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E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO PGOV PREL MARR ECON KS US
SUBJECT: PRESS BULLETIN - January 5, 2009 
 
Opinions/Editorials 
 
¶1. Global Response to Gaza 
(JoongAng Ilbo, January 5, 2009, Page 26) 
¶2. If ROK-U.S. Alliance is Strong, We Do Not Need to Be Afraid of 
Pyongyang's Strategy of Engaging with the U.S. and Sidelining ROK 
(Chosun Ilbo, January 3, 2009, Page 27) 
¶3. ROK and U.S. Fail to Round off Bush's Tenure with Secretary 
Rice's Visit to Seoul 
(Chosun Ilbo, January 5, 2009, Page 3) 
¶4. Massacre and Peace Are Incompatible 
(Hankyoreh Shinmun, January 5, 2009, Page 27) 
 
 
 
Features 
 
¶5. US Forces in Korea to Complete Relocation by 2016 
(Dong-a Ilbo, January 5, 2009, Front Page) 
 
 
Top Headlines 
 
Chosun Ilbo 
ROKG to Reshuffle Six to Seven Ministries and Offices 
before Lunar New Year's Day 
 
JoongAng Ilbo 
More Speedy and Specific Policy on Job Creation Needed 
 
Dong-a Ilbo, Segye Ilbo 
National Assembly Speaker Kim Not to Invoke Right 
to Deliberate Bills until Jan. 8 
 
Hankook Ilbo, Seoul Shinmun 
Democratic Party Decides to End Sit-in at Rotunda Hall of National 
Assembly Building 
 
Hankyoreh Shinmun 
National Assembly Speaker "Delays" Invoking Right 
to Deliberate Bills... "Truce" Called 
with Source of Discord Unresolved 
 
 
Domestic Developments 
 
1 The Program Management Consortium (PMC), which is overseeing the 
relocation of U.S. military bases in the ROK to Pyeongtaek, 
submitted a final relocation proposal to the ROK and the U.S. at the 
end of last December.  Under the proposal, the Yongsan Garrison in 
Seoul will be moved by the end of 2014 and the 2nd Infantry Division 
in northern Gyeonggi Province by the first half of 2016. (Dong-a, 
Chosun) 
 
2 ROK President Lee's diplomatic advisory team, including former 
Foreign Minister Han Seung-joo and Presidential Adviser for External 
Strategy Kim Tae-hyo, will visit the U.S. on Jan. 7 to meet with 
Korean Peninsula experts of U.S. think tanks and officials of U.S. 
President-elect Obama. (Hankyoreh) 
 
International News 
 
1 The Korean Central News Agency said that North Korean leader Kim 
Jong-il, in his first official activity of the year, has inspected 
the "Guard Seoul Ryu Kyong-su Tank Division 105." (Dong-a, 
Hankyoreh, Seoul) 
 
2 Radio Free Asia reported on Jan. 3 that the number of North Korean 
defectors crossing into Thailand has surged in the last two months. 
(Dong-a) 
 
3 Gordon Johndroe, Spokesman for the National Security Council, 
urged North Korea to accept the nuclear verification protocol, 
saying in a daily press briefing, "We think the Six-Party process 
has worked well." (Segye) 
 
 
Media Analysis 
 
Middle East/the Israeli-Palestine Conflict 
All newspapers gave front-page coverage to Israel's siege of Gaza 
City.  Right-of-center JoongAng Ilbo reported that Israel pushed for 
ground warfare before the international community's intervention so 
that it may bring Hamas under its control and raise its stakes in 
negotiations over a truce.  The newspaper also carried an 
inside-page story headlined: "EU Urges Ceasefire... Countries across 
Europe Denounces Israel."  Conservative Dong-a Ilbo reported that 
Israeli ground forces seized most of the areas of northern Gaza, and 
the UN Security Council failed to adopt a resolution calling for a 
ceasefire.  Conservative Chosun Ilbo, in an inside-page story, 
quoted President Bush as saying in his January 3 radio address, 
"This recent outburst of violence was instigated by Hamas," and it 
also quoted Israeli military commanders as saying, "This operation 
will be completed in three or four weeks."  Left-leaning Hankyoreh 
Shinmun reported that the U.S. is indirectly supporting Israel's 
Middle East strategy by objecting to the UN Security resolution on a 
ceasefire.  The newspaper's inside-page headline read: "'David' 
Tougher Than 'Goliath'... No One Knows Who Will Win." 
 
