VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHUL #0324/01 0610746
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 020746Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY SEOUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3438
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC 8189
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC//DDI/OEA//
RHHMUNA/USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI//FPA//
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC//DB-Z//

UNCLAS SEOUL 000324 
 
SIPDIS 
 
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 - March 3, 2009 
 
Opinions/Editorials 
 
¶1. Regrets about Secretary Clinton's Visit to Seoul 
(Hankyoreh Shinmun, March 2, 2009, Page 26) 
¶2. Critical Moment for the Six-Party Process 
(Hankyoreh Shinmun, February 28, 2009, Page 23) 
 
 
Features 
 
¶3. Does the U.S. Put More Emphasis on Direct Talks with N. Korea 
Than on the Six-Party Talks? 
(Chosun Ilbo, February 28, 2009, Page 4) 
 
 
Top Headlines 
 
 
Chosun Ilbo, All TVs 
Opposition Democratic Party Officials Attack Ruling Party Lawmaker 
during Scuffles over Media Reform Bills 
 
JoongAng Ilbo 
Ruling Party Chairman: "We Can Submit Revisions to Media Ownership 
Bill to Prevent Large Businesses from Owning Stakes in Terrestrial 
Broadcasting Networks" 
 
Dong-a Ilbo 
Dong-a Ilbo Campaign to Help People Find Jobs 
 
Hankook Ilbo 
With National Assembly Speaker's Mediation Efforts, Rival Parties 
Hold Late-Night Negotiations to Reach Compromise 
on Disputed Bills 
 
Hankyoreh Shinmun 
"Household Debt Bomb" Ticking; 
Household Loan Default Rate Reaches a Dangerous Level 
 
Segye Ilbo, Seoul Shinmun 
Rival Parties Narrow Differences over Disputed Media Bills 
 
 
Domestic Developments 
 
¶1. President Lee Myung-bak, in a speech yesterday to mark the 90th 
anniversary of the March 1 Independence Movement, said that Seoul 
will respect agreements between the two Koreas and is ready for 
dialogue. He was further quoted as saying: "The two Koreas need to 
start dialogue soon. If North Korea gives up its nuclear ambitions, 
the ROK will help the North." (All) 
 
¶2. According to a Foreign Ministry official, Stephen Bosworth, the 
U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy, will visit Seoul 
around March 7-8, after visiting China and Japan, in order to 
discuss the North's missile and nuclear issues. (JoongAng, 
Hankyoreh, KBS, MBC) 
 
¶3. According to the (North) Korean Central News Agency, the North 
Korean military sent a message to the ROK military on Feb. 28 
warning of a clash along the Military Demarcation Line (MDL). The 
North argued that the "provocative actions" of U.S. troops and 
"those in violation" of the armistice agreement were getting worse 
along the MDL. (JoongAng, Hankook, Segye, Seoul, all TVs) 
 
¶4. Citing North Korean sources, conservative newsletters in the ROK 
specializing in North Korean affairs said yesterday that Kim 
Jong-un, the youngest son of the North's leader Kim Jong-il, is the 
heir apparent. (Dong-a) 
 
¶5. A group of U.S. lawmakers called on the Obama Administration on 
Feb. 26 to swiftly deliberate on the KORUS FTA awaiting ratification 
in Congress. (Hankook, Segye, Seoul, KBS) 
 
 
Media Analysis 
 
North Korea 
The ROK media over the weekend gave prominent attention to the Feb. 
26 appointment of Stephen Bosworth as Washington's Special 
Representative for North Korea Policy and the appointment (sic) of 
Sung Kim, Special Envoy to the Six-Party Talks, as the chief U.S. 
delegate to the talks.   The ROK media reported that Stephen 
Bosworth is due to travel to Seoul, Tokyo, Beijing and Moscow to 
consult with Washington's partners in the Six-Party Talks.  In a 
related development, most of the ROK media today cited an ROK 
Foreign Ministry official as saying that the Ambassador Bosworth 
will visit Seoul around March 7-8, after visiting China and Japan, 
in order to discuss the North's missile and nuclear issues. 
 
