Text Fwd: N.K. told Bosworth that U.N. sanctions are unreasonable: Seoul FM

*Image source: same as the link below

Yonhap News
N.K. told Bosworth that U.N. sanctions are unreasonable: Seoul FM
By Tony Chang

SEOUL, Dec. 16 (Yonhap) -- North Korea apparently told a visiting U.S. envoy that international sanctions imposed on Pyongyang over its long-range rocket launch were unreasonable, insisting the launch was for non-military purposes, Seoul's top diplomat said Wednesday.

"(I am) aware that North Korea delivered its position to U.S. special envoy Stephen Bosworth, who traveled to the North from Dec. 8 to 10, that the U.N. sanctions on the country are unreasonable," Yu Myung-hwan, Seoul's foreign minister, said at a press conference.

North Korea launched what it claimed was a satellite-bearing long-range rocket in April, drawing international condemnation for what regional powers said was a disguised test of missile technology. While Pyongyang insisted the satellite successfully entered orbit, outside monitors say no such object had been detected in space.

The U.N. Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution imposing financial and other sanctions on North Korea, which retaliated by withdrawing from ongoing six-party denuclearization talks also involving South Korea, the United States, China, Japan and Russia.

Bosworth, a former U.S. ambassador to Seoul, made a three-day visit to Pyongyang last week, the first high-level contact with North Korea since the Obama administration took office in January.

He failed to obtain the North's commitment to return to the six-party talks, but said the participants "identified some common understandings" on the need to restart the multilateral forum. The talks have been deadlocked since the U.N. sanctions were imposed earlier this year following the North's nuclear and missile tests.

North Korea maintains that the rocket was launched as part of a "peaceful space program," Yu said, but the minister downplayed such claims.

"(The claim) is similar to its position arguing that the U.S. should drop its hostile policy towards the North before it returns to the six-party talks," said Yu, suggesting the remarks are part of the usual rhetoric put out by Pyongyang.

The minister "positively evaluated" Bosworth's trip to the North for "drawing out a common understanding" between Washington and Pyongyang over the need to maintain the six-party talks.

Yu also stated that other members of the talks were in unison over not rewarding the North for returning to the stalled dialogue, saying that the parties will continue to maintain a "two-track" strategy of sanctions and negotiations.

Bosworth's trip to Pyongyang had raised hopes for a breakthrough in the stalemate over denuclearizing North Korea, but he stressed the envoy held "exploratory talks, not negotiations" in Pyongyang.

odissy@yna.co.kr

* Related blogs

Video Fwd: Who threatens Peace, North Korea or United States?

* Video 1
North Korean ambassador talks to Al Jazeera - 15 Apr 09



* Video 2
The long road to Korean reunification - 21 Sep 07

Text fwd: S. Korea supports N. Korea-U.S. direct dialogue within the six-party framework

* Image source/ caption*
Same as the article below

" In this photograph released by the Korean Central News Agency, citizens in Pyongyang participate in a mass rally to celebrate the “successful satellite launch,” April 8. (KCNA)."

http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_northkorea/348872.html
S. Korea supports N. Korea-U.S. direct dialogue within the six-party framework: Supporting six-party talks remains S. Korea‘s only choice for direct communication, while experts worry about longer timetables for nuclear dismantlement and missile compensation
2009-04-09 am, 10:36:59, 2009-04-09, 12:43:43 pm

Amid talks by the international community over how to respond to North Korea’s rocket launch, the South Korean government is believed to have determined that it would support direct talks between Pyongyang and Washington under the framework of the six-party negotiations. An official at the South Korean government on April 8 said, “South Korea and the U.S. share common ground that the missile issue should be dealt with through the framework of the six-party talks,” the official said. In March, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had proposed that North Korea‘s missile issue be on the agenda of the six-party negotiations.

At first, the strategy to deal with North Korea’s missile issue with possibilities of compensation at the six-party talks was seen as an intention to lure North Korea to a negotiating table. The idea was to let North Korea enter the talks by indicating the amount of return they could receive had the possibility of increasing.

