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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 SEOUL 001644 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR ECON KPAO KS US
SUBJECT: SEOUL - PRESS BULLETIN; October 19, 2009 
 
TOP HEADLINES 
------------- 
 
Chosun Ilbo, Hankyoreh Shinmun, Segye Ilbo, All TVs 
"We Should Not Compromise on Policy for Nation's Future;" President 
Lee Mentions Controversial Sejong City Project 
for First Time 
 
JoongAng Ilbo 
Senior U.S. Pentagon Official: "N. Korean Leader Kim Jong-il Has 
Invited President Lee to Visit Pyongyang" 
 
Dong-a Ilbo 
Suji, Gokseong High Schools Show Largest Gains in College Entrance 
Test Scores from 2005 to 2009 
 
Hankook Ilbo, Seoul Shinmun 
Seoul Denies Summit Proposal from N. Korea 
 
 
DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS 
--------------------- 
 
A senior U.S. Pentagon official said yesterday that North Korean 
leader Kim Jong-il has invited President Lee Myung-bak to visit 
Pyongyang. The Blue House, however, denied the claim, saying: "We 
recently informed the USG about the Oct. 10 ROK-China summit. There 
seems to have been a misunderstanding in Washington about what we 
told them."(All) 
 
The senior U.S. official also said that a decision on the transfer 
of wartime operational control from the U.S. to the ROK will be made 
based on how things look in 2012. This remark may suggest a possible 
adjustment to the timing of the OPCON transfer. (JoongAng, Dong-a, 
Hankyoreh, Segye, Seoul, MBC) 
 
A senior ROKG official said yesterday that Seoul will not provide 
massive rice aid to North Korea in exchange for holding separated 
family reunions. The North asked for humanitarian aid during last 
Friday's Red Cross talks on cross-border family reunions. (JoongAng, 
Dong-a, Seoul, KBS) 
 
 
INTERNATIONAL NEWS 
------------------ 
 
The State Department has decided to grant a visa to Ri Gun, Director 
General of American Affairs at North Korea's Foreign Ministry, 
raising the prospect of a one-on-one contact between the two 
countries later this month. (All) 
 
According to Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun, the U.S. has suggested to 
North Korea holding bilateral talks in a third country such as China 
in mid-November. (JoongAng, Segye) 
 
According to Japan's Asahi Shimbun, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has 
put off economic aid to North Korea due to the North's lackadaisical 
attitude toward returning to the Six-Party Talks. (Dong-a, Hankook) 
 
 
MEDIA ANALYSIS 
-------------- 
 
-N. Korea 
---------- 
All ROK media today gave attention to the State Department's 
decision to grant a visa to Ri Gun, Director General of American 
Affairs at North Korea's Foreign Ministry.  Most media viewed this 
U.S. move as raising the prospect of a one-on-one contact between 
the two countries later this month.  Right-of-center JoongAng Ilbo 
wrote in the headline: "Ri Gun Goes to New York... U.S.- N. Korea 
Dialogue Ripening." 
 
SEOUL 00001644  002 OF 004 
 
 
 
A senior U.S. Pentagon official's Oct. 18 claim - that North Korean 
leader Kim Jong-il has invited President Lee Myung-bak to visit 
Pyongyang - and the Blue House's denial received wide press 
coverage.  A key Blue House official was quoted: "We recently 
informed the USG about the Oct. 10 ROK-China summit.  There seems to 
have been a misunderstanding in Washington about what we told them. 
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao did not specifically say that Kim 
extended an invitation to President Lee." 
 
