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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 SEOUL 001049 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR ECON KPAO KS US
SUBJECT: SEOUL - PRESS BULLETIN; July 2, 2009 
 
TOP HEADLINES 
------------- 
 
Chosun Ilbo, JoongAng Ilbo 
"Politics Puts the Powerless in Danger of Getting Fired" 
First Non-Regular Workers Laid Off 
in Non-Regular Workers' Bill Stalemate 
 
Dong-a Ilbo, Segye Ilbo, All TVs 
Ruling GNP Unilaterally Submits Revised Non-Regular Workers' Bill; 
Urges Main Opposition DP Rep. Choo 
to Resign from Leadership of National Assembly Environment 
and Labor Committee 
 
Hankook Ilbo, Seoul Shinmun 
Layoffs Have Become Reality for Many Non-Regular Workers, Following 
National Assembly's Failure 
to Revise Non-Regular Workers Law in Time 
 
Hankyoreh Shinmun 
Government Agencies and Public Companies at Forefront of Laying off 
Non-Regular Workers, on First Day of Implementation of Non-Regular 
Workers Law 
 
 
DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS 
--------------------- 
 
The two Koreas will hold their third working-level talks on the 
joint Kaesong Industrial Complex today in North Korea. (JoongAng, 
Hankook, Hankyoreh) 
 
 
INTERNATIONAL NEWS 
------------------ 
 
In its latest move to keep pressure on North Korea for its second 
nuclear test, the U.S., on June 30, imposed financial sanctions on a 
North Korean company and an Iranian company allegedly linked to 
North Korea's nuclear and missile proliferation network. (All) 
 
The USG also informally named Robert King as Special Envoy for Human 
Rights in North Korea. (Chosun, Hankook, Seoul) 
 
In a related development, Ambassador Luis CdeBaca, Director of the 
State Department's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in 
Persons, in a July 1 video conference held at the U.S. Embassy in 
Seoul, said that up to 70,000 North Koreans are engaged in forced 
labor overseas. (Chosun, Hankyoreh) 
 
According to the AP citing USG sources, the North Korean cargo ship, 
Kang Nam, which has been suspected of heading to Myanmar carrying 
weapons-related materials, suddenly turned around on June 28 and is 
headed back north. (All) 
 
According to an ROK intelligence source, ROK intelligence 
authorities have increased their surveillance of North Korea based 
on their judgment that there is a high possibility that North Korea 
may launch short-and medium-range missiles into the East Sea (Sea of 
Japan) early this month. (JoongAng) 
 
 
MEDIA ANALYSIS 
-------------- 
 
-N. Korea 
--------- 
Washington's June 30 imposition of financial sanctions on a North 
Korean company and an Iranian company allegedly linked to North 
Korea's nuclear and missile proliferation network received wide 
press coverage. 
 
 
SEOUL 00001049  002 OF 004 
 
 
According to media reports, it is the latest move by the U.S. to 
keep pressure on North Korea, whose nuclear ambitions have ratcheted 
up global tensions, and it is also the first time a foreign firm 
dealing with North Korea has been subject to sanctions under UNSC 
Resolution 1874. 
 
Most ROK media also gave attention to Washington's informal 
appointment of Robert King, a former staff director of the House 
Committee on Foreign Affairs, as Special Envoy for Human Rights in 
North Korea.   Conservative Chosun Ilbo viewed this as indicating 
Washington's intention to raise the North's poor human rights 
situation in earnest.  Chosun also wrote in the headline: "Squeezing 
Money Flow, Chasing Ships and Criticizing Human Rights... U.S. 
Putting All-out Pressure on N. Korea." 
 
