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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SEOUL 000694 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR ECON KPAO KS US
SUBJECT: SEOUL - PRESS BULLETIN; April 30, 2009 
 
TOP HEADLINES 
------------- 
 
Chosun Ilbo 
ROK's First "Presumed" Swine Flu Patient Acted "Wisely;" Feeling Flu 
Symptoms, She Isolated Herself at Home and Reported Her Illness to 
Local Health Center 
 
JoongAng Ilbo, Dong-a Ilbo, Hankook Ilbo, Segye Ilbo, Seoul Shinmun, 
All TVs 
Ruling GNP Suffers Crushing Defeat in By-Elections; GNP Fails to 
Secure Even a Single Seat in Five Legislative Seats Up for Grabs 
 
Hankyoreh Shinmun 
GNP's Crushing Defeat a Warning against Lee Myung-bak 
Administration's "Go-it-Alone" Approach 
 
 
DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS 
--------------------- 
ROK health authorities said yesterday that 16 more people are 
suspected of having contracted swine flu following the first 
"presumed" case detected in a patient who returned from a trip to 
Mexico. (All) 
 
The Minister for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Chang 
Tae-pyong, said during an April 29 press meeting that the ROKG has 
no plan to halt imports of pork from North America because there is 
strong scientific evidence that pork is not a carrier of influenza. 
(Hankyoreh, Seoul) 
 
U.S. Ambassador to the ROK Kathleen Stephens yesterday opened Habib 
House, the Seoul residence of the U.S. Ambassador, to the press to 
introduce new art pieces on display under the State Department's Art 
in Embassies Program. (Chosun, JoongAng, Maeil Kyungje) 
 
INTERNATIONAL NEWS 
------------------ 
North Korea's Foreign Ministry threatened yesterday to conduct 
nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile tests unless the UN 
Security Council (UNSC) withdraws and apologizes for its recent 
sanctions on the North. (All) 
 
North Korea also warned that it will build a light-water nuclear 
reactor and begin to develop nuclear fuel technology. (All) 
 
Given that enriched uranium produces nuclear fuel for a light-water 
reactor, this statement might indicate that North Korea will embark 
on a uranium enrichment program. (Chosun, Hankook) 
 
The ROKG responded by warning that all responsibility for the 
[North's] worsening international situation lies completely with 
North Korea. The ROKG urged the North to stop taking actions that 
threaten international peace, to abide by the UN Security Council 
resolutions and [presidential] statement, and to return to the 
Six-Party Talks. (Hankook) 
 
Experts speculated that North Korea could conduct a second nuclear 
test at any time because of the country's presumed possession of 
several nuclear warheads. (Chosun) 
 
MEDIA ANALYSIS 
-------------- 
 
-North Korea 
------------ 
The ROK media gave play to North Korea's April 29 threat to conduct 
nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) tests unless 
the UN Security Council (UNSC) withdraws and apologizes for its 
recent sanctions on the North. 
 
The ROK media also noted the communist state's statement that it 
 
SEOUL 00000694  002 OF 002 
 
 
will build a light-water nuclear reactor and begin to develop 
nuclear fuel technology.  The ROK media interpreted this statement 
to mean that North Korea will embark on a uranium enrichment 
program, as enriched uranium produces nuclear fuel for a light-water 
reactor. 
 
According to media reports, the ROKG responded by warning that all 
responsibility for the worsening international situation lies 
completely with North Korea.  The ROKG was further quoted as 
stating: "We urge North Korea to stop taking actions that threaten 
international peace, to abide by the UN Security Council resolutions 
and [presidential] statement, and to return to the Six-Party 
Talks." 
 
Conservative Chosun Ilbo analyzed that North Korea could conduct a 
second nuclear test at any time because it is known to have several 
nuclear warheads.  Right-of-center JoongAng Ilbo viewed this North 
Korean move as aimed at "making its presence felt" in the face of 
Washington's strategy of neglect [towards the North.] 
 
-Swine Flu 
---------- 
Citing ROK health authorities, the ROK media reported that 16 more 
people are suspected of having contracted swine flu following the 
first "presumed" case detected in a patent who returned from a trip 
to Mexico. 
 
Most ROK media quoted the Minister for Food, Agriculture, Forestry 
and Fisheries during an April 29 press meeting that the ROKG has no 
plan to halt imports of pork from North America because there is 
strong scientific evidence that pork is not a carrier of influenza. 
 
 
Right-of-center JoongAng Ilbo commented in its editorial: "It is 
preposterous to avoid eating pork, because eating pork has nothing 
to do with swine flu.  When the mad cow disease scare raged in the 
country, innocent cattle farmers were hard hit by the sharp decline 
in beef consumption.  With the economy already in bad shape, we 
cannot afford to again let unfounded prejudice damage pig farmers 
and pork-related industries." 
 
Conservative Dong-a Ilbo, in an article entitled "Swine Flu Feared 
to Damage Already Battered World Economy," noted each country's 
efforts to impose travel restrictions to North America and to ban 
imports of pork from the region, while raising the possibility of 
diplomatic conflicts developing between countries. 
 
 
STEPHENS