VZCZCXRO1660
OO RUEHGH
DE RUEHUL #0492/01 0860745
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 270745Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY SEOUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3787
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC 8320
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//
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 9414
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5520
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 5614
RUEHGH/AMCONSUL SHANGHAI 0469
RUEHSH/AMCONSUL SHENYANG 4102
RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI 3097
RUEHGP/AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE 6325
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0719
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 2091
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1128
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1749

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 08 SEOUL 000492 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR ECON KPAO KS US
SUBJECT: SEOUL - PRESS BULLETIN; March 27, 2009 
 
TOP HEADLINES 
------------- 
Chosun Ilbo, JoongAng Ilbo, Seoul Shinmun 
Lawmaker Park Jin to be Subpoenaed and Lawmaker 
Lee Kwang-jae Arrested for Allegedly Receiving Money from Taekwang 
Industrial Chairman Park Yeon-cha 
 
Dong-a Ilbo, Hankook Ilbo, Segye Ilbo 
Democratic Rep. Lee Kwang-jae Says He will Step Down 
 
Hankyoreh Shinmun 
Prosecutors Make Raid on "PD Diary" Staffers' Houses, 
Act of Suppressing Freedom of Media 
 
 
DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS 
--------------------- 
 
An ROKG official said that if North Korea launches a "satellite," 
the ROK will raise the issue with the U.N. Security Council after 
consultation with other nations. (JoongAng)  Meanwhile, North Korea 
countered that it would quit the Six-Party Talks if sanctions are 
imposed. (Chosun) 
 
An ROKG official said that North Korea will launch a missile in the 
coming weeks.  An unnamed military official said that the launch may 
come earlier than expected.  However, many observers say that North 
Korea will not go ahead with a missile launch ahead of the date it 
provided in its original notification. (JoongAng, Hankook, 
Hankyoreh) 
 
As all signs suggest that North Korea is to launch a missile soon, 
the Navy plans to send its Aegis destroyer to the East Sea to 
monitor North Korea's planned launch of a "rocket." (All) 
 
An ROKG high-ranking official said that the ROKG is planning to 
dispatch its military forces to Afghanistan, in the form of the 
Zaytun unit.  The ROKG has not yet decided on details on the troop 
deployment. (Dong-a) 
 
 
INTERNATIONAL NEWS 
------------------ 
 
As North Korea has placed what appears to be a rocket on a launching 
pad, the U.S. and Japanese governments issued warnings against a 
missile launch.  The Japanese government said that it is readying an 
order to shoot it down if North Korea launches a rocket.  The U.S. 
government said it will go before the U.N. if Pyongyang launches a 
missile, adding that there will be consequences. (Chosun, JoongAng, 
Hankook, Segye) 
 
Secretary of State Clinton said, "We have been absolutely clear that 
the intention stated by the North Koreans to launch a missile for 
any purpose is a provocative act which we believe violates U.N. 
Security Council Resolution 1718."  She warned that "there will be 
consequences." (Chosun, Hankook) 
 
The U.N. Human Rights Council passed a resolution on North Korean 
human rights, which the ROKG co-sponsored. (Dong-a) 
 
Yemen authorities have arrested six people suspected of committing 
the terrorist act against ROK tourists, which took place on March 
¶15. (JoongAng)  According to the Yemeni government, the suspects are 
al-Qaida militants. (Segye) 
 
 
MEDIA ANALYSIS 
-------------- 
 
-North Korea 
------------ 
 
 
SEOUL 00000492  002 OF 008 
 
 
Most of the ROK media gave front-and inside-page play to a report 
saying that North Korea has placed what appears to be a rocket on a 
launching pad.  Moderate Hankook Ilbo reported that many observers 
say North Korea will not go ahead with a missile launch ahead of the 
date it provided in its original notification.  Left-leaning 
Hankyoreh Shinmun noted that North Korea will most likely launch a 
"rocket" on April 4 even though some speculate that the launch might 
come earlier than expected. 
 
