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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 SEOUL 000952 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR ECON KPAO KS US
SUBJECT: SEOUL - PRESS BULLETIN; June 16, 2009 
 
TOP HEADLINES 
-------------- 
 
Chosun Ilbo, JoongAng Ilbo, Hankook Ilbo, Hankyoreh Shinmun, Segye 
Ilbo, Seoul Shinmun, All TVs 
Korean Woman Reportedly Killed in Yemen, Along with Eight Other 
Kidnapped Foreigners 
 
Dong-a Ilbo 
ROK's Mega-city Regions Lag 
behind Those of Japan and China 
in Core Areas 
 
 
DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS 
--------------------- 
 
President Lee Myung-bak arrived in Washington yesterday for a June 
16 summit with President Barack Obama on measures to deal with North 
Korea's security threat and to enhance the bilateral alliance. 
President Lee will also meet with key U.S. officials, including 
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Secretary of Defense Robert 
Gates and Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner. (All) 
 
Furthermore, President Lee will stress the importance of ratifying 
the KORUS FTA during his meeting with USTR Ronald Kirk. (Hankook) 
 
According to the foreign media, all nine foreigners, including an 
ROK female aid worker, who were kidnapped in the volatile 
mountainous area of northern Yemen on June 12, have been found dead 
in an area of Yemen known as a hideout for al-Qaida. (All) 
 
According to the Ministry of Knowledge Economy, the ROK and the U.S. 
will work together to develop "smart grids," modern electricity 
networks, as part of mutual efforts to save energy and to create a 
new growth engine. (JoongAng, Segye, Seoul) 
 
 
INTERNATIONAL NEWS 
----------------- 
 
According to an ROKG source, ROK and U.S. intelligence authorities 
are watching for signs of another nuclear test by North Korea, 
having spotted constant moves of personnel and vehicles at 
Punggye-ri in Kilju-gun, North Hamgyong Province, where it conducted 
the first and second nuclear tests. (Chosun) 
 
The president of the Korean Agency for Defense Development (ADD) 
yesterday raised the possibility that North Korea may have succeeded 
in miniaturizing a nuclear warhead to mount on a missile. (Chosun, 
Hankyoreh, Segye, Seoul) 
 
North Korea held a massive rally yesterday to condemn the UN 
Security Council's latest resolution against the North's nuclear 
test. During the rally, the North made it clear that its nuclear 
weapons can be used for an attack. (Dong-a) 
 
 
MEDIA ANALYSIS 
----------------- 
 
-N. Korea 
--------- 
Conservative Chosun Ilbo gave inside-page play to a report citing an 
ROKG source that North Korea has finished preparatory work at a 
missile launch pad in Tongchangri, North Pyongan Province, where a 
long-range missile has been transported.  The ROKG source was 
quoted: "The launch, however, does not seem to be imminent because 
no radar has been set up and no missile has been installed at the 
launch pad." 
 
The Chosun report went on to say that ROK and U.S. intelligence 
 
SEOUL 00000952  002 OF 006 
 
 
authorities are watching for signs of another nuclear test by North 
Korea, having spotted constant moves of personnel and vehicles at 
Punggye-ri in Kilju-gun, North Hamgyong Province, where it conducted 
the first and second nuclear tests. 
 
The president of the Korean Agency for Defense Development (ADD) was 
cited by conservative Chosun and Segye Ilbo and moderate Seoul 
Shinmun as raising the possibility that North Korea may have 
succeeded in miniaturizing a nuclear warhead to mount on a missile. 
 
In a commentary, right-of-center JoongAng Ilbo observed: "There are 
two ways to induce China to participate in the sanctions on North 
Korea.  First, the Obama Administration must show its determination 
to get North Korea to abandon its nuclear ambitions.  If the U.S. 
does not act, China only observes passively.  Furthermore, it is 
important to calm China's worries over the future of the Korean 
Peninsula.  That is a task for the ROK.  Open and intimate dialogue 
with China is imperative right now." 
 
