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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 SEOUL 001971 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR ECON KPAO KS US
SUBJECT: SEOUL - PRESS BULLETIN; December 18, 2009 
 
TOP HEADLINES 
------------- 
 
 
Chosun Ilbo 
"Operational Plan 5027," a Top-S-e-c-r-e-t Contingency Plan against 
North Korean Attack, Leaked by Hackers; North Korea Suspected in 
This Attack 
 
JoongAng Ilbo, Seoul Shinmun, All TVs 
Schools to Have Fewer Subjects 
 
Dong-a Ilbo 
National Tax Service Introduces Tax Dodger Detection System 
 
Hankook Ilbo, Hankyoreh Shinmun 
Budget Confrontation; Scuffles Again Erupt inside National Assembly 
after Opposition Lawmakers Occupy Budget Panel 
 
Segye Ilbo 
Troubled Ssangyong Motor Escapes Liquidation; Court Approves 
Ssangyong's Self-Rescue Plan, Saying Survival is Better Option 
 
 
DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS 
--------------------- 
 
According to a Blue House spokesman, President Lee Myung-bak and 
visiting Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping agreed yesterday to step 
up joint efforts to denuclearize North Korea. (All) 
 
INTERNATIONAL NEWS 
------------------ 
 
Special Representative for North Korea Policy Stephen Bosworth, 
during a Dec. 16 press briefing in Washington on his trip to 
Pyongyang last week, said: "We talked specifically about what kind 
of conditions would be necessary to move into a peace treaty 
negotiation." (Chosun) 
 
Ambassador Bosworth was further quoted: "Obviously, only four of the 
countries (in the Six-Party Talks - the two Koreas, the U.S. and 
China) would be directly involved in a peace treaty negotiation, and 
that's well understood by all parties." This is the first time that 
the U.S. has mentioned the specific countries that would be involved 
in discussions on a peace treaty. (Dong-a) 
 
State Department Spokesman Ian Kelly, in a Dec. 16 regular briefing, 
confirmed that Ambassador Bosworth delivered a letter from President 
Obama to Pyongyang during his visit to North Korea. Spokesman Kelly 
was quoted as saying: "I can only confirm there was such a letter, 
but I cannot discuss the content or the tone." (JoongAng, Dong-a, 
Hankook, Hankyoreh, Segye, Seoul) 
 
 
 
MEDIA ANALYSIS 
-------------- 
 
-N. Korea 
---------- 
- Ambassador Bosworth's Visit 
 
All ROK media covered Special Representative for North Korea Policy 
Stephen Bosworth's Dec. 16 press briefing in Washington on his trip 
to Pyongyang last week.  Most coverage focused on Ambassador 
Bosworth's statements on a peace regime on the Korean Peninsula 
which has been demanded by North Korea. 
 
Conservative Chosun Ilbo, in particular, noted Ambassador Bosworth's 
remark, "We talked specifically about what kind of conditions would 
be necessary to move into a peace treaty negotiation," and quoted a 
 
SEOUL 00001971  002 OF 005 
 
 
diplomatic source in Washington as speculating: "His statement 
suggests that the U.S. may have promised to immediately begin 
discussions on a peace treaty in return for the North's acquiescence 
to the resumption of the Six-Party Talks."  Chosun viewed this 
development as a departure from the Obama Administration's previous 
position that a peace regime can be discussed only after there is 
some progress in denuclearization talks. 
 
Conservative Dong-a Ilbo, meanwhile, highlighted Ambassador 
Bosworth's statement: "Obviously, only four of the countries (in the 
Six-Party Talks - the two Koreas, the U.S. and China) would be 
directly involved in a peace treaty negotiation, and that's well 
understood by all parties."  Dong-a observed that this is the first 
time that the U.S. has mentioned the specific countries that would 
be involved in discussions on a peace treaty. 
 
Most media gave attention to Dec. 16 press remarks by State 
Department Spokesman Ian Kelly, in which he said: "I can only 
confirm there was such a letter (from President Obama intended for 
North Korean leader Kim Jong-il), but I cannot discuss the content 
or the tone." 
 
Right-of-center JoongAng Ilbo's sub-head read: "U.S. State 
Department Also Unwilling to Disclose Details of the Letter; (The 
Letter) May Have Contained Various Incentives for North Korea, which 
U.S. May Find it Difficult to Disclose." 
 
