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Northeast Asia Peace and Security Network DAILY REPORT For Wednesday, December 9, 1998, from Berkeley, California, USA |
1. US-DPRK Talks
US State Deputy Spokesman James Foley ("STATE DEPARTMENT NOON BRIEFING,
DECEMBER 8, 1998," USIA Transcript, 12/08/98) said that talks between the
US and the DPRK were set to resume in New York on Thursday. He said that
this round of talks would likely be completed either Thursday or Friday.
2. DPRK Missile Launches
Reuters ("US WATCHING POSSIBLE N.KOREA MISSILE SITES," Washington,
12/08/98) reported that an anonymous US official said on Tuesday that the
US is closely watching construction in the DPRK that allegedly involves
bases for launching missiles. The official stated, "We have been aware
of construction for some time, but I can't get into any details of it.
This is an issue we have been paying a lot of attention to." In Tokyo, a
Japanese defense spokesman said the government had heard "various rumors"
about missile sites but had no information to confirm the report.
US State Deputy Spokesman James Foley ("STATE DEPARTMENT NOON BRIEFING,
DECEMBER 8, 1998," USIA Transcript, 12/08/98) said that the US was aware
some weeks ago of the Japanese report alleging that the DPRK was
constructing sites for missile launches. Foley stated, We've noted on
several previous occasions that North Korea's missile proliferation
activities are of serious concern to the United States." He added, "We
are vigorously pressing for restraints on North Korea's development,
deployment and export of missile equipment and technology, and have made
clear that further launches of long-range missiles, or further exports of
such missiles, or related technology, would have very negative
consequences for efforts to improve US-DPRK relations."
US Defense Department Spokesman Ken Bacon ("PENTAGON REGULAR BRIEFING,
DECEMBER 8, 1998," USIA Transcript, 12/08/98) refused to comment on US
intelligence reports about alleged DPRK missile launch site construction.
Bacon stated, "All I can tell you is that we are obviously concerned
about North Korea's missile program. We've made that clear publicly and
privately to the North Koreans. We've discussed this with our allies.
As you know from time to time we've had talks with the North Koreans
specifically about missile proliferation." He added, "Clearly the first
test has had I think a chilling impact in the Asia Pacific region. It
certainly increased the level of fear and uncertainty in the region, and
this is not good for stability in the region. Ultimately, I'm not sure
that it helps North Korea reach its goals of trying to establish trade
and diplomatic relationships with a wider range of countries."
3. US Policy toward DPRK
US State Deputy Spokesman James Foley ("STATE DEPARTMENT NOON BRIEFING,
DECEMBER 8, 1998," USIA Transcript, 12/08/98) said that former US Defense
Secretary William Perry's trip to Asia is designed to gather information
as part of a comprehensive policy review. He added, "As Dr. Perry
emphasized, however, the delegation went to listen, not to present any
views of its own; and they have not come to any judgments." Foley
stated, "The US has no plans to take any further steps on easing
sanctions at this time. Certainly in the context of future developments,
were there to be an improvement in the prospects for a permanent peace on
the Korean Peninsula in the context, therefore, of the Four-Party Talks;
also, if we were to see changes in North Korean attitudes on other issues
of concern, including the missile area, where we have separate talks, we
would be willing to look at an improved relationship between the United
States and North Korea, in which those kind of issues, including
sanctions, would be on the table." He concluded, "The fact is that the
DPRK is seeking an improved relationship with the United States. We're
willing to entertain that possibility, if our concerns can be addressed
in the various fora in which we're negotiating."
4. Agreed Framework
US Defense Department Spokesman Ken Bacon ("PENTAGON REGULAR BRIEFING,
DECEMBER 8, 1998," USIA Transcript, 12/08/98) said that the US is in the
process of fulfilling its obligations under the 1994 Agreed Framework.
Bacon stated, "We have the money to provide virtually all of [the heavy
fuel oil], or will soon have the money to provide virtually all of that.
