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Northeast Asia Peace and Security Network DAILY REPORT For Wednesday, January 28, 1998, from Berkeley, California, USA |
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IN TODAY'S REPORT: |
1. DPRK Political Situation
Reuters ("CIA SAYS WOES THREATEN NORTH KOREAN STABILITY," Washington, 01/28/98) reported that George Tenet, Director of the US Central Intelligence Agency, on Wednesday told the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence that economic woes threaten the DPRK government under Kim Jong-il. Tenet stated, "Crime, corruption and indiscipline, including in the security services and military, are increasing [in the DPRK], and people are more willing to blame Kim Jong-il for their plight." He added that, despite its economic problems, the DPRK's posture along the Demilitarized Zone means that it "could go to war with little additional preparation." Tenet said that Kim's legitimacy was still closely tied to the legacy of his late father, Kim Il-sung, adding, "As a result, Pyongyang likely will avoid an avowedly reformist agenda and will try to package any reform experiments in traditional ideological terms." Due to this ideological rigidity, Tenet concluded, "significant improvements in the economy do not seem to be in the cards."
2. Japan-ROK Fisheries Dispute
The AP-Dow Jones News Service ("JAPAN MULLS FORMAL PROTEST IN FISHING FEUD WITH S. KOREA," Tokyo, 01/28/98) reported that Japan's Kyodo News agency quoted chief government spokesman Kanezo Muraoka as saying Wednesday that Japan may file a formal protest to the ROK if it can confirm claims by Japanese fishermen that ROK trawl boats off the northern coast of Japan have damaged their nets. Tomio Yoshida, a spokesman of the Hokkaido Educational Federation of Fishery Cooperative Associations, said his group plans to demand 4.8 million yen in compensation from the Korea Deepsea Fishery Association in Seoul for five nets which he claims were damaged by eight ROK boats fishing in restricted waters off Hokkaido. Fisheries Agency official Shozo Takeda said the agency was investigating what had caused the torn nets.
3. PRC-Taiwan Relations
Scripps Howard news agency (Rod Mickleburgh, "CHINA TRIES AGAIN TO WOO TAIWAN," Beijing, 01/28/98) reported that, according to some analysts, while the PRC and Taiwan are both taking a more conciliatory stance, neither side can agree on the necessary conditions for peace talks. Andrew Yang, secretary-general of the Chinese Council of Advanced Policy Studies, stated, "Each side expects the other to make a grand gesture. In the meantime, they stall. What they need is a warm-up process, some way of building mutual trust at a lower level before talking at a higher level." He said that PRC leaders have become "more moderate and more flexible" in dealing with Taiwan. He added, "China is also getting more skillful in reacting to Taiwanese actions in other parts of the world."
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