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SUBJECT: PRESS BULLETIN - January 7, 2009 
 
Opinions/Editorials 
 
¶1. ROK-U.S. Response in 2009 to North Korea's Nuclear Issue (Chosun 
Ilbo, January 7, 2009, Page 31) 
 
 
Top Headlines 
 
Chosun Ilbo 
93 Public Welfare Bills, including Bills on Easing Criminal 
Penalties, are stalled by National Assembly standoff; (as a result) 
Low-Income People (who are unable to pay fines) for Minor Breaches 
receive criminal records. 
 
JoongAng Ilbo, All TVs 
ROKG to Invest 50 Trillion Won in "Green New Deal" Project to 
Bolster National Economy and Create 960,000 New Jobs 
 
Dong-a Ilbo, Hankook Ilbo, Hankyoreh Shinmun, 
Segye Ilbo, Seoul Shinmun 
Rival Parties Reach Agreement on Disputed Bills; 
National Assembly Returns to Normal after 20 Days of Paralysis 
 
 
Domestic Developments 
 
¶1. According to Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun, Japan plans to conduct a 
comprehensive survey of marine energy and mineral resources in the 
East Sea. If Japan decides to include the ROK-controlled Dokdo 
islets in the East Sea, it will likely rekindle the territorial 
dispute between the two countries over Dokdo. (Chosun, JoongAng, 
Dong-a, Segye) 
 
 
International News 
 
¶1. According to a ROKG source, the Six-Party Working Group Meeting 
on Peace and Security in Northeast Asia is expected to be held in 
Russia in mid-February. (Seoul) 
 
 
Media Analysis 
 
North Korea 
 
Yoon Duk-min, professor at the Institute of Foreign Affairs and 
National Security, opined in conservative Chosun Ilbo: "Preoccupied 
with the Middle East issue, the Obama Administration is likely to 
follow in the footsteps of its predecessor, the Bush Administration, 
by focusing more on managing the North Korean nuclear issue than 
adopting an aggressive diplomatic approach to dismantle the North's 
nuclear weapons.  The Obama Administration should not make the 
mistake of jeopardizing East Asia, (while) distracted by the Middle 
East issue.  'Change' is Obama's slogan.  In this regard, it is high 
time for a change in U.S. policy on North Korea.  The U.S. should 
come up with a proper policy on North Korea, even if it takes 
time." 
 
Gaza 
The ROK media reported that Israel is expanding its military 
offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip without accepting 
cease-fire calls by the international community.  Citing foreign 
media, the ROK media put the total Palestinian death toll since Dec. 
27 at close to 700.  French President Nicholas Sarkozy was quoted as 
urging both sides to stop the fighting during a Jan. 5 visit to the 
Middle East. 
 
Conservative Chosun Ilbo's International News Reporter Choi 
Joon-seok wrote: "The Israeli attacks on Gaza are excessive enough 
to be called an 'asymmetrical war,' even though Hamas provoked them. 
 The Israelis were able to rebuild their country in the land of 
Palestine because they were the victims, not the perpetrators. 
However, Israel no longer appears to be either a weak nation or a 
victim." 
 
Russia-Ukraine Gas Dispute 
The ROK media carried straight, inside-page reports saying that 
Russia has cut its gas exports to Europe through Ukraine by 30 
percent in a sharp escalation of a dispute with Ukraine over energy. 
 Left-leaning Hankyoreh Shinmun cited International Herald Tribune 
as analyzing that the Russian move might be intended to induce 
Europe to be involved in this gas dispute as a mediator. 
 
 
Opinions/Editorials 
 
ROK-U.S. Response in 2009 to North Korea's Nuclear Issue 
(Chosun Ilbo, January 7, 2009, Page 31) 
 
By Yoon Duk-min, professor at the Institute of Foreign Affairs and 
National Security 
 
The "Six-Party Talks" cannot realize denuclearization. 
 
If the nuclear threat is neglected, it will set off a nuclear domino 
effect in Northeast Asia. 
 