So I'm confident that soon we will be able to meet that obligation for
this year." He added, "My understanding is that we've delivered 391,000
tons out of the 500,000 tons. We are working diligently to provide the
other 109,000 tons, and I believe we will do that in a relatively short
period of time. I think [the DPRK] clearly can complain as long as we
have failed to meet that obligation, but I'm confident that we will meet
that obligation and meet it relatively soon." Bacon also said, "The
North Korean part of the agreement is to stop work -- fuel reprocessing -
- which they have done at their reactor site. That has been well
monitored by IAEA inspectors. Now the question is whether there are acts
within North Korea to perhaps carry out parts of a nuclear program
elsewhere." He argued, "I think everybody agrees that we are better off
because of the framework agreement than we would have been without it.
It has, in fact, stalled or stopped their nuclear program. It has had an
important impact on stability in the Korean Peninsula. We will
vigilantly monitor their activities, and we are doing that."
5. DPRK War Warnings
US Defense Department Spokesman Ken Bacon ("PENTAGON REGULAR BRIEFING,
DECEMBER 8, 1998," USIA Transcript, 12/08/98) discounted the significance
of recent DPRK statements warning of immanent conflict. Bacon stated, "I
think the rhetorical rheostat goes up and down over time.... We have not
seen any particular moves by their military backing up this increase in
rhetoric. I think that they are in the process of trying to create some
diplomatic pressure on us and other parties to the KEDO agreement and I
would regard their rhetoric as part of that." He said that he was not
aware of UN Command forces in the ROK being put on a higher state of
readiness as a result of the DPRK statements.
6. ROK Soldiers' Alleged Contacts with DPRK
The Associated Press ("S.KOREA ORDERS NEW PROBE IN SLAYING," Seoul,
10/09/98) and Reuters ("SOUTH KOREA PROBES SOLDIERS' CONTACTS WITH
NORTH," Seoul, 10/09/98) reported that the ROK Defense Ministry on
Wednesday ordered a new investigation into an army officer's death to
determine whether he was killed by a subordinate trying to cover up
illegal contacts with the DPRK. First Lieutenant Kim Hoon was found shot
in the head February 24 in a bunker inside Panmunjom. The initial
investigation concluded that he had shot himself with a pistol, but a
recent parliamentary probe of the case led to allegations that an army
enlisted man might have tried to hide his illegal contacts with DPRK
officers by killing Kim. Staff Sergeant Kim Young-hoon was arrested
Tuesday on charges that he made unauthorized contacts with DPRK officers
at Panmunjom in 1997. Ministry officials said that Sergeant Kim
allegedly crossed the border at night more than 30 times and received
cigarettes, drinks and other gifts from DPRK officers assigned to lure
ROK soldiers into spying for the DPRK. They said that at least two other
ROK soldiers were under investigation on similar charges, including one
who allegedly received a US$4,000 Rolex watch. ROK officials began the
investigation after they were tipped off by a DPRK border guard who
defected in February. The UN Command said it was cooperating with the
investigation.
7. ROK-DPRK Athletic Exchanges
The Wall Street Journal (Jane L. Lee, "DESPITE HOSTILITIES BETWEEN TWO
KOREAS, THEIR ATHLETES SOCIALIZE LIKE BROTHERS," Bangkok, 12/09/98)
reported that the ROK culture and tourism minister said Tuesday that a
planned meeting with a DPRK sports minister at the Asian Games in
Thailand failed to occur. The minister said that the DPRK's inflexible
style and repeated propaganda forced cancellation of the meeting.
However, ROK and DPRK athletes have been freely associating during the
games.
8. ROK Military Mishaps
The Associated Press ("KOREA MILITARY OFFICERS REPRIMANDED," Seoul,
12/09/98) reported that ROK Defense Minister Chun Yong-taek reprimanded
Army General Kim Dong-shin, Air Force General Park Choon-taek, and 11
other officers on Wednesday for a recent series of military accidents.
