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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 SEOUL 001022 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR ECON KPAO KS US
SUBJECT: SEOUL - PRESS BULLETIN; June 29, 2009 
 
TOP HEADLINES 
------------- 
 
Chosun Ilbo 
Ssangyong Motor Union Workers Join Forces with Leftist Organizations 
to Continue Strike over Job Security 
 
JoongAng Ilbo, All TVs 
Kumho Asiana to Sell Daewoo Construction to Raise Funds 
 
Dong-a Ilbo 
Then Senior Joint Chiefs of Staff Officer: "ROK Won June 29 Second 
Yeonpyeong Naval Battle... 
¶N. Korea Suffered Great Losses" 
 
Hankook Ilbo, Segye Ilbo, Seoul Shinmun 
Lee, Aso Agree in Principle on the Need 
to Hold Five-Way Talks on N. Korea 
 
Hankyoreh Shinmun 
Lee Myung-bak Administration 
"Turns the Clock Back 20 Years" to Control MBC 
 
 
DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS 
--------------------- 
 
President Lee Myung-bak and Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso, in a 
June 28 summit, reaffirmed that they will not tolerate a 
nuclear-armed North Korea and agreed in principle on the need for a 
meeting of the five members - excluding North Korea - of the 
Six-Party Talks to discuss how to bring North Korea back to the 
dialogue table. They also agreed to speed up negotiations for a 
bilateral free trade agreement. (All) 
 
 
INTERNATIONAL NEWS 
------------------ 
 
On June 26, the Obama Administration created a task force to enforce 
UN Security Council Resolution 1874 and appointed the former U.S. 
Ambassador to Bolivia, Philip Goldberg, to lead the task force. 
President Obama will soon send him to China to discuss sanctions on 
North Korea. (All) 
 
 
MEDIA ANALYSIS 
-------------- 
 
-N. Korea 
--------- 
Yesterday's ROK-Japan summit in Tokyo received wide press coverage 
today.  All ROK media reported that President Lee Myung-bak and 
Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso reaffirmed that they will not 
tolerate a nuclear-armed North Korea and agreed in principle on the 
need for the five members - excluding North Korea - of the Six-Party 
Talks to meet to discuss how to bring North Korea back to the 
dialogue table. 
 
Newspapers carried the following headlines: "Lee, Aso Share the Need 
for Five-Party Consultations" (right-of-center JoongAng Ilbo, 
conservative Dong-a Ilbo, conservative Segye Ilbo, moderate Seoul 
Shinmun); "Leaders Lay the Foundations for Trilateral Cooperation 
(between ROK, U.S. and Japan) on N. Korea... Have In-depth 
Discussions to 'Move China'" (moderate Hankook Ilbo); "Lee, Aso 
Agree that It Is Important to Implement Sanctions against N. Korea" 
(left-leaning Hankyoreh Shinmun) 
 
All media also gave attention to the June 26 launch of the Obama 
Administration's interagency task force to enforce UN Security 
Council Resolution 1874.  The media reported that President Barack 
Obama has appointed the former U.S. Ambassador to Bolivia, Philip 
 
SEOUL 00001022  002 OF 005 
 
 
Goldberg, to lead the task force and will soon send him to China to 
discuss sanctions on North Korea. 
 
In particular, conservative Chosun Ilbo observed that the 
appointment of Mr. Goldberg brings the number of senior American 
officials who deal with North Korea to four, including Special 
Representative for North Korea Policy Stephen Bosworth, Special 
Envoy for the Six-Party Talks Sung Kim, and Kurt Campbell, who was 
recently confirmed as Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian 
and Pacific Affairs.  The Chosun report commented that it remains to 
be seen whether the responsibilities of the four will overlap and 
lead to confusion. 
 
Chosun also noted in an accompanying article that Washington has 
approached China several times to urge them to join in sanctioning 
North Korea  but that Beijing is making Washington anxious by 
failing to give a clear answer.   Chosun headlined its article: 
"Sanctions against N. Korea... U.S. Pressures China; China Ignores 
U.S." 
 
In a related development, conservative Dong-a Ilbo argued in a 
commentary from Beijing: "Instead of clearly opposing North Korea's 
nuclear development clear and taking stern measures, China is buying 
North Korea time for additional nuclear development.  ... If China 
continues to be lackadaisical about sanctioning North Korea over its 
nuclear test, it can invite perception that China does not care 
about North Korea's poverty and downfall, and is only interested in 
keeping North Korea under its influence for its own national 
interests." 
 
 
OPINIONS/EDITORIALS 
------------------- 
 
IF CHINA IS NORTH KOREA'S TRUE ALLY 
(Dong-a Ilbo, June 29, 2009, Page 31) 
 
By Beijing Correspondent Gu Ja-ryong 
 
After North Korea's second nuclear test, the world's expectations 
for China's role are growing higher than ever before.  Some people 
argue that the UN Security Council's resolution or sanctions will 
not be effective without China's active participation. 
 