The right-of-center JoongAng Ilbo reported that an ROKG official 
said that if North Korea launches a "satellite," the ROK will raise 
the issue with the U.N. Security Council after consultation with 
other nations.  The daily said that Chief ROK Delegate to the 
Six-Party Talks Wi Sung-lac will visit the U.S. on March 27 and meet 
with Special Representative for North Korea Policy Steven Bosworth 
to discuss how to deal with North Korea's planned launch. 
Meanwhile, Chosun Ilbo reported that the ROK has been making efforts 
to coordinate its response to the launch with the U.S. and Japan. 
The daily cited an ROK official as saying that as a separate move 
from the U.N. sanctions, the ROK might push for its own sanctions 
against North Korea.  Meanwhile, citing the North Korean Foreign 
Ministry, Chosun Ilbo stated that North Korea countered that further 
sanctions would cause it to quit the so-called Six-Party Talks. 
 
Chosun Ilbo reported that the Japanese government is readying an 
order to deploy a missile shield, including interceptors, to protect 
against debris that might hit Japan.  Chosun Ilbo also reported that 
U.S. Secretary of State Clinton warned North Korea that the U.S. 
would go before the U.N. if Pyongyang launches a missile, saying 
there would be consequences.  Secretary Clinton said during a visit 
to Mexico City, "We intend to raise this violation of the U.S. 
Security Council Resolution, if it goes forward, in the U.N."  She 
added, "This provocative action in violation of the U.N. mandate 
will not go unnoticed and there will be consequences." 
 
In a related development, almost all newspapers carried reports that 
the ROK Navy plans to send its Aegis destroyer to the East Sea to 
monitor North Korea's planned launch of a "rocket."  Conservative 
Dong-a Ilbo front-paged its report, saying that the ROK Aegis 
destroyer Sejong the Great is expected to maneuver in the eastern 
waters with four other Aegis warships of the U.S. and Japan. 
 
Dong-a Ilbo editorialized: Pyongyang seemingly wants direct 
negotiations with the Obama Administration by threatening to halt 
the Six-Party Talks and launching a rocket.  Also, Japan is 
determined not to sit back and watch the North's nuclear and missile 
development.  The North's missile development will encourage Japan 
to go nuclear.  The ROK, the U.S., Japan and the international 
community must show that severe consequences will always follow the 
North's provocations. 
 
JoongAng Ilbo editorialized: North Korea has mounted its Taepodong-2 
missile on a launch pad.  What is most important now is that the 
Six-Party countries should respond cooperatively.  But it is quite 
worrisome that there seem to be disagreements among them regarding 
what countermeasures to take against the North's planned missile 
launch.   President Lee Myung-bak and U.S. President Barack Obama 
will hold a summit on the sidelines of the G20 financial summit 
meeting in London April 2.  The two leaders must cooperate to 
declare tough measures against North Korea's missile launch. 
 
-Afghanistan 
------------ 
 
Conservative Dong-a Ilbo reported that a high-ranking ROKG official 
said that the ROKG will reportedly send troops to Afghanistan to 
help the war-torn country rebuild and secure stability, and is 
reviewing the scale of deployment and schedules.   The daily opined 
that the ROKG's decision to commit its forces to Afghanistan will 
elevate the ROK-U.S. alliance to a higher level.  The newspaper 
noted that the decision was made in view of the ROK's international 
status and its supposed role in the world. 
 
 
 
SEOUL 00000492  003 OF 008 
 
 
OPINIONS/EDITORIALS 
-------------------- 
 
WILL INTER-KOREAN RELATIONS BEGIN TO THAW AROUND SUMMER? 
(Seoul Shinmun, March 27, 2009, Page 31) 
 
By Seo Jae-jin, President of the Korea Institute for National 
Unification 
 
It has been a year since North Korea started its slander against the 
ROK under the pretext that the ROK is not faithfully implementing 
the October 4 Joint Declaration.  After ratcheting up the rhetoric 
against the South, Pyongyang finally declared an all-out 
confrontation posture against the ROK on January 17. 
 
