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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SEOUL 001846 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR ECON KPAO KS US
SUBJECT: SEOUL - PRESS BULLETIN; November 24, 2009 
 
TOP HEADLINES 
------------- 
 
 
Chosun Ilbo 
Seoul Holds Forum with Delegates from Africa 
 
JoongAng Ilbo 
ROKG Vows Not to Alienate Other Special Zones in Developing Sejong 
City into Self-Sufficient City of Science, 
Business and Education 
 
Dong-a Ilbo 
ROK to Join Donors Club Tomorrow; Seoul to Give Top Priority to 
Aiding Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam 
 
Hankook Ilbo 
ROKG Accepts Seoul National University (SNU)'s Demands for Making 
SNU Into an Independently Incorporated Institution; Suspicion that 
ROKG Gave Special Treatment to SNU 
In Return for Second SNU Campus in Sejong City 
 
Hankyoreh Shinmun 
Questions Raised about Effectiveness of Sejong City 
 
Segye Ilbo, All TVs 
ROKG Considers Designating Sejong City as National Industrial 
Complex to Make It Eligible for Government Subsidies for Basic 
Infrastructure and Other Benefits 
 
Seoul Shinmun 
ROKG Plans to Attract 22 Domestic and Foreign Institutes 
to Sejong City 
 
 
Domestic Developments 
 
A year after the U.S. Visa Waiver Program took effect on Nov. 17, 
2008, the number of Koreans who were refused entry into the U.S. has 
doubled to 361 this year from 196 last year; most of them concealed 
their past record. (Dong-a) 
 
 
International News 
 
According to a senior ROKG source, U.S. Special Representative for 
North Korea Policy Stephen Bosworth is expected to visit North Korea 
from Dec. 8-10. The source also said that Ambassador Bosworth is 
likely to visit Seoul before or after his visit to Pyongyang. 
(Dong-a, Hankook, Hankyoreh, Segye, Seoul, all TVs) 
 
 
Media Analysis 
 
-N. Korea 
----------- 
 
Most ROK media carried reports quoting a senior ROKG source as 
claiming yesterday that U.S. Special Representative for North Korea 
Policy Stephen Bosworth is expected to visit North Korea from Dec. 
8-10. 
 
Most media recalled USG officials' previous remarks that Ambassador 
Bosworth will stay in Pyongyang for one and a half days, and 
conjectured that this one-day extension may suggest the possibility 
of his meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il. 
 
Moderate Hankook Ilbo headlined its article: "Will Bosworth Meet Kim 
Jong-il?"  Conservative Segye Ilbo carried an analysis entitled 
"U.S. Extends Bosworth's Stay to Two Nights and Three Days. Why?" 
It said: "Diplomatic sources say that even a one-day extension could 
mean a stark change in bilateral talks. ... The prolonged talks 
could involve in-depth negotiations to find a common ground between 
 
SEOUL 00001846  002 OF 002 
 
 
the two countries on the nuclear issue, despite the Obama 
Administration's repeated statement that the talks would be nothing 
more than a chance to ascertain the North's intentions to return to 
the Six-Party Talks." 
 
 
FEATURES 
-------- 
 
NUMBER OF KOREANS WHO WERE REFUSED ENTRY INTO U.S. DOUBLES THIS YEAR 
 
(Dong-a Ilbo, November 24, Page 14) 
 
By Reporter Cho Jong-yop 
 
Attorney Kim Seung-kyo, the co-director of the organization 
"Solidarity for Practice of the South-North Joint Declaration" 
arrived at Los Angeles International Airport on November 12 under 
the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP), but was denied entry and had to 
return home.  He is on trial at home for violating the National 
Security Law in 2008.  Even though the Electronic System for Travel 
Authorization (ESTA) Web site for VWP travel does not stipulate that 
a person who is being tried for violating the National Security Law 
cannot enter without a visa, the U.S. has the right to decide 
whether to allow entry. 
 
Since the VWP, which allows citizens of certain countries to travel 
to the U.S. for up to 90 days without obtaining a visa, took effect 
on November 17, 2008, the number of Koreans who were refused entry 
into the U.S. has doubled.  According to the Korea Immigration 
Service, from January 2008 to October 2008, 677,240 Koreans departed 
for the U.S. and 196 were denied entry.  However, from January 2009 
to October 2009, after the VWP was implemented, 617,047 Koreans left 
for the U.S. and 361 did not receive admission. 
 
There are various reasons for being denied entry into the U.S.: the 
past record of being refused a visa, the possibility or past record 
of illegally staying in the U.S., an uncertain or false purpose of a 
visit, and a criminal record.  An official at the Korea Immigration 
Service said, "They are not allowed to travel under the U.S. Visa 
Waiver Program (VWP) and should obtain a visa, as they did before. 
However, when requesting entry into the U.S. under the VWP, most of 
them conceal their past records at the ESTA Web site and therefore 
are denied entry at a U.S. airport."  An immigration official has 
advised that persons who may be denied entry (under the VWP) should 
obtain a visa before departure, which will prevent them from being 
turned away at a U.S. airport. 
 
In this regard, Lee Jung-kwan, the Director General of the Foreign 
Ministry's Overseas Koreans and Consular Affairs Bureau, said, 
"Although those who were denied entry to the U.S. increased in 
number, the entry refusal rate among VWP travelers stands at 0.2 
percent, which is lower than the 4 percent visa refusal rate for 
Koreans before the ROK's admission into the VWP." 
 
 
STEPHENS