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Northeast Asia Peace and Security Network DAILY REPORT For Friday, May 1, 1998, from Berkeley, California, USA |
1. Funding for Light-Water Reactor Project
United Press International (Sid Balman Jr., "U.S. GUARANTEES REACTOR FUNDING," Seoul,
05/01/98) and Reuters (Carol Giacomo, "ALBRIGHT WARNS S.KOREA ON NORTH'S NUCLEAR
PLAN," Seoul, 05/01/98) reported that US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said Friday that the
Clinton administration will stand by its pledge to guarantee the financing of two light-water reactors
being built in the DPRK. Albright said that, during talks with ROK Foreign Minister Park Chung-soo,
both sides reaffirmed their commitments under the agreement. She stated, "There should be no doubt we
will fulfill an agreement as important as this one. In our talks, it became clear both sides will live up to
the commitments." She added that "good progress" was made on determining "how the costs could be
equitably shared." An anonymous senior aide to Albright said that there is a "grave risk" that the DPRK
will resume its nuclear-weapons program if the fuel oil is not provided or the financing deadlines for the
reactor are not met.
2. ROK-DPRK Relations
Reuters (Bill Tarrant, "ALBRIGHT URGES PATIENT DIPLOMACY ON N.KOREA," Seoul, 05/01/98)
and the Associated Press ("SOUTH KOREA'S DIPLOMACY GETS UNQUALIFIED BOOST FROM
ALBRIGHT," Seoul, 05/01/98) reported that US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright offered the
unqualified support of the Clinton administration to the ROK's diplomacy toward the DPRK. Albright
termed ROK President Kim Dae-jung "one of the world's true champions of freedom." She added, "The
United States agrees with President Kim's effort to revive the North-South dialogue, which is essential if
there is to be peace." She continued, "Foreign Minister Park and I agree that the four-party process
supports and complements the bilateral dialogue and that both require patience and determination."
3. Alleged DPRK Support of Terrorism
Reuters (Patrick Worsnip, "IRAN STILL TOP 'TERRORISM' SPONSOR, U.S. SAYS," Washington,
05/01/98) reported that the US State Department on Thursday, in an annual report on worldwide
terrorism, once again designated the DPRK as a state sponsor of terrorism, making it subject to US
sanctions. The report said that there was no evidence linking the DPRK with "terrorist acts" last year, but
that it continued to harbor "terrorists."
4. ROK-DPRK Cultural Exchanges
United Press International ("S.KOREAN TEENS TO PERFORM IN N.KOREA," Seoul, 05/01/98)
reported that the Little Angels, an ROK youth art troupe including 38 elementary and junior high school
performers, has departed on an 11-day trip to the DPRK, where it will hold three music events at the
DPRK's largest theater in Pyongyang. The Korean Cultural Foundation (KCF) Inc. president, Reverend
Mun Sun-myung, first suggested holding events to promote cultural exchange between the two Koreas
during his December 1991 visit with the late DPRK leader Kim Il-sung. A KCF statement said "We
received grant from the North on April 13 to perform in Pyongyang this year and hope the performance by
these beautiful children will become the cornerstone in opening a new era of peace and harmony with the
North."
5. ROK Labor Unrest
The Associated Press ("S KOREAN WORKERS CLASH WITH POLICE IN SEOUL MAY DAY
RALLY," Seoul, 05/01/98) reported that riot police fired tear gas to disperse 17,000 workers and students
who gathered for a May Day rally in Seoul to protest layoffs. There were no immediate reports of arrests
or injuries.
6. ROK Financial Crisis
Reuters ("S.KOREA-IMF STRIKE DEAL ON LOAN PAYMENT," Washington, 04/30/98) reported that
International Monetary Fund (IMF) First Deputy Managing Director Stanley Fischer said Thursday that
the ROK has met the economic reform conditions set out by the IMF, clearing the way for the ROK to get
its next loan payment. He stated, "It looks like the (IMF) staff has agreed with the Koreans that they have
met the conditions for the completion of this review, which means the disbursement of the next tranche of
the Korean loan -- if the board of the IMF approves."
