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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 SEOUL 001413 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR ECON KPAO KS US
SUBJECT: SEOUL - PRESS BULLETIN; September 3, 2009 
 
TOP HEADLINES 
------------- 
 
 
Chosun Ilbo 
Cities in South Gyeongsang Province Follow Example of Cities in 
Gyeonggi Province in Seeking to Merge 
 
JoongAng Ilbo 
ROKG, Ruling Party Seek to Revise Workers' Bill So That 
Non-regular Workers Can Work After Their Two-Year, 
Non-Regular Employment Period 
 
Dong-a Ilbo 
ROKG Officially Gives Up President Lee's Election Pledge for 7 
Percent Economic Growth 
 
Hankook Ilbo 
Survey: 90 Percent of Lawmakers Favor Constitutional Amendment 
During Current National Assembly's Term; 53 Percent Favor 
Presidential System that Allows President to Seek Second Four-Year 
Term after Four Years in Office 
 
Hankyoreh Shinmun 
Court Suspends Publication of History Textbook that was Revised 
without Consent from Authors to Modify Parts Education Ministry Saw 
as "Left-leaning" 
 
Segye Ilbo, Seoul Shinmun, All TVs 
Fitch Upgrades Outlook for ROK Economy to "Stable" 
 
 
DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS 
--------------------- 
 
Unification Minister Hyun In-taek, at a Sept. 2 forum hosted by 
ruling Grand National Party (GNP) lawmakers, called North Korea's 
recent conciliatory gestures a "tactical change." (Chosun, Dong-a, 
Hankook, Hankyoreh, Segye, Seoul) 
 
According to a diplomatic source in Washington, Stephen Bosworth, 
the U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy, will visit 
Seoul tomorrow to discuss pending issues, including North Korea's 
nuclear issue. (JoongAng) 
 
 
INTERNATIONAL NEWS 
------------------- 
 
The two U.S. journalists held for illegally entering North Korea 
claimed on Sept. 1 that they were on Chinese soil when they were 
arrested by North Korean border guards. (All) 
 
 
MEDIA ANALYSIS 
-------------- 
 
-N. Korea 
--------- 
Most newspapers carried an inside-page report quoting Unification 
Minister Hyun In-taek as saying at a Sept. 2 forum hosted by ruling 
party lawmakers: "There has been a change in North Korea's attitude 
since July, but we perceive it to be a change in tactics and not in 
the fundamentals.  We observe no change in the North's attitude on 
the Six-Party Talks and the nuclear issue." 
 
Citing a diplomatic source in Washington, right-of-center JoongAng 
Ilbo reported from Washington that Stephen Bosworth, the U.S. 
Special Representative for North Korea Policy, will visit Seoul from 
Sept. 4-6 to discuss pending issues, including North Korea's nuclear 
issue.  According to the report, Ambassador Bosworth will likely 
discuss countermeasures against the North's recent "charm 
offensive."  The report also commented that the result of his 
 
SEOUL 00001413  002 OF 003 
 
 
discussion in Seoul will be noteworthy, given the North's invitation 
to him to visit this month. 
 
All ROK media gave attention to a report quoting the two U.S. 
journalists held in North Korea for 140 days as claiming on Sept. 1 
that they were on Chinese soil when they were arrested by North 
Korean border guards. 
 
 
FEATURES 
---------- 
 
¶N. KOREA'S CONCILIATORY GESTURES "MERELY TACTICAL" 
(Chosun Ilbo, September 3, 2009, Page 5) 
 
By Reporter Lim Min-hyuk 
 
Unification Minister Hyun In-taek on Wednesday said North Korea's 
recent charm offensive toward the U.S. and South Korea represents 
"tactical changes" but notably omits the most important issue. 
"There has been a change in North Korea's attitude since July, but 
we perceive it to be a change in tactics and not in the 
fundamentals.  We obsere no change in the North's attitude on the 
Six-Party Talks and the nuclear issue." 
 
He made the remarks in a keynote speech at a National Assembly 
seminar hosted by the National Unity Forum, a fraternity of Grand 
National Party lawmakers.  "Although North Korea has lifted various 
kinds of curbs in inter-Korean business, we still have doubts 
whether it has made fundamental changes," he said. 
 
"I don't think North Korea has taken a very forward-looking attitude 
by lifting the curbs.  They were lifted on matters that had already 
been agreed on (between the two sides).  Everything was belatedly 
put back on track." 
 
Hyun called for inter-Korean issues to be solved based on national 
consensus.  "Any North Korea policy not based on such consensus is 
meaningless," he said.  Recalling his meeting with a North Korean 
delegation during the funeral for former President Kim Dae-jung, he 
said it was remarkable "as the first such meeting between senior 
government officials from both Koreas since the new government's 
inauguration.  (However, this was nothing but a small first step.  I 
believe that whether the first step will lead to a bigger 
development depends on North Korea."  "How inter-Korean relations 
will develop will depend on North Korea," he added. 
 
(This is a translation provided by the newspaper, and it is 
identical to the Korean version.) 
 
 
U.S. SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR NORTH KOREA BOSWORTH VISITS SEOUL 
TOMORROW TO DISCUSS COUNTERMEASURES AGAINST "PYONGYANG'S 
CONCILIATORY MOVES" 
(JoongAng Ilbo, September 3, 2009, Page 8) 
 
By Washington Correspondent Kim Jung-wook 
 
A diplomatic source in Washington said on September 2, local time, 
that U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy Stephen 
Bosworth will visit the ROK from September 4-6 to discuss pending 
issues, including North Korea's nuclear issue, with ROKG officials. 
 
The U.S. Department of State will soon officially announce the 
itinerary for Bosworth's visits to the ROK, China and Japan, the 
nations involved in the Six-Party Talks. 
 
The source said, "Special Representative Bosworth plans to arrive in 
the ROK on September 4 and meet with ROK foreign policy and security 
officials, including Seoul's top negotiator to the Six-Party Talks, 
Wi Sung-lac, for discussions about the North Korean nuclear issue." 
 
Before or after the Seoul visit, Bosworth, accompanied by key White 
House and State Department officials, including Special Envoy for 
 
SEOUL 00001413  003 OF 003 
 
 
the Six-Party Talks Sung Kim, will also go to Japan and China to 
coordinate their overall positions, the source added. 
 
During meetings with officials from the three countries, including 
Wi Sung-lac, Ambassador Bosworth reportedly will thoroughly 
coordinate the conditions and format that would be necessary for 
resuming talks with North Korea and the contents of the 
comprehensive package.  North Korea has recently been stepping up a 
charm offensive. 
 
In particular, the result of his discussion in Seoul will be 
noteworthy, given the North's invitation to him to visit this month. 
 ROKG authorities said that since North Korea has recently expressed 
interest in holding talks with the ROK and the U.S., a key issue for 
discussion will be how (the ROK and the U.S.) will respond (to the 
North's overtures.) 
 
 
 
TOKOLA