CONTENTS
1. DPRK Arms Inspections
2. DPRK Signs Anti-Terror Treaties
3. ROK Missile Development
II. Republic of Korea 1. DPRK Signs Anti-Terrorism Convention
2. DPRK Chairman’s Visit to ROK
3. DPRK on US Policy
4. DPRK-Egypt Arms Sales
III. People’s Republic of China 1. ROK-DPRK Relations
2. DPRK-PRC Relations
3. PRC-US Relations
4. PRC-Russian Relations
5. Cross-strait Relations
I. United States
1. DPRK Arms Inspections
Reuters (“NORTH KOREA REJECTS US CALL FOR ARMS INSPECTIONS,” Seoul, 11/29/01) and the Associated Press (“NORTH KOREA VOWS TO STAND UP AGAINST “HOSTILE” US POLICY,” Seoul, 11/28/01) reported that in a statement carried on the Korea Central News Agency on Thursday the DPRK Foreign Ministry rejected recent US calls for inspections of suspected DPRK weapons of mass destruction. The statement said, “The US is unreasonably demanding the DPRK receive an ‘inspection’ just as a thief turns on the master with a club. Under this situation the DPRK cannot sit idle but is left with no option but to take necessary countermeasures.” It said US calls for arms inspections and criticism of DPRK “human rights violations” and “religious restrictions” only “goes to prove that some forces in the United States, in fact, do not want dialogue for the solution of problems.” Finally, the statement also dismissed as “quite nonsensical” the US statements urging the country to do more to cooperate against terrorism.
2. DPRK Signs Anti-Terror Treaties
The Associated Press (“N. KOREA SIGNS ANTI-TERROR TREATIES,” Seoul, 11/29/01) reported ROK officials said on Thursday that the DPRK signed two UN treaties designed to stem terrorism. Kwon Sei-young, a director at the Special Policy Bureau in the ROK Foreign Ministry said DPRK representative to the UN, Ri Hyong Chol, signed the treaties on November 12. ROK officials said that whether the DPRK has ratified the treaties was not immediately known. The DPRK stated earlier this month that it would sign the 1999 International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism and the 1979 treaty against hostage-taking.
3. ROK Missile Development
Korea Herald (Hwang Jang-jin, “PORTABLE MISSILE DEVELOPED,” 11/29/01) reported that ROK officials said that the ROK has developed a portable surface-to-air missile with a maximum range of 5 km. An unnamed official said, “The Agency for Defense Development (ADD) recently succeeded in test-firing a portable short-range surface-to-air missile, which it developed using its own technology.” The official stated that the missile has two propulsion units and can travel at Mach 2.4 with an accurate object targeting system. The official also said that the ADD missile, called “K-PSAM,” is similar to the portable French Mistral missiles in terms of specifications and performance. The ROK military imported portable Mistral missiles from France, largely to defend itself against low-flying aircraft such as North Korea’s AN-2 infiltration planes and helicopters. The Mistral missiles in the ROK’s possession has a range between 600 meters and 5.3 km. The official said, “We will soon mass-produce the portable Korean surface-to-air missiles which may be deployed for our troops as early as 2003.” He said the ADD plans to produce 1,500 such missiles. Under a new missile agreement with the US, the ROK can develop a surface-to-air missile with a range of up to 300 km.
II. Republic of Korea
1. DPRK Signs Anti-Terrorism Convention
The Korea Herald (Hwang Jang-jin, “N.K. SIGNS U.N. CONVENTION ON ANTI-TERRORISM,” Seoul, 11/29/01) reported that on Wednesday senior ROK officials said that in its first official actions to renounce terrorism, the DPRK has signed a UN treaty designed to block financing for terrorism and acceded to another international convention against the taking of hostages. It is the first time that the DPRK government has signed a UN convention on anti-terrorism. ROK and US officials have said that the DPRK’s concrete actions to renounce terrorism would help the DPRK improve ties with the US and receive economic and humanitarian assistance from the international community.
2. DPRK Chairman’s Visit to ROK
The Korea Herald (Shin Yong-bae, “PRESIDENT KIM UNSURE ABOUT N.K. LEADER’S VISIT TO SEOUL,” Seoul, 11/29/01) reported that ROK President Kim Dae-jung appears less sure that DPRK leader Kim Jong-il will visit the ROK as promised. Kim on Wednesday stated, “I cannot be fully certain about it.” Despite setbacks in relations with the DPRK, Kim Dae-jung said he has not given up on his “sunshine policy” of engaging the DPRK. Kim repeated his call for the US and the DPRK to resume talks so the two sides can discuss pending issues, including any programs in the communist state involving weapons of mass destruction.
3. DPRK on US Policy
Joongang Ilbo (Kim Hee-sung, “NORTH KOREA TO SEEK MEASURES AGAINST US HOSTILE DEMAND,” Seoul, 11/29/01) reported that a DPRK spokesman of the foreign ministry said that the DPRK cannot accept the US demands for biochemical and mass destructive weapons inspections in the DPRK. The spokesman said, “We are now forced to bring out alternatives of our own. It is totally contradictory framing our nation for supporting terrorism yet trying to discuss anti-terror measures with us.”
