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I. United States1. DPRK-ROK Naval Skirmish The Associated Press (Paul Shin, "KOREAN CONFRONTATION IN 2ND WEEK," 06/14/99) and Reuters ("N.KOREA PATROL SHIPS CROSS AGAIN IN S.KOREA WATERS," Seoul, 06/14/99) reported that, according to an ROK Defense Ministry spokesman, the DPRK warships sailed back into disputed waters in the Yellow Sea on Monday. The spokesman said that after withdrawing on Sunday night, three DPRK ships crossed a UN-set border after daybreak and took up positions inside the zone again. The DPRK ships were backed by torpedo boats that stayed nearby on their side of the sea border. ROK President Kim Dae-jung instructed the ROK military to maintain a firm defense posture but be cautious to avoid clashes. Kim stated, "The military should resolutely defend national rights and interests but also should make sure to prevent the situation from developing into armed clashes or a situation beyond that." The Associated Press ("N. KOREA TO MEET WITH U.N. MONITORS," Seoul, 06/13/99) and Reuters (Yoo Choon- sik, "N.KOREA, U.N. TO DISCUSS SEA CONFRONTATION," Seoul, 06/13/99) reported that the DPRK agreed on Sunday to meet with United Nations Command (UNC) observers to discuss the current naval standoff. The DPRK stated in a message to command headquarters at Panmunjom that the meeting could take place as early as Tuesday. UNC spokesman Colonel Carl Kropf stated, "The North's message is viewed as a positive step by the U.N. Command." ROK Defense Ministry spokesman Cha Young-koo stated, "North Korea should immediately stop the grave military provocation. We stress again that North Korea should be held responsible for any consequences caused by such (an) act." Reuters ("NORTH KOREA THREATENS TO STRIKE SOUTH'S FORCES," Seoul, 06/12/99) reported that the DPRK on Saturday threatened to strike at ROK forces over a naval standoff and sent its ships back into ROK waters in the Yellow Sea (West Sea). Earlier on Saturday, the DPRK issued a statement out of its mission in Panmunjom that stated that the ROK should halt the "provocations" or face strong strikes. The statement read, "The South Korean authorities must know that if they continue reckless provocations despite our repeated warnings, they will meet with our strong self-defensive strikes. There is a limit to patience. It is an unshakable will of the Korean revolutionary armed forces never to pardon those who violate even 0.001 mm of the sky, the land and the sea of the fatherland." ROK President Kim Dae-jung underlined his determination to deter any provocations, and stated, "We are holding out under the principle that the government will protect our sovereignty and territories with determination." The Associated Press (Sang-Hun Choe, "S. KOREA HEIGHTENS ATTACK ALERT," Seoul, 06/12/99) reported that the United Nations Command (UNC) urged the DPRK for the third time on Saturday to hold a border military meeting to end the naval standoff. UNC spokesman Colonel Carl Kropf stated, "It's everyone's interest to reduce tensions." Colonel Hwang Dong-kyu, a spokesman for ROK's Joint Chiefs of Staff stated, "Our ships are ready to butt the North Korean intruders again and do whatever is needed to repel them. But for now, we are closely watching and weighing various options." The Wall Street Journal (Jane L. Lee, "SEOUL'S STANCE ON INCIDENT OFF ITS COAST IS CRITICIZED," Seoul, 06/14/99) reported that criticisms are mounting in the ROK that the government is taking the incident of the DPRK ships' incursions too lightly. Yoo Dong-ryul, a researcher at the Institute for Public Security, a state-run think tank, stated, "The incident off the west coast could turn worse anytime. There are more than 2,000 South Koreans on the Hyundai tour who could be taken hostage anytime. The government is abandoning its duty to protect its citizens by not stopping that tour." 2. Biological Weapons in DPRK The New York Times (William J. Broad and Judith Miller, "GOVERNMENT REPORT SAYS 3 NATIONS HIDE STOCKS OF SMALLPOX," 06/13/99, 1) reported that US government officials said that, according to a secret Federal intelligence assessment, Iraq, the DPRK, and Russia may be concealing the smallpox virus for military use. Officials said that the assessment is based on evidence that includes disclosures by a senior Soviet defector, blood samples from DPRK soldiers that show smallpox vaccinations, and the fairly recent manufacture of smallpox vaccine by Iraq. The officials said that the warning was an important factor in US President Clinton's recent decision to reverse course and forgo destruction of US stocks of the virus. Mikhail A. Shurgalin, a spokesman at the Russian Embassy in Washington, denied that Russia maintained secret military stocks of smallpox. Shurgalin stated, "We always observe our international commitments, including those relating to bacteriological weapons." 