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Northeast Asia Peace and Security Network DAILY REPORT For Wednesday, June 10, 1998, from Berkeley, California, USA |
1. US-ROK Summit
The Associated Press (David Briscoe, "CLINTON COOL ON NKOREA SANCTION END," Washington,
06/10/98), Reuters (Steve Holland, "KIM MEETS CLINTON FOR TALKS ON NORTH KOREA,"
Washington, 06/09/98), the Los Angeles Times (Elizabeth Shogren, "S. KOREA'S KIM ASKS U.S. TO
EASE UP ON NORTH," Washington, 06/10/98) and the Wall Street Journal (Robert S. Greenberger, "KIM
WANTS NEW, POSITIVE INCENTIVES FOR NORTH, BUT WILL LET U.S. DECIDE," Washington,
06/10/98) reported that ROK President Kim Dae-jung met US President Bill Clinton at the White House on
Tuesday to discuss the DPRK and other issues. At a joint news conference afterwards, Kim stated, "To
induce [the DPRK] to open up (not only) will be beneficial to the interests of our two countries, but to the
peace of the peninsula and Northeast Asia in general. Thus, if the United States should ease sanctions
against North Korea, the when and how and the content would be a decision for the American government
to make, but we would not oppose, and we would cooperate." Kim said that, despite food shortages, the
DPRK is "relatively stable, and I don't think it is going to collapse all that easily." He added, "Our intent is
to persuade North Korea to make it feel safe in opening up and so that it can resuscitate itself, follow the
model set by China and Vietnam and so that it can overcome such a hard situation." He warned that
otherwise, "it may decide to go the road of military provocation. Or if it stays the course, it may simply
collapse, and that will fall on our lap." Clinton responded, "I would encourage the leader of North Korea,
and all those in influence there, to respond to [Kim's] far-sighted overtures." Clinton said that Kim did not
ask in their private meeting for a lifting of sanctions but for support of a policy of reciprocity, "which
would enable us to move forward with the reconciliation of the North and the South." He added that lifting
some of the US sanctions would require approval by Congress. An anonymous White House official said
that Kim proposed that Clinton consider being prepared to lift some sanctions or take other steps in
response to specific conciliatory steps by the DPRK. The official stated, "That is because our experience
has been that they don't necessarily respond to positive gestures. It's agreed that we need to see some give
and take."
2. Japanese Wives of DPRK Citizens
The Associated Press ("JAPAN WOMEN IN NKOREA CANCEL PLANS," Tokyo, 06/10/98) and the
New York Times (Nicholas D. Kristof, "NORTH KOREA REBUKES JAPAN BY CANCELING
WOMEN'S VISIT," Tokyo, 06/10/98) reported that the DPRK on Tuesday called off a planned visit to
Japan by Japanese-born women who are married to DPRK citizens. The DPRK's official Korean Central
News Agency (KCNA) said that the visits were called off because of "artificial hurdles" and "inhuman acts
on the Japanese side." An earlier KCNA broadcast criticized Japan for alleging that the DPRK had
abducted several Japanese citizens. The broadcast said, "The Japanese reactionaries' sustained talk about
'suspected abduction' will only betray the miserable plight of Japan and invite public condemnation for
Japan's playing into hands of the South Korean puppets. Japan is a war criminal state which plunged Asia
into disasters." Japanese Foreign Ministry spokesman Sadaaki Numata stated, "This announcement came
all of a sudden, and we find it regrettable." "
Dow Jones Newswires ("N. KOREA: DOESN'T WISH TO STRAIN TIES WITH JAPAN - KYODO,"
Tokyo, 06/10/98) reported that Japan's Kyodo News said that Koreshige Anami, director general of the
Japanese Foreign Ministry's Asian Affairs Bureau, said Wednesday that, despite the DPRK's cancellation
of return visits by Japanese wives of DPRK citizens, it does not intend to worsen relations with Japan.
Anami stated, "It cannot necessarily be said that they have ruined efforts to normalize Japan-North Korean
relations." Anami noted that the announcements came from the DPRK Red Cross Society, not the
government, and that the announcement documents cautiously refrained from using harsh expressions
toward Japan. He added that DPRK leader Kim Jong-il may assume the state presidency in September and
this might alter the country's attitude toward Japan. However, he added, Japan will not resume
normalization talks with the DPRK or give it more food aid for the time being.