However, look at China.  The Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman 
said, "Measures related to North Korea should not affect the 
livelihood of the North Korean people and their normal economic 
transactions."  Furthermore, he added, "In the UN Security Council 
Resolution on sanctions against North Korea, there is a provision 
that (sanctions) should not affect the needs of the (North Korean) 
civilian population, their economic activities, and humanitarian aid 
(for them)."  This implies that, although China agreed to the UNSC 
Resolution, it does not have a strong determination.   Douglas Paal, 
a China expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 
also noted, "China has decided to maintain its relations with North 
Korea, instead of (pursuing) sanctions on the North." 
 
Despite North Korea's second nuclear test, the Chinese government 
seems to believe that it can help (improve) the livelihood of the 
North Korean people by not pressuring the communist state too much. 
Over the past five decades, China, while describing the North as its 
friend and ally, has maintained its influence over North Korea. 
What is the result? 
 
North Korean defectors in China are now estimated at over 50,000. 
Many North Korean women are being sold to Chinese farmers.  If 
Pyongyang continues to go down the road to nuclear possession, the 
situation in North Korea will inevitably get worse.  North Korea, 
which was once better off than China, became penniless while China 
grew up to be the world's superpower.  With the increasing 
incidences of human rights abuses toward North Koreans in China, 
does Beijing think that, if it prevents North Koreans from crossing 
the border into China and sends North Korean refugees back to their 
nation, it would help maintain "stability on the Korean Peninsula"? 
 
SEOUL 00001022  003 OF 005 
 
 
 
According to a North Korea expert, whenever tensions run high on the 
Korean Peninsula, the North Korean leadership says, "We are in 
ruins.  We have nothing more to lose," and threatens war in 
brinkmanship tactics.  Ironically, China played a big role in North 
Korea's plunging into poverty and becoming a pariah state in the 
international community. 
 
China did not try to lead the North out to the open world but 
overlooked the North going down the nuclear road.  Instead of 
clearly opposing North Korea's nuclear development and taking stern 
measures, China is buying North Korea time for additional nuclear 
development.  North Korea's closet friend and ally could play the 
most harmful role. 
 
If China continues to be lackadaisical about sanctioning North Korea 
over its nuclear test, it can invite the perception that China does 
not care about North Korea's poverty and downfall, and is only 
interested in keeping North Korea under its influence for its own 
national interests.  Wang Chung, a guest researcher for Japanese 
policy studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, argued, 
"Despite North Korea's nuclear test, China should not give up on 
North Korea."  He cited as a reason the strategic importance of 
North Korea as a buffer zone against the U.S.  Wang said, "No 
Chinese would want the buffer zone to disappear and a U.S. aircraft 
to cross the Yalu River and monitor the Chinese border region." 
 
There is some controversy over the influence that China has over the 
North.  However, China accounts for almost 73 percent of North 
Korea's foreign trade.  If you visit the border between North Korea 
and China, you would think that there is nothing that China cannot 
do toward North Korea, which is just across the narrow river.  No 
Chinese high-ranking leader has publicly said that China has no or 
only small influence over the North.  This may be because they 
privately think (that China has a lot of influence over North 
Korea.)  Now is the time for China to rebuke the North in a stern 
manner and encourage it to stop going down the wrong way.  This is 
the only way for China to clear up the misunderstanding that China 
is only seeking its own national interests and for China to do what 
it should as a true friend and ally of North Korea. 
 
 
FOR FULL COMPREHENSIVE TALKS TO RESOLVE NORTH KOREA NUCLEAR ISSUE 
(Hankyoreh Shinmun, editorial, June 29, 2009, page 23) 
 
Since the second North Korean nuclear test, an impasse has been 
developing.  As nations have begun taking concrete steps to execute 
United Nations Security Council (UNSC) sanctions on North Korea, 
North Korea's protests have only grown stronger. 
 
The ROK and Japan held concentrated discussions to cooperate in 
their response to North Korea during the ROK-Japan summit on Sunday 
in an effort to strengthen the pressure both nations have been 
putting on North Korea.  In another unprecedented move, the U.S. has 
formed a joint-task force to execute the sanctions resolution, with 
Philip Goldberg, the former U.S. Ambassador Bolivia, named as its 
head.  This reveals the intention of the Obama Administration to 
lend force to pressure on North Korea for the time being and to 
distinguish its current actions from the former activities of 
special envoys Stephen Bosworth or Sung Kim. 
 