Two other generals and four lower-ranking officers were referred to
disciplinary committees. Four other officers were relieved of their
posts and an army platoon leader was arrested and charged with failure to
properly supervise his unit.
9. ROK-EU Relations
The Associated Press ("E.U. TO IMPROVE TIES WITH S. KOREA," Brussels,
12/09/98) reported that the European Union (EU) announced plans Wednesday
for a "comprehensive new strategy" to improve political and economic
relations with the ROK. The program expresses political support for
reforms undertaken by President Kim Dae-jung, calls on the ROK to open
markets, and backs efforts to defuse tensions with the DPRK. A statement
released by the EU's executive body, the European Commission, said that
it "strongly backs the South Korean policy of seeking to engage, rather
than isolate the communist North." It added that the EU would "seek to
actively engage North Korea with the international community." EU and
DPRK officials held their first talks in Brussels last week on issues
including human rights, food aid, and security.
10. Taiwanese Elections
The Associated Press ("TAIWAN WARNED ABOUT INDEPENDENCE," Beijing,
12/09/98) reported that the PRC's Taiwan Affairs Office on Wednesday
accused unnamed Taiwanese officials of "contriving to use a citizen vote"
to declare independence. The PRC's official Xinhua News Agency quoted an
unnamed spokesman for the office as saying, "All attempts to use a
citizen vote as a way to block reunification and create 'Taiwan
independence' are dangerously playing with fire."
11. Alleged Technology Transfers to PRC
The Washington Post (Walter Pincus and John Mintz, "REPORT FAULTS HUGHES
ON DATA GIVEN CHINA," 12/09/98, A22) and the New York Times (Jeff Gerth,
"PENTAGON INQUIRY FAULTS MISSILE MAKER'S CHINA AID," Washington,
12/09/98) reported that officials said Tuesday that a preliminary US
Defense Department assessment has concluded that Hughes Electronics
Corporation provided the PRC with information potentially damaging to US
national security following the 1995 crash of a PRC rocket carrying a
Hughes-built commercial satellite. The assessment found that Hughes
officials told the PRC the cause of the crash had been traced to problems
with the rocket's fairing, a heat-resistant shroud covering the
satellite. One official said the assessment concluded that Hughes "went
well beyond what should have been allowed" by US government agencies
regulating such exchanges. Hughes spokesman Don O'Neal said that no one
at the company has seen the report, but he added that Hughes "stands by
the conclusion that we transferred to the Chinese no information that
could be used to improve their ballistic missiles.... There's a
significant difference between intercontinental ballistic missiles and
commercial rockets." Hughes officials said their conversations with the
PRC were very general, and in any case could not have helped the PRC
military because ballistic missiles do not have fairings. However, a
official who has read the report stated, "What it taught [the PRC] how to
do, which they evidently didn't know how to do, is analysis on the
stresses on a launch vehicle as it goes into the upper atmosphere." He
added that the information "could be directly applicable to military
systems, although we have no information that it has been." Senator Thad
Cochran, R-Miss., said Tuesday, "Our suspicions that technology can be
transferred in these situations, that you can improve the reliability of
Chinese rockets/missiles, were well founded." [Ed. note: The New York
Times article appeared as one of the top stories in the US Department of
Defense's Early Bird news summary.]
12. US-Russian Nuclear Talks
Reuters ("U.S. DELEGATION IN MOSCOW FOR NUCLEAR, ECONOMY TALKS," Moscow,
12/09/98) reported that US Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott
arrived in Russia on Wednesday for high-level talks on nuclear and
economic issues. A US official said that Talbott would discuss the
START-2 arms control treaty, nuclear non-proliferation issues, and
financial and economic subjects. Itar-Tass news agency said the US
mission would meet Russia's economic policy chief, First Deputy Prime
Minister Yuri Maslyukov, Thursday and Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov
Friday. Talbott will meet Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov Saturday and
the mission will also meet finance ministry and central bank officials.
