CONTENTS
1. DPRK Nuclear Diplomacy
2. ROK on DPRK Regime Change
3. DPRK on US Defense Secretary Rumsfeld
4. ROK-Japan-US DPRK Diplomacy
5. ROK Domestic Politics
6. ROK Anti-Iraq Troops Activism
8. PRC-Japan Relations
9. PRC Domestic Politics
10. Japan-PRC Chemical Weapons Compensation
11. ASEAN Non-Aggression Pact
12. Japan Domestic Economy
II. Republic of Korea 1. DPRK Defections
2. US DPRK ‘Freedom Bill’
3. US Congressman DPRK Visit
4. DPRK on ROK Cash Summit Convictions
5. DPRK Inspection Apology Demands
6. US DPRK Natural Gas Supply
7. US-Russia on DPRK Nuclear Weapons
8. Mongolia DPRK Refugee Camp
III. CanKor E-Clipping Service 1. Issue #135
I. United States
1. DPRK Nuclear Diplomacy
Reuters (Martin Nesirky, “NORTH KOREA SAYS NO PROMISES ON MORE NUCLEAR TALKS,” Seoul 09/30/03), Agence France-Presse (“NORTH KOREA TOUGHENS ITS LINE ON NUKES,” United Nations, 09/30/03) and Agence France-Presse (“NKOREA HAS NO INTEREST IN CRISIS TALKS, WANTS MORE NUKES,” 09/30/03) reported that the DPRK said it had no interest in six-party talks and would forge ahead with nuclear weapons development as US, Japanese and ROK officials admitted to growing confusion over the mixed signals from Pyonguang. A statement released by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said the DPRK had made “every possible concession” at the initial round of talks in Beijing in August, only to be met with rejection by Washington. “This compels the DPRK (North Korea) to discard any interest or expectations for the talks,” the spokesman said. “As already clarified, the DPRK has not made any promise regarding the next round of six-way talks.” The statement from a foreign ministry spokesman said the US was bent on using six-party talks to further its goal of disarming the DPRK, a campaign that could “only lead to war”. The DPRK is taking “practical measures to steadily beef up its nuclear deterrent force as a just self-defensive means” to counter a US pre-emptive attack.
2. ROK on DPRK Regime Change
Reuters (“S. KOREA: POLICY MAY MAKE NORTH DIG IN,” Seoul, 09/29/03) reported that seeking a regime change in the DPRK will only heighten military tensions and encourage the communist state to dig in its heels on retaining its nuclear option, the ROK’s foreign minister said Monday. Yoon Young-kwan said although some people in the US favor a regime-change approach toward Pyongyang, key Bush administration policy-makers have said Washington has no intention of attacking the DPRK or changing its government. “If North Korea believes that the US and the outside world are seeking drastic change against the wishes of the North, it will probably never give up its nuclear option,” Yoon told a forum in Seoul. “On the contrary, it will cling more desperately to the nuclear option as the last resort.” Yoon said ROK public opinion strongly objects to any “radical measures” against the DPRK that would sharply increase military tensions.
3. DPRK on US Defense Secretary Rumsfeld
Agence France-Presse (“NORTH KOREA LABELS US DEFENCE SECRETARY ‘STUPID,'” Seoul, 09/28/03) reported that the DPRK has blasted US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, calling him a “stupid” proponent of neo-conservatism for tarnishing the image of the DPRK and predicting its collapse. “Rumsfeld whose political faith is to establish the US-style world order by strength is known to be a typical stupid man for professing neo-conservatism censured and mocked at worldwide,” the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said late Saturday. The angry remarks came after Rumsfeld reportedly told US and ROK business leaders last week that he had a night-time satellite picture of the divided peninsula showing the DPRK almost entirely in darkness. KCNA said, “He told nonsense that it is necessary to make sure that the rays of freedom reach the oppressed North Koreans, asserting that a satellite photo shows the rays of freedom on one part of the Korean peninsula and the darkness of dictatorship on the other part of it and communism is shaking on its own.” It said the remarks proved he was “just an old man (and) politically illiterate” who could not face the reality that “all countries are promoting peaceful co-existence, reconciliation and cooperation irrespective of ideologies and beliefs.” The news agency said Rumsfeld was “obsessed with wantonly harassing peace and security in different parts of the world and igniting wars.” “He is, therefore, not a guy who the DPRK can deal with,” it said.
