Cablegate: Invitation to September 27-29 Dprk Watchers'

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UNCLAS SEOUL 002059

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SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PREF ETRD KN
SUBJECT: INVITATION TO SEPTEMBER 27-29 DPRK WATCHERS'
CONFERENCE

1. (U) Embassy Seoul is pleased to sponsor its 2006 DPRK
Watchers, Conference September 27-29 and invites
participation from your Posts. As in the past, our aim is to
bring together political and economic reporting officers from
Posts who cover DPRK issues, as well as Washington-based Desk
officers and analysts, to engage in substantive discussions
regarding the North's political and economic situation. In
addition to U.S.-only sessions, we will hold exchanges with
North Korea experts from the ROK government, academic, and
NGO communities. We anticipate a highly informative
conference that we hope will also foster greater
collaboration among USG DPRK watchers, a broader
understanding of ROK perspectives toward the DPRK, and common
and mutually supportive reporting goals for the coming year.

2. (U) Conference sessions will address issues such as
economic change, regime stability, the humanitarian
situation, and the DPRK's foreign policy goals. We plan to
meet with officials from the ROK NSC, the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and Trade, and the Ministry of Unification to discuss
the ROK perspective toward the DPRK.

3. (U) Please let us know at your earliest convenience if
your Post is interested in sending one or more participants
to this "no host" event. POC for the Watchers, Conference
is Poloff Andrew Bennett at bennettao@state.gov.
VERSHBOW

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