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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 SEOUL 000023 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR ECON KPAO KS US
SUBJECT: SEOUL - PRESS BULLETIN; JANUARY 8, 2010 
 
TOP HEADLINES 
------------- 
 
Chosun Ilbo 
3.11 Million Baby Boomers Face "Unprepared Retirement" 
 
JoongAng Ilbo 
Forced Media Closings Called Illegal 
Truth and Reconciliation Commission Says State Should Provide 
Compensation for Damages Suffered by the Outlets 
 
Dong-a Ilbo 
Anti-Eavesdropping Device to be Introduced for Notebook Computer 
Users 
 
Hankook Ilbo, Hankyoreh Shinmun, Segye Ilbo, All TVs 
Former Ruling GNP Chairwoman Park Reiterates Opposition to New 
Sejong City Plan 
 
Seoul Shinmun 
Fine Sought for Owners of Houses and Stores Who Fail to Clear Snow 
 
 
DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS 
---------------------- 
 
According to a senior ROKG official, 48 senior North Korean 
officials and experts were given a crash course in capitalism at 
Dalian University in China late last year with money from the ROKG. 
(Chosun) 
 
INTERNATIONAL NEWS 
------------------ 
 
According to Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun, Assistant Secretary of State 
for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell said in a recent 
interview with the newspaper: "The Six-Party Talks have been 
supported by all its players, including China, so I am hopeful the 
Six-Party Talks will be restarted, probably soon." (Seoul) 
 
 
MEDIA ANALYSIS 
-------------- 
 
-N. Korea 
--------- 
Moderate Seoul Shinmun covered Assistant Secretary of State for East 
Asian and Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell's recent interview with 
Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun, in which he said: "The Six-Party Talks have 
been supported by all its players, including China, so I am hopeful 
the Six-Party Talks will be restarted, probably soon." 
 
State-run KBS and Yonhap News carried reports quoting Assistant 
Secretary Campbell as saying in a Jan. 7 news briefing: "(During 
last month's U.S.-North Korea bilateral talks in Pyongyang,) North 
Korean interlocutors indicated a potential disposition to return to 
those (Six-Party Talks), to that process.  We think that that is 
essential, and we are making the case that the next step is to 
convene a Six-Party process meeting."  According to these reports, 
this is the first time a USG official has confirmed that North Korea 
indicated its intention to return to the Six-Party Talks during the 
last month meeting. 
 
OPINIONS/EDITORIALS 
-------------------- 
 
U.S. HAS No SPECIFIC PLANS YET TO RATIFY KORUS FTA 
(Maeil Business Newspaper, January 4, Page 13) 
 
By Washington correspondent Jang Gwang-ik 
 
On December 22, after the heaviest snow fell on the East Coast, 
including Washington, in 126 years, federal government offices were 
 
SEOUL 00000023  002 OF 004 
 
 
shut down for two days.  As a result of this (emergency situation) 
U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke was busier than at any other 
time.  Moreover, since he just returned from Copenhagen along with 
President Barack Obama, his schedule was very tight.  I had an 
interview with Secretary Locke at his office, accompanied by Jeffrey 
Dutton, Director of the Office of the Pacific Basin at the U.S. 
Department of Commerce, who attended the negotiations on the Korea- 
U.S. Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA) in 2007. 
 
Secretary Locke was guarded in his comments on the KORUS FTA, which 
is a contentious matter between the two countries.  However, he 
enthusiastically talked about the U.S.'s ambitious strategy to 
expand exports and develop clean technology. 
 
¶Q. The world is concerned about protectionist moves that have 
emerged in some countries following the economic crisis.  President 
Obama once said that trade is important in creating new jobs.  What 
is the USG's strategy to curb the rising trend of global 
protectionism and expand free trade? 
 
In the U.S. economy, exports account for 13 percent of U.S. gross 
domestic product (GDP) and play an important role in creating 6 
million jobs in the manufacturing sector.  In order to ramp up 
exports, the U.S. plans to revitalize the Trade Promotion 
Coordinating Committee (TPCC) which I chair as the Secretary of 
Commerce. 
 
We are well aware of some barriers that block U.S. companies from 
fulfilling the export potential. 
 
A case in point is the U.S. export management system established in 
1950s.  This system prohibits the transfer of U.S technology to a 
country which was hostile to the U.S. during the cold war era.  This 
is an inappropriate system in the 21st century.  President Obama 
directed (related) agencies to review this system in a comprehensive 
manner.  The Commerce Department will also make additional efforts 
to protect intellectual property rights. 
 
¶Q. The U.S. stresses "rebalancing", urging trade surplus countries 
to change their trade-dependent economic structure and increase 
domestic demand by boosting domestic consumption.  In particular, 
the U.S. has been constantly raising this issue with China. What is 
the prospect of rebalancing between the U.S. and China and how can 
you achieve it? 
 
