ROK and Inter-Korean relations August 2008

ROK and Inter-Korean relations

August 2008

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Two Political Parties of North and South Issue Joint Statement
Pyongyang, August 22 (KCNA) -- The Korean Social Democratic Party and the Democratic Labor Party of south Korea on Friday issued the following joint statement to denounce Japan's moves to grab Tok Islet and the suppression of Koreans in Japan:
Bush, Lee and Kim Jong-il
By Tong Kim The current state of inter-Korean relations seems to be at its lowest ebb in a decade. Last week in Beijing, athletes from the two Koreas marched separately in the Olympics opening ceremony. It broke the symbolic tradition of participating in Olympic ceremonies as a unified team under a single ``unification flag" representing both sides in hopes of eventual unification. The separation marked a clear setback for peace and harmony.
Report: N.Korea bid to go to South president event
The North Korean government did not attend South Korean President Lee Myung-bak's inauguration early this year because its demand for a special invitation was not met, a news report said Tuesday. SEOUL, South Korea — The North Korean government did not attend South Korean President Lee Myung-bak's inauguration early this year because its demand for a special invitation was not met, a news report said Tuesday. The North told the South that its representatives would not come to Seoul if South Korea "offered the same invitation that would go to other foreign countries," Yonhap news agency reported, citing Yim Tae-hee, the chief policy-maker of the ruling Grand National Party. Yim said South Korea went ahead and issued the same invitation to the North as it did to other countries, resulting in the communist country not attending Lee's Feb. 25 inauguration, Yonhap said.
President Lee Myongbak’s Learning Curve
By Mikyoung Kim
August 21st, 2008 Mikyoung Kim, Assistant Professor at Hiroshima City University - Hiroshima Peace Institute, writes, “Mr. Lee leaves an impression that he rushed to declare himself different from his predecessor by ingratiating himself to our allies, and selling out Korea in the process. It is dangerous to reveal all your cards at once, given the precarious nature of international collaboration.”
The Secret of South Korea's Success
Korea Post released a commemoration stamp marking the 60th anniversary of the South Korea, one of the poorest countries on earth in 1948 when it was founded, has achieved miraculous growth in 60 years. Having become the world's 13th-largest economy through industrialization and democratization, the republic is rushing to join the ranks of advanced countries. What has made that great leap possible? To mark the 60th anniversary of Liberation Day on Friday, the Chosun Ilbo selected six secrets to South Korea's success [Legitimacy]
Olympics ‘a Boon’ to Gov’t, Ruling Party
Cheong Wa Dae and the ruling Grand National Party are basking in Korean athletes’ glory at the Beijing Olympics. Members of the ruling party say they benefit from the Olympics as approval ratings for President Lee Myung-bak, which had plummeted due to controversies over U.S. beef imports and Japan’s territorial claim to the Dokdo islets, have been on the rise since the games began. [Legitimacy]
Controversy over Foundation Day grows as events get underway
Government’s extensive event schedule omits reunification-related events and reference to pro-democracy uprisings » On August 13 at a restaurant in downtown Seoul, the members of the National Conference for Democracy and Reunification, which consists of elders in Korean society, criticize the government’s plan to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Korea on August 15, a day which has historically been celebrated as Liberation Day, the day Korea was liberated from Japanese colonial rule. Controversy has continued to grow after the government decided to push ahead with an extensive series of events to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Korea on what has up to now been celebrated as Liberation Day, August 15, without first going through a process of gathering public opinion by holding public hearings and the like. In particular, the government has been criticized harshly for unilaterally deciding to change the theme of annual event from "Liberation" to "Foundation" for the first time in 60 years without seeking a national consensus on the issue. [Legitimacy]
Message to S. Side
Pyongyang, August 13 (KCNA) -- A sand transport ship of the south side "Dongi-1" collided with a fishing boat of the north side at a point 4.6 nautical miles east of Kosong at around 2:25 on August 12 when it was sailing toward the south side with sand on board. The chief of the military working personnel of the north side in the area under the control of the north and the south along the East Coast Wednesday sent the following message to the south side in this regard: This accident happened because the captain of the south side's transport ship failed to see the fishing boat of the north side before his ship as he was steering the ship alone after letting its crewmen, who felt tired, go to sleep. The crewmen of the transport ship admitted this in unison. The serious accident that occurred due to the south side's mistake caused such grave consequences as leaving two innocent fishermen of the north side dead and sinking its boat. The north side, however, taking into due consideration the fact that it accidentally took place in the middle of night, decided to take a compatriotic measure of sending back the transport ship and its crew to the south side. According to this measure, the above-said ship of the south side and its crew left Jangjon Port this afternoon.
