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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 SEOUL 001471 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR ECON KPAO KS US
SUBJECT: SEOUL - PRESS BULLETIN; September 15, 2009 
 
TOP HEADLINES 
------------- 
 
 
Chosun Ilbo 
Chuseok (Korea's Thanksgiving) Holiday is a Critical Moment for 
Rapid Spread of New Flu; Some 10 Million People Expected to Move 
across the Country during Chuseok 
 
JoongAng Ilbo 
Public Servant in Charge of Privatization of Public Companies Found 
to Have Taken Possession of a Company 
He Sought to Privatize 
 
Dong-a Ilbo 
Ssangyong Workers Striving to Keep Company Alive 
 
Hankook Ilbo 
Schools in Gangnam District Teach Parents to Falsely Register 
Addresses to Transfer Children to Better High Schools in the 
District; Gangnam is known as being Home to Many "Good" High Schools 
that Produce Successful Applicants 
to Prestigious Universities 
 
Hankyoreh Shinmun 
ROKG's Hasty Pursuit of Reorganization of Administrative Districts 
Puts Local Governments at Odds 
 
Segye Ilbo, Seoul Shinmun 
Gen. Lee Sang-eui to Head Joint Chiefs of Staff 
 
 
DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS 
--------------------- 
 
 
According to a Sept. 12-13 opinion survey by Hangil Research of 800 
adults across the country, President Lee Myung-bak's approval rating 
rose to 53.8 percent, the level seen just after his inauguration. 
(Dong-a, Hankook, Segye) 
 
 
INTERNATIONAL NEWS 
------------------ 
 
According to diplomatic sources in Washington, Deputy Secretary of 
State James B. Steinberg played a decisive role in leading the Obama 
Administration to make a policy shift toward holding bilateral talks 
with North Korea. (Chosun) 
 
According to sources knowledgeable about North Korea-China 
relations, Dai Bingguo, China's State Councilor, will visit North 
Korea around Sept. 28 apparently to persuade the North to return to 
the Six-Party Talks. (Hankook, Seoul) 
 
 
MEDIA ANALYSIS 
-------------- 
 
-N. Korea 
 
Conservative Chosun Ilbo carried an inside-page report citing 
diplomatic sources in Washington as claiming that Deputy Secretary 
of State James B. Steinberg played a decisive role in leading the 
Obama Administration to make a policy shift toward holding bilateral 
talks with North Korea. 
 
The report went on to say that the Deputy Secretary coordinated with 
Philip Goldberg, Coordinator for the Implementation of UN Sanctions 
on North Korea; Stephen Bosworth, Special Representative for North 
Korea Policy; and Sung Kim, Special Envoy for the Six-Party Talks, 
and won approval from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to hold 
bilateral talks with North Korea on the premise that such talks will 
 
SEOUL 00001471  002 OF 003 
 
 
not replace the Six-Party Talks and that they are intended to 
persuade the North to return to the Six-Party Talks. 
 
U.S. Imposes Punitive Tariffs on Chinese Tire Imports 
 
Right-of-center JoongAng Ilbo editorialized: "We believe that the 
U.S. is primarily to blame for this trade dispute.  This is because 
the U.S. action breached the G20 agreement to resist trade 
protectionism.  ...  Former President George W. Bush rejected four 
recommendations to invoke safeguard measures against Chinese 
products based on the judgment that trade protectionism, once 
started, would spiral out of control.  The U.S.'s return to trade 
protectionism will not only spark international trade disputes but 
also undermine world trade, further delaying the recovery of the 
global economy." 
 