4. ROK-Japan-US DPRK Diplomacy
Agence France-Presse (“JAPAN, SOUTH KOREA, US MEETING IN TOKYO ON NKOREA NUCLEAR CRISIS,” 09/29/03) reported that the US, ROK and Japan are to start two days of closed-door meetings on their policy towards the DPRK nuclear crisis, the foreign ministry said. Informal talks were due to get under way late Monday with the ROK and US delegations arriving in Tokyo, a ministry official said. The gathering will bring together the three allies’ top negotiators on the DPRK for the first time since last month’s six-way talks held in Beijing. The key participants in the Tokyo talks are Mitoji Yabunaka, head of the Japanese foreign ministry’s Asian and Oceanian affairs bureau, the ROK Deputy Foreign Minister Lee Soo-Hyuck, and James Kelly, US assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs. “As they will discuss measures to (stem) the crisis, preparations for a new round of six-way talks are of course expected to be among items on the agenda,” the ministry official said. A weekend report in the mass-circulation Yomiuri Shimbun daily said Japan would ask the US at the Tokyo meeting to state the specific terms under which it would provide North Korea with a “security guarantee.”
5. ROK Domestic Politics
Agence France-Presse (“ROK PRESIDENT ROH SAYS HE WILL QUIT PARTY,” 09/29/03) reported that ROK President Roh Moo-Hyun said he would quit the embattled Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) following a mass defection of his loyalists to launch an independent reformist group. “President Roh has decided to give up his MDP membership,” his spokesman Yoon Tai-Young said, adding legal steps would be taken soon to formalize Roh’s departure from the party. Though a minority party in the National Assembly, the MDP has been considered the ruling party until now because of the president’s membership. That will no longer be the case, Yoon indicated, saying the party will no longer receive exclusive briefings on policy from the government. “I made up my mind to stop my MDP membership from causing any further political debate,” Roh said through his spokesman, adding he would stay aloof from party politics, concentrating on state affairs. The spokesman said Roh would stand unaffiliated to any party, at least until the end of the year, although he has expressed sympathy for 37 reformist MDP lawmakers who bolted from the party nine days ago to form their own political group. Roh’s loyalists had struggled to reform the MDP, hit by corruption scandals and bitter factional bickering, ahead of parliamentary elections in April next year. The 272-seat National Assembly is controlled by the opposition Grand National Party with 149 members. Following the defections, a weakened MDP is left with 64 seats.
6. ROK Anti-Iraq Troops Activism
Agence France-Presse (“ROK ACTIVISTS PROTEST US REQUEST FOR TROOPS FOR IRAQ,” 09/27/03) reported that ROK activists took to the streets here Saturday to urge the government to reject a controversial US request to send troops to Iraq and avoid becoming an “accomplice in the invasion”. About 2,000 protestors marched some three kilometers (two miles) along the street in downtown Jongro district Saturday, chanting slogans and carrying banners. “US, Leave Iraq,” read one banner. “Don’t make young Koreans murderers,” another said. Washington has requested an unspecified number of ROK combat troops, but sources here say the figure could be anywhere between 3,000 and 10,000. The ROK sent 675 non-combatants, including army engineers and medics, to Iraq in May, in a decision which sparked street protests and denunciation from the DPRK’s official media. The protestors said in a statement that the US-led war on Iraq is a war of invasion which is banned under the ROK constitution. “No matter how the government may attempt to justify the dispatch of troops to Iraq, (the ROK) would be unable to avoid being named as an accomplice of the US in the invasion into Iraq,” the statement said. It accused the ROK government of seeking to trade the dispatch of combat troops to Iraq for a softer US stance toward the DPRK in the stand-off over Pyongyang’s nuclear drive. “Sending combat troops to a dirty war in expectation for some return would only show the moral decay of the ROK government,” it said. 7. US-Taiwan Relations
