CINA

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N.K. underworld hit attempt failed in China:

Pyeongyang's Mafia War in the Streets of Macau
Kim Jong-nam survived assassination attempt

Close aides of Kim Jong-un, the 26-year-old third son and heir apparent of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, last week attempted to assassinate the leader's first son Jong-nam, KBS reported y'day quoting Chinese government sources.

Aides to Kim Jong-un planned to assassinate Jong-nam, who lives in Macau, after first eliminating his close aides in North Korea. The sources said, "It seems they tried to assassinate Kim Jong-nam without telling Kim Jong-il."

The plan was foiled when the Chinese government found out about it early last week. "The Chinese government warned North Korea to stop the assassination attempt, and sent intelligence and military officers to Macau and spirited Kim Jong-nam to a safe place," the sources said.

In protest against North Korea's nuclear test and the assassination plan, China reportedly shelved all collaboration projects with North Korea such as developing natural resources and building infrastructure, part of projects celebrating the "China-North Korea Friendship Year." The sources said China also delivered a message that it would halt food and fuel assistance if North Korea continues its provocations.

The sources said the reason China was protecting Kim Jong-nam is because he has been developing friendships with high-ranking Chinese officials for a long time. KBS said Kim Jong-nam is likely to weigh option of seeking asylum in China.

http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2009/06/16/2009061600816.html

Well, it might be that it's just a rumor... But - anyway - it's a great story!!^^

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While "North Korea warns Seoul of nuclear war.." as an article in today's Guardian(UK) headlined, the S.K. "left"-liberal daily newspaper Hankyoreh in its today's "Analysis" comes to realize that N.K.’s response is moderate and opens up a space for dialogue...

^^And last week's threat by the "rulers" in Pyeongyang to initiate the nuclear holocaust - at least for its neighboring region - was just an offer for global peace!! (yeah, and the earth is a slice!)

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The United Nations Security Council Friday approved a resolution seeking further financial sanctions and an overall arms embargo on North Korea for its recent nuclear test. The 15-nation council unanimously passed without amendment the U.S.-written draft resolution banning North Korea from conducting further nuclear and ballistic missile tests.

While deputy U.S. State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said, "North Korea will be facing a sanctions regime unlike any other on Earth. We will implement those sanctions aggressively", others are skeptical(*): "North Korea resolution lacks teeth" (D. Kirk in Asia Times, 6.13).

Meanwhile N.K. again ratcheted up the tension (surprise, surprise!!) in its nuclear standoff with the world by declaring yesterday that it would "weaponise" all of its plutonium and threatening with war (for more please see below)...

The following is the full text of the UNSC resolution:

 
The Security Council,

“Recalling its previous relevant resolutions, including resolution 825 (1993), resolution 1540 (2004), resolution 1695 (2006), and, in particular, resolution 1718 (2006), as well as the statements of its President of 6 October 2006 (S/PRST/2006/41) and 13 April 2009 (S/PRST/2009/7),

“Reaffirming that proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, as well as their means of delivery, constitutes a threat to international peace and security,

“Expressing the gravest concern at the nuclear test conducted by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (“the DPRK”) on 25 May 2009 (local time) in violation of resolution 1718 (2006), and at the challenge such a test constitutes to the Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (“the NPT”) and to international efforts aimed at strengthening the global regime of non-proliferation of nuclear weapons towards the 2010 NPT Review Conference, and the danger it poses to peace and stability in the region and beyond,

“Stressing its collective support for the NPT and commitment to strengthen the Treaty in all its aspects, and global efforts towards nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament, and recalling that the DPRK cannot have the status of a nuclear-weapon State in accordance with the NPT in any case,

“Deploring the DPRK’s announcement of withdrawal from the NPT and its pursuit of nuclear weapons,

“Underlining once again the importance that the DPRK respond to other security and humanitarian concerns of the international community,

“Underlining also that measures imposed by this resolution are not intended to have adverse humanitarian consequences for the civilian population of the DPRK,

