NAPSNet Daily Report
 
friday, february 8, 2002
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I. United States

II. People's Republic of China
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I. United States


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1. DPRK-US Diplomatic Relations

Reuters ("NORTH KOREA DUBS UNITED STATES 'EMPIRE OF DEVIL,'" Kim Myong- hwan, Seoul, 02/08/02) reported that the DPRK responded to Bush's "axis of evil" comment by calling the US an "empire of (the) devil." The Korea Central News Agency (KCNA) stated that Bush's proposed defense budget increase for next year showed the US wanted to flex its military muscles. The KCNA also expressed that the US already had the largest number of weapons of mass destruction in the world and wanted more. "This clearly proves that the United States, 'empire of (the) devil', is posing a grave threat to world peace and stability."

Reuters ("Irwin Arieff, "NORTH KOREA OPEN TO U.S. TALKS DESPITE 'EVIL' TAG," United Nations, 02/07/02) and the Associated Press (Edith M. Lederer, "NORTH KOREA TAKES WAIT-AND-SEE TONE," United Nations, 02/08/02) reported that DPRK UN envoy Pak Gil Yon said on Thursday that his nation was ready to resume talks with the US at any time despite President Bush lumping it with Iraq and Iran as part of an "axis of evil." Despite Bush's statement, if the US is willing to pick up the dialogue with the DPRK on an equal basis and without preconditions, "there will be no problem at all," said Pak. "As we always say, a nice word will be answered with a nice word," Pak expressed. But if the US continues to make "very, very hostile policy-making statements" and chooses "military options ... then our armed forces and our people would have no other choice to react on the same basis," he said.


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2. DPRK-US Prospect for War Korea Times ("PENTAGON SEES HIGH POSSIBILITY OF WAR HERE," New York, 02/08/02) reported that the US Department of Defense posted a report on January 30 on the US Center for Strategic and International Studies' (CSIS) website entitled "Estimate of North Korean Actions and Intentions Involving Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Weapons." The report states that the most likely large-scale regional war in the near future, which could involve the US will be centered on the Korean peninsula. "North Korea also possesses stockpiles of biological and chemical weapons, which could be used in the event of renewed hostilities on the peninsula. Research and development into biological agents and toxins suggest that the North may have biological weapons capabilities," the report said. The report concluded, "The sale of missile technology to Iran has created an immediate, serious and growing capability to target U.S. forces and allies in the Middle East." [This article also appeared in the US State Department's Early Bird Report for February 8, 2002.]


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3. DPRK WMD Aresenal

Korea Times (Seo Soo-min, "FACTS ABOUT N. KOREA'S WMD ARSENAL," 02/08/02) carried an analytical article regarding the DPRK's weapons of mass destruction (WMD). The article states that the DPRK is thought to have completed tests of the Taepodong I missiles, which have a firing range of 2,000-2,500 km. Development of Taepodong II, which has a greater range of 6,700 km and could be utilized as an inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM), is thought to be underway. Besides the longer-range missiles, the DPRK already deploys and sells the 1,300 km Rodong missiles to Middle Eastern countries like Iran, Syria, Libya and Egypt, according to Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) reports. However, the DPRK's development and sales of missiles are not technically in violation of any international agreement, since it has not signed any on that issue. As for chemical weapons, the ROK's 2000 Defense White Paper said the DPRK has 2,500 to 5,000 tons of chemical weapons in stock, which were produced by eight plants, and include nerve agents. The DPRK is also thought to be capable of biological warfare, and possesses deadly agents including anthrax, the bubonic plague and smallpox, according to Russian intelligence reports.


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4. DPRK Defectors on International Food Aid

The Associated Press (Joji Sakurai, "N. KOREA DEFECTORS CLAIM AID SHAM," Tokyo, 02/08/02) reported that three DPRK defectors claimed on Friday that international food aid is not reaching the starving and the government is resorting to elaborate schemes to fool UN monitors. The defectors, who are in Tokyo to give testimony at an international conference on human rights in the DPRK stated that millions of dollars worth of food aid is being stockpiled in mountain military complexes and used to feed soldiers and the ruling elite. "Aid hasn't gotten to people in need and it's being redirected to the North Korean military and the people in power," said Lee Young Kuk, a former bodyguard for DPRK leader Kim Jong Il. "I know about this because I worked in the security network. ... It's all a farce." Another defector, Lee Jae Kun said that security officials order villagers to load carts with bags of rice to show UN aid monitors. When the observers leave, the rice is taken away, he said. "The UN is shown lists of what food went where and to whom, but that's all fake," he said.