We need to examine North Korea's intentions in light of its recent 
moves, such as its nuclear issue and missile launch preparations.  A 
series of moves by Pyongyang toward the ROK were thoroughly planned 
in advance for several important purposes. 
 
First, they are designed to create a favorable atmosphere for 
internal unity in the North.  As continuing economic difficulties 
undermine the legitimacy of power and spread discontent, the North 
has tried to distract the attention (of North Korean people) and 
strengthen control over society by creating an outside enemy and 
fostering a confrontational atmosphere. 
 
Second, North Korea's recent moves are part of its policy toward the 
U.S.  As the top priority for its survival, Pyongyang is seeking to 
normalize its ties with the U.S.  Otherwise, it would be difficult 
for the North to revive its economy and escape its diplomatic 
isolation. 
 
Third, they are part of Pyongyang's policy toward the ROK.  North 
Korea, aware that it is difficult to have negotiations with the U.S. 
during a transition to a new U.S. administration, is trying to 
create internal conflicts in the ROK society by taking a 
confrontational posture against the South, to pressure the ROKG to 
change its North Korea policy, and furthermore, to use the situation 
to enhance North Korea's internal solidarity. 
 
Although the North is pursuing its short-term goals by creating 
tension with the South, it has no choice but to improve its 
relations with the South in the mid- to long-term.  This is because, 
when inter-Korean ties remain strained, dialogue between the North 
and the U.S. cannot proceed smoothly. 
 
In this sense, a hiatus in North Korea's slander and military 
threats against the South is expected to come around summer when the 
situation surrounding North Korea's missile launch and the ensuing 
sanctions subsides and the U.S.-North Korea talk resumes.  Due to 
lack of trust between the two Koreas, inter-Korean dialogue is less 
likely to resume at the same time when the U.S.-North Korea dialogue 
starts again.  However, it is highly possible that the resumption of 
the U.S.-North Korea dialogue will give impetus to inter-Korean 
dialogue, although there will be an interval of several months 
between the two. 
 
 
COUNTDOWN TO NORTH KOREA'S MISSILE LAUNCH AND ROK-U.S. SUMMIT TALKS 
(JoongAng Ilbo, March 27, 2009, Page 46) 
 
With North Korea's rocket launch imminent, what is more worrisome 
than China and Russia's expected opposition to UN sanctions against 
the North is actually the attitude of the U.S.  The U.S. initially 
spoke loud and clear on this issue, but as times goes by, its voice 
seems to be getting softer.  After Director of National Intelligence 
Dennis Blair said in Congress that he believes that a "space launch" 
is what they (the North Koreans) intend, all the talk about shooting 
it down died down.  U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton even 
said that the missile issue can be taken up at the Six-Party Talks 
aimed at resolving the North Korean nuclear issue.  We do not 
understand what she is going to do by including the U.S.-North Korea 
missile talks in the Six-Party framework.  If discussions about 
 
SEOUL 00000492  004 OF 008 
 
 
North Korea's rocket launch at the UN Security Council fizzle out, 
does the U.S. plan to refer the issue to the Six-Party Talks and 
discuss rewarding North Korea for its moratorium on more launches? 
 
At the ROK-U.S. summit in London, ROK and U.S. Presidents must 
dispel this concern and make clear that there will be no difference 
between the ROK and the U.S. on their North Korea policies in the 
wake of North Korea's rocket launch.  They also need to clearly draw 
a red line that separates what North Korea is allowed to do and what 
it is not allowed to do regarding the missile issue.  The summit 
between ROK President Lee and U.S. President Obama should serve as a 
guideline for Six-Party nations to prepare for the situation 
following the rocket launch from a broad perspective.  Unless the 
Lee-Obama summit produces those results, it may become a "failed 
meeting," consequently raising concern about a crack in the ROK-U.S. 
coordination on the North.  Such a situation should not happen. 
 