JoongAng Ilbo editorialized: "The U.S. should clarify its position 
on an immediate and unconditional cease-fire. The UN Security 
Council held an emergency meeting last Saturday but failed to 
release a statement calling for an immediate cease-fire, as the U.S. 
was insisting that Hamas should stop their rocket attacks before 
agreeing on a cease-fire.  The U.K., Germany and Japan, the U.S.'s 
traditional allies, have not clarified their official positions, 
while European countries as well as Arab nations are censuring the 
Israeli invasion.  If the global community is divided over such an 
intense conflict, we will never stop the gunfire in the Gaza 
Strip." 
 
Hankyoreh Shinmun editorialized: The U.S. is also heavily 
responsible (for the current situation in the Middle East.)  As a 
nation which has provided huge military assistance to Israel, the 
U.S. was practically the only nation in the world that supported 
Israel's invasion of the Gaza Strip.  In fact, this attack is 
similar to the attack by the George W. Bush administration on Iraq. 
It is not too much to say that the Bush administration, which failed 
to learn anything from the Iraq war, incited Israel to stage war. 
 
North Korea 
Dong-a Ilbo and Hankyoreh Shinmun replayed a report by the Korean 
Central News Agency that North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, in his 
first official activity of the year, has inspected the "Guard Seoul 
Ryu Kyong-su Tank Division 105." 
 
 
Opinions/Editorials 
 
Global Response to Gaza 
(JoongAng Ilbo, January 5, 2009, Page 26) 
 
As the Palestinian paramilitary and political group Hamas and Israel 
continue to wage their bloody struggle, the global community is 
smelling the stench of blood while welcoming in the new year.  More 
than 500 people in the Hamas-governed Gaza Strip were killed by 
Israel's onslaught last week, which resulted in a large number of 
civilian casualties, including the death of 80 children. 
 
The number of casualties is expected to snowball as Israel decided 
to launch a massive aerial bombardment Saturday, the eighth day of 
aerial attacks, before launching any ground attacks. The global 
community as well as the United Nations and the European Union 
expressed their deep concern that Israel is poised to launch a major 
ground offensive into Gaza, which will pose a serious threat to the 
safety of civilians, and have called for an immediate cease-fire. 
 
There cannot be a strong enough reason to go to war, when the war 
kills and maims innocent people indiscriminately.  Israel and Hamas 
should accept the recommendation of the international community and 
cease all military actions. 
 
Unfortunately, both sides are not prepared to obediently accept the 
cease-fire plan.  Israel is on the lookout for an opportunity to 
strike a devastating blow against Hamas' rocket launching facility 
that has traumatized southern Israel.  It seems intent on destroying 
Hamas this time, as it prepares all that is necessary to wage a 
long-term war by mobilizing a huge number of reserve units. 
 
In like manner, Hamas is showing its fighting spirit, saying, "We 
will make Gaza a tomb for Israeli soldiers."  They don't seem 
genuinely worried about the dangers to innocent civilians, including 
children.  Instead, Israel criticized Hamas, "Stop using civilians 
as human shields." 
 
It is high time that the global community actively engages itself in 
an effort to stop more human sacrifices.  The U.S. should clarify 
its position on an immediate and unconditional cease-fire.  The UN 
Security Council held an emergency meeting last Saturday but failed 
to release a statement calling for an immediate cease-fire, as the 
U.S. was insisting that Hamas should stop their rocket attacks 
before agreeing on a cease-fire. 
 