Gov't again blocks N. Korea visit by local group
KOREASCOPE | Date 2008-08-12 16:36:23 Seoul has rejected an application submitted by a local youth group to visit North Korea, the group said Tuesday, the second denial issued this month following the shooting death of a South Korean tourist in the communist state. The liberal Seoul-based group runs programs commemorating the first inter-korean summit talks of 2000 and pro-reunification activities. The Unification Ministry turned down their application on the grounds that a trip to Pyongyang would not be appropriate given recent events, the group said.
The rejection drew an instant complaint from the youth group. "The government is trying to block civilian exchanges between the two Koreas, too," the group's spokesman said, questioning the ministry's given role as the top government office in charge of promoting activities for Korean reunification.
Pardons granted to tycoons and pols
Lee seeks the businessmen’s help to revive the economy with the move August 13, 2008 President Lee Myung-bak endorsed yesterday a list of more than 340,000 convicts to be pardoned on August 15, Liberation Day, including conglomerate tycoons and politicians. He vowed, however, that he would not grant amnesty to anyone committing a crime during his term. Hyundai Motor Chairman Chung Mong-koo, SK Chairman Chey Tae-won and Hanwha Chairman Kim Seung-youn made the amnesty list of convicts to be pardoned and reinstated, despite criticism from liberal opposition parties and civic groups that the rich are immune from punishment. The Blue House defended the decision as an effort to seek the business community’s cooperation in reviving the nation’s economy and creating jobs.
Gov’t to provide extensive support to commemorate 60th anniversary of Korea’s founding
Civic activists object to celebrating Liberation Day as Foundation Day when even historians disagree on the matter » Lawmakers and civic activists hold a press conference to protest the government’s plan to celebrate Liberation Day as the 60th anniversary of the nation’s founding in front of the Constitutional Court, downtown Seoul, on August 7. Though the government wants to see August 15 celebrated as Foundation Day, the day Syngman Rhee assumed power as president, many say the day should be celebrated as Liberation Day, the day the nation was liberated from Japanese colonial rule. Controversy surrounds the government’s decision to support an extensive celebration of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Korea on Liberation Day, August 15, by giving subsidies to outdoor markets across the country. Civic activists are opposed to the move and interpret the government’s action as an attempt to celebrate Liberation Day as the 60th anniversary of the nation’s founding. [Legitimacy]
President’s flag faux pas causes national embarrassment at Olympics
News outlets scramble to erase images of Lee Myung-bak with an upside down Korean flag » President Lee Myung-bak and first lady Kim Yoon-ok cheer the Korean women’s handball team in its match against Russia at the Beijing Olympics on August 9. The president has taken a lot of criticism for waving the Korean flag upside down. There has been a series of incidents at the Beijing Olympics involving the Korean flag, embarrassing Cheong Wa Dae and others. President Lee Myung-bak sparked a stir by rooting with an upside down Korean flag, and Cheong Wa Dae followed this up by asking media companies that ran photos of the incident to fix or erase the images. [Media] [Bizarre]
41 State-run Firms to Be Sold or Merged
By Yoon Ja-young Staff Reporter A total of 27 state-owned enterprises, including Korea Development Bank (KDB) and Industrial Bank of Korea (IBK), will be privatized while Korea National Housing Corporation and Korea Land Corporation will be merged. Meanwhile, 12 public enterprises, including the Korea Tourism Organization, will be restructured. The government announced the first-phase plan Monday to privatize and restructure 41 state-owned firms, including ones where public funds were injected. [Privatisation]
Pyongyang's Choice
Both Koreas Should Take One Step Back Monday was a meaningful day in terms of the international relationship surrounding the Korean Peninsula for two reasons. Exactly one month had passed since a North Korean guard shot and killed a South Korean tourist, who wandered into a military area next to the Mt. Geumgang resort. It also marked the 45th day since the U.S. administration notified Congress of its decision to remove North Korea from the list of states sponsoring terrorism. Washington can take action any time now, as there were no Congressional objections to it during this period.