 
¶N. KOREA'S MISSILE LAUNCH MUST BE PREVENTED 
(Dong-a Ilbo, March 27, 2009, Page 31) 
 
Despite claiming it is a satellite, North Korea has mounted its 
Taepodong-2 missile on a launch pad on its northeast coast.  The 
North said the test launch will come between April 4 and 8.  Despite 
heavy global opposition led by South Korea, the United States, Japan 
and the United Nations, the North apparently will proceed with the 
controversial rocket.  If it injects fuel into it, it can be 
launched.  The North could even fire it a few days ahead of 
schedule. 
 
Seoul, Washington and Tokyo are now in emergency mode and are 
preparing cooperation with one another.  Off the Korean Peninsula's 
east coast are two U.S. and Japanese Aegis ships each equipped with 
SM-3 missiles.  South Korea has sent the destroyer King Sejong the 
Great as well.  Aegis ships can track and shoot down a flying 
object.  They will track the trajectory of the North's projectile 
with the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, and 
decide whether to shoot it down.  Japan will also issue an "order to 
destroy a ballistic missile" if the Taepodong-2 falls on its land or 
waters.  For this, Tokyo has deployed the ground-based Patriot 
Advanced Capability-3 interceptors. 
 
If Pyongyang launches the Taepodong-2, it might be crossing a bridge 
of no return.  It has begun a countdown where its destiny is at 
stake.  If the North launches the missile, it must bear the 
responsibility that comes with it. 
 
Pyongyang seemingly wants direct negotiations with the Obama 
Administration by threatening to halt the Six-Party Talks and 
launching this rocket.  U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has 
warned that she will not tolerate the North's nuclear development 
and ballistic missile activities when she visited Seoul last month. 
"There is no issue on which we are more united than North Korea," 
she said, adding that North Korea cannot have a different 
relationship with the United States while criticizing and refusing 
talks with South Korea.  She even showed her determination to begin 
discussion on the post-Kim Jong-il era. 
 
Japan is also determined not to sit back and watch the North's 
nuclear and missile development.  The North's missile development 
will encourage Japan to go nuclear.  This is something raising fears 
in China, North Korea's guardian, and in South Korea.  A nuclear 
arms race could start in Northeast Asia if the North develops 
weapons of mass destruction.  Nuclear and missile development goes 
hand in hand.  A missile is needed to carry nuclear warheads long 
distances. 
 
North Korea claims the rocket it plans to launch is a satellite 
called the Kwangmyongsong-2, asserting its "right to the peaceful 
use of space" and "sovereignty."  Be it a satellite or missile, this 
violates U.N. Security Council Resolution 1718 that bans "all 
activities related to North Korea's ballistic missile program."  If 
Pyongyang sincerely hopes to use it for peace, it must feed its 
hungry people with the cost of the launch.  The North has spread 
 
SEOUL 00000492  005 OF 008 
 
 
weapons of mass destruction before by selling ballistic missile 
parts to Iran. 
 
South Korea, the United States, Japan and the international 
community must show that severe consequences will always follow the 
North's provocations.  President Lee Myung-bak and U.S. President 
Barack Obama will hold a summit on the sidelines of the G20 
financial summit meeting in Londo April 2.  The two leaders must 
declare tough measures in unison.  Hopefully, China and Russia, both 
of which are members of the U.N. Security Council and the Six-Party 
Talks, can join the efforts.  If the North cancels its planned 
launch of the Taepodong-2 and holds talks, it will survive. 
 
(This is a translation provided by the newspaper. We replaced the 
translation of Secretary Clinton's quote with her original remark.) 
 
