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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SEOUL 001953 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR ECON KPAO KS US
SUBJECT: SEOUL - PRESS BULLETIN; December 15, 2009 
 
TOP HEADLINES 
------------- 
 
 
Chosun Ilbo 
Presidential Economic Aide Kang Man-soo: "ROKG will Work Out Rescue 
Plans for Companies Suffering Cash Flow Problems" 
 
JoongAng Ilbo 
National Assembly under Criticism for "Dereliction of Duty" 
 
Dong-a Ilbo 
Ruling and Opposition Parties Agree to Revise 
Political Reform-Related Laws 
 
Hankook Ilbo, Seoul Shinmun 
ROKG to Expand Nursing Assistance for Patients Next Year 
 
Hankyoreh Shinmun 
Ruling Party, Conservative Media Suspected of Plotting to Give 
Special Treatment to Comprehensive Program Channels 
 
Segye Ilbo 
ROKG Seeks to Extend Retirement Age of 
Rapidly Aging Baby Boomers 
 
 
INTERNATIONAL NEWS 
------------------ 
 
According to Thailand's newspaper, The Nation, the pilot of a cargo 
plane recently detained in Thailand for allegedly carrying weapons 
from North Korea told interrogators that he transported similar 
consignments three or four times before. (Chosun, Dong-a, KBS) 
 
According to Thai and foreign media outlets, some of the cargo on 
the seized aircraft was slated to be offloaded in Sri Lanka and the 
Middle East. (Chosun, Dong-a, Hankook, Hankyoreh, Seoul, KBS) 
 
 
MEDIA ANALYSIS 
-------------- 
 
-N. Korea 
--------- 
The Dec. 12 seizure in Thailand of a Georgian cargo plane carrying 
some 35 tons of North Korean weapons continued to capture the 
attention of the ROK media. 
 
Most media noted Dec. 14 reports by Thai and foreign media outlets 
quoting the pilot on the seized aircraft as telling interrogators 
that he transported similar consignments three or four times before. 
 The other crew members in police detention were also quoted as 
saying that the plane "was to stop for refueling in Bangkok and drop 
off some of the cargo in Sri Lanka and the Middle East before 
returning to Ukraine," (the alleged final destination of the 
plane). 
 
The media interpreted these statements as indicating the possibility 
that North Korean weapons might have flowed out of the country 
several times via cargo planes. 
 
An inside-page report in conservative Dong-a Ilbo claimed: "The 
"military economy," or efforts by North Korean military agencies to 
raise income, has been separate from North Korea's regular economy 
since the 1970s. ... The large amount of dollars earned by the 
military economy has been (used to maintain the regime) of leader 
Kim Jong-il." 
 
Moderate Hankook Ilbo editorialized: "If North Korea, which has made 
no response yet, protests by calling (the seizure) another sanction 
or provocation, it will inevitably dampen U.S.-North Korea dialogue. 
 
SEOUL 00001953  002 OF 002 
 
 
 Should the ongoing investigation prove that North Korea has engaged 
in arms deals with terrorist organizations, it will further 
complicate the situation.  ...  Once North Korea clearly understands 
the difficulty in earning foreign currency by exporting weapons in 
violation of UN Security Council sanctions, this may have a positive 
effect on resuming the Six-Party Talks.  The North should realize 
that it will no longer be able to survive amid international 
sanctions and come to the negotiating table." 
 
 
OPINIONS/EDITORIALS 
------------------- 
 
¶N. KOREA SHOULD STOP ILLEGAL WEAPONS EXPORTS 
(Hankook Ilbo, December 15, 2009, Page 39) 
 
The detention of a Georgian-flagged plane carrying North Korean-made 
weapons at a Thai airport is causing serious repercussions.  Thai 
authorities seized about 35 tons of weaponry, including 
ground-to-air missiles, aboard the cargo plane, and arrested the 
five crew members of the plane, including the pilot, on a charge of 
illegal arms possession.  This step was taken under the Thai 
domestic law and UN Security Council Resolution 1874.  It is 
regrettable that this incident took place when U.S. Special 
Representative for North Korea Policy Stephen Bosworth's recent 
visit to Pyongyang is raising expectations for progress on 
discussions about the resumption of the Six-Party Talks and a peace 
treaty on the Korean Peninsula. 
 
The cargo plane was reportedly detained at the request of the U.S. 
intelligence authorities.  The U.S. clearly showed its intention not 
to ease pressure against the North while pursuing dialogue with the 
communist state at the same time.  In early August, North 
Korean-made weapons on board a Bahamian vessel were seized, and in 
June, a North Korean ship suspected of carrying weapons toward 
Myanmar returned home after being tracked by a U.S. Navy vessel. 
This is the first time that North Korea was caught exporting weapons 
by airplane.  It will be hard for North Korea to export weapons 
either by ship or air because the U.S. keeps close watch (on the 
North's move) and international cooperation intensifies. 
 
If North Korea, which has made no response yet, protests by calling 
(the seizure) another sanction or provocation, it will inevitably 
dampen U.S.-North Korea dialogue.  Should the ongoing investigation 
prove that North Korea has engaged in arms deals with terrorist 
organizations, it will further complicate the situation.  However, 
if North Korea has sold conventional weapons, it will have little 
impact on U.S.-North Korea talks.  Once North Korea clearly 
understands the difficulty in earning foreign currency by exporting 
weapons in violation of UN Security Council sanctions, this may have 
a positive effect on resuming the Six-Party Talks.  The North should 
realize that it will no longer be able to survive amid international 
sanctions and come to the negotiating table. 
 
The U.S. and the international community need to take a two-track 
strategy wisely in order to make the North abandon its weapons of 
mass destruction and join the international community.  If (the U.S. 
and the international community) push too hard on North Korea as 
they did in the Banco Delta Asia (BDA) incident, it will again lead 
to a delay in resolving the North Korean nuclear issue. 
 
 
STEPHENS