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5. ROK Anti-Bush Rally

Reuters ("KOREA UNIONS PROTEST BUSH'S "AXIS OF EVIL" COMMENTS," Seoul, 02/08/02) reported that the ROK's second largest labor union group said on Friday it will protest during US President George W. Bush's upcoming visit over his "axis of evil" comments about the North. Sohn Nark-koo, spokesman for the 500,000-member Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) stated, "His recent rhetoric clearly shows the US intention to fan tensions on the Korean peninsula." Sohn said that the KCTU would join 600 civic groups to organize a rally during Bush's visit to express discontent with US policies towards the Korean peninsula. "It may be nothing for Bush to lash out his anger. But as a result of such reckless comments, we have to suffer a lot," Sohn said. Bush is scheduled to visit Seoul on February 19 as part of an Asian tour including Japan and China.


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6. ROK Fighter Jets

Agence France-Presse ("SOUTH KOREA TO PUT MORE MONEY INTO FIGHTER JET DEAL," 02/08/02) reported that the ROK said it will increase its multi- billion-dollar budget to buy 40 fighter jets. Officials said Friday the government decided to readjust the US$3.2 billion dollar project which had been put on hold momentarily this week after the final bids were deemed too high. "The government plans to make a final decision on the winner at an early date," the Ministry of Defense said in a report to the National Assembly. An official of the ministry said the decision would come around early April. The competing planes are the F-15K of the US Boeing Co., the French company Dassault's Rafale, the Eurofighter consortium's Typhoon 2000 and the Russian Sukhoi firm's Su-32.


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7. DPRK-US Lightwater Reactors

Reuters ("LAWMAKERS SEEK NKOREA RETHINKING," Washington, 02/07/02) reported that three US House of Representative members: Benjamin Gilman, R-N.Y., Christopher Cox, R-Calif., and Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., are calling on US President Bush to reconsider a 1994 US commitment to help provide the DPRK with two light water nuclear reactors. In a letter to Bush, the three representatives express that the US commitment needs to be reevaluated in light of the threats Bush identified in his State of the Union address last month. Administration officials indicated before the speech that no cutoff of funds was being considered. Congress has appropriated $90.5 million for fuel deliveries this year.


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8. Russia Weapons Control

The Associated Press (Vladimir Isachenkov, "RUSSIA GETS HELP ON WEAPONS CONTROL," Moscow, 02/08/02) reported that a foundation led by Ted Turner and former Senator Sam Nunn will spend US$6 million helping Russia reduce threats from nuclear, biological and chemical weapons. The Nuclear Threat Initiative project should help secure and dismantle weapons of mass destruction, prevent their spread and bolster cooperation between scientists on anti-terrorism issues, Nunn said Friday. It also will help create civilian jobs for scientists in Russia's weapons industry so they are less likely to be lured by rogue nations trying to start their own weapons programs. "Russia has enormous technical and scientific expertise, and Russia and the US must join together in a global effort to secure weapons materials and weapons know-how," said Nunn. NTI will contribute US$1 million to a Russian loan fund established to create permanent civilian jobs for workers of Sarov, a top Russian nuclear weapons design and production center. Another US$1.3 million is earmarked for former biological weapons scientists working on a brucellosis vaccine, while US$250,000 will fund a feasibility study for a new hepatitis vaccine.


II. People's Republic of China


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1. ROK-US-DPRK Relations

China Daily ("SEOUL URGES US-DPRK DIALOGUE," Seoul, 02/04/02, P4) reported that the ROK ruling and opposition parties on February 2 urged the US and the DPRK to resume dialogue. Lee Nak-yon, a spokesman for the ruling Millennium Democratic Party, said: "We hope the United States will make more efforts to reopen talks." Lee also urged the DPRK to eliminate international concerns over its alleged development of mass destruction and to be a responsible member of the international community, said the report.