3. PRC-US Relations Dow Jones Newswire ("U.S. PUSHES TO GET U.S.-CHINA TIES," Washington, 06/14/99), the Washington Post (Charles Babington, "ENVOY HEADS TO CHINA TO EASE STRAIN," 06/14/99, A13) and Reuters (Andrew Browne, "U.S. ENVOY FACES TOUGH MISSION IN CHINA," Beijing, 06/14/99) reported that a US delegation will depart for Beijing on Monday to explain how NATO bombers destroyed the PRC's embassy in Belgrade. US Undersecretary of State Thomas Pickering will head the US mission. US Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright said that Pickering will tell the PRC government that the bombing was a "tragic accident" and make clear that "we consider our relationship with China an important one, one that needs to get beyond this." According to US administration officials, Pickering has been prepared for weeks to bring a formal report on the bombing to Beijing, but PRC officials refused to invite him for their own political reasons. An unnamed administration official stated, "The Chinese had said, 'No, we're not ready, let's wait until after Tiananmen.'" Tao Wenzhao, a leading PRC analyst of US-PRC ties, stated, "We hope the situation can be resolved at the earliest date and Sino-U.S. ties return to normal. But what is most important is the content of the report, and for this we are still waiting." [Ed. note: This article was included in the US Department of Defense's Early Bird news service for June 14.] 4. PRC Satellite Launch The Associated Press ("CHINA LAUNCHES 2 US-MADE SATELLITES," Beijing, 06/12/99) reported that the PRC's official Xinhua News Agency said that a PRC rocket carried two US-made satellites into orbit early on Saturday to serve a global paging and telephone network. The Long March 2C rocket lifted off from a satellite launch center near Taiyuan city. Xinhua said, "Today's successful launch once again demonstrates to the world that China's space ambitions are fully devoted to the peaceful utilization of space resources and the welfare of human beings." The satellites are part of the Iridium global network, a venture led by the US corporation Motorola. 5. Taiwan Naval Visit to Philippines The Associated Press ("PHILIPPINES BLAMES TAIWAN FOR SPAT," Manila, 06/14/99) reported that Philippine officials on Monday blamed Taiwan for setting off a diplomatic row with the PRC over three Taiwanese naval ships that flew their flags during a goodwill visit to Manila. The Taiwanese training ships arrived on Friday in Manila, with flags flying and soldiers in uniform. Philippines officials said that the PRC ambassador to Philippines quickly called the Foreign Ministry to complain. Presidential Executive Secretary Ronaldo Zamora said on Monday that the Taiwanese ships were supposed to observe certain conditions, which include no hoisting of the Taiwanese flag, no uniforms for crewmembers while on port call, and no publicity. Zamora stated, "If Taiwan indeed violated these three, this is clearly a major violation. It is the Chinese government's right to complain." However, Philippine President Joseph Estrada, who said he had not been informed of the visit, stated, "Don't worry about China's anger, be more concerned about my anger. They should not tell us what to do here in our country. We are not telling them what to do in their country." 