“Expressing its gravest concern that the nuclear test and missile activities carried out by the DPRK have further generated increased tension in the region and beyond, and determining that there continues to exist a clear threat to international peace and security,

“Reaffirming the importance that all Member States uphold the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations,

“Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, and taking measures under its Article 41,

“1. Condemns in the strongest terms the nuclear test conducted by the DPRK on 25 May 2009 (local time) in violation and flagrant disregard of its relevant resolutions, in particular resolutions 1695 (2006) and 1718 (2006), and the statement of its President of 13 April 2009 (S/PRST/2009/7);

“2. Demands that the DPRK not conduct any further nuclear test or any launch using ballistic missile technology;

“3. Decides that the DPRK shall suspend all activities related to its ballistic missile programme and in this context re-establish its pre-existing commitments to a moratorium on missile launches;

“4. Demands that the DPRK immediately comply fully with its obligations under relevant Security Council resolutions, in particular resolution 1718 (2006);

“5. Demands that the DPRK immediately retract its announcement of withdrawal from the NPT;

“6. Demands further that the DPRK return at an early date to the NPT and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards, bearing in mind the rights and obligations of States Parties to the NPT, and underlines the need for all States Parties to the NPT to continue to comply with their Treaty obligations;

“7. Calls upon all Member States to implement their obligations pursuant to resolution 1718 (2006), including with respect to designations made by the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1718 (2006) (“the Committee”) pursuant to the statement of its President of 13 April 2009 (S/PRST/2009/7);

“8. Decides that the DPRK shall abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programmes in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner and immediately cease all related activities, shall act strictly in accordance with the obligations applicable to parties under the NPT and the terms and conditions of the IAEA Safeguards Agreement (IAEA INFCIRC/403) and shall provide the IAEA transparency measures extending beyond these requirements, including such access to individuals, documentation, equipment and facilities as may be required and deemed necessary by the IAEA;

“9. Decides that the measures in paragraph 8(b) of resolution 1718 (2006) shall also apply to all arms and related materiel, as well as to financial transactions, technical training, advice, services or assistance related to the provision, manufacture, maintenance or use of such arms or materiel;

“10. Decides that the measures in paragraph 8(a) of resolution 1718 (2006) shall also apply to all arms and related materiel, as well as to financial transactions, technical training, advice, services or assistance related to the provision, manufacture, maintenance or use of such arms, except for small arms and light weapons and their related materiel, and calls upon States to exercise vigilance over the direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer to the DPRK of small arms or light weapons, and further decides that States shall notify the Committee at least five days prior to selling, supplying or transferring small arms or light weapons to the DPRK;

“11. Calls upon all States to inspect, in accordance with their national authorities and legislation, and consistent with international law, all cargo to and from the DPRK, in their territory, including seaports and airports, if the State concerned has information that provides reasonable grounds to believe the cargo contains items the supply, sale, transfer, or export of which is prohibited by paragraph 8 (a), 8 (b), or 8 (c) of resolution 1718 or by paragraph 9 or 10 of this resolution, for the purpose of ensuring strict implementation of those provisions;

“12. Calls upon all Member States to inspect vessels, with the consent of the flag State, on the high seas, if they have information that provides reasonable grounds to believe that the cargo of such vessels contains items the supply, sale, transfer, or export of which is prohibited by paragraph 8 (a), 8 (b), or 8 (c) of resolution 1718 (2006) or by paragraph 9 or 10 of this resolution, for the purpose of ensuring strict implementation of those provisions;

“13. Calls upon all States to cooperate with inspections pursuant to paragraphs 11 and 12, and, if the flag State does not consent to inspection on the high seas, decides that the flag State shall direct the vessel to proceed to an appropriate and convenient port for the required inspection by the local authorities pursuant to paragraph 11;

“14. Decides to authorize all Member States to, and that all Member States shall, seize and dispose of items the supply, sale, transfer, or export of which is prohibited by paragraph 8 (a), 8 (b), or 8 (c) of resolution 1718 or by paragraph 9 or 10 of this resolution that are identified in inspections pursuant to paragraph 11, 12, or 13 in a manner that is not inconsistent with their obligations under applicable Security Council resolutions, including resolution 1540 (2004), as well as any obligations of parties to the NPT, the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction of 29 April 1997, and the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction of 10 April 1972, and decides further that all States shall cooperate in such efforts;

