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II. Republic of Korea
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I. United States1. Email Service in DPRK The Associated Press ("CHINA-BASED WEBSITE OFFERS E-MAIL LINKS TO ISOLATED NORTH KOREA," Seoul, 11/01/01) reported that Silibank.com, a company based in Shenyang in northeast PRC, and supported by the DPRK government, said it installed server computers in Pyongyang in early October and is running an experimental e-mail service. Government agencies or other official organizations said the service is limited for now to only those who want to exchange e-mails with DPRK trade companies. A Silibank.com official in Shenyang said in a telephone interview that e-mail service for ordinary DPRK citizens is being discussed with authorities in Pyongyang. He declined to be named. Silibak.com said it has only 10 subscribers so far for its service. According to its price table, most text e-mails can be sent for US$1.50-2.00 But sending a photograph of 8 megabits, for example, costs US$300. During the experimental phase, Silibank.com will transmit e-mails in and out of the DPRK only once every hour. ROK officials said they were studying the new e-mail service. 2. Japanese Support of US-led Action Reuters (Teruaki Ueno, "JAPAN, US DISCUSS MILITARY SUPPORT PLAN," Tokyo, 11/1/01) reported that Japan and the US held talks Thursday aimed at clarifying an action plan for Japan to dispatch its military abroad to provide logistical support for US-led strikes in Afghanistan. Japanese officials said they briefed their US counterparts on a new law that clarifies the role Japan's military could play in the US actions without violating the nation's constitution. A Japanese official said the two sides agreed to set up a "coordination committee" to discuss specifics that could be incorporated into a "basic program" to send Japanese troops as well as military warships and aircraft overseas at Thursday's talks. The committee is to meet in Tokyo on November 2 to discuss "US needs and Japan's capability." The US side made no specific requests. Japanese Defense Agency chief Gen Nakatani has suggested that Japan should dispatch the Aegis destroyer to gather information on the "war on terrorism." However, he told parliament Thursday that Japan had yet to decide whether to move ahead with the controversial dispatch of the high-tech warship. Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi was expected to make a final decision after Japanese and US officials map out specific support measures. 3. Reaction to Yasukuni Shrine Visit Reuters ("LAWSUITS FILED AGAINST JAPAN PM FOR SHRINE VISIT," Tokyo, 11/1/01) reported that media and court officials said that a group of about 640 Japanese filed lawsuits Thursday against Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi over a controversial visit to the Yasukuni Shrine, saying it violated the constitutional separation of the church and state. Koizumi sparked fury at home and abroad when he visited, which honors convicted war criminals along with nearly 2.5 million of Japan's war dead since the 19th century. The Kyodo news agency said the plaintiffs are seeking 10,000 yen (US$82) each in compensation for psychological pain they say they experienced from the visit. An Osaka court spokesman said it had received such a suit but declined to comment further. Koizumi has declined to clarify whether the visit was official or private, merely saying he paid homage as "Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi" and that he used his own money to pay for a floral offering sent in his name. 1. US Urges DPRK to Take Part in Anti-Terrorism Efforts The Korea Herald (Hwang Jang-jin, "N.K. LOSING OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE TIES WITH U.S.," Seoul, 11/01/01) reported that US Ambassador to ROK Thomas Hubbard on December 31 urged the DPRK to join in international efforts to fight terrorism, saying the DPRK is missing out on a key opportunity to improve ties with the US and the world community by not supporting the US-led campaign. Hubbard said, "North Korea has stated their opposition to terrorism and criticized the September 11 attacks. But they haven't supported the international coalition that is trying to fight terrorism. The North Koreans are missing an opportunity to play a responsible role by not joining us." 2. ROK-US Talks on Anti-Terrorism The Korea Herald ("KOREA-U.S. TALKS ON ANTI-TERROR," Seoul, 11/01/01) reported that the ROK Defense Ministry said that a five-member ROK military delegation left for Hawaii on October 31 to discuss details on ROK's participation in the ongoing US-led war against terrorism. The delegation, led by Army Colonel Yi Whan- joon of the Third Corp, is scheduled to visit the US Pacific Command to discuss with US military officials timing, areas to be dispatched, and other campaign specifics. 3. DPRK Criticise ROK Military Exercise Chosun Ilbo (Kim In-koo, "NK CALLS EXERCISES 'AGAINST PEACE-MAKING DIALOGUE'," Seoul, 10/31/01) reported that the Rodong Shinmun, the official paper of DPRK's ruling Worker's Party, said in a commentary on October 31 that as the 6th ministerial talks draw near, the ROK military exercises go "against any peace-making dialogue between the North and South." It insisted that the military authorities in the ROK should immediately stop frustrating efforts to hold the meeting and making obstacles in inter-Korean relations. The paper said, "The talks cannot proceed in the middle of gun shots and gunpowder exploding and it would be meaningless even if the ministers faced each other." It noted that the exercise was irrefutable evidence of the ROK unwillingness to create an open dialogue and ease tensions between the DPRK and the ROK.
