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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 SEOUL 000771 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR ECON KPAO KS US
SUBJECT: SEOUL - PRESS BULLETIN; May 14, 2009 
 
TOP HEADLINES 
------------- 
 
Chosun Ilbo 
National University of Singapore Ranked First in Recruiter Review in 
an Asian University Assessment Conducted 
by Chosun Ilbo and QS 
 
JoongAng Ilbo 
Pentagon to Deploy 48 F-22s and F-35s to Guam in Five Years to Brace 
for Possible Emergency on Korean Peninsula 
 
Dong-a Ilbo, Hankook Ilbo, All TVs 
Supreme Court Chief Justice Issues Stern Warning 
to Justice Shin for "Inappropriate" Intervention 
in Politically Sensitive Trials 
 
Hankyoreh Shinmun 
Supreme Court Justice Shin Refuses to Step Down... 
Junior Judges to Meet Today to Call for His Resignation 
 
Segye Ilbo 
Pace of Job Losses Slows for First Time in 8 Months 
 
Seoul Shinmun 
ROKG Seeks to Cut All Redundancy in Welfare Programs 
 
 
DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS 
--------------------- 
 
U.S. Special Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke, in 
a May 12 interview with Radio Free Asia (RFA), said that (he) did 
not ask the ROK to send troops to Afghanistan during his visit to 
Seoul last month. He also expressed satisfaction with Seoul's recent 
decision to expand financial aid to the war-torn country. (Chosun) 
 
The Board of Audit and Inspection yesterday accused the Unification 
Ministry of having been lax in monitoring strategic materials that 
may have entered North Korea and could be used to manufacture 
weapons of mass destruction. According to the state audit agency, 
last year the Ministry allowed ROK firms to take 270 computers to 
North Korea for business purposes without employing sufficient 
security measures. (Dong-a, Hankyoreh, Segye, Seoul) 
 
 
INTERNATIONAL NEWS 
------------------ 
 
President Barack Obama, in a May 12 statement to the PSI Operational 
Experts Group meeting currently underway in Miami, expressed his 
hope to turn the U.S.-led Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI), 
which aims to prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction, 
into a permanent international regime in which all countries 
participate. (Chosun, Dong-a, Hankook, Hankyoreh, Segye, Seoul, all 
TVs, OhmyNews) 
 
U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy Stephen Bosworth 
purportedly said in Tokyo on May 12 before heading back to the U.S. 
that (he) would consider visiting North Korea over the next few 
weeks." (Hankyoreh, Segye, Seoul, all TVs, Pressian, VoiceofPeople) 
 
 
MEDIA ANALYSIS 
-------------- 
 
-North Korea 
------------ 
Most ROK media quoted U.S. Special Representative for North Korea 
Policy Stephen Bosworth, who purportedly said in Tokyo on May 12 
before heading for the U.S. that (he) would consider visiting North 
Korea over the next few weeks. 
 
 
SEOUL 00000771  002 OF 006 
 
 
Left-leaning Hankyoreh Shinmun, in particular, took note of 
Ambassador Bosworth's setting a deadline of "the next few weeks," 
and commented that this might indicate Ambassador Bosworth's 
intention to think seriously about a "package of proposals" to 
present to North Korea, because he cannot go there empty-handed. 
 
Conservative Chosun Ilbo editorialized: "North Korea, which had long 
desired to hold direct talks with the U.S., has unilaterally 
boycotted the Six-Party Talks.  In this situation, if the U.S. 
hurries talks with North Korea, giving the impression that it is 
impatient to hold such talks, it could be seen as another type of 
'compensation' for North Korea and could undermine the U.S.'s 
bargaining power. ... The U.S. should limit its agenda for direct 
talks with North Korea to the resumption of the Six-Party Talks. 
North Korea may have many agenda items in mind, but the first and 
foremost task at hand for the U.S. is to achieve the 
denuclearization of North Korea." 
 
-Troop Deployment to Afghanistan 
-------------------------------- 
Conservative Chosun Ilbo gave play to U.S. Special Envoy to 
Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke's May 12 interview with 
Radio Free Asia (RFA), in which Ambassador Holbrooke said that (he) 
did not ask the ROK to send troops to Afghanistan during his visit 
to Seoul last month. 
 