 
- Plane Seized in Thailand with Weapons from N. Korea 
 
Most media continues to follow Thailand's seizure of a cargo plane 
allegedly carrying weapons from North Korea. 
 
Conservative Chosun Ilbo replayed a Dec. 17 report by an influential 
Russian newspaper claiming that the seized cargo plane was not 
impounded in Thailand during a refueling stop, as previously 
believed, but was forced to land by fighter planes after it entered 
Thai airspace. 
 
Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva was widely quoted as saying on 
Dec. 16 that English-language instructions were found in the process 
of checking the (seized) weapons boxes and that this meant the 
weapons could not have originated from North Korea. 
 
 
FEATURES 
---------- 
 
Why is U.S. Unwilling to Disclose Obama's Letter? 
(JoonAng Ilbo, December 18, Page 2) 
 
By Correspondent Kim Jeong-wook 
 
In a December 16 regular briefing, State Department Spokesman Ian 
Kelly confirmed that U.S. Special Representative for North Korea 
Policy delivered a letter from President Obama to Pyongyang during 
his visit to North Korea.  Spokesman Kelly said, "I can only confirm 
there was such a letter, but I cannot discuss the content or the 
tone."  During a (December 16) press conference, Ambassador Bosworth 
did not give a detailed answer to this issue.  He said that he 
conveyed "very directly to the North Korean leadership a vision for 
the future which would be a lot different than the present or the 
past, and ways in which we could improve both our bilateral 
relationship and improve North Korea's overall relationships within 
Northeast Asia."  Ambassador Bosworth said with laughter, "I can 
confirm I did not bring back a letter (from Kim.)"  These remarks 
indicate that the letter may have contained various incentives the 
U.S. can give to North Korea. 
 
Ambassador Bosworth revealed some new facts.  He said, "When we do 
come back to the Six-Party Talks, one of the first challenges is 
going to be to agree on an overall sequencing of the 
denuclearization, the move toward a new peace regime, a peace 
treaty, the provision of energy and economic assistance, 
 
SEOUL 00001971  003 OF 005 
 
 
normalization of relations, the establishment of some sort of a 
structure for Northeast Asian security."  He added, "We talked about 
all of these issues. We talked specifically about what kind of 
conditions would be necessary to move into a peace treaty 
negotiation, et cetera." 
 
Ambassador Bosworth said that China, as the chair of the Six-Party 
Talks, will be taking the initiative to coordinate efforts "over the 
next few weeks" for a new round of talks.  He also noted that North 
Korea agreed to discuss its uranium-based nuclear program in future 
Six-Party Talks, saying, "It clearly will be on the agenda when the 
talks resume. They put it there by making a public announcement that 
they had concluded the first experimental phase of the uranium 
enrichment program." 
 
Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of State reportedly informed the ROKG 
of its plan to deliver Obama's letter shortly before Bosworth's 
visit without, however, describing its content specifically.  In 
particular, attention is turning to why the Obama Administration did 
not officially disclose the existence of the letter at first and 
remains unwilling to disclose its details.  After the George W. Bush 
Government delivered his letter to Kim Jong-il in December 2007, 
U.S. National Security Council (NSC) spokesman held a briefing on 
the letter. 
 
A U.S. diplomatic source familiar with the Korean Peninsula issue 
suggested that Obama's letter may have contained proposals that the 
U.S. does not want to disclose to the media.  The source noted that 
if the letter just contains the U.S.' calls for the North's return 
to the Six-Party Talks, the U.S. wouldn't need to keep it 
s-e-c-r-e-t.  The source speculated that President Obama may have 
expressed his willingness to meet with Kim Jong-il.  Another source 
said that Ambassador Bosworth's remarks on his talks with Pyongyang 
as "businesslike" indicate that the talks were not mere rhetoric but 
serious discussions over specific issues. 
 
 
Bosworth: "Only Four Nations would be Involved in Peace Treaty 
Negotiation" 
(Dong-a Ilbo, December 18, 2009, Page 6) 
 
By Washington Correspondent Ha Tae-won 
 
Ambassador Bosworth delivered the "U.S.-style grand bargain" to 
North Korea. 
 
"I conveyed a vision for the future, which would be a lot different 
from the past." 
 
U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy Stephen Bosworth 
said on December 16, "(During the visit to the North) I conveyed 
very directly to the North Korean leadership a vision for the 
future, which would be a lot different than the present or the 
past."  During a briefing held at the Department of State, 
Ambassador Bosworth explained that the vision "could improve both 
our bilateral relationship and improve North Korea's overall 
relationships within Northeast Asia, always provided that they are 
prepared to move toward the goal of denuclearization." 
 
