NAPSNet Daily Report Thursday, June 22, 2006

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NAPSNet Daily Report Thursday, June 22, 2006

NAPSNet Daily Report Thursday, June 22, 2006

I. NAPSNet

Preceding NAPSNet Report

I. NAPSNet

1. DPRK Missile Test

Agence France-Presse (“US WARNS OF CONSEQUENCES FOR NORTH KOREA IF IT LAUNCHES MISSILE”, 2006-06-22) reported that the US warned the DPRK it will pay “some cost” if it launches a long-range missile, and the US military signaled its readiness to use missile defenses to protect Americans. “If such a launch takes place, we would seek to impose some cost on North Korea,” Peter Rodman, assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs, said during testimony before the House Armed Services Committee. “It is the policy of the United States and some of our allies that the launch of a missile would be a provocation and a dangerous action which would have to have some consequences,” he said.

(return to top) Agence France-Presse (“CHENEY SHOOTS DOWN NORTH KOREA PREEMPTION SUGGESTION”, 2006-06-22) reported that US Vice President Dick Cheney shot down a suggestion that the US consider a limited preemptive attack to prevent the DPRK from launching a long-range missile. “I think, at this stage, we are addressing the issue in the proper fashion,” Cheney said in an interview with CNN television when asked about a first-strike proposal floated by former defense secretary William Perry. “And I think, obviously, if you’re going to launch a strike at another nation, you’d better be prepared to not just fire one shot. And the fact of the matter is, I think the issue is being addressed appropriately,” said Cheney. (return to top) Associated Press (“RUSSIA SUMMONS NORTH KOREA’S AMBASSADOR”, 2006-06-22) reported that in an unusual step, Russia’s Foreign Ministry called in DPRK Ambassador Pak Ui Chun to say it was alarmed by reports of the planned missile launch and warn him of Moscow’s opposition to any steps that would destabilize the region. “In particular, the undesirability was stressed of any actions which could negatively affect regional stability and complicate the search for a settlement to the Korean peninsula’s nuclear problem,” a ministry statement said. (return to top) Associated Press (“S. KOREA: NORTH MISSILE TEST NOT IMMINENT”, 2006-06-22) reported that the ROK’s defense minister said Thursday that Seoul believes the DPRK’s missile launch is not imminent despite concern in the region that the nation would test-fire a long-range missile. “It is our judgment that a launch is not imminent,” Defense Minister Yoon Kwang-ung told a parliamentary meeting in comments confirmed by his ministry. (return to top)

2. DPRK Missile Capabilities

Yonhap (“N. KOREA LACKING IN NUCLEAR MISSILE TECHNOLOGY: JAPANESE OFFICIAL”, 2006-06-22) reported that a Japanese Foreign Ministry official said Thursday that the DPRK does not seem to have the technology to load nuclear warheads onto its long-range missile now standing ready for a test launch. Yasuhisa Shiozaki, senior vice-minister for foreign affairs, told a parliamentary committee that he has not received any intelligence indicating that the state has developed such a technology.

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3. DPRK Military Arsenal

Chosun Ilbo (“N.KOREA ‘CONTINUES MILITARY BUILDUP'”, 2006-06-22) reported that the Defense Ministry on Thursday said the DPRK recently acquired six more MiG aircraft. Lawmakers said the ministry told a closed parliamentary committee hearing the information came from satellite images. The ministry told lawmakers the DPRK continues to build up its arsenal of weapons of mass destruction as well as conventional military capability despite its desperate economic circumstances. “Presenting any exact numbers is difficult, but it does include weapons of mass destruction, chemical, biological and radiological weapons, and guided weaponry,” Defense Minister Yoon Kwang-ung said.

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4. Inter-Korean Family Reunions

Yonhap (“KOREAS CONTINUE SEPARATED FAMILY REUNIONS DESPITE TENSIONS OVER MISSILE TEST”, 2006-06-22) reported that the DPRK and the ROK were set to hold a fresh round of meetings between their separated families Thursday amid growing tension over possible signs of preparations by the DPRK to test-fire a long-range missile. A group of some 150 RO Koreans were to cross the heavily-fortified border with the DPRK in the morning for the start of a three-day reunion with their relatives from the DPRK, separated for over 50 years due to the division of the Koreas.