The June 30 AP report - that the North Korean cargo ship, Kang Nam, 
which has been suspected of heading to Myanmar carrying 
weapons-related materials, suddenly turned around on June 28 and is 
headed back north - also captured the attention of the ROK media. 
Conservative Dong-a Ilbo quoted a USG source as saying that it is 
uncertain whether the Kang Nam is returning to North Korea or 
changed course for another destination.  Left-leaning Hankyoreh 
Shinmun speculated that the turnaround might have been prompted by 
the Myanmar government's alleged warning to North Korea that it 
would not allow the Kang Nam to dock if it was carrying materials 
banned under Resolution 1874. 
 
In a related development, conservative Chosun Ilbo noted a July 1 
New York Times report saying that officials inside the White House 
are beginning to call the North Korean ship "The Cruise to Nowhere." 
 According to Chosun Ilbo, the New York Times report said that some 
top U.S. officials are beginning to wonder whether North Korean 
leader Kim Jong-il ordered the North Korean ship out on a "fishing 
expedition" in the hope that a new American president will be his 
first catch. 
 
Right-of-center JoongAng Ilbo carried a front-page report, citing an 
ROK intelligence source, that ROK intelligence authorities have 
increased their surveillance of North Korea based on their judgment 
that there is a high possibility that North Korea may launch 
short-and medium-range missiles into the East Sea (Sea of Japan) 
early this month. 
 
 
OPINIONS/EDITORIALS 
------------------- 
 
THE STORY OF NEW TEN NATIONS IN NORTH EAST ASIA 
(Dong-a Ilbo, July 1, page 30; EXCERPTS) 
 
By Deputy Political News Editor Jeong Yong-gwan 
 
It seems that President Barack Obama is acutely aware of the U.S.'s 
standing in the world.  The real crisis for the U.S. did not stem 
from a weakening of its military or economic power but from its 
"arrogance."  We can diagnose that a lack of soft power, not hard 
power was at the core of the crisis. 
 
In the recent U.S.-ROK summit, President Obama left a fresh 
impression when he tried to show modesty and sincerity, deepen 
mutual understanding, and seek a common ground.  President Obama's 
firm position, that he would not tolerate North Korea's nuclear 
program, apparently struck a greater chord than his predecessor's 
"iron fist."  Through dialogue and communication with other 
countries, President Obama is establishing the justification for 
U.S. policy on North Korea.  Therefore, it seems that North Korea, 
which is now blustering about nuclearization and Intercontinental 
Ballistic Missiles (ICMB), faces a real crisis. 
 
 
FEATURES 
-------- 
 
¶N. KOREA 'TRAFFICKING IN SLAVE LABOR' 
 
SEOUL 00001049  003 OF 004 
 
 
(Chosun Ilbo, July 2, 2009, page 3) 
 
The North Korean government is directly engaged in the trafficking 
of slave labor, claimed Luis CdeBaca, the Director of the U.S. State 
Department's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, on 
Wednesday.  He was speaking at a video press conference at the U.S. 
Embassy in Seoul.  He said that it is regrettable that North Korean 
defectors in China are exploited and the North is running forced 
labor camps but there is another type of forced labor.  He said that 
the regime is sending North Koreans overseas to work under 
exploitative contracts with Southeast Asian, Eastern European and 
Middle Eastern nations. 
 
CdeBaca said European countries no longer accept North Korean 
workers, citing an example of the Czech Republic, which has not 
concluded a labor contract with North Korea since 2007.  But he 
called for diplomatic efforts to persuade countries like Mongolia, 
Thailand and Laos, which do import labor from North Korea, to 
protect the workers' rights. 
 
In the "Trafficking in Persons Report 2009" released on June 16, the 
State Department says, "While exact figures are unknown, estimates 
of the number of North Korean contract workers recruited by the 
(North Korean) regime to work overseas for (North Korean) entities 
and firms vary widely, ranging from 10,000 to as high as 70,000." 
The maximum number of 70,000 is more than four times the figure of 
15,000 estimated by the 2008 report. 
 
"There continues to be credible reports that North Koreans sent 
abroad are subjected to harsh conditions. Their movements and 
communications are restricted by (North Korean) government 'minders' 
and they face threats of government reprisals against them or their 
relatives in North Korea if they attempt to complain to outside 
parties," the report says. 
 
