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In today's Report:
Reuters ("A MERRY DAY IN NORTH KOREA," Moscow, 10/9/97) said that
Russia's Itar-Tass news agency correspondent Alexander Valiyev
reported that "North Korean people continue merrymaking" to
celebrate the appointment of Kim Jong-il as head of the Wokers'
Party. "Dancing people are seen everywhere in Pyongyang," he
said. Valiyev said the main DPRK daily newspaper, Rodong
Shinbun, filled most of its front page with a color photograph of
Kim, and that television and radio stations were dominated by
repeated broadcasts of the news. Tass also reported that the
PRC's ambassador to Pyongyang had presented "an appropriate
official" with a basket of flowers and told a diplomatic
gathering that Kim's election had been a great inspiration to the
PRC. Meanwhile Itar-Tass quoted a Russian Foreign Ministry
official as saying, "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia
respects the choice of the North Korean people and considers the
election of Kim Jong-il a purely internal matter for that
country."
The New York Times (Nicholas D. Kristof, "NORTH KOREAN RULER
NAMED LEADER OF COMMUNIST PARTY," Tokyo, 10/9/97) quoted Kim
Myong Chol, who formerly edited a North Korea-affiliated
newspaper in Japan and has ties with members of the leadership in
the North Korean capital, "North Korea is now headed for a free-
market economy," adding, "In Kim Jong Il's mind, not everything
about capitalism is bad." It also quoted a senior ROK government
official as saying on Wednesday, "We've always been aware that
North Korea was under the control of Mr. Kim Jong Il before this
official announcement. But now that he will have the actual post
of head of the party, the North Korean government may be more
stable, more responsible and more predictable." The Times also
said that the DPRK's New Korea News Agency press has reported
"mysterious natural phenomena," which indicate that "comrade Kim
Jong Il is indeed the greatest of great men produced by Heaven
and that flowers come into bloom to mark the great event." The
Times also noted that, in a major essay published in August, Kim
wrote that "Improving the relations between the North and the
South is an urgent requirement." He called for putting into
effect long-frozen accords between the two Koreas and expressed
willingness to negotiate with the ROK and also improve relations
with Japan and the United States. "We have no intention to regard
the United States as our eternal sworn enemy," Kim wrote. "We
hope to normalize the Korea-U.S. relationship."
The Washington Post (Kevin Sullivan and Mary Jordan, "NORTH
KOREA'S KIM IS FORMALLY NAMED TO LEADERSHIP POST," Tokyo,
10/9/97) quoted officials of the Chosen Soren, the largest DPRK
residents' association in Japan, as saying in a statement: "We
have been waiting for a long time for this historic event. . . .
We are full of enthusiasm and joy." Meanwhile in Washington, an
unnamed State Department spokesman noted that Kim was effectively
in control of the country before receiving his new title but
expressed hope that it will lead to a renewed commitment by the
DPRK to the four-nation peace talks and to improved relations
with the ROK, the US and others. "It is important . . . [because
of] the opportunities it creates for him to put his mark on the
new age," an unnamed US government analyst said. "These are now
his policies . . . to succeed or fail. We will now see if he has
the leadership skills" to solve some of the country's many
problems. US officials said, however, that they do not expect
any sharp departures from the DPRK's current domestic or foreign
policies, which they said have been inflexible. They also said it
remains unclear why Kim was not formally named the country's
president. A US official in Seoul said Kim may now "get out and
about more." There is talk of a meeting with Chinese President
Jiang Zemin, and Kim Dae-jung, the South Korean opposition leader
who is the front-runner in opinion polls in advance of December's
presidential election, has said he would be willing to meet with
him, the Post reported. Still, the fact that Kim Jong-il made no
official statement after tonight's announcement was seen as
evidence that his lifetime of reclusive and enigmatic behavior
will not change overnight, the Post said.
The Wall Street Journal (Michael Schuman, "KIM JONG IL TO LEAD
PARTY, CONSOLIDATING HIS CONTROL, Seoul, 10/997) quoted Daryl
Plunk, a Korean expert at Washington's Heritage Foundation, as
arguing that the ROK and the US should offer Kim Jong-il a US$1
billion package of aid, investment and technical assistance in
return for progress on peace talks. "We need something new and
expensive, and hard for North Korea to turn down," Plunk said.
