Tracking Number: 432266
Title: "Asian Security: Korean Peninsula Back in Spotlight." (960409)
Date: 19960409
Text:
FOREIGN MEDIA REACTION DAILY DIGEST
USIA OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND MEDIA REACTION
U.S. INFORMATION AGENCY, WASHINGTON, DC 20547
PATRICIA McARDLE, BRANCH CHIEF MEDIA REACTION, (R/MR)
TELE. No. (202)619-6511
ANN PINCUS, DIRECTOR
Tuesday, April 9, 1996
ASIAN SECURITY: KOREAN PENINSULA BACK IN SPOTLIGHT
With President Clinton scheduled to visit South Korea and Japan next week, elections this Thursday in South Korea, and North Korea resuming a menacing pose, foreign commentators turned their attention to the once again tense Korean peninsula. Radio broadcasts in Pyongyang predictably excoriated South Korea for "reckless military actions" and Japan for aspiring to reinvade Korea, and warned that "provokers" would be punished a "thousand-fold."
Pyongyang's announcement that it would no longer respect the demilitarized zone and Seoul's order to its troops to shoot any North Korean soldiers who enter the southern half of the DMZ preoccupied Asian and European editors. While concerned about the possibility of outright hostilities, most pundits, even in Seoul, concluded that Pyongyang's purpose was not to wage war but to disrupt South Korean-U.S. solidarity and to force direct U.S.-North Korean dealings. All thus agreed with Seoul's moderate Hankook Ilbo that the U.S. role was "very critical." While analysts continued to believe that North Korean military moves were actually diplomatic maneuvers meant, among other things, to further Pyongyang's persistent quest to bypass Seoul and deal directly with Washington, they also fretted that accidents or misunderstandings could trigger hostilities. Several pointedly insisted that military bluster was not the way to achieve political gain. Asian writers were particularly concerned about the North's brinkmanship and looked to Washington for clarity and a show of resolve. Indonesia's independent Surya of Surabaya, however, urged the U.S. not to send AWACS to Seoul, lest that exacerbate tensions. Only in Seoul did a paper suggest that the UN Security Council should be called on to control the situation. Writers who saw this week's South Korean elections as a factor prompting Pyongyang's actions predicted that the South Korean electorate, which they compared to Taiwan's, would not be intimidated by North Korean military "gesturing."
Most observers, while still wary of Pyongyang, interpreted the latest events pragmatically. One common view was that the threatening military moves constituted what Moscow's reformist, business-oriented Kommersant Daily called "North Korea's way of asking for U.S. aid" to help alleviate its latest food and fuel crisis. Hong Kong's independent Ming Pao Daily News judged that the current volatility could as a side effect be "beneficial" for Sino-U.S. relations, because a Washington in need of Beijing's cooperation on North Korea would be more willing to make concessions to China. In Paris, economic Les Echos contended that the tension was actually "timely" and "comforting" for President Clinton, because it could help him convince a reluctant Congress of the need to maintain the 100,000 strong U.S. troop presence in Japan and South Korea. For its part, Berlin's centrist Der Tagesspiegel uttered a cautionary note to a trade-bent and individualistic Europe: "Those who want to tame Pyongyang must have an influence on the government in Beijing. This can be done by Europe only with the cooperation of all states if Europe wants to do more than to strike deals."
This report is based on 48 commentaries from 15 countries, Mar. 29-Apr. 9.
EDITOR: Rose Sue Berstein EAST ASIA AND PACIFIC
SOUTH KOREA: "UN Should Take Lead"
Independent Dong-A Ilbo asserted (4/9), "North Korea is testing and taking advantage of South Korea's and Washington's patience. The North is trying to nullify the armistice agreement and get a peace treaty with the United States. The North should know there will be no treaty. To defy Northern threats, both South Korea and the United States must be solidly united. The North is in a serious violation of the armistice agreement, and the UN should take the matter to the Security Council."
"Korea, China Eye Japan's Increasing Role In Asian Security"
Conservative Chosun Ilbo commented (4/9), "U.S.-Japan security ties are going to be redefined at the upcoming summit. The result will be a new Japan playing a greater role in its own defense and in the maintenance of peace in Asia. How are China and Korea going to respond to Japan's taking on this new role? China has already expressed concern. The Korean situation is much more complicated. On the one hand, a strong Japan may contribute to its own security. On the other hand, Japan's new role is likely to complicate Korea's security role in Asia."
