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U.S. May Be Trying to Isolate N. Korea By Barbara Demick Times Staff Writer
Sat May 28, 7:55 AM ET
SEOUL By severing some of the few remaining U.S. ties with North Korea in recent days, the Bush administration appears to be trying to further isolate the Pyongyang regime over its pursuit of nuclear weapons, analysts say.
Wednesday's suspension of a Pentagon program to recover the remains of U.S. soldiers killed in the Korean War puts an end to one of the few regular channels of face-to-face contact between Americans and North Koreans. It also cuts off a source of hard currency for the communist nation's army, which was being paid millions to assist in the search for remains.
Also this week, the U.S. refused to renew the contract of the American executive director of an international consortium in charge of supplying energy to North Korea.
Analysts said the decision to terminate the contract of Charles Kartman, a career diplomat who had headed the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization since 2001, was probably a prelude to abandoning a light-water nuclear reactor being built on North Korea's east coast.
"The U.S. is shutting down anything that is in any way remotely beneficial to North Korea," said L. Gordon Flake, an expert on North Korea and head of the Mansfield Center for Pacific Affairs in Washington.
He described this week's moves as signs that the administration was "gearing up for the next phase" as the prospect of North Korea returning to multinational talks on its nuclear weapons program grew increasingly unlikely.
A former State Department official, who did not want to be quoted by name, said the suspension of the remains recovery program and Kartman's termination indicated a concerted effort by the administration to tighten the screws on Pyongyang.
"They are putting all the pieces in place to shut everything down around North Korea," he said.
Aid officials are worried that the United States might not make its annual contribution to a United Nations food drive for North Korea. The U.S. has been one of the largest suppliers of food to the impoverished nation, last year providing 50,000 tons. It has not yet indicated whether it will make a pledge this year, said Anthony Banbury, Asia director of the U.N. World Food Program....
Rumsfeld to raise US concerns on North Korea, China in Southeast Asian trip
AFP via Yahoo! News - May 27 11:37 AM
The North Korean nuclear standoff and China's military buildup will top US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's agenda when he travels to Southeast Asia early next month for an international security conference, a senior US defense official said.
US suspends MIA recovery operations in North Korea
AFP via Yahoo! News - May 25 4:29 PM
The US military has suspended operations to recover remains of missing US servicemembers in North Korea because the uncertain political conditions has raised concerns about the protection of US military personnel there, defense spokesmen said.
US suspends hunt for troop remains in North Korea
Daily Times - May 26 3:47 PM
WASHINGTON: The Pentagon on Wednesday suspended US efforts inside North Korea to find remains of American troops killed during the 1950-53 Korean War, accusing Pyongyang of creating an atmosphere dangerous to US workers.
Pentagon Suspends Search for Remains of US Soldiers in North Korea
KYW News Radio 1060 - May 26 3:38 AM
The Pentagon has announced it is suspending US efforts to recover the remains of American soldiers from North Korea.
US suspends MIA recovery operations in North Korea
Channel NewsAsia - May 25 5:32 PM
WASHINGTON : The US military has suspended operations to recover remains of missing US servicemembers in North Korea because the uncertain political conditions has raised concerns about the protection of US military personnel there, defence spokesmen said.
US soldiers' remains to be repatriated from North Korea
AFP via Yahoo! News - May 24 2:31 PM
Remains believed to be of US soldiers killed in the Korean War will be repatriated from North Korea this week, the US Defense Department said.
US stealth planes to monitor Korea N-test
The Economic Times - May 27 1:32 PM
HOUSTON: The US Air Force has ordered 15 of its F-117A Nighthawk stealth fighter jets to South Korea as tensions increase on the peninsu- la with the possibility of a North Korean nuclear test.
UN food agency calls for aid boost to North Korea
Financial Times - May 26 11:59 PM
The United Nations World Food Programme, which feeds 6.5m North Koreans, is imploring the US, Japan and South Korea to increase their donations to the agency despite the political stand-off over the North's nuclear weapons programme.
US suspends North Korea body hunt
The Age - May 26 9:25 AM
The United States has suddenly suspended its search for the remains of its solders missing in North Korea, apparently fearing its teams could become hostages in any deepening crisis over Pyongyang's nuclear weapons.
N. Korea calls reports that it may be preparing for a nuke test a US fabrication
onedomino said:It is interesting to note that China has put almost no economic pressure on NK. Of all countries involved with NK, China has the most leverage. China is alleged to be worried about illegal NK aliens fleeing across the border into the PRC if economic pressure is applied. In the long run, China has no interest in a united Korean peninsula that is a strong economic rival containing US military bases. To what degree has the issue of nukes in NK become a function of geopolitical competition between China and America?
Why all the bold type? Are you hard of hearing? Nice emoticon: why think when you can just point and click?Johnney said:
why think when people like you seem to think they know everything for everyone.mrsx said:Why all the bold type? Are you hard of hearing? Nice emoticon: why think when you can just point and click?
U.S. and Seoul Try to Ease Rift on Talks With the North
By DAVID E. SANGER
Published: June 11, 2005
WASHINGTON, June 10 - President Bush and South Korea's president, Roh Moo Hyun, tried Friday to shore up an alliance that has shown strains as Washington and Seoul pursue different strategies to deal with North Korea's nuclear weapons program.
President Bush and President Roh Moo Hyun of South Korea after a meeting Friday at the White House. The men did not seem to make much progress in resuming talks with North Korea about its nuclear program.
Mr. Roh left saying they had brought "closure" to some of their differences, but Mr. Bush's public comments suggested that significant disagreements remained.
Asked by reporters whether he was willing to offer the North "inducements" to return to talks about giving up its nuclear weapons program, Mr. Bush immediately responded, "Yep."
He then explained that he was still waiting for a response to an offer he made a year ago, offering fairly unspecific economic, energy and diplomatic benefits that would be delivered gradually as the North disgorged every element of its large nuclear complex.
[...]
He came seeking assurances that Mr. Bush would not attack the North's nuclear facilities, and he appeared to get them. This afternoon the South Korean foreign minister, Ki Moon Ban, said, "President Bush reaffirmed his firm belief in a peaceful resolution of the nuclear issues."
Yet, while Mr. Bush has said he was seeking a diplomatic solution, he has carefully preserved for himself the leverage of threatening force, saying that "all options" are on the table.
[...]
At their joint appearance, Mr. Bush praised South Korea for its aid in Iraq and Afghanistan, and Mr. Roh went out of his way to coax the president into reaffirming an alliance that dates back to before the Korean War.
"How do you feel, Mr. President?" Mr. Roh asked in front of reporters. "Wouldn't you agree that the alliance is strong and -- "
Mr. Bush, taking the hint, jumped in and said, "I would say the alliance is very strong, Mr. President."
[...]
Mr. Bush has in the past sidestepped questions about how his vow not to tolerate North Korean nuclear weapons squares with the current estimates that the country possesses one or more.