Dow Jones Newswires ("JAPAN EXPORT-IMPORT BANK MULLS LOANS TO S. KOREA - KYODO,"
Tokyo, 05/01/98) reported that the Kyodo news agency said Friday that the Export-Import Bank of Japan
is considering loans to help the ROK finance purchases of materials and products by ROK companies.
While details of the plan have yet to be worked out, the bank is likely to provide more than US$1 billion
later this month as an initial installment.
The Associated Press ("PROSECUTORS QUESTION FORMER FINANCE CHIEF," Seoul, 05/01/98)
reported that prosecutors questioned former ROK Finance Minister Kang Kyong-shik Friday as part of an
investigation into whether he and other officials aggravated the ROK economic crisis by ignoring signs of
danger. Prosecutors also posed similar questions to former presidential economic adviser Kim In-ho.
7. Albright's PRC Visit
Reuters (Carol Giacomo, "ALBRIGHT SAYS U.S.-CHINA MUST DO MORE WORK," Beijing,
04/30/98), the New York Times (Steven Erlanger, "U.S. - CHINA TALKS MAKE LITTLE PROGRESS
ON SUMMIT AGENDA," Beijing, 05/01/98) and the Los Angeles Times (Jim Mann, "CHINA BALKS
AT CONCESSIONS TIMED TO CLINTON'S JUNE TRIP," Beijing, 05/01/98) reported that US
Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said Thursday that the US and the PRC must "put a shoulder to the
wheel" to reach agreements on trade and non-proliferation in time for their June presidential summit. She
said that during her talks with PRC officials, "I made it very clear that there were eight weeks (before the
summit and) there had to be a speeding up of the work ... to be in a position to have concrete results." An
unnamed senior US official said, "While many of these issues themselves are not new, it will take the
Chinese some time to study our proposals." Another unnamed US official stated, "There's no serious
discussion about a communique with regard to Taiwan" to emerge from the summit. US officials also said
that the PRC is also looking positively at a possible countrywide program by the American Peace Corps.
However, Nancy Bernkopf Tucker, a China scholar at Georgetown University, stated, "All the Chinese
need is for Clinton to be there. They don't need anything else."
8. PRC Nuclear Missile Targeting
The Washington Times (Bill Gertz, "CHINA'S NUKES TARGET U.S.," Washington, 05/01/98) reported
that a new CIA report sent to top policy-makers in advance of US Secretary of State Madeleine K.
Albright's visit to Beijing said that 13 of the PRC's 18 long-range strategic missiles have single nuclear
warheads aimed at US cities. According to the document, the 13 CSS-4 missiles aimed at the US indicate
that the PRC views the US as its major strategic adversary. The remaining five CSS-4s, along with scores
of other shorter-range nuclear missiles, are targeted on countries closer to the PRC, including Russia. The
PRC also has an array of strategic missiles that US military and intelligence officials said are targeted on
the US or US military forces deployed in Asia. Richard Fisher, a defense analyst with the Heritage
Foundation, stated, "The Chinese have been targeting the United States for many years," adding that the
PRC government views the systems as "deterrence against the United States." Fisher added that the newer
PRC medium- and short-range nuclear missiles are believed to be "targeted on very important American
and allied facilities in Asia." He also said that the PRC is developing a new class of long-range cruise
missiles and is working to make its shorter-range missiles more accurate. " James Hackett, a former US
government arms control official, said that PRC long-range missiles have the capability of reaching most
of the US "with the possible exception of Disney World" in Florida. The article also noted that the US is
believed to have some of its nuclear force targeted against PRC missile silos.
9. PRC Missile Development
US Deputy State Department Spokesman James Foley ("STATE DEPARTMENT NOON BRIEFING,
APRIL 30, 1998," USIA Transcript, 05/01/98) on Thursday denied a report in Wednesday's Washington
Times that the US has provided the PRC with a draft space cooperation agreement. He added, "there
never was and there still is not any US plan or proposal to offer China access to missile technology."
Foley concluded, "we have been considering ways to encourage China to strengthen its controlled missile-
related exports. This includes consideration of scientific space cooperation. But again, no one is
proposing any offers of direct or indirect access to missile technology."
