DATE= 10/2/97
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-37688
TITLE=KOREAN PENINSULA PEACE
BYLINE=CHRIS SIMKINS
DATELINE=SEOUL
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT KIM YOUNG-SAM SAYS WAR ON THE
KOREAN PENINSULA MUST BE DETERRED BY ALL MEANS. HE WARNS THAT
SEOUL'S NEIGHBOR, NORTH KOREA, IS CONTINUING TO INCREASE ITS
MILITARY POWER. PRESIDENT KIM'S COMMENTS WERE MADE (WEDNESDAY)
DURING A SPEECH TO MILITARY LEADERS ON ARMED FORCES DAY. VOA
CORRESPONDENT CHRIS SIMKINS REPORTS FROM THE SOUTH KOREAN CAPITAL
SEOUL DESPITE EFFORTS FOR NORTH-SOUTH RECONCILIATION TENSIONS ON
THE KOREAN PENINSULA REMAIN HIGH.
TEXT: MORE THAN 44 YEARS HAVE PASSED SINCE THE END OF THE KOREAN
WAR AND THE SIGNING OF THE ARMISTICE. THE TREATY WAS SIGNED
BETWEEN NORTH KOREA AND THE UNITED STATES, WHICH MEANS NORTH AND
SOUTH KOREA ARE TECHNICALLY STILL AND WAR. THAT FACT IS CLEARLY
ILLUSTRATED ALONG THE MOST FORTIFIED BORDER IN THE WORLD, JUST
NORTH OF SEOUL. MORE THAN 100-THOUSAND SOLDIERS ARE STATIONED
ALONG THE BORDER. THRITY-SEVEN THOUSAND U-S TROOPS ARE ALSO
STATIONED IN SOUTH KOREA TO DETER AN INVASION FROM THE NORTH.
SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT KIM YOUNG-SAM SAID EARLIER THIS WEEK THAT
AS LONG AS NORTH KOREA'S STRATEGY OF TRYING TO SPREAD COMMUNISM
TO THE SOUTH BY FORCE REMAINS, SOUTH KOREA WOULD NEVER RELAX ITS
DEFENSIVE POSTURE.
THIS YEAR THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL SHOOTING INCIDENTS INVOLVING
NORTH AND SOUTH KOREAN TROOPS ALONG THE BORDER. AND THERE WAS AN
INCURSION BY NORTH KOREAN SOLDIERS FROM A SUBMARINE THAT RAN
AGROUND IN SOUTH KOREAN WATERS. THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN RECENT U-S
INTELLIGENCE REPORTS SUGGESTING NORTH KOREA IS DEVELOPING A LONG
RANGE MISSILE THAT POSES A THREAT TO SOUTH KOREA, JAPAN AND EVEN
PARTS OF THE UNITED STATES. U-S ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR
EAST ASIAN AND PACIFIC AFFAIRS, STANLEY ROTH, SAYS HE SUPPORTS
THE PEACEFUL REUNIFICATION OF THE KOREAN PENINSULA. BUT HE SAYS
THERE IS STILL A LARGE MILITARY THREAT FROM THE NORTH.
/// ROTH ACT ///
AMERICAN POLICY TOWARDS NORTH KOREA REST ON TWO PILLARS
DETERRANCE AS WELL AS DIPLOMACY. WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE NO
ILLUSIONS THE KOREAN PENINSULA REMAINS A POTENTIALITY
DANGEROUS PLACE AND DETERRANCE REMAINS VITAL. BUT WE
HAVE SUPPLEMENTED NOT SURPLANTED A POLICY OF DETERRANCE
WITH DIPLOMACY WITH NORTH KOREA WITH THE FOUR PARTY
TALKS.
/// END ACT ///
MR.ROTH SAYS IT IS VITAL TO GET NORTH KOREA TO RETURN TO THE
FOUR-PARTY PEACE TALKS AIMED AT REACHING AGREEMENT ON A PERMANENT
PEACE TREATY FOR THE KOREAN PENINSULA. THE TALKS BEING HELD IN
NEW YORK COLLASPED LAST MONTH AFTER NORTH KOREA INSISTED ON THE
WITHDRAWAL OF U-S TROOPS FROM SOUTH KOREA AND MORE FOOD AID FOR
STARVING NORTH KOREANS.
IN AN INTERVIEW WITH VOA HELD EARLIER IN HONG KONG, FORMER U-S
SECRETARY OF STATE GEORGE SHULTZ SAID NORTH KOREA SHOULD NOT BE
GRANTED CONCESSIONS FOR ITS PARTICIPATION IN THE FOUR PARTY PEACE
TALKS.
/// SHULTZ ACT ///
NORTH KOREA SEEMS TO USE ITS WILLINGNESS TO TAKE PART IN
TALKS AS THOUGH IT'S A BARGAINING CHIP. IT IS NOT A
BARGAINING CHIP. THEY ARE A COUNTRY THAT DESPERATELY
NEEDS TO CHANGE ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH ITS NEIGHBORHOOD
AND WITH THE WORLD GENERALLY. SO WE ARE READY TO HAVE
THAT HAPPEN, BUT WE SHOULD NOT BE READY TO PAY ANY
PARTICULAR PRICE JUST FOR THEM TO COME TO THE
NEGOTIATING TABLE AND THEY ARE ALWAYS TRYING TO MANEUVER
IT THAT WAY.
/// END ACT ///
MR. SHULTZ SAYS AS LONG AS THERE IS THE THREAT FROM NORTH KOREA'S
MILITARY, THERE HAS TO BE A COUNTER WITH A SUBSTANTIAL LEVEL OF
U-S AND SOUTH KOREAN FORCES. BUT HE MAINTAINS IF THE SECURITY
THREAT DECREASES GREATLY OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS, THEN A NEW
MILITARY STRATEGY ON THE KOREAN PENINSULA SHOULD BE CONSIDERED.
ANALYSTS SAY THEY DO NOT SEE SECURITY ARRAGEMENTS CHANGING
ANYTIME SOON . THEY ALSO SAY NORTH KOREA'S RETURN TO THE FOUR
PARTY PEACE TALKS MIGHT NOT HAPPEN UNTIL LEADERS IN PYONGYANG
SEE WHO IS ELECTED AS SOUTH KOREA'S NEXT PRESIDENT IN DECEMBER.
(SIGNED)
NEB/CS/EH
02-Oct-97 3:05 AM EDT (0705 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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