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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 SEOUL 001711 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR ECON KPAO KS US
SUBJECT: SEOUL - PRESS BULLETIN; October 28, 2009 
 
TOP HEADLINES 
------------- 
 
Chosun Ilbo 
New Flu Death Rate Is Lower Than That of Seasonal Flu... But People 
Should Stay Alert 
 
JoongAng Ilbo 
Next One Month Is Crucial for New Flu 
 
Dong-a Ilbo, All TVs 
ROK Man Defects to N. Korea 
 
Hankook Ilbo 
Private Cram Schools "Blind Spot" in New Flu Prevention; They Take 
No Precautions against the Disease 
 
Hankyoreh Shinmun 
Young Woman in her 20s with No Underlying Illness Dies of New Flu 
 
Segye Ilbo 
Another Four Deaths from New Flu...Anxiety Runs High over Growing 
Flu Epidemic 
 
Seoul Shinmun 
Antiviral Drugs Available at Drug Stores Beginning Oct. 30 
 
 
DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS 
-------------------- 
 
According to North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency, an 
ROK man defected to the North on Oct. 26 through the heavily armed 
inter-Korean border. The ROK Joint Chiefs of Staff said yesterday 
that it found "barbed wire cut open" at the border. The ROK military 
is under criticism for having been "in the dark" for more than a day 
after his defection. (All) 
 
The Seoul High Court ruled yesterday that information on U.S. beef 
imports should be disclosed if the imports fail to pass quarantine 
inspection. (Chosun, Hankook, Hankyoreh) 
 
 
INTERNATIONAL NEWS 
------------------ 
 
Michael Posner, Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human 
Rights, and Labor, said during an Oct. 26 press conference in 
Washington that North Korea's human rights should also be on the 
agenda for the Six-Party Talks. (Chosun) 
 
 
 
MEDIA ANALYSIS 
-------------- 
 
- Religious Freedom Report/N. Korea 
----------------------------------- 
Conservative Chosun Ilbo gave front-page play to Oct. 26 press 
remarks by Michael Posner, Assistant Secretary of State for 
Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, in which he said that North 
Korea's human rights should also be on the agenda for the Six-Party 
Talks.  Chosun observed that this remark by Assistant Secretary 
Posner reflects increasing calls in the Obama Administration that 
the North Korean human rights issue should be dealt with in dialogue 
with North Korea. 
 
- Aid for Afghanistan 
--------------------- 
Left-leaning Hankyoreh Shinmun editorialized: "The nature of the 
Afghan war has changed so much that it should now be called a civil 
war, rather than the war against terrorism.  ... It is natural for 
 
SEOUL 00001711  002 OF 004 
 
 
us to make contributions to the reconstruction of the war-torn 
country in line with our global status and economic power.  However, 
we should in no way send troops to the country, because such a move 
would make the Afghan people hostile toward us and our people will 
be targets of terrorism." 
 
 
 
OPINIONS/EDITORIALS 
-------------------- 
Government Must not Redeploy Troops to Afghanistan 
(Hankyoreh Shinmun, October 28, 2009, Page 31) 
 
The Lee Myung-bak Administration is showing signs that it will 
resend troops to Afghanistan.  At a National Assembly Committee on 
Unification, Foreign Affairs and Trade meeting two days ago, Foreign 
Minister Yu Myung-hwan said the government plans to send about 130 
civilian specialists to help rebuild Afghanistan, and is considering 
whether to send police or troops to ensure their safety.  This is 
the first time a government official has officially suggested that 
the government would send troops.  A Blue House official yesterday 
established the government's intention to dispatch troops, saying 
they would send 300 volunteers from the regular army, not the 
Special Forces.  He also hinted a decision is imminent, saying the 
outline for the complete plan has been decided upon. 
 
Nearly two years after completely withdrawing, the government must 
present a special reason to resend combat troops to Afghanistan. 
There does not appear to be any clear rationale, aside from an 
indirect request from the U.S.  Yu said participating in the fight 
against terrorism is a duty for the nation to become a "global 
Korea," and stabilizing the political situation in Afghanistan is 
directly connected to the issue of creating stable stationing 
conditions for the United States Forces Korea (USFK), although this 
is not a new rationale.  The ROK had been contributing to the war on 
terror long before the "global Korea" mantra, and it still continues 
to do so.  The nature of the Afghan war has changed so much that it 
should now be called a civil war, rather than the war against 
terrorism.  The issue of the overseas deployment of U.S. troops 
stationed in the ROK was the result of an agreement on USFK 
strategic flexibility during ROK-U.S. strategic talks in Jan. 2006. 
 
The strange thing is that as soon as Admiral Michael Mullen, 
Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, mentioned the U.S. could 
redeploy troops from the ROK to Iraq and Afghanistan, Yu 
simultaneously brought up conditions for a stable USFK deployment. 
Those comments give the appearance that the U.S. applied pressure to 
the ROK, as both stated that the USFK could be taken away if the ROK 
does not send troops to Afghanistan. 
 
It is natural for us to make contributions to the reconstruction of 
this war-torn country in line with our global status and economic 
power.  However, we should in no way send troops to the country, 
because such a move would make the Afghan people hostile toward us 
and our people will be targets of terrorism.  We must reexamine the 
lesson learned when we completely withdrew our medical and 
engineering units following the mass kidnapping of a missionary 
group in the summer of 2007.  Moreover, Afghanistan is now so 
dangerous that the entire country could be considered a war zone. 
Even if the government plans to send civilians, it is best to wait 
until the situation stabilizes. 
 
