In today’s Report:

I. United States

II. Republic of Korea

I. United States

1. US Defense Officials Take Hard Stance on DPRK

The Associated Press (“COHEN WANTS N. KOREAN CONCESSIONS,” Osan Air Base, ROK, 4/11/97) and Reuters (“U.S. UNSURE ABOUT NORTH KOREAN MANEUVERS,” Washington, 4/11/97) reported that US Defense Secretary William Cohen told a news conference at the conclusion of his ROK visit Friday that the US was puzzled by recent DPRK military maneuvers, and warned that the DPRK must retreat from its “militaristic approach” toward the ROK before it can expect large-scale food aid. “There will be considerations of food assistance, but there will also be some expectation of reciprocal actions of good will on the part of the North Koreans,” Cohen said. “There has to be some indication on the part of the North Korean government that it wishes to reach some kind of an accord to move away from this militaristic approach that they have taken,” he said. However, he also said that this did not mean the DPRK would be required to pull back some of its heavy weapons and troops from the border area as a precondition. In a later interview with reporters en route to Washington, Cohen said that the DPRK’s acceptance of peace talks with the ROK would be a positive first step, but that he had heard nothing during his visit to indicate the DPRK was ready for peace. He added that DPRK tank and troop movements did not appear directly threatening, and could be aimed at quashing unrest among civilians. He said that the US

In today’s Report:

I. United States

II. Republic of Korea

III. Japan Report

I. United States

1. Four-Party Talks

US State Department Spokesman Nicholas Burns (REPORT ON STATE DEPARTMENT NOON BRIEFING, APRIL 10,” USIA Report, 4/10/97) stated that representatives of the US, the DPRK and the ROK will meet April 16 in New York City. “The North Koreans have requested this meeting, and we anticipate that they will provide a response to our proposal for a four-party peace conference. We, of course, hope that this response will be positive,” Burns said. The same individuals who met on March 5 in New York for the initial US-ROK briefing for DPRK officials on the four-party proposal are expected to lead the delegations for next week’s meeting. Leading the respective delegations at the prior briefing were Acting Assistant Secretary of State Charles Kartman, DPRK Deputy Foreign Minister Kim Kye-gwan, and ROK Assistant Foreign Minister Song Young-shik. Burns added that the US will have a bilateral meeting with DPRK officials after the April 16 trilateral meeting to discuss issues such as missile proliferation, missing-in-action military service personnel, and technical issues relating to the establishment of liaison offices. Regarding the World Food Program’s appeal for more food contributions for the DPRK, Burns said that the US expects to have a response by next week.

The Associated Press (“U.S. AWAITS REPLY FROM NORTH KOREA,” Washington, 4/10/97) reported US State Department Spokesman Nicholas Burns’ comments that the US expects

In today’s Report:

I. United States

II. Republic of Korea

III. People’s Republic of China

I. United States

1. DPRK Famine Situation

US State Department Spokesman Nicholas Burns (“STATE DEPT. NOON BRIEFING, APRIL 8,” USIA Transcript, 4/9/97) stated that the US may respond to the World Food Program’s recent doubling of its appeal for food aid to the DPRK to 200,000 metric tons for food commodities, valued at US$95.5 million, to help meet the DPRK’s increasingly severe food shortage. Burns stated, “The United States has not made a formal decision about additional food assistance to North Korea. However, we remain open to appeals by the United Nations humanitarian agencies. We are seriously reviewing this expanded request by the World Food Program.” Burns noted Monday’s announcement by Cargill Corp. that it had reached agreement with the DPRK “for an initial, modest commercial sale of wheat in the near future.” Burns also defended past US responses to World Food Program appeals on behalf of the DPRK. “As you know, the United States has consistently responded positively to these requests for food assistance. We announced in late February, of course, US$10 million in food assistance for the first appeal that was made by the World Food Program. … Since the Fall of 1995, we’ve given a total of US$18.4 million in cash and in-kind donations to the North Koreans as a response to United Nations appeals.”

Reuters (“N.KOREA TO RESPOND NEXT WEEK TO PEACE PROPOSAL,” Seoul, 4/9/97) reported that an unna

In today’s Report:

I. United States

II. Republic of Korea

III. Russian Federation

I. United States

1. DPRK Famine Situation

The Associated Press (“CARGILL, N. KOREA MAKE WHEAT DEAL,” Minnetonka, Minn., 4/8/97) reported that a spokeswoman for Cargill Inc. said Tuesday that the company has signed an agreement to sell an undisclosed amount of wheat to the DPRK. The commodities-trading giant did not disclose the financial terms of the sale. “We have reached an agreement with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea for a commercial sale of US wheat to be shipped in the near future,” Cargill spokeswoman Lori Johnson said, adding that the agreement was signed Saturday. Johnson said that it was Cargill’s first commercial sale of grain to the DPRK. The company received a license last December from the US Treasury Department authorizing it to sell up to 500,000 metric tons of wheat or rice, she said. The United States has imposed a trade embargo against North Korea but permits the sale of humanitarian goods on a case-by-case basis. Ms. Johnson held out the possibility that Cargill could make future grain sales to the DPRK, saying the license gives Cargill continued authority to negotiate with the Pyongyang government.

