O 170646Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY SEOUL
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2668
USDOC WASHDC 7905
DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
CIA WASHINGTON DC//DDI/OEA//
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI//FPA//
SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
DIA WASHINGTON DC//DB-Z//

UNCLAS SEOUL 002423 
 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/K, EAP/PD, INR/EAP/K AND INR/IL/P 
TREASURY FOR OASIA/WINGLE 
USDOC FOR 4430/IEP/OPB/EAP/WGOLICKE 
STATE PASS USDA ELECTRONICALLY FOR FAS/ITP 
STATE PASS DOL/ILAB SUDHA HALEY 
STATE PASS USTR FOR IVES/WEISEL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO PGOV PREL MARR ECON KS US
SUBJECT: PRESS BULLETIN - December 17, 2008 
 
Features 
 
¶1. U.S. Congressional Delegation: "If the ROK Ratifies the KORUS 
FTA, the U.S. Congress Will Also Make Efforts to Do So" 
(JoongAng Ilbo, December 17, 2008, Page 6) 
¶2. "Line" in Front of U.S. Embassy Has Disappeared, but No Tourism 
"Boom" Yet 
(Munhwa Ilbo, December 16, 2008, Page 10; Excerpts) 
¶3. Visa-Free U.S. Travel Increases Slightly... Total Number of 
Travelers Decreases 
(Munhwa Ilbo, December 16, 2008, Page 10) 
 
 
Top Headlines 
 
Chosun Ilbo, Hankook Ilbo, Hankyoreh Shinmun, Segye Ilbo, Seoul 
Shinmun, All TVs 
Senior Education and Tax Officials Offer to Resign En Masse, 
Prompting Talk that an Extensive Reshuffle of 
High-level Officials may be on the Way 
 
JoongAng Ilbo 
ROKG Set to Reshuffle Senior Officials Viewed 
as "Interfering with Government Policies" 
 
Dong-a Ilbo 
ROKG Announces 2009 Economic Management Plan Focusing on Enhancing 
Social Safety Net to Protect Low-income Citizens 
 
 
Domestic Developments 
 
¶1. Ruling Grand National Party (GNP) Rep. Kim Hak-song, at a Dec. 16 
security forum organized by the state-run Korea Institute for 
Defense Analyses, said that if North Korea, which is believed to 
have produced up to 40 kilograms of plutonium, has succeeded in 
developing small-size nuclear bombs, the North could have produced 
more than 20 atomic bombs, because it takes 2-3 kilograms of 
plutonium to make a small nuclear weapon. (JoongAng, Segye) 
 
¶2. A U.S. congressional delegation allegedly said during a Dec. 16 
meeting in Seoul with ruling GNP lawmakers that if the ROK ratifies 
the KORUS FTA, the U.S. Congress will make efforts to do so. 
(JoongAng) 
 
¶3. A Korean-language version of the U.S. Electronic System for 
Travel Authorization (ESTA) Web site, from which Korean travelers 
must apply for and receive an approval to use the Visa Waiver 
Program before visiting the U.S., will be available beginning today. 
Mark Strege, the Deputy Consul General at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, 
made this remark during a Dec. 16 Caf USA Web chat. (Dong-a, MBC, 
YTN, Financial News) 
 
 
International News 
 
¶1. According to the Dec. 15 issue of The Washington Post, there is a 
possibility that Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and 
Pacific Affairs Christopher Hill might be appointed as "Special 
Envoy for the Region" under the incoming Obama Administration. 
(Dong-a) 
 
¶2. "Will the Suspension of Heavy Fuel Oil Aid to North Korea Work?:" 
Chosun Ilbo commented in an inside-page article that suspending a 
shipment of 395,000 tons of heavy fuel oil, the remaining balance 
from one million tons promised to North Korea under the Six-Party 
Talks, will deal a serious blow to the energy-strapped North, given 
that the remaining amount accounts for more than 10 percent of the 
North's total annual electricity output. 
 