The Washington Times (Willis Witter, "KIM TAKES TOP POST IN NORTH
KOREA," Tokyo, 10/9/97) quoted a former ROK diplomat as saying,
"I don't expect any major change in North Korea's attitude or
policy" following the appointment of Kim Jong-il as Secretary-
General of the Workers' Party. "If he had waited any longer
people would have begun to think something was seriously wrong,
that he was losing control or support or both." Pointing out
that Kim has yet to assume the position of President of the DPRK,
the Times quoted one Western diplomat as saying, "I'm not sure he
wants to be president."
2. US Reaction to Kim Jong-il's Ascension
State Department Spokesman James P. Rubin ("STATE DEPARTMENT
BRIEFING, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 08," USIA Transcript, 10/8/97),
responding to question about Kim Jong-il's appointment as General
Secretary of the Workers' Party, stated, "Kim Jung Il has been in
effective control of North Korea since his father's death. His
father began a process of change in the DPRK's relations with the
United States, which Kim Jung Il has pursued. We hope that his
election as General Secretary will lead to renewed engagement in
the four-party process, as well as further improvements in
relations with the United States, South Korea and other
countries. But the bottom line in this case, as many others, is,
we will be looking most closely at actions in making a
determination whether this has any positive result." He also
said that the US did not send a congratulatory telegram to Kim.
[Ed. note: See related item in ROK section below.]
The AP-Dow Jones News Service ("JAPAN APPROVES Y3.4 BLN IN FOOD
AID TO NORTH KOREA," Tokyo, 10/8/97) and United Press
International ("JAPAN TO RESUME FOOD AID TO NORTH KOREA," Tokyo,
10/9/97) said that Japan's cabinet Thursday approved Y3.4 billion
worth of food assistance to the DPRK. Japan will provide US$27
million to the UN's World Food Plan (WFP) and 1.1 million Swiss
francs to such organizations as the International Committee of
the Red Cross. The WFP will use that cash to buy 67,000 tons of
rice from Japanese government stockpiles and send it to the DPRK.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Kanezo Muraoka said Japan's assistance is
not related to Wednesday's announcement of Kim Jong-il's
assumption of the top party post. Muraoka said the food aid was
at the behest of international bodies and the government decided
to provide the aid after consultations with the ruling Liberal
Democratic Party and its two parliamentary allies.
4. Environmental Situation in DMZ
The Washington Post (Mary Jordan, "WILDLIFE FLOURISHES IN NO
MAN'S LAND: AT WORLD'S TENSEST BORDER, KOREAN DMZ IS A REFUGE
FOR RARE FLORA, FAUNA," Taesongdong, ROK, A01, 10/8/97) carried
an article discussing how the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that
separates the ROK and DPRK has become a wildlife preserve for
more than 140 other kinds of wildlife found almost nowhere else
on the Korean Peninsula. "It's ironic it's so beautiful," said US
Army Lietenant Colonel James Laufenburg, who heads the UN
Command's security battalion at the DMZ. The article said that
many environmentalists fear that Korean reunification could lead
to development on the DMZ. ROK biologist and bird specialist
Yoon Moo Boo wants the area kept as a sanctuary, pointing out
that because the DMZ has been left to nature for almost half a
century, it has become an important stop on what is known as the
East Asia Migratory Flyway, a place for rare Manchurian cranes,
Siberian herons, ducks and geese to stop off and rest. "Of course
it should be preserved," Yoon said. In May, a Presidential
Commission for Promoting Globalization, headed by the ROK's prime
minister, recommended "selectively" preserving the "ecological
integrity" of the DMZ. Na Jung Kyun, an ROK environmental
official, said his agency is looking at the commission's report
and conferring with government construction and transportation
officials on a coordinated plan about how to preserve the DMZ. In
the event of peace, one immediate problem officials see is that
there will be an urgent demand for roads and for water, sewer and
phone lines.
The Associated Press ("DEMONSTRATORS TO SHADOW CHINESE CHIEF IN
U.S.," Washington, 10/9/97) and the Washington Post (Thomas W.
Lippman and John F. Harris, "CHINESE WANT TO SHOW LEADER TO U.S.
