Say No to Procrastination: November 2010

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

US embassy cables: Trying to crack the North Korea nut | World news | guardian.co.uk

US embassy cables: Trying to crack the North Korea nut | World news | guardian.co.uk:

"As a presidential candidate, Lee Myoung-bak called for a 'creative reconstruction' of Korea's foreign policy. In his February 2008 inaugural address, Lee criticized his two predecessors, saying, 'At times over the last ten years, we found ourselves faltering and confused.' He vowed to trade ideology for pragmatism as Korea's surest means of improving ties with its neighbors, and he's had some successes, especially with China and Russia, where Lee was able to expand substantially economic and political ties. Lee's efforts on Japan and North Korea are more mixed. With Japan, the South Korean public was not quite ready to accept fully Lee's attempts to compartmentalize history issues. Still, much progress was made in Seoul-Tokyo consultations on a variety of issues ranging from North Korea to economic to even security issues. On North Korea, Lee's conservative agenda was predictably rebuffed by Pyongyang. However, all signs are that President Lee is quite comfortable in sticking to denuclearization and reciprocity as the basis of his North Korea policy, especially as it enjoys considerable support."

Monday, November 29, 2010

US embassy cables: South Korea rings the alarm bells | World news | guardian.co.uk

US embassy cables: South Korea rings the alarm bells | World news | guardian.co.uk:

"10. (C) On prospects for a North-South summit, NSA Kim clarified remarks that President Lee made in an interview with the BBC in Davos. Kim said that, beginning last fall, the ROK has had contact with the DPRK about a summit. The North, however, has demanded that Seoul provide a certain amount of economic aid prior to any summit. That precondition was unacceptable, Kim stressed, noting that the Blue House had emphasized to the ROK press this week that President Lee would never 'buy' a summit with the North."

WikiLeaks Archive — Cables Uncloak U.S. Diplomacy - NYTimes.com

WikiLeaks Archive — Cables Uncloak U.S. Diplomacy - NYTimes.com: "Thinking about an eventual collapse of North Korea: American and South Korean officials have discussed the prospects for a unified Korea, should the North’s economic troubles and political transition lead the state to implode. The South Koreans even considered commercial inducements to China, according to the American ambassador to Seoul. She told Washington in February that South Korean officials believe that the right business deals would “help salve” China’s “concerns about living with a reunified Korea” that is in a “benign alliance” with the United States."