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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 SEOUL 000626 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR ECON KPAO KS US
SUBJECT: SEOUL - PRESS BULLETIN; April 16, 2009 
 
TOP HEADLINES 
------------- 
 
Chosun Ilbo, All TVs 
ROK Delays Entry into PSI 
 
JoongAng Ilbo 
Economy Has Not Bottomed Out Despite Signs of Recovery 
 
Dong-a Ilbo, Hankook Ilbo, Segye Ilbo, 
Seoul Shinmun, All TVs 
ROKG Releases Results of College Entrance Exam for the First Time, 
Showing Wide Performance Gap 
 
Hankyoreh Shinmun 
Economy Not in Recovery Despite Some Positive Indicators 
 
 
DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS 
--------------------- 
 
On April 15, the ROKG delayed the official announcement of its 
full-time membership in the U.S.-led Proliferation Security 
Initiative (PSI) until the weekend.  Observers say that the ROKG was 
concerned with the adverse effects its announcement might have on 
inter-Korean relations. (All, All TVs) 
 
 
INTERNATIONAL NEWS 
------------------ 
 
On April 15, North Korea ordered international nuclear inspectors to 
remove their surveillance equipment and leave the country.  This 
move came a day after North Korea vowed to restart its nuclear 
program in response to the UNSC presidential statement condemning 
its rocket launch. (All, All TVs) 
 
In a related development, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton 
called the North's action "an unnecessary response to the legitimate 
statement" by the Security Council. (Chosun, Hankyoreh, Hankook, 
Segye, All TVs).  She added that "obviously we hope that there will 
be an opportunity to discuss this with not only our partners and 
allies but also eventually with the North Koreans." (Dong-a, Segye) 
 
Also, U.S. Presidential Spokesman Robert Gibbs said that the U.S. 
calls on North Korea "to cease its provocative threats, to respect 
the will of the international community and to honor its 
international commitments and obligations." (Chosun, Dong-a, 
Hankook, Seoul, Segye) 
 
According to the Japanese Yomiuri Shimbun, the U.S. has put 11 North 
Korean companies on its sanctions list, and will present the list to 
the UNSC.  (Seoul) 
 
 
MEDIA ANALYSIS 
-------------- 
 
-North Korea 
------------ 
ROK media ran front- and inside-page reports that North Korea 
ordered international nuclear inspectors to remove their 
surveillance equipment and leave the country.  Citing the 
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Conservative Chosun Ilbo 
reported that North Korea claimed to be restarting its nuclear 
facilities.  Chosun Ilbo notes that this brinkmanship tactic by 
North Korea is aimed at testing the patience of the Obama 
Administration by escalating tensions.  According to the newspaper, 
experts believe that North Korea will not reprocess its spent fuel 
rods as it declared since this would mean a complete demise in the 
disablement process.  Experts observe that (before North Korea takes 
serious actions), there is a high possibility that a U.S. 
high-ranking envoy will visit North Korea, according to the 
 
SEOUL 00000626  002 OF 004 
 
 
newspaper. 
 
In a related development, ROK media also covered remarks by U.S. 
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stating that the North's action 
is "an unnecessary response to the legitimate statement" by the (UN) 
Security Council.  Also, the ROK media carried remarks by U.S. 
Presidential Spokesman Robert Gibbs stating that the U.S. calls on 
North Korea "to cease its provocative threats, to respect the will 
of the international community and to honor its international 
commitments and obligations." 
 
All ROK media reported that the ROKG delayed the official 
announcement of its full-time membership in the U.S.-led 
Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) until the weekend.  Moderate 
Hankook Ilbo reported that observers believe that the ROKG was 
concerned with the adverse effects its announcement might have on 
inter-Korean relations.  According to the newspaper, a North Korean 
expert said the ROKG's delayed announcement (of its full PSI 
participation) could be seen as an admission by the ROK that the 
move targets North Korea.  The newspaper commented that this 
perception could result in less maneuvering room for the ROKG. 
 
 
Meanwhile, left-leaning Hankyoreh Shinmun reported that there are 
concerns that the ROK's full participation in the PSI may prompt 
North Korea to block ROK workers from freely moving in and out of 
the Kaesong Industrial Complex or to even shut down the Complex. 
The newspaper noted that closing the Complex would spark criticism 
from Koreans that the ROKG is inept in managing a crisis. 
 
Conservative Dong-a Ilbo editorialized: "It is natural that the ROK 
should fully participate in the PSI as a responsible member of the 
international community to protect the global village from terrorist 
countries and organizations.  The PSI is not targeting only North 
Korea, but it is an international cooperation system aimed at 
assuring the security and peace of the global village... North Korea 
rails against the ROK's full participation in the PSI, saying it is 
a declaration of war... Unless North Korea intends to spread weapons 
of mass destruction (WMD), it has no reason to oppose the ROK's 
becoming a full-fledged member of the PSI." 
 
Conservative Segye Ilbo editorialized: "North Korea's threat to 
construe the ROK's (full) participation in the PSI as a declaration 
of war could have forced the ROK to back off... Inter-Korean 
relations are surely important, but the ROKG should not repeatedly 
succumb to North Korea's outdated brinkmanship tactics. Peace and 
unification of the Korean Peninsula will unlikely be achieved 
without cooperation from the international community, as seen in the 
unification of East and West Germany.  The ROK's full participation 
in the PSI could be a starting point in this shift in 
understanding." 
 