Agence France-Presse (“US ASSURES TAIWAN ITS INTERESTS NOT TO BE TRADED TO CHINA,” 09/30/03) reported that the US assured Taipei its interests would not be compromised while Washington sought to improve ties with Beijing, and promised to keep arming Taiwan against the PRC. The US is working with old adversaries like the PRC to tackle global challenges like the DPRK’s nuclear program and terrorism, said the de facto US ambassador to Taipei, Douglas Paal. However, Washington is also reinforcing its friendship with traditional friends, such as Taiwan, he stressed. “Many in Taiwan and elsewhere express concern that the US might sacrifice its commitment to Taiwan to obtain PRC assistance in confronting North Korea,” Paal, director of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), said in a keynote speech to a seminar here. “Aside from the solid legal, moral, and historic foundations of America’s relationship with Taiwan, this assumption ignores the reality that the threat of proliferation and instability on the Korean peninsula is first and foremost a threat to China’s interests. “We will not violate our commitments to Taiwan over North Korea or any other issue.” Paal said Washington and Taipei could not ignore the growing military threat from the PRC, backed by its rapid economic expansion. “The rapid expansion of China’s economy has also allowed it to upgrade its military forces and has given rise to a growing nationalism that could manifest itself in unpredictable ways,” he said. “President Chen Shui-bian has demonstrated that he understands this danger, and we salute his recent initiatives to enhance Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities. We remain ready to assist Taiwan in this endeavor,” he said.
8. PRC-Japan Relations
Agence France-Presse (“CHINA EXPRESSES ‘STRONG INDIGNATION’ TO JAPAN OVER ALLEGED ORGY,” 09/30/03) reported that the PRC has expressed its “strong indignation” over a “criminal” orgy involving hundreds of Japanese tourists during an urgent meeting with Japanese embassy officials, the foreign ministry said. The alleged orgy at a hotel in southern Zhuhai city has sparked public anger as it reportedly took place on September 18 — on the eve of the anniversary of the start of Japan’s World War II occupation of the PRC on September 18, 1931. “This criminal incident of an odious nature harmed the feelings of PRC people and also seriously harmed Japan’s international image,” a foreign ministry official told Japanese diplomats Monday, the ministry said on its website. “The PRC side expresses strong indignation regarding the above mentioned actions of the Japanese,” the foreign ministry official said. “The PRC side hopes the Japanese side will teach its citizens to strictly abide by PRC laws when visiting the PRC, step up moral restraint and not do anything that is illegal or that would harm the feelings of the two countries’ people,” the official said. A Japanese embassy spokesman said Japanese officials said at the meeting that such an incident would be “regrettable” if it indeed occurred.
9. PRC Domestic Politics
Asia Pulse (“CHINA EXPRESSES “STRONG INDIGNATION” TO JAPAN OVER ALLEGED ORGY,” Beijing, 09/30/03) reported that the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee met yesterday to discuss plans on major political and economic issues, such as economic restructuring, proposed revision of the nation’s Constitution, and revitalization of the old industrial base in northeast PRC. Hu Jintao, general secretary of the Party’s Central Committee, presided over the meeting. The Political Bureau decided at the meeting to submit two major documents to the Third Plenary Session of the 16th CPC Central Committee, scheduled for October 11-14, for deliberation. The two documents are a draft decision by the CPC Central Committee on some issues related to the improvement of the socialist market economic system, and a draft proposal of the CPC Central Committee on revising part of the Constitution.
10. Japan-PRC Chemical Weapons Compensation
Agence France-Presse (“TOKYO ORDERED TO COMPENSATE PRC KILLED OR INJURED BY DUMPED WEAPONS,” 09/29/03) reported that in a landmark ruling, a Japanese court awarded 1.7 million dollars in damages to PRC people whose relatives were killed or who themselves were injured from 1974 to 1995 by chemical weapons dumped by the defeated Japanese Imperial Army. The ruling at the Tokyo District Court for total damages of 190 million yen (1.7 million dollars), came as the PRC is urging Japan to speed up the disposal of abandoned weapons after one man died and more than 30 were injured last month by mustard gas dumped by Japan in northeast PRC. The 13 plaintiffs, who brought action in December 1996, had been demanding 20 million yen (180,000 dollars) each in damages. They argued the Japanese military dumped massive quantities of poison gas such as mustard gas and lewisite in the PRC as they withdrew following Japan’s defeat in World War II in 1945, destroying all records of the stockpiles. The day’s ruling was in contrast to a May ruling at the same court. The same Tokyo court rejected the damage claims by PRC nationals in the first legal judgement in Japan handed down in May concerning injuries caused by chemical weapons left behind by the Japanese military.
