| Home page To receive this publication via e-mail, click here. THE NORTH KOREA REPORT: APRIL 19, 2004 Dragon in the Dark: How and Why Communist China Helps Our Enemies in the War on Terror is now available: here, at Amazon, or at 1-888-280-7715. Our statement on why northern Korea must be liberated can be found here. ABDUL QADEER KHAN SAYS NORTH KOREA HAS THREE NUKES PAKISTANI SCIENTIST SAYS HE HELPED STALINISTS WEAPONIZE URANIUM Abdul Qadeer Khan, the father of Pakistan�s nuclear arsenal and stepfather of North Korea�s nuclear program (see 11/18/02, 11/10/03, and 2/2 NKRs), says North Korea �showed him three devices they identified as nuclear weapons� (Washington Post). Khan also admitted to helping the North �with uranium-enrichment technology.� Khan said the uranium enrichment help came �after North Korea agreed in 1994 to freeze its plutonium program.� That is a reference to the 1994 agreement in which the Stalinists agreed to freeze its nuclear weapons development in exchange for two U.S.-built nuclear power plants. Those plants are half finished. The 1994 deal ended when North Korea, confronted with American evidence, admitted to its uranium program (see 10/21/02 NKR). Also reporting: Parapundit SOUTH KOREA ELECTION NEWS URI PARTY WINS NATIONAL ASSEMBLY MAJORITY Dovish President Roh Moo-hyun�s Uri Party won 152 of the 299 seats in the National Assembly, ending the control of the Grand National Party. The (somewhat) more hawkish GNP fell in seats to 121, but before last week they were expected to be wiped off the map. Now, they will still be �a powerful opposition party� (Washington Post). That supposed power will not stop the resurrection of the $un$hine policy. Even GNP leader Park Geun-hye, whose father survived a Stalinist assassination attempt, �has called for a more flexible approach toward the North, suggesting a softening of the party's previously hawkish stance� (Washington Times). A voter backlash from Roh�s impeachment by the outgoing NA (see 3/15 NKR) for an offense most in South Korea considered minor fueled Uri�s surge (it was their first election). Most expect the Constitutional Court to heed the voters� message, and keep Roh in office. What effect this will have on the economy is not clear. The South�s Finance Minister was upbeat, but investors weren�t (BBC). Also reporting: Cybercast News OTHER SOUTH KOREA NEWS CHENEY VISITS SOUTH KOREA ON HEELS OF URI VICTORY, MEETS WITH U.S. TROOPS Less than 24 hours after Uri won its majority, Vice President Richard Cheney paid a visit to South Korea, and emphasized �that negotiations cannot be dragged out indefinitely and must begin to show results� (Washington Post). The recent developments at the polls could very well lead to �results,� just not the kind Cheney, or any other sane person, would want. The Vice President also met with American troops protecting South Korea. He praised them for �protecting millions on the Korean Peninsula, and keeping the peace in a dangerous region . . . deterring aggression and defending freedom� (Bill Gertz, Washington Times). SOUTH KOREAN TROOPS STILL GOING TO IRAQ Despite the Uri Party�s victory, South Korea still plans �to send 3,500 troops to Iraq this summer� (Fox News). The delayed deployment was first approved by impeached President Roh, but was delayed as the situation in Iraq became more problematic (see 3/22 NKR). U.S. TO PULL OUT OF PATROLLING KOREAN DMZ The United States is withdrawing its troops from its one military post on the demilitarized zone (DMZ). The move is �part of plans to let South Korea play a greater role in its defense� (United Press International via Washington Times). WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION NEWS CHENEY ON NORTH KOREA: PRC NEEDS TO DO MORE As for North Korea, Cheney actually �expressed gratitude for Beijing's leading role in organizing (UK sp) talks aimed at encouraging North Korea to give up its nuclear programme� (BBC). Those would be the same talks that Cheney wants to show �results� after having gone nowhere for months. Cheney also provided �intelligence reports indicating North Korea may have more advanced bomb-making capabilities than Washington earlier suspected� (Voice of America via Epoch Times 4/15), and asked the Communist China �to move more aggressively� (VOA via Epoch Times 4/14), on North Korea. While that my sound positive, the above statement reflects the Bush Administration�s dangerous illusion that Communist China has moved at all on this issue. Also reporting: Cybercast News, Newsmax, Bill Gertz, Washington Times, Washington Post, CNN Stop the North Korean Nuclear Power Plants: Construction on the nuclear power plants from the 1994 agreement has been suspended for one year, but the plants have not been cancelled. Use this China e-Lobby fact sheet and tell the President to kill the power plants from the 1994 agreement that North Korea broke. OTHER NEWS ON COMMUNIST CHINA�S ROLE KIM JONG-IL MEETING HU JINTAO AND JIANG ZEMIN Stalinist-in-chief Kim Jong-il met President Hu Jintao today �to discuss the North's nuclear weapons program and Beijing's economic and energy assistance� (UPI via Washington Times). Kim will also meet Central Military Commission Chairman Jiang Zemin. Also reporting: CNN, BBC, Washington Post, VOA via Epoch Times OTHER AMERICAN-RELATED NEWS STALINIST REGIME CALLS CHENEY �MENTALLY DERANGED� Kim�s visit to Communist China comes on the heels of Vice President Richard Cheney�s Asian tour (see above). The Stalinist regime fired a shot at the parting Cheney, calling him �mentally deranged� (VOA via Epoch Times). OPERATION TO RECOVER KOREAN WAR MISSING UNDER WAY The U.S. and North Korea have begun the operations to recover missing American soldiers from the Korean War. The Stalinist regime and the U.S. agreed to the joint operations last year. Report: UPI via Washington Times INTERNATIONAL NEWS UN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION CONDEMNS NORTH KOREA The United Nations Human Rights Commission �voted 29 to 8 to condemn North Korea for its precarious humanitarian situation and for systematic and widespread rights violations� (Washington Post, second item). The resolution also called for �an independent expert to investigate claims of torture and other abuses� (VOA via Epoch Times). HUMAN RIGHTS AND INTERNAL NEWS FORGET FOOD; GOT BEER? Stalinist-in-chief Kim Jong-il �bought an entire brewery from the British Ushers company and brought it, vat by vat, back to North Korea be reassembled� (Newsmax). So while the people trapped in northern Korea have to eat grass to live, at least they have enough beer. COMMENTARY/ANALYSIS ON SOUTH KOREA�S LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS Charles Scanlon, BBC, and Donald MacIntyre, Time Asia, examine the aftermath of the Uri Party victory. INVESTING IN NORTH KOREA? Lucy Jones, BBC, talks to a number of businessmen looking to make a profit in Stalinist North Korea. The central point from these buffoons is that Stalinist-in-chief Kim Jong-il is not really so bad (one calls him �an environmentalist�). There is also some talk about the �reforms� which were exposed as a complete farce in the 1/28/03 NKR. Check out 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 via our home page. Feel free to forward this to anyone you think would be interested in receiving it. Anyone who wishes to join (or unsubscribe or change their address) can send his/her name to [email protected]. Please feel free to send any news on Communist China or North Korea that you find to the same address. |