 
U.S. Defense Official Should Refrain from Making Reckless Remarks on 
USFK 
(Dong-a Ilbo, October 28, 2009, Page 39) 
 
Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Michael Mullen 
officially explained to the Ministry of National Defense about his 
recent statement that the U.S. is considering sending some USFK 
troops to Iraq or Afghanistan.  He said that the USFK troop level 
would remain unchanged, adding that he made the remark on the USFK's 
overseas redeployment while answering a question from USFK 
servicemen, and it was not an official response.  Consequently, this 
 
SEOUL 00001711  003 OF 004 
 
 
has calmed controversy, but its aftereffects are still lingering. 
 
Adm. Mullen's remark on the pullout of USFK troops flies in the face 
of not only the joint communiqu of the Security Consultative 
Meeting (SCM) but also the USG's position.  During his recent to 
visit to the ROK, Defense Secretary Robert Gates pledged that, in 
the event of a contingency, the U.S. would:   1) quickly bring 
globally available U.S. forces and capabilities to add to the troops 
and equipment it already stations in the ROK and 2) that the U.S. 
will continue to provide extended deterrence to ensure the ROK's 
security.   On the same day, however, Adm. Mullen hinted at the 
possibility of deploying some USFK troops off the Korean Peninsula. 
 
This can be seen a simple difference of personal opinions between 
the U.S. Defense Secretary and the Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs 
of Staff, but they may have played their respective roles to induce 
the ROK to send combat troops to Afghanistan.  (Washington) may have 
internally decided to strengthen the USFK's "strategic flexibility." 
 Whatever the reason behind Adm. Mullen's statement, the U.S. troop 
presence and the U.S. troop level in the ROK are directly linked 
with our national security.  This is why we contribute a massive 
amount of money to the USFK's upkeep every year, pay every attention 
to the relocation of the Yongsan Garrison to Pyeongtaek, and have 
been considering seriously providing assistance in the region where 
U.S. troops are stationed. 
 
Regarding the USFK troop level, ROK President Lee Myung-bak and 
former U.S. President George W. Bush agreed last April to freeze 
troop reductions and maintain about 28,500 troops on the peninsula. 
This was reaffirmed two months later, last June, during a meeting 
between Secretary Gates and Minister of National Defense Lee 
Sang-hee, and last December through the remarks by USFK Commander 
Gen. Walter Sharp.  At the ROK-U.S. Summit this past June, U.S. 
President Barack Obama also made it clear that he will adhere to 
this position. 
 
Adm. Mullen's statement was careless.  In the past, Pentagon 
officials often fueled our security concerns by making statements 
similar to the one by Adm. Mullen.  They should not make reckless 
remarks about USFK just in order to resolve other issues.  If they 
(Pentagon officials) need to make demands on the ROK, they should do 
so in an open manner at an official meeting.  That conforms to the 
spirit of the alliance. 
 
 
 
 
FEATURES 
-------- 
 
Seoul High Court Rules That Information on U.S. Beef Imports Should 
Be Disclosed If They Fail to Pass Quarantine Inspection 
(Hankyoreh Shinmun, October 28, 2009, Page 12) 
 
By Reporters Kim Gi-tae and Roh Hyun-ung 
 
The Seoul High Court ruled that detailed information on U.S. beef 
imports should be disclosed if those imports fail to pass quarantine 
inspection. 
 
Just as the lower court did in the original decision, the High Court 
ruled in favor of the plaintiff, the Lawyers for a Democratic 
Society (Minbyun).  (Minbyun originally filed suit against the 
Director of the National Veterinary Research & Quarantine Service 
(NVRQS).)  The High Court said that whether U.S. meat packers comply 
with import standards should be disclosed to dispel (ROK people's 
potential) anxiety over mad cow disease, adding that this disclosure 
will pave the way for quarantine inspections to be implemented in a 
more transparent manner.  Previously, the original court also ruled 
in favor of the plaintiff, saying that whether imported livestock 
products meet quarantine standards is directly related to public 
health and life. 
 
When the ROKG issued a notice on sanitary standards for U.S. beef 
 
SEOUL 00001711  004 OF 004 
 
 
imports in June last year, Minbyun demanded that the Minister of 
Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries reveal information 
regarding the names and addresses of ROK merchants who fail to label 
the origin of beef; the number of violations by U.S. meat plants; 
quantities of disqualified beef imports; and the reasons for 
disqualification.  The NVRQS which carries out quarantine inspection 
has revealed the number of violations by U.S. meat packers and 
quantities of disqualified beef imports, but has not disclosed the 
reasons for disqualification, saying that a disclosure of such 
information may mislead (ROK people) to believe that the U.S. meat 
packers did something terribly wrong by posing a serious threat to 
public health. 
 
Lawyer Song Ki-ho from Minbyun said that according to the 
government's notice, if U.S. meat plants violate quarantine 
standards, the ROKG can take action, including suspending U.S. beef 
exports.  He attached significance to the ruling, saying if 
information on U.S. beef imports are revealed when they fail to pass 
quarantine inspection, ROK people can examine whether the government 
undertakes quarantine inspections as spelled out in the government's 
notice. 
 
Lee Joo-ho, director of the NVRQS said that the decision whether to 
disclose information on U.S. beef was made in consultation with the 
Ministry of Justice and Ministry for Food and Agriculture, Forestry 
and Fisheries.  Lee also noted that the NVRQS will decide whether to 
appeal to the Supreme Court or reveal the information after 
discussions with related ministries. 
 
STEPHENS