VZCZCXRO6895
RR RUEHGH
DE RUEHUL #2013 3630749
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 290749Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY SEOUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6584
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC 9557
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 7157
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 0650
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 7097
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RHHMUNA/USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI
RUEHGH/AMCONSUL SHANGHAI 1639
RUEHSH/AMCONSUL SHENYANG 5470
RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI 4396
RUEHGP/AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE 7607
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1878
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 3179
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 2254
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 2860
UNCLAS SEOUL 002013
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR ECON KPAO KMDR KS US
SUBJECT: SEOUL - MEDIA REACTION
Subject: Media Reaction; Seoul
"Persistent Fears of Second 9/11 Terror Attacks"
Right-of-center JoongAng Ilbo editorialized (12/29): "As long as
Osama bin Laden-the mastermind behind the Sept. 11 terror attacks
that took the lives of some 3,000 people-is alive and well,
terrorist attacks by (members of) al-Qaida remain a serious threat.
In this regard, the fact that a suspected (terrorist) managed to
board a Detroit-bound airliner wearing an explosive device poses a
grave problem. ... A terrorist attack on a plane is not an issue
that a single country can prevent alone. ... Without close
international information-sharing and cooperation, (these types of
attacks) cannot be prevented. Needless to say, the ROK is not
(exempt from participating in) this international cooperation."
STEPHENS