11. ASEAN Non-Aggression Pact
Agence France-Presse (“CHINA, INDIA AND POSSIBLY RUSSIA TO SIGN NON-AGGRESSION PACT WITH ASEAN,” 09/29/03) reported that the nuclear powers PRC and India and possibly Russia are to sign a non-aggression pact with Southeast Asia, laying the ground for managing potential conflicts in the region, ASEAN officials say. They will be the first foreign powers to adhere to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) at the leaders meeting of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Indonesia’s Bali resort next week. “Right now, only China and India are sure to accede to the Treaty while Russia, which also wants to sign up, is awaiting approval from its parliament,” ASEAN spokesman M.C. Abad told AFP. The US, which is stamping its influence on the region through its fight against terrorism, is unlikely to follow suit as its activities may be constrained by the treaty, analysts say. Sundram Pushpanathan, ASEAN’s head of external relations, said that by signing up to the TAC, “China and India will come into the inner circle of ASEAN,” grouping Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. “This reflects the high level of commitment by China and India to the peace and security of the region and it will pave the way for greater engagements by them in regional political and security matters,” he said.
12. Japan Domestic Economy
Agence France-Presse (” JOBLESS RATE HITS TWO-YEAR LOW IN JAPAN,” Tokyo, 09/30/03) reported that Japan’s unemployment rate fell to a two-year low of 5.1 percent in August but both government policy makers and analysts remained cautious about how quickly the world’s second-largest economy can drag itself out of decade-long doldrums. The jobless rate after adjustments for seasonal factors fell to 5.1 percent in August from 5.3 percent in July, hitting the lowest level since August 2001, when the rate was 5.0 percent, the Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications said Tuesday. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda said the government could not be complacent about the need for job creation despite the improvement. “The numbers came in as good news but we still think the environment is harsh,” Fukuda told a regular news conference. Heizo Takenaka, minister of financial services, economic and fiscal policy, also remained cautious, telling reporters that the government needed to revitalize labour markets outside big cities. The jobless rate “was not so impressive given the fact that it was mainly the result of a big drop in the labour force, down 0.6 percent, while actual employment fell by 0.2 percent,” said Peter Morgan, chief economist at HSBC Securities. The number of unemployed totaled 3.33 million, down by 280,000 from a year earlier and the third consecutive monthly decline, ministry data showed.
II. Republic of Korea
1. DPRK Defections
Chosun Ilbo (Kwon Kyung-bok, “ACTIVIST REPORTS ON DEFECTORS”, 09/29/03) reported that Of 58 DPRK defectors arrested by PRC police in January, one made it to ROK on Sept. 17 with help from ROK activists and five are waiting to enter ROK from a third country. The six destined for asylum in ROK were among 25 whom PRC repatriated to DPRK against their will, while the other 33 are either still under PRC custody or their whereabouts are unknown, said Chun Ki-won of the group Durihana Missionaries, who helped the “boat people” escape PRC. “Of the 25 who were sent back to DPRK, 10 escaped again and six of them have either entered Seoul or are waiting to enter the country,” Chun said. The activist also said that some escapees were sent to concentration camps in DPRK, while some of those who came from Musan, North Hamgyeong province were set free.
