| Home page To receive this publication via e-mail, click here. THE NORTH KOREA REPORT: MARCH 22, 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. TOP STORY: U.S. INTELLIGENCE ON NORTH KOREA NUKES AN UPHILL BATTLE North Korea remains a �hard target� (Stars and Stripes) for U.S. intelligence, thanks in large part to a lack of human intelligence. As a result, the Stalinists �have ways to move equipment without us noticing,� in particular equipment regarding its nuclear weapons program, making any future agreement with the U.S. on the subject pointless. 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 WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION NEWS NORTH KOREA THREATENS TO �EXPAND� NUKE PROGRAM IF U.S EXERCISE GOES AHEAD North Korea �has threatened to expand its nuclear weapons programme if the annual US-led military exercises in South Korea go ahead next week� (BBC). COMMUNIST CHINA DEVELOPS �WORKING GROUPS� PLAN FOR TALKS Communist China �says it has developed a plan for setting up working groups to help resolve the standoff over North Korea's nuclear program� (Voice of America via Epoch Times, HK). The details of the plan were not revealed. U.S. WANTS TO KNOW IF PAKISTAN GOVERNMENT KNEW OF NK NUCLEAR HELP Secretary of State Colin Powell visited Pakistan looking for �details on the links between� Abdul Qadeer Khan, who sold nuclear technology information to North Korea among others (see 11/18/02, 11/10/03, 2/2, 2/9, and 2/16 NKRs), and the Pakistani government of Pervez Musharraf (Washington Post). Powell wouldn�t comment on what information Musharraf did give him. Both Pakistan and North Korea are long-term allies of Communist China. OTHER AMERICAN-RELATED NEWS U.S. WILL KEEP PUSHING NORTH KOREA ON JAPANESE KIDNAP VICTIMS The American Ambassador to Japan promised that the U.S. would �continue to pressure Pyongyang to account for Japanese citizens kidnapped by North Korean agents over the past 20 years� (Washington Times, second item). The North has only admitted to thirteen kidnappings, and claims eight of the abductees died. The five admitted survivors were released in 2002, but the Stalinists still held their children behind as de facto hostages (see 9/23/02, 9/30/02, 10/7/02, 10/14/02, 10/21/02, 10/28/02, and 11/18/02 NKRs). OTHER NEWS ON COMMUNIST CHINA�S ROLE JOURNALIST ARRESTED FOR COVERING NORTH KOREAN REFUGEES SET FREE Communist China has released a South Korean journalist who covered the plight of North Korean refugees in the PRC (BBC). The Communists send back any North Korean refugee they can find, forcing the refugees to non-person status and, in the case of female refugees, either rape victims or sex slaves (see 1/14 Update). COMMUNIST CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER TO VISIT NORTH KOREA Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing will visit North Korea for three days, starting tomorrow. The visit will include �talks on ending the crisis over North Korea's nuclear programme� (BBC). We�re not holding our breath. INTERNATIONAL NEWS UNICEF SAYS NORTH KOREAN CHILDREN�S LIVES �BETTER� According to Carol Bellamy, head of UNICEF, the organization�s work in North Korea made the situation of the children there �much better than when she visited in 1997� (BBC). However, food was still a problem, although Bellamy would not mention the North�s practice of stealing UN food aid to feed the Party and the military (see 1/20 and 1/26 NKRs). OTHER SOUTH KOREA NEWS CONSTITUTIONAL COURT TAKES CASE OF ROH�S IMPEACHMENT South Korea�s Constitutional Court began �considering the unprecedented impeachment of President Roh Moo-hyun� (BBC) last week. The dovish Roh was impeached by the National Assembly for violating election law, an infraction that 70% of South Koreans say should not result in his removal (see last NKR). Also reporting: Washington Post TROOPS DEPLOYMENT TO IRAQ POSTPONED Prime Minister Goh Kun, now acting President, said South Korean troops would not go to Iraq next month as planned. Goh wants any of his troops stationed there to stay out of any fighting. The South Korean Parliament later reiterated its support. Reports: BBC, CNN COMMENTARY/ANALYSIS MORE FROM TRIPLETT�S ROGUE STATE National Review Online has more excerpts of William C. Triplett�s Rogue State: How a Nuclear North Korea Threatens America. The book details the Stalinists abuses of their own people (Part II), their threat to America (Part III), their theft of international aid (Part IV), and the role of Communist China (Part V). Part I was in the last NKR. ON STALINIST-IN-CHIEF KIM JONG-IL Anthony Faiola, Washington Post, gauges the reaction to the new book by Kim Jong-il�s former chef: I Was Kim Jong Il's Cook (see 1/20 NKR for more on this book). ON SOUTH KOREA John Larkin and Donald MacIntyre, Time Asia, examine the fallout from Roh Moo-hyun�s impeachment. Nicholas Eberstadt, also of Time Asia, has his own analysis. None are supportive of the impeachment, although Eberstadt is more vexed by the action. 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. |