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2. US-DPRK Relations

People's Daily (Zhao Jiaming, "DPRK CRITICIZES 'DPRK THREAT' THEORY, Pyongyang, 02/07/02, P3) reported that the DPRK on January 31 responded to US President George W. Bush's accusation that the DPRK is part of "axis of evil." "This is, in fact, little short of declaring a war against the DPRK," said DPRK Foreign Ministry in a statement, according to the report.

People's Daily (Zhao Jiaming, "US STATE UNDER SECRETARY'S REMARKS BLASTED," Pyongyang, 02/01/02, P3) reported that a spokesperson for the DPRK Foreign Ministry on January 30 refuted US under secretary of state John Bolton's accusation on DPRK's nuclear issues. He pointed out that according to the measure for simultaneous action stipulated in the framework, the DPRK froze its nuclear program and allowed the surveillance by the IAEA, but there has been no progress in the light- water-reactor project for the last seven years except a ground-work done for the construction. The US has, in fact, not properly discharged its obligations under the framework, said the spokesman, adding that the US nevertheless is now demanding "inspection" of the DPRK in a bid to attain another sinister purpose. It is the US which has caused complicated problems in the implementation of the framework, including compensation for the electricity loss, a product of the delayed light- water-reactor construction and little progress in the supply of heavy oil, said the spokesman.


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3. PRC Perspectives on "Axis of Evil" Theory

People's Daily ("CHINA DISAPPROVES OF THE USE OF 'AXIS OF EVIL," Beijing, 02/05/02, P4) reported that PRC Foreign Ministry spokesperson Kong Quan said on February 4 that the PRC disapproves of the use of such words as the "axis of evil" in international relations. The PRC always holds that anti-terrorism campaigns should be based on irrefutable evidence, and anti-terrorism attacks should not be expanded arbitrarily, said Kong. He stressed that handling state-to-state relations should follow the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence, and the principle that all countries should be treated on an equal footing.


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4. PRC-US Relations

People's Daily (Hu Xiaoming, "PROPER HANDLING OF TAIWAN ISSUE KEY TO SINO-US RELATIONS," Washington, 02/06/02, P3) reported that visiting PRC Vice Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing said on February 4 in Washington that proper handling of the Taiwan issue is the key to developing a constructive relationship of cooperation between PRC and the US. "The Taiwan question remains the most important and most sensitive issue at the heart of China-US relations, and it concerns China's sovereignty and territorial integrity," Li said. "There is but one China in the world. Both Taiwan and the Mainland belong to the one and same China. It is our hope that the US side will handle the Taiwan question from a strategic and long-term perspective, honor its relevant commitments and support China's efforts at peaceful reunification," he said. "This will serve the interests of the two countries as well as those of the international community." Li said the Chinese government and people attach great importance to US President Bush's upcoming visit to China and the Chinese side wishes to work closely with the US side on the preparations, help create a positive atmosphere for the visit and make the Beijing summit a success.


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5. Japanese-Russian Relations

People's Daily (Zhang Huanli, "KOIZUMI MEETS RUSSIAN FM," Tokyo, 02/03/02, P3) reported that Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi met with visiting Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov on February 1. They exchanged their views on the issue of concluding a peace treaty between Japan and Russia, said the report. Ivanov said at the meeting that Russia hopes the two countries will continue their negotiations on the peace treaty. He said the territorial disputes over the four islands were not caused by Russia, but it is a problem that needs to be resolved.


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6. PRC Nuclear Industry

China Daily (Liu Baijia, "NUCLEAR PLANT ACHIEVES MILESTONE," 02/07/02, P5) reported that the No 1 generating set of the second phase of Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant in East China's Zhejiang Province started to generate electricity on February 6, marking the maturity of China's first self-designed commercial-use nuclear plant. It said, the generating set, with a designed capacity of 600,000 kilowatts, began to transmit power to the national electricity grid in Haiyan, Zhejiang Province, 23 days ahead of the schedule. Yun Hongzhi, an official with the Department of Nuclear Power of China National Nuclear Corp (CNNC), said the move means that the second phase of China's biggest State-owned nuclear power plant has moved into the operational phase from the construction phase. The report said, investment in the second phase project amounted to 14.8 billion yuan (US$1.78 billion). The designed capacity of the second phase is 1.2 million kilowatts and is expected to last for 40 years.



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