South Korean ship hits North Korea boat, 2 missing
By Jack Kim Reuters Monday, August 11, 2008; 11:28 PM SEOUL (Reuters) - A South Korean vessel and a North Korean fishing boat collided off the Korean peninsula's east coast early on Tuesday, leaving two North Koreans missing, a South Korean military official said. The accident comes as ties have turned chilly in recent months between the states technically still at war and who keep more than 1 million troops near their border.
The South Korean vessel was carrying sand from the North when it collided with the fishing boat at around 2 a.m. (1 p.m. EDT) near a North Korean port, the official with the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff said.
"This is an accident, and we expect to follow appropriate procedures under international rules," a South Korean Unification Ministry spokesman said at a news briefing. [Media]
NKorean boat collides with SKorean ship, 2 missing
By HYUNG-JIN KIM The Associated Press Monday, August 11, 2008; 10:11 PM SEOUL, South Korea -- A North Korean fishing boat collided with a South Korea cargo ship early Tuesday, leaving two North Koreans missing, officials said. The collision took place before dawn near the eastern sea border between the divided Koreas, said a South Korean Defense Ministry official, on condition of anonymity citing office policy. The official said two of four North Koreans aboard the fishing boat were rescued, but the other two were still missing. Kim Young-il, a spokesman at the Unification Ministry, said the South Korean ship was carrying sand from North Korea and the accident was believed to have occurred just north of the maritime border [Media]
Standoff Over Mt. Kumgang Shooting Continues
Today marks a month since a South Korean housewife was shot dead on vacation in Mt. Kumgang, but a solution to the issue remains elusive. In the standoff between the two governments, North Korea has threatened to expel South Korean workers at Mt. Kumgang, while the South Korean government continues to insist it must be allowed to conduct its own investigation of the shooting.
North says eleven have to leave Kumgang
August 11, 2008 The inter-Korean diplomatic debacle surrounding the death of a South Korean tourist at Mount Kumgang continues on a downward spiral. South Korea is withdrawing an additional 11 government and company workers from the North Korean resort after the North ordered them to leave by this morning. This leaves no South Korean government employees at Kumgang, but 117 employees of Hyundai Asan and other companies who will remain for basic administrative and maintenance operations. The latest development came days after the North refused a joint march with South Korean athletes in the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Universities struggle with globalism
August 09, 2008 When 23-year-old Dilshod Gulamov Rustamdjanovich heard last week that new scholarship notices for international students were posted on his school’s Web site, he was very pleased. His mood turned sour, however, when the Uzbek national found that the information was only available in Korean. “Most foreign students are not fluent in Korean because the language is not an international language,” said Rustamdjanovich. “It’s not easy to fit into in Korea.”
In addition, Muslims face difficulties with food during college. Even though universities overseas usually offer vegetarian meals in their cafeterias, there are almost no such options here. “Korean universities seemingly pursue a multinational and multicultural society, but they have little regard for the international students,” said 24-year-old Fatma Algul, a Turkish student at Ewha Womans University. [Education] [Globalisation] [Islam]
Debut of Beer
By Andrei Lankov Of all alcoholic beverages, beer might be one of the oldest. It was drunk in ancient Mesopotamia about five thousand years ago; was tremendously popular in medieval Europe; and during the last two hundred years or so beer drinking has spread across the globe. It was a European import, of course, but peoples in distant lands embraced it with great enthusiasm, and Koreans were no exception. It seems that we relish accurately pinpointing the first time a Korean tasted this beverage. This historical event of great significance took place in 1884, when Korean and American representatives celebrated the signing of a treaty between the two states.
