I. NAPSNet

1. Multilateral Seminar in Japan

Yonhap News (“SENIOR OFFICIALS FROM U.S., N KOREA TO MEET AT A TOKYO SEMINAR”, 2006-04-04) reported that Pyongyang said it would send a four-member delegation to the Northeast Asia Cooperation Dialogue (NEACD), an annual non-governmental seminar, to be held in Tokyo from Sunday for a five-day run. “The Japanese government allowed the trip by the North Korean delegation to be headed by Jung Tae-yang, vice director-general of the American bureau at North Korea’s Foreign Ministry,” the Asahi Shimbun reported. The Tokyo seminar will also bring together senior officials from the US, the PRC, Russia, Japan, and the ROK including US Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill and Seoul’s chief nuclear envoy Chun Yung-woo, organizers said. “They are coming here to attend the academic event, but they will have various opportunities for contacts, either officially or unofficially,” a Japanese government official was quoted as saying.

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2. PRC on Six Party Talks

Reuters (“US-N.KOREA MISTRUST HURDLE TO TALKS, SAYS CHINA “, 2006-04-04) reported that the PRC said on Tuesday mistrust between the DPRK and the US was the main hurdle to negotiations on the DPRK’s nuclear program as the PRC defense minister held talks in Pyongyang. “The cause of the current stalemate is the mistrust between North Korea and the United States and their differences over some specific issues,” PRC Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao told a regular news conference. He said all sides should stick to the goal of eventual de-nuclearization of the Korean peninsula. “China as a major mediator has always been making active and difficult efforts,” Liu said. “The progress of the six-party talks is not totally up to Chinese efforts. The key to resolving problems is in the hands of North Korea and the United States.”

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3. DPRK-PRC Military Relations

Pravda (“CHINA AND NORTH KOREA HOLD DEFENSE MINISTERS’ TALKS “, 2006-04-04) reported that the defense ministers of the PRC and the DPRK discussed efforts to boost relations and cooperation between their armies during talks in Pyongyang on Tuesday, the DPRK’s media reported. The PRC’s defense minister, Cao Gangchuan, arrived in the DPRK earlier in the day as part of an Asian tour that will also take him to Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea and Vietnam. Cao held talks with his DPRK counterpart, Vice Marshal of the Korean People’s Army Kim Il Chol, in a “comradely and friendly atmosphere,” the KCNA said.

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4. Inter-Korean Scientific Cooperation

Yonhap News (“S. KOREAN SCIENTISTS ATTEND INTER-KOREAN MEETING IN NORTH”, 2006-04-04) reported that a group of ROK scientists visited the DPRK Tuesday to attend an inter-Korean science meeting, the ROK’s science minister said. “A 26-member delegation, including officials from the Korean Federation of Science and Technology Societies, crossed the inter-Korean border to attend the meeting in Pyongyang,” Minister of Science and Technology Kim Woo-sik said in an interview with Yonhap News Agency. The ROK’s delegation, led by former Science Minister Chae Yung-bog, will make proposals to boost cooperation on information, nano and bio technologies, Kim said.

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5. Inter-Korean Cultural Cooperation

Yonhap News (“TWO KOREAS TO JOINTLY SURVEY KOGURYO TOMBS IN NORTH KOREA”, 2006-04-04) reported that researchers of the ROK and the DPRK will conduct a jointly survey of tombs of the Koguryo Kingdom in the DPRK that were registered on UNESCO’s World Heritage list last year, the Cultural Heritage Administration said Tuesday. The survey, to be supported by the ROK government and the Cultural Preservation Guidance Bureau of the DPRK will be conducted from April 19 to May 2.

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6. DPRK Economy

Chosun Ilbo (“DOLLAR SOARS IN N.KOREA’S BLACK MARKET “, 2006-04-04) reported that while the DPRK’s closed economy may hide most of the effects of financial sanctions the US has imposed on the country since September, sources just back from the DPRK say the black-market value of dollars is skyrocketing there. The official exchange rate in the DPRK is W150 per dollar. But in the black market, the greenback had soared from around W2,000 to W2,600 by late last year. “It varies from region to region, but the dollar now seems to have risen to W3,000 because of the financial sanctions,” a ROK official said.