2. US DPRK ‘Freedom Bill’
Chosun Ilbo (Joo Yong-jung, “US READIES ‘FREEDOM BILL’ FOR NORTH KOREANS”, 09/28/03) reported that US Congress will pass a bill this year to promote freedom for all of the Korean Peninsula, a staffer at the Congress said Sunday. The bill will call for spending of $200 million through 2006 to promote human rights and democracy in DPRK and support DPRK refugees. According to an 18-page draft for the plan, which the Chosun Ilbo was able to acquire for an exclusive report, US Agency for International Development will give $80 million by 2006 to institutions promoting human rights, to be directed to efforts to reverse Pyongyang’s rights abuses. Also, $2 million a year will go to DPRK religious groups active in US, ROK, and Japan, and $500,000 will be used every year to help institutions take care of DPRK orphans. Also added in the draft is USAID’s plan to back up private organizations sending provisions to DPRK by supporting them with $30 million every year until 2006. If the bill gets passed, U,.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom will spend $350,000 a year sponsoring hearings in US’s cities on the religious oppression in DPRK. The draft also contains initiatives for “first asylum” policy that will guarantee refuge and security to DPRK fugitives. Some fugitives can obtain S-2 visas, which is given to people providing confidential information about countries producing weapons of mass destruction. US will also allocate P-2 status to ROK fugitives. Also, the draft would call for spending of $1 million per year to help Radio Free Asia and the Voice of America broadcast 24 hours a day and provide various radio programs to DPRK. Significantly, the plan would possibly inhibit financial aid to countries that have records of sending money instead of humanitarian support to DPRK government or institutions. Lastly, a “task force” team will be established to monitor criminal activities by DPRK and submit reports on DPRK’s human rights situation. Working on the draft are the senators Richard Lugar, John Kyl, Sam Brownback and Edward Kennedy and the Congressmen Henry Hyde and Christopher Cox. Brownback sent a letter to President George W. Bush, seeking administrative support for the draft.
Editor’s note: “Source on Capitol Hill indicate that this article has several inaccuracies, regarding not only the content of the bill, but even the Members of Congress involved. The most staffers would say at this point is that a bill that addresses North Korea will be introduced fairly soon. The content of the bill and who will sponsor it are still under discussion.
3. US Congressman DPRK Visit
Chosun Ilbo (Kwon Kyoung-bok, “US POLITICIANS GOING TO NORTH AGAIN”, 09/28/03) reported that Congressman Curt Weldon, a Republican from Pennsylvania, and 10 other US politicians will visit DPRK in late October, a Voice of America broadcast said Sunday. At a ceremony celebrating the 100th anniversary of the ROK-US society, Weldon said in a speech that five Republicans and five Democrats would go to DPRK this month for a four-day trip. Weldon, who led a group of US politicians on a trip to the DPRK last spring, said he discussed this plan last week with DPRK representative to the United Nations, Han Seung Ryeul. The reason for the second visit is to keep up peaceful talks with DPRK, Weldon said, adding that US must respond immediately to the problems posed by DPRK’s weapons of mass destruction and human-rights violations.
4. DPRK on ROK Cash Summit Convictions
Chosun Ilbo (Kwon Kyung-bok, “NORTH CONDEMNS CASH-SUMMIT CONVICTIONS”, 09/28/03) reported that DPRK, though furious at the news that six ROK people were convicted of bribing Pyongyang to arrange DPRK-ROK summit in 2000, said over the weekend that it would continue to promote cooperative projects with private companies from DPRK. Among those convicted were the chief executive of Hyundai Asan, Kim Yoon-kyu. DPRK’s Asia-Pacific Peace Committee, which oversees DPRK-ROK business, said that “history would severely condemn those who eradicate justice and unjustly judge the patriotic innocent, but prove innocent those who were unfairly punished.” The statement was released Sunday via DPRK’s central broadcasting station. The committee also said that starting the investigation into the cash-for-summit scandal and holding trials related to it were themselves illegal actions that should not have happened. It said that the investigations were carried out for half a year because of the manipulation of the special prosecutors, and that the main actors behind the investigations were the right-wing conservatives of the Grand National Party. It said that the instigators of the investigation “would not be able to escape the crimes that they committed in the face of their people and history itself.”
