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Northeast Asia Peace and Security Network DAILY REPORT For Tuesday, July 14, 1998, from Berkeley, California, USA |
1. DPRK Infiltrator
US State Department Spokesman James Rubin ("STATE DEPT. NOON BRIEFING,
MONDAY, JULY 13," USIA Transcript, 07/13/98) said that the issue of the
apparent DPRK infiltrator whose body was found in the ROK on Sunday was
raised at a previously scheduled colonel-level meeting held July 12 at
Panmunjom. Rubin said that the DPRK's Korean People's Army
representatives at that meeting claimed to know nothing about the
incident. He added, "This incident is still under investigation, but it
does appear to be a very serious matter and yet another violation of the
armistice. We strongly urge the DPRK to immediately cease such
provocative acts." Rubin said that "it is very hard to know what
motivates [the DPRK] leadership to take some of these unjustified and
provocative and serious violations that they've taken in the past." He
added that the four-party talks would "go forward in a much improved
climate in the absence of these provocative actions." Regarding the 1994
Agreed Framework, Rubin stated, "We will continue to pursue and provide,
pursuant to the agreement, the necessary heavy fuel oil and arrangements
for financing the light water reactor ... because we think it's in our
national interest to do so. We fully expect the North Koreans to live up
to their share of the bargain."
Reuters ("S.KOREA, U.S. SET PLAN VS N.KOREAN SPIES," Seoul, 07/13/98)
reported that the ROK Joint Chiefs of Staff said statement on Monday that
it had agreed with the US on joint operations against any future limited
provocation from the DPRK. The statement said, "In all future operations
against limited provocation, both sides will consult closely regarding
timely and appropriate support by U.S. forces." It added that the UN
Command (UNC) would protest against the latest intrusion as a violation
of the armistice at a meeting of military officials between the DPRK and
the UNC later this week. A Chong Wa Dae spokesman said that ROK Defense
Minister Chun Yong-taek was cutting short his US visit because of the
incident and that the National Security Council would likely meet on
Monday.
The Associated Press (Paul Shin, "S. KOREA SEEKS N. KOREAN INTRUDERS,"
Seoul, 07/13/98) reported that Colonel Hwang Dong-kyu, a spokesman for
the ROK Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that security forces expanded a
search for possible DPRK intruders on Tuesday. Hwang stated, "All
measures are being taken to expand the dragnet and block the likely
escape routes on the east coast." In addition to tens of thousands of
soldiers deployed for the search, government officials said they were
considering mobilizing tens of thousands of reservists.
2. Alleged DPRK Purges
Agence-France Presse ("S. KOREAN AGENT REPORTS NORTH HAS EXECUTED AT
LEAST 50 OFFICIALS IN PURGE," Seoul, 07/13/98) reported that Lee Jong-
chan, head of the ROK's National Intelligence Service, told the National
Assembly on Monday that the DPRK has publicly executed more than 50 high-
ranking officials, including a military general. Lee stated, "North
Korea has been stemming any resentment at its source through merciless
purges and a tight thought control." He confirmed earlier press reports
that Ri Bong-won, a four-star general in charge of personnel movements in
the Korean People's Army, was executed for allegedly spying for the ROK.
Lee added that So Kwan-hi, agriculture secretary of the Korean Workers
Party (KWP), was eliminated on charges of sabotaging agriculture. He
said that Ri and So were executed last September along with seven members
of an umbrella youth organization, the Kim Il-Sung Socialist Youth
League. Choe Ryong-hae, head of the Youth League, was dismissed for
corruption, Lee said. Jang Song-thaek, one of nine first vice directors
of the party's central committee and Kim Jong-il's brother-in-law, was
put through a "revolutionary education" course for corruption, but
informed sources in Seoul said that Jang had since made a political
comeback.
3. ROK-Russian Spying Row
The Associated Press ("RUSSIAN DIPLOMAT NABBED FOR TREASON," Moscow,
07/13/98) reported that Russia's ITAR-Tass news agency quoted officials
in the Federal Security Service as saying that Valentin Moiseyev, a
deputy chief of the Foreign Ministry's First Asian Department, was
charged with high treason on Monday for allegedly turning over secrets to
ROK diplomat Cho Sung-woo.
4. Compensation for Wartime Forced Labor
The Associated Press ("JAPAN WAR LABORERS GET PUNY PENSION," Tokyo,
07/14/98) reported that Japan's Kyodo News agency said that the Japanese
government on Tuesday granted Yang Chun-ki and Kwon Byong-suk, two Korean
women forced to work in a Japanese factory during World War II, 12 cents
apiece in pension. Officials at the Toyama Social Insurance Agency,
which calculated the payout, were quoted as saying that the pension is
the equivalent of 15 days of the women's 1941 wages. Hiroshi Yamada, a
lawyer representing the women, said the government deserves credit for
making the payment after half a century, but he said the amount should
have been more in line with current prices.
5. ROK Labor Unrest
The Associated Press ("THOUSANDS WALK OFF JOB IN S. KOREA ," Seoul,
07/14/98) reported that about 55,000 ROK auto, shipbuilding, and other
metal workers walked off their jobs Tuesday to protest layoffs.