"Time To Show ROK-U.S. Solidarity"
Moderate Hankook Ilbo asserted (4/8), "North Korea declared it will no longer maintain the demilitarized zone. It later made a show of force near the DMZ, posing a serious military threat to us. The purpose of this is to shake South Korean-U.S. solidarity. So it was very appropriate that Foreign Minister Gong and U.S. Ambassador Laney jointly confirmed the solidarity between the two countries, and it's even more important that at the upcoming Kim-Clinton summit on Cheju the two leaders reconfirm a mutual commitment for peace on this peninsula. Only when united in strong solidarity can the two countries deal with Northern threats and acts of aggression. The U.S. role on this peninsula is very critical."
"North Korea Is Eyeing U.S. Inducements"
Dong-A Ilbo said (4/2), "U.S. inducements seem to have brought about North Korean agreement to the upcoming missile talks. Before making any commitment to stop missile exports, North Korea wants Washington to do things such as relax sanctions, remove it from the list of terrorism-sponsoring nations, and provide monetary compensation for what it would otherwise make from the missile exports. The problem is that Washington has to obey its own laws, and that makes it difficult for the United States to give the North what it wants. Moreover, Washington seems to have no intention of providing funds to compensate North Korea for lost missile sales. Washington is said to be hoping that Israel and Japan will take care of those costs. All these problems decrease the likelihood that the talks will produce immediate tangible results. Meanwhile, ROK officials are uncomfortable with the fact that South Korea won't be present at the talks."
"How To Prepare For U.S.-North Korea Missile Talks"
Government-owned Seoul Shinmun asserted (4/2), "North Korea's missiles pose a direct threat to us. In a way, we are more concerned about North Korea's missile capacity than a nuclear threat. The missile talks coming up in Berlin are said to be aimed at controlling the North's missiles, but it's always possible that the talks will also cover missile technology transfer. "Because the outcome of the talks is of great importance to our security, our security interests should be seriously considered at the talks. A three-nation consortium, including Japan, may prove useful."
NORTH KOREA: "South Korean Puppets' War Madness Reached Its Extreme"
Korean Central Broadcast of Pyongyang said (4/3), "The Kim Yong-sam ring is now indiscreetly running wild, trying to find a way out of its current and ever-increasing ruling crisis by further strengthening its anti-republic confrontation and adventurous war provocation maneuvers.... The Kim Yong-sam bellicose group, which has made it an established fact to provoke a war of northward invasion, is frantically waging various types of large military exercises in the air, on the ground and in the sea in an attempt to put its criminal, sinister schemes into practice....
"We are watching the reckless military actions of the South Korean puppets with great vigilance. It is the revolutionary disposition of our people and army to fight fire with fire and to punish the provokers a thousand-fold.... Those forces who are chiming in with the Kim Yong-sam ring's allegation about the North's military threat should know that if a war is ignited on the Korean peninsula, they will not be safe and cannot escape responsibility for it."
"Japan Accused Of Ambition To Reinvade Korea"
Korean Central Broadcasting said (4/2), "According to a report, Japan's maneuvers, backed by the United States, to achieve its ambition to reinvade the Korean peninsula...are becoming all the more undisguised.... The chairman of the political affairs research council of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party...emphasized that they should first resolve the issue of constitutional interpretation of whether collective self-defense measures can be exercised...in case of an emergency in the Far East....
(Tokyo's) Asahi Shimbun also disclosed that he even insisted the current constitutional interpretation enables rear area assistance, such as Japan's providing fuel for U.S. troops in case of an emergency in the Korean peninsula. This remark shows that they are working to rapidly revise the law so that it will be favorable in realizing their ambition to reinvade the Korean peninsula, and that they are openly proposing for the time being, even by unreasonably applying the current constitution, that they will all the more strengthen their military alliance with the United States to realize their ambitions of reinvasion."
AUSTRALIA: "Time To Draw The Line"
Melbourne's liberal Age held (4/9), "One of the greatest risks in the flaring hostility between North and South Korea is that of misunderstanding.... Analysts are presuming that, by making the DMZ unworkable, North Korea hopes to force the West to deal with it directly....
"South Koreans, for their part, are hoping that the meeting between President Clinton and their president, Kim Young-sam, will signal to North Korea that the United States...will not negotiate a peace treaty that excludes Seoul.... This is where the danger of misunderstanding is greatest. If the United States does not make it clear where it stands, the North may be tempted to precipitate a disaster (as it did when the United States allowed it to consider South Korea undefended in 1950). Mr. Clinton was accused of being tardy in telling China to keep its distance from Taiwan before a similar show of borderline belligerence by a Communist country with designs on its nominal countrymen last month.... "The United States, which has sensibly played down the risk of renewed conflict on the divided Korean peninsula, now faces similar pressure to show resolve. Mr. Clinton's visit to South Korea must ensure that the mistakes of 1950 are not repeated."
