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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 SEOUL 000791 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR ECON KPAO KS US
SUBJECT: SEOUL - PRESS BULLETIN; May 18, 2009 
 
TOP HEADLINES 
------------- 
 
Chosun Ilbo, JoongAng Ilbo 
Bamboo Sticks Appear during Weekend Demonstration 
by 6,000 Cargo Truck Drivers for First Time 
in Over Three Years; 104 Police Officers Injured 
 
Dong-a Ilbo 
Truth and Reconciliation Commission Attempts 
to Extend Operation by Establishing a Foundation 
 
Hankook Ilbo 
Experts Give Above-Average Grade to Economic Team Led 
by Finance Minister Yoon Jeung-hyun, 
but Regret the Team's Lack of Economic Vision 
 
Hankyoreh Shinmun 
Controversy over Supreme Court's "Telephone Intervention:" Supreme 
Court Justices Called Junior Judges to Deliver Opinions on Trial 
Interference Allegations Involving Justice Shin 
Ahead of Junior Judges' Meeting 
 
Segye Ilbo, Seoul Shinmun, All TVs 
Cargo Truckers Threaten Mass Walkout, 
Raising Fears of Logistical Paralysis 
 
 
DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS 
--------------------- 
 
According to a source in Beijing privy to North Korean affairs, 
North Korea recently ordered its organizations dealing with the ROK 
to proactively instigate a split in ROK society over whether to 
accept the June 15 and Oct. 4 Inter-Korean Declarations. (Chosun) 
 
The Chinese Ambassador to the ROK, in a May 14 interview, said that 
the process of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula has run into 
difficulties but that relevant countries should make concerted 
efforts to keep the Six-Party Talks alive from a long-term 
perspective. (Chosun) 
 
 
INTERNATIONAL NEWS 
------------------ 
 
According to diplomatic sources in Washington, the Obama 
Administration views North Korea's latest cancellation of all 
contracts and regulations on the Kaesong Industrial Complex as part 
of its tactic to rev up tensions in order to strengthen the Kim 
Jong-il regime and its succession process. (Chosun) 
 
A diplomatic source in Washington feared that North Korea might shut 
down the joint industrial complex and conduct a second nuclear test, 
because the North's recent moves have little relevance to Washington 
and Seoul's North Korea policy and the North seems to have set its 
own internal goal and to be moving in line with that goal. (Chosun) 
 
An ROKG official said yesterday that U.S. Special Representative for 
North Korea Policy Stephen Bosworth will only visit Pyongyang to 
seek ways to revive the stalled Six-Party Talks after the release of 
the two U.S. journalists who are detained there. (Yonhap) 
 
 
MEDIA ANALYSIS 
-------------- 
 
-North Korea 
------------ 
 
Contract Cancellation 
North Korea's May 15 cancellation of all contracts and regulations 
on the Kaesong Industrial Complex received wide coverage today and 
 
SEOUL 00000791  002 OF 005 
 
 
over the weekend. 
 
Citing diplomatic sources in Washington, conservative Chosun Ilbo 
reported today that the Obama Administration views the North Korean 
cancellation as part of its tactic to rev up tensions in order to 
strengthen the Kim Jong-il regime and its succession process. 
Chosun quoted a diplomatic source in Washington: "North Korea's 
recent moves have little relevance to Washington and Seoul's North 
Korea policy.  Since the North seems to have set a certain goal and 
to be moving in line with that goal, there is a high possibility 
that North Korea might shut down the joint industrial complex and 
conduct a second nuclear test." 
 
Right-of-center JoongAng Ilbo editorialized on Saturday (May 16): 
"North Korea is testing Seoul's patience concerning the Kaesong 
Industrial Complex. ... If North Korea truly intends to go its own 
way, despite our continuous persuasion and efforts, we have no 
choice but to close the joint industrial complex.  However, the 
North must not lose sight of the fact that it is solely responsible 
for all the ensuing losses for ROK companies and North Korean 
workers and for the collapse of inter-Korean relations." 
 