It has been 20 years since the North Korean nuclear issue became a 
matter of primary concern in the international community.  We have 
engaged in negotiations with the North over the past two decades, 
ever since France's commercial satellite imagery of clandestine 
nuclear facilities at Yongbyon drew international attention in 1989. 
 To date, there have been five changes of government in the ROK from 
the Roh Tae-woo, Kim Yong-sam, Kim Dae-jung, Roh Moo-hyun 
administrations to the current Lee Myung-bak administration.  In the 
U.S., too, there have been four changes of government, including the 
incoming Obama administration.  Whenever there was a change of 
government in the U.S., there was also a change in the negotiation 
framework due to Pyongyang's perversity.  The first nuclear 
negotiation was held between the two Koreas, and during the Clinton 
Administration, high-level U.S.-North Korea talks and four-party 
talks were held.  During the current Bush Administration, six 
parties have gathered for nuclear talks.  Although there have been 
many agreements on North Korea's nuclear abandonment, such as the 
1992 Joint Declaration on the Denuclearization of the Korean 
Peninsula, the 1994 U.S.-North Korea Geneva Agreed Framework, and 
the September 19 Joint Statement, there are still no signs that 
Pyongyang has given up its nuclear development.  Rather, it pushed 
for a nuclear test even while the Six-Party Talks were being held. 
Furthermore, the North is continuously carrying out high-explosive 
tests in order to sophisticate its atomic bombs, and is also testing 
the engines of ballistic missiles, which will carry nuclear bombs. 
The nuclear test facilities are still in operation.  Frankly 
speaking, I cannot shake off the feeling that even though the 
Six-Party Talks are producing many agreements, the North is 
continuing to take steady steps toward its nuclear armament.  What 
is certain is that the current nuclear negotiation process cannot 
prevent the North from developing its nuclear weapons. 
 
The North's denuclearization process will be at a crossroads in 
¶2009.  For the past eight years, the Bush Administration was so 
preoccupied with the Middle East situation, such as the wars in Iraq 
and Afghanistan, that it concentrated its efforts on preventing 
nuclear proliferation, rather than on denuclearizing the North. 
Furthermore, since Pyongyang's nuclear test in October 2006, the 
Bush Administration has virtually overlooked North Korea's 
provisional nuclear armament.  "Nuclear weapons" were not on the 
list of nuclear programs that would be abandoned pursuant to the 
February 13, 2007 Agreement, and "nuclear weapons" and "enriched 
uranium" were not included in a nuclear declaration to be submitted 
under the October 2007 Agreement.  U.S. President-elect Obama had 
criticized the Bush Administration during his election campaign, 
saying that North Korea's nuclear weapons increased four times 
during Bush's term.  At the end of the day, what policy the incoming 
Obama Administration will take is the key to this issue. 
 
President-elect Obama stressed the need for imposing sanctions 
against nations that breached the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, 
such as North Korea, while expressing his willingness to pursue 
direct negotiations with North Korea.  In short, he seeks to adopt a 
"strong and direct diplomatic approach."  But there are concerns 
that, like the Bush Administration, the Obama Administration may be 
overwhelmed by imminent issues other than the North Korea issue. 
Above all, it should overcome the current financial crisis.  And it 
will not be easy to put an end to war on terror, as shown in the 
Mumbai attacks.  Worse yet, the conflicts between Israel and Hamas 
are likely to escalate into the 5th Middle East War.  Faced with 
layers of urgent issues, the Obama Administration may put the North 
Korean nuclear issue on the backburner.  Immersed in dealing with 
the Middle East issue, President-elect Obama is likely to follow in 
the footsteps of his predecessor George W. Bush who focused on just 
managing the North Korean nuclear issue, rather than adopting an 
aggressive diplomatic approach in order to dismantle its nuclear 
weapons. 
 
There should be a change.  As time goes by, North Korean nuclear 
armament will become an inevitable reality.  We cannot afford to 
tolerate dangerous coexistence with a nuclear-armed North Korea. 
Some Japanese have already raised the need for their country's own 
nuclear armament.  If the grave nuclear threat facing our ally is 
neglected, it will set off a domino effect of nuclear proliferation. 
 The Obama Administration should not make the mistake of putting the 
safety of East Asia in jeopardy, distracted by the Middle East 
issue.  It should no longer adhere to the existing North Korea 
policy swayed by its brinkmanship.  Obama's top priority is change. 
Change in the U.S. policy toward North Korea is urgently needed. 
The Obama Administration should come up with sound policy on North 
Korea, even if it will take time.  We expect President-elect Obama's 
strong initiative to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue in 2009. 
 
 
 
Stephens 
1