Ambassador Holbrooke also expressed satisfaction with Seoul's recent 
decision to expand financial aid to the war-torn country, according 
to the Chosun Ilbo report.  The newspaper interpreted Ambassador 
Holbrooke's remarks as allowing Seoul greater latitude in deciding 
on the Afghan aid issue, as well as indicating the State 
Department's desire to see Seoul promptly provide non-military aid 
rather than creating a stir in Korean society by asking for 
deployment of Korean troops. 
 
 
OPINIONS/EDITORIALS 
------------------- 
 
U.S. MUST TREAD CAREFULLY IN DEALING WITH N. KOREA 
(Chosun Ilbo, May 14, 2009, Page 35) 
 
U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy Stephen Bosworth 
returned to Washington D.C. on Tuesday after wrapping up his visits 
to China, South Korea and Japan.  U.S. Special Envoy to the 
Six-Party Talks, Sung Kim, who accompanied Bosworth, met Russian 
officials in Moscow on Wednesday. 
 
The purpose of the visit by Bosworth and his team was to discuss 
ways to get North Korea to return to the Six-Party Talks.  Speaking 
with reporters in Tokyo on Tuesday, Bosworth said there is a high 
possibility of direct U.S.-North Korea talks and said he would think 
about the timing of that option over the next few weeks.  Depending 
on how North Korea reacts, that means Washington-Pyongyang talks 
could take place before the South Korea-U.S. summit in Washington on 
June 16. 
 
The U.S. government has several times held bilateral talks with 
North Korea within the framework of the Six-Party Talks.  Now direct 
talks to convince the North to resume the Six-Party Talks seem 
inevitable.  But there are a few things about which Washington needs 
to be careful. 
 
North Korea, which has long desired to hold direct talks with the 
U.S., has unilaterally boycotted the Six-Party Talks.  In this 
situation, if the U.S. hurries talks with North Korea, giving the 
impression that it is impatient to hold such talks, it could be seen 
as another type of 'compensation' for North Korea and could 
undermine the U.S.'s bargaining power.  The North Korean regime has 
dealt with several U.S. administrations, but Pyongyang's rejection 
of the Six-Party Talks is the first challenge the Obama 
Administration faces in dealing with the communist country.  This 
means it needs to prepare very thoroughly, especially since it has 
not yet completed its comprehensive review of North Korea policy. 
 
SEOUL 00000771  003 OF 006 
 
 
 
The U.S. should limit its agenda for direct talks with North Korea 
to the resumption of the Six-Party Talks.  North Korea may have many 
agenda items in mind, but the first and foremost task at hand for 
the U.S. is to achieve the denuclearization of North Korea.  The 
most pressing item on the agenda is to resolve the problem of taking 
nuclear samples from North Korea for verification, which the North 
verbally promised former Chief Negotiator Christopher Hill in 
October last year, but later refused, claiming that it had not been 
signed on paper.  Things will get more complicated if North Korea 
seeks to set the agenda for the next phase of the Six-Party Talks in 
advance.  This needs to be discussed with the other countries 
participating in the Six-Party Talks. 
 
The U.S. must work closely with South Korea.  The North has come out 
with new demands since the inauguration of the Obama Administration 
this year.  For example, it has claimed that diplomatic relations 
between Washington and Pyongyang must be formed before it gives up 
its nuclear program.  It has also demanded that the U.S. government 
recognize it as a nuclear power and that Washington removes South 
Korea from its nuclear umbrella protection, and that it can inspect 
U.S. military installations in South Korea.  All of these require 
the consent of South Korea and make close cooperation between Seoul 
and Washington absolutely necessary. 
 
(This is a translation provided by the newspaper, and it is 
identical to the Korean version.) 
 
 
FEATURES 
-------- 
 
HOLBROOKE: "I DID NOT ASK ROK TO SEND TROOPS TO AFGHANISTAN" 
(Chosun Ilbo, May 14, 2009, Page 6) 
 
By Washington correspondent Lee Ha-won 
 
Holbrooke's remarks spark controversy. 
The U.S. Department of Defense pays close attention. 
 
While the possible deployment of ROK troops to Afghanistan is 
emerging as a big issue between the ROK and the U.S., Ambassador 
Richard Holbrooke, the U.S. Special Envoy to Afghanistan and 
akistan said on May 12 that he did not ask the ROK to send troops 
to Afghanistan. 
 
