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Northeast Asia Peace and Security Network DAILY REPORT For Monday, August 10, 1998, from Berkeley, California, USA |
1. ROK Labor Unrest
The Associated Press (Kyong-Hwa Seok, "TALKS REOPEN IN HYUNDAI STRIKE,"
Seoul, 08/10/98) reported that management and union negotiators met
Monday to try to settle a three-week strike at the ROK's Hyundai Motor
Co. The union has proposed a reduction in working hours or a work-
sharing program to avoid layoffs, but the company has rejected that as a
makeshift solution. Meanwhile, the government was reportedly ready to
use police to break up the strike.
2. ROK Floods
Reuters (Nick Yon, "HEAVY RAINS LASH S.KOREA AGAIN; DEATH TOLL AT 234,"
Seoul, 08/10/98) reported that the ROK was hit with heavy rains again on
Monday. The flooding resulting from the rains has left 234 people dead
and 91 missing nationwide, along with more than 116,000 people homeless.
An unnamed disaster agency official stated, "Heavy rains in northern
areas outlying Seoul are hampering relief and search operations." Lee
Sung-tae, a central Bank Of Korea official, said that, due to the
flooding, the ROK's gross domestic product could contract even more than
the four percent this year projected by the government and the
International Monetary Fund. Local media reports said ROK military units
had lost 10 tons of mines and other munitions in the floods. A US
military statement said that the death toll included three US soldiers.
3. US-Japan Relations
US Department Of State Deputy Spokesman James B. Foley ("STATE 8/7 ON
UPCOMING VISIT OF JAPAN FOREIGN MINISTER," USIA Text, 08/07/98) announced
Friday that Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura will visit
Washington on August 14 to meet with Secretary of State Madeleine K.
Albright. The statement said, "They will discuss bilateral, regional and
global issues of mutual interest, including the economic and fiscal
policy measures announced today by Prime Minister Obuchi."
4. Japanese Politics
Agence France-Presse (Shingo Ito, "JAPAN'S OPPOSITION DEMANDS SNAP
ELECTIONS," Tokyo, 08/10/98) reported that the main opposition Democratic
Party of Japan demanded on Monday that Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi
immediately call elections for the lower house of parliament. Kansei
Nakano, deputy head of the Democratic Party, argued, "The Obuchi
administration does not reflect the people's will." Obuchi responded,
"Our priority is to revive the financial sector reform. Therefore, I
don't have dissolution in my mind." He added, "I will listen to
proposals prepared by the opposition groups and aim to enact laws as soon
as possible by seeking their understanding and cooperation."
5. Asian Financial Crisis
The Washington Post (Sandra Sugawara, "BAD ECONOMIC NEWS HITS ASIAN
CURRENCIES," Tokyo, 08/08/98, D01) reported that Hong Kong Chief
Executive Tung Chee-hwa pledged to keep the Hong Kong dollar pegged to
the US dollar despite drops in the Japanese yen and other Asian
currencies. Meanwhile, black-market exchange rates in the PRC fell below
9 yuan to the dollar on Friday, compared with the official rate of 8.28
yuan to the dollar.
6. US Satellite Exports to PRC
The Washington Post (John Mintz, "HUGHES CORP. PRESSING WHITE HOUSE TO
CLEAR NEW DEAL WITH CHINA," 08/09/98, A12) reported that Hughes
Electronics Corp. is intensely lobbying the Clinton administration for
permission to proceed with a new telecommunications satellite deal with
the PRC. Hughes has argued that the satellite would carry mostly
civilian telephone connections across Asia and would offer only slight
benefit to the PRC military. However, some US Department of Defense
officials have pointed out that six Chinese companies, including some
tied to the PRC military, control most of the stock in the satellite
venture and would oversee the spacecraft's operations in handling mobile
telephone calls for the PRC and 21 other Asian countries. Critics have
said that it would help the PRC military address weaknesses in command
and control and to eavesdrop on calls placed through the satellite.
7. Indian Naval Development
Reuters ("INDIA LAUNCHES WARSHIP, PLANS AIRCRAFT CARRIER," Calcutta,
08/10/98) reported that Indian Defense Minister George Fernandes on
Monday commissioned a new warship into the navy. The warship is armed
with long-range sea-skimming missiles and can carry attack helicopters.
Fernandes also said that the government would soon make a decision to
build an indigenous aircraft carrier. He added that while military and
economic sanctions imposed by the US after India's nuclear tests would
delay some defense projects, India would seek alternative sources of
technology. He stated, "Our army's equipment, our air force and navy's
equipment has overwhelmingly been from Russia and it remains (as such)."
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