Moderate Hankook Ilbo wrote in a commentary: "This Iranian election 
result should remind Obama how difficult it is to bring change to 
Iran, how strong anti-U.S. sentiment is in Iran, and how much 
difficulty the U.S. faces in conducting diplomacy toward Iran. ... 
Professor Moon Jung-in of Yonsei University argues that Obama should 
show North Korea the same political gesture of goodwill and trust 
that he showed to the Islamic world.  There are various ways to deal 
with North Korea, but if Obama's gesture can serve to resolve the 
complicated North Korean issue, he has no reason not to show 
Pyongyang the same gesture that he did to Islam." 
 
ROK-U.S. Summit in Washington 
----------------------------- 
Most ROK media gave attention to today's summit in Washington 
between Presidents Lee Myung-bak and Barack Obama on measures to 
deal with North Korea's security threat and to enhance the bilateral 
alliance.   President Lee will also meet with key U.S. officials, 
including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Secretary of Defense 
Robert Gates and Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner, according 
to media reports. 
 
Right-of-center JoongAng Ilbo wrote in the headline: "The Two 
Leaders to Meet for Two Hours... The Meeting Comes at the Most 
Serious Time" 
 
Moderate Hankook Ilbo editorialized: "The top priority (for the 
upcoming summit) must be to come up with a joint response to the 
North Korean issue.  The two leaders should devise a new framework 
to deter North Korea's provocations and threats and to resolve the 
North Korean issue peacefully.  ... Before his departure for the 
U.S., President Lee raised the need to hold the five-party talks 
excluding North Korea ... apparently in an effort to restore the 
ROK's leading role (in dealing with North Korea.)  This is a 
desirable move.  If the five-party talks to pressure North Korea are 
to be successful, China's participation is indispensable. 
Regrettably, however, it seems that President Lee did not coordinate 
this matter with China in advance." 
 
Iran Election Aftermath 
----------------------- 
Newspapers carried the following headlines: "Clashes Continue for 
Third Consecutive Day between Supporters of Defeated Pro-reform 
Presidential Candidate and Riot Police" (right-of-center JoongAng 
Ilbo);  Iran Supreme Leader Orders Investigation into Allegations of 
Election Fraud" (conservative Dong-a Ilbo, left-leaning Hankyoreh 
Shinmun, conservative Segye Ilbo, moderate Seoul Shinmun); and 
"Demonstrations Intensify against Re-election of President Mahmoud 
Ahmadinejad... Iranian Political Situation in Chaos" (moderate 
Hankook Ilbo) 
 
 
OPINIONS/EDITORIALS 
 
OBAMA'S FRUSTRATION AND NORTH KOREA POLICY 
(Hankook Ilbo, June 16, 2009, Page 34) 
 
SEOUL 00000952  003 OF 006 
 
 
 
By Senior International News Editor Park Kwang-hee 
 
In the Iranian presidential elections, current President Mahmoud 
Ahmadinejad, a conservative hardliner, won a victory.  Although 
there are allegations of electoral fraud, it seems to be difficult 
to expect the election outcome to be reversed.  Like it or not, the 
elections are over, and President Ahmadinejad won. 
 
Many people were pleased with the result, but many others were 
disappointed by it.  The most disappointed person may be reformist 
candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi.  Since he personally saw, during the 
campaign, the desire for reform that many young people and women 
had, we can easily guess how disappointed and frustrated he is. 
Although the public sentiment on the streets was in his favor, (the 
election) strongly united conservatives in the end, which was 
unfortunate for him. 
 
Western media were also deeply disappointed with the result.  At the 
beginning of the election campaign, they forecast that Ahmadinejad 
would run far ahead of other candidates, but as time went by, they 
reported that Mousavi was catching up, and in the final days of the 
campaign, they predicted that Mousavi might win a come-from-behind 
victory.  Western media did not simply provide a report of the 
ongoing election but, on many occasions, also conveyed the Western 
society's expectations that the reformist candidate would be 
elected. 
 
The most frustrated and disappointed person is probably U.S. 
President Barack Obama.  He desperately wanted change in Iran.  In 
his inaugural speech, he sent Iran a message of conciliation, and on 
the Iranian New Year's Day in March, he proposed an end to hostile 
relations (with Iran) and a new beginning.  In April, he announced 
that he would attend international talks to resolve the Iranian 
nuclear issue.  And finally, in his June 4 speech at Cairo 
University in Egypt, he declared that the cycle of suspicion and 
discord must end and called for a new beginning.   Although some 
hardliners questioned his true intention, his speech created a 
sensation and helped a pro-Western group win the general elections 
in Lebanon.  While giving the speech that day, Obama must have been 
mindful of the Iranian presidential election. 
 
