| Home page To receive this publication via e-mail, click here. THE NORTH KOREA REPORT: MAY 5, 2003 Our statement on why North Korea must be liberated can be found here. TOP STORY: STALINIST REGIME WANTS �GUARANTEE� OF ITS SURVIVAL GOES BEYOND NON-AGRESSION PACT IN DEMANDS; U.S. REJECTS THE �OFFER� During the shortened talks among North Korea, Communist China, and the U.S. two weeks ago (see last North Korea Report) the Stalinist regime apparently �put forward a plan that would ultimately deal with their nuclear capability and their missile activities,� according to Secretary of State Colin Powell (quoted by the Fox News). Also reporting: Cybercast News However, this was based �on condition that Washington guarantees the Pyongyang regime� (South Korean FM cited by CNN). Such a �guarantee� would move beyond even the non-aggression pact the Stalinists have been demanding for years. Now, the North is only prepared to change its behavior if the U.S. refuses any attempt at liberation, even without military action. Of course, Communist China � North Korea�s ally for over five decades � seized upon the Stalinist �offer� as a sign that the talks were �more positive� (Washington Post) than initial appearances had shown. In fact, the Communists brought the �offer� into the public view. An American official, however, noted that North Korea also threw in �everything they have ever asked for� as part of the deal. The U.S., including Powell, was less optimistic. Powell himself said the supposed offer �is not going to take us in the direction we need to go� (Washington Times). Another official said the �list of demands� from the North was �so extensive as to defy a concise description.� North Korea, meanwhile, demanded a �positive� (BBC) response to its �bold proposal.� 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. SOUTH KOREA NEWS NORTH KOREAN SHIP CROSSES BORDER AGAIN For the second time in less than a year, a North Korean naval vessel crossed the Northern Limit Line, i.e., the sea border between North and South Korea. The Stalinist ship �violated the Northern Limit Line 0.8 nautical miles off Baengryeong Island and retreated 14 minutes later,� according to the South Korean Defense Ministry (Cited by UPI via Washington Times). The last time the North violated the NLL, in July, it led to a gun battle that killed four South Koreans and roughly 30 North Koreans (see 7/1/02 and 7/8/02 North Korea Reports). GROUP SAYS NORTH STILL BUILDING TUNNELS UNDER DMZ FOR INVASION The Invasion Tunnel Hunters are convinced that Stalinist North Korea is still digging underground tunnels for the purpose of launching a future invasion of South Korea. Although the dovish government tends not to believe them, they have found some evidence of possible tunnels. South Korea has already turned one discovered tunnel into a tourist attraction. Report: BBC OTHER AMERICAN-RELATED NEWS NK CALLS ITS NUKES �NECESSARY DETERRENT,� BLAMES U.S. FOR �MEAN TRICK� Stalinist North Korea told the world what it told the U.S. last week (see last North Korea Report): that it does indeed have nuclear weapons. The Stalinists called the nukes a �necessary deterrent� (CNN). The Stalinists also ripped the U.S. for what they called a �mean trick� (BBC) of focusing on the nuclear issue. They also said any economic action against the regime would be �the green light to a war.� RUMSFELD REFUSES TO RULE OUT WAR WITH STALINIST REGIME Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld had this to say about military action against North Korea: �I don't know what will happen there. The president obviously is on the track, and Secretary (of State Colin) Powell, of moving it toward the United Nations. China has been helpful recently. We'll have to see what path they decide to take� (Newsmax). Also reporting: UPI via Washington Times ASIA SPECIALIST FOR HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH DIES Mike Jendrzejczyk, Washington director of the Asia division of Human Rights Watch, died over the weekend (Washington Post). Jendrzejczyk, quoted in numerous previous Updates, was a champion of the people trapped in Stalinist North Korea and its Communist Chinese ally. He will be missed. The editors of the Post mourned his passing. SOUTH KOREAN AND JAPANESE LEADERS TO VISIT WASHINGTON; NK LIKELY TOP SUBJECT South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun will visit the United States this week, to be soon after followed by Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. North Korea is expected to be the topic of conversation at both sets of talks. Report: BBC HUMAN RIGHTS AND INTERNAL NEWS AS ANOTHER NK ESCAPEE REMEMBERS TORTURE, SOUTH KOREA RIPPED FOR NOT CARING A former prisoner from North Korea, who managed to escape from the Stalinist regime after it sent her back home to die, told her tale of torture, cruelty, beatings, and starvation to the Washington Post. Tales such as hers led the UN Human Rights Commission to condemn North Korea (see 4/21 North Korea Report), but South Korea refused to join the condemnation. The lack of action, driven in large part by the na�ve belief of President Roh Moo-hyun that Kim Jong-il is planning to reform his regime, earned the South widespread criticism, including from within South Korea itself. One Christian activist in the Korean democracy said his countrymen �should be ashamed that foreign countries are saying what we are afraid to say on behalf of fellow Koreans.� Meanwhile, another escaped prisoner Soon Ok Lee testified again before Congress on the treatment of political prisoners in North Korea (see 7/22/02 North Korea Report). She provided her account, also first hand, of harrowing torture and abuse. The New York Sun got an advance copy of her testimony (link courtesy Kathryn Jean Lopez, National Review Online editor and member since 2002). OTHER NEWS AUSTRALIANS NABBED WORKERS� PARTY OFFICIAL IN DRUG BUST Australia announced that its North Korean drug bust of two weeks ago (see last North Korea Report) that one of the crewmen arrested was �an official from North Korea's ruling Worker's Party� (BBC). The Stalinist�s presence on the ship all but makes airtight the case against the North as a major drug runner in the region. Also reporting: CNN, Cybercast News NORTH KOREA OPENS LONDON EMBASSY North Korea opened its embassy in London last week, two and a half years after the UK and the Stalinist regime agreed to diplomatic relations. Report: BBC COMMENTARY/ANALYSIS THE NEW REPUBLIC FUMBLES TNR calls for the Administration �to announce that we have no intention whatsoever of attacking the North, but that we will assume that any (emphasis in original) nuclear attack on the United States (or an American target abroad) originated with North Korean nuclear material and retaliate accordingly.� So while the people of northern Korea are trapped in a Stalinist regime, every one else gets a green light to hit us. This is a sensible policy? MORE ON NUCLEAR NORTH KOREA The editors of the Washington Post chicken out, telling the President to �accept the necessity of offering a solution to Mr. Kim,� while calling liberation �a last resort.� Michael Schuman and Donald MacIntyre, Time Asia, examine the options available to the United States (note: support of dissidents within northern Korea was not one of them). Victor Cha, holder of the D.S. Song chair in government and Asian studies at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service, brings some very badly needed skepticism to the debate in his Washington Post column. Doug Bandow, of the CATO Institute, repeats his call for the U.S. to let its democratic allies arm themselves with nuclear weapons to balance the North�s nuclear arsenal in National Review Online. Unfortunately, he also refuses to even mention the prospect of liberation for the people of northern Korea. Jim Hoagland, Washington Post, backs the president�s multilateral approach to nuclear North Korea. However, like nearly everyone else, he assumes Communist China will be more helpful than disruptive in prodding the Stalinist regime to improve its behavior. David Frum, member since 2003, expresses his annoyance at the State Department�s hide-the-reprocessing-information game (see last North Korea Report), and Secretary of State�s rather cryptic acknowledgement of same, in National Review Online. Check out the latest stories on the Communist China and the Terrorist War page. 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. |