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In today's Report:
1. Alterations to the Taiwanese Nuclear Waste Trade
ROK Foreign Minister Yoo Chong-ha has urged Taiwan to
end its plan to ship nuclear waste to the DPRK, and to
reconsider the PRC as their contractor. During his
May 18-21 trip to China, Minister Yoo said that PRC
officials had offered to take the Taiwanese
radioactive waste. The Minister, appearing on "In
Focus," a debate program on cable television, said,
"[Chinese officials] said that China is ready to take
the Taiwanese radioactive waste because they have the
facilities, technology and experience." (Korea Herald,
"CHINA OFFERS TO TAKE WASTE TO STOP NORTH KOREAN
NUCLEAR DEAL; ARIRANG TV TO AIR YOO'S INTERVIEW
TONIGHT," 06/17/97)
2. Kim Jung-Il Likely to Assume Presidency This Year
According to Radio Moscow, Kim Jong-il, the DPRK's de
facto leader, is expected to assume the state
presidency this year. Quoting DPRK Ambassador to
Russia Son Song-phil at a recent memorial service held
at the DPRK embassy in Moscow, the official news
source reported Son as saying, "In accordance with the
people's demands, Kim Jong-il is likely to be elected
state president this year." July 8, the third
anniversary of the senior Kim's death, will also mark
the end of the three-year mourning period for the late
President Kim Il-sung. (Korea Herald, "KIM TO TAKE TOP
NORTH KOREA POSTS THIS YEAR: SAYS DPRK AMBASSADOR TO
RUSSIA," 06/17/97)
3. No New Progress in Four-Party Peace Talks
US State Department Spokesman Nicholas Burns announced
at a briefing yesterday that there has been no
progress in the four-party peace talks after the
three-party working level negotiations in New York
ended last week. Burns announced that despite efforts
to persuade the DPRK of unconditional participation in
the proposed peace talks, no conclusive agreements
were reached. (Chosun Ilbo, "NO PROGRESS IN THE PEACE
TALKS NEGOTIATIONS: US STATE DEPARTMENT," 06/17/97)
4. Bio-Chemical Arms Convention To Be Proposed
A US Department of Defense source announced yesterday
that a policy proposal on a convention to freeze
further bio-chemical weapons development in the Korean
peninsula will be announced in the near future. The
Defense News Journal reported that such a proposal
will come from a special inquiry committee of the US
Department of Defense to be chaired by Michael
Armacost, a former high-ranking Department of Defense
official. (Chosun Ilbo, "BIO-CHEMICAL ARMS
DEVELOPMENT ARREST CONVENTION PROPOSED," 06/17/97)
5. Taiwan Foreign Minister to Visit the US
Despite the lack of official relations between Taipei
and Washington, Taiwan Foreign Minister John Chang
left on Sunday for a nine-day visit to the US. Chang
told reporters the trip was strictly a "personal
visit" and that no one should attach any undue
political significance to it. The Foreign Minister
will speak to academics and officials at a world
affairs conference in Los Angeles and attend a forum
in Colorado arranged by the private American
Enterprise Institute. (Korea Times, "TAIWAN'S FOREIGN
MINISTER VISITS THE US," 06/17/97)
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Chunsi Wu: dlshen@fudan.ihep.ac.cn
Dingli Shen: dlshen@fudan.ihep.ac.cn
Hiroyasu Akutsu: akutsu@glocomnet.or.jp
1. Alterations to the Taiwanese Nuclear Waste Trade
2. Kim Jung-Il Likely to Assume Presidency This Year
3. No New Progress in Four-Party Peace Talks
4. Bio-Chemical Arms Convention To Be Proposed
5. Taiwan Foreign Minister to Visit the US
I. Republic of Korea
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