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Northeast Asia Peace and Security Network DAILY REPORT For Thursday, February 26, 1998, from Berkeley, California, USA |
1. US Reaction to Kim Dae-jung's Inauguration
State Department Spokesman James Rubin ("STATE DEPARTMENT NOON BRIEFING," USIA
Transcript, 02/25/98) stated that the US government congratulated Kim Dae-jung on his inauguration as the
ROK's new president. Rubin stated, "President Kim has many friends here, and we look forward to
working closely and cooperatively with him in the future." He added that the US supports "meaningful
dialogue between North and South Korea," including the implementation of the specifics of the 1991 basic
agreement.
The Associated Press (George Gedda, "U.S. WANTS NORTH-SOUTH KOREA TALKS," Washington,
02/25/98) reported that Jonathan Pollack, an East Asia expert at the Rand Corporation, said that Kim Dae-
jung's accession to the ROK presidency augurs well for US friendship with the ROK. Pollack stated that
US ties with President Kim Young-sam were strained by his reluctance to engage the DPRK, and he
described Kim Dae-jung as "the preferred choice" of most senior US officials.
2. DPRK Defectors
The Associated Press (4 NORTH KOREANS DEFECT TO THE SOUTH," Seoul, 02/26/98) reported that
the ROK Agency for National Security Planning said that Park Jong-shik, a DPRK mine worker, and three
DPRK women defected to the ROK on Thursday. The four sought asylum after entering the ROK illegally
through an unnamed third county.
3. US MIAs
United Press International ("AIR FORCE SEARCHING FOR FAMILIES," Washington, 02/26/98)
reported that the US Air Force announced that the families of some 900 Air Force pilots and crew members
unaccounted for from the Korean War can now register with a special office established at Randolph Air
Force Base. The Clinton administration recently concluded an agreement with the DPRK government to
allow US officials to search for the bodies of missing US military personnel this year. The US will pay the
DPRK US$672,000 for the expense of conducting this year's searches.
4. Confirmation of ROK Prime Minister
The Associated Press ("S. KOREAN PRESIDENT SEEKS MEETING," Seoul, 02/26/98) reported that
ROK President Kim Dae-jung on Thursday proposed that opposition leaders meet with him to break an
impasse over his appointment of Kim Jong-pil as prime minister. Both opposition parties agreed to see
Kim in two separate meetings Friday, but the majority Grand National Party reiterated that it cannot
support the nomination.
5. Russian Nuclear Safety
US Department of Energy ("U.S., RUSSIA UPGRADE SECURITY AT RUSSIAN NUCLEAR
FACILITIES," USIA Text, 02/25/98) announced Wednesday that the US and the Russian Federation have
completed upgrades at four Russian facilities to help to secure and control nuclear materials, reducing the
worldwide risk of nuclear proliferation. The sites are the latest facilities to complete the installation of
nuclear materials protection, control and accounting upgrades under the US Department of Energy's
cooperative efforts with Russia, the Newly Independent States, and the Baltics. US Secretary of Energy
Federico Pena stated, "Our joint efforts to institute site-wide material protection, control, and accounting
upgrades continue to reduce the nuclear danger worldwide. These upgrades significantly reduce the risk of
unauthorized use, theft, or diversion of weapons-usable nuclear materials."
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Wade L. Huntley: napsnet@nautilus.org
Timothy L. Savage: napsnet@nautilus.org
Shin Dong-bom: dongbom_shin@wisenet.co.kr
Choi Chung-moon: cily@star.elim.co.kr
Hiroyasu Akutsu: akutsu@glocomnet.or.jp
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Chunsi Wu: dlshen@fudan.ac.cn
Dingli Shen: dlshen@fudan.ac.cn
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