“15. Requires any Member State, when it undertakes an inspection pursuant to paragraph 11, 12, or 13, or seizes and disposes of cargo pursuant to paragraph 14, to submit promptly reports containing relevant details to the Committee on the inspection, seizure and disposal;

“16. Requires any Member State, when it does not receive the cooperation of a flag State pursuant to paragraph 12 or 13 to submit promptly to the Committee a report containing relevant details;

“17. Decides that Member States shall prohibit the provision by their nationals or from their territory of bunkering services, such as provision of fuel or supplies, or other servicing of vessels, to DPRK vessels if they have information that provides reasonable grounds to believe they are carrying items the supply, sale, transfer, or export of which is prohibited by paragraph 8 (a), 8 (b), or 8 (c) of resolution 1718 (2006) or by paragraph 9 or 10 of this resolution, unless provision of such services is necessary for humanitarian purposes or until such time as the cargo has been inspected, and seized and disposed of if necessary, and underlines that this paragraph is not intended to affect legal economic activities;

“18. Calls upon Member States, in addition to implementing their obligations pursuant to paragraphs 8 (d) and (e) of resolution 1718 (2006), to prevent the provision of financial services or the transfer to, through, or from their territory, or to or by their nationals or entities organized under their laws (including branches abroad), or persons or financial institutions in their territory, of any financial or other assets or resources that could contribute to the DPRK’s nuclear-related, ballistic missile-related, or other weapons of mass destruction-related programmes or activities, including by freezing any financial or other assets or resources on their territories or that hereafter come within their territories, or that are subject to their jurisdiction or that hereafter become subject to their jurisdiction, that are associated with such programmes or activities and applying enhanced monitoring to prevent all such transactions in accordance with their national authorities and legislation;

“19. Calls upon all Member States and international financial and credit institutions not to enter into new commitments for grants, financial assistance, or concessional loans to the DPRK, except for humanitarian and developmental purposes directly addressing the needs of the civilian population, or the promotion of denuclearization, and also calls upon States to exercise enhanced vigilance with a view to reducing current commitments;

“20. Calls upon all Member States not to provide public financial support for trade with the DPRK (including the granting of export credits, guarantees or insurance to their nationals or entities involved in such trade) where such financial support could contribute to the DPRK’s nuclear-related or ballistic missile-related or other WMD-related programmes or activities;

“21. Emphasizes that all Member States should comply with the provisions of paragraphs 8(a)(iii) and 8(d) of resolution 1718 (2006) without prejudice to the activities of the diplomatic missions in the DPRK pursuant to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations;

“22. Calls upon all Member States to report to the Security Council within forty-five days of the adoption of this resolution and thereafter upon request by the Committee on concrete measures they have taken in order to implement effectively the provisions of paragraph 8 of resolution 1718 (2006), as well as paragraphs 9 and 10 of this resolution, as well as financial measures set out in paragraphs 18, 19 and 20 of this resolution;

“23. Decides that the measures set out at paragraphs 8 (a), 8 (b) and 8 (c) of resolution 1718 (2006) shall also apply to the items listed in INFCIRRev.9/Part 1a and INFCIRRev.7/Part 2a;

“24. Decides to adjust the measures imposed by paragraph 8 of resolution 1718 (2006) and this resolution, including through the designation of entities, goods, and individuals, and directs the Committee to undertake its tasks to this effect and to report to the Security Council within 30 days of adoption of this resolution, and further decides that, if the Committee has not acted, then the Security Council will complete action to adjust the measures within seven days of receiving that report;

“25. Decides that the Committee shall intensify its efforts to promote the full implementation of resolution 1718 (2006), the statement of its President of 13 April 2009 (S/PRST/2009/7) and this resolution, through a work programme covering compliance, investigations, outreach, dialogue, assistance and cooperation, to be submitted to the Council by 15 July 2009, and that it shall also receive and consider reports from Member States pursuant to paragraphs 10, 15, 16 and 22 of this resolution;