U.S. Journalists Detained in the North 
Most ROK media on Saturday (May 16) quoted Secretary of State 
Hillary Clinton's statement at the State Department on May 14: 
"Actually, the trial date being set (by North Korea,) we view as a 
welcome timeframe.  We believe that the charges are baseless and 
should not have been brought and these two young women should be 
released immediately." 
 
Yonhap News Agency, meanwhile, gave play to an ROKG official's May 
17 statement that U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy 
Stephen Bosworth will visit Pyongyang to seek ways to revive the 
stalled Six-Party Talks only after the release of the two U.S. 
journalists who are detained there. 
 
Six-Party Talks 
Conservative Chosun Ilbo carried a quote from the Chinese Ambassador 
to the ROK, who said in a May 14 interview: "The process of 
denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula has run into difficulties. 
However, relevant countries should make concerted efforts to keep 
the Six-Party Talks alive from a long-term perspective." 
 
Conservative Dong-a Ilbo's Washington correspondent noted today that 
May 20 marks U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy 
Stephen Bosworth's first three months since he assumed the post. 
The Dong-a Ilbo correspondent wrote: "One of the reasons why people 
take a dim view of Special Representative Bosworth is that he is a 
'part-timer.'   ... His predecessor, Christopher Hill, current U.S. 
Ambassador to Iraq, focused all his efforts on the North Korean 
nuclear issue over the four years after being appointed as Assistant 
Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs and Chief U.S. 
Negotiator to the Six-Party Talks in February, 2005.  However, he 
did not achieve significant results. Observers doubt whether 
Bosworth can placate Pyongyang and achieve the ultimate goal of 
denuclearizing North Korea while spending only one or two days every 
couple of weeks in Washington. ... Part-timers are not necessarily 
bound to fail.  However, Jay Lefkowitz, a part-time Special Envoy 
for North Korean Human Rights under the previous administration, was 
succeeded by a full-time ambassador.  State Department officials 
explain that that was a reflection of the inability of part-timers 
to carry out their duties. " 
 
 
OPINIONS/EDITORIALS 
------------------- 
"IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF AUNG SAN SUU KYI" 
(Hankyoreh Shinmun, May 18, 2009, Page 23) 
 
"Behind the military government's desire to keep Suu Kyi imprisoned 
is the general election that is scheduled to take place next year. 
In 1990, the National League for Democracy, led by Suu Kyi, won an 
overwhelming victory in the parliamentary election.  The military 
government, however, overturned the results and seized power, and 
 
SEOUL 00000791  003 OF 005 
 
 
ever since has mobilized every means within its power, including the 
imprisonment of Suu Kyi, to nip any nascent democratization efforts 
in the bud.  However, in the face of increasing pressure from within 
and outside the country, including protests led by Buddhist monks 
two years ago, the military government was obliged to make a promise 
to hold elections in 2010.  For the military leadership, who needs 
to ensure their legitimacy through an election, Suu Kyi, who is to 
be freed soon, could be their biggest obstacle.  There is no 
guarantee, however, that next year's election will not be a repeat 
of the nightmare from 20 years ago. ...  If Burma's military 
government wants real legitimacy, it needs to hand over power to the 
people and accept their democratically made choice.  The first step 
toward that end would be to call a halt to their farce of a trial 
against Suu Kyi and to release her from house arrest." 
 
 
LIMITATIONS OF "PART-TIMER" BOSWORTH 
(Dong-a Ilbo, May 18, 2009, Page 31) 
 
By Washington Correspondent Ha Tae-won 
 
May 20 marks the third month since Stephen Bosworth took office as 
the U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy.  Over the 
past 90 days, he followed a busy schedule.  In early March, right 
after assuming the post, he made a tour of the ROK, China, Japan and 
Russia, and from May 7 to 12, he visited the three Six-Party 
nations, except Russia, once again.  It is noteworthy that he has 
been largely in a "listening mode" in order to broaden the consensus 
(among the Six-Party nations) on North Korea policy. 
 
