NAPSNet Daily Report Tuesday, November 28, 2006
- 1. Six Party Talks – US and DPRK
2. Inside DPRK
3. Inter-Korean Relations – Nuclear Issue
4. Inter-Korean Relations – Kaesong
5. US Lawmakers on Kaesong
6. Improved Aid Donor Access in DPRK
7. Inter-Korean Relations – Sports
8. Japan – Indonesia Trade Relations
9. Japan Defense Policy
10. US-ROK Trade Relations
11. US on Sino-Pakistani Relations
12. PRC Middle East Diplomacy
13. PRC Bishop Appointment
14. PRC Activist Trial
15. ROK Bird Flu Outbreak
16. ROK Presidency
17. ROK Iraq Contribution
I. NAPSNet
1. Six Party Talks – US and DPRK
Yonhap News Agency (“N. KOREAN ENVOY ARRIVES IN BEIJING, BRAGS ABOUT NUCLEAR CAPABILITY”, 2006-11-28) reported that the DPRK’s chief nuclear envoy flew into Beijing vowing to rejoin the six-way talks on its nuclear program “any time.” “We are ready to boldly participate in the (six-way) talks at any time, as we have taken all the defensive measures through the nuclear test,” Kim Kye-gwan told reporters on arrival. Kim said he came at the “kind invitation” of U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill, Washington’s point man on Pyongyang. US officials said a Hill-Kim meeting is an open possibility. If the senior diplomats from the DPRK and the US talk to each other here this week, it would be the second meeting in a month. They had an unannounced meeting in Beijing late last month, brokered by Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei, and agreed to revive the six-party talks.
2. Inside DPRK
Kyodo (“SIGNS DECLARING N. KOREA AS NUKE POWER ADORN PYONGYANG STREETS”, 2006-11-27) reported that signs with slogans declaring the DPRK as a nuclear power were seen in the street corners of Pyongyang. “Let us make shine forever our becoming a nuclear power, a historic incident in the 5,000 years of our people’s history,” said a sign put up in front of Pyongyang’s train station. The same sign, in white letters on a red background, was also seen in front of the Pyongyang Grand Theater, also in central Pyongyang.
3. Inter-Korean Relations – Nuclear Issue
Xinhua (“DPRK VOWS NOT TO USE NUCLEAR WEAPONS AGAINST SOUTH KOREA”, 2006-11-23) reported that the DPRK said in a media statement it would never use nuclear weapons against its countrymen in the ROK. In a declaration issued by the official Central Committee of the Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland, the DPRK called upon “all the fellow countrymen in the north, the south and overseas to bravely come out in the struggle to frustrate the U.S. hostile policy toward the DPRK and the former’s sanctions and blockade against the latter,” reported the KCNA.
4. Inter-Korean Relations – Kaesong
Hankyoreh (“ACCIDENT IN GAESONG CREATES COMPLEX INSURANCE CLAIM”, 2006-11-26) reported that a DPR Korean insurance company has paid out for a car accident at Kaesong industrial complex for the first time. On July 12, a bus belonging to the Kaesung Industrial district management committee and a car of the Korea Land Corporation (KLC) collided in front of Hosan Ace Corp. The confusion arose because the bus was insured by a DPR Korean company, while the car held RO Korean insurance. After official consultations with the KLC and its management committee, admitted that 80 percent of the error had been the bus driver’s, and paid 842,000 won(US$899), 80 percent of the amount requested by the KLC, on September 21.
(return to top) Joong Ang Ilbo (“TWO BUSINESSMEN AT KAESONG INDICTED”, 2006-11-29) reported that two businessmen operating a factory in the Kaesong Industrial Complex were indicted yesterday on charges of using ROK government subsidy funds to pay company debts. Sonoko, a kitchenware maker, took over a project at the Kaesong Industrial Complex because Livingart, the kitchenware manufacturer that produced the first batch of South Korean goods from the Kaesong Industrial Complex, has been having financial troubles. The head of Sonoko is also accused of skipping payments to the firm’s workers in Kaesong from November last year until February this year. The back wages, still unpaid, amount to 21 million won, the prosecutors said. (return to top)
5. US Lawmakers on Kaesong
Yonhap News Agency (“SIX U.S. LAWMAKERS PLANNING VISIT TO INDUSTRIAL PARK IN N. KOREA”, 2006-11-28) reported that U.S. representatives are Eddie Johnson (Democrat, Texas), Michael Honda (D, California), Jim McDermott (D, Washington), Eni Faleomavaega (D, American Samoa) and Republicans James Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin and Phil English from Pennsylvania are planning a visit to the Kaesong industrial complex project. They are to be accompanied by Rep. Chung Eui-yong, head of the ROK’s ruling Uri Party’s foreign relations committee, two other Uri Party legislators and a member of the main opposition Grand National Party. A number of U.S. officials, including Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Kathleen Stephens, and congressional assistants have visited the joint industrial complex just north of the heavily-fortified inter-Korean border, but no U.S. legislator has yet to visit the complex, according to the ministry. The DPRK has yet to respond to their request.