 
Media Analysis 
 
Six-Party Talks/ North Korea 
Conservative Chosun Ilbo carried an inside-page report saying that 
the idea of suspending fuel aid to North Korea, which appears to be 
gaining ground in the wake of the collapse of the Six-Party Talks, 
may be the only way to pressure North Korea since the U.S. removed 
it from its list of state sponsors of terrorism.  Chosun went on to 
say that some 395,000 tons of heavy fuel oil that had been promised 
to North Korea remain to be shipped.  The amount would account for 
over 10 percent of the 21.5 billion kWh North Korea produces a year. 
 Chosun quoted an ROKG official as saying: "That is enough to put 
pressure on North Korea, which is undergoing a serious shortage of 
energy during the winter."  Left-leaning Hankyoreh Shinmun, 
meanwhile, cited China as expressing its intention to continue 
providing fuel aid to North Korea by saying yesterday: "Even though 
the latest round of the Six-Party Talks failed to adopt a 
verification protocol, the economic and energy aid to North Korea 
has been provided as a reward for the North's nuclear disablement." 
 
Conservative Dong-a Ilbo noted a Dec. 15 Washington Post report 
saying that there is a possibility that Assistant Secretary of State 
for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Christopher Hill might be 
appointed as "Special Envoy for the Region" under the incoming Obama 
Administration.  Even if appointed to the post, the report notes 
that Mr. Hill still would be directly involved with the North Korean 
nuclear issue. 
 
Right-of-center JoongAng Ilbo and conservative Segye Ilbo ran a 
story related to ruling Grand National Party (GNP) Rep. Kim 
Hak-song's claim at a Dec. 16 security forum organized by the 
state-run Korea Institute for Defense Analysis that: "(i)f North 
Korea, which is believed to have produced up to 40 kilograms of 
plutonium, has succeeded in developing small-size nuclear bombs, the 
North could have produced more than 20 atomic bombs, because it 
takes 2-3 kilograms of plutonium to make a small nuclear weapon." 
 
 
Features 
 
U.S. Congressional Delegation: "If the ROK Ratifies the KORUS FTA, 
the U.S. Congress Will Also Make Efforts to Do So" 
(JoongAng Ilbo, December 17, 2008, Page 6) 
 
By Reporter Seon Seung-hye 
 
- Rep. Hong Jung-wook of the Grand National Party (GNP): "When I 
went to the U.S., I got the impression that the ROK is not a top 
priority for U.S. policies." 
 
- U.S. Congressman Leonard Boswell: "We are now in a transition 
period, facing economic difficulties, and even waging war.  We 
sometimes cannot pay attention to all other issues.  However, the 
delegation here thinks very positively of the ROK-U.S. Free Trade 
Agreement (FTA)." 
 
- GNP Rep. Chung OK-im: "The ROK will ratify the FTA according to 
legal procedures.  We hope that the U.S. will do so, too." 
 
- U.S. Congressman Steve Kagen: "If the ROK ratifies the deal, it 
will place much heavier responsibility on the U.S.  After a U.S. 
Secretary of State and other officials are appointed, they go 
through a Senate hearing, and if the ROK ratifies the FTA before 
that, the focus of the hearing will be placed on the FTA." 
 
During a December 16 invitational gathering of the U.S. 
Congressional delegation at the National Assembly, participants had 
a heated debate about the KORUS FTA.  GNP Rep. Koo Sang-chan, who 
hosted the event, even joked, "Since (our comments) are too harsh, 
you may not be comfortable at the table."  During the discussion, 
the ROK side pressed the U.S. for an answer and the U.S. asked for 
understanding on several occasions. 
 
All U.S. lawmakers who attended the meeting this day said, "The 
KORUS FTA will be ratified soon, and we will make an effort for 
that."  Rep. Henry Cuellar noted, "After Obama takes office, there 
will be some progress in (breaking) the current deadlock," adding, 
"It is only a matter of timing and domestic politics, and the U.S. 
cannot turn its back and leave."  Rep. Robert B. Goodlatte also 
stated, "I heard that progress on the U.S. beef issue was made due 
to consideration of the FTA ratification.  In response to it, we 
will also try to get the FTA ratified." 
 