"Worker salaries are deposited into accounts controlled by the North 
Korean government, which keeps most of the money for itself, 
claiming fees for various 'voluntary' contributions to government 
endeavors." 
 
The report ranks North Korea at Tier 3, the lowest rank, alongside 
Iran, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and Sudan. 
 
(We have compared the English version on the website with the Korean 
version and made some changes to make them identical.) 
 
AMBASSADOR CDEBACA: "NORTH KOREAN DEFECTORS AND ETHNICALLY KOREAN 
CHINESE ARE EXPOSED TO HUMAN TRAFFICKING" 
(Hankyoreh Shinmun, July 2, 2009, Page 15) 
 
By Reporter Ryu Yi-geun 
 
Ambassador Luis CdeBaca, who released the State Department's Annual 
Trafficking in Persons Report, urges the ROKG to investigate 
discrimination against migrant workers and the overseas sex trade. 
 
A crisis begets victims.  The most vulnerable class is hit hardest. 
The worst global economic crisis since the Second World War is 
putting women, children, and migrant workers in danger.  The 
International Labour Organization (ILO) warned that this year 12.3 
million people, greater than the population of Greece, could be 
trapped in the sex trade, forced labor, or conscription of child 
soldiers around the world. 
 
In its annual "Trafficking in Persons Report," which was published 
on June 16, the U.S. Department of State placed 52 countries on the 
watch list for human trafficking.  This is a 30 percent increase 
from the previous year.  Ambassador Luis CdeBaca, Director of the 
State Department's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in 
Persons, said in a July 1 video interview with ROK media outlets, 
"In an economic crisis, workers become more vulnerable.  Due to 
economic poverty, they easily fall prey to the schemes of human 
traffickers."  Usually, indebtedness is linked to human trafficking. 
 He cited "lack of action" as the biggest stumbling block to 
 
SEOUL 00001049  004 OF 004 
 
 
eradicating human trafficking.  "When asked, people answered that 
they are opposed to human trafficking, but they do not consider it 
an issue related to their daily lives," he said.  "We need to take 
action, such as boycotting products made using victims of human 
trafficking." 
 
With regard to human trafficking of North Korean refugees in China, 
Ambassador CdeBaca noted, "In China, North Korean defectors and 
Chinese of Korean ethnicity could easily end up being trafficked 
because they are seen as minority populations.  First of all, 
through the UN, we need to figure out what North Korean defectors 
are exactly doing in China."  He also called on the ROK to take up 
two tasks-- urging the ROKG to investigate discrimination against 
migrant workers in the ROK and Korean men engaging in child sex 
trade during their trips to Thailand and Cambodia.  He said, "Even 
if (Americans) sexually abuse a child overseas, we can bring them 
back to the U.S. for prosecution.  The ROK should do the same." 
 
"NORTH KOREAN GOVERNMENT IS LABOR BROKER... WORKERS ARE VULNERABLE 
TO FORCED LABOR" 
(JoongAng Ilbo, July 2, 2009; Excerpts) 
 
Yonhap News 
 
Ambassador Luis CdeBaca said, "It will be much more effective to 
punish (child sex abusers) in their own countries rather than punish 
them under the criminal law of the local nation." 
 
In order to prevent the spread of human trafficking for forced labor 
or sex trade, he said, "Although it is important to find and punish 
those involved in human trafficking, it is also important to raise 
the awareness of this issue among ordinary citizens." 
 
He added, "Next year is going to be the 10th anniversary of the UN 
Anti-Human Trafficking Protocol.  I hope that the ROKG, which has 
made strong efforts to prevent human trafficking, will soon ratify 
the UN Protocol." 
 
(These are excerpts from the article.  The untranslated portions are 
identical to the Chosun Ilbo and Hankyoreh Shinmun stories.) 
 
 
STEPHENS