 Ahmadinejad, who won the presidential election in Iran, is likely 
to maintain frosty relations with the U.S. for the time being in 
order to curry the favor of the conservatives who supported him. 
Many observers say that it will be difficult to restore U.S.-Iran 
relations for a while.  Ahmadinejad also signaled (that it would be 
difficult to improve relations) by saying in his victory press 
conference, "There will be no nuclear policy change," and proposing 
a face-to-face debate with Obama about the nuclear issue.  This 
Iranian election result should remind Obama how difficult it is to 
bring change to Iran, how strong anti-U.S. sentiment is in Iran, and 
how much difficulty the U.S. faces in conducting diplomacy toward 
Iran. 
 
Unlike the case of Iran, Obama didn't make any suggestion or request 
to North Korea.  He did not put forth any clear policy toward the 
North.  This represents a big difference from his efforts toward 
Iran and the Islamic world.  This should have been a priority for 
the U.S., but five months have already passed since Obama's 
inauguration.  It is not a short period of time.  North Korea, which 
was not able to bear such neglect, drew world attention by launching 
rockets and conducting a nuclear test, and the U.S. took a hard-line 
stance in response while rebuking and imposing sanctions against 
North Korea. 
 
Professor Moon Jung-il of Yonsei University argues that Obama should 
show North Korea the same political gesture of goodwill and trust 
that he showed to the Islamic world.  There are various ways to deal 
with North Korea, but if Obama's gesture can serve to resolve the 
complicated North Korean issue, he has no reason not to show 
Pyongyang the same gesture that he did to Islam.  Frustration should 
come after that. 
 
 
SEOUL 00000952  004 OF 006 
 
 
 
CHINA'S NUCLEAR HEADACHE 
(JoongAng Ilbo, June 16, 2009, page 41) 
 
By Yun Deok-min, Professor at the Institute of Foreign Affairs and 
National Security. 
 
China does not want North Korea to have a nuclear arsenal but at the 
same time it doesn't want North Korea's regime to collapse, either. 
 
 
The United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 
1874 recently in response to North Korea's second nuclear test. 
 
The resolution contains the strongest possible measures, bar 
military action, calling for more stringent inspections of North 
Korea's cargo vessels on the high seas.  In addition, the resolution 
bans North Korea's imports and exports of weapons and financial 
transactions related to weapons of mass destruction. 
 
Some people estimate that the resolution will have an immediate 
impact, causing $4 billion in losses to North Korea's economy.  That 
would be enough to seriously hamper the communist country, 
considering the scale of its economy.  It's no surprise, then, that 
North Korea is protesting. 
 
But we can't escape the nagging concern that the new resolution will 
just be another smoke screen, just like other resolutions against 
North Korea in the past. 
 
The resolution allows UN member states to decide on their own 
whether to implement the actions, so it is absolutely vital that 
those countries in the Northeast Asia region fully comply and 
actively take part. 
 
If there is no control at the borders with North Korea, the 
inspections of cargo and the ban on imports and exports of weapons 
will have no teeth. 
 
Experts agree that China's role is essential.  The country accounts 
for 74 percent of North Korea's total trade.  Without its help, it 
will be virtually impossible for the resolution to take effect. 
 
But before blaming others, we need to look at our own problems. 
 
The ROK is not free from responsibility for North Korea's recent 
provocative. 
 
North Korea's two nuclear tests cost $800 million to $900 million 
and long-range missile launches are estimated to have cost $500 
million to $600 million.  Where did the money come from? 
 
The ROK has provided aid worth $7 billion to North Korea over the 
past 10 years; $2.9 billion in cash.  Thus, we can safely say that 
the ROK's role is as important as China's.  China is angry at North 
Korea for causing mischief and destabilizing the region. 
 
Essentially North Korea's dangerous behavior is interfering with 
China's vital issues. 
 
For instance, China has been forced to sit and watch as five Aegis 
destroyers from the ROK, the U.S. and Japan sailed in the East Sea 
in April on the day when North Korea launched a Taepodong-2 
missile. 
 
The Aegis destroyers conducted anti-missile drills that could be 
used to protect against China's missile capability as well. 
 
