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Northeast Asia Peace and Security Network DAILY REPORT For Wednesday, September 9, 1998, from Berkeley, California, USA |
1. DPRK's Alleged Satellite Launch
US State Department Spokesman James Rubin ("STATE DEPARTMENT NOON
BRIEFING, SEPTEMBER 8, 1998," Washington, USIA Transcript, 09/09/98) said
that US analysts have not been able to confirm DPRK assertions that it
launched a small satellite on August 31, 1998. He stated, "They have not
observed any object orbiting the Earth that correlates to the orbital
data the North Koreans have provided in their public statements, nor have
they observed any new object orbiting the Earth in an orbital path that
could relate to the North Korean claims." Rubin added that, while it is
an important question as to whether or not the DPRK launched a satellite,
nevertheless "there was a missile launched that demonstrated the
capability to deliver a payload at very long range. So that was the
matter of concern in combination with the North Koreans' active missile
program and previous missile tests that we've seen."
US Department of Defense Spokesman Kenneth Bacon ("PENTAGON REGULAR
BRIEFING, TUESDAY, SEPT. 8, 1998," USIA Transcript, 09/08/98) said that
the US is not able to confirm the DPRK assertion that it launched a
satellite on August 31. Bacon stated, "US SPACECOM, the Space Command,
is in the process now of looking at a wide array of evidence that we have
collected about this and will take some time to complete the analysis.
But right now SPACECOM has not observed any object orbiting the earth
that correlates with the orbit announced by the North Koreans in their
public statements. Second, SPACECOM has not observed any new object
orbiting the earth in an orbital path that could correlate with North
Korean claims. Third, to the best of our knowledge, no US radio receiver
has been able to depict radio transmissions at 27 MHz." He added, "The
Space Command can detect items much smaller than this satellite would be.
So I don't think that's the issue." He also said that "no matter what
the purpose of the August 31st launch was, whether it was to launch a
satellite or to do something else, it did demonstrate that the North
Koreans have an ability to delivery payloads over a longer range with the
new Taepodong I missile, and that, of course, is worrisome." He stated,
"I think that any country that would contemplate using weapons to attack
United States troops abroad would have to expect a very swift and
decisive, perhaps even a massive response."
Reuters ("U.S. SEES PROGRESS IN TALKS WITH N. KOREA," Washington,
09/08/98) reported that US officials privately said that there was
considerable internal debate among intelligence analysts over exactly
what the DPRK had done with its recent rocket launch. One theory was
that the satellite launch failed, while another was that the DPRK was now
claiming it launched a satellite because that could be perceived as less
threatening and less objectionable than a missile. One unnamed official
said, "On one level, every country's right to launch a satellite has not
been challenged. That's why it would be different. It's harder to argue
against their missile capability if they are indeed launching a
satellite."
Reuters ("N KOREA DEFENDS LAUNCH OF 'SATELLITE' OVER JAPAN," Tokyo,
09/08/98) reported that the DPRK's official Korean Central News Agency on
Wednesday issued a dispatch defending its launch of what it says was a
rocket carrying a satellite over northern Japan. The report said, "The
scientists chose the sky above Tsugaru Strait between Hokkaido and
Honshu, Japan, as the trajectory of the recent artificial satellite
launch." It added, "The carrier rocket was equipped with a device with
which to lead the rocket to a safe area and explode it in case the flying
rocket is deviated from the expected trajectory." It said, "As
instructed by Kim Jong-il, the first artificial satellite was launched to
significantly adorn the first session of the tenth Supreme People's
Assembly and the 50th anniversary of the founding of the DPRK." It said
that DPRK scientists were receiving data from the satellite on
temperature and air pressure.
2. US-DPRK Talks
US State Department Spokesman James Rubin ("STATE DEPARTMENT NOON
BRIEFING, SEPTEMBER 8, 1998," Washington, USIA Transcript, 09/09/98) said
that the US and the DPRK have held a series of meetings in New York over
the last week. Rubin stated, "The delegations have returned to
Washington to report on the status of the talks to our leadership, to the
Congress and to our allies. The DPRK Vice Foreign Minister returned to
Pyongyang on Monday to report to his government." He added, "In these
talks, what we've been trying to do is to seek concrete steps to assure
that there is full compliance with all aspects of the agreed framework.
This is absolutely essential. We have also sought to make progress on a
number of other issues of bilateral and regional concern, including
missile proliferation, terrorism and a resumption of talks aimed at
reducing tensions and achieving a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula."
