DATE=3/4/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-246224
TITLE=U-S / KOREAS (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=JOHN LARKIN
DATELINE=SEOUL
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: WILLIAM PERRY, A KEY WASHINGTON POLICY-MAKER ON NORTH
KOREA, BEGAN A WEEK-LONG VISIT TO ASIAN CAPITALS TODAY. AS JOHN
LARKIN REPORTS FROM SEOUL, THE RESULT OF THE TRIP WILL LARGELY
DETERMINE THE SHAPE OF FUTURE AMERICAN POLICY TOWARD THE ROGUE
COMMUNIST STATE.
TEXT: MR. PERRY'S VISIT COMES AS THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION
STRUGGLES TO DEFUSE A LOOMING NUCLEAR CRISIS WITH NORTH KOREA.
MR. PERRY WILL USE HIS TRIP TO GAUGE THE OPINIONS OF KEY
POLICY-MAKERS IN TOKYO, SEOUL AND BEIJING, TOWARD NORTH KOREA'S
SUSPECTED MISSILE AND NUCLEAR WEAPONS PROGRAMS. LEE JONG-HOON,
AN EXPERT ON NORTH KOREA AT SEOUL'S YONSEI UNIVERSITY, BELIEVES
THE TOUR COULD PROVIDE HINTS TO WASHINGTON'S NEW POSTURE ON THE
STALINIST STATE.
//LEE ACT ONE //
WE BELIEVE THAT THE UNITED STATES IS UNDERGOING A REASSESSMENT
OF THE U-S POLICY TOWARD NORTH KOREA. THAT WILL BE SPEAR-HEADED
BY PERRY'S VISIT TO NORTH KOREA WHEN IT DOES OCCUR, SO IT COULD
VERY WELL SIGNIFY A TURNING POINT OR NEW APPROACH TOWARD THE
DEALINGS OR RELATIONSHIP WITH NORTH KOREA.
//END ACT ONE //
THE PERRY VISIT COMES AMID SLOW PROGRESS IN TALKS IN NEW YORK
BETWEEN NORTH KOREAN AND AMERICAN OFFICIALS ON ACCESS TO AN
UNDERGROUND CONSTRUCTION SITE WASHINGTON SUSPECTS MAY BE A
NUCLEAR PLANT IN THE MAKING.
THOUGH UNCONFIRMED NEWS REPORTS IN SEOUL SAY SEOUL AND PYONGYANG
ARE NEARING AGREEMENT ON SWAPPING FOOD AID FOR INSPECTIONS,
ANALYSTS SAY SUCH A DEAL WOULD NOT PREVENT NORTH KOREA FROM
USING THE SAME TACTICS TO EXTRACT MORE CONCESSIONS ON NUCLEAR
ISSUES.
BUT THE ANALYSTS SAY ANY MOVE BY PYONGYANG TO RESTART ITS NUCLEAR
WEAPONS PROGRAM AT THE SUSPECT SITE WOULD SCUTTLE A 1994
ANTI-NUCLEAR PACT, RAISING THE THREAT OF A NUCLEAR-CAPABLE NORTH
KOREA.
THE LIMITATIONS OF THE 1994 PACT HAVE BEEN SHOWN UP BY NORTH
KOREAN BRINKMANSHIP, ACCORDING THE ANALYSTS. THEY SAY IT IS
WILLIAM PERRY'S JOB TO REPLACE THE CURRENT U-S APPROACH WITH A
MORE COMPREHENSIVE POLICY THAT MEETS PYONGYANG'S LEGITIMATE NEEDS
WITHOUT CAVING IN TO ITS DEMANDS.
ADDING A NOTE OF URGENCY TO THE PERRY TRIP IS THAT THE U-S
CONGRESS HAS IMPOSED A JUNE DEADLINE ON CONTINUED FUNDING FOR A
KEY PART OF THE 1994 DEAL IF PYONGYANG REFUSES TO COOPERATE.
SUCCESS OF THE TALKS IN NEW YORK IS CRUCIAL TO ENSURING THAT
FUNDING CONTINUES.
WHILE WASHINGTON GRAPPLES WITH PYONGYANG, SEOUL HAS EMBARKED ON A
POLICY OF ENGAGING THE NORTH THAT IS BEARING FRUIT. PYONGYANG
RECENTLY PROPOSED THE FIRST GOVERNMENT-LEVEL TALKS WITH THE SOUTH
IN SEVERAL YEARS AND LAST YEAR ALLOWED THE FIRST SOUTH KOREAN
TOURISTS INTO THE COUNTRY. THE FIRST TIME SUCH PERMISSION HAS
BEEN GRANTED IN MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY.
PROFESSOR LEE SAYS THE CONTRAST IN POSITIONS BETWEEN SOUTH KOREA
AND THE UNITED STATES HAS CAUSED SOME TENSION, THOUGH PUBLICLY
THE TWO SIDES DENY A SPLIT.
//LEE ACT 2 //
SO I THINK THAT AT THE RANK AND FILE LEVEL UNDERNEATH THE
VENEERS, THERE'S SOME ADJUSTMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON AND
WILL CONTINUE TO GO ON. BUT I DON'T THINK IT WILL ERUPT IN THE
OPEN AS A MAJOR PROBLEM CHIPPING AWAY AT THE U-S-SOUTH KOREA
ALLIANCE BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE AGAINST THE NATIONAL INTERESTS OF
BOTH COUNTRIES.
//END ACT 2 //
PROFESSOR LEE BELIEVES THE ALLIES SHARE THE SAME GOAL -- BRINGING
PEACE TO THE KOREAN PENINSULA. THEY DIFFER ONLY ON THE BEST
APPROACH TO ACHIEVING THAT GOAL. (SIGNED)
NEB/JL/GC/KL
04-Mar-99 7:55 AM EST (1255 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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