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Northeast Asia Peace and Security Network DAILY REPORT For Friday, June 26, 1998, from Berkeley, California, USA |
1. Captured DPRK Submarine
The Associated Press (Paul Shin, "S. KOREA MAKES SPY CLAIM VS. NORTH,"
Donghae, 06/26/98) reported that the ROK Defense Ministry said in a
statement Friday that the DPRK submarine found tangled in a fishing net
Monday had been on a spy mission. The statement added, "North Korea must
acknowledge that the incident was a serious act of provocation, punish
those involved and take action to prevent the recurrence of similar
incidents." The ministry said that it was asking the UN Command to lodge
a formal protest with the DPRK. Lieutenant Colonel Kim Jong-sook, a
spokesman for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that two shoulder-fired
rocket launchers, two light machine guns, two pistols, four hand
grenades, US-made diving gear, a camcorder, and three sets of frogmen's
flippers were found aboard the submarine.
The Washington Post ("9 FOUND DEAD ON CAPTURED N. KOREAN SUB," Tokyo,
06/26/98, A22), the Associated Press (Paul Shin, "NINE BODIES FOUND IN N.
KOREAN SUB," Donghae, 06/26/98), and Reuters (Kim Myong-hwan, "NORTH
KOREAN SUB CREW WAS SHOT DEAD," Seoul, 06/26/98) reported that ROK
commandos on Friday found nine bodies inside the captured DPRK submarine.
Lieutenant General Chung Young-jin of the ROK Joint Chiefs of Staff said
that four of the men were shot in the head and the rest had multiple
bullet wounds. He added, "It appears that four men, including the
commander, shot the five men to death, then committed suicide." The
daily newspaper Joong-ang Ilbo criticized the ROK military for allowing
the submarine to get through, arguing, "There is a fatal hole in
defense." Kim Chul, a spokesman for the opposition Grand National Party,
likewise stated, "We cannot but express concern about the lack of
security awareness of the incumbent government." Meanwhile on Friday,
ROK National Unification Minister Kang In-duk stated, "We need to cope
sternly with the national security issue. But economic issues don't need
to be disturbed."
2. Korean-American Held in DPRK
Reuters ("KOREAN-AMERICAN CLERGYMAN DETAINED IN NORTH KOREA," Washington,
06/25/98) reported that an unnamed US State Department spokesman said
Thursday that Swedish embassy officials in Pyongyang met Wednesday for
the first time with Reverend Kwang-duk Lee, a Korean-American clergyman
who has been detained for several weeks in the DPRK. The spokesman said
that the DPRK had confirmed on June 8 that it was holding Lee in the
Ranjin-Sonbong region. He added that an earlier attempt by the Swedish
embassy, which represents US interests in the DPRK, to visit Lee on June
20 was postponed due to bad weather. The spokesman could give no further
details on the case, saying that Lee had not signed a privacy waiver.
3. US Land Mines in ROK
Reuters (Charles Aldinger, "U.S. COMPLETING DESTRUCTION OF 3.3 MILLION
MINES," Washington, 06/25/98) reported that US Defense Department
spokesman Ken Bacon said on Thursday that the US Army next Tuesday will
complete the destruction of 3.3 million "dumb" landmines, but will keep
more than a million such mines in the ROK. Bacon stated, "I would like
to announce that next week, the Army will destroy the last of 3.3 million
non-self-destructing land mines. This is to comply with the presidential
order that all of the non-self-destructing anti-personnel arsenal be
destroyed except for a small number that are needed to continue our
defense in Korea and to continue training." He added that the US
military is currently reviewing over 20 alternatives or concepts for
alternatives to land mines. He stated, "Some are lethal and some are
nonlethal ... there could be the possibility of nonlethal barriers that
could be erected quickly."
4. PRC-Taiwan Talks
Reuters ("CHINA INVITES TOP TAIWAN ENVOY FOR AUTUMN TALKS," Taipei,
06/25/98) reported that the PRC's Association for Relations Across the
Taiwan Strait on Thursday invited chairman Koo Chen-fu, head of Taiwan's
semi-official Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) to visit the PRC in
September or October to foster conditions for political talks. The
invitation said, "We hope our two organizations, through this expansion
of exchanges and visits, can find consensus for opening political
negotiations." Taiwan's state-funded Central News Agency quoted the SEF
as saying, "We are pleased to see this development. Whether we accept
must be discussed with the Mainland Affairs Council."