 
OPINIONS/EDITORIALS 
-------------------- 
 
TRADE CONFLICT BETWEEN U.S. AND CHINA FEARED TO DISRUPT 
INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS TO TURN AROUND GLOBAL ECONOMY 
(JoongAng Ilbo, September 15, 2009, Page 46) 
 
A trade dispute between the U.S. and China, the two pillars of the 
global economy, is raising concern around the world.  The dispute 
was sparked by the U.S. first.  The USG announced on September 11 
that it will impose a tariff of up to 35 percent on low-cost tires 
from China under the safeguard provisions.  In response, on 
September 13, the Chinese government launched an "anti-dumping and 
anti-subsidy" investigation into imports of U.S. vehicles and 
chicken products.  It appears that Beijing retaliated against 
Washington's preemptive offensive. 
 
The trade dispute between the two economic powers, which occurred 
two weeks before the G-20 summit in Pittsburgh, will surely have a 
negative impact on global economic recovery and international 
cooperation.  This is because, when the two economies are 
continuously at odds over trade issues, it could pour cold water on 
international efforts to revive the global economy and expand the 
contracted international trade.  We are concerned that "innocent 
bystanders may get hurt in a Titanic struggle." 
 
We believe that the U.S. is primarily to blame for this trade 
dispute.  This is because the U.S. action breached the G20 agreement 
to resist trade protectionism.  In particular, by invoking the 
safeguard measure for the first time, the Obama Administration is 
fueling the spread of protectionism in the U.S.  Since this 
safeguard measure has opened the way for the Obama Administration to 
easily impose high tariffs, it will prompt other U.S. industries to 
demand that the same provision be applied.   Former President George 
¶W. Bush rejected four recommendations to invoke safeguard measures 
against Chinese products based on the judgment that trade 
protectionism, once started, would spiral out of control.  The 
U.S.'s return to trade protectionism will not only spark 
international trade disputes but also undermine world trade, further 
delaying the recovery of the global economy. 
 
The U.S., which triggered the global financial crisis, is 
responsible to stave off this catastrophic situation.  China also 
should not take retaliatory action but cautiously respond in line 
with its economic status.  We expect that that both countries will 
settle trade disputes smoothly through dialogue. 
 
 
FEATURES 
--------- 
 
THE MAN BEHIND OBAMA'S N. KOREA POLICY 
(Chosun Ilbo, September 15, 2009, Page 4) 
 
By Washington Correspondent Lee Ha-won 
 
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg played a decisive 
 
SEOUL 00001471  003 OF 003 
 
 
role in the Barack Obama Administration deciding to make some 
changes in North Korea policy and agree to bilateral talks with the 
North, diplomats say. 
 
According to diplomatic sources in Washington, Steinberg spoke to 
Philip Goldberg, the Coordinator for Implementation of UN Security 
Council Resolution 1874 which imposes sanctions on the North, 
Stephen Bosworth, Special Representative for North Korea Policy, and 
Sung Kim, the Chief Nuclear Negotiator.  Steinberg reportedly won 
approval from Secretary Clinton on the premise that such talks will 
not replace the Six-Party Talks and that they are intended to 
persuade the North to return to the Six-Party Talks. 
 
Steinberg has been coordinating North Korea policies since the need 
for a systematic response to the North became clear after its second 
nuclear test in May.  Before that, various aspects were handled 
separately by Goldberg, Bosworth and Assistant Secretary of State 
Kurt Campbell. 
 
Steinberg (56) is said to be inconspicuous in action but to talk 
frankly and without reserve in behind-the-scenes negotiations.  He 
has worked at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and 
the Rand Corporation.  He earned the trust of former U.S. President 
Bill Clinton and his wife while serving as Deputy Assistant to the 
National Security Council during the second Clinton Administration 
from 1997 to 2001. 
 
During his time at the National Security Council, he was deeply 
involved in formulating U.S. policies towards North Korea when Bill 
Clinton considered visiting Pyongyang.  Steinberg established a 
relationship with then presidential candidate Obama in June last 
year, when he took part in writing a speech President Obama was 
going to deliver to a session of the American Israel Public Affairs 
Committee (AIPAC), a pro-Israel interest group. 
 
* We have compared the English version on the website with the 
Korean version and added some sentences to make them identical. 
 
 
TOKOLA