PUBLIC: AGAINST MEMORIES OF TIANANMEN SQUARE CRACKDOWN, JIANG
ZEMIN STARTS STATE VISIT THIS MONTH," Washington, A3,10/9/97)
carried articles on PRC President Jiang Zemin's upcoming US
visit, pointing out that he is likely to encounter a number of
demonstrations over human rights, Tibet, and Taiwan. In Beijing
on Thursday, PRC Foreign Ministry spokesman Shen Guofang urged
the US government to keep protesters in line. "The Chinese side
will not interfere in any way. But we hope that the U.S. side
will take a few steps to ensure that President Jiang Zemin's
state visit goes smoothly," he said. Christina Martin, a
spokeswoman for House Speaker Newt Gingrich, said that members of
Congress will talk frankly when they meet Jiang on October 30.
The White House and the PRC Embassy are expected to announce
details of Jiang's visit as early as Thursday. The ceremonial
and other public components of Jiang's trip are likely to
overshadow the diplomatic substance, Clinton administration
officials said. While the administration is hoping for some
agreements, major disagreements over trade and weapons
proliferation are unlikely to be resolved, officials said.
"There's this debate raging around . . . that we shouldn't have
this summit," one White House official said. "Our policy is one
of clear, unambiguous, forward-leaning articulation that this is
very much in our interest." White House officials insisted that
Jiang's highly visible presence will serve the interests of both
countries. "He needs to talk to the American people about what
China is and isn't," a senior administration official said. "If
the Chinese are going to sell their story, they've got to take
that story not only to the president and the Congress, but also
the public."
1. US Reaction to Kim Jong-il's Ascension
A US State Department official said that the US will not be a
sending congratulatory message to DPRK leader Kim Jong-il for his
assumption of the office of General Secretary of the DPRK
Worker's Party. The official added that the US position has
already been announced by State Department spokesman James Rubin
and that there is no further information. (Dong-ah Ilbo, "US NOT
TO CONGRATULATE KIM," 10/09/97)
The ruling New Korea Party (NKP) decided Wednesday to release the
source of National Congress for New Politics (NCNP) leader Kim
Dae-jung's slush fund. The NKP had accused the opposition leader
of having kept such a fund, amounting to 67 billion won. As a
countermeasure, the NCNP decided to investigate NKP President Lee
Hoi-chang and Secretary General Kang Sam-jae and organize a
committee to counteract the NKP's slander. The NKP is promising
additional scandalous disclosures. (Chosun Ilbo, "DISPUTE OVER
ALLEGED SLUSH FUND ESCALATES," 10/09/97)
The ROK Air Force Chief of Staff General Lee Kwang-hak at the
parliamentary inspection held at ROK Air force headquarters on
Wednesday said that the air force will establish comprehensive
warning terminals at Tactical Air Control Centers by the end of
the year. The installation of such systems is expected to aid
the early detection of the DPRK's Scud missiles. General Lee
also said that to counter the DPRK's long range artillery, the
air force had carried out joint ROK-US exercises in July and is
planning to introduce air to surface missiles. Meanwhile, ROK
naval chief of operations General Yew Sam-nam said at a separate
parliamentary inspection that the Navy plans for the construction
of mid-size submarines and the procurement of a large size
freighter ship, landing ship, and high speed landing crafts in
order to augment landing operations capabilities. (Chosun Ilbo,
"SCUD WARNING SYSTEM TO BE CONSTRUCTED," 10/09/97)
The South China Morning Post of Hong Kong reported on October 8
that PRC leader Jiang Zemin wishes to accelerate the progress in
the Chinese unification process. Inspired by the recovery of
sovereignty over Hong Kong, the PRC government will open a nation
wide convention lead by the Central Committee of the Chinese
Communist Party (CCP) in order to establish a new policy
regarding Taiwan, the journal reported. The convention is
expected to open soon after Jiang's visit to the US this coming
November, allowing the PRC leader to discuss this issue with the
US. Taiwanese experts expect the forthcoming PRC policy to be
much more compromising than previous ones. Some forecast a
guarantee of greater autonomy than HK, including limited
diplomatic rights. (Munwha Ilbo, "PRC GEARS UP FOR UNIFICATION,"
10/09/97)
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Chunsi Wu: dlshen@fudan.ac.cn
Dingli Shen: dlshen@fudan.ac.cn
1. Kim Jong-il's Ascension
II. Republic of Korea
2. US Reaction to Kim Jong-il's Ascension
3. Japan-DPRK Relations
4. Environmental Situation in DMZ
5. PRC President's US Visit
1. US Reaction to Kim Jong-il's Ascension
2. ROK Presidential Elections
3. ROK Early-warning System
4. PRC-Taiwan Relations
I. United States
II. Republic of Korea
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