1. PRC-ROK-Japan Buddhists' Meeting People's Daily (Wu Liming, "TRI-PARTITE BUDDHIST CONFERENCE HELD IN BEIJING," Beijing, 10/28/01, P1) reported that hundreds of Buddhists from the PRC, the ROK and Japan attended a conference in Beijing on October 27, spending a portion of the time praying for world peace. PRC Premier Zhu Rongji sent a letter of congratulations to the gathering, praising the organizers for boosting the friendship between the PRC, ROK and Japan as well as their efforts to promote world peace. It was the first time Buddhists from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan sent representatives to the tripartite Buddhist meeting. The prayer meeting, hosted by Monk Sheng Hui, vice-president of the Buddhist Association of China, focused on world peace and the friendship between China, ROK and Japan. 2. PRC-US Relations People's Daily ("FABRICATED RELIGIOUS CLAIMS CONDEMNED," Beijing, 10/31/01, P4) reported that the PRC on October 30 expressed strong indignation and resolute opposition towards the US State Department for fabrication in its report of the PRC's religious policy and crackdown on the Falun Gong cult. PRC Foreign Ministry spokesman Sun Yuxi said the US annual report on international religious freedom, which was issued on October 26, distorted the facts and made groundless accusations about the PRC's religious policy. Sun said the PRC Government safeguards the freedom of religious beliefs while at the same time it prohibits any individuals or organizations from undertaking illegal activities under the pretext of religion. He urged the US to abide by basic international rules, such as mutual respect and non-interference in others' internal affairs. He also said the US should also stop disturbing China's civil affairs by using religious issues, otherwise, Sino-US ties would suffer new damage. People's Daily (Luo Hui, "JIANG ZEMIN MEETS WITH US GUESTS," Beijing, 10/30/01, P1) reported that PRC President Jiang Zemin met with visiting San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, of the US, on October 29. During the meeting, Jiang said Sino-US relations can continuously improve and expand as long as the two sides respect each other, treat each other on an equal footing, seek common ground while reserving differences and properly handling the Taiwan issue and other issues. Saying that Sino- US relations are improving in general, Jiang recalled his meeting with US President George W. Bush in Shanghai during the APEC meetings, saying they agreed to endeavor to develop bilateral relations of constructive cooperation. He noted that although there are some differences between the PRC and the US, they share wide-ranging and important common responsibilities and interests and the prospects for future exchange and cooperation are vast and broad. 3. PRC-Russian Relations China Daily ("PUTIN, HU PROMISE TO FURTHER RELATIONS," Moscow, 10/29/01, P1) reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin told PRC Vice-President Hu Jintao that relations have reached a new high as PRC's top legislative body ratified a major Sino-Russian bilateral agreement on October 27. As they met, the PRC's National People's Congress formally accepted the Chinese-Russian Good Neighborly Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation signed by Putin and PRC President Jiang Zemin in July. Hu agreed with Putin's assessment of the current good state of relations, and said that mutual trust is deepening as economic and trade cooperation develops and a strategic partnership is forged. Expressing pleasure over every aspect of current relations, Putin still insisted more could be done to help each other in cooperation in many fields. The Russian president stressed that his country is willing to work together with the PRC to make the cooperation more successful. 