"Saber Rattling By North Korea"
The national, conservative Australian opined (4/8), "North Korea, incapable of winning a war against the South yet seemingly all too ready to wage one, continues to be a volatile source of tension and instability in Asia.... Pyongyang appears to see an advantage in moving toward better relations with the United States while maintaining a technical state of war with South Korea. But the United States insists, rightly, that it is up to the two Koreas to conclude a formal peace. President Clinton is to visit Seoul next week on his way to a summit in Tokyo. In both capitals he is expected to make a welcome reaffirmation of the United States' security commitment to the region. The events of recent days also call for a firm reiteration that Washington will not be a party to negotiations that exclude South Korea."
HONG KONG: "Tension Beneficial To Sino-U.S. Relaxation"
The independent Ming Pao Daily News held (4/8), "The tenser the situation in the Korean peninsula, the more the United States will need Beijing's cooperation. Hence, it will make more concessions to Beijing. So there will be a greater chance for the Sino-U.S. relationship to improve."
"On The Brink"
The leading, independent South China Morning Post opined (4/6), "Just as it engaged in brinkmanship to wring concessions out of Washington in the run-up to the 1994 accord on its nuclear program, so North Korea is now trying to scare the United States into concluding a peace accord that would make it easier to seek international economic cooperation."
"Korean Peninsula Tense Again"
Hsiang Tung commented in leading pro-PRC Ta Kung Pao (4/6), "The Korean peninsula is suddenly in the spotlight of the world again.... The (North Korean) spokesman blamed the breach of the stipulations on the demilitarized zone on South Korea, claiming that, as South Korea was transporting large numbers of troops and heavy weapons into the demilitarized zone, it 'can no longer unilaterally continue to observe the relevant provisions (in the Armistice agreement.)'...
"The sudden disturbance in the Korean peninsula has also greatly shocked neighboring Japan, particularly when the Japanese government is actively seeking the reopening of talks on normalization of diplomatic relations with North Korea....
"Most scholars of international relations, however, doubt that North Korea will really take important action of military significance. This is because North Korea recently accepted the U.S. proposal to hold talks on sales of guided missiles with the United States in Berlin on April 19. There is not much possibility that North Korea would try to make a breakthrough in diplomacy toward the United States, on the one hand, and initiate large-scale military operations in the Korean peninsula, on the other hand." INDONESIA: "Relations Between Koreas Back In The Spotlight"
Leading, independent Kompas held (4/9), "Pyongyang's latest action was not for military interests but diplomatic. It was a timely move designed for President Clinton's forthcoming visit to Seoul to pressure the United States to attend to the Korean issue. North Korea's objectives are in accordance with its national interests. However, we are worried, as it has become increasingly obvious that its interests are driven by high-risk policies inviting conflict.... Several rounds of talks brought reunification no closer and instead prompted these alarming actions. It is our hope that this legacy of the Cold War can be settled, particularly by the major powers who had a role in its creation."
"Pyongyang's Bluff"
Independent, critical Media Indonesia (4/9) commented, "The situation in the Korean Peninsula is stagnant--there is neither peace nor war. The current situation in North Korea weakens its ability to invade South Korea. North Korea currently suffers food shortages and is losing technological strength and allies. If North Korean troops suddenly marched into the demilitarized zone, it would be Pyongyang's ploy to divert attention away from its domestic problems. In any case, the conflict in the Korean peninsula is one between its leaders, not its people."
"AWACS Would Increase Tension In Korean Peninsula"
Independent Surya of Surabaya opined (4/9), "The breakup of the former USSR dissolved the balance of power in various regions, including that of the Korean Peninsula.... That is why it is difficult to understand why North Korea was so bold as to penetrate the Demilitarized Zone.... The feeling is that the United States should not fulfill the request for AWACS airplanes. The tension in the Korean Peninsula has not yet reached a dangerous point. Sending AWACS would only intensify the situation."