6. Taiwanese Nuclear Policy Taiwan's Central News Agency ("US DOCUMENTS: CHIANG KAI-SHEK OPPOSED NUCLEAR PROGRAM," Taipei, 06/04/99) reported that, according to Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) Director of North American Affairs Shen Lu-hsun, Taiwan's opposition to developing nuclear weapons began with the late President Chiang Kai- shek. Shen said on Friday that, according to a report published by the US State Department on US diplomatic relations and its Taiwan policy between 1964-1968, during then-US Secretary of State Dean Rusk's visit to Taiwan in April, 1964, Rusk and Chiang already knew of the PRC's nuclear weapon development. According to the US report, Chiang told Rusk that he was "opposed in principle to the use of nuclear weapons, particularly in settling the China problem." Chiang twice during his conversation with Rusk reiterated Taiwan's opposition to nuclear weapons, calling them "unnecessary." Several months later in October 1964, the PRC government conducted its first nuclear trial. Shen said it is not possible to tell from the report whether the US had deployed nuclear weapons in Taiwan before severing diplomatic ties in 1979. Shen said that the Rusk-Chiang talks were the first high-level conversations in which nuclear weapons were mentioned, adding that it is clear that Taiwan's policy against developing nuclear weapons remains unchanged. 7. India-PRC Relations The Associated Press ("INDIAN FOREIGN MIN HOLDS TALKS WITH CHINESE COUNTERPART," Beijing, 06/14/99) reported that India's foreign minister Jaswant Singh met PRC Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan on Monday. Singh told Tang that India does not consider the PRC as constituting a danger and that the Indian government was committed to improving ties with the PRC. Tang stressed the importance of stable and friendly PRC-Indian relations to regional peace and development and also said that PRC-Indian relations have entered a process of improvement. Tang added that the prerequisite for better relations was for both countries not to regard each other as a threat. 8. Pakistan-India Relations Reuters (Sabyasachi Mitra, "INDIA-PAKISTAN TALKS FAIL TO END CRISIS," New Delhi, 06/12/99), the Washington Post (Pamela Constable, "INDIAN DECLARES 'ONUS IS ON PAKISTAN,'" New Delhi, 06/13/99, A27) and the Associated Press (Ashok Sharma, "INDIA-PAKISTAN TALKS DEADLOCKED," New Delhi, 06/12/99) reported that talks between India and Pakistan on Saturday failed to defuse the Kashmir crisis, and India vowed air and ground attacks would go on until hundreds of guerrilla infiltrators were driven out of its territory. Indian Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh stated, "We have made it very clear. The aggression has to be undone through military or diplomatic means, whichever comes first." Pakistan Foreign Minister Sartaj Aziz said that he had "no illusions" about solving the problem in one brief visit, but added, "I refuse to be pessimistic. I came with the purpose of de-escalating tension, at least the chances of further escalation do not appear strong." 9. US Sanctions on India and Pakistan The Associated Press (Libby Quaid, "SENATE OKS INDIA, PAKISTAN TRADE," Washington, 06/12/99) reported that markets in India and Pakistan would remain open to US farm products under legislation passed by the Senate that allows US President Clinton to waive economic sanctions. Senator Pat Roberts, Republican-Kansas, stated, "This is a major breakthrough. We're going through a difficult time in agriculture, and this will mean USDA [US Department of Agriculture] credit programs are available to India and Pakistan. It should be very significant." 1. DPRK-ROK Naval Skirmish Chosun Ilbo (Chung Byong-sun, "NK ADDS TORPEDO BOATS TO WEST SEA STAND OFF," Seoul, 06/14/99) reported that it was confirmed Monday that the DPRK sent torpedo boats into the West Sea buffer zone on Sunday for the eighth consecutive day of confrontations with the ROK Navy. The ROK Joint Chiefs of Staff headquarters announced that two patrol boats and eight fishing boats crossed the maritime border on Monday, but on Sunday three torpedo boats were sent south. The boats are smaller, more maneuverable and faster than ROK patrol boats, and are armed with two torpedoes. The ROK Navy has ten fast patrol boats in the area backed up by destroyers, frigates and a transport ship from the second fleet. Naval spokesmen said that the vessels would return fire if provoked. The Ministry of Defense said that the navy is planning on deploying larger vessels along the sea border. Chosun Ilbo (Hong Joon-ho, "GOVERNMENT TO DEMAND NK WITHDRAWAL," Seoul, 