Reuters (“NORTH KOREAN FAMINE AID EFFORTS GAIN MOMENTUM,” Tokyo, 4/8/97) and the Associated Press (“REP. STUNNED BY N. KOREA FAMINE,” Tokyo, 4/8/97) reported that on Tuesday international relief efforts for North Korea gained momentum as fears about its military intentions gave way to urgent action to avert the “h

In today’s Report:

I. United States

II. Republic of Korea

III. Japan

I. United States

1. US-DPRK Meetings

US State Department Spokesman Nicholas Burns (“TRANSCRIPT: STATE DEPT. NOON BRIEFING, APRIL 7,” USIA Transcript, 4/7/97) stated that at a meeting of US, DPRK, and ROK officials in New York on April 4, DPRK representatives said that they would provide a formal response “soon” to the joint US-ROK proposal for four party Korean peace talks. “The North Koreans indicated that they will be prepared soon to give the United States and the Republic of Korea a formal response to our joint briefing. Our hope, of course, is that the North Koreans will agree very soon to the Four-Party Proposal themselves, and that those talks can be begun,” Burns said. In response to a question regarding what the DPRK meant by “soon,” Burns said, “‘Soon’ is ‘soon.’ In diplomatic parlance, ‘soon’ means ‘soon’ … Sometimes ‘soon’ is a couple of hours; sometimes it’s a couple of days. It’s very seldom more than a couple of weeks. I would think between several hours and several weeks.” Burns added that at the meeting the US “did not make any additional commitments of food aid. I just don’t know how big an issue that was and how it was discussed.” Burns would not confirm reports that the US and the DPRK would sometime this month resume talks on missile developments.

2. US Secretary of Defense Supports Missiles in Japan

The Associated Press (“COHEN MULLS WEAPONS WITH JAPAN,” Tokyo, 4/7/97) reported th

  I.United States 1. PRC Response to Gingrich Visit Reuters (“CHINA TO US: SPEAK WITH ONE VOICE ON TAIWAN”, Beijing, 4/3/97) and the Associated Press (“CHINA CONFUSED BY GINGRICH WORDS”, Beijing, 4/3/97) reported that PRC Foreign Ministry spokesman Shen Guofang Thursday urged the United States to speak with a single voice on the PRC, pointing […]

In today’s Report:

I. United States

II. People’s Republic of China

III. Dr. Jeremy J. Stone, “Pointless Political Haggling While A Nation Starves”

I. United States

1. DPRK Food Crisis

Reuters (“RED CROSS WARNS OF CATASTROPHE IN N KOREA,” Seoul, 4/2/97) reported that Red Cross officials Wednesday warned of imminent famine in the DPRK. Red Cross official Yasuo Tanaka, who visited the DPRK last week, stated that “in some kitchens, there was no rice, no food at all. I asked them what they ate and they showed me natural grasses.” Tanaka also noted that “the children look weak and tired.” Red Cross Asia-Pacific region chief Johan Schaar warned that “without urgent international aid programs, a large number of North Koreans will face starvation. Food stocks in North Korea can run out any time now.”

Reuters (“JAPAN SAID MULLING OVER FOOD AID FOR NORTH KOREA,” Tokyo, 4/2/97) reported on UN World Food Program director Catherine Bertini’s appeal to Japanese officials for an immediate $87 million UN emergency food aid package for the DPRK. Bertini noted after the appeal that the officials “heard what we had to say and replied that they will consider it.” She warned that “if there are not massive amounts of food arriving in the country, people are going to be dying this summer.”

United Press International (“RED CROSS SAYS N KOREA AID PICKING UP,” Seoul, 4/2/97) reported that the ROK Red Cross Wednesday announced that it will send $1.2 million in additional food aid to the DPRK. The shipment of potatoes, powdered milk, radish seed, and cabbage seed is aimed at meeting the needs of 130,000 North Koreans and marks the largest such effort in two years. The shipment is a result of the ROK’s decision this week to permit the Red Cross to distribute rice aid donated by private organizations.

Kevin Sullivan reported in the Washington Post (“SOUTH KOREA LIFTS BAN ON RICE TO NORTH,” Seoul, 4/1/9

  I. United States 1. Gore Visit to South Korea Reuters (“GORE IN SOUTH KOREA FOR TALKS ON NORTH KOREA,” Seoul, 3/28/97) and CNN Interactive (“GORE ARRIVES IN SEOUL TO DISCUSS PEACE TALKS,” Seoul, 3/28/97) reported that US Vice President Al Gore arrived Friday in Seoul. He will discuss the progress of the four- party […]