While strongly asking the U.S. to approve the FTA, ROK lawmakers 
dismissed the possibility of renegotiation of the deal.  GNP Rep. 
Lee Kye-jin said, "Since the ROK's food self-sufficiency rate was 
just 26 percent, it is inevitable to import food from agricultural 
powerhouses, such as the U.S.  Nevertheless, if (the U.S.) intends 
to pour its agricultural and livestock products into a small nation 
like the ROK, it could be seen as a threat."  Rep. Park Sun-young of 
the Liberty Forward Party also explained, "While the U.S. sharply 
expanded the amount of its agricultural subsidy and the number of 
subsidy recipients, that is not the case in the ROK, and so (the 
 
ROK's agricultural industry) is in dire straits," adding, "Timing 
and domestic politics are also variables in the ROK." 
 
Rep. Koo Sang-chan said, "The U.S. Embassy first asked us to have 
open and candid discussions.  Thanks to this, the debate was 
productive."  The meeting was attended by Reps. Koo, Shin Sung-beom, 
Yoo Ki-joon, Lee Kye-jin, Lee Hye-hoon, Chung Ok-im, Hong Jung-wook, 
and Hwang Young-chul (from the Grand National Party) and Rep. Park 
Young-sun (from the Liberty Forward Party).  The U.S. Congressional 
delegation included five members of the House Committee on 
Agriculture, including Leonard Boswell, Chairman of the House 
Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry. 
 
 
"Line" in Front of U.S. Embassy Has Disappeared, but No Tourism 
"Boom" Yet 
(Munhwa Ilbo, December 16, 2008, Page 10; Excerpts) 
 
By Reporters Lee Yong-kwon, Lim Jung-hwan, Chae Hyun-sik and Kang 
Beo-deul 
 
Observers still point out that Koreans are not fully informed of the 
VWP.  Many people do not know that before traveling to the U.S. 
under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), they need to get a permit in 
advance and that only e-passport holders are allowed to travel 
without a visa.  An official of Hana Tour said, "Some of the 
long-term travelers who must have a U.S. visa demand visa-free 
travel" adding, "Since the Korean-language Web site is not provided 
yet, many people are having difficulty." 
 
 
Visa-Free U.S. Travel Increases Slightly... Total Number of 
Travelers Decreases 
(Munhwa Ilbo, December 16, 2008, Page 10) 
 
By Washington Correspondent Choi Hyung-doo 
 
After the ROK joined the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP), it became 
much easier for ROK travelers to visit the U.S., but due to the high 
exchange rate and economic difficulties, the total number of 
travelers has been decreasing.  ROK airliners and travel agencies in 
the U.S. said on December 16 that the proportion of travelers who 
got the USG's entry permit on the Internet over the past month 
increased gradually, but the total number of travelers (to the U.S.) 
was found to be smaller than usual. 
 
The number of passengers who flew Korean Air to Washington last 
month was found to be smaller than usual.  Out of Koreans who flew 
Korean Air to New York, the number of VWP travelers has increased an 
average of 11. 6 people per day to 337 people on December 15.  A 
total of 103 visa-free travelers have flown Asiana Airlines to New 
York.  VWP travelers who flew Korean Air to New York numbered 125 in 
November, but it has risen to 212 as of December 15.  The number of 
VWP travelers who flew Asiana Airlines to New York increased from 34 
in November to 69 by December 14. 
 
According to Korean Air, which operates two flights a day between 
Incheon and New York, the number of VWP travelers remained in single 
digit in November, but it increased to about ten this month, and on 
December 15, 30 people, the largest number in December, boarded an 
airplane under the VWP.  Ha Min-ki, head of the San Francisco branch 
of Korean Air, said, "The number of VWP travelers is about five to 
six per flight, but it does not have a big impact on the total 
number of passengers."  Suh Young-bin, head of the San Francisco 
branch of Asiana Airlines, noted, "Although we plan to increase the 
number of flights to San Francisco starting from the end of 
December, it is difficult to say that the VWP is making any 
difference yet probably because of the economic downturn." 
 
Kevin Lim, an official of Samho Tourism in Los Angeles, said, 
"Although the total number of Korean travelers to the U.S. is 
smaller than last year, the number of VWP travelers is increasing 
steadily.  In particular, out of Koreans who visit the western part 
of the U.S., about 35 percent travel under the VWP."  As the ROK's 
participation into the VWP made it easier for young females to 
travel to the U.S., the Korean-American communities in the U.S. are 
concerned that the number of young women working in the sex industry 
may increase. 
 
 
Stephens