Of course, more than hardline moves are taking place.  Chinese 
ambassador to Korea Cheng Yonghua said that sanctions on North Korea 
were not the goal of the UNSC's actions, and political and 
diplomatic means were the only certain and enforceable ones that 
could resolve the problems of the Korean Peninsula.  Cheng's 
statements emphasized efforts to resolve the nuclear issue through 
dialogue.  The plan to convene five-party talks as called for by 
President Lee Myung-bak, too, seems to be falling out of favor due 
to Chinese opposition.  Moreover, the U.S.'s review of its North 
Korea policy is expected to quicken now that Kurt Campbell has been 
confirmed as Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific 
Affairs and has emphasized a will to seek a comprehensive solution 
to the nuclear issue. 
 
SEOUL 00001022  004 OF 005 
 
 
 
A response to North Korea's unilateral provocations, including its 
nuclear tests and long-range rocket launches, is unavoidable, but 
one cannot fundamentally resolve the nuclear issue with sanctions 
alone.  Significant progress made in the past on the nuclear issue 
was the result of dialogue, not sanctions.  It is also unrealistic 
to expect China to actively participate in pressure on North Korea. 
To the contrary, China is showing wariness of louder hardline voices 
coming from the ROK that are acting in concert with Japan. 
 
At times like this, the ROK's attitude plays a significant part.  To 
strangle inter-Korean relations and to focus only on strengthening 
sanctions is to remove itself from being part of a solution to the 
nuclear issue.  If the U.S. begins negotiations with North Korea, 
the ROK could be pushed from the center, as was the case during the 
Kim Young-sam Administration.  As the solution lies ultimately in 
comprehensive negotiations, the ROK should establish its own 
independent negotiating plan to convince the U.S. and North Korea. 
The ROK should also take on a new approach towards changing 
currently hostile inter-Korea relations, where even humanitarian aid 
has been stopped. 
 
 
(This is a translation provided by the newspaper.  We have reviewed 
it, edited it for readability, and have determined that it is 
identical to the Korean version.) 
 
 
FEATURES 
-------- 
U.S. HAS "FOUR TOP OFFICIALS" RESPONSIBLE FOR NORTH KOREAN AFFAIRS 
(Chosun Ilbo, June 29, page 4) 
 
By Correspondent Lee Ha-won 
 
The U.S. is stepping up pressure on North Korea by launching a 
taskforce to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1874.  The 
interagency taskforce to enforce sanctions against North Korea was 
launched on June 26 to coordinate actions with other nations in 
implementing the UN resolution, including searches of outbound North 
Korean ships and aircraft, and international financial sanctions. 
 
 
U.S. President Barack Obama appointed the former U.S. Ambassador to 
Bolivia, Philip Goldberg, to lead the task force and will soon send 
him to China to discuss sanctions on North Korea. 
 
In the 1990s Goldberg worked with Richard Holbrooke, who currently 
serves as U.S. Special Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, until the 
signing of the Dayton Peace Agreement dealing with Bosnian matters. 
With regards to the creation of the taskforce and the appointment of 
Goldberg, a U.S. government official told the New York Times that 
(the USG) needed someone who can be fully committed to 
implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution. 
 
The appointment of Mr. Goldberg brings the number of senior American 
officials who deal with North Korea to four.  In the early days of 
his presidency, Obama had "two top officials" in charge of North 
Korean affairs -- Special Representative for North Korea Policy 
Stephen Bosworth and Special Envoy for the Six-Party Talks Sung Kim. 
 Ambassador Bosworth was assigned to take care of general issues and 
Ambassador Kim was assigned to serve as chief U.S. negotiator for 
the Six-Party Talks.  Goldberg will engage in establishing U.S. 
policy on North Korea, along with Bosworth, Kim, and Kurt Campbell, 
who has recently been confirmed as Assistant Secretary of State for 
East Asian and Pacific Affairs. 
 
This "four top" system adopted by President Obama in dealing with 
North Korean affairs is significantly different from the approach 
taken by the George W Bush Administration. 
 
During the former Bush Administration, currently U.S. Ambassador to 
Iraq Christopher Hill served as both Assistant Secretary of State 
for East Asian and Pacific Affairs and chief U.S. negotiator for the 
 
SEOUL 00001022  005 OF 005 
 
 
Six-Party Talks, assuming sole authority over the U.S. North Korea 
policy. 
 
(It seems that) the Obama Administration has considered that 
Ambassador Hill's "one-man show" led to the conciliatory policy in 
which North Korea was rewarded for its bad behavior.  (This is why) 
the Obama Administration has decided to separate decision-making, 
negotiations and sanctions regarding North Korea from one another. 
 
It remains to be seen whether the responsibilities of the four will 
overlap and lead to confusion.  We cannot rule out the possibility 
that if consultations among the four top officials do not go 
smoothly, this (precarious situation on the Korean Peninsula) will 
be aggravated and U.S policy on North Korea will not be undertaken 
effectively. 
 
 
 
STEPHENS