| Home page To receive this publication via e-mail, click here. THE NORTH KOREA REPORT: SEPTEMBER 22, 2003 Our statement on why northern Korea must be liberated can be found here. TOP STORY: TAEPODONG 2 HEADED FOR MIDDLE EAST RUSSIA AIDED DEVELOPMENT; IRAN IS MOST LIKELY BUYER North Korea is churning ahead with production of its Taepodong 2 missile, thanks in large part to Russian help (Geostrategy-Direct via World Net Daily). The Stalinists already have a buyer for the long-range missile: Iran. Russia has also helped the North develop other missiles (see last North Korea Report), as has Communist China. WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION NEWS IAEA ASKS NORTH KOREA TO END ITS NUCLEAR WEAPONS PROGRAM The International Atomic Energy Agency called upon North Korea to �scrap its nuclear weapons program and agree to international oversight of its activities� (CNN). The IAEA thought it had North Korea�s cooperation as part of the infamous 1994 Agreed Framework. In the Agreed Framework, North Korea agreed to freeze its nuclear weapons program, and won in return hundreds of millions of dollars in fuel oil and two partially constructed nuclear power plants. The Stalinist regime admitted to violating the agreement last fall (see 10/21/02 North Korea Report). ALUMINUM TUBES FROM GERMANY ORDERED BY IAEA REPRESENTATIVE FROM NK Meanwhile, Yun Ho Jin, North Korea�s former IAEA representative, was fingered as the man who placed the order for aluminum tubes from Germany which were stopped en route to the North in Egypt (see 4/28 North Korea Report). Aluminum tubes are a key component of centrifuges, which help weaponize uranium. Report: The Mercury (Australian) Stop the North Korean Nuclear Power Plants: The U.S. is finally moving to cancel the two nuclear power plants from the 1994 agreement that North Korea�s broke. Keep the pressure on until the plants are cancelled! Use this China e-Lobby fact sheet and tell the President to kill the power plants. AMERICAN-RELATED NEWS PRESIDENT BUSH TO KEEP KEDO ALIVE, BUT NO NUKE PLANT CONSTRUCTION The U.S. intends to give the Korean Economic Development Organization (KEDO) over $3.5 million. The money �keeps the lights on� (CNN) for KEDO, but will not be enough to allow for any construction on the two nuclear power plants that were part of the 1994 agreement that spawned KEDO. The North agreed to �freeze� it nuclear weapons program back then. The Stalinist regime admitted to violating that pledge about a year ago. Meanwhile, the U.S. also said it was �reviewing whether or not to send 60,000 tonnes of food aid to the communist nation over concerns the food may not reach those most in need of it.� There have been many reports of the North stealing international food aid (see 3/6/02 Update). The KEDO money in question was appropriated for this fiscal year, which ends on September 30. There is none slated for afterwards, according to the Washington Times. WORLD FOOD PROGRAM HEAD UPSET AT POSSIBLE U.S. NIX OF NK FOOD AID James Morris, director-general of the World Food Program, asked the U.S. to keep sending the food aid to North Korea despite aforementioned American concern that the Stalinists were diverting it to feed themselves and their military. In fact, Morris himself admitted to problems in �accessibility, accountability and transparency� (Washington Times). U.S. UPGRADING MISSILE DEFENSE IN SOUTH KOREA The U.S. is upgrading its missile defense in South Korea with a new PAC-3 system. The move comes as part of a plan announced earlier to shift the U.S. military position in South Korea (see 6/9 North Korea Report). North Korea called the move �provocative action by the United States to complete its preparations for war� (BBC). Also reporting: Newsmax U.S. AND NORTH KOREA IN SAME GROUP FOR WOMEN�S WORLD CUP The Women�s World Cup draw has landed the defending champion United States in Group A � the same group as North Korea. The group has already garnered the label �group of death� (Washington Post). NEWS ON COMMUNIST CHINA�S ROLE COMMUNIST CHINA WANTS TAIWAN CONCESSIONS FOR NK TALKS Communist China would like everyone to think they deserve the lion�s share of the credit for the six-way talks on North Korea�s nuclear