Because of North Korea's missile launches, the ROK, the U.S. and 
Japan have advanced their capacity to defend missiles, and as a 
result, China's nuclear deterrent has weakened. 
 
North Korea's nuclear tests have also spurred discussions on nuclear 
armament in the ROK and Japan. 
 
SEOUL 00000952  005 OF 006 
 
 
 
Nevertheless, China is still hesitating to take decisive action.  It 
does not want North Korea to have a nuclear arsenal but at the same 
time it doesn't want North Korea's regime to collapse, either. 
 
China is worried that tighter sanctions against North Korea will 
bring about the end of the North Korean regime.  What's better for 
China?  A nuclear state on its border or a reunified democratic 
Korean Peninsula under the influence of the U.S.? 
 
Another scenario would be for the U.S. to accept North Korea's 
nuclear capability as it did with India and Pakistan. 
 
China responded sternly in 2006 when North Korea conducted its first 
nuclear test.  For the first time in history, China approved a UN 
resolution against North Korea. 
 
The statement by China's foreign ministry was much stronger three 
years ago.  But after a little while, Washington approached 
Pyongyang, provided economic incentives and produced the Feb. 13 
agreement without using the words "nuclear weapons." 
 
China must have calculated that its influence on North Korea has 
weakened. 
 
There are two ways to induce China to participate in the sanctions 
on North Korea.  First, the Obama Administration must show its 
determination to get North Korea to abandon its nuclear ambitions. 
If the U.S. does not act, China is only a passive observer. 
 
Furthermore, it is important to calm China's worries over the future 
of the Korean Peninsula.  That is a task for the ROK.  Open and 
intimate dialogue with China is imperative right now. 
 
(This is a translation provided by the newspaper, and it is 
identical to the Korean version.) 
 
 
ROK, U.S. PRESIDENTS SHOULD WORK OUT NEW FRAMEWORK TO ADDRESS KOREAN 
PENINSULA ISSUES 
(Hankook Ilbo, June 16, 2009, Page 35) 
 
President Lee Myung-bak will hold a summit with U.S. President 
Barack Obama in Washington today.  The summit carries special 
significance since the Korean Peninsula is (now) in the worst 
situation ever due to North Korea's second nuclear test, uranium 
enrichment program and long-distance missile threats. 
 
The top priority (for the upcoming summit) must be to come up with a 
joint response to the North Korean issue.  The two leaders should 
devise a new framework to deter North Korea's provocations and 
threats and to resolve the North Korean issue peacefully.  The 
international community including the ROK and the U.S. needs to take 
resolute and united action against North Korea's transgressions.  In 
fact, this (need to strong action) has led to the UN Security 
Council's strong resolution, which was adopted unanimously last 
week. 
 
However, it is also evident that sanctions and pressures alone will 
not be able to settle the problems concerning North Korea.  A 
repetition of the vicious cycle in which sanctions and pressures 
prompt strong backlash from North Korea will not ensure peaceful 
resolution of the crisis on the Korean Peninsula. Therefore, the 
international community should take strong measures against North 
Korea's misdeeds while at the same time inducing the North to move 
in a positive direction.  President Lee should propose a framework 
and vision (for action) from this perspective and draw support from 
President Obama. 
 
It is a major premise that we, as the most important party in the 
Korean Peninsula issue, should play a leading role.  However, the 
Lee Myung-bak Administration has insisted on adhering to a rigid 
policy on North Korea and lost the leverage (which South Korea had 
in dealing with the issues concerning) North Korea, thereby failing 
 
SEOUL 00000952  006 OF 006 
 
 
to take the lead.  Before his departure for the U.S., President Lee 
raised the need to hold five-party talks (to include the Six Party 
Talks participants with the exception of North Korea) , apparently 
in an effort to restore the ROK's leading role (in dealing with 
North Korea.)  This is a desirable move.  If the five-party talks to 
pressure North Korea are to be successful, China's participation is 
indispensable.  Regrettably, however, it seems that President Lee 
did not coordinate this matter with China in advance. 
 
A stronger U.S. and ROK alliance is not enough to resolve the Korean 
Peninsula issues peacefully.  The ROK should take the interests of 
regional partners into account.  President Lee should bear this in 
mind prior to today's summit. 
 
 
STANTON