“26. Requests the Secretary-General to create for an initial period of one year, in consultation with the Committee, a group of up to seven experts (“Panel of Experts”), acting under the direction of the Committee to carry out the following tasks: (a) assist the Committee in carrying out its mandate as specified in resolution 1718 (2006) and the functions specified in paragraph 25 of this resolution; (b) gather, examine and analyse information from States, relevant United Nations bodies and other interested parties regarding the implementation of the measures imposed in resolution 1718 (2006) and in this resolution, in particular incidents of non-compliance; (c) make recommendations on actions the Council, or the Committee or Member States, may consider to improve implementation of the measures imposed in resolution 1718 (2006) and in this resolution; and (d) provide an interim report on its work to the Council no later than 90 days after adoption of this resolution, and a final report to the Council no later than 30 days prior to termination of its mandate with its findings and recommendations;

“27. Urges all States, relevant United Nations bodies and other interested parties, to cooperate fully with the Committee and the Panel of Experts, in particular by supplying any information at their disposal on the implementation of the measures imposed by resolution 1718 (2006) and this resolution;

“28. Calls upon all Member States to exercise vigilance and prevent specialized teaching or training of DPRK nationals within their territories or by their nationals, of disciplines which could contribute to the DPRK’s proliferation sensitive nuclear activities and the development of nuclear weapon delivery systems;

“29. Calls upon the DPRK to join the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty at the earliest date;

“30. Supports peaceful dialogue, calls upon the DPRK to return immediately to the Six-Party Talks without precondition, and urges all the participants to intensify their efforts on the full and expeditious implementation of the Joint Statement issued on 19 September 2005 and the joint documents of 13 February 2007 and 3 October 2007, by China, the DPRK, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation and the United States, with a view to achieving the verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and to maintain peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in North-East Asia;

“31. Expresses its commitment to a peaceful, diplomatic and political solution to the situation and welcomes efforts by Council members as well as other Member States to facilitate a peaceful and comprehensive solution through dialogue and to refrain from any actions that might aggravate tensions;

“32. Affirms that it shall keep the DPRK’s actions under continuous review and that it shall be prepared to review the appropriateness of the measures contained in paragraph 8 of resolution 1718 (2006) and relevant paragraphs of this resolution, including the strengthening, modification, suspension or lifting of the measures, as may be needed at that time in light of the DPRK’s compliance with relevant provisions of resolution 1718 (2006) and this resolution;

“33. Underlines that further decisions will be required, should additional measures be necessary;

“34. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.”

* Leon Sigal, director of the Northeast Asia Cooperative Security Project at the Social Science Research Council, asserted that “Sanctions have never caused Pyongyang enough economic pain to make it yield to our will,” while moreover, “The North regards sanctions as confirmation of its conviction that we remain its foe, giving it a pretext to continue arming.” (DailyNK, 6.14)

Related articles about the latest developments:
☞ 'N. Korea may strike back' (AP/y.net, 6.13)

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(uhuu.. please don't ask me for a comment about the program.. SORRY!^^)

2. Tomorrow's Culture Festival in Yongsan:

3. Rallies Planned Over Weekend (K. Times, 6.12)
 

Warning Issued Against Illegal Gatherings

A series of rallies are planned over the weekend in downtown Seoul, with clashes between demonstrators and police as well as traffic congestion feared.

Police pledged strong action against protesters who use violence or disrupt traffic.

The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), one of the nation's two umbrella unions, will hold a rally in front of Korea Development Bank in Yeouido at 4 p.m. Saturday, with 8,000 participants expected.

The demonstration is in support of the strike of cargo truck drivers, who started a walkout Thursday to demand that a logistics company renew contracts with 30 of their colleagues. The group will also call for Ssangyong Motor to scrap its layoff of nearly 1,000 workers.

