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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 SEOUL 001559 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR ECON KPAO KS US
SUBJECT: SEOUL - PRESS BULLETIN; September 29, 2009 
 
TOP HEADLINES 
------------- 
 
Chosun Ilbo, Seoul Shinmun, All TVs 
National Assembly Approves New Prime Minister; Approval Comes 
despite Nominee's Skepticism over Sejong City Project 
 
JoongAng Ilbo 
Newly Discovered German Diplomatic Letter Supported 
Korea's Liberation from Japan's Annexation 
 
Dong-a Ilbo 
Chung Un-chan Confirmed as Prime Minister 
despite Opposition Boycott 
 
Hankook Ilbo, Hankyoreh Shinmun, Segye Ilbo 
2010 Budget Rises 2.5 Percent to 291.8 Trillion Won 
 
 
DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS 
--------------------- 
 
According to the Blue House, the leaders of the ROK, China and Japan 
will meet in Beijing on Oct. 10 to discuss pending issues, including 
President Lee Myung-bak's "grand bargain" proposal on North Korea's 
nuclear issue. (All) 
 
A senior Foreign Ministry official said yesterday that the core of 
President Lee's "grand bargain" with North Korea is to advance the 
dismantlement of the North's nuclear weapons and materials. 
(JoongAng) 
 
Blue House Spokesman Park Sun-kyoo, in a Sept. 28 press briefing, 
said that Seoul is not considering any massive food or fertilizer 
aid to North Korea at this point in time. (Chosun, JoongAng, 
Hankook, Hankyoreh, Segye, Seoul) 
 
U.S. Ambassador Kathleen Stephens will hold a concert on Sept. 30 to 
mark the Chuseok holiday, Korea's Thanksgiving. (Chosun) 
 
 
INTERNATIONAL NEWS 
------------------ 
 
There is speculation that North Korean leader Kim Jong-il may make 
an announcement during Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's Oct. 4-6 visit 
to Pyongyang that could provide major momentum to resuming the 
stalled nuclear negotiations. (Chosun, KBS) 
 
 
MEDIA ANALYSIS 
-------------- 
 
-N. Korea 
--------- 
Conservative Chosun Ilbo carried an inside-page report speculating 
that North Korean leader Kim Jong-il may make an announcement during 
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's Oct. 4-6 visit to Pyongyang that could 
provide major momentum to resuming the stalled nuclear negotiations. 
 The report noted that the North Korean leader told visiting Chinese 
State Councilor Dai Bingguo on Sept. 18 that his country is willing 
to engage in bilateral and multilateral talks to resolve its nuclear 
issue.  The report quoted an ROKG source as saying: "North Korea 
will have to give a visiting senior Chinese leader some kind of 
gift.  Leader Kim Jong-il is apparently under heavy pressure from 
Wen's upcoming visit, especially given that Wen cancelled a visit to 
the North in the wake of its second nuclear test on May 25." 
 
State-run KBS filed a similar report. 
 
All ROK media reported on the Blue House's announcement yesterday 
that the leaders of the ROK, China and Japan will meet in Beijing on 
 
SEOUL 00001559  002 OF 003 
 
 
Oct. 10 to discuss pending issues, including President Lee 
Myung-bak's "grand bargain" proposal on North Korea's nuclear issue. 
(All) 
 
Right-of-center JoongAng Ilbo quoted a senior Foreign Ministry 
official as saying yesterday that the core of President Lee's "grand 
bargain" with North Korea is to advance the dismantlement of the 
North's nuclear weapons and materials.  He went on to say: "There is 
no alternative to the dismantlement of North Korea's nuclear 
program." 
 
Iran Nuclear Confrontation 
Right-of-center JoongAng Ilbo wrote in the headline: "N. Korea Being 
Used as a Benchmark for Nuclear Tug-of-War between the U.S. and 
Iran."   The sub-heads read: "Iran Discloses New Nuclear Facility 
Ahead of Next Month's Negotiations, a Move that Resembles N. Korea's 
'Brinkmanship Tactics' to Gain the Upper Hand Ahead of Negotiations 
with U.S.;" and "U.S. Portrays Iran's Provocation as Deceiving the 
World to Draw China and Russia into International Sanctions against 
Iran, a Strategy Akin to the One Washington Used for International 
Sanctions to Get N. Korea to Return to Dialogue." 
 
 
FEATURES 
-------- 
 
KIM JONG-IL TO MEET CHINESE PREMIER IN EARLY OCTOBER 
(Chosun Ilbo, September 29, 2009, Page 5) 
 
By Reporter Lim Min-hyuk 
 
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao will visit North Korea on Oct. 4-6, 
raising expectations that Pyongyang will take the opportunity to 
announce its return to Six-Party nuclear talks. 
 
During a visit from Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo, an envoy 
for President Hu Jintao, on Sept. 18, North Korean leader Kim 
Jong-il said he was "willing to engage in bilateral and multilateral 
talks" on the nuclear program.  Speculation has it that Wen, as the 
senior official, can expect a more specific commitment. 
 
The North's official Korean Central News Agency gave unprecedented 
advance coverage to Wen's visit on Monday, saying it comes "in time 
for a ceremony on Oct. 6 to mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic 
relations between the two countries."  Speculation is already 
mounting in Beijing that "Kim Jong-il might express willingness to 
dismantle nuclear programs and present specific ways to do so." 
 
A South Korean government source on Monday said, "North Korea will 
have to give a visiting senior Chinese leader some kind of gift. 
Leader Kim Jong-il is apparently under heavy pressure from Wen's 
upcoming visit, especially given that Wen cancelled a visit to the 
North in the wake of its second nuclear test on May 25." 
 
The fact that Washington accepted (the proposal for) bilateral 
dialogue with Pyongyang but did not specify a detailed schedule (for 
the talks) is expected to serve as a catalyst for Kim Jong-il to 
open his mouth.  An ROKG official noted, "During Wen's visit, if Kim 
Jong-il shows, through his comments, a different attitude regarding 
the resumption of the Six-Party Talks, it will smooth the way for 
the U.S."  In that case, observers say, a visit to Pyongyang by U.S. 
Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Bosworth may soon be 
realized. 
 
Already aware of such a possibility, the Six-Party nations are 
working to coordinate their stances.  Deputy Secretary of State 
James Steinberg is making a tour of the ROK, China, and Japan from 
September 27 to October 1 to discuss the timing and conditions for 
U.S.-North Korea dialogue and the goal of a two-track strategy of 
pursuing dialogue as well as sanctions against the North. 
 
On September 28, diplomatic officials from the ROK, China and Japan 
discussed ways to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue in 
Shanghai, China.  Observers say that there is a high possibility 
 
SEOUL 00001559  003 OF 003 
 
 
that Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao may bring up issues he will discuss 
with Kim Jong-il (during his upcoming visit to Pyongyang) at a 
trilateral summit, which will take place in Beijing on October 10. 
 
ROK authorities say that even if Kim Jong-il makes any 
forward-looking announcement, this will not steer the North Korean 
nuclear process in a direction he wants unless the North 
demonstrates its trustworthiness.  A senior ROK official noted that 
in order to prevent Pyongyang from capitalizing on the ROK's trust 
(in the North), sanctions should remain in place through 
international coordination even if (U.S-North Korea) talks may be 
held. 
 
(We have compared the English version on the website with the Korean 
version and added the latter half to make them identical.) 
 
 
STEPHENS