6. Improved Aid Donor Access in DPRK
Yonhap News Agency (“U.S. FOUNDATION REPORTS BETTER AID DONOR ACCESS IN NORTH KOREA”, 2006-11-26) reported that a U.S.-based humanitarian foundation said following a recent visit, that the DPRK appears to have improved its distribution system for incoming aid and was willing to give broader access to donors. A six-member delegation from American business, religious and academic communities visited the DPRK on Nov. 4-18 as part of the Eugene Bell Foundation’s program to help tuberculosis diagnosis and treatment. The delegation was able to visit 19 remote hospitals and care centers in North Korea. The foundation has been providing aid to the North since 1995. “Despite diplomatic tensions, we were able to visit more medical facilities this year than in 2005,” Dr. Stephen Linton, the foundation’s chairman said, “and what’s more, we were gratified to find that our shipment system worked flawlessly.” The facilities enrolled in Eugene Bell’s “Partner Package Program” receives a set of medication, equipment and supply kits. “Despite the complexity of the program, this fall 100 percent of the medicines, equipment and supplies intended for the almost 20 institutions on the visit schedule arrived on site without incident,” the statement said.
7. Inter-Korean Relations – Sports
Yonhap News Agency (“N. KOREA SUPPORTS S. KOREAN CITY’S BID FOR WINTER OLYMPICS”, 2006-11-28) reported that the DPRK expressed its full support for the ROK’s bid to host the 2014 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province. Gangwon Governor Kim Jin-sun, who returned from a three-day visit to the DPRK , said the two Koreas will positively consider fielding a unified team for the 2014 Winter Olympics if Pyeongchang succeeds in hosting the Games. They also agreed to consider holding a joint training session in the Games, Kim said. During his visit, Kim met with Mun Jae-dok, president of the Olympic Committee of North Korea, and Kim Yeong-dae, president of the North Korean Council for Reconciliation and Cooperation.
8. Japan – Indonesia Trade Relations
Kyodo (“JAPAN, INDONESIA OK FREE TRADE DEAL FEATURING ENERGY SECURITY “, 2006-11-28 ) reported that Japan and Indonesia said they have in principle reached a bilateral free trade agreement, advocating an energy security partnership between them and eliminating Indonesian tariffs on high-grade Japanese steel products. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and visiting Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono agreed during their one-day summit in Tokyo that Indonesia will hold prior consultations with Japan about restricting oil and gas exports in the event of a surge in domestic demand, Japanese officials said.
9. Japan Defense Policy
Bloomberg News (“JAPAN NEEDS MISSILE DEFENSE AGAINST NORTH KOREA, NAKAGAWA SAYS”, 2006-11-27) reported that Shoichi Nakagawa, policy chief for Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, said Japan needs to develop a missile defense system to shield itself from an attack by the DPRK or other hostile countries. The two-month old government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been trying to lessen Japan’s reliance on the US for its defense. Nakagawa, who is head of the LDP’s Policy Research Council, made headlines in October by saying that Japan should debate whether to possess atomic weapons. In reaction, opposition lawmakers called on Abe to fire his policy chief. The prime minister refused, saying that while Japan has no intention of developing such weapons, he can’t stop his appointees from talking about the possibility. In his interview with Bloomberg, Nakagawa declined to comment on the nuclear weapons issue.