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5. Inter-Korean Agricultural Cooperation

Yonhap (“S. KOREAN LENDER NONGHYUP PLANS TO OPEN BRANCH ON N. KOREA’S MT. GEUMGANG IN SEP”, 2006-06-22) reported that the ROK’s National Agricultural Cooperative Federation(Nonghyup) said Thursday it plans to open a branch at the Mount Geumgang resort in the DPRK in September. Nonghyup will open the Mount Geumgang branch on September 15 with three ROK employees and two DPRK employees, it told the National Assembly’s Agriculture, Forestry, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Committee.

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6. Inter-Korean Archeological Cooperation

Yonhap (“SOUTH, NORTH KOREA TEAM UP TO SURVEY REMAINS OF ANCIENT PALACE IN KAESONG”, 2006-06-22) reported that the ROK and the DPRK will join hands to excavate the remains of an ancient royal palace in Kaesong as part of preparations to have the DPRK’s border city listed as a World Heritage site, officials said Thursday. A group of 10 ROK archaeologists and officials will cross the border on July 3 for the two-month excavation project, said officials of the Cultural Heritage Administration, a ROK governmental body that organized the joint efforts.

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7. Japan-ROK Relations

Kyodo (“S. KOREA’S ROH CALLS FOR MILITARY DETERRENCE AGAINST JAPAN “, 2006-06-22) reported that ROK President Roh Moo Hyun called Thursday for military deterrence against Japan, which claims a pair of tiny islets that are under ROK control, local media reported. “It is important for us to be equipped with defense capabilities so that (Japan) would be subject to more damage than benefits in case of a military provocation,” Roh was quoted as saying.

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8. Taiwan Leadership

Agence France-Presse (“POLL SAYS MOST TAIWANESE REJECT EMBATTLED PRESIDENT AFTER SPEECH “, 2006-06-22) reported that a new poll suggests most Taiwanese think embattled President Chen Shui-bian should resign despite an impassioned televised speech this week to defend his family over corruption scandals. About 70 percent disapproved of the speech saying Chen twisted the arguments and refused to admit mistakes rather than accept responsibility. More than 65 percent said Chen was unfit to remain as president despite the speech and as a result of the scandals.

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9. PRC on Iran Nuclear Issue

Agence France-Presse (“CHINA URGES IRAN TO RESPOND TO NUCLEAR INCENTIVE PACKAGE “, 2006-06-22) reported that the PRC has urged Iran to respond to the offer by world powers over its nuclear program, while also calling for international talks on the stand-off to resume as soon as possible. “China hopes that Iran can positively respond to the efforts of the international community,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu told reporters.

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10. PRC African Diplomacy

Agence France-Presse (“CHINA WANTS ‘NEW PARTNERSHIP’ WITH AFRICA: PM “, 2006-06-22) reported that the PRC wants to build a “new type of strategic partnership” with Africa, Premier Wen Jiabao said as he continued an intense diplomatic offensive to woo the world’s poorest continent. Wen announced Beijing’s plan of expanded influence while wrapping up a visit to South Africa before the next leg of a whirlwind seven-nation African tour which saw him traverse the continent from Cairo to Cape Town.

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11. PRC-US Military Relations

The Associated Press (“CHINA PLEASED AFTER WATCHING U.S. WARGAMES “, 2006-06-22) reported that PRC military observers said Thursday that observing US military exercises in the Pacific this week gave them a better understanding of US weapons and tactics. Delegation leader Rear Adm. Zhang Leiyu called the visit to the war games near Guam “a positive step in China-U.S. military ties,” the official Xinhua News agency reported.

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12. PRC Judiciary

Xinhua news (“CHINA MOVES AGAINST LOCAL MEDDLING IN COURT CASES “, 2006-06-22) reported that the PRC’s judiciary is to set up a system to expose interference from local party and administrative officials in court decisions. A notice jointly issued by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China, the Supreme People’s Court and the Ministry of Supervision ordered courts to report swiftly any meddling by local cadres in the enforcement of court rulings.

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