The ROK media also noted the appointment of Chief ROK Delegate to 
the Six-Party Talks Kim Sook as the vice chief of the ROK's 
intelligence agency, reporting that Seoul will soon appoint Kim's 
replacement.  Right-of-center JoongAng Ilbo commented in an 
inside-page report on Saturday (Feb. 28) that the change of chief 
ROK and U.S. envoys to the Six-Part Talks, coupled with new North 
Korea policies under President Barack Obama, might generate fresh 
momentum in the long-stalled Six-Party Talks.  Conservative Chosun 
Ilbo's headline, meanwhile, wondered: "Does U.S. Intend to Give More 
Weight to Bilateral Negotiations with North Korea than Six-Party 
Talks?"  Conservative Dong-a Ilbo headlined its story: "U.S. Embarks 
on Efforts to Find a Solution to the North's Missile Problem Through 
the Six-Party Talks." Moderate Hankook Ilbo wrote in the headline: 
"Obama Administration's North Korea Process Moves into High Gear." 
Left-leaning Hankyoreh Shinmun editorialized: "The Obama 
Administration has already said that it wants a comprehensive 
approach, one that deals with the North's abandonment of its nuclear 
programs, signing of a peace agreement, normalization of U.S.-North 
Korea ties, and energy and economic aid all at the same time.  Mr. 
Bosworth's swing tour needs to be a time for getting into the 
specifics of that approach.  First priority will have to be the 
missile problem.  Even if Pyongyang launches a satellite, like it 
claims it will, the negative aftereffects will still be serious, 
with potential sanctions and harm being done to the momentum of the 
Six-Party process.  We would hope that Bosworth will meet with the 
North this time around." 
 
The ROK media today widely quoted President Lee Myung-bak as saying 
in a speech yesterday to mark the 90th anniversary of the March 1 
Independence Movement: "Seoul will respect agreements between the 
two Koreas and is ready for dialogue.  If North Korea gives up its 
nuclear ambitions, the ROK will help the North." 
 
Nationalization of Citigroup 
Right-of-center JoongAng Ilbo editorialized today: "The problem is 
that the nationalization of Citigroup represents the start, not the 
end, of Washington's surgery on the U.S. banking industry.  The USG 
should be swift and bold in restructuring its banking industry.  If 
it hesitates to do so, it will throw not only the U.S. financial 
system but also the entire world financial system into chaos." 
 
 
Opinions/Editorials 
 
Regrets about Secretary Clinton's Visit to Seoul 
(Hankyoreh Shinmun, March 2, 2009, Page 26) 
 
By Yonsei University Prof. Moon Jung-in 
 
U.S. Secretary of State Clinton's visit to the ROK is still a 
subject of conversation.  Koreans praise her for her diplomacy. 
Also, her visit has removed lingering anxiety that Koreans have 
harbored over the Lee Myung-bak Administration's policy on North 
Korea. 
 
However, there are some regrettable aspects to her visit.  She 
remarked that she would focus on listening to other countries during 
her journey.  But in her two-day itinerary, she rarely seemed to be 
listening carefully but kept on talking, delivering high-profile 
lectures to the public.  Perhaps, she did not need to listen since 
she had all the answers to almost all issues. 
 
Her position on North Korea appeared little different from that of 
the Bush Administration except her perception of the high-enriched 
uranium program.  It seemed as if former Secretary of State 
Condoleezza Rice was visiting again. 
The Obama Administration vowed to advance smart power diplomacy 
based on "the power of balance" (the concept of balanced diplomacy) 
departing from high-handed unilateralism.  But it seemed different 
in reality.  Secretary Clinton's comment on the North's power 
struggle was ill-considered since any remark on the North's 
succession issue is practically taboo.  Such a remark is improper 
and might wrongly hint that the North is undergoing a sudden change 
or collapse.  Her official comment on a possible crisis over a power 
struggle in North Korea may adversely affect the U.S.-North Korea 
ties. 
 
In addition, Secretary Clinton failed to take a balanced approach. 
She proclaimed that North Korea will not gain a different 
relationship with the U.S. if it refuses to talk to the ROK and 
criticizes the ROK.  She duly stood by the ROK as a close ally.  But 
she should have thought more carefully into why developments had 
unfolded this way. She should have urged the ROKG to improve ties 
with the North in order to achieve balanced diplomacy. 
 