After the Yeouido rally, they plan to hold a candlelit protest in front of the main gates of Deoksu Palace, just across the street from Seoul Plaza, at 7 p.m. Police refused a request for a rally on the plaza, but have not ruled out the possibility of an attempted advance to the area because of the limited capacity in front of the gate.

Another gathering is scheduled on Saturday evening to commemorate the death of two middle schoolgirls, Shim Mi-son and Shin Hyo-sun, who were accidentally struck and killed by a U.S. armored vehicle north of Seoul in 2002.

Civic groups have held the commemoration at Seoul Plaza every year since 2003. But police are considering a blockade of the plaza with patrol buses.

Striking cargo truck drivers will also gather in Seoul and stage a demonstration Saturday, but have not yet decided on the exact site.

On Sunday, some 3,000 civic group members will gather at Jangchung Gymnasium at 2 p.m. to commemorate the June 15 Joint Declaration signed between former President Kim Dae-jung and North Korean leader Kim Jong-il in 2000.

They plan to march to a park in Euljiro after the gathering despite the police's earlier notice that they would ban the march.

"We will take a stern attitude toward rallies without prior permission, as well as arrest violent protestors with evidence from video clips even after the gatherings are over," a police officer at the National Police Agency said.

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2009/06/113_46746.html

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After a short weekend of absence, this week N.K. made its comeback in the int'l media/the major headlines. It started on Monday with very bad news for the U.S.  journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee - 12 years labour camp!(*) - and it's likely ending with some really bad news for the "rulers" in Pyeongyang(**):

North Korea facing tougher UN sanctions (Guardian, 6.11)

The UN security council is expected to vote on Friday in support of new sanctions deepening the existing arms embargo against North Korea, in response to its second nuclear test carried out last month.

The new resolution – agreed yesterday by the permanent five council members, and Japan and South Korea – imposes a complete ban on North Korean arms exports, a principal source of foreign exchange earnings for the Pyongyang regime.

It also bans the sale of all arms except light weapons to North Korea, and calls on governments to enforce the embargo by inspecting ships suspected of breaking the arms ban.

Any such ships should be denied refuelling or other port services in third countries.

The resolution was agreed after two weeks of negotiations among the permanent five security council members following the nuclear test on 25 May.

China and Russia argued against severely punitive sanctions out of fear that it would trigger the collapse of the regime and a humanitarian disaster.

(Al Jazeera, 6.11 reporting from Beijing, said the Chinese were very much agreed on the draft resolution as they were keen to show the North Korean government how displeased they were over Pyongyang's recent nuclear test.)

The new resolution does not permit the use of force in its implementation, but western officials said it would be hard for North Korea to trade arms if its ships were denied refuelling and docking rights around the world.

"It is far stronger than anything in existence so far," one official said.

It significantly broadens a 2006 resolution, passed after North Korea's first nuclear test, which blocked the trade in specific types of heavy weapons and military equipment, such as tanks, helicopters and artillery.

UN member states are also called on to deny the Pyongyang regime any form of financial support except humanitarian aid.

North Korea has reacted furiously to the looming threat of sanctions. The main state-run newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, said on Monday that Pyongyang would consider any new sanctions as a declaration of war, and that it would respond to them with "appropriate self-defence measures".

North Korea has declared it no longer feels bound by the 1953 armistice that ended the Korean war and warned it would wage a "merciless offensive" with nuclear weapons if necessary, if it was provoked.

The Associated Press reported today that the draft resolution also calls on all member states and international financial and credit institutions not to authorise new grants, financial aid, or concessional loans to North Korea "except for humanitarian and developmental purposes directly addressing the needs of the civilian population or the promotion of denuclearisation".

