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E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO PGOV PREL MARR ECON KS US
SUBJECT: PRESS BULLETIN - January 30, 2009 
 
Opinions/Editorials 
 
¶1. U.S., North Korea Should Return to "September 19 Six-Party 
Statement" 
(JoongAng Ilbo, January 30, 2009, Page 27) 
¶2. Candlelight Comeback 
(JoongAng Daily, January 30, 2009, Page 10) 
 
 
Features 
 
¶3. The WEST Program Is Criticized for Wasting Money 
(Dong-a Ilbo, January 30, 2009, Page 12) 
¶4. "ROK MND should be responsible for delayed relocation of USFK 
bases to Pyeongtaek" 
(Segye Ilbo, January 30, 2009, Page 15) 
Top Headlines 
 
Chosun Ilbo 
Violent and Abusive Language Rampant on TV and the Internet 
 
JoongAng Ilbo 
New Facility Opens to Aid Search for Korean War Dead 
 
Dong-a Ilbo 
Medical Field Coming Clean about Double Publications 
 
Hankook Ilbo 
Home Prices Rising Again in Three Districts of Southern Seoul, 
Lending Support to Those Opposed to Delisting the Districts 
as "Speculation Zones" 
 
Hankyoreh Shinmun 
Police Attempted to "Manipulate Public Opinion" to Justify Their 
Deadly Crackdown on Squatters' Protest in Yongsan 
 
Segye Ilbo 
Survey: Most Koreans Pick Stabilization of Prices 
as ROKG's Top Priority 
 
Seoul Shinmun, All TVs 
Standard Prices of Homes Fall for First Time Since 2005 
 
 
Domestic Developments 
 
¶1. "WEST... WASTE?:" The ROKG has selected 325 college students and 
graduates to study English and receive internships for 18 months in 
the U.S. under the WEST (Work, English Study and Travel) program 
agreed upon by the leaders of the two nations in August, but it is 
facing skepticism from the participants because prospects for 
internship employment are unclear and the expenses for the program 
are not less than ordinary English language courses. (Dong-a) 
Media Analysis 
 
Davos - World Economic Forum 
Most media coverage focused on the criticism of the U.S. made by 
Chinese and Russian Prime Ministers regarding the current financial 
crisis.  Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin was quoted as saying 
pointedly: "Just a year ago at Davos, American delegates emphasized 
the U.S. economy's fundamental stability. Today, investment banks, 
the pride of Wall Street, have virtually ceased to exist."  Chinese 
Prime Minister Wen Jiabo was also cited as blaming the current 
crisis, without naming any specific country, for inappropriate 
macroeconomic policies of "some economies" and their unsustainable 
model of development characterized by prolonged low savings and high 
consumption and excessive expansion of financial institutions in 
blind pursuit of profit.  Conservative Chosun Ilbo titled its story, 
"U.S. Got Told Off."  Left-leaning Hankyoreh Shinmun's headline 
read: "Davos Forum Turns into a Venue to Criticize 'U.S.-Style 
Capitalism.'"  Moderate Seoul Shinmun wrote in the headline: "China 
Aims for Greater Say in Establishing a New Global Economic Order." 
 
North Korea 
Right-of-center JoongAng Ilbo ran an op-ed by Kim Keun-sik, a North 
Korea expert at Kyungnam University, which said: "It is fortunate 
that North Korea and the U.S. seem to be agreeing on the need to 
resolve the North Korean nuclear issue through negotiations.  In 
order for those negotiations to proceed smoothly, however, the North 
and the U.S. should return to the September 19, 2005 Joint Statement 
and start from there.  In fact, how to resolve the nuclear issue has 
already been spelled out in the Joint Statement.  A close look at 
the Joint Statement tells us that Washington's concern that North 
Korea may not give up its nuclear ambitions or Pyongyang's suspicion 
that the U.S. may not abandon its hostile policy toward the North is 
just an unfounded fear.  This is why the details and spirit of the 
September 19 Joint Statement should be the basis for future talks 
between the North and the U.S." 
 
 
Opinions/Editorials 
 
U.S., North Korea Should Return to "September 19 Six-Party 
Statement" 
(JoongAng Ilbo, January 30, 2009, Page 27) 
 
By Kim Keun-sik, Professor of Politics at Kyungnam University 
 
It is fortunate that North Korea and the U.S. have an agreement to 
resolve the North Korean nuclear issue through negotiations, but in 
order to make smooth progress in those negotiations, the North and 
the U.S. should agree to another principle: they should go back to 
the September 19, 2005, Joint Statement and start from there. 
 