3. US-DPRK Sports Exchange
The Washington Post ("TEIKYO POST READY TO PART NORTH KOREA'S IRON CURTAIN,"
06/10/98, C02) reported that the Teikyo Post University announced Tuesday that its men's basketball team
has accepted an invitation to become the first US sports delegation to visit the DPRK. The school, located
in Waterbury, Conn., is affiliated with Teikyo University in Japan.
4. ROK Financial Crisis
Dow Jones Newswires (Chang Woo-hyuk, "S. KOREA WON'T PUSH FOR 2ND LINE OF IMF FUNDS -
YONHAP," Seoul, 06/10/98) reported that the ROK's Yonhap News Agency said Wednesday that the ROK
Finance Ministry decided it will not push for the US$8 billion promised by G-7 countries under the
International Monetary Fund's US$58.35 billion bailout arranged late last year. However, an official at the
Ministry of Finance and Economy said he was not aware of the reported government decision, and said
those in charge of the issue are accompanying President Kim Dae-jung on his visit to the US and are
therefore unavailable for comment.
5. Russian Ratification of START II
The Associated Press ("U.S. ALBRIGHT CONDEMNS RUSSIA'S DELAYS ON START II," Washington,
06/10/98) reported that US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright on Wednesday criticized the Russian
Duma's decision to postpone hearings on the START II arms reduction treaty from next week until the fall.
Albright stated, "I deeply regret that action," adding that she hoped the Duma would reverse itself and
recognize that nuclear testing in India and Pakistan makes approval of the Start II treaty even more vital.
She reiterated that the US position is not to proceed with anything more than preliminary negotiations on a
follow-up START III treaty until Russia ratifies Start II.
6. Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty
The Associated Press ("U.S. ALBRIGHT CONDEMNS RUSSIA'S DELAYS ON START II," Washington,
06/10/98) reported that US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright on Wednesday urged the US Senate to
act on the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. Albright said that the Indian and Pakistani tests make the test-
ban treaty more crucial because it would set up a monitoring system and try to curb proliferation of nuclear
weapons technology.
7. South Asian Nuclear Tests
Dow Jones Newswires ("FOUR NONNUCLEAR NATIONS TO MEET WITH G-8 FRIDAY - KYODO,"
Tokyo, 06/10/98) reported that Japan's Kyodo news agency said Wednesday that the foreign ministers of
Argentina, Brazil, Ukraine, and South Africa will take part in a luncheon meeting with foreign ministers of
the Group of Eight industrialized nations in London Friday to discuss ways to maintain nuclear
nonproliferation. Japanese government sources said that Japan has also been working on having Australia
attend the expanded meeting, but Australia has yet to decide. At the meeting, Japanese Foreign Minister
Keizo Obuchi is expected to appeal for strengthened international monitoring of trade with India and
Pakistan of materials related to nuclear weapons and missile parts.
US State Department Spokesman James Rubin ("STATE DEPARTMENT NOON BRIEFING, JUNE 9,"
Washington, USIA Transcript, 06/09/98) said that the upcoming foreign ministers meeting in London is
designed to "broaden the circle of countries" who want to pursue the strategy for nuclear nonproliferation
laid out at the Geneva meeting of the five declared nuclear powers and in the UN Security Council
resolution. Rubin stated, "What we're trying to do is develop a group that can coordinate its activities to try
to bring to bear the same positions, and decide how each one of us can pursue bilaterally these efforts and
coordinate through the imprimatur of a foreign ministers' session so that all the governments involved who
have unique influence that can be brought to bear are sharing information with each other about what
messages they're delivering bilaterally so that we are in a position to make sure that neither India nor
Pakistan seeks to play one of the major countries off against each other."