Newspapers carried the following headlines: "Blue House Wary of U.S. 
Over-interpretation, Saying: 'No Inter-Korean Summit Is Being 
Pursued'" (conservative Chosun Ilbo); "Did N. Korean Leader Invite 
President Lee to Pyongyang?... U.S. Claim Creates a Stir with Seoul" 
(conservative Dong-a Ilbo); "Unilateral U.S. Briefing Goes against 
Diplomatic Protocol" (moderate Hankook Ilbo); and "Blue House 
Displeased with U.S. Mistake" (conservative Segye Ilbo) 
 
Conservative Chosun Ilbo editorialized: "Should an inter-Korean 
summit take place at this point, it would inevitably be reduced to a 
venue for economic aid to North Korea, instead of dealing with the 
North Korean nuclear issue.   There is no reason for the ROK and the 
U.S. to rush around, faced with the North's insincere proposal for 
an inter-Korean summit.  Instead, it is appropriate for the ROKG to 
disclose the North's proposal in a direct manner and to make clear 
its principles and positions in order not to cause any unnecessary 
misunderstandings." 
 
 
OPINIONS/EDITORIALS 
------------------- 
 
 DID N. KOREA PROPOSE A SUMMIT? 
(Chosun Ilbo, October 19, 2009, page 35) 
 
A high-ranking U.S. Defense Department official told reporters last 
Wednesday that North Korea is unexpectedly taking a conciliatory 
stance, with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il inviting ROK President 
Lee Myung-bak to visit.  The comments came during a briefing 
explaining the itinerary of Defense Secretary Robert Gates during 
his visit to Seoul on Thursday for the annual Security Consultative 
Meeting (SCM). 
 
A Cheong Wa Dae official said that no such summit is being planned, 
although there were discussions in principle about the possibility 
of a summit if inter-Korean relations improve.  These discussions 
took place earlier this month during the summit between Lee and 
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and also when North Korean Worker's Party 
Secretary Kim Ki-nam met with Lee in Cheong Wa Dae on Aug. 23.  So 
it is true at least that the North Korean leader sounded out the 
possibility of a summit with Lee on two occasions. 
 
The Cheong Wa Dae official said the U.S. government appears to have 
misunderstood what Seoul said in a briefing to U.S. officials.  When 
ROK media reported on the discussion of a summit during Lee's 
meeting with the North Korean envoy in August, the presidential 
secretary for national security issued a statement saying there was 
"absolutely no discussion of a summit." 
 
The leaders of East and West Germany met frequently to discuss 
various matters, but during their two summits in 2000 and 2007, the 
leaders of North and South Korea avoided any discussion of the 
nuclear issue, which is the most important item on the agenda 
involving the two countries.  The desire to leave a historic 
achievement was uppermost in the ROK presidents' minds, causing any 
topics that could upset North Korea to be swept off the agenda 
altogether. 
 
In the present situation, there is no way to hold an inter-Korean 
summit without addressing the North's nuclear arms program.  It is 
the greatest obstacle blocking increased inter-Korean exchanges and 
cooperation.  But the North has always insisted that nuclear 
dismantlement would be possible only after it receives security 
guarantees and economic aid, and it still insists that the nuclear 
 
SEOUL 00001644  003 OF 004 
 
 
issue is something to be discussed with the U.S. rather than the 
ROK.  Should an inter-Korean summit take place at this point, it 
would inevitably be reduced to a venue for economic aid to North 
Korea, instead of dealing with the North Korean nuclear issue. 
There is no reason for the ROK and the U.S. to rush around, faced 
with the North's insincere proposal for an inter-Korean summit. 
Instead, it is appropriate for the ROKG to disclose the North's 
proposal in a direct manner and to make clear its principles and 
positions in order not to cause any unnecessary misunderstandings. 
 
(This is a translation provided by the newspaper, and it is 
identical to the Korean version.) 
 
 
FEATURES 
--------- 
 
CONTROVERSY ERUPTS OVER U.S. PENTAGON OFFICIAL'S STATEMENT THAT N. 
KOREA PROPOSED AN INTER-KOREAN SUMMIT 
(Hankyoreh Shinmun, October 19, 2009, page 3) 
 
By Reporters Kang Tae-ho and Hwang Joon-beom, Washington 
correspondent Kwon Tae-ho 
 
While S. Korea rushes to deny the content of the remark, some 
analysts say subtle changes in discourse on N. Korea issues indicate 
preparation for epochal changes on the Korean peninsula are taking 
place 
 
A U.S. Pentagon official's statement Thursday (local time) that 
North Korea has invited President Lee Myung-bak for an inter-Korean 
summit has resulted in controversy, and has the Cheong Wa Dae (the 
presidential office in the ROK or Blue House) issuing statements of 
denial and expressing skepticism over the interpretation of 
exchanges with North Korea. 
 