06/15/99) reported that the ROK government on Monday confirmed its policy to decisively counter DPRK naval action in the West Sea and will call for it to withdraw its vessels from the region at the generals' meeting to be held in Panmunjom at 10:00 am on June 15. The ROK is also to demand an apology and a promise of non-recurrence from the DPRK, and will brief Russia, the PRC, Japan, and the US through diplomatic channels. ROK President Kim Dae-jung said at a cabinet meeting that ROK forces should protect the nation's sovereignty, but not escalate the confrontation into an armed conflict. The current UN Command (UNC) represented by generals from the US, UK, France, and the ROK, will present the government's position at the meeting. In a related move the Ministry of National Defense removed its restrictions from fishing in the area. 2. DPRK-UNC Talks Joongang Ilbo (Kang Jooan, "NK ACCEPTS GENERAL-LEVEL TALKS," Seoul, 06/13/99) reported that the UN Command (UNC) announced on Sunday that the DPRK accepted the UNC's proposal to hold general-level talks to relieve escalating tension regarding DPRK patrol boats' incursions into ROK waters. The DPRK had refused earlier UNC proposals for general-level talks on June 11 and 12. The UNC said that the DPRK sent a message through the joint security area at Panmunjom, and the talks will be held at the Panmunjom cease-fire committee's meeting room at 10 am on June 14. The Ministry of National Defense plans to lodge a strong protest against the DPRK vessels' repeated violations of the maritime border over the last seven consecutive days, regarding it as an infraction of the cease-fire agreement, through the UNC delegates. Eight DPRK fishing boats intruded 1.5 km below the Northern Limit Line, 10 km west of Yonpyong Island, at 6:10 am on June 13, followed by two and four DPRK patrol boats at 6:20 am and 6:30 am, respectively. 3. Perry's Report Choongang Ilbo (Shim Shang-bok, "PERRY'S REPORT LIKELY TO BE BORN LATER THIS YEAR," Seoul, 06/13/1999) reported that US DPRK Policy Coordinator William Perry's report is likely to be delayed. Perry is reported to have said in a speech in Washington on June 10 that the report can be completed later this year. US State Department spokesman James Foley stated, "It is both prudent and necessary for him to take the time necessary to complete the assessment of Pyongyang." Perry plans to invite DPRK First Deputy Foreign Minister Kang Seok-joo to Washington in July. The report speculated that Perry might want to hear the DPRK's reaction to the package deal that is now under basic construction. 1. US Troops in Japan Asia Pacific Center for Justice and Peace issued a press release ("JAPANESE ACTIVISTS CALL FOR WITHDRAWAL OF U.S. BASES FROM JAPAN") which said that from June 16-18, representatives of the Japan Asia Africa Latin America Solidarity Committee (Japan AALA) will visit Washington to meet with US Congress members and distribute video footage and reports on the negative consequences of the US military bases in Japan. The Japan AALA strongly opposes these bases and actively calls for the withdrawal of the US presence. The Japan AALA has been active in the US in cooperation with the Boston Okinawa Network. The six-member delegation will also visit Boston and San Francisco on this trip. Founded in 1955, the Japan AALA is a Japanese non-governmental organization with committees in 35 major Japanese cities. Its mission is "to strengthen solidarity with the peoples of the countries of Asia, Africa, and Latin America struggling for the sake of national self-determination, democracy, and social progress, to fight against imperialism, old and new colonialism." The Japan AALA is active in mobilizing public opinion for the abolition of nuclear weapons, the removal of foreign military bases, and the elimination of hunger and poverty in the world. The Washington visit is being facilitated by the Asia Pacific Center for Justice and Peace, which brings a progressive voice to US policies towards countries in Asia and the Pacific. The Center provides channels of communication among grassroots organizations and religious groups in Asia, the Pacific and the US. For more information, contact Rachel Cornwell, (202) 543-1094.
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