Lee sticks to right-wing agenda despite the polls
August 09, 2008 President Lee Myung-bak waves after his inauguration ceremony in February. When they handed President Lee Myung-bak the keys to the Blue House, Koreans expected a quick turnaround in the sluggish economy. Nothing else mattered as much. President Lee’s administration has proposed changes to modern history textbooks as part of its conservative agenda. [JoongAng Ilbo] The president’s advertised shift to the right, a break from a decade of liberal policies, was expected. A tough stance towards Pyongyang was accepted albeit with some concern. That was six months ago when President Lee’s political capital seemed abundant. He commanded an 80 percent approval rate at the start of his term. Left: The notorious Baekgoldan, also known as the “white skull corps,” established under former President Chun Doo Hwan in the 1980s. Right: A new police unit was created to catch violent protestors. [JoongAng Ilbo] Months-long protests over the import of U.S. beef have become a rallying call for the anti-Lee Myung-bak camp, hampering the implementation of any new policies. Blunders on the diplomatic front have only added to the agony, but the besieged government has chosen to stay true to its conservative colors. Changes have come in various forms as the administration has taken upon itself the task of implementing measures that it deems necessary for creating a society where conservative values prevail. Just last week, a special police unit was set up to deal exclusively with violent protesters. Civic groups made comparisons with the notorious Baekgoldan, or “White Skull Corps,” created during the authoritarian regime of former President Chun Doo Hwan in the 1980s. At the height of student protests, this particular unit was feared for its relentless pursuit of demonstrators. Their white helmets and blue jackets became a symbol of oppression against democracy. [Human rights]
President Lee Encounters N. Korea’s No. 2 Leader
By Kim Sue-young Staff Reporter President Lee Myung-bak encountered Friday North Korea's No. 2 leader Kim Yong-nam at a welcoming lunch hosted by Chinese President Hu Jintao in Beijing, a Cheong Wa Dae official said. Whether President Lee spoke to Kim, who is chairman of the North Korean parliament and his country's titular head of state, remains unclear An aide to President Lee told reporters that the two sat diagonally across from each other at the lunch.
Ministry Tells Teachers to Postpone N.Korea Visit
The Unification Ministry has declined an application by members of the radical teachers’ union to visit North Korea for a meeting with teachers there. The Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union said 69 teachers applied to the Unification Ministry for an entry permit to North Korea to take part in the meeting on Aug- 10-14, but the ministry verbally notified them they will have to wait until the issue involving the fatal shooting of a South Korean tourist in Mt.Kumgang is resolved. [Human rights] [SK NK policy]
North Korea Visit by Teachers' Group Prohibited
By Kim Sue-young Staff Reporter The Ministry of Unification has refused to give a permit for a planned visit to North Korea by members of the Korean Teachers and Education Workers' Union, the group said Thursday. [human rights] [SK NK policy]
The Lee Myung-Bak government’s flawed ‘reciprocity’
Posted Date : 2008-07-31 (IFES Forum No. 08-7-31-1) by Keun-sik Kim (Kyungnam University, Department of Politics and Diplomatic Studies) South Korea’s Lee Myung-bak administration is haunted by the ghost of ‘appeasement’. Having criticized the former government’s policy on North Korea as one of appeasement, the Lee government is overanxious to demonstrate that its policy is clearly different. The Lee administration is working to end appeasement to the North and to inject ‘reciprocity’ into inter-Korean relations. However, while hanging onto this idea of ‘reciprocity’, and only providing annual food aid for the North, the Lee government is now is a predicament in which it is unable to give rice to North Korea even though it wants to. Caught in the trap of its chosen policy of reciprocity, the Lee Myung-bak government is only succeeding in unraveling the inter-Korean relationship that has been long in the making. [SK NK policy]
N.Korea Insists on Distance From South at Olympics
It seems unlikely that President Lee Myung-bak and North Korea’s no. 2 leader Kim Yong-nam will meet during the Beijing Olympics due to the opposition from North Korea, officials of the Beijing Organization Committee for the 2008 Olympic Games and the Chinese Foreign Ministry said Tuesday. Lee and Kim had been expected to meet on two occasions in Beijing. Chinese authorities had arranged it so Lee and Kim could sit next to each other during a luncheon hosted by Chinese President Hu Jintao for foreign leaders including U.S. President George W. Bush. But after objections from North Korea, China decided to rearrange the seats so the two Koreans sit apart. During the opening ceremony on Friday, China also originally arranged for Lee and Kim to sit close to each other, in accordance with the alphabetical order of the country names. But North Korea demanded its English designation was "DPRK" for Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, so the BOCOG decided to describe South Korea as Republic of Korea or ROK. As a result, Kim is expected to sit in the front row of the dignitaries' box and Lee in the rear.
State TV Informs N.Koreans of Mt.Kumgang Shooting
North Korea’s official news channel on Sunday reported the fatal shooting of a South Korean tourist in Mt. Kumgang for the first time since it happened 23 days ago. On Sunday morning, an announcer from the state-run Korean Central Broadcasting Station reported the news during a bulletin that focused on a statement threatening the expulsion of South Koreans from Mt. Kumgang. The North’s central radio station reported the news in a similar tone.