5. DPRK Inspection Apology Demands
Joongang Iibo (Jeong Yong-soo, “NORTH WANTS AN APOLOGY FOR REPORTED ‘INSPECTION'”, 09/29/03) reported that Enraged by reports that ROK lawmakers were planning to conduct an inspection of DPRK cultural assets, DPRK demanded an apology Saturday. Lawmakers from the Assembly’s culture and tourism committee had planned to visit DPRK for four days starting next Monday to survey cultural properties in DPRK, focusing on damage possibly incurred by the construction of the Gaeseong industrial complex. They also planned to attend the opening ceremony of a sports stadium in Pyeongyang, built by ROK’s Hyundai Group and named after the group’s late founder, Chung Ju-yung. The committee decided last Thursday that its 19 members would travel to DPRK. The committee, however, said that it would not call the trip an Assembly inspection, citing possible repulsion of the inspection by North Korea. The committee said it would label the visit a tourism and cultural survey. ROK media, however, reported that the lawmakers were planning an Assembly inspection in DPRK, and Pyeongyang issued statements demanding that the National Assembly apologize, saying failure to do so would have serious consequences for inter-Korean relations. Representative Bae Ki-sun, the Assembly’s culture and tourism committee head, issued a statement Saturday to calm DPRK. Mr. Bae said, “Misunderstandings seemed to occur because an inappropriate expression was used [to name the visit].” Hyundai Asan’s president, Kim Yoon-kyu, who arranged the trip, has reportedly gone to DPRK to resolve the situation.
6. US DPRK Natural Gas Supply
Donga Ilbo (Kwon Sun Taek, “US SEEKING TO PROVIDE SAKHALIN NATURAL GAS TO NORTH KOREA”, 09/29/03) reported that Curt Weldon, US Republican Congressman who proposed to DPRK the KoRus Project, through which the Sakhalin natural gas pipeline will connect Sakhalin in the Russian Far East with the Korean peninsula, is planning to revisit DPRK at the end of October together with the delegates of the Congress. Therefore much attention is drawn to the visit`s possible effect on DPRK nuclear issue. A participant of the seminar that celebrated the 50th anniversary of the US-ROK alliance, which took place on September 26, said on September 28 that Weldon, vice-chairman of the House Arms Services Committee, stated that he would be ?visiting DPRK for four days at the end of October, and will be discussing the 2 step nuclear resolution that includes the plan to `use Russian natural gas to solve electricity shortage in DPRK,` which had been proposed during the visit to DPRK in May.? Some observers are posing questions related to this statement on whether DPRK and US is discussing natural gas provision as a means to solve the nuclear issue through an unofficial channel. However, the Bush administration had stated that the plan had nothing to do with US government. During his visit to DPRK, Weldon is scheduled to meet with DPRK head Kim Jong-il, and also to meet with President Roh Moo-hyun in Seoul. For 3 days from May 30, Weldon had visited DPRK with 5 other congressmen, and proposed a solution for the nuclear issue, promising that the US would sign the Non Aggression Part and that it would provide economic assistance with 3 to 5 billion dollars, if DPRK renounces its nuclear program and accept nuclear inspections. On June 2, the day after his return from DPRK, Weldon met with President Roh at the Blue House, and said that, ?DPRK showed greatly positive reactions toward the plan on using Russian natural gas.? The KoRus Project aims to construct a pipeline of 2300 km, which runs from Sakhalin gas field, for which ExxonMobil has the development rights, through DPRK, down to ROK. Approximately 500 million to 4 billion dollars would be injected for four years. It is evaluated to be less profitable than the pipeline construction already being pursued in Irkrutz, Russia by ROK, but ExxonMobil is said to be aggressively lobbying through the Bush administration for the project.