JAPAN: "Redefinition Of U.S.-Japan Security Arrangement"
Conservative Sankei held (4/8), "A determination should be made clear to nip in the bud a potential threat in the Asian region.... The U.S.-Japan security framework will be expanded, through its redefinition, to cover the security of the Asia-Pacific region. The U.S. role as the superpower will be different from that of Japan, whose defense policy is restricted to self-defense. We should not forget, however, the status quo that Japan's constitutional ban on collective defense may obstruct the smooth functioning of the bilateral security system--namely, Japan would give enough support to the U.S. military in case of an emergency in the Far East."
"Back To Starting Point In Reaffirmation Of Security Ties"
Business-oriented Nihon Keizai's senior writer Ina remarked (4/8), "Under the bilateral security treaty, the United States acts as a sword while Japan serves as a shield. Close defense cooperation based on these bilateral roles is as important as ever."
PHILIPPINES: "U.S. Troops Still In Asia"
Journalist Floro L. Mercene, a long-time resident of China, wrote in the government-controlled Philippine Journal (3/29), "Why does the United States insist on keeping 100,000 troops in Asia? Some officials point to the need for troops as reinforcements in case war breaks out in the Korean peninsula. Yet that threat appears increasingly remote. North Korea is growing economically weaker month by month to the point where it's not clear it can ever count on feeding its troops or putting fuel in its planes.... The real reason, observers note, seems to be sheer symbolism: The United States has decided that keeping 100,000 troops in Asia is necessary to show other Asian governments that the United States is not withdrawing from Asia."
SINGAPORE: "Don't Play Chicken"
The pro-government Straits Times opined (4/9), "Famine-like conditions and a fuel crisis, the latest manifestation of its endemic economic problems, have made it dependent more than ever on international assistance and, true to form, it wants to exact this through brinkmanship.... It wants relations with the outside world, particularly the United States and Japan, while keeping its arch-rival, South Korea, out of the equation....
"It might appear reassuring that North Korea is intent, not on starting a war but on initiating a diplomatic dialogue, but this is not enough.... North Korea must be made to understand that there are legitimate ways for it to seek international acceptance and aid to steer it through this economic crisis, which gladdens no hearts anywhere. Threatening the South, or appearing to do so, is not one of them."
THAILAND: "North Korea Actions Baffle Friends And Foes Alike"
The lead editorial in the top-circulation English-language Bangkok Post (4/8) commented on the heightened tension on the Korean Peninsula as a result of Pyongyang's announcement that it will no longer abide by the rules governing the demilitarized zone. Speculating that Pyongyang may be doing this "to back up its demands for negotiations with the United States," the paper opined, "Washington has long rejected overtures for a bilateral peace treaty with Pyongyang, insisting that the two Koreas thrash out their own problems. In this, the United States is correct. Koreans must solve their own disputes.... Pyongyang's few friends, as well as diplomats who know the Koreans, must urge the North to begin acting in a constructive manner. By constantly seeking confrontation, Pyongyang puts the entire region at risk. Restraint is definitely the correct policy for North Korea if it is to be accepted in today's world."
"Cold War Legacy Still Haunts Region"
An editorial-page commentary (4/9) in the independent, English-language Nation by contributing editor Walden Bello said, "We all want to leave the Cold War behind, which is why the apparent North Korean motive in announcing that it will no longer respect the rules governing the demilitarized zone established by the Armistice of 1953 does not seem unreasonable. This puts pressure on the United States to sign a peace treaty that would end what is technically a state of war between the two countries, which has now lasted for 46 years....
"Most Asians really don't care about the circumstances of the latest 'crisis,' like who provoked whom, etc. What they desperately want is for Pyongyang, Washington and Seoul to sit down at the same table as soon as possible and hammer out the only viable guarantee of peace in Northeast Asia: a comprehensive peace agreement that would formally end the Korean War, provide for significant demilitarization of the Korean peninsula, get U.S. troops out of South Korea, and pave the way for the reunification of the Korean nation.... Give Koreans the opportunity to work out their problems by themselves."
"Press Freedom Takes A Step Back In South Korea
The Nation (4/5) commented, "Being a foreign journalist in South Korea is not as easy as it used to be. Correspondents say they feel intimidated and the Seoul government, it seems, has adopted the same approach against the foreign media as Singapore. The South Korean government has taken legal action against some foreign publications and has refused to renew the work visa of the correspondent of the Australian Financial Review, Bruce Cheeseman.... Of course, it would be a slight exaggeration to say that foreign correspondents are operating in a climate of fear in South Korea. But there's definitely a sense of some type of intimidation and journalists need to take extra caution if they are writing about the president or the first family. The overwhelming possibility is that a legal suit or an expulsion order could be in order for a foreign reporter who oversteps the line in South Korea."
