NAPSNet Daily Report 29 September, 2009

Recommended Citation

"NAPSNet Daily Report 29 September, 2009", NAPSNet Daily Report, September 29, 2009, https://nautilus.org/napsnet/napsnet-daily-report/napsnet-daily-report-29-september-2009/

NAPSNet Daily Report 29 September, 2009

Contents in this Issue:

Preceding NAPSNet Report

MARKTWO

I. Napsnet

1. DPRK Nuclear Program

Agence France-Presse (“US THREATS RULE OUT PEACE IN KOREA: NORTH’S ENVOY”, London, 2009/09/28) reported that there can never be peace and security on the Korean peninsula while the United States “continues to threaten us with nuclear weapons “, Pyongyang’s ambassador to London said Monday. The DPRK was committed to denuclearising the peninsula but the secretive state will pursue its nuclear programme while Washington’s “hostility” remains, Ja Song-Nam said in a rare public speech. He said the DPRK had pulled out of the six-party talks on its nuclear activities because they were being treated unfairly, given they were surrounded by nuclear-armed states and countries under a nuclear umbrella.

(return to top)

2. ROK, PRC on DPRK Nuclear Program

Yonhap (Tony Chang, “SEOUL, BEIJING REAFFIRM INTOLERANCE OF N. KOREAN NUKE”, Shanghai, 2009/09/29) reported that ROK Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan and his PRC counterpart Yang Jiechi on Tuesday reaffirmed their governments’ positions to not accept the DPRK’s possession of nuclear weapons, according to Seoul officials. The ministers, however, also agreed to leave the door open for future dialogue with the DPRK and promised to devote their efforts to bringing Pyongyang back to the stalled six-party talks.

(return to top)

3. US-DPRK Bilateral Talks

Yonhap News (Lee Chi-dong, “U.S. CAUTIOUS ABOUT STARTING BILATERAL TALKS WITH N. KOREA: OFFICIAL”, Seoul, 2009/09/28) reported that the United States is likely to take a few more weeks to decide the time, venue, and other details of anticipated bilateral talks with DPRK, a top ROK official said Monday after meetings with senior American officials handling the DPRK issue last week in Washington. U.S. officials are cautious about “putting the first button in the right hole,” since dealings on the DPRK’s nuclear program may set the precedent for negotiations with Iran, he told reporters on the customary condition of anonymity.

(return to top)

4. DPRK on Japanese Abduction Issue

Kyodo (“N. KOREA SAYS ABDUCTIONS TO BE DISCUSSED WITH JAPAN: U.N. SOURCE”, New York, 2009/09/28) reported that DPRK’s vice minister of foreign affairs, Pak Kil Yon, has said that pending issues with Japan including the abduction issue should be discussed with Japan bilaterally, a U.N. diplomatic source said Monday.

(return to top)

5. Inter-Korean Relations

Yonhap News (“SEOUL NOT CONSIDERING IMMEDIATE AID TO N. KOREA: CHEONG WA DAE”, Seoul, 2009/09/28) reported that ROK is not considering any new economic assistance for DPRK, Seoul’s presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said Monday, one day after the communist state demanded measures to reciprocate for arranging reunions of separated families. “The government is not considering any massive food or fertilizer assistance to DPRK at this point in time,” Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Park Sun-kyoo told a daily press briefing.

The Korea Herald (Kim Ji-hyun, “SEOUL SIGNALS NO CHANGES IN N.K. POLICY”, 2009/09/29) reported that Foreign Ministry officials yesterday indicated that there would be no changes to Seoul’s DPRK policies demanding “irrevocable” denuclearization measures from Pyongyang in return for extensive economic and social aid. They also reiterated that Seoul and Washington were – contrary to recent media reports highlighting a possible rift in how the two allies would line up the possible incentives to DPRK – indeed on the same page on their DPRK policies.

(return to top)

6. Inter-Korea Economic Cooperation

Yonhap (“S. KOREA SEPARATES DECISION ON N.K. TOUR RESUMPTION FROM NUCLEAR DISPUTE”, Sokcho, 2009/09/29) reported that the ROK will decide whether to resume cross-border tourism into the DPRK regardless of the status of Pyongyang’s denuclearization, Vice Unification Minister Hong Yang-ho said Tuesday. “Our government has consistently expressed its position in the parliament and media interviews that it wants to resume the tour, and the North has rejected (to meet the conditions). Now is the time for the North to respond,” he added.

(return to top)

7. ROK Politics

Yonhap News (“ASSEMBLY APPROVES PRIME MINISTER NOMINEE CHUNG UN-CHAN”, Seoul, 2009/09/28) reported that the National Assembly approved Monday the appointment of Chung Un-chan as prime minister, overriding protest by opposition parties at his personal irregularities. Chung was approved 164 to nine, with three abstentions and one invalid vote.

(return to top)

8. ROK-India Relations

The Korea Times (Lee Tae-hoon, “PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE APPROVES FTA WITH INDIA”, 2009/09/28) reported that a National Assembly committee Monday approved a motion to ratify the comprehensive trade agreement with India that would eliminate or cut tariffs on 4,459 ROK products exported to the world’s second most populous nation. The two Asian countries concluded the bilateral trade deal, the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), in early August to reduce tariffs on such goods as auto parts and electronics.

(return to top)

9. G20 Summit in ROK

Chosun Ilbo (“KOREA ‘TO GAIN OVER $500 MILLION FROM G20 SUMMIT'”, 2009/09/28) reported that the G20 summit in ROK in November next year is expected to produce the largest economic benefits of any international conference hosted by the country so far. The most lucrative international conference to date was the APEC summit in Busan in 2005, which the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy estimates achieved direct and indirect economic effects worth US$451.76 million for the country.

