In today’s Report:

I. United States

II. Republic of Korea

III. People’s Republic of China

IV. Official Documents

I. United States

1. US Presidential Determination on KEDO Contribution

US President William Clinton (“PRESIDENTIAL DETERMINATION ON U.S. CONTRIBUTION TO KEDO,” USIA Transcript, 2/30/97) has certified to the US Congress that the United States is taking steps to assure that progress is made on the implementation of the January 1, 1992, Joint Declaration on the Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the implementation of the North-South dialogue. Clinton has also certified that the DPRK is complying with the other provisions of the Agreed Framework between the DPRK and the United States. The presidential determination, dated March 18, is required under the legislation that authorizes the US contribution to the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO). The determination states that the DPRK is cooperating fully in the canning and safe storage of spent nuclear fuel and has not significantly diverted assistance provided by the United States for purposes for which it was not intended. [Ed. note: The official text of this presidential determination is included in this Daily Report in the “Official Documents” section, below.]

2. Hwang Defection

Reuters (“KOREA DEFECTOR TO STAY IN PHILIPPINES IN MARCH,” Seoul, 3/20/97) reported that a senior official of the ROK Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that DPRK defector Hwang Jang-yop will stay in the Philippines at least until the start of next month. “C

In today’s Report:

I. United States

II. Republic of Korea

I. United States

1. Hwang Defection

Reuters (“RAMOS: DEFECTOR IN PHILIPPINES FOR SHORT TIME,” Manila, 3/19/97) and the Associated Press (“KOREA DEFECTOR STATUS UNCERTAIN,” Manila, 3/19/97) reported that Philippine President Fidel Ramos said on Wednesday that the Philippines had agreed to provide temporary haven to DPRK defector Hwang Jang-yop, ending official silence on the question. However, Ramos, reading from a prepared statement at a news conference, said, “After consultations with concerned countries, the Philippines decided to allow the temporary stay of Mr. Hwang only for as long as necessary and as short as possible.” Blas Ople, head of the Senate foreign relations committee, said today that intelligence sources told him that Hwang and his aide would remain for two weeks. The stress on Hwang’s speedy exit apparently contradicts the PRC’s earlier request that Hwang remain for a month before flying on to Seoul. Ramos said the decision to shelter Hwang “was based on our desire to be of help to our neighbors in their need for third-country facilities and to ease tension in the Korean peninsula.” Ramos would say nothing about Hwang’s actual location or exactly when he would leave. “The security of our visitor is of paramount importance,” Ramos said. Other officials said that special presidential task force has kept Hwang in a hideaway since he arrived on Tuesday, out of fears he could be a target of DPRK assassins. Military officers said on Tuesda

In today’s Report:

I. United States

II. Republic of Korea

I. United States

1. Hwang Defection

Reuters (“N.KOREAN DEFECTOR FINDS HAVEN IN PHILIPPINES,” Manila, 3/18/97) and the Associated Press (“N.KOREA DEFECTOR IN PHILIPPINES,” Manila, 3/18/97) reported that Philippine military officials, requesting not to be identified, said Tuesday that earlier in the day DPRK defector Hwang Jang-yop flew from Beijing to the Philippines. At least three senior Philippine military officers confirmed that Hwang and his aide, Kim Duk-hong, arrived on a chartered Air China plane at the Clark Special Economic Zone, the site of the former US air force base north of Manila. Hwang & Kim reportedly left Seoul’s consular compound Monday night, slipped in unmarked vehicles past reporters waiting outside the tight police cordon. The two then spent the night at a military airport on the outskirts of Beijing before being flown to the southeastern port of Xiamen, where they boarded the Air China plane to Clark. After being welcomed by ROK and Philippine officials, the two were then taken by Philippine military helicopters to Baguio, a mountain resort city 125 miles north of Manila, the officials said. There was no official confirmation that Hwang had arrived in Baguio. A senior airport official at Clark said Hwang, 74, appeared healthy. The Philippine government refused to say where or for how long Hwang is expected to stay. The PRC and the ROK confirmed only that Hwang left Beijing, but neither named the destination. The PRC issued a br

In today’s Report:

I. United States

II. Republic of Korea

I. United States

1. Hwang Defection

Reuters (“N. KOREAN DEFECTOR STILL IN BEIJING,” Beijing, 3/17/97) reported that ROK officials said on Monday that DPRK defector Hwang Jang-yop could leave as soon as this week, but that a dispute with the PRC over his initial destination was stalling a final resolution. “It could be this week, it could be next week,” ROK embassy spokesman Chang Moon-Ik said when asked when Hwang would leave Beijing. Hwang has been in the ROK consulate in Beijing since seeking asylum there February 12. According to unnamed officials in Seoul, Hwang is still expected to depart for a third country soon, once details have been arranged, and eventually to go to the ROK. One unnamed senior ROK foreign ministry official said, “Hwang Jang-yop will be able to leave China this week but his departure might not be today or tomorrow.” Reports over the weekend said that the Philippines had already agreed to allow Hwang to stop in Manila on his way to the ROK. Three vans seen driving away from Seoul’s consulate in Beijing early on Monday fueled speculation that Hwang already had been spirited out of compound. Security around the consulate was tight on Monday, including PRC police armed with assault rifles posted at approaches to the compound and backed by several armored personnel carriers and a crowd control truck. Philippine Foreign Secretary Domingo Siazon, visiting Tokyo, said he did not know if Hwang had already been moved to his country. T

In today’s Report:

I. United States

II. Republic of Korea

III. Japan Report

I. United States

1. Hwang Defection

Reuters (“CHINA PREMIER SEES END TO DEFECTOR CRISIS,” Beijing, 3/14/97) and the Associated Press (“CHINA: N.KOREA CASE NEARS END,” Beijing, 3/14/97) reported that PRC Premier Li Peng said on Friday that the PRC wants and expects a near end to the crisis triggered by the defection of senior DPRK ideologue Hwang Jang-yop, who has sought refuge in the ROK’s Beijing consulate. “I can tell you conditions are nearly ripe for solving this problem,” Li told a news conference when asked about progress in negotiations over Hwang’s fate. Li’s comments were the strongest indication yet that a resolution may be near, although Li gave little hint as to what its substance would be. “On this question, China will exercise caution and we will handle the issue by proceeding from the maintenance of peace on the Korean peninsula,” Li said. Although Li said the PRC would follow international practice in solving the dispute, he made the somewhat surprising remark that “China does not recognize the right of diplomatic asylum by foreign embassies or consulates in its territory.” However, Beijing has allowed asylum seekers to leave foreign embassies on its soil in the past. Hwang, the most senior official ever to defect from the DPRK, has been stranded in the ROK consular compound since February 12 while the PRC, the DPRK and the ROK negotiate his future. Foreign diplomats have said that he would likely be allowed to leave for a third country

In today’s Report:

I. United States

II. Republic of Korea

III. Russian Federation

I. United States

1. US Policies Toward DPRK and Cuba Compared

US Presidential Press Secretary Mike McCurry (“WHITE HOUSE DAILY BRIEFING, MARCH 12,” USIA Transcript, 3/13/97) responded to a question regarding whether there is an inconsistency between the US policy of engagement with the DPRK and its harder-line approach to Cuba. McCurry replied, “as I often say here, you’re comparing apples and oranges.” McCurry asserted that the DPRK presents “a much different historical environment,” adding that the US “deep concern about the North Korean nuclear program is also a principal difference.”

2. US-DPRK Relations

US State Department Spokesman Nicholas Burns (“STATE DEPT. NOON BRIEFING, MARCH 12,” USIA Transcript, 3/13/97) stated that Mark Minton, director of the State Department’s Korean Affairs office, and Li Gun, deputy director of the American Affairs bureau in the DPRK Foreign Ministry, discussed “a variety of bilateral issues” in their meeting on Tuesday, including non-proliferation concerns, the Agreed Framework, the establishment of liaison offices, and joint efforts to recover the remains of US soldiers lost in the Korean War. Burns said that the two sides “have not yet agreed on a date to establish those liaison offices.” Burns added, “Mr. Kim Gye Gwan, the Vice Foreign Minister, is in Washington but on a private visit, and as far as I know, he has not seen American Government officials.” Burns suggested that more

In today’s Report:

I. United States

II. Republic of Korea

III. Announcements

I. United States

1. US-DPRK Meetings

The AP-Dow Jones News Service (“U.S., NORTH KOREA OFFICIALS MEET IN WASHINGTON,” Washington, 3/12/97) reported that US State Department Spokesman Nicholas Burns said US and DPRK officials met Tuesday to discuss technical issues related to the establishment of diplomatic liaison offices in each other’s capitals. Participants included Mark Minton, director of the State Department’s Korean Affairs office, and Li Gun, deputy director of the American Affairs bureau in the DPRK Foreign Ministry. Burns said progress on establishing diplomatic missions is linked to DPRK attitudes on other issues, including its willingness to enter the proposed four-party talks on Korean peninsula peace. Li was part of the DPRK delegation that took part in two rounds of wide-ranging talks last week in New York. [Ed. note: Burns stated March 10 that top US and DPRK officials would not meet during the DPRK delegation’s visit to Washington. See “US-DPRK Meetings” in the US section of the March 11 Daily Report.]

US State Department Spokesman Nicholas Burns (“STATE DEPT. NOON BRIEFING, MARCH 11,” USIA Transcript, 3/12/97) stated that, contrary to some media reports coming out of the ROK, the US and the DPRK have not come to an agreement to open liaison offices. “That (liaison offices) remains an objective in our relationship, but we have not yet reached that point,” Burns said. Burns added, “The ultimate agreement to establish the liaison offices

In today’s Report:

I. United States

II. Republic of Korea

III. Announcements

I. United States

1. US-DPRK Meetings

US State Department Spokesman Nicholas Burns (“STATE DEPT. NOON BRIEFING, MARCH 10,” USIA Transcript) commented on DPRK Vice Minister Kim Gye-gwan’s visit to Washington this week at the invitation of the Atlantic Council. Burns said that Kim would be meeting with “some other individuals and organizations privately this week,” but would “not be having official appointments while he’s here.” “We spent a lot of time with him last week, as you know, on Wednesday in the trilateral meeting and on Friday, in the bilateral meeting with the United States. … He had many, many hours of discussions with Chuck Kartman last week. In fact, on Friday, they spent the entire day together,” Burns said. Burns added, “This has happened before. Last year, a Vice Foreign Minister of North Korea, Kim Jong-u, visited Washington. At that time, he did have official meetings at the State Department. But since we’ve just concluded those meetings in New York, we felt no need to have them here at the Department.” Burns also said that Kim and his delegation would “certainly” be “free to scout out real estate in the Washington area” for their future liaison office, although adding, “Further work needs to be done in our relationship and on that issue before we can take the step.” Lastly, Burns said the US received a “very strong impression from the meetings in New York” that Kim must brief his superiors on the results of last week’s talks before a de