Rubin said that the talks have made progress on a number of these issues,
but he refused to discuss the details.
Reuters ("U.S. SEES PROGRESS IN TALKS WITH N. KOREA," Washington,
09/08/98) reported that an anonymous US official said that the US had
detected some movement in the DPRK position over its alleged underground
nuclear complex. The official would not elaborate.
3. Japanese Reaction to DPRK Launch
Reuters ("BARRING REMITTANCES TO NORTH KOREA WOULD BE DIFFICULT," Tokyo,
09/08/98) reported that Japanese Ministry of Finance (MOF) officials said
on Tuesday that a cutoff in cash remittances from Japan to the DPRK would
need international coordination to make it effective and force a revision
of the Foreign Exchange Law. An unnamed MOF official said, "Under the
current law, Japan cannot act on its own. International cooperation is
needed." Another MOF official stated, "Forex transactions are connected
worldwide. Without participation by other major industrialized nations,
a remittance ban by Japan only would not work effectively."
Dow Jones Newswires ("JAPAN MAY GIVE NUCLEAR PLANT FUNDS WITH N. KOREA
TALKS-KYODO," Tokyo, 09/09/98) reported that the Kyodo news service on
Wednesday cited Japanese Foreign Ministry sources as saying that Japan
may lift suspension of its contribution to the building of two light-
water nuclear reactors in the DPRK if there is progress in missile talks
between the DPRK and the US. The report said that such progress would be
necessary for the Japanese Diet to approve Japan's share in the project.
Reuters ("JAPAN PROTESTS TO U.N. OVER N. KOREA MISSILE LAUNCH," United
Nations, 09/08/98) reported that Japanese UN Ambassador Hisashi Owada
sent a letter to Security Council President Hans Dahlgren of Sweden on
Tuesday protesting the launching a two-stage rocket by the DPRK last
week. The letter said, "The government of Japan considers that this act
of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea directly affects the
security of Japan and the peace and stability of the entire northeast
Asian region. Furthermore, it raises a serious concern about the
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems."
Owada did not request any specific action by the council. Dahlgren said
that Owada "mentioned that consultations are going on, and this means
that we will ... revert to this subject at a later stage."
4. ROK-DPRK Talks
Reuters ("SEOUL CALLS FOR DIALOGUE WITH NKOREA'S NEW LEADERS," Seoul,
09/07/98) reported that the ROK Ministry of Unification issued a
statement on Monday calling for the resumption of an official dialogue
with the DPRK. The statement said, "We hope that North Korea's
inauguration of a new leadership will serve as an opportunity to help
open an era of peace, reconciliation and cooperation between the South
and the North. To this end, we hope that the official dialogue between
the authorities of the South and North will be resumed as soon as
possible." The statement also urged the DPRK to make "sincere efforts
for the peace of Northeast Asia and the rest of world" and reduce
tensions on the Korean peninsula. Meanwhile, ROK President Kim Dae-
jung's spokesman Park Ji-won quoted President Kim as telling former US
Secretary of State Henry Kissinger on Saturday, "South Korea, the United
States and Japan should not get wild, but cope with [the DPRK missile
test] calmly while maintaining close three-way cooperation."
5. PRC-DPRK Relations
The Los Angeles Times carried an analytical article (Jim Mann, "CHINA
MUST DEFINE ITS ROLE IN N. KOREA," Washington, 09/09/98) which questioned
how much influence the PRC exerts over the DPRK. The article quoted
former US ambassador to the ROK and PRC James R. Lilley as saying that
the recent DPRK missile test was "very much against China's own
interests," due to its possible effects on the construction of a missile-
defense system. The author argued, "The North Korean missile test could
help Japan overcome its qualms about the high costs of the anti-missile
program and its fears of incurring China's wrath if it signed up for the
project." Jonathan Pollack at the Rand Corporation said that the PRC
"will play at best a cheerleading role for those who want to curb North
Korean activities. But they will let others do the heavy lifting." The
article's author concluded, "China is North Korea's main outside supplier
of food and energy. When the North Koreans start lobbing missiles around
Asia, it seems fair to ask China to take a leading role in stopping such
dangerous activity."
