DATE=6/3/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-40585
TITLE=U-S / KOREA
BYLINE=STEPHANIE MANN
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT KIM DAE JUNG HAS CALLED ON THE
UNITED STATES AND OTHER COUNTRIES TO END THEIR ECONOMIC SANCTIONS
AGAINST NORTH KOREA. AS CORRESPONDENT STEPHANIE MANN REPORTS,
MR. KIM MADE THE PROPOSAL IN ADVANCE OF A TRIP TO WASHINGTON THAT
WILL INCLUDE A WHITE HOUSE MEETING WITH PRESIDENT CLINTON AND A
SPEECH TO THE U-S CONGRESS.
TEXT: PRESIDENT KIM'S PROPOSAL TO LIFT OR EASE SANCTIONS ON THE
NORTH CAUGHT MANY IN WASHINGTON BY SURPRISE. IN THE ABSENCE OF A
FORMAL PEACE TREATY TO END THE KOREAN WAR, TENSIONS BETWEEN THE
NORTH AND SOUTH HAVE CONTINUED SINCE THE 1950'S. POLICYMAKERS
AND ANALYSTS ALIKE SEE THE KOREAN PENINSULA AS A POTENTIAL
DANGEROUS FLASHPOINT -- ON A PAR WITH SOUTH ASIA AND THE MIDDLE
EAST.
THE UNITED STATES HAS MAINTAINED A LARGE MILITARY FORCE IN SOUTH
KOREA TO PROTECT THAT U-S ALLY FROM AGGRESSION BY THE NORTH. A
U-S LAW, CALLED THE "TRADING WITH THE ENEMIES ACT," PROHIBITS
AMERICAN COMPANIES FROM DOING BUSINESS WITH NORTH KOREA.
HOWEVER, THE NEW SOUTH KOREAN GOVERNMENT OF PRESIDENT KIM DAE
JUNG WANTS TO CHANGE HIS COUNTRY'S APPROACH TO THE NORTH. SINCE
HE TOOK OFFICE IN FEBRUARY, MR. KIM HAS ADVOCATED WHAT HE CALLS A
"SUNSHINE POLICY."
ROBERT MANNING, DIRECTOR OF ASIAN STUDIES AT THE COUNCIL ON
FOREIGN RELATIONS, SAYS PRESIDENT KIM'S POLICY ENCOURAGES MORE
CONTACT WITH THE NORTH TO HELP THEM CHANGE THEMSELVES AND IMPROVE
THEIR ECONOMY.
// OPT MANNING ACT ONE //
SO HE'S EMBARKED ON A STRATEGY THAT'S LOOSENED UP
PERSONAL TIES, CULTURAL TIES, BUSINESS TIES TO THE NORTH
IN WHAT HE CALLS SEPARATING ECONOMICS FROM POLITICS.
AND IN A WAY, IT'S KIND OF ESTABLISHING GOOD FAITH THAT
WE'RE SERIOUS WITH THE NORTH AND TO SHOW THAT HE'S
DIFFERENT FROM HIS PREDECESSOR.
// END OPT ACT //
MR. MANNING AND OTHERS FROM THE COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS
RECENTLY MET IN SEOUL WITH PRESIDENT KIM, WHO EXPLAINED HIS CALL
FOR THE UNITED STATES TO EASE ITS SANCTIONS AGAINST THE NORTH.
// MANNING ACT TWO //
WHEN I WAS WITH A COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS
DELEGATION LAST MONTH IN KOREA, ONE THING KIM DAE JUNG
TOLD US WAS HE'D LIKE TO SEE JOINT VENTURES WITH U-S AND
SOUTH KOREA FIRMS IN NORTH KOREA. THE (U-S) PRESIDENT
HAS THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE EXEMPTIONS ON A CASE BY CASE
BASIS; THAT'S ONE THING HE CAN DO.
// END ACT //
MR. MANNING SAYS PRESIDENT CLINTON COULD ISSUE AN EXECUTIVE ORDER
THAT WOULD ALLOW SMALL SCALE ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES IN NORTH KOREA.
THESE COULD INVOLVE U-S COMPANIES THAT WANT TO INVEST IN
OPERATIONS PRODUCING SHOES OR TEXTILES -- ACTIVITIES WHICH MR.
MANNING SAYS ARE LABOR INTENSIVE BUT DON'T REQUIRE MUCH LONG TERM
CAPITAL. OTHER ANALYSTS SUGGEST PRIVATE U-S AND SOUTH KOREAN
COMPANIES MAY WANT TO GET INVOLVED IN NORTH KOREA'S AGRICULTURAL
SECTOR -- SOMETHING THAT COULD HELP ALLEVIATE THAT COUNTRY'S
SEVERE FOOD PRODUCTION PROBLEMS.
MR. MANNING SAYS, OF COURSE, THE UNITED STATES WOULD AVOID ANY
ACTIVITIES THAT MIGHT ENHANCE THE NORTH'S MILITARY CAPABILITY,
SUCH AS BUILDING STEEL MILLS. AND HE ADDS PRESIDENT KIM DOES NOT
WANT TO ELIMINATE THE SECURITY ELEMENT OF U-S POLICY TOWARD NORTH
KOREA.