For the U.S., the strategy of discussing the North‘s missile issue at the six-party talks was gaining acceptance because it was seen as a strategy that shares both responsibility and risk. Similar to the process of the missile talks between North Korea and the U.S. in 2000, the U.S. could present the offer to launch North Korea’s satellites into orbit in exchange for a suspension of missile launches. Alternately, Russia could offer to launch North Korea‘s satellites instead. What’s more, the strategy anticipates China‘s corrections and arbitration whenever talks between North Korea and the U.S. hit an impasse.

For South Korea, the six-party talks are the only way to stabilize diplomatic relations amid severed inter-Korean ties. Analysts see this as the reason why government officials have emphasized the need to resume the negotiations.

With the fact that North Korea’s long-range rocket launch is viewed as a sensitive issue between Pyongyang and Washington, “six-party talks” and a “North Korea-U.S. dialogue” have simultaneously appeared in official statements. Accordingly, the experts roughly agree that North Korea and the U.S. may be able to reach a broad agreement on the North Korea missile issue before the six-party negotiations as a step towards normalizing North Korea-US relations.

Other experts disagree, however, expressing concerns that if North Korea‘s missile issue is added as an agenda item to the six-party talks on North Korea’s nuclear weapons program, it could hinder progress from being made for a long time. A diplomatic expert, who asked not to be named, said, “It would take quite a long time for them to reach a ‘deal’ because they have to set up timetables for nuclear dismantlement and missile compensation.”

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]

　

Solidarity Email from Japan: Ordinary Japanese were calm during the NK satellite launch

E mail forward from Makiko Sato on April 9, 2009 *
Thanks very much, Makiko.

'The below, forwarded information
originated from a group in Japan trying to bridge between Korea
and Japan. I just translated it as below.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The House adopted a resolution on accusing the NK for the launch,
with the Communist Party opposing and the Socialist Party abstaining.

The mainstream media are agitating people with their editorials
as to the necessity of sanctions,
but the recent poll on 4th & 5th by a TV station (JNN) shows
that most of Japanese are calm. According to that:

・ Strict sanctsions are necessary, whether it is a missile or
a satellite = ２９％
・ In case of a missile, scrict sanctions are necessary. Otherwise,
prudence is necessary. = ３４％
・ Calm attitude and correspondence is necessary = ３５％

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I think this shows relatively objective and calm responses
among ordinary people here, even considering our undisputable
(maybe)feelings that the abducted Japanese should be returned soon.

So, I'm somewhat relieved. But of course, there might have been
much harassment towards some Korean residents in Japan by
some right-wingers or influenced young men, on which case,
prof. Suh will tell us in Seoul.

Cheers.
Makiko’

* See Makiko's website

North Korea is on mute while UN Security Council deliberates

* Image source/caption*
“In this image made from Korea Central Television footage, first made available Tuesday April 7, shows the launch of a rocket from Musudan-ni, North Korea on Sunday, April 5. (AP Photo)”

http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_northkorea/348636.html
North Korea is on mute while UN Security Council deliberates: Experts say that N. Korea is watching U.S. attitudes in order to decide the next step
Posted on : Apr.8,2009 11:42 KST Modified on : Apr.8,2009 13:01 KST

North Korea has been carrying on a loud internal celebration claiming that the “satellite” launch was successful, but externally to international listeners, they have placed themselves on “mute” mode. The silence is noteworthy in light of claims put forth by North Korea ten days before the launch on March 26, when a spokesperson for the North Korean Foreign Ministry responded to a question from a reporter for the state-run Korean Central News Agency by saying, “The fact that the United Nations (UN) Security Council is raising our peaceful satellite launch as an issue for discussion is itself an outrageous and hostile act against us.” The spokesperson also warned that as a result, it would consider the 2005 six-party denuclearization agreement ended, “Six party-talks would cease to exist from that moment.” While a UN Security Council session was called at Japan‘s request at 3 pm on Sunday (4 am Monday in South Korea) immediately following the missile launch and discussions were carried out over the North Korean rocket issue, North Korea has not shown any particular response.

Some analysts view this as reflecting consideration for the UN Security Council’s uncertainty regarding adoption of a resolution for sanctions. At present, the UN Security Council has called a session and raised the North Korean rocket issue as an item for informal discussion. But this is different from a referral, for which the issue needs to pass through a broad consultative process and opinions are fine-tuned. Only after a referral takes place, is it decided whether or not a resolution will be presented for sanctions against North Korea, a chairman‘s statement or a press statement will be recommended. China had formerly said they agreed to issue a less severe response in the form of an U.N. chairman’s statement. “With China and Russia opposing sanctions, North Korea is just going to want to wait and see where the ball bounces,” said Koh Yu-hwan, a professor of North Korean studies at Dongguk University.