7. US-Russia on DPRK Nuclear Weapons
Donga Ilbo (Kwon Sun Taek, “BUSH-PUTIN “N.K.`S NUCLEAR PROGRAMS HAVE TO BE DISMANTLED.” 09/28/03) reported that US President George W. Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday urged Iran and DPRK abandon nuclear-weapons programs and said they will work together to resolve DPRK nuclear standoff. The two leaders, however, did not propose any new measures to resolve DPRK`s nuclear crisis and showed differences over whether to give the communist country a guarantee of its security in exchange for dismantling of its nuclear program. The two leaders began a two-day summit Friday at the Camp David presidential retreat, outskirts of Washington to discuss DPRK nuclear standoff, postwar help for Iraq and suspicions over Russia`s role in promoting proliferation of nuclear weapons. “US and Russia jointly urged DPRK to completely, verifiably and irreversibly end its nuclear programs,” Bush said during a joint press conference, reiterating its existing stance. But, again, there was disagreement. “In exchange for DPRK`s dismantling of its nuclear program, US should give the communist country a guarantee of its security.” Putin said. “A priority must now be made of defusing the heightened tensions on the Korean peninsula caused by the new nuclear crisis and creating a favorable atmosphere for a constructive dialogue.” Putin added. Over establishing the postwar Iraqi government, the two leaders agreed that it has to be a united liberal and democratic country, but Putin emphasized that the Iraqi Interim Administration and the U.N. should take a major role. The two admitted differences over the Iraqi issues. Putin, however, said “We have differences over Iraq in terms of the practical way of how to resolve this problem, but we have understanding on the essence of the problem.”
8. Mongolia DPRK Refugee Camp
Donga Ilbo (Kwon Sun Taek, “NO REFUGEE CAMP FOR NORTH KOREAN DEFECTORS IN MONGOLIA”, 09/29/03) reported that the plan to use the former Soviet Union`s military base in Mongolia as a temporary shelter for DPRK defectors had failed due to requests by DPRK and opposition from ROK, said New York Times on Sep. 28. According to New York Times, the plan to use the empty barracks and apartment buildings in the former Soviet Union military base, which is located in Khorloogiin Choibalsan, 480km to the east of Mongolian capital city, Ulaanbaatar, was pursued by the mayor of Khorloogiin Choibalsan, Korean missionaries and aides to US congressmen. However, when the plan was publicized, DPRK poured all its efforts to stop the installment of the camp by sending its foreign minister Baek Nam-soon as a special envoy to Mongolia last year, and renewing the mutual friendly cooperation treaty that was practically denounced 10 years ago. The paper analyzed that the fact that PRC, which has recently deployed 150,000 soldiers along its borders with DPRK, expressed disfavor to the plan had some influence on the derailment of the plan. Moreover, the paper reported that ROK government also opposes the plan, concerned about irritating DPRK. Thus, the paper is saying that with all concerned countries such as DPRK, PRC and ROK opposing the plan, the Mongolian government decided to scrap the plan not to hinder its relations with them. New York Times added that as the US needs PRC cooperation to resolve DPRK nuclear issue, it couldn`t put pressure on PRC to allow construction of an asylum.
III. CanKor E-Clipping Service
1. Issue #135
Military build-up on the Korean peninsula continues despite continued efforts to find a diplomatic solution to the nuclear crisis. Upgrade of US defenses in the ROK include pilotless spy planes and new Patriot Advance Capability 3 missiles designed to repel a ballistic missile attack from the North. The ROK is elected to a two-year term as a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Board of Governors, a 35-member policy-making body. The Agency introduces a resolution urging the DPRK to return to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty. The USA invites foreign ministers of five countries involved in the Beijing nuclear talks with DPRK to discuss follow-up measures in New York, where they attend the UN General Assembly. DPRK Vice Foreign Minister Choe Su Hon, who is also in New York for the UNGA, is not invited, on the grounds that the DPRK does not have diplomatic ties with the USA. Two teams of US specialists have recovered the remains of four American soldiers missing in action from the Korean War. Thirty Manitobans killed in the “forgotten” Korean War are honored in a ceremony organized by the Royal Canadian Legion in Winnipeg. A large-scale manhunt is under way in the DPRK for three culprits who staged an unprecedented robbery at the Foreign Trade Bank of Korea in Pyongyang. US President George W. Bush urges the United Nations Security Council to adopt a new anti-proliferation resolution that would provide powerful support for the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI). CanKor examines the PSI in this week’s FOCUS, with an inside look into Exercise Pacific Protector (the track- and-seize drill held by four nations off the coast of Australia), the DPRK’s warning that the drill jeopardizes future six-way talks, as well as White House resources that include Interdiction Principles.
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