Organizers said that the strikers would be joined Wednesday by 50,000
more workers, mostly from banks and state-run companies being offered for
sale. Labor Ministry spokesman Lee Soo-young said that the strike was
not expected to seriously hurt the affected industries, noting that most
of them already have large inventories of unsold goods. He added, "What
we are worried about is its psychological impact on foreign investors."
6. ROK Prime Minister
("KOREAN COURT DISMISSES SUIT OPPOSING PRIME MINISTER APPOINTMENT,"
Seoul, 07/14/98) reported that the ROK Constitutional Court on Tuesday
dismissed a petition from the main opposition Grand National Party to
nullify the appointment of Kim Jong-pil as acting prime minister. The
court ruled that the opposition party did not have the legal standing to
submit such a petition, which would have to come from the National
Assembly.
7. PRC-Taiwan Relations
Reuters (Alice Hung, "CHINESE CABINET MINISTER ARRIVES IN TAIWAN FOR
HISTORIC VISIT," Taipei, 07/14/98) reported that PRC Science and
Technology Minister Zhu Lilan became the first PRC cabinet minister to
visit Taiwan on Tuesday. Zhu was leading a 14-member delegation to a
seminar on cross-straits science and technology exchanges. She stated,
"I am very pleased to visit the motherland's precious island." She added
that she hoped the trip would help promote cooperation and exchanges
across the Taiwan straits.
8. PRC-Russian Relations
Dow Jones Newswires ("RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER TO VISIT CHINA JULY 22-
26," Beijing, 07/14/98) reported that PRC Foreign Ministry spokesman Tang
Guoqiang announced Tuesday that Russian Foreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov
will visit July 22 to 26. Tang said that Primakov would meet with
various officials to discuss improving bilateral relations and make
preparations for September's Sino-Russian presidential summit. Also,
Russian Prime Minister Sergei Kiriyenko will arrive in Beijing Tuesday
afternoon to meet with PRC Premier Zhu Rongji and President Jiang Zemin.
9. Alleged Technology Transfers to PRC
The Associated Press (Tom Raum, "SENATE SAYS SATELLITE HELPED CHINA,"
Washington, 07/14/98) reported that US Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott
said Tuesday that investigators have determined that the PRC received
sensitive technology and military benefits from US satellite exports.
Lott stated, "The Clinton administration's export controls for satellites
are wholly inadequate." However, Democratic Senators disputed Lott's
conclusions, arguing that the "interim report" summarizing the Senate
investigation had no input from Democrats.
10. US Sanctions on India and Pakistan
The Associated Press ("CLINTON SEEKS MORE FLEXIBILITY IN SANCTIONS FOR
INDIA, PAKISTAN," Washington, 07/14/98) reported that Karl F. Inderfurth,
assistant secretary of state for South Asian affairs, asked Congress on
Monday to give the Clinton administration authority to waive the economic
sanctions imposed on India and Pakistan. Inderfurth said that the
sanctions are too rigid and that the US would have more leverage for
slowing the South Asian arms race if it also had the power to waive them.
Inderfurth stated, "Our purpose is not to punish for punishment's sake,
but to influence the behavior of both governments." He added that the
sanctions would not be waived unless "substantial progress" is made by
India and Pakistan toward nuclear nonproliferation goals. The US Senate
voted last week to exempt agricultural exports from the sanctions. It is
expected to take up legislation soon that would waive all the current
sanctions for nine months, followed by a graduated waiver based on
presidential certification that India and Pakistan were making progress
in reducing nuclear tensions.
11. South Asian Arms Race
United Press International (Anwar Iqbal, "PAKISTAN INVITES UN SECRETARY-
GENERAL," Islamabad, 07/13/98) reported that Pakistan Prime Minister
Nawaz Sharif invited UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to visit Islamabad
"as soon as possible." Sharif said in a letter to Annan, "Pakistan
favors a substantive and sustained engagement by the United Nations to
help overcome the grave security crisis in South Asia."
12. Non-Aligned Summit
Reuters ("NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION TOPIC FOR SUMMIT OF NON-ALIGNED STATES,"
Cairo, 07/14/98) reported that South African Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz
Pahad said on Monday that a Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit in
September would discuss the issue of nuclear proliferation. Pahad said
that South Africa would try to convince other NAM members to sign an
initiative calling on India, Pakistan, and Israel to give up their
nuclear weapons. In addition to South Africa, Egypt, Sweden, Ireland,
New Zealand, Slovenia, Brazil, and Mexico have signed the petition.
Pahad stated, "The whole issue of non-proliferation will be a topic and
whether members can subscribe to it. We think it goes across ideological
divides."
