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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 SEOUL 001182 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR ECON KPAO KS US
SUBJECT: SEOUL - PRESS BULLETIN; July 28, 2009 
 
TOP HEADLINES 
------------- 
 
Chosun Ilbo 
Experts at Home and Abroad: "Quick Recovery 
Possible for ROK Economy" 
 
JoongAng Ilbo, Segye Ilbo, Seoul Shinmun 
Special Pardons Planned for 1.5 Million People 
Convicted of Livelihood-Related Crimes 
 
Dong-a Ilbo 
Bill on New Administrative City Stuck in Limbo 
 
Hankook Ilbo, Hankyoreh Shinmun 
Labor Minister Says, "ROKG will Focus More 
on Upgrading Irregular Workers to Regulars," 
Hinting at Possible Withdrawal of ROKG Proposal to Revise 
Controversial Irregular Workers' Law 
 
 
DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS 
--------------------- 
 
According to ruling circles, the ROKG will allow citizens to visit 
North Korea by gradually lifting a travel ban imposed since North 
Korea's second nuclear test in May. (Seoul) 
 
 
INTERNATIONAL NEWS 
------------------ 
 
President Barack Obama, in a July 27 opening speech for the 
U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue in Washington, said that 
the U.S. will cooperate with China to dismantle North Korea's 
nuclear program. (JoongAng, Segye, Seoul, MBC) 
 
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in a July 26 interview with 
NBC's "Meet the Press," said: "The Six-Party talk framework which 
had everybody included is the appropriate way to engage with North 
Korea," in apparent response to the North Korean ambassador to the 
UN's recent press remarks that North Korea is "not against dialogue" 
but that the Six-Party Talks are dead. (Chosun, Dong-a, Hankyoreh, 
KBS) 
 
North Korea's Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, in a July 27 statement, 
reiterated its position of not participating in the Six-Party Talks, 
arguing: "there is a specific and reserved form of dialogue that can 
address the current situation," which experts think means "bilateral 
talks with the U.S." (Chosun, Dong-a, Hankyoreh, KBS, YTN) 
 
According to an ROKG official, there has been a flurry of 
behind-the-scenes negotiations between the U.S. and North Korea 
related to the possible release of the two U.S. journalists detained 
in the North.  The issue is expected to be resolved soon. (JoongAng, 
Hankyoreh) 
 
 
MEDIA ANALYSIS 
-------------- 
 
-N. Korea 
--------- 
Most ROK media gave attention to Secretary of State Hillary 
Clinton's July 26 interview with NBC's "Meet the Press," in which 
she said that "the Six-Party talk framework which had everybody 
included is the appropriate way to engage with North Korea."  The 
media viewed Secretary Clinton's remark as a response to recent 
remarks by the North Korean ambassador to the UN that North Korea is 
not against dialogue but that the Six-Party Talks are dead. 
 
Most media juxtaposed this comment by Secretary Clinton with a July 
27 North Korean Foreign Ministry statement which reiterated the 
 
SEOUL 00001182  002 OF 005 
 
 
North's position of not participating in the Six-Party Talks, while 
arguing: "There is a specific and reserved form of dialogue that can 
address the current situation."  Most media, citing experts, 
interpreted this to mean bilateral talks between North Korea and the 
U.S. 
 
In a related development, conservative Chosun Ilbo quoted a 
diplomatic source as observing: "North Korea seems to be thinking 
that the U.S. will eventually agree to bilateral talks with the 
North because of the U.S. journalists detained in the North.  Chosun 
also noted that the North's expression of willingness for dialogue 
was timed to coincide with the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic 
Dialogue, which opened in Washington on July 27, and saw this as 
aimed at easing international sentiment by mollifying China. 
 
Right-of-center JoongAng Ilbo and left-leaning Hankyoreh Shinmun 
carried inside-page reports quoting an ROKG official as saying that 
there has been a flurry of behind-the-scenes negotiations between 
the U.S. and North Korea pertaining to the detained U.S. journalists 
and that the issue is expected to be resolved soon. 
 
U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue 
The July 27-28 U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue in 
Washington received inside-page media attention, with most coverage 
focused on U.S.-China discussions on North Korea's nuclear 
ambitions. 
 
President Barack Obama was quoted as saying at the opening of the 
talks: "Neither America nor China has an interest in a terrorist 
acquiring a bomb, or a nuclear arms race breaking out in East Asia. 
That is why we must continue our collaboration to achieve the 
denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and make it clear to North 
Korea that the path to security and respect can be traveled if they 
meet their obligations." 
 