He also emphasized that during his visit to Pyongyang, there was a 
discussion about the signing of a peace treaty, which the North has 
been asking for.  He noted, "A peace treaty on the Korean Peninsula 
is a commitment that all six parties accepted in the Joint Statement 
of September 2005.  So when they say that they view that as an 
important element, I can say with great sincerity so do we." 
 
He said, however, "When we do come back to the Six-Party Talks, one 
of the first challenges is going to be to agree on an overall 
sequencing of the denuclearization, the move toward a new peace 
regime, a peace treaty, the provision of energy and economic 
assistance, normalization of relations, (and) the establishment of 
some sort of a structure for Northeast Asian security," adding, "We 
talked specifically about what kind of conditions would be necessary 
to move into a peace treaty negotiation."  He also pointedly said, 
 
SEOUL 00001971  004 OF 005 
 
 
"We're not going to negotiate on any of these issues until we're 
back at the table in the Six-Party framework." 
 
Ambassador Bosworth strongly suggested that discussions about a 
peace regime on the Korean Peninsula will be carried out in a 
four-party format involving the two Koreas, the U.S., and China.  He 
said, "Obviously, only four of the countries would be directly 
involved in a peace treaty negotiation, and that's well understood 
by all parties."  The Joint Statement of September 19, 2005 says, 
"The directly related parties will negotiate a permanent peace 
regime on the Korean Peninsula at an appropriate forum (separately 
from the Six-Party Talks)" but it does not mention the specific 
nations to be involved. 
 
Meanwhile, in a separate briefing, Department Spokesman Ian Kelly 
officially confirmed that there was a personal letter from President 
Obama to Pyongyang, saying that Ambassador Bosworth handed the 
letter not directly to North Korean leader Kim Jon-il but to the 
North Korean government. 
 
On December 16, both Ambassador Bosworth and Spokesman Kelly were 
tight-lipped about the specific contents of the letter, but experts 
speculate that, in the letter, the U.S. may have urged the North to 
make a strategic decision to denuclearize, while promising to move 
toward the signing of a peace treaty, the normalization of 
relations, and economic assistance in return.  In other words, this 
is the same as President Lee Myung-bak's "grand bargain."  Charles 
Pritchard, President of the Korea Economic Institute (KEI), said, 
"In the letter, the U.S. probably said that it is not pursuing a 
hostile policy against North Korea, has no intention of toppling the 
North Korea regime, and wants a stable denuclearization of the 
Korean Peninsula through the resumption of the Six-Party Talks." 
 
 
Bosworth Talked About Peace Treaty with N. Korea 
(Chosun Ilbo, December 18, Page 6) 
 
By Correspondent Lee Ha-won 
 
U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy Stephen Bosworth 
discussed prospects of a peace treaty with officials during his 
recent visit to Pyongyang. 
 
In a briefing at the State Department on Wednesday, Bosworth said, 
"We talked specifically about what kind of conditions would be 
necessary to move into a peace treaty negotiation." 
 
"The commitment to move toward a new arrangement, a peace treaty on 
the Korean Peninsula, is a commitment that all six parties accepted 
in the joint statement of September 2005," he recalled.  The Korean 
War never officially ended but was merely halted by an armistice 55 
years ago. 
 
"When we do come back to the Six-Party Talks, one of the first 
challenges is going to be to agree on an overall sequencing of the 
denuclearization, the move toward a new peace regime, a peace 
treaty, the provision of energy and economic assistance, 
normalization of relations, the establishment of some sort of a 
structure for Northeast Asian security," Bosworth said. 
 
He added he "found that the talks were quite positive." 
 
Given his remark, the U.S. may have agreed with North Korea in 
principle to discuss a peace regime on the Korean Peninsula shortly 
after the Six-Party Talks resume.   His statement suggests that the 
U.S. may have promised to immediately begin discussions on a peace 
treaty in return for the North's acquiescence to the resumption of 
the Six-Party Talks, a diplomatic source in Washington speculated. 
This development represents a departure from the Obama 
Administration's previous position that a peace regime can be 
discussed only after there is some progress in denuclearization 
talks. 
 
(This is a translation prepared by the newspaper.  We have compared 
 
SEOUL 00001971  005 OF 005 
 
 
the English version on the website with the Korean version and made 
some changes to make them identical.) 
 
 
STEPHENS