5. Taiwan Issue in US-PRC Relations
Reuters ("CLINTON SAYS NO CHANGE IN TAIWAN POLICY," Xia He, 06/26/98)
reported that US President Bill Clinton on Friday reiterated that the US
will not change its policy towards Taiwan as a result of his state visit
to the PRC. Clinton stated, "Our position with regard to Taiwan is
embodied in the three communiques and in the Taiwan Relations Act and in
the facts of our relationship over the years." In Taipei on Thursday,
independence advocates launched a three-day sit-in outside the US
unofficial diplomatic outpost to protest the "selling out" of Taiwan.
The New York Times (Steven Erlanger, "AS CHINESE SEE IT, TAIWAN REMAINS
THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE," Washington, 06/26/98) reported that, in
negotiations with the US, the PRC has offered to limit its missile
cooperation in the Middle East for US commitments to cut arms sales to
Taiwan. However, the US has argued that PRC missile assistance to
countries that may use the weapons offensively is different from US
supplies of defensive weaponry to Taiwan. In January, the US sold Taiwan
three Knox-class frigates and antisubmarine missiles and launchers worth
US$300 million; last year 21 AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopters worth
US$479 million, and, in 1996, two sales of Stinger ground-to-air missiles
and launchers that totaled 1,764 missiles for US$885 million. Winston
Lord, former US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and a former
ambassador to the PRC, stated, "We have a legal and moral obligation to
provide for Taiwan's security, and if Taiwan feels secure there's more
likelihood for a real cross-straits dialogue between Beijing and Taipei
about the future." Lord argued that even the sales of F-16 fighter
planes to Taiwan were legitimate given the PRC's growing military
capacity.
6. Russian Nuclear Policy
The Associated Press ("RUSSIAN STRATEGIC CHIEF: NUCLEAR ARSENAL
NECESSARY-INTERFAX," Moscow, 06/26/98) reported that Russia's Interfax
news agency said Friday that Colonel General Vladimir Yakovlev, the chief
of the Strategic Rocket Forces, said that Russia needs to keep its
nuclear arsenal in place into the next century as a deterrent to
potential military aggressors. Yakovlev said that the service life of
existing nuclear missile systems would be extended as far as possible and
modernized to maintain the preparedness of strategic rocketry. He
stated, "Depending on financing, we will try to keep 450 to 650 launchers
fully deployed." He added that Russia's missile stockpiles will be
maintained within restrictions set under the START-2 arms limitation
treaty.
7. Russian Military Aid to India
The Associated Press ("INDIA TO BUILD NUCLEAR SUB BY 2004 WITH RUSSIAN
HELP," Bombay, 06/26/98) reported that reports by science writer Gopi
Rethinaraj and Andrew Koch, a senior research analyst at the Center for
Defense Information in Washington, in the latest issue of Jane's
Intelligence Review said that India, with Russian help, plans to build
its first nuclear-powered submarine by 2004. Rethinaraj said India would
arm its submarines with nuclear warhead missiles, but not immediately.
Analysts estimated production of Sagarika missiles, which can be fired
underwater, would begin by 2005. Jane's said that India is planning a
fleet of five submarines. According to Rethinaraj and Koch, a land-based
prototype of the submarine's engine has been tested at Kalpakkam in
southern India. The report said that Russian assistance to the Indian
project is mainly in non-nuclear areas such as hull design and underwater
navigation. It said that Russia is also helping India develop the
Sagarika missiles and supplying a limited amount of turbojet and guidance
technology. Jane's said that the recently concluded US$2.6 billion
contract with Russia to build two nuclear power reactors in southern
India was reciprocation for Russian help on the submarine project.
1. ROK Policy toward DPRK
The following is the partial transcript of a translation by the US
Foreign Broadcasts Information Service of a commentary in the DPRK's
Rodong Sinmun ("THERE CAN BE NO 'RECIPROCITY' IN NORTH-SOUTH RELATIONS,"
06/23/98, 5).
"These days, the South Korean authorities are voicing a weird allegation
that 'the principle of reciprocity' must be applied in North-South
relations. Describing 'reciprocity' as its brilliant 'contrivance,' they
have even called it 'a new framework' and 'basic principle' for inter-
Korean relations. At the inter-Korean vice-minister-level contacts held
in Beijing some time ago, pertinent officials from South Korea's
'Ministry of National Unification' presented such a bargaining chip for
the first time. While showing off their worthless good, they tried to
bargain its price with our side. It reminded us of a peddler in a market
place. 'Reciprocity,' in which one must receive something in return for
giving something, is the logic of a typical merchant. Handling inter-
Korean relations, which is a national issue, and the country's
reunification issue on this vulgar logic is outrageous and is nothing but
an expression of snobbery. Our national issue is not something that can
be resolved through equivalent exchanges between the North and South.