It also, said reports, calls on all member states not to provide public financial support for trade with North Korea that could contribute to its banned weapons programmes, including granting export credits, guarantees, or insurance to companies or individuals involved in such trade.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jun/10/north-korea-un-sanctions

But for Chosun Ilbo - of course - the UN Sanctions May Not Be Enough...^^

* Well, very likely they will spend the time not in an "ordinary" labour (torture) camp, but in a "Gulag de Luxe"(^^):
☞ Journalists may get 'good' gulag (Asia Times, 6.11)

** A short summary of this week's "highlights" related to N.K.:
☞ American Journalists Sentenced to Reform through Labor (KCNA, 6.08)

☞ N.Korea warns of 'extreme measures' (al-Jazeera, 6.08)  

☞ N. Korea threatens nuclear offensive (AP/J.Post, 6.09)

☞ Pyongyang just wants attention (Asia Times, 6.10)

☞ N. Korea 'planning new nuclear test' (al-Jazeera, 6.11)

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..by 숲속홍길동同志 (6.09)

For more please check out Google(e.g.): "every monday's solidarity concert, myeong-dong"!

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A short while ago the S.K. gov't announced its insolent plan to ban all political (except the reactionary^^) rallies/demos from downtown Seoul, incl. Daehak-no, Jong-no/Gwanghwamun, Seoul City Hall Plaza etc...

And of course a majority of the public (incl. civic and human right groups, KCTU, political parties, resistance organisations...) is strictly opposing the plan!

Well, tomorrow the conflict between them and the gov't (i.e. the riot cops) could escalate, as the (bourgeois) Korea Times reported y'day:

Tension Builds Up Ahead of June 10

Police have banned anti-government rallies scheduled for central Seoul on Wednesday, heightening fears of a clash with protestors.

Wednesday is the 22nd anniversary of the nationwide pro-democracy "6/10 movement" in June 1987.

At that time, hundreds of thousands of people rose up against then President Chun Doo-hwan's dictatorship, forcing the military junta to declare on June 29 that the government would introduce a direct presidential election system.

Opposition political parties and civic groups timed the latest rally to coincide with the watershed moment, which also led to the release of detained pro-democracy activists including Kim Dae-jung, who later became President between 1998 and 2003.

The Democratic Party, progressive civic groups, scholars, and religious leaders want to stage rallies at Seoul Plaza, Cheonggye Stream and other parts of Seoul.

"It's to denounce the Lee Myung-bak administration for its policies backpedaling the country's democracy, friendly to the rich, and raising Seoul-Pyeongyang tensions," organizers said in a joint statement.

Police said the applications for the rallies were rejected because some other conservative organizations filed applications for the use of the plaza beforehand. National Police Agency Commissioner Kang Hee-rak demanded police officers around the country play by the rules in cracking down on unauthorized demonstrators.

Despite the refusal, anti-government civic groups plan to push ahead with the rallies as planned...

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2009/06/117_46480.html

Related articles:
☞ Tension heightens over Seoul rally (K. Herald, 6.09)
☞ Restore freedom of assembly at Seoul Plaza on June 10 (Hankyoreh, 6.08)

*****

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Thousands of unionized workers - "armed with metal pipes and firebombs"(^^), according to AFP(6.03) - at SsangYong Motors(SYM), the smallest carmaker in S. Korea, are in strike and have occupied a plant in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, since May 21 to fight a layoff plan.

Five days ago(6.03) the management of SYM, backed by the gov't, announced that they will call in riot police to end the strike/occupation unless the workers disperse by early this week.

But despite the risk of a violent crackdown(executed by thousands of riot cops) SYM's labor union rejected today an "arbitration" proposal by the management and vowed to continue their strike/occupation "until victory".

Already before y'day(6.06), during a powerful Struggle Culture Festival in Pyeongtaek, at least 3000 striking SYM workers - incl. their relatives and hundreds of supporters - declared their readiness to strike back...

Here some impressions from the event:

Related article:
☞ Ssangyong Motor Union Rejects Arbitration Proposal (K. Times, 6.08)

For more about the SsangYong strike please check out the related articles in LabourStart!

 

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You listen to the latest program of Action Radio/Media Re-development Broadcasting, incl. the impressive performance by comrade Ji Min-ju, a well-known progressive protest singer:

Ji Min-ju's performance in Yongsan (6.04)

For more about the broadcasting please check out:

☞ 지민주 용산현장 공연실황