6. 50th Anniversary of DPRK's Founding
The Associated Press ("NORTH KOREA 50TH ANNIVERSARY PARADE," Seoul,
09/09/98) reported that the DPRK marked the 50th anniversary of its
founding Wednesday with leader Kim Jong-il viewing a military parade in
Pyongyang. A dispatch by the DPRK's official Pyongyang Radio did not
report the number of soldiers who took part in the parade. Reportedly no
sophisticated weapons were displayed.
7. US-ROK Relations
The US Department of State Office of the Spokesman ("ROK FOREIGN MINISTER
HONG TO VISIT U.S.," Washington, USIA Text, 09/08/98) announced that ROK
Foreign Minister Hong Soon-young will travel to Washington to meet with
US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright on Friday, September 11. The
announcement said, "Issues to be discussed include North Korea's missile
activities, matters relating to implementation of the Agreed Framework,
South Korea's economic situation, and other matters of bilateral
concern."
8. ROK National Security Law
Dow Jones Newswires ("S. KOREA'S PRES KIM PROMISES TO REVISE ANTI-SPYING
LAW," Seoul, 09/09/98) reported that ROK President Kim Dae-jung on
Wednesday told Pierre Sane, secretary general of the London-based human
rights group Amnesty International, that his government will revise the
National Security Law. Kim's spokesman, Park Jie-won, quoted Kim as
saying, "The day will come when the government will push for a revision,
and it will happen before long." Kim said that increasing military
threats from the DPRK have intensified anti-communist sentiment in the
ROK, making it politically risky for his government to try to revise the
law.
9. US Missile Defense System
The Associated Press (Tom Raum, "MISSILE DEFENSE PLAN IS REVIVED,"
Washington, 09/09/98) reported that a motion to move ahead with a debate
on legislation to speed deployment of a national missile defense system
fell one short of the required 60 votes. Senator Thad Cochran, R-Miss.,
stated, "We are putting that security at risk under the current policy."
However, Senator Carl Levin, D-Mich., cited the strong opposition to the
bill of General Henry H. Shelton, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,
as justifying a no vote. Levin stated, "It will not contribute to our
national security. It will weaken and jeopardize our national security."
US Department of Defense Spokesman Kenneth Bacon ("PENTAGON REGULAR
BRIEFING, TUESDAY, SEPT. 8, 1998," USIA Transcript, 09/08/98) said that
the US national missile defense program is a "three plus three" program.
Bacon said that the policy consisted of "Three years in development and
then starting in the year 2000 ... three years from a decision to deploy,
to actually deploy." He added, "it's not simply a question of adding
money to these programs or setting arbitrary scheduled acceleration
goals. It's a matter of making the current programs work. That's what
the missile designers and builders are trying to do right now." Bacon
argued, "The question of national missile defense is complex and very
contentious politically. On that program the [Joint] Chiefs [of Staff]
believe that the current 'three plus three' program is about as ambitious
as we can be."
10. US Sanctions Law
The Washington Post (Thomas W. Lippman, "NEGOTIATIONS ON SANCTIONS OPEN
ON HILL," 09/09/98, A24) and the Wall Street Journal (Robert S.
Greenberger, "U.S. SEES LIMIT TO USE OF SANCTIONS," Washington, 09/09/98)
reported that US Undersecretary of State Stuart Eizenstat said Tuesday
that the president needs more flexibility in sanctions law, including the
right to waive sanctions when he believes it would be in the national
interest. Eizenstat told a Senate task force, "If our policies are to be
effective, we must work together to see that our use of sanctions is
appropriate, coherent and designed to gain international support."
11. Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty
Reuters (John Chalmers, "INDIA IN NO RUSH TO SIGN N-TEST BAN PACT," New
Delhi, 09/08/98) reported that Brajesh Mishra, principal secretary to
Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, said Tuesday that India is
not ready to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). Mishra
stated, "The main problem is that in this country there has been
traditional opposition to the non-proliferation regime put up by the
United States and others." He said this meant domestic opinion in India
had to be turned around before India could join the CTBT. He also said
that one of the stumbling blocks was the failure of the US Congress to
ratify the CTBT. He added that the planned visit to South Asia by US
President Bill Clinton in November had no bearing on India's
deliberations. Mishra said that he thought it unlikely that Clinton
would make his trip, saying, "Our point of view is that Mr. Clinton could
hardly come here while the sanctions are in place and India could hardly
receive him while the sanctions are in place."