It is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade that gained most 
from Clinton's visit.  Except in the area of the KORUS Free Trade 
Agreement (FTA), President Lee Myung-bak and the conservative forces 
obtained everything they coveted.  They apparently dealt a blow to 
their critics.  But it is doubtful that this kind of diplomacy 
adopted by the ROK really suits its national interests.  Pressure 
from the U.S. will not bring the North to the negotiating table. 
Instead, this would only aggravate the North's antagonism toward the 
Lee Myung-bak Government and jeopardize peace and stability on the 
Korean Peninsula.  It is regrettable that the ROKG has not learned 
any lesson from the Kim Young-sam Government's failed policy on 
North Korea. 
 
Critical Moment for the Six-Party Process 
(Hankyoreh Shinmun, February 28, 2009, Page 23) 
 
U.S. emissary Stephen Bosworth will be visiting the Six-Party 
countries of South Korea, China, Japan and Russia (sic) next week.* 
Also, U.S. State Department diplomat Sung Kim will be the new head 
of the American delegation to the Six-Party Talks. (sic) The head of 
China's delegation, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Wu Dawei, went 
to Pyongyang last week to discuss resuming the talks.  Diplomatic 
efforts to resolve the North Korean nuclear and missile crises are 
going into full swing. 
 
(The) Most important (thing) is the attitude of the U.S., since its 
approach will determine a lot about the overall landscape.  The 
Obama Administration has already said it wants a comprehensive 
approach, one that talks about the North doing away with its nuclear 
programs, a peace agreement, normalization of ties between Pyongyang 
and Washington, and energy and economic aid all at the same time. 
Bosworth's swing tour needs to be a time for getting into the 
specifics of these goals.  The Six-Party principle of "action for 
action" remains valid, but it would be all too easy,, as has been 
the case in the past, to fall into a tiresome wrangling over the 
details.  There must be no instance where the individual interests 
of countries party to the process hinder the larger framework of 
comprehensive negotiations. 
 
(The) first priority will have to be the missile problem.  Even if 
Pyongyang launches a satellite, as it claims, the negative 
aftereffects will still be serious, with the potential of sanctions 
and lost momentum to the Six-Party process.  We hope that Bosworth 
will meet with the North this time around.  The North has no reason 
not to talk if the U.S. appears ready to do so.  The U.S. must not 
let it look like it wants to see North Korea isolated. 
 
Pyongyang, in turn, must not miss the opportunity in the U.S.' 
wholesale review of its North Korea policy.  The nations that are 
party to the Six-Party process are ready to listen seriously to the 
conditions for nuclear abandonment that Pyongyang wants to talk 
about.  If the Obama Administration is unable to build a framework 
for constructive discussion early on, the international community's 
perceptions of North Korea are going to grow even colder.  What 
Pyongyang needs to do first and foremost right now is to halt its 
missile launch plans.  It is regrettable that Kim Myong-kil, a 
diplomat at North Korea's mission to the United Nations, says his 
country is going to go ahead with the "satellite launch."  It is 
wrong to be narrowing the scope of mutual trust so early on in the 
process. 
 
South Korea needs to be proactive in supporting the comprehensive 
approach and U.S.-North Korean contact.  It must absolutely refrain 
from behavior that harms the process if it is not going to do what 
it can to increase the pace of U.S.-North Korean dialogue.  It would 
be a step backwards to mistakes of the past, like (those made by) 
President Kim Young-sam, to seek to make improved inter-Korean 
relations a condition for progress in U.S.-North Korean relations. 
It is primarily the responsibility of the authorities of North and 
South Korea to resolve the problems of their relationship. 
 
* (Ed. Note: EAP Press guidance of February 26 says that Ambassador 
Bosworth will visit Beijing, Tokyo and Seoul and will consult with 
Russian officials who will travel separately to the region.) 
 
* This is a translation provided by the newspaper, and it is 
identical to the Korean version. 
 
