VZCZCXYZ0012
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #0942/01 2180946
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 060946Z AUG 09
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2060
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 9322
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 0755

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000942 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/P, EAP/PD - NIDA EMMONS 
DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: NORTH KOREA 
 
Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused news 
coverage August 6 on the safety concerns over a reconstruction 
project in Taipei City; on Typhoon Morakot, which is approaching 
Taiwan; on the death of a well-known local entertainer; and on the 
two U.S. reporters freed from North Korea.  In terms of editorials 
and commentaries, a column in the mass-circulation "Apple Daily" 
called North Korean Leader Kim Jong Il the biggest winner in the 
release of the two U.S. journalists.  The article said Kim has 
closed a deal with the United States without the slightest effort. 
A news analysis in the pro-unification "United Daily News" said 
that, with careful planning and calculations, North Korea will seek 
something back from the United States.  An editorial in the 
conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China Post" praised 
U.S. President Barack Obama for picking former President Bill 
Clinton to secure the release of the two American journalists from 
North Korea.  The article said Washington has improved the 
atmosphere in its relations with Pyongyang "at little cost to its 
own prestige and honor."  A separate "China Post" op-ed piece said 
North Korea's pardon of the two American journalists suggests the 
possibility that the nuclear crisis on the Korean Peninsula may be 
resolved diplomatically.  End summary. 
 
A) "A Deal for Kim Jong Il That Costs Him Nothing" 
 
Columnist Antonio Chiang wrote in his column in the mass-circulation 
"Apple Daily" [circulation: 520,000] (8/6): 
 
"[Former U.S. President Bill] Clinton paid a lightening visit to 
Pyongyang and successfully brought the two female journalists back 
to the United States.  Washington offered a chance [for Pyongyang] 
to get out of the current predicament, and Kim Jong Il helped save 
[the United States'] face by doing it a favor.  Both sides got what 
they wanted, but Kim Jong Il is the biggest winner, because he has 
closed a deal which cost him nothing. ...  Both Japan and South 
Korea were not too happy about Clinton's trip.  What were the 
contents of the 'sincere conversation' between Clinton and Kim?  Did 
the two make a secret deal?  Will there be any change in [U.S. 
President Bill] Clinton's position toward North Korea?  Will the 
sanctions against Pyongyang be replaced by a diplomatic dialogue? 
This series of questions matter significantly for security relations 
in East Asia. ... 
 
"Now the ball is in Washington's court, but the Republican Party 
will surely make things difficult for Obama if [he decides to] 
handle the nuclear weapons of North Korea and those of Iran 
separately.  Washington has a lot of issues that it wants to discuss 
with Japan and South Korea, but for Kim Jong Il, he simply played a 
game without the slightest effort, which shook up the situation in 
East Asia.  He indeed deserves the title of being a 'rogue 
strategist.'" 
 
B) "With Careful Planning and Calculations, North Korea Wants 
Something in Exchange" 
 
Lee Ming, professor of the Department of Diplomacy at the National 
Chengchi University, opined in the pro-unification "United Daily 
News" [circulation: 400,000] (8/6): 
 
"... What is noteworthy is that [Secretary] Hillary Clinton supports 
Bill Clinton's action and is totally aware of the role and function 
her husband played.  [President Barack] Obama, needless to say, is 
clearly aware that the significance of Clinton's trip this time was 
not just to save people.  Clinton expressed words of apology to 
North Korea (Pyongyang said so, but he personally denied it), and 
Pyongyang also granted a 'special pardon' [to the detained 
journalists].  North Korea further anticipates that the bilateral 
relationship will improve because of it, so that it will be able to 
feel out the possibility of holding bilateral talks with the United 
States in addition to the Six-Party talks. ...  Pyongyang (allowed) 
a peaceful ending by releasing the two journalists this time in 
exchange for the 'gratitude' of the United States, and it will not 
be too surprising if Washington pays something back to Pyongyang in 
the future." 
 
C) "Bill Clinton Scores a Big Success in Pyongyang" 
 
The conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China Post" 
[circulation: 30,000] editorialized (8/6): 
 
"... Now that [North Korea leader] Kim [Jong-Il] has held his public 
meeting with [former United States President Bill] Clinton, there 
can be no doubt that Kim remains fully in charge of the North Korean 
state.  Like the rest of the world, Taiwan is eager to hear what the 
former U.S. president has to say about his meeting with Kim Jong-Il 
and what topics might have been discussed during their meetings. ... 
 For his part, [United States President Barack] Obama had to come up 
with some kind of an arrangement to get the two reporters back home 
without appearing to reward Pyongyang for its reckless behavior. 
 
"His choice of Bill Clinton, a high-profile former president who 
remains a leading figure in his Democratic Party, was brilliant.  On 
the one hand, Clinton is a senior enough figure to give adequate 
face to the North Korean regime.  The fact that Clinton's wife is 
secretary of state also added to the prestige.  But on the other 
hand, Obama deliberately chose not to dispatch any high-ranking 
senior officials from his own administration, giving him plausible 
deniability if the mission failed to produce any results.  The 
criticism about rewarding bad behavior makes sense in terms of 
Western values and culture.  But in Asia, the visit was largely 
viewed as a small face-saving mean of giving Pyongyang a way out of 
the corner it had painted itself into. 
 
"By sending a former president to spend a few hours with Kim 
Jong-Il, the U.S. has improved the atmosphere of bilateral relations 
at little cost to its own prestige and honor.  Depending on what Kim 
is up to now, North Korea might once again decide that the time is 
right to make progress on more substantial issues in its interaction 
with the rest of the world." 
 
D) "U.S.-North Korea Relations Are Fragile" 
 
Nehginpao Kipgen, a political analyst and general secretary of the 
U.S.-based Kuki International Forum, opined in the conservative, 
pro-unification, English-language "China Post" [circulation: 30,000] 
(8/6): 
 
"... While North Korea has been condemned by the international 
community over its nuclear test in May and the subsequent U.N. 
Security Council's unanimously adopted tightened sanctions, 
Pyongyang is seeking a chance to show its good actions to the world. 
 The latest development on securing the successful release of Laura 
Ling and Euna Lee was a sign of seeing room for resolving the 
strained relations between Washington and Pyongyang through 
diplomatic means.  The pardon and release was described as 
'humanitarian and peace-loving policy' by the North Korean 
leadership.  If there continues to exist a willingness on the part 
of both Washington and Pyongyang for a negotiated solution, there is 
hope that the North Korean nuclear crisis can be resolved 
diplomatically." 
 
WANG