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I. United States1. DPRK Nuclear Safety Agence France Presse ("NORTH KOREA INVITED TO NUCLEAR SAFETY TRAINING IN AUSTRALIA," Seoul, 5/31/01) reported that Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer on Thursday proposed to invite the DPRK for nuclear safety training in his country this year. Downer said, "Australia will host a nuclear safeguards training course this year and will invite North Korean officials to join regional counterparts in developing their expertise in the management and accounting of nuclear materials." He added that the invitation was extended to help the DPRK comply with obligations set by international nuclear safety organizations. [Ed. note: This article was included in the US Department of Defense's Early Bird news service for May 31, 2001.] 2. Colin Powell's Asia Trip Kyodo News Agency ("POWELL VISIT EXPECTED," Washington, 5/31/01) reported that diplomatic sources said on May 29 that US Secretary of State Colin Powell will probably visit Japan and the ROK during a trip to Vietnam in July for a regional security meeting. Powell is expected to represent the US at the ministerial meeting of the ASEAN Regional Forum, which is scheduled to take place in Hanoi in late July. The US State Department said that it will be possible for Powell to meet with Japanese Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka in Washington before Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi travels to the US capital. 3. US-Japan Defense Consultations The Japan Times ("JAPAN, U.S. TO HOLD REGULAR DEFENSE TALKS," Washington, 5/31/01) reported that diplomatic sources said on May 30 that Japan and the US plan to create a new sub-Cabinet-level consultative framework to coordinate policy on regional and defense issues. The sources said that Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and US President George W. Bush will likely reach an agreement on the proposed framework when they meet June 30 at Camp David. The consultative framework is meant to deepen coordination between the two countries on matters ranging from Bush's missile defense plans to regional issues involving the DPRK and the PRC, and reinforce the Japan-US alliance. Deputy Vice Foreign Minister Ryozo Kato will lead the Japanese side and US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage will lead the US team. Sources said that they will hold consultations every two or three months. They also said that officials from the U.S. Defense Department and the Japanese Defense Agency will be invited to take part in the consultations. The framework will likely cover issues related to US bases in Okinawa. Sources said the new framework will consider setting up subgroups to deal with specific issues. 4. PRC Military Exercises Agence France Presse ("CHINA PREPARING HUGE WAR GAMES IN TAIWAN STRAIT," Beijing, 5/31/01) reported that Taiwanese state media said Thursday that the PRC's armed forces are preparing their biggest war games in the Taiwan Strait since Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian took office a year ago. The official Qianlong website said, "In order to warn Taiwan's new leaders and the leaders of the U.S. government not to play with fire on the question of Taiwan, the top mainland leadership decided to hold large-scale exercises aimed at Taiwan." The report said that the joint exercises between the PRC army, air force and navy are expected to take place in June near Dongshan Island off the coast of the southeastern province of Fujian and are codenamed "Liberation Number One." The report also said that the main aim of the exercises was to show how PRC forces would inflict heavy casualties on any foreign planes or ships that invade PRC coastal waters. It said a guided-missile brigade, two tank brigades, marines, submarines and the PRC's Russian-made Sukhoi SU-27s will be used in the exercises. Taiwan's defense ministry last week played down the significance of the drills, calling the exercises "routine" and asking the public not to panic. 5. Russian View of Missile Defense Agence France Presse ("MOSCOW WANTS DIALOGUE WITH U.S., CHINA, INDIA ON MISSILE DEFENSE," Minsk, 5/31/01) reported that Russia on Thursday called for a dialogue with the US, the PRC and India to "neutralize" the threat of missile attacks by so-called "rogue states." Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said during a meeting with his Belarussian counterpart Mikhail Khvostov, "We must conduct a dialogue with the United States, China and India to find a common response to the new threats in the 21st century. We should neutralize these threats, but not at the cost of security and international stability." He added that the existing security architecture "is maybe not perfect, but it enabled us to avoid a global crisis." 1. Korean Security Publication A book titled "Korean Security Dynamics in Transition," edited by Kyung-Ae Park (University of British Columbia) and Dalchoong Kim (Yonsei University), has been just published by Palgrave-Global Publishing at St. Martin's. The book contains chapters written by the following contributers: Selig Harrison, Kyung-Ae Park, Bruce Cumings, Scott Snyder, Robert Scalapino, Sung-Joo Han, Ken Quinones, L. Gordon Flake, Han S. Park, B.C. Koh, and Steve Noerper. To place orders, please contact the customer service representative, Roxanne Hunte, at (212) 982-3900 Ext. 270, or via fax at (212) 777-6359, or via e-mail at roxanne.hunte@palgrave-usa.com. 2. Washington DPRK Forum The Institute for Strategic Reconciliation (ISR) will hold the 10th Anniversary Washington North Korea Forum (June 6-7) featuring Professor Robert Gallucci, Congressman Mark Kirk, and governmental and non-governmental experts on the DPRK. The Forum will be held June 7 at the Brookings Institution, Somer's Room, Washington, DC, and June 8, at the US House Building, Longworth 1539, The Capitol. RSVPs are required by Tuesday, June 5 by e-mail to isr_washington@yahoo.com or FAX (301.570.0911). For more information, please visit http://www.ISR2020.org
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