 
Features 
 
Does the U.S. Put More Emphasis on Direct Talks with N. Korea Than 
on the Six-Party Talks? 
(Chosun Ilbo, February 28, 2009, Page 4) 
 
By Reporter Lim Min-hyok 
 
There will be a change in the status of the Six-Party Talks aimed at 
resolving the North Korean nuclear issue. 
 
The Six-Party Talks, which took effect in August 2003 to revolve the 
North Korean nuclear issue, will see a significant change in their 
status and character.  The Obama Administration has named Bosworth 
as a senior emissary for U.S. engagement with North Korea.  This 
indicates that the U.S. intends to revolve the North Korean nuclear 
issue through the dual channels of the U.S.-North Korea high-ranking 
talks and the Six-Party Talks. 
 
The duel channels of the U.S.-North Korea bilateral talks and the 
Six-Party Talks will be put in place. 
 
The Obama Administration emphasizes that Special Representative to 
North Korea (Policy) Bosworth is a Deputy Secretary-level official 
who reports directly to the Secretary of State and the President, 
like Special Envoy to the Middle East (Peace) Mitchell and Special 
Envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke. (sic)* 
 
Secretary Clinton stressed that Bosworth is a senior official in 
charge of the North Korean nuclear issue. 
 
Clinton said, "Bosworth will address a variety of concerns including 
not only the North Korean human rights issue and humanitarian issue 
but also the North's nuclear issue and proliferation of mass 
destruction weapons." 
 
Regarding Sung Kim's appointment as Special Envoy to the Six-Party 
Talks, she added, "He will undertake daily duties by working closely 
with Bosworth." 
 
Since the North's nuclear test was conducted in October 2006, the 
U.S.-North Korea talks have remained within the framework of the 
Six-Party Talks.  But it is observed that now the Obama 
Administration wants to put separate 'high-level talks' in place, 
which stand on a higher footing than the Six-Party Talks.  This 
policy is similar to that of the Clinton Administration which 
attempted to settle the North Korean issue through U.S.-North Korean 
bilateral talks. 
 
Therefore, it seems that while Bosworth draws the big picture 
through talks with North Korea's first Vice Foreign Minister Kang 
Sok-ju, Special Envoy Sung Kim will discuss the detailed measures in 
the Six-Party Talks. 
 
In this case, if the ROK and the U.S. fail to cooperate fully, the 
ROK could become isolated from the talks as it happened in 1993 and 
1994 when the North Korean nuclear crisis broke out. 
 
Bosworth may talk with Kang Sok-ju soon. 
With Bosworth appointed as Special Representative to North Korea, 
(sic)* the first U.S-North Korea high-level talks in the Obama 
Administration are expected to be held soon.  Bosworth said at a 
press conference that he would tour Korea, Japan, China and Russia 
(sic) ** starting next week to seek ways to come to grips with the 
North Korean issue. 
 
Asked whether he would contact the North during his scheduled visit, 
he left the possibility open, saying, "It depends on the result of 
consultations during the visit."  Some say that upon completing his 
tour of four countries, (sic) he may visit North Korea to meet with 
the North's first Vice Foreign Minister Kang Sok-ju.  Bosworth, who 
visited North Korea in early February, sent a favorable message to 
North Korea, saying, "I had an impression that North Korea is well 
aware of the benefits it would gain from living together with the 
outside world and the country is ready to go forward." 
 
A diplomatic source from Washington said, "There is a possibility 
that the Obama Administration will resolve the missile crisis and 
initiate comprehensive talks on nuclear weapons and missile launches 
by pushing for Bosworth's visit to North Korea." 
 
* (Ed. Note: Ambassador Bosworth's title is U.S. Special 
Representative for North Korea Policy.  Mr. Mitchell's title is 
Special Envoy for Middle East Peace and Mr. Holbrooke's title is 
Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan.) 
 
** (Ed. Note:  EAP Press Guidance of February 27, 2009 says that 
Ambassador Bosworth will visit Beijing, Tokyo and Seoul and that he 
will also consult with Russian officials who will travel separately 
to the region. It does not say that he will travel to Russia.) 
 
 
Stephens 
1