VZCZCXRO9929
RR RUEHGH
DE RUEHUL #0004 0040540
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 040540Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY SEOUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6609
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC 9564
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 7166
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 0657
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RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
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RUEHGH/AMCONSUL SHANGHAI 1647
RUEHSH/AMCONSUL SHENYANG 5478
RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI 4403
RUEHGP/AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE 7614
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1885
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 3186
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 2261
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 2868
UNCLAS SEOUL 000004
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR ECON KPAO KMDR KS US
SUBJECT: SEOUL - MEDIA REACTION
Subject: Media Reaction; Seoul
"S. KOREA'S RESPONSE TO NORTH KOREA'S TRANSITION AND IMPROVEMENTS IN
INTER-KOREAN RELATIONS"
Left-leaning Hankyoreh Shinmun editorialized (01/04): "North Korea's
(New Year's message) hints at two things: the North Korean economy
is in difficulty; and for the North, stability inside and outside
the country is very important now. ... The Six-Party nations should
make good use of this situation to activate discussions about
denuclearization. ... We should also positively consider
negotiations about a peace regime (on the Korean Peninsula), which
the North emphasizes. Since North Korea's nuclear dismantlement is
directly linked with its security guarantee, denuclearization
efforts and the establishment of a peace regime should go hand in
hand. For the U.S., which must keep in mind domestic public
opinion, the establishment of a peace regime may be less burdensome
than a complete normalization of relations with the North."
STEPHENS