Experts are viewing the U.S. position as hinging on how long North Korea‘s fence sitting continues. If plans for a resolution on sanctions at the UN Security Council level do not pan out, the U.S. has a wider margin to work with and may enter into negotiations. “Without means of pressuring North Korea like energy or food, the U.S. will consider negotiations with North Korea, if only to resolve the problem of the U.S. reporters being held there,” said Yang Moo-jin, a professor at University of North Korean Studies. “If China plays the role of mediator during this time, the situation could open up for discussions between North Korea and the U.S.,” Yang predicted.

But if the U.S. is unable to produce a picture for negotiations with North Korea after the UN Security Council decision, analysts suggest that North Korea may engage in another action in order to “shock” the U.S., referring to the aftereffects of the launch which may be more significant than the launch itself.


Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]

　

　

Text & E mail Fwd: False alarms in Hawaii and Japan

* Below is the text and email from Kyle Kajihiro and Makiko Sato *

* Text Informed by Kyle Kajihiro on the e mail of April 7 *

'Here in Hawai'i we have been fed a steady diet of "threat", "danger", "fear", and misinformation. I think this is to pressure and isolate the Pyongyang government and generate public support for missile defense programs. Very hypocritical because the US has so many misiles, satellites, nuclear weapons.

I have a question for clarification. The western media reported that the third stage of the rocket failed and fell into the Pacific ocean. What is your understanding of the rocket launch?

Here is a funny story about how fearful the public was.

Kyle'

False alarms in Hawaii and Japan

North Korea's plan to launch a rocket on a trajectory over Japan and toward Hawai'i prompted a couple of false alarms.

The North carried out the launch today. The rocket flew over Japan and a stage of the rocket landed in the Pacific Ocean, Japanese broadcaster NHK said.

On Friday, guests at the Four Seasons Resort Lana'i at Manele Bay were warned to get off the beach and seek shelter.

Maui County spokeswoman Mahina Martin said state and county Civil Defense officials had been monitoring North Korea's preparations for a launch, and police had advised the hotel that if the launch occurred and debris seemed likely to fall near the Islands, beachgoers should go inside and avoid the western and southern shores.

Debris from the second stage of the rocket was expected to fall in the Pacific between Japan and Hawai'i.

"It was a good example of miscommunication," Martin said. "Out of that sharing of information, the Manele Bay hotel took what I would call good preparedness measures and started to initiate a nonmandatory evacuation of Manele Bay."

But the hotel's response was "unnecessary," she said.

"It was a good exercise in preparedness. We appreciate them wanting to be that cautious, but this was far beyond the information that was shared," she said.

Police soon stopped the evacuation, Martin said.

Yesterday, the Japanese government also raised a false alarm over the missile launch.

Japanese officials yesterday said that an object appeared to have been launched from North Korea, but five minutes later determined that no object had been confirmed by other monitoring systems.

According to the Defense Ministry, an FPS-5 radar warning and control system — nicknamed "Gamera" after the turtle monster of movie fame — at the ministry's Technical Research and Development Institute Iioka branch in Asahi, Chiba Prefecture, detected something over the Sea of Japan.

The information picked up by the advanced radar system was relayed to the government as a potential missile launch. The ministry said it is analyzing what was detected by the radar.

The Maui News and the Yomiuri Shimbun contributed to this report.


* E mail from Makiko Sato on April 8*

'This whole MD farce caused such a hysterical reaction here in Japan.
The official website of'No!to nukes and missile campain' run by
one of Koji's friend in Tokyo registered 6000 access just one night
before the launch, and my site, which is much sober, registered
more than 1000 in 5 days. They wanted information.
But what kind? The more information, the more you get afraid,
especially,when the information is fabrication of fear.

From the start, the SDF had no intention to shoot it down,
I guess. Simply they can't, because of the Article 9 in
our constitution. That is why most politician here want to
amend it. But practically, the SDF didn't need to,
as they already knew Japan would be safe and the US
would do nothing in response.