Improving North-South relations and realizing the country's reunification
cause are sublime patriotic causes that must be settled by giving
priority to the nation's common interests, aside from either side's
interests. Handling such an important issue with the merchant's logic
does not suit with the character of our national issue nor can it be a
solution to the problem. If the North and South, caring for their own
pockets, engage in the bargaining of the national cause, just like
merchants, both sides will always confront each other and will not able
to resolve the fatherland reunification issue, a long-cherished desire of
the nation. In this perspective, the South Korean authorities'
'reciprocity' is a thoroughly anti-national logic of division and
confrontation....
"Of course, we do not oppose reciprocity in general. Reciprocity is
generally applied in relations between countries. However, as stipulated
in the North-South agreement signed by the South Korean authorities
themselves, inter-Korean relations are not relations between countries.
It is wrong to apply reciprocity, which is applied in international
relations, to North-South relations, whose characteristics they
recognized as explained above. However, what cannot be all the more
overlooked is that they regarded North-South relations as relations
between countries and described the agreement as an international treaty,
ignoring the agreement. We ask the South Korean authorities whether
they, who completely deny even the basic contents of the agreement that
determines inter-Korean relations, if they truly have any intention to
implement the agreement....
"We cannot know whether the so-called 'reciprocity' was first hatched by
the new ruler who wants to attract the people's attention or by the
unification minister who attempts to get good marks from the ruler.
According to their remarks, they are advocating 'reciprocity' because
they were taken in unilaterally in the past North-South relations and
that they now cannot help but consider 'the people's sentiments.' This
is truly a pitiful excuse which shows that they do not know shame or feel
responsibility. They went so far as to say that 'humanitarian aid' to us
was 'unilateral' and that they have not received anything in return.
Having forgotten what they owe us in the past, they are now talking about
'unilateral' aid. What they said are brazen-faced, imprudent remarks.
They want something in return for humanitarian aid and ask us to pay
something for exchanging help between compatriots. This is a shameful
way of thinking, reflecting that they have lost the consciousness that we
are the same compatriots. The South Korean authorities seem to have
forgotten the fact that the people in the northern half of the Republic
sincerely prepared and sent a large amount of relief goods with warm
feelings of kinship at the time of floods in 1984....
"The intention of the South Korean authorities, which are holding the
signboard of reciprocity, is obvious. Their real goal is not to seek
reciprocity out of good intention or to resolve the issues of North-South
relations and the country's reunification from a patriotic position.
Their real goal is to disorganize us from within by using some pennies
and goods as a bargaining chip. The South Korean authorities still talk
nonsense about 'opening up' at every opportunity. This well illustrates
that they are in a foolish fantasy. We cannot tolerate the wrong idea
that money and goods can buy anything. We want to give a piece of advice
to the South Korean authorities. They had better apply 'reciprocity' to
their relations with the United States. How shameful that they could not
say a word of protest even though they have lived without independence
and national dignity over a half century under US occupation! The South
Korean women have been physically abused by the US imperialist force of
aggression, but they cannot say a word. Do they have enough face to talk
about 'reciprocity' to us, the fellow countrymen, when they keep mum
about the disgrace with which South Korean women are physically abused by
US imperialist force of aggression? ...
"Now we have opened wide the door for dialogue and the improvement of
relations between the North and South. The great leader [yongdoja]
Comrade Kim Jong-il announced a work on fatherland reunification on 4
August 1997 and the historical work on the great national unity on 18
April 1998, thereby elucidating to all the people the road toward
reconciliation, unity, and the reunification of the fatherland.
Especially, it is significant that he has presented a reasonable step for
improving inter-Korean relations as one of the five-point policy for the
great national unity. The South Korean authorities should learn
something from this. It is meaningless to be obsessed with the snobbish
merchants' logic and principle of 'reciprocity,' to pursue confrontation,
and to dream an unachievable dream. It will only bring disaster. As
agreed with us and vowed before the nation, the South Korean authorities
should assume a patriotic position as soon as possible and set on the
road of collaboration and reconciliation with the North according to the
spirit of independence, peaceful reunification, and great national unity.
Time will not wait."
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