The U.K., Germany and Japan, America's traditional allies, have not 
clarified their official positions, while European countries as well 
as Arab nations are censuring the Israeli invasion.  If the global 
community is divided over such an intense conflict, we will never 
put an end to the violence and bloodshed in the Gaza Strip. 
 
* This is a translation provided by the newspaper, and it is 
identical to the Korean version. 
 
 
If ROK-U.S. Alliance is Strong, We Do Not Need to Be Afraid of 
Pyongyang's Strategy of Engaging with the U.S. and Sidelining ROK 
(Chosun Ilbo, January 3, 2009, Page 27) 
 
This year, the most important task for the ROK's foreign and 
security policy is to build a partnership with the incoming Obama 
administration.  Right after its launch on January 20, the Obama 
administration will take a comprehensive look at U.S. policies on 
the Korean Peninsula, including the North Korean nuclear issue.  In 
this process, it is important that the ROK makes its voice heard 
correctly.  To this end, Seoul should first adjust its strategies 
and initiatives regarding the future of the ROK-U.S. alliance, 
contingencies in North Korea, including the nuclear problem, and 
global efforts to overcome the economic crisis and fight terrorism. 
 
As long as cooperation between the ROK and the U.S. goes smoothly, 
direct dialogue between the U.S. and North Korea will serve as a 
breakthrough in the year-long stalemate of the Six-Party Talks. 
Thus, we do not need to block it.  If we are anxious about speedy 
progress on U.S.-North Korea relations and hasten to open up the 
door for inter-Korean ties, we would fall into the trap set by the 
North.  If the principle is clear that the ROK and the U.S. are 
equal partners in dealing with the North Korean situation, and if 
that principle is certainly put into action, Seoul has no reason to 
worry about the division of roles between the ROK and the U.S. in 
the process of dialogue. 
ROK and U.S. Fail to Round off Bush's Tenure with Secretary 
 
Rice's Visit to Seoul 
(Chosun Ilbo, January 5, 2009, Page 3) 
 
By Washington Correspondent Lee Ha-won 
 
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was originally scheduled to 
visit Seoul this week.  Before resigning on January 19, together 
with U.S. President George W. Bush, she had planned to meet with the 
ROK Foreign Minister during her "farewell visit" to Northeast Asia. 
 
On January 4, however, Secretary Rice canceled her trip to the ROK 
and Japan and decided to visit only China, which has recently marked 
the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties with Washington.  The 
ostensible reason is that she cannot afford to do so because the 
Middle East conflict is being aggravated by Israeli ground forces 
pouring into Gaza.  With over 400 casualties of this conflict 
weighing heavily on the U.S., the cancellation of her trip to Seoul 
is understandable in a way. 
 
The concern is that, unlike the case with Tokyo, Seoul and 
Washington have cancelled their foreign ministerial talks for the 
second consecutive month. 
 
The U.S.-ROK ministerial-level strategic consultation was slated for 
December 8, 2008 in Washington D.C.  But Minister of Foreign Affairs 
and Trade Yu Myung-hwan cancelled his visit to the U.S. at the last 
minute.  The Korean government reportedly calculated that the ROK 
didn't have to take the initiative in meeting the outgoing Secretary 
of State Condoleezza Rice.  She must have gotten a hint of what was 
going on inside the ROK government.  Accordingly, the Secretary of 
State could cancel her visit to the ROK without any pressure, citing 
the recent developments in the Middle East. 
 
Condoleezza Rice will return to Stanford University as a professor, 
but she will play a vital role in formulating the diplomatic policy 
of the Republican Party whose aims are to reclaim the White House in 
the 2012 Presidential election.  As Madeleine Albright, Secretary of 
State during the Clinton Administration, still remains influential, 
Condoleezza Rice is forecast to become the "Albright of the 
Republican Party." 
 