Spokesman for KPA Unit Stationed in Area of Mt. Kumgang Issues Special Statement
Pyongyang, August 3 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the unit of the Korean People's Army stationed in the area of Mt. Kumgang issued today a special statement in connection with the unsavory incident that occurred in the area of Mt. Kumgang on July 11 in which an unidentified south Korean tourist was shot to death after illegally intruding into the area under the military control of the north side. The statement says: We still do not know for what purpose the killed tourist crossed the boundary fence which bans free access in early dawn and what the tourist was going to do after intruding deep into the said area. Whatever the cause of the incident might be, our side already expressed regret at it through a relevant organ, taking into consideration the fact that the tourist was a compatriot although the tourist met death due to the tourist's own mistake. But no sooner had the incident occurred than the south Korean puppets, as if they had been waiting for the incident to occur, went so imprudent as to kick up a reckless racket of confrontation with the north almost every day, misleading the public opinion at home and abroad.
This is another politically motivated charade to evade the responsibility for having made the vital rights of south Koreans a victim of American cattle infected with mad cow disease and divert the criticism of him to us.
Universities to Attract 100,000 Foreign Student
By Kang Shin-who Staff Reporter The government plans to attract 100,000 foreign students to the country by 2010. The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology said Monday that the number of scholarships available to foreign students will jump to 2,450 in 2010 and 3,000 by 2012, up from 1,500 this year. Universities will receive a combined $2 million to open more English-only and Korean-language classes. More dormitories will be offered to foreigners as well. [Education] [IM]
Defense Minister calls for heightened alert during Beijing Olympics
Date 2008-08-01 17:27:51 South Korea's defense minister on Friday stressed the need to maintain a heightened state of alert during this month's Beijing Summer Olympic Games against possible provocation by North Korea and international terrorist groups. The minister's call comes as the country technically remains at war with the communist North, over 55 years after the 1950-53 Korean War ended with a truce, not a peace treaty. It came at an extended meeting of top ministry officials and military commanders that also involved all three chiefs of the three armed services. "We must be prepared to counter any threats from North Korea, including non-military and transnational threats," Minister Lee Sang-hee said in his opening remarks at the meeting. He was also expected to stress the need to "maintain the military's readiness around the country's weak security areas, such as the northern limit line (NLL), and to prepare for any type of terrorist activities or natural disasters throughout the Beijing Olympics," ministry spokesman Won Tae-jae told reporters earlier. [NLL] [Role of ROK military]
Lee Outflanked
By Aidan Foster-Carter July 31^st , 2008 Aidan Foster-Carter, honorary senior research fellow in sociology and modern Korea at Leeds University, England, writes, “Far from being in sync with U.S. policy, at this juncture, a North-South spat is no help to Washington. Rather it risked upsetting the applecart, just when Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill was trying to clinch the next stage of the long drawn out – five years, and counting – 6PT process.” [SK NK policy]
Prosecutors to Indict 900 Protesters
The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office on Wednesday said it began seeking criminal charges against about 930 protesters who were arrested for having taken part in illegal candlelight vigils. [Human rights]
Military expands book blacklist
List of 23 books designated as ‘seditious’ now includes best-sellers and books by academics In the instructions, the Air Force states that “seditious books” can hinder soldiers’ concentration and suggested a list of 23 books to be banned in three categories: pro-Pyongyang, anti-government and anti-U.S., and anti-capitalism.
The blacklist also contained a considerable number of books written by internationally-recognized scholars, books about culture, ordinary literature and books on the best-seller list. “Bad Samaritans: The Myth of Free Trade and the Secret History of Capitalism,” written by Ha-Joon Chang, a professor at the University of Cambridge, is a best-seller that was selected as one of the 10 best books of the year by many media companies. Hyeon Gi-yeong's novel “A Spoon on Earth” was classified as pro-North Korea and “Year 501: The Conquest Continues” by Noam Chomsky was classified as anti-government and anti-U.S. [human rights]
South Korea to Launch Dokdo Brand Marketing Campaign
Rep. Chung Mong-joon, a member of the Grand National Party’s decision-making Supreme Council By Kang Hyun-kyung Staff Reporter Seoul will launch a brand marketing campaign requesting U.S. government institutions to use the name Dokdo rather than Liancourt Rocks as part of a long-term strategy to strengthen its sovereignty over the islets, a Grand National Party (GNP) lawmaker said Thursday. [IM]

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