 
OPINIONS/EDITORIALS 
------------------- 
 
NO GROUND FOR OPPOSING PSI 
(Dong-a Ilbo, April 16, 2009, Page 31) 
 
The ROKG delayed the announcement of its full participation in the 
Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) yesterday.  It is 
regrettable that the ROKG appears to be backing off just one day 
after the North's ultra-hardline announcement that it will boycott 
the Six-Party Talks and restore the nuclear facilities to their 
original state, in response to the UNSC presidential statement 
condemning its rocket launch.  If it is true that the ROKG postponed 
the announcement for just a couple of days as it claims, the ROKG 
should reaffirm its decision to join international efforts to 
prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), as 
soon as it resolves some variables in inter-Korean relations and 
consults with neighboring countries. 
 
It is natural that the ROK should fully participate in the PSI as a 
responsible member of the international community to protect the 
 
SEOUL 00000626  003 OF 004 
 
 
global village from terrorist countries and organizations.  The PSI 
is not targeting only North Korea, but is an international 
cooperation system aimed at assuring the security and peace of the 
global village. 
 
The PSI is like a system in which police block the transfer of 
lethal weapons through patrolling the streets to prevent crime. 
Considering that 94 nations have already joined the PSI, our 
participation seems to be a little late.  Over the past six years, 
about 30 shipments suspected of carrying WMD-related materials have 
been intercepted due to the PSI.   We need to face the reality that 
as shown by ROK casualties in Yemen and Afghanistan, we are no 
exception to international terrorism. 
 
North Korea rails against the ROK's full participation in the PSI, 
saying it is a declaration of war."  This action is similar to a 
thief warning police not to stand in his way.  Unless the North 
intends to spread WMs, it has no reason to oppose the ROK's 
becoming a full-fledged member of the PSI.  When Russia joined the 
PSI, North Korea did not raise an objection.  North Korea makes an 
issue of the South's participation in the PSI because the North 
considers us to be pushovers. 
 
When the North announced that it will quit the Six-Party Talks on 
April 14, the Democratic Party asked the ROKG to refrain from fully 
join the PSI, saying, "It could provoke the North and further 
increase the possibility of military conflict."  The Democratic 
Labor Party is also making a similar argument.  This argument is 
similar to defending a thief while criticizing the police for 
patrolling.  It is North Korea that has recently brought 
inter-Korean relations to their worst state by launching a rocket 
and boycotting the Six-Party Talks. 
 
Even if North Korean vessels or airplanes transport WMD-related 
cargo, we cannot intervene unless they pass through our territorial 
waters or sky.  Nevertheless, if the North uses the ROK's 
participation in the PSI as an excuse to make another provocative 
move, we have no choice but to take stringent countermeasures.  It 
is not enough for the ROKG to be swayed by North Korea's 
stubbornness or some ROK officials' mistaken arguments. 
 
 
FULL PSI PARTICIPATION SIGNALS END TO "SUNSHINE POLICY" 
(Segye Ilbo, April 16, 2009, Page 31) 
 
The ROKG will soon make the announcement of its full-time membership 
in the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) official.  Although 
expected, this is an appropriate measure.  Our view on weapons of 
mass destruction (WMD) has now been clearly revealed.  Our 
perception that international relations come before inter-Korean 
ties has also been confirmed.  In a sense, the ROK's decision has 
put a full stop to the "Sunshine and Engagement Policies" of the Kim 
Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun Administrations, respectively. 
 
The ROK's participation in the PSI carries various meanings.  The 
ROK delayed joining the PSI until now because it was mindful of the 
North.  To avoid "provoking the North" at all cost, the ROKG even 
overrode the international community's universal rules.  Yet again, 
North Korea's threat to construe the ROK's (full) participation in 
the PSI as a declaration of war could have forced the ROK to back 
off.  However, the ROKG overcame this inclination.  The ROKG has 
become more mature.  Inter-Korean relations are surely important, 
but the ROKG should not repeatedly succumb to North Korea's outdated 
brinkmanship tactics. 
 
Peace and unification of the Korean Peninsula will unlikely be 
achieved without cooperation from the international community, as 
seen in the unification of East and West Germany.  The ROK's full 
participation in the PSI could be a starting point in this shift in 
understanding.  If the ROK ignores efforts by 94 nations to prevent 
the spread of WMDs, it may backfire on the ROK and those nations may 
turn their back on peace and reunification on the Korean Peninsula. 
It is appropriate that North Korea's series of threats to peace, 
such the nuclear and missile provocations in 2006 and the recent 
 
SEOUL 00000626  004 OF 004 
 
 
long-range rocket launch, should be condemned as such.  We cannot 
always use the uniqueness of inter-Korean relations as an excuse. 
If North Korea takes the extreme step of shutting down the Kaesong 
Industrial Complex, we must deal with it accordingly. 
 
However, while adhering to the principles of the PSI, we also need 
to take a flexible attitude.  This is not because we are afraid of 
North Korea's bluster or that North Korea, Iran and Syria are 
designated as WMD proliferators, but because the North is a direct 
party to the state of peace on the Korean Peninsula.  However, we do 
not need to apply the PSI to every matter, such as those that can be 
resolved within the framework of the South-North Agreement on 
Maritime Transportation, for example. 
 
 
STEPHENS