Ambassador Holbrooke visited the ROK and met with ROKG officials 
including President Lee Myung-bak last month.  In a May 12 interview 
with Radio Free Asia (RFA), he said that (he) will never pressure 
the ROKG to deploy troops. 
 
Ambassador Holbrooke said that he is well aware of the difficulties 
Korea has undergone due to the Afghanistan situation in recent 
years.  He added that he respects the decision made by the Koreans. 
Also, he said he was very satisfied that Seoul decided last week to 
expand financial aid to Afghanistan. 
 
Ambassador Holbrooke's remarks should not be interpreted to mean 
that the Obama Administration does not want a military contribution 
from the ROK.  However, his remarks can be interpreted that the U.S. 
is willing to allow the ROKG greater latitude in deciding on the 
Afghan aid issue.  In particular, it is noteworthy that Holbrooke 
expressed satisfaction with Seoul's decision to expand financial aid 
(given Korea's own troubles in Afghanistan), referring to the death 
of a Korean missionary in Afghanistan in 2007. 
 
Ambassador Holbrooke is in charge of overall U.S. policy on 
Afghanistan, and directly reports to Secretary of State Hillary 
Clinton and President Obama.  It is reasonable to interpret, through 
his remarks, the State Department's desire to see Seoul promptly 
provide non-military aid rather than creating unrest in Korean 
society by asking for deployment of Korean troops. 
 
However, unlike the State Department, the U.S. Defense Department is 
 
SEOUL 00000771  004 OF 006 
 
 
wary that Holbrooke's remarks could be interpreted to mean that the 
U.S. does not want the ROK to send troops to Afghanistan. 
Previously, the Defense Department reacted sharply to similar 
remarks made by Holbrooke during his visit to Seoul last month. 
Reportedly, the Defense Department informally has sounded out the 
ROKG about sending troops, referring to a unit of military 
engineers, through its own military channel. 
 
 
PENTAGON TO DEPLOY 48 F-22S AND F-35S TO GUAM IN FIVE YEARS 
(JoongAng Ilbo, May 14, 2009, Front page) 
 
By Military affairs reporter Kim Min-seok 
 
The U.S. will increase military power capable of assisting the 
Korean Peninsula (in case of emergency). 
(Fighters to be deployed) can fly to the Korean Peninsula within 3 
hours. 
 
The U.S. Department of Defense plans to enhance considerably the 
combat capability of Guam's (air) base which could play an important 
role in an emergency situation on the Korean Peninsula.  According 
to the '2009 Guide to Foreign Military Forces Structure' distributed 
on May 13 by the U.S. Air Force, the Defense Department will 
establish a joint command center in Guam this October.  The joint 
command center will integrate operation of U.S. bases in Guam and 
the Mariana Islands.  Also, the center will serve as a hub for U.S. 
forces which could be augmented in case of an emergency on the 
Korean Peninsula. 
 
According to the Guide, the U.S. decided to deploy 4 Global Hawk 
high-altitude unmanned aerial vehicles at Anderson Air Force Base in 
Guam this year in order to bolster Guam's combat capability.  In 
ordinary times, the Global Hawks will patrol China and North Korea. 
In case of an emergency, the Hawks can reconnoiter movements of 
North Korean army around the clock to provide information necessary 
for U.S.-ROK operations.  Also, the Pentagon will deploy 48 
state-of-the art fighters including 12 next-generation aerial 
tankers KC-Xs, 6 strategic bombers, F-22's and F-35's. 
Next-generation fighters and strategic bombers at Anderson Air Force 
Base can fly to the Korean Peninsula within 3 hours while being 
aerially refueled.  F-22 and F-35, both fifth-generation stealth 
fighters, are not detected by the radar network of North Korean 
army.  Also, the U.S. will relocate 8,000 Marines stationed in 
Okinawa to Guam. 
 
Currently, 1,700 military forces, 8 B-52 strategic bombers and 18 
F-15's are stationed at Anderson Air Force Base in Guam.  1,100 
soldiers and 4 nuclear submarines are stationed at a naval base in 
nearby Mariana Islands.  In case of an emergency, U.S. combat forces 
stationed at these bases as well as other combat forces to be 
deployed will fly to the Korean Peninsula through Guam.  Moreover, 6 
large transport ships carrying all kinds of equipment and supplies, 
which enable massive marine forces to engage in combat for 30 days, 
are on stand-by. 
 
