| Home page To receive this publication via e-mail, click here. THE NORTH KOREA REPORT: JUNE 2, 2003 Our statement on why North Korea must be liberated can be found here. TOP STORY: NORTH KOREA SAYS THEY HAVE NUKES, AND ARE BUILDING MORE STALINISTS TELL VISITING CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION A group of six Representatives, three from each party, heard from several Stalinist North Korean officials over the weekend. The Stalinists �admitted to having nuclear capability� (BBC) and boasted abut efforts to �expand their nuclear production programme,� according to Rep. Curt Weldon (R-Pennsylvania). The North also told the delegation that the reprocessing of 8,000 Yongbyon plutonium rods was �just about complete.� That would allow the Stalinists to build a small number of plutonium-based weapons. Stop the North Korean Nuclear Power Plants: Despite North Korea�s new boast of nuclear weapons, a brazen violation of the 1994 agreement to freeze its nuclear ambitions, the two nuclear power plants that were part of the deal have still not been canceled. Use this China e-Lobby fact sheet and tell the President to stand firm against the Stalinist regime, and not to build the power plants. AMERICAN-RELATED NEWS U.S. PUSHING NORTH KOREA�S NEIGHBORS; REACTION DEPENDS UPON WHAT ONE READS The United States is continuing to push the neighbors of Stalinist North Korea �to jointly put pressure on North Korea to abandon its nuclear plans� (BBC). Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz still insisted that the situation could be resolved �peacefully,� and he also never mentioned liberating the people of northern Korea. Also reporting: United Press International via Washington Times The reaction was mixed, even among the media. According to the Washington Post, South Korea and Japan are less than enthusiastic about the U.S. pressure campaign, which includes threat of �tougher steps.� The BBC story cited above, however, has Japan joining the Americans� slowly toughening talk. U.S. TROOP ADJUSTMENT IN ASIA COMING A redeployment of American forces in Asia, what CNN called a �shake-up� is on the way, but Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz mainly discussed what it did not include, saying reports of major American bases in the Philippines and Australia are �way off the mark.� Check out the Communist China and the Terrorist War page for more on this story. WOLFOWITZ SAYS DMZ TROOPS �ON THE FRONT LINES OF FREEDOM� Wolfowitz also visited the American military personnel stationed on the demilitarized zone between the Stalinist North and the democratic South, and gave high praise to the troops, saying they were �on the front lines of freedom� (Newsmax). SOUTH KOREA NEWS PRESIDENT ROH: �WE WILL NEVER ACCEPT� A NUCLEAR NORTH KOREA South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun insisted his democratic government �will never accept North Korea's possession of nuclear weapons � (United Press International via Washington Times). Roh also said his government would �never fail to resolve this problem in a peaceful manner.� Roh was elected on the dovish platform of his Millennium Democratic Party. NORTH KOREAN FISHING VESSELS CROSS BORDER, AGAIN Three North Korean fishing vessels crossed the Northern Limit Line � the sea border between the Stalinist North and the democratic South � and defied several warnings, including a live-fire warning. In fact, the warning drew five more vessels across the border. The eight ships were forced back without damage or injury. Report: Newsmax INTERNATIONAL NEWS NORTH KOREAN SPY SHIP IS NOW A JAPANESE TOURIST ATTRACTION The North Korean spy ship that sunk after trying to escape the Japanese Navy (see 9/16/02 and 10/7/02 North Korea Report and 1/2/02 Update) has now become an �unusual tourist attraction� (BBC), and has lead many to believe �that Tokyo was too soft on Pyongyang.� COMMENTARY/ANALYSIS FROM THE DMZ Willis Witter, Washington Times, provides this report on the �ghost war� on the demilitarized zone dividing the Stalinist North from democratic South Korea. ON JAPAN�S ROLE IN THE REGION Citing the threat of North Korea�s nuclear weapons and the Stalinist regime�s slew of other antics, the editors of the Washington Times call for Japan to drop its pacifist military stance and rearm itself. Sign the petition for an American boycott of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Miss an Update, Week's Links, or a North Korea Report? Find it on our web site. Feel free to forward this to anyone you think might be interested in receiving it. Anyone who wishes to join can send his/her name and e-mail address to [email protected]. Please feel free to send any news on Communist China or North Korea that you happen to find to the same address. |