13. Russian Missile Test
Dow Jones Newswires ("RUSSIA SUCCESSFULLY TESTS NEW MISSILE - TASS,"
London, 12/09/98) reported that the Itar-Tass news agency said Wednesday
that the Russian Strategic Missile Troops (RVSN) have successfully tested
a Topol-M intercontinental ballistic missile. RVSN Commander-in-Chief
Vladimir Yakovlev was quoted as saying, "the task, set by the supreme
commander-in-chief and the Russian defense minister, to develop and to
arm the Russian strategic nuclear forces with the Topol-M missile system
has been successfully fulfilled. The first regiment of the new missile
system will be put on combat duty this year."
1. ROK Military Mishaps
Chosun Ilbo ("MILITARY CHIEFS REPRIMANDED OVER ACCIDENTS," Seoul,
12/09/98) reported that the Ministry of National Defense (MOND)
reprimanded and ordered disciplinary hearings for thirteen officers,
including the chiefs of the Army and Air Force Wednesday over the recent
spate of military accidents that resulted in three fatalities. This is
the first time in the ROK's military history that ranking chiefs of staff
have been called to account for accidents within their commands. MOND
announced that General Park Chun-taek, commander of the Air Force, and
four of his officers, including the commander of the antiaircraft
division, would appear before the disciplinary committee. Battalion and
company commanders of the antiaircraft division were relieved of their
command. In regard to the 90mm-shell explosion that killed three
soldiers, Army Chief of Staff Kim Dong-shin was severely reprimanded, the
divisional and regimental commanders were ordered to appear before the
disciplinary committee, both battalion and company commanders were
relieved of their positions, and the platoon commander was arrested for
negligence.
2. ROK Soldiers' Alleged DPRK Contacts
JoongAng Ilbo ("INVESTIGATION INTO DPRK GIFTS," Seoul, 12/09/98) reported
that the military criminal investigation unit announced on December 9
that it would enlarge its field of inquiry into a case involving
suspicious contact between ROK and DPRK soldiers. The military said,
"Since the United States forces retreated from the Panmunjom mutual guard
area in 1994, a lot of secret contact between the two Koreas' privates
has occurred. We will summon all 300 soldiers who have, now or in the
past, been stationed there to find out if any spy activities were
committed." An unnamed private, it has been revealed, received a Rolex
wristwatch from the DPRK side, and the investigation will attempt to
ascertain what he did to warrant such a gift. Moreover, there is a
strong possibility that higher-ranking soldiers were involved since other
privates also received gifts from the DPRK in the past that went
unreported.
Korea Times ("4 SOLDIERS ACTED AS DPRK SPIES," Seoul, 12/09/98) reported
that a total of 42 ROK Army platoon members stationed in the Joint
Security Area (JSA) in Panmunjom under the UN Command (UNC) have had
contacts with DPRK soldiers and four of them acted as DPRK spies.
Representative Har Kyoung-kun, head of the Defense Committee's special
subpanel on the death of 1st Lieutenant Kim Hoon in a JSA bunker in
February, made the revelation, quoting testimony from DPRK defector
Captain Pyon Yong-kwan. Representative Har claimed that four ROK
military personnel went on spy missions after being persuaded to do so by
DPRK soldiers at the JSA. The number of enlisted men in each platoon who
have had contacts with their communist counterparts breaks down to six in
the 1st platoon, 20 in the 2nd platoon (under the command of late 1st
Lieutenant Kim), six in the 3rd platoon, and 10 in the 4th platoon.
Military authorities appear to have kept such statements from Captain
Pyon low profile for the last ten months and, as a result, they are now
being severely criticized by the public for their apparent attempt to
hide the truth of the incident. The lawmaker of the opposition Grand
National Party said this alleged cover-up is closely linked to the
mysterious death of 1st Lieutenant Kim.