Newspapers carried the following headlines: "Upgrade of U.S.-China 
Relations; U.S.-China Dialogue Elevated to Highest-level Dialogue 
with the Rise of China's Influence" (conservative Chosun Ilbo); "The 
'Era of G-2' Opens; U.S., China to Discuss Pending Global Issues" 
(conservative Dong-a Ilbo); and "Obama: 'U.S. Expects China's 
Cooperation to Resolve the North Korean and Iranian Nuclear Issues'" 
(conservative Segye Ilbo) 
 
 
OPINIONS/EDITORIALS 
------------------- 
 
NORTH KOREA DOES NOT POSE A THREAT 
(Hankook Ilbo, July 28, page 30) 
 
By Senior editorial writer Kang Byung-tae 
 
During the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) last week, the United States 
and North Korea derided each other, as U.S. Secretary of State 
Clinton compared North Korea to "unruly teenagers," while North 
Korea called her a "primary schoolgirl."  These attacks appear out 
of step with the recent moves by the ROK and the U.S. to lure North 
Korea back to talks through a comprehensive package. 
 
Following exchanges of harsh rhetoric, North Korea's Ambassador to 
the UN seemed to take a conciliatory attitude saying that North 
Korea is not against negotiation.  Conservatives in the ROK doubt 
whether North Korea has a genuine motive.  However, North Korea, 
which criticized Clinton for her undiplomatic rhetoric, is suddenly 
calling for talks with the U.S.  It is confusing whether the U.S. 
and North Korea are confronting each other or moving toward 
dialogue. 
 
Clinton signals a change in U.S. North Korea policy 
 
To get some clues amid this confusion, we need to examine the 
"unruly teenagers" remark.  In an interview with ABC's "Good Moring 
America," Clinton said that the U.S. will not play into the North 
Korean regime's attention grab, which it has sought through nuclear 
 
SEOUL 00001182  003 OF 005 
 
 
tests and rocket launches.  Clinton noted, "Maybe it's the mother in 
me or the experience that I've had with small children and unruly 
teenagers and people who are demanding attention.  Don't give it to 
them.  They don't deserve it." 
 
China's official Xinhua news agency viewed this as a change in U.S. 
North Korea policy.  The news agency gave attention to particular 
remarks by Clinton, who said, "North Korea's military doesn't pose a 
threat to us.  We know our allies Japan and the ROK are very 
concerned.  They watch what we watch and we know what's really going 
on."   The U.S. had insisted that North Korea's nuclear and missile 
(ambitions) pose a threat to the U.S.  However, the U.S. downplayed 
the (potential) threat from North Korea in the wake of its April 
rocket launch.  Now the U.S. is proclaiming that the North is not 
presenting a threat (to the U.S.) 
 
The reasons for change in the U.S. position and strategic judgment 
can be presumed as follows.  The U.S. does not need to directly 
confront North Korea because it is not capable of posing a threat to 
the U.S.  The U.S. can quell its allies' concerns by firmly 
guaranteeing a security commitment, including an extension of 
deterrence and the nuclear umbrella.  Whatever North Korea says, it 
still would not dare wage a nuclear war against the U.S.  Also, it 
is a suicidal act for North Korea to provoke Japan and the ROK 
beyond an "annoying" level.  Therefore the North should change its 
attitude first.  Otherwise, there will be no talks or negotiations. 
 
 
Those who are doubtful of the U.S. position or are stuck to the 
resumption of the Six-Party Talks need to pay attention to advice 
from U.S. official circles.  Richard Bush III, Director of the 
Center for Northeast Asian Policy Studies at the Brookings 
Institution said at a House sub-committee hearing that the "game" in 
the North East Asia has changed, adding that since North Korea 
clarified it has no intention to pursue denuclearization, there is 
no ground for the Six-Party Talks to exist.  He noted that North 
Korea will not change until the post-Kim Jong-il power succession is 
completed, anticipating that North Korea will have to endure 
sanctions and pressure to a considerable extent.  This means that 
(the U.S.) needs to put stronger pressure on North Korea. 
 
Even though we take this judgment into account, it is odd that the 
U.S. broke an old dogma or taboo, saying that North Korea does not 
pose a threat (to the U.S.)  To strengthen pressure, it would be 
natural that the U.S. should stress threats from North Korea. 
(Therefore,) some observers view that the U.S. is attempting to 
rectify relations with its allies, which were strained during the 
Bush Administration.  The Bush Administration waged a war against 
terrorism and responded to North Korean and Iranian nuclear programs 
by putting too much emphasis on security threats against the U.S. 
According to those observers, the U.S. is making efforts to restore 
its influence by putting interests of its allies and stability of 
the international order before its own interests. 
 