"Problem Of Succession Faced By North Korea"
The Bangkok Post (4/1) commented, "In recent months, the economy and...condition of North Korea has worsened from its already unfortunate position. Great hunger has occurred and close calls with starvation have reportedly been averted only by emergency aid of Thai rice.... The lack of transparency by North Korea...fosters mistrust. Pyongyang has been less than honest even about the extent and causes of its recent near-famine. It requested, and then withdrew, requests for international aid. Last week, a defector from the regime claimed North Korea has reverted once again to selling illicit narcotics in order to gain foreign currency. International inspectors from the United Nations reported last month that Pyongyang has broken its promise to supply information on stock-piled nuclear weapons material....
"Until North Korea shows it wishes to take its place in a cooperative world order, other nations must treat Pyongyang gingerly. The U.S. troop commander in Korea, Gen. Gary Luck, has predicted North Korea will disintegrate, possibly in a very short time. Others believe Kim Jong-il is strong enough--for now--to ensure the regime survives. There is no reason to show support for Mr. Kim or his regime, apart from providing aid if necessary to feed hungry North Koreans. But it is also important that no country provide North Korea with an excuse to make war."
EUROPE
GERMANY: "Pyongyang Risking Own Goal"
Southeast Asia correspondent Gebhard Hielscher opined in centrist Sueddeutsche Zeitung of Munich (4/9), "The reasons for the tensions are obvious: The regime in Pyongyang wants to drive a wedge between Washington and Seoul and thus weaken the security alliance between the United States and South Korea. In addition, South Korea is to be presented as a U.S. proxy and thus be downgraded internationally.... It is to be feared that the regime in Pyongyang will escalate its provocations, hoping that the government in Washington will make partial concessions in order to avert an increasingly threatening danger of a war.
"But if Pyongyang goes too far, it could feel its bilateral relationship with Washington in a manner it will certainly not expect: In case of a crisis, the U.S. supreme commander in South Korea will also have the command over the South Korean forces. And by the way, the current provocations will also strengthen the beleaguered governing party in South Korea. And this election assistance can be recorded as scoring against one'sself."
"Via China"
Centrist Der Tagesspiegel of Berlin said (4/9), "After the end of the USSR, China is for North Korea the gate to the world. And the path to Pyongyang leads via Beijing.... The United States continues to be the only power which is able to contain China's armed striving for supremacy in the Pacific Basin. The new Korea crisis, therefore, also has a message for Europe, which is about to redisover the Asian-Pacific region: Those who want to tame Pyongyang must have influence on the government in Beijing. This can be done by Europe only with the cooperation of all states if Europe wants to do more than to strike deals."
"Illusory Relief"
Right-of-center Nuernberger Zeitung (4/9) argued, "The assumption that Kim Jong-il is only interested in forcing the United States to conclude a peace treaty with North Korea is creating relief only at first inspection. With such a policy, the Communist leader will only make himself dependent on his military, which is possibly not opposed to measuring its force against the South in the battlefield."
RUSSIA: "Pyongyang Urged To Exercise Restraint"
Maxim Yusin held in reformist Izvestia (4/9), "Pyongyang's actions caused anxiety not only in Seoul, Washington and Tokyo, but also in Moscow and Beijing.... Believing that Pyongyang has started an extremely dangerous game, Moscow is trying to influence its leaders, urging restraint.... According to most experts, North Korea will hardly risk a direct attack, as its leaders have something else in mind. By increasing tension, they hope to impel the United States to engage in direct peace talks."
"North Korea's Way Of Asking For U.S. Aid"
Natalia Kalashnikova said in reformist, business-oriented Kommersant Daily (4/9), "Well versed in the 'peaceful uses' of their war arsenal (a reference to their nuclear-program bargain with the United States and South Korea), the Pyongyang authorities have decided to try their luck once again. Anyhow, it was the United States they turned to for emergency aid in money and rice.... Seoul, too, won't miss an opportunity to reap propaganda benefits by playing up another threat from North Korea.... Whether or not Clinton will want to take advantage of the Korean story is yet unknown. It is clear, though, that further developments will largely depend on his decision."
"North Korea Puts Pressure On U.S."
Ivan Shomov held in reformist Segodnya (4/6), "Pyongyang's latest move (regarding the demilitarized zone), while being quite dangerous, can hardly be called unexpected.... In fact, all of its latest demarches are meant for Washington, not Seoul. The one which was made the day before yesterday is viewed by many observers as a means to bring pressure to bear on the United States.... Pyongyang wants the current truce agreement replaced with a peace treaty, so it can deal directly with Washington and make the Americans recognize the North Korean authorities as a full partner in handling the Korean peninsula's many problems."