In a meeting with reporters, the U.S. official said North Korea was 
continuing to adopt a conciliatory posture.  When asked what North 
Korea would do next, he said that since the beginning of the Lee 
Myung-bak Administration, North Korea has escalated tensions by 
shooting missiles etc., but, recently, it has entered a conciliatory 
phase, expressed its intention to participate in multi-party talks 
and invited Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao and President Lee to 
North Korea.  In response, a key Cheong Wa Dae official met with 
reporters Sunday and denied the U.S. official's claims and said a 
reference to North Korea's request for an inter-Korean summit was a 
misunderstanding.  He also pleaded with reporters, who might 
mistakenly believe North Korea had proposed a summit, not to be 
surprised at the news.  Another Cheong Wa Dae official said that the 
ROKG does not consider only discussing massive economic aid to North 
Korea in the inter-Korean summit, adding that the North Korean 
nuclear issue and humanitarian issue should also be addressed. 
 
However, some observers say where there is smoke, there is fire, and 
when seen in light of the situation on the Korean peninsula, it is 
hard to believe that the U.S. Pentagon official's statement was 
merely a slip of the tongue.  With the exception of unofficial 
inter-Korean contacts, North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has 
officially sent President Lee messages on two occasions.  One was in 
mid-August when former a North Korea mourning delegation traveled to 
the ROK to pay condolences to the late President Kim Dae-jung and 
met with President Lee.  While meeting with Lee, the North Korea 
mourning delegation, including Workers Party of Korea Secretary Kim 
Ki-nam, reportedly expressed the need for even a dialogue between 
the leaders of the two Koreas in order to improve inter-Korean ties. 
 The other occurred on Oct. 10 during the second trilateral leaders' 
meeting of China, Japan, and the ROK in Beijing, during which 
Chinese Prime Minister Wen conveyed Kim's statement regarding his 
intention to improve inter-Korean relations. 
 
Most of all, analysts are saying the focus should be on slight 
changes in the language used by the Cheong Wa Dae and President Lee. 
 First, in his meeting with Prime Minister Wen, Lee said if North 
Korea truly abandons its nuclear program, Seoul is prepared to have 
 
SEOUL 00001644  004 OF 004 
 
 
an open dialogue with North Korea.  In a press conference following 
the Korea-China-Japan summit, Lee also said if the opportunity 
arises, he intends to explain his proposed "Grand Bargain" to North 
Korea and earn their cooperation.  On Thursday, during a coffee 
meeting with foreign diplomats in Seoul, Lee said he expects that it 
is time for North Korea to abandon its nuclear program and 
proactively consider the bargain. 
 
Analysts are also pointing out that North Korea's response to the 
Grand Bargain has not been one of complete rejection.  On Sept. 30, 
although North Korea's official Korea Central News Agency (KCNA) 
called the "Grand Bargain" a harmful and "not good" proposal for 
resolving the nuclear issue, it avoided criticism of President Lee 
and it merely said it was absurd to demand that North Korea abandon 
its nuclear program without the U.S. first withdrawing its hostile 
anti-North Korea policies. 
 
When all of the exchanges are placed together, subtle changes can be 
discerned in the tone of relevant parties' remarks regarding Korean 
Peninsula issues, including the "Grand Bargain."  This is leading 
some to conclude that preparations are underway for the possibility 
of an inter-Korean summit and epochal changes in North Korea-U.S. 
relations. 
 
(This is a translation prepared by the newspaper.  We have compared 
the English version on the website with the Korean version and made 
some changes to make them identical.) 
 
 
STEPHENS