weapons last month. They�re also looking for something in return: they want the U.S. to �play its part in putting a damper on the "creeping independence" of Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian� (Willy Wo-Lap Lam, CNN). COMMUNIST CHINA DENIES REPORTS THAT ITS MILITARY IS ON NK BORDER Communist China flatly denied any military presence on its border with North Korea, and further insisted that the situation on the border was �calm� (Washington Times, third item). Reports of the Communists putting their armed forces on the border with its long-time ally had left some perplexed and intrigued (see last North Korea Report). SOUTH KOREA NEWS OPPOSITION CHAIRMAN SAYS CUT OFF FOOD AID TO NK IF NUKE TALKS FAIL The chairman of the Grand National Party � the more hawkish opposition that currently controls the South Korean legislature and lost the Presidency by a whisker last year � publicly called for the world �to cut off food aid� (Washington Times) to the North if it refuses to end its nuclear ambitions. OPPOSITION FORCES OUT DOVISH HOME MINISTER A South Korean protest at an American military firing range has claimed a political casualty: Kim Doo-gwan, formerly South Korean Minister for home affairs. Kim, a dovish member of Roh Moo-hyun�s cabinet, quit after the legislature � controlled by the more hawkish Grand National Party � passed a motion of no confidence against him. Report: BBC INTERNATIONAL NEWS JAPAN MAY CHANGE WAR-BANNING CONSTITUTION DUE TO NORTH KOREA The threat of a nuclear North Korea is fueling the drive in Japan to change it constitution, particularly Article 9, which disallows any Japanese war not waged in self-defense. The murky nature of what defines self-defense (see last North Korea Report) has led many, including Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, to support the change (Cybercast News). HUMAN RIGHTS AND INTERNAL NEWS STALINISTS HUNTING FOR BANK ROBBERS The Stalinist regime suffered a stunning blow to its prestige when �three armed robbers held up a bank� (BBC) and stole $40,000. The �full force of North Korean officialdom� is on the lookout for the robbers. DRUGS NEWS U.S. PEGS NORTH KOREA AS DRUG-DEALING REGIME The Bush Administration, in its annual report to Congress on the drug trade, has fingered North Korea as a regime dealing in �heroin and methamphetamine . . . to East Asian countries� (BBC). The Administration is �intensifying its efforts to stop North Korean involvement in illicit narcotics production and trafficking.� Also reporting: Cybercast News ABDUCTION NEWS NORTH KOREA CALLS ABDUCTION ANGER A �FUSS� One year after North Korea admitted to kidnapping Japanese citizens from 1978-83 (see 9/23/02 and 9/30/02 North Korea Reports), the Stalinist regime demanded Japan �opt for redeeming its past� (BBC) and � get this � stop �making much fuss� about the abductees. The North admitted to thirteen abductions, and claimed only five survived. Those five are now back in Japan, but their families are still held hostage in North Korea. As for the eight �deceased,� the Stalinists have presented no evidence that any have died, and in fact sent false evidence to Japan on that score (see 11/18/02 North Korea Report). Also reporting: Cybercast News COMMENTARY/ANALYSIS FROM THE DOVES Michael O�Hanlon, this time in the Washington Post, makes another pitch for his version of the grand bargain with the Stalinist regime. Unfortunately, his deal would still leave the regime in power, and his idea of �reform � building on the precedents offered by China and Vietnam� reveals he does not realize what is really happening in the PRC. Ted Galen Carpenter, of the CATO Institute, has a different �grand bargain� in the Washington Times � give the North what they want if the promise to end their nuclear ambitions. Did Carpenter forget that the North already pledged what he demands back in 1994, only to admit to breaking its promise last year (see 10/21/02 North Korea Report)? NORTH KOREA: TOURIST ATTRACTION? Kate McGeown, BBC, examines the possibility of North Korea as � are you sitting down? � a tourist attraction. Check out the Communist China and the Terrorist War page. 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