The G20 leaders who gathered in Pittsburgh in September 2009 adopted 
the "Framework for Strong, Sustainable and Balanced Growth."  From a 
similar perspective, the G20 summit and the International Monetary 
Fund (IMF) emphasize that it is important to balance global demand. 
To promote balanced global demand, trade deficit countries such as 
the U.S. should spend less and save more.  This should reverse U.S. 
budget deficit.  On the contrary, economies that continue to record 
massive current account surpluses should prop up domestic demand and 
reduce their dependence on exports.  It is neither sound nor 
realistic for the global economy to seek growth by depending on one 
demand (the U.S.) 
 
In order to redress trade imbalance between the U.S. and China, the 
U.S. should export more to China instead of importing less from 
China.  The U.S. will export more goods and services to China. 
 
¶Q. The U.S. faces an unemployment rate of more than 10 percent, 
dimming the prospect of sustainable growth.  In December 8, 2009, 
President Obama announced measures to create jobs such as tax cuts 
for small businesses, investment in social overhead capital and 
support for energy efficient homes.  How (much benefit) do you 
expect from these measures? 
 
Small businesses are the engine for creating jobs.  President Obama 
has persistently demonstrated his strong commitment to support small 
businesses since he took office.  A good example is the Recovery Act 
which was passed in February 2009.  This Act is designed to help 
small businesses succeed and create more jobs.  The Act provides 
funding to states for restoration, repair, and construction of 
 
SEOUL 00000023  003 OF 004 
 
 
highways, bridges, schools and hospitals, and for expansion of 
broadband (so that all Americans can have access to it), and for 
development of renewable energy and green technology. 
 
Regarding social overhead capital investment, we have invested 24 
billion dollars in funding 7,400 construction projects across the 
country so far, and over 4,000 of these projects are already under 
way. 
 
The U.S. economy is trying to make additional fundamental changes to 
provide for sustainable growth. 
 
Thus far, President Obama has made unprecedentedly large-scale 
investments at the national level in developing next-generation 
computer systems and in the field of solar and wind power.  Through 
this, he intends to bring the environment and the economy on the 
track of sustainable growth. 
 
Renewable energy development, which President Obama is spurring, has 
already seen considerable progress, and companies in the field of 
solar or wind power generation are rehiring workers laid off from 
other industries.  That field will surely become the most-growing 
industry of the 21st century. 
 
¶Q. Since its early days, the Lee Myung-bak Administration has 
expressed its strong determination toward green growth.  Could you 
tell us about the USG's way of nurturing the green growth industry? 
 
One of the first pieces of legislation that President Obama signed 
after his inauguration was the American Recovery and Reinvestment 
Act.  This Act includes a plan to invest 80 billion dollars in green 
(clean) energy.  This will double the U.S.'s energy production 
capacity in three years and create thousands of jobs.  In addition, 
President Obama pledged to spend 150 billion dollars in green energy 
research and development.  We are convinced that the U.S. will lead 
the world in the green energy field. 
 
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (in the U.S. Department of 
Commerce) has started considering a measure to accelerate the 
approval of a patent for green technology.  Once this review is 
done, the period of time necessary to take out a patent on green 
technology will be shortened by about a year, thereby making it 
possible to guarantee funding to technology development companies, 
push for new projects, and put more green technologies into 
practice. 
 
¶Q.  During President Obama's visit to the ROK in mid-November 2009, 
he promised to make an effort to seek Congressional approval for the 
ROK-U.S. FTA, and so the ROK government and people are grateful and 
have high expectations.   What is the USG doing to support the 
ratification of the ROK-U.S. FTA?  And regarding the timing for the 
Congressional approval of the ROK-U.S. FTA, many people think that 
the first half of 2010 is the most appropriate.  What is your take 
on this? 
 
The ROK-U.S. FTA is economically the most important deal that the 
U.S. has signed over the past 16 years.  Therefore, the Obama 
Administration is seeking ways to strengthen its economic relations, 
including trade and investment, with the ROK.  The U.S. is well 
aware of the potential economic benefits of a free trade pact. 
 
The Obama Administration does not have any specific timetable or 
schedule regarding when to send the ratification bill to Congress. 
At present, it is preparing measures focused on dispelling the 
concerns about the FTA which have been raised in the U.S.  Before 
sending the FTA ratification bill to Congress, we think that there 
is a need for the administration and Congress to examine the pact 
thoroughly in order to gain wide support. 
 
¶Q. The ROK will be hosting the G20 summit in November of 2010.  What 
would you advise the ROK to do to make the event a success? 
 
First of all, I would like to congratulate the ROK for hosting the 
summit.  In particular, President Lee Myung-bak showed great 
 
SEOUL 00000023  004 OF 004 
 
 
leadership in bringing up the issue of trade restriction measures in 
some countries  at the first G20 Summit. 
 
The ROK is also one of the nations that escaped the financial crisis 
at an early stage, and it has much experience (in overcoming a 
crisis.)  I believe that the ROK will fulfill its role as a G20 host 
nation and make the summit a successful event.  I also expect that 
the U.S., together with the ROK, will make the G20 summit a 
productive event where they can achieve their goals. 
 
 
STEPHENS