1. DPRK Infiltrators
Military authorities tentatively have judged that there is a possibility
that two more DPRK agents have infiltrated the ROK on the submersible
unit found Friday and are strengthening the search operations that they
announced Monday. Soldiers are combing the seashore area looking for
evidence that the agents may have left behind and special divers are
searching off the coast for signs of weapons. General Kim Jin-ho of the
Joint Chiefs of Staff and John H. Tillery, commander of the US-Korean
Combined Forces Command, met Monday and agreed to lodge an official
protest and demand no recurrence at a meeting scheduled with the DPRK in
Panmunjon. Additionally, they agreed that US forces could be used in the
event of any further infiltration and to strengthen anti-submarine
surveillance off the east coast. It is known that the ROK and the US are
studying she use of OH-58D reconnaissance helicopters, which can operate
at night. The UN Command delivered a protest at the morning meeting at
Panmunjon, but the DPRK denied complicity in the incident. A civilian
exclusion order is in force in the mountains around the area where it is
thought the infiltrators would be heading. (Chosun Ilbo, "JOINT SEARCH
BEGINS FOR INFILTRATORS." 07/14/98)
The ROK government is seeking to take strong actions against the DPRK,
including the postponement of a second shipment of cattle by the founder
of the Hyundai Group, in its belief that the incursion of armed DPRK
agents using a watercraft is "definitely" a provocative action, officials
said Monday. The ROK will also intensify a dialogue with the US and
neighboring countries as part of preparations to launch diplomatic action
against the DPRK, they said. However, the administration will stick to
the "sunshine policy." This does not mean the ROK would revoke any means
to punish the DPRK, presidential spokesman Park Jie-won said. He stated,
"The government is convinced the sunshine policy can be implemented only
when Seoul would take strong security policies." A senior ROK
Unification Ministry official characterized this incident as an attempt
by the DPRK's hard-line military officers to raise tension on the Korean
peninsula, a situation that meets their factional interests. The ROK
government convened a standing committee meeting of the National Security
Council at the Office for South-North Dialogue in Samchong-doong, with
ROK Defense Minister Chun Yong-taek returning home after cutting short
his trip to the US. Another senior official said that President Kim Dae-
jung also believes that "strong counteraction" is needed this time
because Sunday's discovery of the body of a DPRK spy is an "incident of a
different nature," than last month's incursion of a DPRK mini-sub. At
that time, the DPRK contended that the submarine had drifted into ROK
territorial waters due to engine failure, but this time, the DPRK would
find it difficult so make a similar explanation because the watercraft
was found along with the body of a heavily-armed agent. (Korea Times,
"SEOUL TO TAKE STRONG ACTION AGAINST PYONOYANG," 07/14/98)
2. Public Reaction to DPRK Submarine Incident
The ROK general public has shown signs of escalating anger toward both
the provocative actions of the DPRK and the Kim Dae-jung administration,
media reports said. The majority of people in the ROK were angry because
the DPRK infiltrator's corpse was found less than 20 days after the
submarine. Even before the ROK received an apology from the DPRK, the
DPRK dispatched an armed spy or possibly a group of agents. Further
angering people was the fact that ordinary fishermen and village people,
not soldiers or policemen, first spotted the submarine and the body of
the infiltrator. Calls are rising for ousting ROK Defense Minister Chun
Yong-taek for the series of alleged "blunders" committed by the military.
However, a Defense Ministry official said that the former Kim Young-sam
administration removed barbed wire from the eastern coastal lines for the
convenience of fishermen and vacationers. The official added that it
does not matter who first spotted the infiltrators. The bulk of soldiers
guarding the coastlines were redeployed to the front lines and they may
be dispatched to contain the infiltrators, he noted. At this time,
public outcry against the military would demoralize the soldiers, he
argued. Despite the public criticism, the Kim Dae-jung administration
remains calm but serious, with a long-term goal of encouraging the DPRK
to move toward openness and reform. (Korea Times, "SEOUL TO ADOPT COOL 2
TRACK APPROACH TOWARD NK," 07/14/98)
The DPRK's dispatch of armed agents to the ROK's eastern coast has
emerged as a key campaign issue in the July 21 parliamentary reelection
and by-elections. The main opposition Grand National Party (GNP) on
Monday criticized President Kim Dae-jung's "sunshine policy" of engaging
the DPRK, claiming that it is responsible for the latest intrusion. The
GNP also accused the ruling coalition of mismanaging national security.
"The latest infiltration by a DPRK agent has caused our party once again
to question the government's ability to address the DPRK threats
effectively," GNP spokesman Kim Chull said. While demanding that
security-related ministers be reprimanded, Kim claimed that the ROK
government is paying for what he called a "senseless sunshine policy."
The opposition spokesman also said that his party would demand that
Defense Minister Chun Yong-taek hold himself responsible for creating
worry about national security. He demanded that the government overhaul
its DPRK policy. However, President Kim's National Congress for New
Politics (NCNP) warned the opposition against capitalizing on the
incident to promote its chances of winning in the upcoming elections.
The NCNP said that it would urge the government to strengthen its
security posture. NCNP Secretary-General Chung Kyung-hwan said that the
discovery of the dead DPRK commando would have little impact on electoral
districts other than Kangnung, which is near the infiltration site.
(Korea Herald, "NORTH KOREAN INFILTRATIONS MAY SWAY CONSERVATIVE VOTE,"
07/14/98)
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