1. Japanese-DPRK Relations
The Sankei Shimbun ("DPRK WANTS TO DO BUSINESS WITH JAPANESE LOCAL PAPER,"
04/27/98) reported that the DPRK asked the Japanese reporters who accompanied the delegation from the
Japanese ruling Liberal Democratic Party last month for a joint business deal between the DPRK's media
and Japanese local papers. The DPRK requested that the Japanese reporters provide a large amount of
paper or rice as their part of the deal, and offered them easier access to coverage in the DPRK in
exchange. According to the report, the DPRK officials said, "If you strike this deal, we can provide you
with many favors, including opening a branch in the DPRK or providing interviews with important DPRK
people." The report pointed out that the DPRK's interest in having Japanese media branches in the DPRK
was expressed to the delegation of Japanese politicians, led by Shin Kanemaru, that visited the DPRK in
1990, but that the Japanese media have kept a wait-and-see stance since 1992, when the Japanese-DPRK
normalization talks deadlocked. The report added that visits of Japanese wives' of DPRK citizens to Japan
and the resumption of the normalization talks gave the DPRK an opportunity to seek Japan's aid through
the Japanese media.
2. Japanese-ROK Relations
The Yomiuri Shimbun ("PRESIDENT KIM IS WILLING TO CLEAR PAST RELATIONS BETWEEN
JAPAN AND DPRK," Seoul, 04/30/98) reported that ROK President Kim Dae-jung expressed his
willingness to improve Japan-ROK relations to Japanese reporters. Kim said that he wants to find a way
to solve the problems between Japan and the ROK, including the issue of past relations, the timing of the
Japanese Emperor's visit to the ROK, and the issue of liberalization of Japanese culture at the Japan-ROK
summit meeting slated for autumn. With regard to the comfort women issue, he reiterated his demand for
the Japanese government to accept its historical and moral responsibility, while saying that he will not
intervene in the issue of compensation. He also emphasized that the ROK people should look at "the
positive side of the post-war Japan, which has developed democracy and market economy," while
suggesting Japan "clear its past." With regard to the Japanese Emperor's visit to the ROK, he said, "It is a
misfortune that head of the state which is the most amicable to our country, cannot visit our country." In
addition, with regard to the economic crisis, he said, "We can overcome it within this year one way or
another."
3. Japanese-ROK Fishery Talks
The Asahi Shimbun ("JAPAN-ROK FISHERY TALKS GOT NOWHERE," 05/01/98) reported that the
Japanese-ROK working-level talks held at the Japanese Foreign Ministry ended in deadlock on April 30.
The Japanese side insisted on the importance of resource management to prevent the depletion of fishery
resources, while the ROK said, "The importance of resource management is understandable, but it is
necessary to guarantee the past achievements of operation for the next five years." The Japanese side said
in response, "It is impossible to guarantee the ROK's fish catch for many years."
4. Japanese-PRC Fishery Agreement
The Asahi Shimbun ("JAPAN-PRC FISHERY AGREEMENT IS APPROVED," 05/01/98) reported that
the Upper House unanimously approved the Japan-PRC Fishery Agreement, based on the UN Law of Sea
agreement, on April 30, thus completing the necessary procedures at the Diet. This indicates that a new
fishery agreement between Japan and the PRC precedes one between Japan and the ROK. The date when
the agreement will go into effect will be decided after the ratification procedure is completed on the PRC
side.
5. Japanese-US Relations
The Asahi Shimbun ("US SECRETARY OF STATE GIVES CREDIT TO JAPAN'S ECONOMIC
POLICY AND IS INTERESTED IN JAPANESE-RUSSIAN RELATIONS," 04/29/98) reported that
visiting US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright met with Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto,
Foreign Minister Keizo Obuchi, and Liberal Democratic Party Secretary General Koichi Kato on April 28.
In her meeting with Obuchi, she gave credit to Japan's efforts to contribute to the recovery of the Asian
economy. However, in her meeting with Kato, Albright emphasized the need for increased expansion of
demand by saying that the US trade deficit is increasing and that she wants to ask Japan to expand its
domestic demand. In her meeting with Prime Minister Hashimoto, she expressed her interest in the
improvement of Japanese-Russian relations, suggesting that Russia's response to Hashimoto's proposal of
delimitation of the territories will be key to the peace treaty negotiations.
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