On another note, the Guide said that China runs 3 hacker units 
(cyber warfare unit).  In 1997, China created a 'computer virus 
unit' consisting of 100 agents under the auspices of the Central 
Military Commission.  In August 2000, China also established an 
'anti-hacker unit' under the control of the Chinese Academy of 
Science.  China has been operating an 'electronic warfare unit' 
under the control of 4 townships including Beijing and Guangzhou. 
According to the Guide, China's hacker unit was caught attempting to 
hack into (the computer system of) the ROK mission in the U.S. last 
March.  The Guide said that the ROK mission traced back the IP 
address of hackers and identified China's hacker unit as a culprit. 
 
 
 
OBAMA URGES COUNTRIES TO JOIN WMD INITIATIVE 
(Chosun Ilbo, May 14, 2009, Page 21) 
 
By Washington Correspondent Lee Ha-won 
 
SEOUL 00000771  005 OF 006 
 
 
 
U.S. President Barack Obama called on all countries Wednesday to 
join the Proliferation Security Initiative. 
 
A diplomat in Washington said Obama made the call in a statement at 
a conference of the PSI steering group, the Operational Experts 
Group, in Miami, Florida on Tuesday.  He reiterated the importance 
of turning the PSI, which aims to intercept the maritime transport 
of weapons of mass destruction and related technology, into a 
permanent international regime.  Obama said there was no more urgent 
threat to the security of the world than the spread of weapons of 
mass destruction.  The diplomat quoted Obama as stressing the 
constant need for "strong and comprehensive" international 
cooperation to counter the threat. 
 
There was speculation that Obama would be less than enthusiastic 
about the PSI, which is the brainchild of the George W. Bush 
Administration.  But in a speech in Prague in April, Obama also 
urged the international community to join the PSI.  His stance on 
the PSI is expected to have a great influence on the ROKG, which is 
currently considering fully participating in PSI. 
 
 
UNIFICATION MINISTRY LAX IN MONITORING STRATEGIC MATERIALS 
(Dong-a Ilbo, May 14, 2009, Page 8) 
 
By Reporter Kim Ki-hyun 
 
The Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) pointed out on May 13 that 
the Ministry of Unification has been lax in monitoring materials 
taken out (of the country) into North Korea.  When goods are carried 
to North Korea, they need government authorization, in a measure 
designed to prevent "strategic materials," which could be used to 
manufacture weapons of mass destruction, from entering North Korea. 
As it turns out, the Ministry of Unification's criteria and 
procedures for this authorization process are not strict enough. 
 
According to the BAI, the Unification Ministry authorized four 
high-tech items, including conductive polymers and high radiation 
tolerant color cameras, to be brought into North Korea from 2005 to 
2008 without checking if they fall under the category of strategic 
materials.  Furthermore, the ministry was not aware that three items 
-- including black gunpowder -- were taken (to North Korea) without 
authorization last year.  It was also found out that 270 computers, 
which can only be brought to North Korea under the condition that 
they are returned within a year, were taken out of South Korea 
without the ministry's authorization. 
 
BAI also found that the Ministry was lax in its efforts to ensure 
that computers taken to North Korea with the ministry's approval are 
brought back to the ROK as stipulated by the rules (i.e. within 1 
year).  In particular, it was not confirmed whether the computers, 
which had been carried into North Korea for events celebrating ROK 
officials' visit to the North, have ever been returned to the ROK. 
Most of the computers had entered the North without customs 
clearance because they were carried as personal belongings.  The BAI 
noted, "Last year, out of 35,253 goods, only 22 failed to get 
authorization (to enter the North.)" 
 
The BAI also criticized the Korea Customs Office for not checking 
the Unification Ministry's authorization when reviewing the 
documents (submitted for customs clearance).  BAI asked the Customs 
office to consider reprimanding the responsible employees and lodge 
a complaint against the involved companies for violating the Customs 
Law. 
 
In response, the Unification Ministry said, "The Korea Strategic 
Trade Institute made a final judgment that the four strategic items, 
including conductive polymers, are not strategic materials," adding, 
"We plan to come up with manuals (helping us judge whether an item 
is a strategic material or not) so as to control strategic materials 
efficiently." 
 
 
 
SEOUL 00000771  006 OF 006 
 
 
STANTON