VZCZCXYZ0011
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #4064 1730725
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 192219Z JUN 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO AMEMBASSY SEOUL PRIORITY 1208-1209

UNCLAS STATE 064064 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
C O R R E C T E D  C O P Y (ADDING SENSITIVE CAPTION) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KNNP MNUC PARM PREL KS
SUBJECT: PSI: WELCOMING SOUTH KOREA AS A PSI PARTICIPANT 
AND OPERATIONAL EXPERTS DELEGATION VISIT PLANNING 
 
REF: SEOUL 000830 
 
 Sensitive But Unclassified.  Please protect accordingly. 
 
¶1. (U) This cable contains an action request.  Please see 
para 3. 
 
¶2. (SBU) On May 26 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
and Trade announced the South Korean Government's 
(ROKG) official endorsement of, and participation in, 
the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) as a way 
to address the significant threat that the proliferation 
of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and missiles has 
had on global peace and security (REFTEL).  On several 
occasions in DC and in Seoul, ROKG officials expressed 
interest in learning more about the PSI and participation 
opportunities in PSI activities.  The U.S. proposes 
sending an interagency team of PSI operational experts 
to brief ROKG officials on PSI activities and U.S. 
interagency "best practices."  The delegation would be 
led by Tony Foley, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of 
State for International Security and Nonproliferation 
and Steve Schleien, OSD Director for Transnational 
Threats. The delegation will also include representatives 
from agencies normally involved in the policy-making and 
operational implementation of the PSI, including DOD, 
DHS, Department of Treasury, and the Department of State, 
including appropriate Embassy representatives in Seoul. 
Ambassador Stephens met with OSD and DOS on 18 June and 
received a brief on US-ROK engagement on PSI and 
supports this approach. 
 
¶3. (SBU) ACTION REQUEST:  Department requests post's 
assistance to coordinate with ROKG a one day visit during 
the week of July 20th.  An interagency team will be in 
ROK during this week for the U.S.-ROK Security Policy 
Initiative (SPI) (July 23rd) meetings with Ministry of 
National Defense officials.  The SPI will include PSI as 
an agenda topic.  Embassy is requested to coordinate with 
appropriate ROKG officials to arrange a PSI workshop 
(preferably one large interagency meeting, if possible) 
with host country officials from appropriate agencies 
including Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs and Trade, Ministry of Justice, Blue House, 
Coast Guard and relevant law enforcement, customs, and 
intelligence officials.  ROKG attendees should include 
appropriate policy, operational, and legal (customs law, 
international / maritime law) representatives.  Embassy 
is requested to provide to host government the non-paper 
in paragraph 4 below, containing information about ways 
in which ROKG can participate in the PSI, including 
upcoming PSI activities. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Begin text of non-paper for ROK: 
 
-- The United States welcomes Republic of Korea,s (ROKG) 
endorsement of the Proliferation Security Initiative 
(PSI). We look forward to exchanging information about 
the PSI and working together with you and other PSI 
partners to advance the counter-proliferation goals of 
the PSI and its Statement of Interdiction Principles. 
 
-- As you know, the PSI is a cooperative effort among 
sovereign states committed to stopping proliferation- 
related transfers to and from states and non-state actors 
of proliferation concern by using their respective 
national authorities and relevant international legal 
frameworks, including UN Security Council Resolutions. 
States participating in the PSI work together to develop 
legal, diplomatic, economic, law enforcement, 
intelligence, and other capabilities to interdict 
shipments of proliferation concern. 
 
-- While all PSI activities are voluntary and vary 
according to an individual country's capabilities and 
legal authorities, every country can contribute in some 
way to the PSI's goal of preventing the proliferation 
of weapons of mass destruction, their delivery systems, 
and related materials. 
 
-- In order to be an effective PSI partner in halting 
WMD proliferation, we recommend as a first step that 
ROKG assess its national capabilities and legal 
authorities to stop any transfers of proliferation 
concern, whether by land, sea, or air, and determine 
what it can do to close any gaps identified in law 
enforcement or other authorities, including in 
strategic trade controls and enforcement, or in 
ports, territorial seas, or airspace, and, as the 
ROK Diplomatic Note articulated, the South-North 
Korean Agreement on Maritime Transportation, 
which the ROK will continue to respect. 
 
-- We understand that your government is interested in 
participating in PSI capacity-building activities, 
particularly exercises and workshops.  PSI activities 
are an excellent way to improve national interdiction 
capabilities, explore related issues in the legal, law 
enforcement and intelligence arenas, and enhance 
international coordination. 
 
-- The State Department PSI website at 
http://www.state.gov/t/isn/c10390.htm lists upcoming 
exercises in which your government may wish to 
participate.  In addition, a menu of past and planned 
PSI events is posted at http://www.state.gov/t/isn/ 
c27700.htm.  Additional information available for 
all PSI partners is available at the PSI website 
hosted by the Government of Germany 
(http://www.psi.diplo.de).  Access can be requested 
through the German Foreign Office. 
 
-- PSI Regional OEG Meeting.  A European Operational 
Experts Group (OEG) meeting will take place in Poland 
from June 22-24.  We understand that the ROKG has been 
invited to attend and will send five officials.  During 
this meeting, the U.S. delegation has scheduled a 
separate bilateral meeting with the ROKG delegation, 
led by Mr. Lee Jang-keun, Director, Disarmament and 
Nonproliferation (MOFAT), to discuss ROKG participation 
in PSI. 
 
-- PSI Interagency Workshop.  The U.S. is amenable to 
sending an interagency team to Seoul at ROKG's 
convenience to provide deeper background on how to 
organize for and participate in PSI.  Issues to be 
covered could include: developing a national response 
plan and decision-making process for WMD-related 
interdiction; proliferation finance tools; understanding 
interdiction options allowable within the bounds of 
national authorities and international legal frameworks, 
including relevant UN Security Council Resolutions; 
understanding the full range of non-military interdiction 
tools, and more. 
 
-- Regional PSI Counterproliferation Workshop.  The next 
PSI activity planned for the Asia-Pacific region is a 
three-day Regional PSI Counterproliferation Workshop for 
government experts from PSI-endorsing states in East Asia 
and the Pacific.  The U.S. and Australia will co-host 
the workshop, which will be held in Sydney, Australia on 
September 15-17.  Its goal is to enhance the knowledge 
and capabilities of governments so they can participate 
more robustly in PSI activities, especially real-world 
interdictions. 
 
-- Exercise DEEP SABRE II.  Singapore is planning to host 
PSI exercise DEEP SABRE II October 27-30. DEEP SABRE II 
is a regional maritime interdiction exercise. We 
encourage ROKG to contact Government of Singapore to 
seek and coordinate ROKG participation. 
 
End text of non-paper. 
 
POINT OF CONTACT 
---------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) Questions may be directed to ISN/CPI Carlos 
Guzman, 202-647-6320).  Please slug responses for 
State/ISN/CPI (Carlos Guzman,GuzmanCS@state. 
(sgov).gov) and OSD GSA (Beth Flores, beth.flores@osd. 
(smil).mil ).  Post's assistance is greatly appreciated. 
CLINTON