 
SEOUL, WASHINGTON MUST GIVE N. KOREA A FIRM WARNING 
(Chosun Ilbo, March 27, 2009, Page 31) 
 
South Korean and U.S. intelligence have confirmed that North Korea 
has set up a missile on its launch pad at the Musudan-ri test site 
in North Hamgyong Province.  North Korea claims that the rocket will 
carry a "satellite" into orbit, but South Korean and U.S. officials 
believe the launch vehicle is actually a long-range, ballistic 
missile.  It can be launched at any time once fueling, which takes 
three to four days, is completed.  The countdown to the long-range 
missile launch has virtually begun, since North Korea has already 
informed the International Maritime Organization that it would 
launch the "satellite" between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. during Apr. 4 to 
¶8. 
 
The South Korean government has dispatched its Aegis-class King 
Sejong the Great destroyer to the East Sea to track developments in 
conjunction with two U.S. naval Aegis vessels already there.  Two 
Japanese Aegis vessels are also operating in the East Sea.  Tokyo 
plans to convene a security council meeting on Friday to authorize 
the destruction of the North Korean ballistic missile, in accordance 
with Japan's self-defense law.  If the North Korean rocket is 
confirmed to be a ballistic missile, Japan plans to intercept it 
with SM3 missiles.  And if this fails, Japan intends to use its PAC3 
missiles, based with its Self Defense Forces, to intercept it once 
it re-enters the atmosphere.  North Korea has declared it would 
retaliate against such moves, ratcheting up tensions on the Korean 
Peninsula. 
 
The South Korean government has shifted from efforts to resist the 
launch to formulating post-launch measures.  South Korea's top 
nuclear envoy Wi Sung-lac is visiting Washington D.C. on Friday to 
discuss measures with U.S. government officials.  Since February, 
when North Korea began preparing for its missile launch, South Korea 
and the U.S. have been engaged in diplomatic efforts to stop the 
launch.  But they failed.  Seoul was unable to take do anything 
since its communication channels with the North have been cut off, 
and the Obama Administration does not seem to have a full 
understanding of the seriousness of the situation. 
 
South Korea and the U.S. must use this crisis as an opportunity to 
revamp their cooperative system for dealing with North Korea and 
publicly announce what consequences the North stands to face if it 
pushes ahead with the missile launch.  And diplomatic efforts must 
be made to get China and Russia to take part in this warning.  The 
warning must be firm to be effective, and it must be made in good 
time to prevent the situation from worsening beyond control.  One 
possibility is boosting sanctions as part of UN Security Council 
Resolution 1718 issued after North Korea's nuclear test in October 
2006, so that the regime can feel the resolute determination of the 
international community. 
 
Presidents Lee Myung-bak and Barack Obama, who are holding their 
first summit at the G20 meeting in London on Apr. 2, must issue a 
final warning to North Korea against a misjudgment.  The entire 
world is watching what the leaders of South Korea and the U.S. will 
do in case the communist country pushes the button just as the two 
 
SEOUL 00000492  006 OF 008 
 
 
presidents meet. 
 
(This is a translation provided by the newspaper, and it is 
identical to the Korean version.) 
 
 
FEATURES 
-------- 
 
KOREA TO REDEPLOY TROOPS TO AFGHANISTAN: SOURCE 
(Dong-a Ilbo, March 27, 2009, Front Page) 
 
By Reporters Kim Young-sik and Yoon Sang-ho 
 
The government will reportedly send troops to Afghanistan to help 
the war-torn country rebuild and secure stability, and is reviewing 
the scale of deployment and schedules. 
 
The dispatch will be done in the same way as the Zaytun unit, which 
conducted a peacekeeping mission in Iraq, a high-ranking Korean 
government source said. 
 
"As 42 countries have dispatched troops to Afghanistan, Korea, a 
close ally of the United States and a country with both economic and 
military prowess, can no longer delay troop dispatch or turn a deaf 
ear to the U.S. request," the official said. 
 