However, observers do not seem to have a favorable view of him. 
Although it was not his fault, he failed to prevent North Korea from 
launching a long-range rocket, and Pyongyang is now threatening to 
conduct a second nuclear test.  He is failing to find a breakthrough 
to resume the Six-Party Talks, which have been deadlocked since last 
December.  North Korea is even publicly saying, "The Six-Party Talks 
are dead." 
 
One of the reasons why people take a dim view of Special 
Representative Bosworth is that he is a "part-timer."  He doubles as 
the Dean of The Fletcher School at Tufts University, a position he 
assumed in February 2001.  His predecessor, Christopher Hill, 
current U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, focused all his efforts on the 
North Korean nuclear issue over the four years after being appointed 
as Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs 
and U.S. Chief Negotiator to the Six-Party Talks in February, 2005. 
However, he did not achieve significant results.  Observers doubt 
whether Bosworth can placate Pyongyang and achieve the ultimate goal 
of denuclearizing North Korea while spending only one or two days 
every couple of weeks in Washington. 
 
Some people say that (it would be difficult for him) to give up his 
secure job at the university in order to deal with the North Korean 
issue, which is difficult to resolve in the short term.  However, 
Middle East Envoy George Mitchell and Representative for Afghanistan 
and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke are serving full-time. 
 
Bosworth's words and actions at critical moments are also 
unsettling.  On his way home from his second trip to Asia, he said 
in Tokyo on May 12, "(A visit to North Korea) is something we will 
be considering over the next few weeks."  This is not a good message 
since it could give North Korea the wrong impression.  Bosworth's 
meeting with former ROK President Kim Dae-jung also caused a stir. 
A diplomatic source pointed out, "If Bosworth visited former 
President Kim in order to tell him, 'I support dialogue.  I advocate 
the Sunshine Policy,' his actions are in line with North Korea's 
strategy of driving a wedge between the ROK and the U.S." 
 
Bosworth told a reporter in an interview, "Most of diplomacy is 
rewarding bad behavior.  You are trying to figure out how you can 
stop the worst of the behavior at the lowest possible price."  His 
appointment may have been made in the hope that he will exercise 
diplomacy through dialogue to persuade North Korea to behave. 
 
 
SEOUL 00000791  004 OF 005 
 
 
However, what lies beneath the "Smart Diplomacy" of President Obama 
and Secretary of State Clinton is their intention not to follow in 
the footsteps of the previous administration, which eased crises by 
rushing to present "carrot" (reward) measures whenever the North 
made a provocation.  Some observers say that when the Senate 
approves the appointment of Kurt Campbell as Assistant Secretary of 
State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, it will undermine the role 
of Special Representative Bosworth.  They think that Bosworth is not 
doing a good job in reading the mind of the Obama Administration. 
 
 
Part-timers are not necessarily bound to fail.  However, Jay 
Lefkowitz, a part-time Special Envoy for North Korean Human Rights 
under the previous administration, was succeeded by a full-time 
ambassador.  State Department officials explain that that was a 
reflection of the inability of part-timers to carry out their 
duties. 
 
 
U.S.-ROK SUMMIT AND AFGHANISTAN 
(Chosun Ilbo, May 16, Page 30) 
 
By Ha Young-sun, International Politics Professor at Seoul National 
University 
 
The U.S.-ROK summit is just a month away.  The summit is significant 
in that it will set a basic direction for U.S-ROK relations in the 
2010's.  Unless the ROK is properly prepared, it may face unexpected 
difficulty.  Main items on the agenda between both countries include 
aid to Afghanistan, the North Korean nuclear and missile issue, the 
global economic crisis, and the (Korea-U.S.) Free Trade Agreement 
(FTA).  The most urgent issue for the U.S., and the most difficult 
for the ROK, is the issue of aid to Afghanistan, which will emerge 
as a symbol of the (strength of the) strategic alliance in the 21st 
century. 
 
