DATE=9/22/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-239050
TITLE=U-S/NORTH KOREA
BYLINE=JENNIFER VEALE
DATELINE=SEOUL
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE UNITED STATES ANNOUNCED MONDAY THAT IT WOULD DELIVER
ADDITIONAL FOOD AID TO FAMINE STRICKEN NORTH KOREA. . JENNIFER
VEALE REPORTS THAT THE GESTURE BY WASHINGTON COMES AMID
INCREASING CONCERN ABOUT THE NORTH'S MILITARY ACTIVITIES.
TEXT: RESPONDING TO A PLEA FROM THE UNITED NATIONS WORLD FOOD
PROGRAM FOR MORE ASSISTANCE FOR NORTH KOREA, THE U.S AGREED
MONDAY TO DELIVER AN ADDITIONAL THREE-HUNDRED-THOUSAND TONS OF
FOOD TO THE COMMUNIST STATE BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN JAMES RUBIN SAID THE EXTRA AID WOULD
TARGET THOSE MOST VULNERABLE TO THE ONGOING FOOD SHORTAGE,
BROUGHT ON BY THREE YEARS OF SEVERE FLOODING AND DROUGHT.
THERE HAVE BEEN CONCERNS THAT THE PYONGYANG GOVERNMENT HAS
RE-DIRECTED SOME FOOD AID TO ITS MASSIVE ARMED FORCES.
THE NEW DELIVERY PLEDGE COMES ON TOP OF AN EARLIER COMMITMENT OF
TWO-HUNDRED-THOUSAND TONS OF FOOD ASSISTANCE, THE LAST OF WHICH
WILL BE DELIVERED THIS MONTH.
IT ALSO COINCIDES WITH RENEWED CONCERN OVER NORTH KOREA'S MISSILE
CAPACITY AFTER IT TEST LAUNCHED A THREE STAGE ROCKET ON AUGUST
31.
ON SUNDAY, THE UNITED STATES AND JAPAN, AGREED TO JOINTLY
RESEARCH A MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM TO PROTECT JAPAN FROM MISSILE
ATTACK.
PART OF THE NORTH KOREAN ROCKET FLEW OVER JAPANESE TERRITORY.
JAPAN AND THE UNITED STATES CRITICIZED NORTH KOREA AFTER THE
LAUNCH, WHICH THEY DESCRIBED AS A TEST FIRING OF A TAEPO-DONG
MISSILE.
BUT U-S SCIENTISTS LATER SUPPORTED NORTH KOREA'S INSISTENCE THAT
THE ROCKET HAD CARRIED A SATELLITE, NOT A MISSILE.
THE LAUNCH HAS NEVERTHELESS SENT WAVES OF CONCERN THROUGH
WASHINGTON AS THE ROCKET INCLUDED A THIRD STAGE MISSILE CAPABLE
OF CARRYING HEAVIER PAYLOADS. (SIGNED)
NEB/JV/PLM
22-Sep-98 7:26 AM EDT (1126 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