So the SDF just showed off their MD system.
Their real target is, I think, not the rocket but
the forthcoming general election. Now because of
this played-up crisis, and the SDF's aggressive preparedness,
our ruling party seems to have gained back some popularity
among the youth.

While in Japan, peace-loving people demand 'office-change,'
the chance are now half & half because of the NK rocket launch.
This is a pity and, to us, a step backward.
Why do many young man in Japan get agitated so easily?
I never understand.

Yours,
Makiko'


* Related blog *
http://nobasestorieskorea.blogspot.com/2009/04/against-move-for-un-security-council.html
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Against the Move for the U.N. Security Council Sanction against the North Korea: Revealing Obama’s manipulation

Text Fwd: N. Korea’s satellite prompts S. Korea’s call to extend its missile range

*Image Source/ caption*
'South Korean Foreign Minister, Yu Myung-whan, right, and Unification Minister, Hyun In-taek, report on North Korea’s rocket launching at the National Assembly, April 6.'

http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_northkorea/348430.html
N. Korea’s satellite prompts S. Korea’s call to extend its missile range: While critics suggest increasing the missile range is an unnecessary step in restoring peninsular stability
Posted on : Apr.7,2009 11:56 KST Modified on : Apr.7,2009 12:22 KST

South Korean Prime Minister Han Seung-soo told the National Assembly on April 6, “It’s time for defense and diplomatic authorities to seriously review the issue of revising the South Korea-U.S. missile guidelines.” Remarks made by Han over the need to redraw the South Korea-U.S. missile guidelines are drawing attention, especially as conservative politicians and organizations have raised the topic of South Korea’s missile sovereignty intermittently in the past.

Han’s argument is based on the premise of an imbalance of missile technology between South Korea and North Korea. Since 2007, North Korea has deployed new mid-range missiles with a range of more than 3,000 kilometers. Sunday’s launch of a long-range rocket proved that North Korea has further advanced its long-range missile technology, giving evidence that South Korea is lagging comparatively far behind in missile technology development. In order for South Korea to catch up with North Korea missile capacity, some conservative politicians argue that Seoul should revise the guidelines with the U.S. that currently restrict its missile capacity to a 300 kilometer range and a 500 kilogram payload.

The South Korea-U.S. missile guidelines emerged from an agreement made in the 1970s when the late South Korean president Park Chung-hee attempted to develop long-range missile technology as part of a “self-defense” initiative. At that time, the U.S. restricted South Korea’s missile development range to 180 kilometers.

When North Korea fired off the Kwangmyongsong-1 (or Lodestar) satellite in August 1998, public opinion swirled in South Korea around the idea of developing its own long-range missile. South Korea and the U.S. eventually came to an agreement to extend the permitted range of its missile capacity to 300 kilometers. South Korea then notified Japan, China and North Korea of the new guidelines and became the 33rd member of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) in March 2001.

In the past, in lieu of developing ballistic missiles that are restricted by the MTCR, South Korea developed cruise missiles, which do not share the same range restrictions, and positioned them within striking distance of North Korea. Currently, South Korea possesses the Hyunmu-3 cruise missile that has a range of 1,500 kilometers.

Extending the permitted range of South Korea’s ballistic missiles requires reconsideration of the South Korea-U.S. missile guidelines and membership in MTCR. If it does so, analysts anticipate a clash with the U.S., which seeks to limit missile proliferation worldwide. For President Lee Myung-bak’s administration, which boasts warmer ties with the U.S. as one of his key achievements, it will not be an easy choice. Some analysts suggest the need for a cautious approach by the administration because increasing missile capacity could spark an arms race with Japan and other neighboring nations.

Jeong Wook-shik, a representative of the Peace Network, a civic organization for peace research, said, “The confrontation regarding the missile arsenal on the Korean Peninsula is not just between South and North Korea, but is rather a confrontation between South Korea, the U.S. and North Korea.” Jeong also said, “Given the missile defense capability of the U.S., the argument that the South-North missile balance has collapsed isn’t true.”

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]

© 2006 The Hankyoreh Media Company. All rights reserved.

