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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SEOUL 001013 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR ECON KPAO KS US
SUBJECT: SEOUL - PRESS BULLETIN; June 25, 2009 
 
TOP HEADLINES 
------------- 
 
 
Chosun Ilbo 
"National Universities Should Increase Admission Quota for Students 
from Provincial Areas and Businesses 
Should Make Efforts to Protect the Weak" 
President Lee Continues to Make Remarks 
Aimed at Ordinary Citizens 
 
JoongAng Ilbo, Segye Ilbo, Seoul Shinmun 
OECD: "ROK Economy will Grow 3.5 Percent Next Year, the Highest 
among OECD Members" 
 
Dong-a Ilbo, KBS 
Send-off Ceremony Held for Remains of Korean War Dead 
 
Hankook Ilbo 
Confrontation, Conflict, Feud... ROK Torn Apart by Ideology 
The Middle-of-the-Road Should Come Forward 
to Maintain the Balance in ROK Society 
 
Hankyoreh Shinmun 
Undisguised Attempt by Lee Myung-bak Administration and Ruling Party 
to "Control MBC" 
 
 
DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS 
--------------------- 
 
A senior Blue House official told reporters yesterday that the 
envisioned "five-way consultations" are not a new dialogue framework 
to replace the Six-Party Talks but a new approach to bring North 
Korea back to the Six-Party Talks. (Dong-a) 
 
 
INTERNATIONAL NEWS 
------------------ 
 
According to the AP, U.S. defense and counter-proliferation 
officials said that intelligence suggests that North Korea will 
likely fire short and medium-range missiles, given the splash-down 
zone mentioned in the North's latest notice of "military exercises" 
and other activities that are consistent with these types of 
launches. (Hankook, Segye, Seoul, KBS) 
 
According to a diplomatic source in Washington, some senators, 
including Republican Sen. Sam Brownback, are opposing the 
confirmation of Kurt Campbell as Assistant Secretary of State for 
East Asian and Pacific Affairs, while calling for the re-designation 
of North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism. (Chosun) 
 
 
MEDIA ANALYSIS 
-------------- 
 
-N. Korea 
--------- 
Conservative Dong-a Ilbo carried a quote from a senior Blue House 
official, who told reporters yesterday that the envisioned "five-way 
consultation" is not a new dialogue framework to replace the 
Six-Party Talks but a new approach to bring North Korea back to the 
Six-Party Talks. 
 
Most media replayed a June 23 AP report citing U.S. defense and 
counter-proliferation officials as saying that intelligence suggests 
that North Korea will likely fire short and medium-range missiles, 
given the splash-down zone mentioned in the North's latest notice of 
"military exercises" and other activities that are consistent with 
these types of launches. 
 
-Iran 
 
SEOUL 00001013  002 OF 002 
 
 
------ 
Newspapers reported the remarks which President Barack Obama made on 
June 23 about the Iranian situation, quoting him as saying: "The 
U.S. and the international community have been appalled and outraged 
by the threats, the beatings and imprisonments of the last few 
days." 
 
Newspapers carried the following headlines: "Obama Questions Iran 
Vote; He Breaks Silence and Sends Strong Message" (conservative 
Chosun Ilbo, right-of-center JoongAng Ilbo, moderate Hankook Ilbo, 
conservative Segye Ilbo, moderate Seoul Shinmun); Obama Shifts from 
a 'Cautious' to a Hard-line Approach" (conservative Dong-a Ilbo); 
and "Chilly Winds Blow Again between U.S. and Iran" (left-leaning 
Hankyoreh Shinmun) 
 
 
FEATURES 
-------- 
 
FIVE-WAY TALKS NOT INTENDED TO REPLACE SIX-PARTY TALKS BUT (ONLY) TO 
PERSUADE NORTH KOREA 
(Dong-a Ilbo, June 25, page 6) 
 
By Reporter Cheong Young-gwan 
 
On June 24, the Blue House stressed that the five-way talks 
(proposed by President Lee Myung-bak) to resolve the North 
the other five nations to meet and Korean nuclear issue are not 
intended to put pressure on North Korea but  to persuade the North 
to come back to the Six-Party Talks.  A senior Blue House official 
told reporters that the envisioned "five-way consultation" is not a 
new dialogue framework to replace the Six-Party Talks but a new 
approach to bring North Korea back to the Six-Party Talks. 
 
He noted, "With North Korea boycotting the Six-Party Talks, this 
proposal is designed (to provide a means) for the other five nations 
to find the greatest possible common denominator," adding, "It is 
not a talk or meeting but a consultation." 
 
Regarding Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Qin Gang's statement a 
day earlier that "We think that the denuclearization of the Korean 
Peninsula should be achieved through the Six-Party Talks," the Blue 
House official said, "(The statement) made no mention of opposition 
(to the five-way talks).  There is no disagreement among the five 
countries about the goal of bringing the North back to the dialogue 
and dismantling its nuclear (weapons.)  This also holds true for 
China." 
 
 
STEPHENS