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Northeast Asia Peace and Security Network DAILY REPORT For Wednesday, February 11, 1998, from Berkeley, California, USA |
1. Light-Water Reactor Project
US President Bill Clinton ("PRESIDENT CERTIFIES N. KOREAN
COOPERATION ON SEVERAL ISSUES," USIA Text, 02/10/98) released the
following statement regarding DPRK adherence to the terms of the
US-DPRK Agreed Framework on Nuclear Cooperation: "Pursuant to
the requirements set forth under the heading 'Nonproliferation,
Anti-Terrorism, Demining and Related Programs' in title II of the
Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs
Appropriations Act, 1998 (Public Law 105-118), I certify that:
(1)(A) the parties to the Agreed Framework are taking steps to
assure that progress is made on the implementation of the January
1, 1992, Joint Declaration on the Denuclearization of the Korean
Peninsula and the implementation of the North-South dialogue, and
(B) North Korea is complying with the other provisions of the
Agreed Framework between North Korea and the United States and
with the Confidential Minute; (2) North Korea is cooperating
fully in the canning and safe storage of all spent fuel from its
graphite-moderated nuclear reactors and that such canning and
safe storage is scheduled to be completed by April 1, 1998; and
(3) North Korea has not significantly diverted assistance
provided by the United States for purposes for which it was not
intended."
The Associated Press ("ALBRIGHT RECEIVES COMMITMENTS ON NORTH
KOREAN NUCLEAR PLANTS," Washington, 02/11/98) reported that US
Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said Tuesday that ROK
officials told her last week that "they are going to continue" to
contribute to the light-water reactor project for the DPRK.
Albright stated, "The South Koreans are going to be able to
fulfill their responsibilities, and ... the Japanese also. And
we are talking to others to add, to make sure that the ...
process really is able to continue." She said that building
nuclear power plants in the DPRK remains "an essential part of
controlling nuclear proliferation." She added that US oil
shipments to the DPRK are continuing under the agreement.
2. DPRK Participation in Olympics
The New York Times (Nicholas D. Kristof, "NORTH KOREAN ATHLETES
MORE FRIENDLY AT NAGANO OLYMPICS," Nagano, 02/11/98) reported
that if DPRK has success at the Winter Olympics, it may try to
use its athletes more to connect with the outside world. Kim
Pong-hi, a DPRK coach, stated, "If these athletes do a bit better
than their personal records, then North Korea is planning to send
them out as often as possible." Jung-sook Koh, a Korean-American
who has worked to use sports to build ties between the DPRK and
the outside world, stated that the DPRK athletes are "more
flexible now than they were in Barcelona or Atlanta or ever
before. Their atmosphere is exceptionally friendly." He added
that this flexibility suggested that this was a good time for the
US and the DPRK to begin sporting exchanges.
3. ROK Layoff Bill
The Wall Street Journal (Michael Schuman, "SOUTH KOREA'S UNIONS
VOW TO STRIKE OVER LAYOFF DEAL," Seoul, 02/11/98) and the New
York Times (Stephanie Strom, "STRIKE THREAT UNDERMINES KOREAN
LABOR AGREEMENT," Seoul, 02/11/98) reported that the ROK
agreement on layoffs may have to be renegotiated in light of its
rejection Monday by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions
(KCTU). Yoon Young-mo, international secretary of the KCTU,
stated, "The law is not in any way perceived by workers to
provide them protection, but rather to give employers the power
to dismiss them." However, Kim Hyun-mee, a spokeswoman for
President-elect Kim Dae-jung's National Congress for New
Politics, stated, "Renegotiation is definitely not a
possibility." Meanwhile, many analysts discounted the
possibility of widespread labor unrest. Richard Samuelson,
branch manager and head of research at SBC Warburg Dillon Read in
Seoul, said "I don't discount the possibility that there will be
strikes, but I don't think that you'll see strikes on the French
order, where highway traffic is disrupted and the whole country
comes to a grinding halt. Work stoppages, yes, even
demonstrations, but nothing severe." Sogang University Professor
Park Young-ki, argued, "Everybody has conceded something to reach
this agreement. If the government starts renegotiating it now,
no one will honor it." However, he added, "You'll see the real
impact of the situation in the spring, and then there will be
very rapid destabilization kicked off by unemployment caused by
recession and dismissals that will really stretch capacity of
this society to sustain itself and its morale."