"Though we`ve yet to get an official request from Washington, it has 
asked for our help directly and indirectly.  So the (Korean) 
government has decided to send troops." 
 
Like the Zaytun unit, military engineers will comprise most of the 
unit`s members and the number will likely be under 1,000," he added. 
 
 
A diplomatic source said on condition of anonymity, "Government 
officials made preliminary contact with their U.S. counterparts over 
the proposed troop dispatch to Afghanistan last week and 
full-fledged discussion among relevant ministries has started." 
 
"Chances are that U.S. President Barack Obama will bring up the 
issue at his first meeting with President Lee Myung-bak on the 
sidelines of the (Group of 20) summit in London April 2.  As part of 
the preparation for the summit, the (Korean) government has decided 
to send troops." 
 
Seoul will make a final decision on the number of troops, a date for 
the dispatch, and the region where the troops will be stationed 
after reviewing the situation in Afghanistan and public opinion 
here. 
 
A detailed plan will be finalized around June when a Korea-U.S. 
summit is expected and sent to the June extra parliamentary session 
in Korea for approval.  The dispatch will likely take place in the 
latter half of the year under this schedule. 
 
At an international conference on Afghanistan in The Hague Tuesday, 
the United States is likely to make an official request to Korea for 
the dispatch after coming up with concrete strategies and an 
international cooperation system to stabilize Afghanistan. 
 
Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Yu Myung-hwan will attend the 
conference and discuss guaranteeing sustainable security and 
achieving economic and social development. 
 
(This is a translation provided by the newspaper, and it is 
identical to the Korean version.) 
 
 
¶N. KOREA THREATENS END TO 6-PARTY TALKS 
(Chosun Ilbo, March 27, 2009, Page 4) 
 
By Reporter Ahn Yong-hyun 
 
 
SEOUL 00000492  007 OF 008 
 
 
North Korea on Thursday threatened if the UN Security Council takes 
even a minor action against what it claims is a satellite launch, it 
will mean the end of Six-Party Talks and denuclearization.  In an 
interview with the official Korea Central News Agency, a Foreign 
Ministry spokesman said "even a word" by the UN Security Council 
about "the peaceful launch of a satellite" would constitute "violent 
hostility."  The moment that the "spirit of mutual respect and 
equality" enshrined in the Sept. 19, 2005 statement of principles 
for scrapping the North's nuclear program is denied, the Six-Party 
Talks are over. 
 
Progress made thus far will also be reversed, and North Korea will 
take "strong measures necessary to protect itself," the spokesman 
said. 
 
He added some media were representing the hostility of the UN 
Security Council against North Korea as mere "sanctions or 
resolutions."  But he said this was a "foolish trick by hostile 
forces trying to castigate our satellite launch under the name of 
the UN Security Council while avoiding the responsibility that 
follows." 
 
(This is a translation provided by the newspaper, and it is 
identical to the Korean version.) 
 
 
WARSHIPS DISPATCHED AS N. KOREA ROCKET LAUNCH NEARS 
(Chosun Ilbo, March 27, 2009, Front Page) 
 
By Reporters Yoo Yong-won and Lim Min-hyuk 
 
South Korea, Japan and the United States dispatched five Aegis class 
vessels, including the South's King Sejong the Great destroyer, to 
track down a rocket North Korea is poised to launch.  The missile 
has apparently been set up at a launch pad in Musudan-ri, North 
Hamgyong Province. 
 
A South Korean military source on Thursday said Seoul decided to 
immediately deploy the King Sejong the Great in the East Sea when it 
became clear the North had set up the rocket.  The ship is South 
Korea's first Aegis class naval vessel and equipped with radar that 
can track ballistic missiles as far as 1,024 km away. 
 
The U.S. Navy has deployed two of its own Aegis vessels - the USS 
Chaffee (DDG-90) and the USS John McCain (DDG-56) - to track the 
missile following their participation in joint military drills with 
South Korea.  Japan has also deployed two Aegis vessels in the East 
Sea - the Kongo and Chokai - which are equipped with SM-3 
interceptor missiles. 
 