4. PRC-Japanese Relations China Daily (Meng Yan, "TALKS TO BE HELD ON TRADE DISPUTES WITH JAPAN," 10/31/01, P1) reported that according to the PRC Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation (MOFTEC), the PRC and Japan are set for talks on their trade row over farm produce in Beijing on November 1. This will be the second round of talks on the issue between the PRC and Japan, after the first left the two sides widely divided over their positions. Experts said they do not expect much to come out of the talks because neither side has shown a willingness to soften their stance. Officials attending the talks are restricted to the level of departmental directors while experts believe it will take higher level officials to solve the issue. A senior PRC official said the PRC was not prepared to lift its retaliatory measures unless Japan announced an end to the investigation into three of its farm products. The PRC official said the possibility of the issue stretching until after the PRC's entry to the World Trade Organization (WTO) early next year could not be ruled out. 5. Cross-Strait Relations China Daily ("PRESIDENT CALLS FOR EARLY REUNIFICATION," 10/30/01, P1) reported that PRC President Jiang Zemin urged compatriots across the Taiwan Straits to step up contact and increase cooperation, and to make concerted efforts towards a peaceful reunification of the motherland as early as possible. Jiang made the call while meeting with a delegation of the China Reunification Alliance of Taiwan (CRAT) in Beijing on October 29. He said, "Solving the issue of Taiwan and realizing a full reunification of the motherland conform to popular sentiment," said Jiang. "Nobody or force can hold up the historical tide. In the new century, we will continue to persist in the basic principle of `peaceful reunification, and one country, two systems' and the eight proposals I put forward in 1995 about promoting relations across the Straits and advancing a peaceful reunification of the motherland." Jiang noted that at present the fundamental obstacle for an improvement and development in relations across the Taiwan Straits is that Taiwan authorities refuse to accept the one-China principle. People's Daily (Wu Yaming, "TAIWAN AFFAIRS OFFICE SPOKESMAN ANSWERS QUESTIONS ON CROSS-STRAITS RELATIONS," Beijing, 11/1/01, P4) reported that Zhang Mingqing, spokesman for the PRC's Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, answered reporters' questions concerning cross-strait relations at the regular press conference held on October 31. When asked to comment on Taiwanese leadership's rejection of accepting the one-China principle and the "1992 consensus," Zhang emphasized that the one-China principle is irrefutable and cannot be obscured and evaded. Zhang said the basic content of the "92 consensus" is that "both sides of the Taiwan Straits adhere to the one-China principle" expressed respectively by words of the mouth by the two sides of the Straits, adding that it is an indisputable fact. He added that the fact that the leader of the Taiwan authorities denies the "92 Consensus" and refuses to accept the one-China principle further deadlocks cross-strait relations, and also creates new tension and conflicts in cross-Strait relations. Consequently, this harms the interests of the broad masses of compatriots in Taiwan. 6. PRC Position on Anti-Terrorism People's Daily (Hu Qihua, "TIES WITH GERMANY DEEPEN FURTHER," 11/1/01, P1) reported that PRC Premier Zhu Rongji stressed on October 31 that separatist-minded Eastern Turkistan terrorists should be targeted by the global war on terrorism. Zhu said during a meeting with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, "China supports activities in combating terrorism." Zhu said the relevant military strikes on terrorism should be targeted at specific objectives to minimize civilian casualties and damage to civilian properties. On the Afghanistan problem, Zhu said the establishment of "an Afghan coalition government," which can be accepted by all parties and is able to cooperate with neighboring countries in a friendly manner, will be most beneficial to the Afghan people and most conducive for regional peace and stability.
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