4. Asian Economic Crisis
The Washington Post (Steven Mufson, "CHINA'S ECONOMIC ILLS MAY
IMPERIL REGION," Beijing, 02/11/98, A26) reported that analysts
are hoping that the PRC will remain stable during the Asian
financial crisis. PRC Vice Premier Li Lanqing said last week
that the PRC will put extra money into infrastructure and
environmental projects if necessary to keep its growth rate at 8
percent this year. He added, "China should not add fuel to the
flames.... We are very firm in our determination not to devalue
the yuan."
5. US Bases in Japan
State Department Deputy Spokesman James Foley, ("STATE DEPARTMENT
NOON BRIEFING," USIA Transcript, 02/09/98) said that the US and
Japan remain committed to the goals of the Special Action
Committee on Okinawa, despite the rejection of a US heliport by
Okinawa governor Ota. Foley stated, "the Special Action
Committee on Okinawa developed recommendations on ways to
realign, consolidate and reduce US facilities and areas, and to
adjust operational procedures of US forces in Okinawa in order to
reduce the burden on the people of Okinawa." He added that the
floating base proposal was only one option for reaching that
goal. Foley stated, "We still think that that is a good option
and a viable option, but clearly, the Japanese political process
will have to address this issue and find its way forward towards
a solution that we both can agree on, whether it's this option or
another option. "
1. Six-party Peace Talks Proposed
Kim Jong-pil of the United Liberal Democrats (ULD) passed a
message from President-elect Kim Dae-jung to PRC President Jiang
Zemin on February 10, proposing a new declaration of peace be
made by the leaders of six Asia-Pacific nations. According to
the proposal, the four-party talks would be extended to include
two additional regional states, Russia and Japan. (Korea Times,
"KIM DJ SUGGESTS 'SIX NATION DECLARATION' FOR PEACE IN NORTHEAST
ASIA," 02/11/98)
2. Survey on Korean Unification
The Korea Institute of National Unification (KINU) reported on
February 10 that many DPRK specialists in the ROK and the US
believe that a presidential system of government would best serve
a unified Korea. The KINU recently conducted a survey of forty
DPRK experts in the ROK and the US to ascertain their predictions
on a reunified Korea. The army of a unified Korea would shrink
while its navy and air force would be reinforced, according to
the predictions of 92.5 percent of the participants. Almost all
the respondents, or 97.5 percent, said that a unified Korea would
be able to work as a political balance in Northeast Asia. A
unified Korea would be also able to serve as a locomotive for the
formation of a pan-Asian security council, similar to the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization. Respondents to the survey included
Kim Hak-joon (president of the University of Inchon), Moon Chung-
in (professor of political science at Yonsei University), Robert
Scalapino, and Kenneth Quinones (former official at the US State
Department). (Korea Herald, "DPRK EXPERTS ADVOCATE PRESIDENTIAL
SYSTEM FOR A UNIFIED KOREA," 02/11/98)
3. ROK-Indonesia Military Barter
A military aircraft-for-trucks barter deal between the ROK and
Indonesia faces trouble amid the financial crisis in the two
countries. According to sources at the ROK Ministry of Defense
on February 10, Indonesia has failed to open a letter of credit
account for a deal in which the ROK will barter eight Indonesian-
made CN 235 medium-sized military transport aircraft (worth
US$140 million) in exchange for its military vehicles. (Korea
Times, Oh Young-jin, "KOREA'S PURCHASE OF INDONESIAN-MADE CN-235
PLANES APPEARS IN TROUBLE," 02/11/98)
1. DPRK's Opinion on Arms Race
Jie Fang Daily ("DPRK: THE US IS THE SOURCE OF ARMS RACE,"
Pyongyang, A3, 02/04/98) reported that DPRK's official newspaper,
Rodong Shinmun, said on February 3 that as the largest exporter
of weapons, the US is the source of the regional and worldwide
arms race. When commenting on an arms race report issued by the
US Congress not long ago, the newspaper said that 90 percent of
the weapons used in the armed conflicts in the 1990s were
provided by the US. The provision of these arms is not a
specific business activity, but a means to realize the US policy
of domination, the article said.
2. ROK-Taiwan Relations
People's Daily ("ROK WILL NOT DEVELOP OFFICIAL RELATIONS WITH
TAIWAN," Seoul, p. 3, 02/07/98) reported that in an interview
with Chinese correspondents prior to his visit to the PRC, Kim
Jong-pil, honorary president of the United Liberal Democrats of
the ROK, said that the ROK will not develop official relations
with Taiwan, as specified in the agreements signed by the ROK and
the PRC for establishing diplomatic relations. Kim said that the
Taiwan issue is an internal affair of the PRC and the ROK's
contacts with Taiwan will continue being restricted to a non-
governmental level.