The Associated Press ("PAKISTAN GOVT WANTS TO SIGN NUCLEAR TEST BAN -
NEWSPAPER," Islamabad, 09/09/98) reported that Pakistan's the Nation
newspaper said Wednesday that Pakistan's government wants to sign the
nuclear test ban treaty and will seek parliament's approval. Pakistan
Information Minister Mushahid Hussain confirmed that parliament had been
summoned for a special joint debate about the issue on Friday, but
insisted that the government had yet to take a stand. On Monday, a top
Pakistan official said that the Pakistani government's defense committee
had approved signing the treaty.
12. Russian Nuclear Safety
The Associated Press ("RUSSIAN GOVT TO PAY BACK WAGES OF NUCLEAR WORKERS-
INTERFAX," Moscow, 09/09/98) reported that the Russian government plans
to allocate 317 million rubles before the end of the month to pay back
wages to nuclear industry workers. Acting Finance Minister Mikhail
Zadornov and the vice chairman of the Atomic Energy Workers' union,
Vladimir Kashkin, signed an agreement Wednesday for transferring the
funds to the Atomic Energy Ministry. The money is about half of the
federal government's wage debt to nuclear industry workers. Trade union
leaders had said that the failure to pay threatens the safety of Russia's
nuclear centers.
1. ROK-US Relations
Top ROK and US foreign policymakers are expected to discuss the DPRK's
demand that it be removed from the US list of terrorist nations when they
meet in Washington this week. ROK Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Hong Soon-young, who is scheduled to embark on a four-day US trip on
Wednesday, will discuss recent developments in the DPRK when he meets
with US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. One of the major agenda
items will be the outcome of the US-DPRK talks, in which the DPRK
demanded it be excluded from the US list of terrorist countries,
officials of the ROK Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said Tuesday.
(Korea Herald, "MINISTER HONG SOON-YOUNG TO DISCUSS NORTH KOREA ISSUES ON
US TRIP," 09/09/98)
2. DPRK Military
DPRK leader Kim Jong-il yesterday appointed Vice Marshal Kim Il-chol, one
of his loyal supporters, as minister of the People's Armed Forces. The
appointment of Kim Il-chol, 65, sparked speculation in the ROK of a
coming generation shift in military leadership. Former defense ministers
in the DPRK were from the "revolution generation" of wartime comrades of
the late DPRK President Kim Il-sung. Kim Jong-il, chief of the ruling
Workers' Party, made the appointment in his capacity of chairman of the
powerful National Defense Commission (NDC). The Ministry of the People's
Armed Forces, or the defense ministry, is under the direct control of the
NDC, the highest office in military affairs. It is Kim Jong-il's first
appointment of military personnel since being reelected to the newly-
augmented NDC chairmanship at the Supreme Peoples' Assembly Saturday.
New DPRK Defense Minister Kim is known in the ROK as one of the core
members of the military, elected as one of the vice chairmen of the NDC
at the parliamentary session over the weekend. Before being appointed
defense minister, Kim, a former Navy commander, served as first deputy
defense minister. He became one of the 11 vice marshals in 1997. (Korea
Herald, "APPOINTMENT SIGNALS GENERATIONAL SHIFT IN NORTH KOREA'S
MILITARY," 09/09/98)
1. DPRK Socialist Constitution
[Ed. note: The following is the text of chapter two of the DPRK Socialist
Constitution amended and supplemented at the first session of the 10th
DPRK Supreme People's Assembly on 5 September. The text was read out by
an announcer over the Korean Central Broadcasting Network.]
Chapter II. Economy
Article 19. The DPRK is based on socialist relations in production and
an independent national economy.
Article 20. In the DPRK, means of production belong to the state and
social cooperative organizations.
Article 21. State property is all the people's property. Objects
subject to state ownership are unlimited. The state owns all the
country's natural resources, railways, aviation assets, transportation,
telecommunications and postal organizations, as well as major plants,
enterprises, ports, and banks. The state protects and develops with
priority the state property that plays a leading role in the country's
economic development.
Article 22. Property of social cooperative organizations is collectively
owned by the working people in the concerned organizations. Social
cooperative organizations can own land, farm machinery, boats, and small-
and medium-sized plants and enterprises. The state shall protect the
property of social cooperative organizations.