Text fwd: N. Korea continues its solitary celebration of a “successful satellite launch”

* Image source/ caption*

Same as the article below:
'North Korean employees working on the banks of the Yalu River in the North Korean city of Hyesan, which borders China‘s Changbai county, April 6. North Korea fired a long-range rocket over Japan on Sunday.'

http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_northkorea/348428.html
N. Korea continues its solitary celebration of a “successful satellite launch”: N. Korea prepares for Kim Jong-il’s third term, while U.S. reports satellite launch failure Posted on : Apr.7,2009 11:30 KST Modified on : Apr.7,2009 12:31 KST

When asked about the launch by reporters while heading to his New York mission office Sunday, local time, Shin Son-ho, North Korea’s ambassador to the United Nations, said, “We are happy. Very, very successful. You should congratulate us.”　North Korea’s state-run Korean Central News Agency reported Monday that Kim Jong-il expressed “great satisfaction” after watching the entire launch process Sunday. Other North Korean television stations and newspapers continued broadcasts about a “successful satellite launch” into Monday.

Sources say that2

Experts are saying that North Korea’s claims of success are motivated by domestic political concerns. Kim Yeon-cheol, Director of Hankyoreh Peace Research Institute, said that such concerns include “demonstrating the legitimacy of the system ahead of the launching of Kim Jong-il’s third term at the first meeting of the 12th Supreme People‘s Council on Thursday, and inspiring hope towards the building of a ‘strong and prosperous nation’ by 2012.” North Korean media have directly linked the satellite launch to building internal unity, for example announcing that “the success of this satellite launch greatly inspires our people during a turbulent time” and is an act of “throwing open the doors.”

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]
© 2006 The Hankyoreh Media Company.


　

Text Fwd: N. Korea announces Chairman Kim Jong-il personally oversaw satellite launch

* Image Source/ caption*
same as the article below.

'North Korea’s National Defense Commission Chairman Kim Jong-il poses with scientists, who were involved in the satellite launching, at the General Satellite Control and Command Center, April 5.'

http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_northkorea/348431.html
N. Korea announces Chairman Kim Jong-il personally oversaw satellite launch: Experts suggest launch is being used to legitimate the third regime of Kim Jong-il
Posted on : Apr.7,2009 12:10 KST Modified on : Apr.7,2009 12:48 KST

In an unprecedented move, North Korea announced National Defense Commission Chairman Kim Jong-il personally oversaw the launch. On April 6, North Korean news outlets reported that Kim visited the General Satellite Control and Command Center and observed the entire launch process of the Kwangmyongsong (or Lode Star)-2 satellite. Korea Central Television reported a successful liftoff, saying there were “storm-like cheers and applause when Kwangmyongsong-2 was smoothly and accurately put into its orbit.” The broadcaster said scientists and technicians expressed their great appreciation to the North Korean leader.

The news reported, “Expressing great satisfaction over the fact that scientists and technicians of the DPRK (North Korea) successfully launched the satellite with their own wisdom and technology, he (Kim) highly appreciated their feats and extended thanks to them.” They also said, Kim “met with the scientists and technicians who have contributed to the satellite launch by devoting all their wisdom and enthusiasm with ardent patriotism, and warmly encouraged them before posing with them for a photograph.”

North Korea fired off the Kwangmyongsong-1 satellite in 1998 and the Taepodong-2 rocket in 2006, but it was the first time that North Korea reported Kim personally observing a launch, although they did not say where the general command center is located. Analysts also note that it is unprecedented to report Kim’s whereabouts on the day of the liftoff. A source at the South Korean government said, “Kim stayed at Pyongyang on the day of the launch,” indicating the center may be located at Pyongyang.

Both unveiling the leader’s whereabouts and releasing messages underscoring the significance the event had to authorities, indicate a signal to the United States and others that the rocket launch was the result of a direct order by Kim. Some interpret these events as a way to laud its technology prowess in anticipation of the annual meeting of the Supreme People’s Assembly and the inauguration of the “third regime of Kim Jong-il” on April 9.

Analysts, however, suggest that Kim is likely to lose his credibility as a result of this move by directly participating in propaganda that claims the launch was a success when other nations call the satellite launch a failure. Some observers say North Korea may be bearing the brunt of not undermining Kim’s legitimacy, and placing too much weight on the satellite launch for the sake of internal politics.

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]


© 2006 The Hankyoreh Media Company.