4. DPRK-Egypt Arms Sales
Joongang Ilbo (Won-ki Choi, “EGYPT STRONGLY DENIES REPORT ON MISSILE TRANSACTIONS WITH N.K.,” Seoul, 11/29/01) reported that on Wednesday Egypt denied the latest report on its purchase of long-range missiles from the DPRK. Egyptian President Mohamed Hosni Mubarak denied the report and stated, “This is totally false and incorrect. I have repeatedly said that we are not endeavoring to obtain these kinds of weapons and we do not plan to do so because we do not have aggressive intentions.”
III. People’s Republic of China
1. ROK-DPRK Relations
China Daily (“ROK OFFICIALS TO GO TO DPRK,” Seoul, 11/27/01, P11) reported that Hyundai Group chairman Chung Mong-hun will travel to the DPRK this week for talks aimed at reviving a tourism project that symbolizes hope for inter-Korean reconciliation. A Hyundai Asan spokeswoman said Chung seeks ways to revive cruise ship tours to the DPRK’s scenic Mount Kumgang. Last year, during an unprecedented period of warmth following a summit between leaders of the two sides, 213,000 people from the ROK visited Mount Kumgang. But so far this year, fewer than 55,000 have made the trip.
China Daily (“DPRK WANTS APOLOGY,” Seoul, 11/26/01, P11) reported that the DPRK’s committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland blamed ROK Unification Minister Hong Soon-young, Chief delegate to the talks, for the rupture. The committee said in a statement carried by the Korea Central News Agency that Hong “should honestly apologize to the nation for the deadlocked authorities-to-authorities dialogue, with full responsibility for it.”
2. DPRK-PRC Relations
People’s Daily (Zhao Jiaming, “DPRK EMPHASIZES THE STRENGTHENING OF FRIENDSHIP WITH CHINA,” Pyongyang, 11/27/01, P3) reported that the deputy president of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly of the DPRK emphasized that the DPRK and the PRC should strengthen their traditional friendship in the new century. He made the remarks when he met the visiting PRC Vice Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing at the Mansudae Assembly Hall on November 26. During the meeting, Li expressed that the PRC is willing to make efforts with the DPRK to fulfill the agreements reached by the two countries’ leaders and pour new vigor into the traditional friendship between the PRC and the DPRK.
3. PRC-US Relations
People’s Daily (Xu Xingtang, “JIANG ZEMIN MEETS WITH NEAL LANE,” Beijing, 11/27/01, P1) reported that PRC President Jiang Zemin on November 26 met with former assistant to the US president for science and technology policy Dr. Neal Lane to exchange views on Sino-US cooperation in the fields of economy, science and technology. Jiang noted that the PRC is the world’s largest developing country while the US is the largest developed country. Jiang said, “We welcome more friends from the US scientific and technological circles and entrepreneurs to cooperate with their Chinese counterparts.” He said that reinforced cooperation between the two countries in political, economic, scientific and technological and other fields are of great significance for maintaining the world’s stability and development. He expressed the hope that Lane will make new contributions to Sino-US friendship and exchanges in the field of science and technology.
People’s Daily (Ni Siyi, “ZHU RONGJI MEETS WITH US GUESTS,” Beijing, 11/27/01, P1) reported that PRC Premier Zhu Rongji met with chairman of the Christian Coalition of the United States Pat Robertson in Beijing on November 26. They discussed ways to improve Sino-US relations and promote understanding between the two people. Zhu appreciated Robertson’s contributions to bilateral ties, and said that the stability and development of Sino-US relations play an important role for peace and development of the world. Robertson said that the US and the PRC are two great nations, and their cooperative relations would play a key role in maintaining world peace and developing international trade and commerce. He said both sides should do their utmost to improve such relations.
4. PRC-Russian Relations
People’s Daily (“CHINA, RUSSIA HOLD STRATEGIC TALKS,” Moscow, 11/29/01, P3) reported that Xiong Guangkai, Deputy Chief of General Staff of the PRC’s People’s Liberation Army, and his Russian counterpart held the fifth round of strategic talks between the two countries’ Headquarters of General Staffs on November 23 to 27. The two sides agreed that there is a deep change in the current international situation. So, they believe, the further deepening and consolidation of the Sino-Russian strategic and cooperative partnerships will not only conform to the fundamental interests of the peoples of the two countries, but also benefit world and regional peace and stability. They agreed to keep consultations and exchanges on international, regional and other issues with common interests. The report said the two sides also discussed the exchanges between the two militaries in 2002 during the talks.
5. Cross-strait Relations
China Daily (“WTO ENTRIES TO PROPEL CROSS-STRAITS TRADE,” 11/27/01, P2) reported that an official with the Ministry of Feign Trade and Economic Cooperation (MOFTEC) of the PRC said on November 26 that the PRC and Taiwan’s consecutive entries in to the WTO are expected to give a strong push to cross-Straits trade and economic cooperation. At a press conference in Beijing deputy director-general of the Department of WTO Affairs under MOFTEC Zhang Xiangchen urged Taiwan authorities to accept the one-China principle and allow direct trade, postal, and communications links between the PRC and Taiwan as quickly as possible to promote common prosperity.
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Brandon Yu: napsnet@nautilus.org
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Berkeley, California, United States
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Tokyo, Japan
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Moscow, Russian Federation
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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
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