(return to top) Chosun Ilbo (“SEOUL FEARS U.S. COULD BRAND N.KOREA A FINANCIAL PARIAH “, 2006-04-04) reported that Seoul is urgently studying its options in case Washington designates the DPRK a “primary money-laundering concern” under its Patriot Act, a move that would create enormous difficulties for anyone doing business with the country and could deal a blow to growing inter-Korean trade. (return to top)

7. Journalist on ROK Abductees

JoongAng Ilbo (“GROUPS CALL FOR JOURNALIST TO BE FIRED OVER REMARKS”, 2006-04-04) reported that civic groups aiding DPRK defectors are calling for the resignation of Chung Il-yong, 45, head of the Journalists Association of Korea, for suggesting on a television program that abducted RO Koreans have voluntarily gone over to the DPRK. In a joint announcement yesterday the civic groups criticized Mr. Chung, saying his remarks were insensitive to abducted RO Koreans and their family members. The civic groups are expected to present a formal protest on Thursday to the association.

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8. DPRK-Japan Relations

Associated Press (“N KOREA TO SEEK COMPENSATION FOR JAPAN’S OCCUPATION-REPORT “, 2006-04-04) reported that the DPRK will repeat demands that Japan pay compensation for forcing Koreans to work in Japan during its rule over the Korean peninsula in 1910-1945, a news report said Tuesday. Pyongyang will also demand in future bilateral talks that Japan pay compensation for Korean women forced to become sex slaves to Japan’s imperial army, Kyodo News agency said, quoting former lawmaker Yoshihiro Kawakami who visited Pyongyang in late March.

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9. PRC on Religion

China Post (“CHINA EYES VATICAN TIES; DALAI LAMA MAY VISIT”, 2006-04-04) reported that the PRC may approve a visit by the Dalai Lama, as long as he abandons dreams of independence for Tibet, and establish ties with the Vatican if it breaks ties with Taiwan, the top official on religious affairs was quoted on Monday as saying.

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10. PRC Energy Production

Xinhua (“CHINA TO CLOSE ALL SMALL COAL MINES BY 2007”, 2006-04-04) reported that the PRC will close all small coal mines with annual production capacity under 30,000 tons by the end of 2007, the national coal mine safety authority said. At a video-conference on work safety held Monday, Zhao Tiechui, director of the State Administration of Coal Mine Safety, said the PRC will step up rectification of the coal mining sector to improve work safety.

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11. PRC, US on Terrorism

Xinhua (“CHINA, US AGREE TO COMBAT TERRORISM, ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION”, 2006-04-04) reported that the PRC and the US have reached an important consensus on combating terrorism and illegal immigration, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao here Tuesday. The two sides exchanged views on anti-terrorism cooperation, fighting “East Turkistan” terrorist forces, the campaign against illegal immigration, arresting and repatriating suspects, security cooperation for the Olympic Games, air police cooperation and law enforcement training, Liu said.

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12. PRC Economy

BBC News (“CHINA ‘MAY CUT US DEBT HOLDINGS'”, 2006-04-04) reported that the PRC may reduce the amount of US bonds it holds as part of its foreign exchange reserves, an influential official has reportedly said. The remarks, made by Parliamentary vice-chairman Cheng Siwei, triggered a fall in the US dollar against leading currencies in European trading. The PRC is a major funder of US debt, holding about £260bn (£149bn) in US Treasury bonds – second only to Japan.

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13. PRC Museum on Sino-Japanese War

Xinhua (“PRIVATE MUSEUM ON SINO-JAPANESE WAR TO OPEN IN NANJING”, 2006-04-04) reported that a privately funded museum to house historical documents on the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1937-45) will open this July in Nanjing, capital of East PRC’s Jiangsu Province. Wu Xianbin, a 42-year-old owner of a Nanjing-based manufacturing factory, is the sole founder of the museum.