(return to top) Kyodo (“JAPAN’S OPPOSITION DPJ TAKES STEP TOWARD ‘COLLECTIVE’ SELF-DEFENSE “, 2006-11-28) reported that Japan’s main opposition party, the Democratic Party of Japan, unveiled a modified stand on national security which admits the use of military force to defend an ally under attack in certain circumstances. The idea was included in a draft proposal of the policy platform of the party, which has until now said that exercising the right to collective self-defense was not allowed under the current war-renouncing Constitution. (return to top)
10. US-ROK Trade Relations
Agence France-Presse (“SKOREAN POLICE SEEK TO ARREST 42 ANTI-FREE TRADE ACTIVISTS”, 2006-11-28) reported that ROK police secured arrest warrants for 42 activists as groups battling a proposed free trade agreement with the US vowed to go ahead with street protests this week. The government last week launched a crackdown on activists, declaring zero tolerance for street violence. It vowed to clamp down hard not only on participants in violence but on those who stirred up unrest. But the Korean Alliance Against the Korea-US FTA vowed to push ahead with street protests on Wednesday and next week to urge an end to the negotiations.
11. US on Sino-Pakistani Relations
IANS (“US CONCERNED OVER ‘OUTSIZED’ CHINESE MILITARY BUILD-UP “, 2006-11-28) reported that the US is ‘concerned’ about the PRC’s ‘outsized’ military build-up but does not find ‘anything new’ in Beijing’s recent agreements with Pakistan including in the nuclear and defence fields. ‘We encourage development of bilateral relations between Pakistan and its neighbours,’ said State department spokesman Sean McCormack. Asked if Washington looked at the military expansion by the PRC around the globe as a threat to the US security or other allies, McCormack said: ‘The way it was put is we are concerned about their military build-up. We believe that it is outsized for their stated regional issues that they need to take on or they need to address.’
12. PRC Middle East Diplomacy
Reuters (“ENERGY-HUNGRY CHINA BREAKS GROUND IN MIDDLE EAST “, 2006-11-28) reported that a PRC demining mission in Lebanon is a small sign of Beijing’s rapidly expanding engagement in the Middle East, where its voracious quest for secure energy supplies in the 21st century has sharpened its interest in regional stability. From Tehran to Rabat, few capitals seem worried by the PRC’s growing weight, at least as a trading power, in a region where it had a low profile before becoming a net oil importer in 1993.
13. PRC Bishop Appointment
BBC News (“CHINA DEFIES VATICAN OVER BISHOP”, 2006-11-28) reported that the PRC has named a new Catholic bishop in a move likely to increase tension with the Vatican. Father Wang Renlei will be ordained on Thursday, a PRC official said. The PRC does not recognise the Pope’s authority, insisting that all PRC Catholics belong to a state-run church.
14. PRC Activist Trial
The Associated Press (“NO VERDICT YET IN RETRIAL OF CHINESE RIGHTS ACTIVIST”, 2006-11-28) reported that the retrial of Chen Guangcheng, a blind PRC activist who was sentenced to more than four years in prison after documenting claims of forced abortions, concluded with no verdict. Human rights activists had welcomed the retrial, saying the case was an example of official retaliation and unjust imprisonment of dissidents based on phony charges.
15. ROK Bird Flu Outbreak
Agence France-Presse (“BIRD FLU SPREADS IN SOUTH KOREA “, 2006-11-28) reported that the ROK, battling its first outbreak of bird flu for three years, has confirmed the potentially deadly H5N1 virus has been found on a second poultry farm. The agriculture ministry ordered another mass cull, in addition to an existing operation which has seen some 170,000 chickens slaughtered and buried in hastily dug pits.
16. ROK Presidency
Joongang Ilbo (“ROH MUSES ALOUD ABOUT LEAVING URI AND PRESIDENCY”, 2006-11-28) reported that sounding despondent and frustrated, President Roh Moo-hyun went out of his way yesterday to ensure that the nation knew of his woes. With pool reporters present in the first few moments of a cabinet meeting, Mr. Roh told the group, “I hope that I won’t be the first president who cannot complete his term.” He sighedand added, “I’ll do my best.” He was apparently reacting to his troubles with his own party, the opposition and the press.
17. ROK Iraq Contribution
Agence France-Presse (“SOUTH KOREA PLANS TO HALVE NUMBER OF ITS TROOPS IN IRAQ “, 2006-11-28) reported that the ROK government approved a plan to halve the size of its troop deployment in Iraq but to extend the mission for another year, officials said. No figures were disclosed after a cabinet meeting. But an official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP the number would be cut to around 1,200 from 2,300 at present.