U.S. intelligence officials are apparently finding it difficult to 
determine whether the rocket is a ballistic missile or a 
satellite-launch vehicle, since the North Koreans have placed a 
tarpaulin over the warhead.  Intelligence agencies believe the first 
stage of the missile has a stronger thrust than originally believed, 
since it was made by combining five to six Rodong missile rockets 
into one. 
 
South Korea's top nuclear envoy Wi Sung-lak is scheduled to visit 
the U.S. on Friday to meet with Stephen Bosworth, the special 
representative for North Korea policy, and Sung Kim, Washington's 
top envoy to the Six-Party Talks, to discuss North Korea's missile 
launch.  Japan's chief nuclear negotiator Saiki Akitaka is also 
visiting Washington during that period. 
 
(This is a translation provided by the newspaper, and it is 
identical to the Korean version.) 
 
 
"PD DIARY" STAFF ARRESTED, HOMES RAIDED IN PROBE 
(Dong-a Ilbo, March 27, 2009, Page 12) 
 
By Reporters Chung Seong-chul and Cho Jong-yup 
 
 
SEOUL 00000492  008 OF 008 
 
 
Prosecutors yesterday raided the homes of the staff of the MBC TV 
investigative program "PD Diary" on suspicion of exaggerating fears 
over American beef and the risk of mad cow disease. 
 
The Seoul District Prosecutors' Office sent investigators to the 
homes of four producers and two writers and seized computers, 
videotapes and papers related to the controversial program. 
 
Producer Lee Chun-geun was arrested Wednesday and questioned on 
whether he intentionally edited or modified the scripts or video 
footage to exaggerate fears over mad cow disease. 
 
Refusal for interrogation 
 
Prosecutors took several people into custody and seized materials 
shortly after members of the program's staff snubbed a summons, 
concluding they were unwilling to help the investigation. 
 
The former chief producer of the program Jo Neung-hee and fellow 
producers Lee and Kim Bo-seul defied a summons Tuesday and 
Wednesday.  Four of the six targeted for investigation were summoned 
three times last year, but never showed up for questioning. 
 
Prosecutors said a further and thorough investigation is inevitable 
since government officials, including former Agriculture Minister 
Chung Woon-chun, filed a defamation complaint against the program's 
staff. 
 
Investigators said they need to talk to the program's producers and 
staff to find out if they had any reason to believe they reported 
the truth and if they knew they reported the wrong information, to 
determine whether they defamed government officials. 
 
Prosecutors are considering measures to detain other staff at the 
program participating in a sit-in demonstration inside the MBC 
building. 
 
Potential raid on MBC 
 
In July last year, prosecutors suggested the possibility that PD 
Diary staff intentionally mistranslated parts of a video clip 
broadcast in English to imply that Downer cows - ones that can`t 
walk on their own - were infected with mad cow disease. 
 
The program's staff is also suspected of intentionally 
misinterpreting the interview of a mother whose daughter died of 
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a rare and deadly nerve disease.  A 
prosecutor said the program might have led viewers to the erroneous 
conclusion that the girl died of vCJD, the human form of mad cow 
disease. 
 
Prosecutors have requested that the producers and staff provide the 
original material. 
 
In an interview with MBC radio yesterday, producer Kim said, "The 
original materials mostly consist of interviews.  If prosecutors 
want to say we distorted the material, it'd be better for them to 
ask the interviewees what their intention was." 
 
A prosecutor shot back by saying, "We'll judge whether we need the 
original materials or not.  If they were not at fault, they have no 
reason not to provide the materials." 
 
Producers of MBC's documentary department have also refused to work 
on any program to protest the arrest of producer Lee.  Since 
higher-ranking producers will replace demonstrators, the programs 
"No Complaints" and "MBC Special" will air as scheduled. 
 
 
STEPHENS