3. ROK-PRC Sea Crimes Pact
Chosun Ilbo ("ROK, PRC SIGN SEA CRIMES PACT," Seoul, 12/09/98) reported
that the ROK and PRC governments signed a marine criminal information
exchange agreement in Beijing on Tuesday. The agreement requires that
marine police from the two countries each establish a liaison office to
exchange information on sea crimes such as piracy, stowaways, and
smuggling. ROK and PRC marine police will also convene annually for a
bilateral meeting to work out cooperative measures.
4. ROK Economic Situation
JoongAng Ilbo ("GOVERNMENT WILL REPAY $2.8 BILLION TO IMF," Seoul,
12/09/98) reported that the ROK government decided to repay US$2.8
billion to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that is due this month.
However the government failed in its attempt to get a written promise
from the IMF that would allow the ROK government to receive an equivalent
loan in the event that the ROK economic situation worsens. The Ministry
of Finance and Economy (MOFE) announced on December 9 that after
negotiations with the IMF, the government will repay the US$2.8 billion
due in December. The loan payments that come due after January next year
can be discussed with the IMF, which will give due consideration to the
economic situation both internally and outside the country at that time,
but ultimately the government should repay the loans as scheduled, MOFE
said. MOFE explained, "Even though we have no written promise from the
IMF, they verbally promised their help if the ROK economic situation
worsens." The IMF loan repayment is expected to increase the ROK's
credibility in international markets.
1. Job Opportunity
The Graduate School of International Studies in Korea University is
looking for a foreign scholar with a major in Asian Economic or Trade
issues. The successful candidate should have a Ph.D. and will be
required to teach 6 hours per week at Korea University. For more
information, please contact Dong-young Lee via email or Professor Lee Shin-wha by telephone at: 82-2-3290-2408.
2. DPRK Roundtable
The Institute for Strategic Reconciliation, Inc. (ISR) is sponsoring the
Washington North Korea Roundtable: Relief and Development, at the ISR
annual meeting. The meeting will take place on Thursday, December 17, 6
pm, at Woo Lae Oak Restaurant, 2nd floor, 1500 South Joyce Street,
Arlington, VA, Tel - 703-521-3706 (near Pentagon City Fashion Center
metro stop/Blue or Yellow line). Speakers will include Andrew Natsios,
Senior Fellow, US Institute of Peace; Joseph Scalise, Director, UN World
Food Programme Washington Office; and Tom Torrance, Director of North
Korea Economic Affairs, US Department of State. Also included is a photo
exhibit entitled, "The Stealth Famine in North Korea." Andrew S.
Natsios, the keynote speaker, will be discussing the North Korean Famine
and Policy Recommendations for 1999. Joseph Scalise, Director of the UN
World Food Program Washington Office, will be presenting both the
findings from the first ever scientific nutritional survey of DPRK
children and the consolidated UN appeal for humanitarian aid in 1999 to
the DPRK, the final report of which will be publicly released just before
the meeting. Tom Torrance, director of DPRK economic affairs of the US
Department of State, will give a briefing about the progress of talks
with the DPRK and humanitarian and economic agenda, including updates of
US aid and economic sanctions. The participants in the roundtable will
include US government officials, delegations from the US Congress, the
NGO community, and donor countries, key leaders from the business and
religious community, and Korea experts, among others. The set Korean
buffet is $20.00 per person and must be paid at the door. RSVPs are
required for this program. For a registration form, please contact ISR
by fax at 301-570-0911 or by e-mail no later than
Tuesday, December 15.
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International Policy Studies Institute
Seoul, Republic of Korea
The Center for Global Communications, Tokyo, Japan
Center for American Studies,
Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
Berkeley, California, United States
Berkeley, California, United States
Seoul, Republic of Korea
Tokyo, Japan
Moscow, Russian Federation
Shanghai, People's Republic of China
Shanghai, People's Republic of China