Last Wednesday morning, at the White House, President Obama met 
separately with Afghanistan's President Karzai and Pakistani 
President Zardari.  Then, in the afternoon, he held a summit 
involving all three countries.  Afghanistan, with a national income 
per capita of 400 dollars, and Pakistan, with a national income per 
capita of 1,000 dollars, ranks 7th and 9th, respectively, out of 177 
countries in a list of failing countries released by a U.S. journal 
on diplomatic policy. 
 
The U.S. has earmarked 130 billion dollars for Iraq and Afghanistan 
in its military budget for next year.  Despite the worst economic 
crisis in 80 years, the U.S. intends to spend more than 10 billion 
dollars a month.  Taliban forces, closely related to Osama Bin 
Laden's al-Qaida terrorist organization which masterminded the 
September 11 terrorist attack, have restored the political clout 
which they lost in 2001, and are posing a threat to Pakistan. 
 
The new Obama Administration must grapple with the tasks of dealing 
with the "war on terrorism" and overcoming the economic crisis both 
at the same time.  The Obama Administration is focusing on a 
comprehensive approach rather than a military option that has 
yielded no results.  His (new) approach will begin with measures 
relating to economic aid.  Early last month, President Obama 
attended a meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), 
which marked its 60th anniversary, just after attending the G20 
summit aimed at addressing the global economic downturn. 
 
Membership in NATO, created 60 years ago to target (threats from) 
the former Soviet Union, has steadily increased even in the wake of 
the 1990 demise of the Soviet Union.  NATO has dedicated the 
International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), consisting of 56,000 
from 41 countries including the U.S., England, Germany and Canada, 
to Afghanistan.  President Obama joined in issuing the summit 
declaration on Afghanistan that calls for the military alliance to 
continue to play an active role in the military, peace-keeping, 
training and economic sectors and to help Afghanistan build a better 
future. 
 
 
SEOUL 00000791  005 OF 005 
 
 
President Obama desperately hopes to see East Asian countries 
provide support to Afghanistan.  Therefore, the U.S. is expected to 
focus the U.S.-ROK summit on aid to Afghanistan.  The U.S. will 
likely praise the ROK for having grown as "global Korea" in a short 
time.  Then the U.S. will expect global Korea to do what it can for 
Afghanistan.  The ROK which after only half a century, is listed in 
15th place as a successful country, rather than a failing country, 
should play a global and regional role according to its standing. 
 
However, what should be noted is that the U.S. and NATO nations are 
trying to share a new role amid a structural change of the world 
order.  Also, the ROK should review its global role realistically. 
The ROK should consider that inter-Korean relations remain unchanged 
and democracy has not yet taken hold. 
 
The Korean Peninsula has been as militarily unstable as Afghanistan, 
as evidenced by North Korean nuclear and missile developments.  ROK 
military or U.S. forces stationed in the ROK, in fact, serve as 
international security forces.  Hasty moves (to send troops to 
Afghanistan) may invite danger to our own military power.  Moreover, 
Korea has been on its own journey of democratization for only over 
half a century, while the West has been undergoing a process of 
democracy for over 500 years.  Therefore, due to the weak base of 
political power (in Korea), "candle democracy" can be easily ignited 
and can flare up into "torch democracy." (Ed. Note: This refers to 
the "candlelight vigils" held in Korea as a means of political 
protest.) 
 
The key to the success of the U.S.-ROK summit is whether the two 
leaders fully understand the difficulties each other faces and can 
start discussions by putting themselves in the other's shoes.  The 
ROKG has recently decided to expand its financial aid to Afghanistan 
from 30 million dollars to 74.1 million through 2011 and to increase 
the number of Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) personnel.  In 
particular, the ultimate solution of the Afghanistan issue depends 
on the success of the PRT.  Thus, if it is realistically difficult 
to deploy ground troops to Afghanistan due to specific (internal 
political) conditions in the ROK, the ROKG might carefully discuss 
expanding the PRT by closely cooperating with the U.S. 
 
 
STANTON