According to People's Daily ("HU JINTAO MEETS WITH ROK GUEST,"
Beijing, p. 1, 02/10/98), Hu Jintao, Standing Committee member of
the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC)
Central Committee, met with Kim Jong-pil, honorary president of
ROK's United Liberal Democrats (UDL) on February 9. Hu said that
healthy ties between the PRC and the ROK will benefit peace,
stability, and development on the Korean Peninsula, and in the
Asia-Pacific region. The CPC is prepared to develop new party-
to-party relations with the UDL and other political parties in
the ROK, in line with the principles of independence, self-
reliance, equality, mutual respect, and mutual noninterference.
During the meeting, Kim said that the ROK will abide by
agreements reached with the PRC when the two countries
established diplomatic relations, and will adhere to the "one
China" position.
3. PRC-Japan Relations
People's Daily ("CHI HOLDS TALKS WITH JAPANESE COUNTERPART,"
Tokyo, p. 6, 02/05/98) reported that PRC Defense Minister Chi
Haotian, who began a visit to Japan on February 3, exchanged
views with Japanese Defense Agency Director-General Fumio Kyuma
on February 4. During the meeting, Chi said that the PRC has
noticed that Japan's chief leaders have repeatedly expressed
their willingness to face up to history, and to recognize and
apologize for aggressive history. Speaking about the updated
guidelines for Japan-US defense cooperation, Chi said that the
important reason for the PRC's concerns about them is that Taiwan
is involved. If Japan can display a more definite stance on
Taiwan, it will help dispel the PRC's doubts about the
guidelines.
Wen Hui Daily ("JAPAN IS LOOKING FORWARD TO JIANG ZEMIN'S VISIT,"
Tokyo, p. 2, 02/07/98) quoted Japanese Foreign Minister Obuchi as
saying that the mutual visits between Japan and the PRC by Prime
Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto and Premier Li Peng in 1997 promoted
the development of bilateral relations. While meeting with PRC
Vice Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan, who was attending the regular
negotiations between the two governments, the Japanese Foreign
Minister said that his government is cordially looking forward to
PRC President Jiang Zemin's visit to Japan late this year.
China Daily published an article ("JAPAN SHOULD STAY OUT OF
TAIWAN ISSUE," p. 4, 02/11/98) written by Yu Guoqiang, saying
that just before PRC Defense Minister Chi Haotian began his visit
to Japan, Japanese former Chief Cabinet Secretary Seiroku
Kajiyama visited Taiwan. People cannot help but wonder if the
Japanese Government was trying to put improving cross-Straits
relations and also PRC-Japanese relations under new risks. The
article said that the main purpose of Kajiyama's Taiwan visit was
to assure Taiwan, on behalf of the Japanese Government, that
Japan would adhere to its promise of protecting Taiwan under the
framework of the US-Japan security alliance. The second purpose
is said to have been the exchange of views on joint exploration
of Okinawa by the two sides. Following Hong Kong's return last
year, the Taiwan authorities attempted to develop Okinawa into a
booming transit port to replace Hong Kong in a bid to block
cross-Straits direct mail, commercial, and transport services.
The third purpose of Kajiyama's visit was to strengthen and
enhance Japan's inter-governmental exchanges with Taiwan.
According to the article, Kajiyama's Taiwan visit has obviously
sown discord between Taiwan and the mainland. It hopes that
Japan can maintain its promise of not supporting Taiwan's
independence in word as well as in deed. Any irresponsible words
and activities on Japan's part concerning the Taiwan issue will
not only hinder peaceful reunification of Taiwan with the
mainland but severely hurt Sino-Japanese bilateral relations.
4. PRC Disarmament
According to China Daily ("CHINA CUT ARMY BY 7M SINCE 1949," p.
4, 02/07/98), China has reduced its armed forces by 7 million
since the founding of the PRC in 1949. A senior officer of the
People's Liberation Army (PLA) said that the PRC's latest
disarmament was initiated following the 1997 September
announcement by Jiang Zemin, chairman of Central Military
Commission, that the PLA would further reduce its forces by
500,000 personnel over the next three years, marking the ninth
cut of the country's armed forces in 49 years. A number of field
troops from the PLA Group Army have been transferred to armed
police units during the current ongoing ninth round of military
disarmament, the report said.
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