Dow Jones Newswires ("INDIA VAJPAYEE ADDRESSES CONCERNS ABOUT NUCLEAR TESTS-
KYODO," New Delhi, 06/10/98) reported that Japan's Kyodo news service said that Indian Prime Minister
Atal Behari Vajpayee called on Japan and other nations Wednesday to understand India's decision to
conduct nuclear tests. Vajpayee stated, "We would like Japan and the international community to extend
and appreciate our genuine concerns and the rationale behind our decision to conduct nuclear tests. Our
irreducible security concerns have been paramount in our decision." He added, "We have always been
prepared to discuss all issues with Pakistan. I have offered discussions on no-first-use of nuclear weapons
to Pakistan." He said that Pakistan's nuclear tests have vindicated India's stand that "Pakistan's clandestine
nuclear weapon's program had reached a point of no return." He concluded, "India has always been
prepared to have a dialogue with Pakistan on all issues including Kashmir.... We can and should resolve all
outstanding issues through bilateral discussions, without outside mediation."
1. UN-DPRK Military Talks
The United Nations Command (UNC) and the DPRK have agreed to resume a general officers' (GO)
meeting, the most senior channel of communication between the two sides, after seven years, in order to
reduce tension on the Korean peninsula. In a press meeting yesterday, US Army Colonel Thomas Riley,
secretary of the UNC Military Armistice Commission (MAC), announced that the agreement for the GO
meeting was reached during a Monday contact he made with his DPRK counterpart, Park Im-su, in the
truce village of Panmunjom. The MAC secretary said that the first GO meeting will be scheduled shortly,
and that the purpose of the meeting is to handle armistice-related matters at a senior level. Under the terms
of the agreement, the UNC delegation will be composed of one brigadier general each from the ROK and
Britain, one US major general, and one colonel from Thailand, Australia, or the Philippines, on a rotating
basis. UNC deputy chief of staff US Major General Michael Hayden will assume the senior role in the
UNC delegation, but all members will have an equal say, accepting the ROK's key demand for the
resumption of the GO meeting. Colonel Riley stated that the GO meeting is another channel of dialogue
with the DPRK outside the MAC, the sole established line of communication between the two sides, but
falls within the armistice agreement. He said that irrespective of the GO meeting, the UNC senior member,
ROK Lieutenant General Cha Ki-mun, will continue his duties as usual. From the perspective of the
DPRK, this delegation format is seen as a step backward from its original insistence on a one-on-one
meeting with the US. The GO meetings, to be held at Panmunjom at the request of either party, will deal
exclusively with armistice-related matters, such as violations in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). The
UNC/DPRK's GO meeting agreement came after "long term negotiations," according to the UNC
statement. (Korea Times, "UNC, N. KOREA TO OPEN GENERALS TALKS," 06/10/98)
2. ROK-US Summit
ROK President Kim Dae-jung and US President Bill Clinton, during a summit at the White House on
Tuesday, agreed to take an active and flexible stance with respect to inducing the DPRK to open and
reform itself. The two leaders shared the view that the ROK and the US should maintain a water-tight
defense posture on the Korean Peninsula. Clinton was quoted as telling Kim that the US is in full accord
with the ROK's objective of promoting peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula by adopting a
progressive and flexible stance aimed at encouraging the DPRK to take the path of openness and reform.
Clinton also said his administration will encourage direct talks between the two Koreas, according to
presidential spokesman Park Jie-won. At the same time, they agreed to promote the four-party talks to
ensure security and peace on the Korean Peninsula. Clinton said he fully stands behind the three principles
of the ROK's DPRK policy--no toleration of armed provocation by the DPRK; no attempts to absorb the
DPRK in the name of unification; and the active pursuit of inter-Korean exchanges and cooperation.
Spokesman Park said the two leaders fully agreed on the DPRK issue, noting that the summit was largely
dominated by agreements on economic cooperation. Kim said he does not oppose US expansion of the
scope of its relations with the DPRK, including easing economic sanctions against the DPRK, but it is up to
the US to adjust the speed and scope of its economic sanctions. Clinton indicated that the US will consider
adjusting its economic sanctions against the DPRK if the DPRK discards its hostile stance against the ROK
and inter-Korean relations improve. The two countries also agreed to initial an investment agreement by
July of this year, a move intended to stimulate US investment in the ROK. (Korea Times, "ROK, US
AGREE TO FOSTER NK OPENNESS," 06/10/98)
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