Article 23. The state shall enhance the standards of the farmers'
ideology, awareness, technology, and culture. The state shall
organically combine the property of all the people and cooperative
property, elevating the leading role of property of all the people over
cooperative property. The state shall improve the guidance and
management of the cooperative economy and shall solidify and develop the
socialist cooperative economic system. The state shall gradually
transform cooperative organizations' property into property of all the
people, according to the accord of all the members of the cooperative
organizations.
Article 24. Private property is for the citizens' private and
consumptive purposes. Private property is gained from socialist
distribution as a result of labor and as additional benefits from the
state and society. Proceeds from subsistence farming, self-managed
economics, and income from other legal economic activities are private
property. The state protects private property and legally guarantees the
rights of inheritance.
Article 25. The DPRK considers it the supreme principle of its
activities to constantly elevate the level of the people's material and
cultural lives. The increasing material wealth of the society in our
country, where there are no taxes, is entirely used to enhance the
working people's welfare. The state shall prepare all conditions of
feeding, clothing, and consumption for all the working people.
Article 26. The self-reliant national economy that the DPRK has prepared
is the firm foundation for the happy socialist lives of the people and
the growth and prosperity of the fatherland. The state shall accelerate
the chuch'e-orientation, modernization, and scientification of the
national economy to make the national economy a highly developed,
chuch'e-oriented economy, adhering to the line of building a socialist
self-reliant national economy, and shall struggle to build material and
technological bases befitting a perfect socialist society.
Article 27. The technological revolution is a main link for developing
the socialist economy. The state shall carry out all its economic
activities while always placing the technological development above all;
shall accelerate the scientific and technological development and the
technological systemization of the people's economy; and shall vigorously
carry out the mass movement for technological innovation. By doing so,
the state shall free the working people from difficult and laborious work
and narrow the gap between physical labor and mental labor.
Article 28. In order to eliminate the gap between cities and rural
areas, as well as the class gap between the working class and farmers,
the state shall accelerate the technological revolution in rural areas,
industrialize and modernize agriculture, enhance the role of counties,
and strengthen its guidance and support for rural areas. The state shall
construct production facilities of cooperative farms and modern houses in
rural areas, and the construction costs shall be borne by the state.
Article 29. Socialism and communism are built by the creative labor of
the working masses. Labor in the DPRK is the independent and creative
labor of the working people who have been freed from exploitation and
suppression. The state shall make the labor of our working people, who
do not know unemployment, more joyful and worthwhile as labor that they
do for society, their groups, and themselves with voluntary zeal and
creativity.
Article 30. Working people shall labor for eight hours a day. The state
shall shorten the daily working hours according to the level of
difficulty or the special conditions of certain labor. The state shall
properly carry out labor organization and strengthen labor discipline to
make full use of the workday.
Article 31. DPRK citizens shall begin to work at the age of 16. The
state shall prohibit labor by young boys and girls under the designated
age.
Article 32. In guiding and managing the socialist economy, the state
shall firmly maintain political guidance, economic and technical
guidance, unified state guidance, creativity at each level, unitary
command and democracy, and the principle of correctly combining
political-moral incentives and material incentives.
Article 33. With the independent strength of the producing masses, the
state shall guide and manage the economy according to the Taean work
system, which is a socialist economic management style to manage and
operate an economy in a scientific and reasonable manner, and according
to the agricultural guidance system to guide rural economies locally.
According to the demands of the Taean work system, the state shall apply
a cost accounting system in managing the economy and guide the people to
properly use such economic levers as cost, price, and profit.
Article 34. The DPRK's national economy is a planned economy. According
to the rules of socialist economic development, the state shall draw up
and implement the plans to develop the national economy so as to properly
balance supply and consumption, accelerate economic construction,
ceaselessly improve the people's living standards, and strengthen
national defense capabilities. The state shall unify the plans and
guarantee a quick improvement in production and a balanced development of
the national economy.
Article 35. The DPRK shall plan and execute the national budget
according to the plans for developing the national economy. The state
shall strengthen the struggle to increase production and conserve energy
in all sectors, and strictly apply financial controls, systematically
increase the state's wealth, and expand and develop socialist property.
Article 36. In the DPRK, the state or social cooperative organizations
shall engage in foreign trade. The state shall develop foreign trade
under the principle of perfect equality and reciprocity.
Article 37. The state encourages joint business management and joint
ventures between our country's agencies, enterprises, and organizations
and foreign corporations or individuals, as well as the establishment and
management of various forms of enterprises in the special economic zone.
Article 38. The state shall apply government-directed policies to
protect the self-reliant national economy.
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