Given that, the Korean government cannot neglect the role of 
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.  I am afraid that the Korean 
government was not successful in putting the finishing touches on 
the relationship with the outgoing Secretary of State. 
 
 
Massacre and Peace Are Incompatible 
(Hankyoreh Shinmun, January 5, 2009, Page 27) 
 
Israel launched a land invasion of the Gaza Strip on Saturday.  This 
shows that the conflict has entered a new phase of massacres by an 
Israel armed with overwhelming military power.  Israel's onslaught 
has killed more than 500 Palestinians, and wounded more than 2,000 
in the Gaza Strip since December 27. 
 
Israel declared that the aim of its incursion lies in preventing 
Hamas from committing hostile acts against Israel.  This indicates 
Israel's intention to reoccupy the Hamas-governed Gaza Strip, as 
regaining control of the region is the only way to neutralize 
support for Hamas supported by most of its residents. With the 
number of Palestinian casualties growing, Muslim countries will see 
their anti-Israel sentiment deepening.  Given that, Israel is sowing 
the seeds of hatred. 
 
In a statement announced after the land invasion, Israel described 
itself as a 'peace pursuer.'  This does not make any sense.  No 
country is entitled to unilaterally invade the territory of other 
nations in order to resolve small conflicts in a border region. 
Israel also made an incursion into southern Lebanon to attack 
Hezbollah guerillas in 2006, leaving many people wounded or dead, 
ultimately complicating the situation in the Middle East.  This 
shows that massacre and peace are incompatible. 
 
The U.S. is also heavily responsible for the current situation in 
the Middle East. As a nation which has provided huge military 
assistance to Israel, the U.S. was practically the only nation in 
the world that supported Israel's invasion of the Gaza Strip.  In 
fact, this attack is similar to the attack on Iraq by the George W. 
Bush administration.  It is not too farfetched to say that the Bush 
administration, which failed to learn anything from the Iraq war, 
incited Israel to wage war. 
 
Israel hinted that the Gaza Strip will see the invasion last for a 
protracted period of time. The international community should not 
tolerate this. It should put pressure on Israel to immediately 
withdraw its troops from the Gaza Strip and join the international 
efforts to restore peace in the region.  The incoming Barack Obama 
administration should take a lead in resolving the conflict.  Israel 
has to witness an outburst of rage by the global community against 
the invasion. 
 
 
Features 
 
US Forces in Korea to Complete Relocation by 2016 
(Dong-a Ilbo, January 5, 2009, Front Page) 
 
The Program Management Consortium, which is overseeing the 
relocation of U.S. military bases in Korea to Pyeongtaek, has 
submitted a final proposal to move the Yongsan Garrison in Seoul by 
the end of 2014 and the 2nd Infantry Division in northern Gyeonggi 
Province by the first half of 2016. 
The consortium submitted the proposal at the end of last year. Under 
the plan, the 8th U.S. Army within the Yongsan Garrison will be 
relocated by the first half of 2013.  The U.S. Korea Command, to be 
established around 2011 following the transfer of wartime 
operational control to Seoul, will move to the Pyeongtaek area by 
the first half of 2014.   Other facilities are scheduled for 
transfer by the end of 2014. 
 
In addition, relocation of the command post of the 2nd Infantry 
Division and its military units will occur between 2013 and the 
first half of 2016. 
 
Despite Korea's demand to complete the relocation by 2014, the 
United States postponed the deadline to 2016 citing budget and 
technical issues.  In response, the Korean Defense Ministry said the 
specific relocation timeline and cost will be released after 
coordination with its counterpart based on the consortium's final 
proposal. 
 
A military source said, "Defense Minister Lee Sang-hee and U.S. 
Forces Korea Commander Walter Sharp will reach an agreement on the 
relocation plan based on the consortium's final proposal within this 
month." 
 
* This is a translation provided by the newspaper, and it is 
identical to the Korean version. 
 
 
 
Stephens 
1