BRITAIN: "Diplomatic Salvo"
The centrist Independent judged (4/9), "History dictates that the Stalinist period piece in the North must fail or transmute into something more like a modern pluralist state. But Pyongyang thwarts history.... The country is sliding further from the path of development.... Washington has kept cool. What the North Koreans want is the wherewithal to keep the country going, having made minimal political concessions. They seem to want a bilateral treaty with the United States that would permit trade and aid to flow to the North.
"The United States has abiding obligations to the South but must also think about Northeast Asian security. Dealing with North Korea is like dealing with a cunning psychopath. But sometimes even psychopaths are worth talking to, provided straitjackets are in place, the windows barred and the guards armed."
"War Alert As South Korea Orders Communists Shot On Sight"
The conservative tabloid Daily Mail (4/9) reported, "South Korean soldiers were last night ordered to shoot on sight any Communist intruders from the North as the crisis between the Asian neighbors deepened.... Diplomats have sought to play down fears that North Korea may risk a military attack in a desperate bid to divert attention from its growing economic crisis."
"North's Threats Mean Votes For President Kim" The conservative Daily Telegraph (4/9) said, "As usual, no one knows quite what North Korea hopes to gain by its posturing.... Similar provocations in 1994 were aimed at forcing the United States to talk directly to Pyongyang. It now does, albeit at a low level. Talks on neutralizing the North's suspected nuclear weapons program are progressing smoothly....
"Pyongyang's leaders may be hoping that the same tactics will persuade the United States to lift its economic embargo. But the most likely effect will be to help President Kim's party to win the general election next Thursday."
"Bad Timing For Pyongyang's Campaign"
The Independent (4/9) said, "Pyongyang's strategy appears to be aimed at pressuring the United States into concluding a separate peace treaty with the North, excluding Seoul. But it is complicated by elections to be held in South Korea next Thursday. The timing of the scare suggests it was intended to undermine the NKP's campaign but its effect may turn out to be the opposite. Mr. Kim's statesmanlike response may even tip the balance in his party's favor."
FRANCE: "Timely Gesturing By North Korea"
Economic Les Echos held (4/9), "For President Clinton, this tension can only be comforting, as he tries to keep 100,000 American soldiers in East Asia, essentially in South Korea and Japan, against an isolationist Congress. In one word, the North Korean gesturing comes at the right moment."
"Seoul Exploits Tensions With North"
Economic La Tribune opined (4/9), "Most South Koreans are used to the threats of their neighbor...and it is doubtful that this new crisis will upset the results of the vote."
ITALY: "Winds Of War Between Two Koreas"
Financial Il Sole-24 Ore held on (4/6), "North Korea's decision to no longer respect the demilitarized area along the border with South Korea is ambiguous and provocative as much as it is unexpected. Pyongyang's war machine, albeit outdated, is huge and could again be set in motion by desperation.... Seoul did not like the recent 'advances' made by Pyongyang to the United States and Japan. The latest move by the Communist regime can also be interpreted as a means to signing a peace treaty directly with Washington and to open trade and diplomatic relations with the United States, bypassing Seoul. In sum, not a declaration of war on the South, but the umpteenth attempt at ignoring its existence. As in the case of the recent Taiwan-China crisis (that one also on the eve of an electoral appointment), the task of reducing the tension and acting as mediator falls on the shoulders of the United States. The latter hopes to achieve peacefully the logical conclusion of a crazy century: reunification of Korea."
BELGIUM: "Clinton To Pay Surprise Visit To South Korea"
Foreign Editor Pierre Lefevre wrote (4/5) in independent Le Soir, "The U.S. president's decision to pay a surprise visit to South Korea on April 16--on his way to Tokyo, primarily to talk about security issues--reflects the United States' will to reassure its Asian allies against the main sources of regional instability." NNNN
Product Name: Foreign Media Reaction
Product Code: FM
Keywords: KOREA (NORTH)-KOREA (SOUTH) RELATIONS; NEWS MEDIA COMMENTARY; DEMILITARIZED ZONES; KOREA (SOUTH)-US RELATIONS; KOREA
(NORTH)-US RELATIONS; KOREA (NORTH)/Defense & Military
Document Type: EXC; RPT
Thematic Codes: 1EA
Target Areas: AF; AR; EA; EU; NE
PDQ Text Link: 432266
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