In fact, how to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue was already 
spelled out in the Joint Statement.  North Korea is supposed to 
dismantle all its nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs. 
For its part, the U.S. is supposed to normalize its relations with 
the North and provide a security guarantee to Pyongyang in return. 
Both sides should carry out these obligations in phases according to 
the action-for-action principle.  A close look at the September 19 
Joint Statement, which both parties officially signed and agreed to, 
tells us that Washington's concern about the North not giving up its 
nuclear ambitions or Pyongyang's suspicion that the U.S. may not 
abandon its hostile policy toward the North is just an unfounded 
fear.  They should not forget that not only the contents of the 
September 19 Joint Statement but also the process of having reached 
the agreement is the result of mutual respect and compromise.  The 
North Korean nuclear issue already has a good solution: the 
September 19 Joint Statement.  This is why the contents and spirit 
of the September 19 Joint Statement should be the basis for the 
future talks between the North and the U.S. 
 
 
Candlelight Comeback 
(JoongAng Daily, January 30, 2009, Page 10) 
 
Two press conferences were held yesterday related to the deadly 
incident in Yongsan.  In the morning, opposition parties and civic 
organizations held a press conference and unveiled their plan to 
hold an event on Feb. 1 at Cheonggye Plaza in memory of the "victims 
of the Yongsan manslaughter and to deter MB's (President Lee 
Myung-bak's) evil laws." 
 
Then in the afternoon, a national civic group organized around the 
Yongsan incident announced that an event to remember the victims 
would be held every weekend, beginning this Saturday, and that areas 
for candlelight vigils and for lighting incense in memory of those 
who died in the standoff would be set up across the country. 
 
Regretfully, the remarks remind us of the candlelight vigils of last 
year that started with panic over mad cow disease.  But what is most 
worrisome is that these are the same civic organizations that 
directed last year's candlelight vigils. Even their press conference 
was billed as a "press conference to condemn violent and murderous 
crackdowns and to deter MB's evil laws." 
 
The purpose itself conveys the feeling that these groups want to use 
the accident as a cause for anti-government protests.  According to 
the Korea Economic Research institute, the social costs for the 
candlelight vigils last spring amounted to 3.7 trillion won ($2.64 
billion).  Amid the economic crisis, we must avoid wasting our 
national resources and wealth again in the same manner. 
 
In particular, the Democratic Party's plan to protest outside the 
National Assembly is inappropriate.  This kind of protest was an 
extreme measure that political parties used under military rule 
 
since their legal activities were severely checked and limited. 
Instead, the party must find out whether the government is 
responsible for the incident, and work within the National Assembly 
to draw up and pass a bill to prevent a similar case from occurring. 
 
 
The Democratic Party has an enormous amount of work to do in the 
Assembly in February.  First of all, it needs to hold confirmation 
hearings after the Cabinet reshuffle.  Various bills to revive the 
economy that were postponed last year must no longer be delayed.  A 
law to prevent violence in the National Assembly must be 
established. 
 
The Democratic Party is a legitimate political party that must see 
through social division and conflict and unite society by working 
within the National Assembly. 
 
If Democrats want to take to the streets they must give up their 
positions as legislators.  That's the least that they can do for the 
people. 
 
 
Features 
 
The WEST Program Is Criticized for Wasting Money 
(Dong-a Ilbo, January 30, 2009, Page 12) 
 
By Reporter Hwang Kyu-in 
 
Korean government selected 325 participants, but prospects for 
internship employment are not clear, and the expenses for the 
program are not cheaper than ordinary English language courses. 
 
A female graduate surnamed Kim, 23, who majored in design, will head 
to the U.S. this March under the WEST (Work, English Study and 
Travel) program. 
 
She had until January 29 to choose a company where she would like to 
work, out of three U.S. sponsor companies including the ICD, CIEE, 
and AIPT, but she did not know where she could get an internship 
related to her major.  This is because the detailed information on 
the companies continued to change until the morning of January 29. 
 
 
The graduate said, "When an overseas education center in Korea tries 
to send 300 students to the U.S., about 20 to 30 consultants give 
them advice.  But participants of the WEST program are confused 
because the information becomes available to them too slowly." 
 