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14. Japan on Yasukuni Shrine Issue

Asahi Shimbun (“BACKLASH CONTINUES OVER HU’S YASUKUNI SHRINE REMARKS”, 2006-04-05) reported that last week’s declaration by PRC President Hu Jintao on Yasukuni Shrine continued to ripple through Japan’s political community Tuesday. Foreign Minister Taro Aso once again had strong words for Hu over the PRC president’s suggestion that he would meet with Japanese leaders on condition that they stop visiting Yasukuni Shrine.

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15. Japan on Asian Economy

Kyodo News (“JAPAN EYES LAUNCHING E. ASIA-WIDE FTA TALKS IN 2008 “, 2006-04-04) reported that Japan will propose to 15 Asian neighbors launching talks in 2008 aimed at a region-wide free trade agreement as a precursor to establishing an East Asian economic community, trade minister Toshihiro Nikai said Tuesday. Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Nikai told a press conference Japan will ask the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and PRC, ROK, India, Australia and New Zealand to consider the regional FTA talks.

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16. Japan, US on Terrorism

Japan Times (“NUCLEAR SCREENING AT SEAPORTS IN JAPAN EYED BY U.S., TOKYO”, 2006-04-04) reported that the US is sounding out Japan about joining a US network aimed at thwarting terrorist attacks by screening cargo at seaports for nuclear and other radioactive materials, US and Japanese government sources said Monday.

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17. Cross-Strait Relations

International Herald Tribune (“WTO BRINGS CHINA AND TAIWAN TO BARGAINING TABLE”, 2006-04-04) reported that when Lai Shin-yuan, a Taiwan lawmaker, learned last year that a group of towel manufacturers from one of the poorest counties on the island planned to take action under World Trade Organization rules to stem a flood of cheap imports from the PRC, she knew it was an opportunity too good to miss. Not only could she help protect livelihoods at risk; the outspoken Taiwan Solidarity Union legislator also saw a rare chance to bring the PRC and Taiwan together as equals.

(return to top) Taipei Times (“BEIJING BLOCKING TAIWAN’S OECD BID, SAY MINISTERS”, 2006-04-04) reported that Taiwan’s application to become a member of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) Committee for Scientific and Technological Policy (CSTP) has become deadlocked due to opposition from the PRC, officials said yesterday. Deputy Minister of the National Science Council Hung-Duen Yang and Vice Minister of Economic Affairs Shih Yen-hsiang both commented on the matter in a specially convened meeting of the legislature’s Sci-Tech and Information Committee meeting yesterday. (return to top) China Post (“CHEN AND MA FAIL TO AGREE ON CHINA”, 2006-04-04) reported that President Chen Shui-bian yesterday shot down opposition leader Ma Ying-jeou’s calls for more conciliatory relations with the PRC during a rare meeting, in signs the legislative deadlock and diplomatic freeze with Beijing are both set to continue. Chen dismissed Ma’s new strategies for jump starting relations with the island’s Communist neighbor — which formed the centerpiece of Ma’s high-profile U.S. tour — saying they were unworkable and Beijing was untrustworthy. (return to top)

18. Taiwan-Australia Uranium Deal

Australian News (“GOVT CONFIRMS TAIWAN URANIUM EXPORT DEAL”, 2006-04-04) reported that the Federal Government has confirmed that Australian uranium can be exported to Taiwan. It has been revealed that two major Australian companies have signed contracts to supply uranium to Taiwan, even though Taiwan is not recognised as a country and cannot sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer says a deal was done with the help of the United States.

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19. Bird Flu

China Post (“TAIWAN THREATENED BY CHINESE BIRD FLU: CHEN”, 2006-04-04) reported that President Chen Shui-bian said yesterday that Taiwan is under direct threat of avian flu spreading from the PRC, which is the largest “hot zone” of avian flu risk in the world. Aided by the seasonal travel of migratory birds, Chen said, bird flu has spread across continents and has affected nearly 50 countries so far, with over 100 people having perished as the result of the virulent H5N1 strain of the virus.

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