The ROK should face a change in the North Korean nuclear game 
 
With this in mind, one could look at recent U.S. emphasis on a 
Five-Party meeting as a way to circumvent China, the host of the 
Six-Party Talks, and to increase its influence.  Also, it seems that 
Clinton tacitly condoned Iran's nuclear development when she vowed 
to defend U.S. allies.  This change (by the U.S., spelled out in 
these two examples) signals that the U.S. is back.  The observers 
point out that this is the true nature of Obama's "tough and direct 
diplomacy," an approach that confronts reality. 
 
Those who pay attention to this U.S. change even say that China may 
take military action to stabilize the order of North East Asia.  We 
should not be swayed by these various observations.  But whether 
conservatives or liberals, we should face the fact that the basic 
structure of the North Korean nuclear game has changed. 
 
 
KOREAN WAR BEING FORGOTTEN IN ROK WHILE UNDER SPOTLIGHT IN U.S. 
(JoongAng Ilbo, July 28, 2009, Page 34) 
 
SEOUL 00001182  004 OF 005 
 
 
 
U.S. President Barack Obama proclaimed July 27 as "National Korean 
War Veterans Armistice Day" and ordered all federal departments and 
agencies to fly the U.S. flag at half-staff.  The U.S. Congress also 
recently passed legislation called the Korean War Veterans 
Recognition Act.  The legislation is reportedly designed to express 
respect and appreciation for Korean War veterans who lost their 
lives.  While honoring the great souls of the veterans who died for 
a faraway foreign country - the ROK - we think about whether we have 
remembered their spirit of sacrifice properly. 
 
The U.S. has high regard for its soldiers who lost their lives in 
fighting for their nation.  The U.S. has made every effort to find 
the remains of U.S. soldiers for decades.  At the Korean War 
Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C., there is the dedication stone, 
which reads, "Our nation honors her sons and daughters who answered 
the call to defend a country they never knew and a people they never 
met." 
 
Looking at the U.S. society's honorable treatment of Korean War 
veterans, we reflect on our perception of the Korean War.  According 
to many opinion surveys, including the one conducted by the Ministry 
of Public Administration and Security, 56.6 percent of respondents 
in their 20s said that they do not know when the Korean War broke 
out.  It was also discovered that more than half of middle and high 
school students do not know about North Korea's invasion of the ROK. 
 About 34 percent of Korea Military Academy freshmen even chose the 
U.S. as a main enemy of the ROK.  So far, what has happened at 
schools makes us frustrated.  We should immediately correct this 
misleading perception of history. 
 
We cannot, of course, stay in the memory of the war forever.  If 
North Korea truly wants to coexist with us, we should accept it. 
However, we should not forget the truth about the Korean War. 
History shows that those who forget the past are doomed to repeat 
it.  It has been a long time since the Soviet Union unveiled a 
document saying that the North started the Korean War.  Still, 
distorted arguments are prevalent in the ROK, and people are 
forgetting the Korean War.  Next year will mark the 60th anniversary 
of the beginning of the Korean War.  Many events are seemingly being 
prepared to put the spotlight on the Korean War, but above all, 
efforts must be focused on teaching the growing generation the 
accurate facts of the Korean War. 
 
 
 
FEATURES 
-------- 
 
"ABOUT 70 TO 80 PERCENT PROGRESS MADE IN NEGOTIATIONS OVER RELEASE 
OF TWO U.S. JOURNALISTS" 
(JoongAng Ilbo, July 28, 2009, Page 6) 
 
By Reporter Ye Young-joon 
 
While North Korea publicly expresses hope for direct talks with the 
U.S. day after day, speculation has arisen that negotiations over 
the release of the two U.S. female journalists detained in North 
Korea may lead to the resumption of U.S.-North Korea dialogue.  An 
ROKG official said on July 27, "Since behind-the-scenes contact 
between the U.S. and North Korea over the issue of the female 
journalists is making rapid progress, the issue is expected to be 
resolved soon."  Another high-ranking source even noted, "The 
negotiations saw 70 to 80 percent progress."  The ROKG official 
added, "Pyongyang is showing sincerity in consultations through the 
New York channel.  We need to take note that the USG recently used 
the word 'amnesty' for the journalists."  Winning Pyongyang's 
"amnesty" of the journalists means that (the U.S.) acknowledges 
North Korea's legal system and the outcome of its trial for the 
journalists.  The recognition of the legal system is one of the 
demands from Pyongyang. 
 
 
 
 
SEOUL 00001182  005 OF 005 
 
 
STEPHENS