The Korea Times (Na Jeong-ju, “‘HOSTING OF G20 TO UPGRADE KOREA?€™S GLOBAL STATUS'”, 2009/09/28) reported that the country’s hosting of a Group of 20 economic summit will become a “historic” opportunity for Korea to join the ranks of advanced economies, President Lee Myung-bak said Monday. “The summit will be the biggest diplomatic event in Korean history.” “The administration will make all possible efforts to raise the country’s international status.”

(return to top)

10. Japan-US Military Relations

Mainichi Shimbun (“DPJ-PLEDGED FUTENMA RELOCATION OUTSIDE OKINAWA ‘VERY DIFFICULT,’ SAYS DEFENSE MINISTER”, 2009/09/28) reported that Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa admitted that moving the U.S. military’s Futenma Air Station outside Okinawa will be “very difficult” during a visit to the prefecture, backing down from earlier pledges made by the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ). A proposal to move the base to Kadena was panned by the minister: “The chances are exceedingly small. Forcing the town of Kadena to shoulder any additional burden is difficult.”

(return to top)

11. Japan-PRC Relations

Kyodo (“JAPAN, CHINA AGREE TO WORK TOGETHER TOWARD CREATION OF E. ASIA GROUP”, Shanghai, 2009/09/28) reported that  Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada and his PRC counterpart Yang Jiechi agreed Monday that the two countries will work together toward the creation of an ”East Asian community” for closer regional cooperation, with Okada expressing hope that such an initiative will make the 21st century the ”era of Asia.” During a meeting in Shanghai, Okada and Yang did not discuss details of the envisaged community, such as membership, but Yang said the PRC wants to promote regional cooperation in energy and the environment in such a grouping, according to a Japanese Foreign Ministry official.

(return to top)

12. Sino-Australia Relations

CCTV (“AUSTRALIAN EX-PM SAYS NO WORRIES ABOUT CHINA’S GROWTH AND RISING”, Sydney, 2009/09/28) reported that Australia’s former Prime Minister Bob Hawke said his country should be thankful to PRC’s economic growth because “the growth of PRC has been a significant part of our economic growth for a considerable period of time now.” In an exclusive interview with Xinhua recently in Sydney, Hawke said that particularly in the last 12 months, Australia escaped the hard hit of global financial and economic crisis thanks to PRC’s economic development.

(return to top)

13. PRC Security

Xinhua (“CHINA’S CABINET STRESSES PUBLIC ORDER, STABILITY DURING NATIONAL DAY HOLIDAY”, Beijing, 2009/09/28) reported that the Chinese government has called for greater efforts to maintain public order and social stability so that people can celebrate the National Day holiday peacefully. Authorities were also required to step up security measures in key regions and major activities, the statement said. Organizers of major celebration events should carry out tight security controls and monitoring of venues and set down emergency plans, it said.

(return to top)

14. PRC Foriegn Policy

CCTV (“CHINA WELCOMES MORE FOREIGN EXPERTS”, 2009/09/28) reported that PRC is to welcome more foreign experts to help the country’s economic and social development. Addressing a reception on Sunday, Vice Premier Li Keqiang said more overseas experts are welcome to help in the country’s modernization. Some 1,800 foreign experts and PRC officials, attended the reception just ahead of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the PRC.

(return to top)

15. PRC on Kashmir Issue

The Times of India (“SEEK PEACEFUL SOLUTION TO KASHMIR ISSUE: CHINA TELLS INDIA, PAK”, Beijing, 2009/09/28) reported that PRC on Monday asked India and Pakistan to seek a solution to the Kashmir issue through peaceful and friendly consultations and offered to play a “constructive role “in resolving the “bilateral issue”.  

(return to top)

16. Cross-Strait Relations

Agence France-Presse (“TAIWAN MILITARY DELEGATION IN US, SEEKING F-16S”, Taipei, 2009/09/28) reported that Taiwan wants to buy more F-16 fighter jets and will press the issue at an annual defense meeting with US officials, a military officer said Monday. The plea for new jets comes amid growing concern in Taiwan that the balance of power with PRC is shifting in favor of the mainland.

(return to top)

II. PRC Report

17. PRC Climate Change

China Net (“CHINA MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE IS 155 MILN TONS IN 2008”, 2009/09/28) reported that the China municipal solid waste in 2008 was 155 million tons, among which 83.7% was treated by landfills, 15% by burning, as well as some other treatment methods, said Zhang Lijun, Vice Minister of Environment Protection, at a news conference today.

Public Welfare Times (Liu Jia, “SIEMENS LAUNCHES LOVE GREEN EDUCATION PLAN”, 2009/09/28) reported that Siemens announced the launch of Siemens Love Green Education Plan recently in Beijing. The Plan aims to enhance environmental protection awareness in children of migrant workers, and to help migrant workers and their families integrate into society.

(return to top)

18. PRC Energy

People?€™s Daily Online (Xiao Panpan, “NATIONAL 11TH FIVE-YEAR ENERGY-SAVING PLAN TO BE REALIZED”, 2009/09/28) reported that the goals of national 11 th five-year energy-saving plan (by 2010, the energy use per unit of GDP should drop 20% than in 2005, and the emission of main pollutants should drop 10%) may be realized, said Xie Zhenhua, Vice Director of National Development and Reform Committee yesterday.