Under the WEST program, as agreed by the leaders of the two nations 
last August, students and graduates can take a language course for 5 
months, work as interns for 12 months, and go sightseeing for 1 
month, while staying in the U.S. for up to 18 months.  A sponsor 
company managed by the U.S. Department of State will help them to 
find an internship and a language program. . 
 
The Korean government expected that many of the language courses 
(Korean students currently take) will be replaced by the WEST 
program with cheaper expenses, but participants are skeptical of the 
program. 
 
A senior student surnamed Jang, 23, said, "I was proud to be going 
to the U.S. as a representative of Korea when I applied for the 
program.  But I was disappointed by what's going on here.  I 
requested information from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and 
Trade, but I only heard that there are many trials and errors since 
this is the first time the program is being implemented.  There has 
not been any orientation program until now." 
 
Participants will need to have 12,500 dollars in order to stay in 
the U.S. while taking a language course, but there is no system in 
place to support the cost.  Participants say, "If I have to pay for 
all the costs, there is little difference between taking a language 
training course through an overseas education center and the WEST 
program." 
 
A female senior student surnamed Yoo, 24, of Seoul National 
University mentioned, "The strength of the WEST program lies in 
getting an internship, compared with ordinary language courses.  But 
I'm not sure that I can work as an intern.  The Korean government 
has said that participants can stay in the U.S. on the salaries they 
earned as interns.  If we can't get an internship, it will be 
nothing but a waste of time." 
 
An official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, "We 
selected 325 college students and graduates by taking into account 
the number of internships available.  We will help them find jobs 
through a job fair, while they are taking language training courses 
for 5 months." 
 
 
"ROK MND should be responsible for delayed relocation of USFK bases 
to Pyeongtaek" 
(Segye Ilbo, January 30, 2009, Page 15) 
 
By Reporter Park Byung-jin 
 
USFK Commander Gen. Sharp visited ROK Defense minister Lee to 
protest the delay 
 
In relation to the current long-time delay of the USFK base 
relocation to Pyeongtaek, it has become known that USFK Commander 
Gen. Walter Sharp lodged a protest with Defense Minister Lee 
regarding the plan to delay the relocation. 
 
According to the ROK Ministry of National Defense (MND) and USFK 
sources, Gen. Sharp visited the MND on January 16th.  When he met 
Minister Lee, he expressed his dissatisfaction with delaying the 
USFK base relocation project that had previously been agreed upon by 
the ROK and U.S.  It is the first time that the USFK commander has 
directly expressed his opinion on the base relocation issue. 
 
An MND official said, "Gen. Sharp urged the MND to engage itself 
actively in order to resolve complications between the ROK and the 
U.S. over subordinate issues regarding the base relocation."  The 
official explained, "However, these issues are inevitably 
time-consuming because they concern national interests." It is known 
that the USFK wants to secure a suitable lease term for the 
residence facilities for USFK service members, and secure the right 
to place the construction orders for special facilities, including 
communication centers and medical facilities. 
 
The official analyzed, "The timing for the meeting between Gen. 
Sharp and Minister Lee was only two days after former Chief of the 
MURO Park Byung-hee was replaced on charges of receiving bribes.  It 
seems that Gen. Sharp put pressure upon (resolving the) base 
relocation project, because these kind of issues can be dealt with 
at the working level." 
 
The 'D&D Focus', a South Korean monthly military magazine, also 
reported yesterday  that Gen. Sharp delivered 6-7 request items to 
Minister Lee and urged MND to perform its obligation (to handle 
them.). 
 
The magazine also reported that Gen. Sharp took this step because 
the U.S. Department of Defense had inspected the current status of 
the relocation plan on many occasions from last December to earlier 
this year, and USFK had been rebuked for this matter by a key 
Pentagon official in charge of Korean affairs. 
 
Gen. Sharp is concerned about the delay of every aspect of the 
project including placing construction orders, designing building 
sites, and constructing facilities. 
 
The magazine added that the ROK and the U.S. sides are having 
difficulty regarding the relocation of the U.S. 2nd Infantry 
Division. 
 
The ROK MND has been saying since March 2008 that it will announce a 
specific timeline and the overall costs of the base relocation 
project; however, the MND has postponed the announcement five 
times. 
 
 
Stephens 
1