// MANNING ACT THREE //
PART OF THE APPROACH BEGINS WITH DETERRENCE, THAT A
CREDIBLE DETERRENCE, IN TERMS OF U-S FORCES IN KOREA AND
THE COMBINED ABILITIES OF THE U-S AND R-O-K (SOUTH
KOREAN) FORCES TO PRECLUDE A MILITARY OPTION FOR NORTH
KOREA. THAT'S THE BEGINNING OF THE POLICY. THAT'S THE
STARTING POINT. AND WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS
SOMETHING GOING BEYOND DETERRENCE, TO TRY TO CREATE A
DYNAMIC LEADING TO A PROCESS OF NORTH-SOUTH
RECONCILIATION.
// END ACT //
ANOTHER LONG-TIME OBSERVER OF KOREAN DEVELOPMENTS, LEON SIGAL,
AGREES, SAYING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE NORTH ON A VARIETY OF LEVELS
IS NECESSARY IF LASTING PEACE ON THE PENINSULA IS TO BE ACHIEVED.
// SIGAL ACT //
TO CREATE THE KIND OF POLITICAL CLIMATE THAT WOULD MAKE
THAT POSSIBLE, WE NEED TO HAVE MUCH FULLER ENGAGEMENT
WITH NORTH KOREA. WHEN I SAY WE, I MEAN BOTH SOUTH
KOREA AND THE UNITED STATES. AND THE SOUTH KOREAN
GOVERNMENT UNDER KIM DAE JUNG HAS BEEN MOVING TO ENGAGE
THE NORTH MUCH MORE FULLY. THE UNITED STATES, HOWEVER,
HAS STILL GOT AN EMBARGO ON THE NORTH, AND IT HAS DONE
VERY LITTLE TO RELAX THAT EMBARGO. WE'VE ALSO GOT STILL
TOO LIMITED POLITICAL AND SOCIAL RELATIONS WITH THE
NORTH. THAT IS CRITICIAL, BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT LIKELY TO
GET THE KINDS OF MILITARY ARRANGEMENTS THAT NEED TO BE
NEGOTIATIED UNLESS WE HAVE A FULLER POLITICAL AND
ECONOMIC RELATIONSHIP WITH THE NORTH.
// END ACT //
TO THOSE WHO ARE SKEPTICAL OF EXPANDING ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND
POLITICAL CONTACTS WITH NORTH KOREA, MR. SIGAL SAYS THEY NEED TO
UNDERSTAND THAT NORTH KOREA HAS ALREADY BEEN COOPERATING WITH THE
UNITED STATES. HE POINTS TO THE 1994 AGREEMENT THAT ENDED NORTH
KOREA'S NUCLEAR WEAPONS PROGRAM IN EXCHANGE FOR INTERNATIONAL
HELP IN BUILDING LESS CONTROVERSIAL NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS.
MR. SIGAL, WHOSE LATEST BOOK IS TITLED "DISARMING STRANGERS,
NUCLEAR DIPLOMACY WITH NORTH KOREA," SAYS MANY MEMBERS OF
CONGRESS NEED TO LEARN WHAT HE SAYS PRESIDENT KIM ALREADY
UNDERSTANDS. HE SAYS THAT IS THAT U-S AND SOUTH KOREAN SECURITY
IS THREATENED IF THE STATE OF MILITARY CONFRONTATION ON THE
PENINSULA IS MAINTAINED. AND MR. SIGAL SAYS NORTH KOREA APPEARS
WILLING TO COOPERATE, AND IT IS NOW THE TIME TO PUT THAT TO THE
TEST.
// REST OPT //
// SIGAL ACT TWO //
WE HAVE 37-THOUSAND TROOPS, AMERICAN TROOPS, AND THEIR
DEPENDENTS IN HARM'S WAY, IN KOREA. IF WE CAN GET
BETTER ARRANGEMENTS WITH THE NORTH, WHICH WILL REQUIRE
MUTUAL AND RECIPROCAL ACTIONS ON OUR PART, TO REDUCE THE
RISK OF WAR ON THE KOREAN PENINSULA, THAT WOULD BE VERY
MUCH IN OUR SECURITY INTEREST. THAT IS ONLY POSSIBLE IF
YOU'RE ENGAGED IN A VERY THOROUGH-GOING SET OF POLITICAL
AND ECONOMIC ENGAGEMENT WITH THE NORTH AND WORKING OUT
VERY DETAILED, VERIFIABLE MILITARY ARRANGEMENTS WITH THE
NORTH.
// END ACT //
ROBERT MANNING SAYS PRESIDENT KIM IS PLANNING TO SPEND A LOT OF
HIS TIME IN WASHINGTON MEETING WITH MEMBERS OF CONGRESS,
PRECISELY TO TRY TO CONVINCE THOSE WHO MAY BE SKEPTICAL OF HIS
FRIENDLIER APPROACH TO NORTH KOREA. (SIGNED)
NEB/SMN/KL
03-Jun-98 2:50 PM EDT (1850 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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