that the overall strategy will involve a force structure to meet short-term threats, like Iraq or the DPRK, and to meet mid- and longer-term problems that require developing military capabilities. Rumsfeld said that the combination of an outward-looking PRC economy moving toward capitalism and a “communist dictatorship bent on self-preservation” is a formula for instability. He said that the reality of the PRC today is that it is reaching out to the world economically at the same time it is increasing its defense budget by “double-digit” percentages annually. He added that PRC leaders in the future will face pressure for political reform brought on by greater economic freedom, but they may choose to halt reform rather than risk the collapse of their system. Rumsfeld said that it is not clear what the US can do to influence the future of the PRC. He also said that he was “enamored” with military-to-military relationships generally, although they should produce “reciprocal” benefits for both sides. He stated, “I don’t think we ought to be so eager for military-to-military contact that we end up providing things to another country that they don’t provide to us, or where the value is not roughly comparable.”
II. Republic of Korea
1. ASEAN Forum
The Korea Herald (Hwang Jang-jin, “FOREIGN MINISTER CALLS ON CHINA TO SUPPORT INTER-KOREAN TALKS,” Seoul, 07/25/01) reported that ROK Foreign Minister Han Seung-soo on Tuesday called for the PRC’s cooperation to revitalize the inter-Korean peace process when he met with PRC Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan in Hanoi, ROK officials said. The two ministers met on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum (ARF). Later in the day, Han met with DPRK delegates at an informal dinner, in which he expressed the ROK’s hope for an early second summit between the leaders of the two Koreas, he said. Han and DPRK chief delegate Ho Jong were seated side by side during the banquet. Han and Ho are expected to have a second meeting today during the ARF conference.
2. DPRK Claims for Copyrights
Joongang Ilbo (Lee Young-jong, “NORTH KOREA CLAIMS FOR COPYRIGHTS,” Seoul, 07/24/01) reported that new legislation adopted back in the fourth session of the DPRK’s 10th Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA) held in April this year caught much attention from outside observers as another factor to accelerate the DPRK’s reform process, along with the new processing trade law adopted at the same meeting. The copyright law constituting of six chapters and 48 provisions makes clear that “the copyright holder has personal and property rights of one’s work’ (provision 13).” This is the first time a copyright law has been included in the civil law in order provide protection to the rights of the copyright holder, triggering hopes of some change in the DPRK’s individual rights. Experts said however that it would be a bit too soon to view the new legislation as an extension of private ownership because it is most likely a follow up measure to the DPRK’s revised constitution No. 24 adopted in September 1998 that already acknowledges private ownership. “The new law puts more interest in showing off to South Korea and the outside world rather than in protecting the private ownership,” Hong Song-guk of the economics team of the ROK Unification Ministry said. Nowadays the DPRK is widening their scope of copyrights demand, holding various ROK entertainment sectors responsible for using DPRK songs without any legal arrangements. So far the DPRK has applied for over 25,400 cases of special patentship and 2,400 cases of brand rights to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) up till late 1997.
3. Inter-Korean Cultural Exchange
Joongang Ilbo (Kim In-gu, “NK INVITES UNIONS AND FARMERS TO INDEPENDENCE DAY EVENT,” Seoul, 07/24/01) reported that the DPRK was learned Tuesday to have invited the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) and the National Association of Farmers (NAF) to each send 15 delegates respectively to participate in the People’s Unification Festival in Pyongyang on August 15, Independence Day. An ROK government official said that the farmers who recently took part in a farmers’ festival held in Mount Kumgang reported the DPRK’s plan. The DPRK invited only officials of the KCTU and the NAF but in the future is expected to invite religious and other cultural and civic groups. Some ROK cultural and civic groups are also planning to invite their DPRK counterparts to Seoul for events on August 15.
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