JPRS ID: 9235 KOREAN AFFAIRS REPORT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: JPRS
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00850R000300020007-9
• Release Decision: RIF
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 17
• Document Creation Date: November 1, 2016
• Sequence Number: 7
• Content Type: REPORTS

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' JPRS L/9235
6 August 19~0
Korean Affai rs Re ort
p
(FOUO 6/80)
,
~ FBIS FOREIGN BROADCAST INFORMATION SERVICE
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JPRS L/9235 -
6 August 1980
KO REA~i AFFA I RS REPO RT
(FOUO 6/80)
CONTENTS
SOUTH KOREA
POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT
'JAPAN TIMES` Views U.S. Attitude Toward ROK
(Editorial; THE JAPAN TIMES, 9 Jun 80) .............o... 1
_ ROK President's Speech on Amending Constitution
(Editorial; THE JAPAN TIMES, 17 Jun 80) 3
Historical, Cultural Factors Which Led to Kwangju Riot Outlined
(Minoru Shibata; CHUO KORON, Jul 80) S ~
- a - [III - ASIA - 109 FOUO]
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S.KOREA/POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT
'JAPAN T Il~S' VIEWS U.S. ATTITUDE TOWARD ROK
OW100349 Tokyo THE JAPAN TIMES in English 9 Jun 80 p 14
[Editorial: "U.S. Dilemma in S. I~:area"]
[Excerpts] The United States has failed to influence events within South
Korea and seems to have very little choice at the moment but to accept poli-
- tical realities since its major concern is that nation's security. _
South Korea has often been an embarrassment tc the United States. When Pre-
sident Jimmy Carter entered~ the White House three and a half qears ago, -
his then avowed policq of defending human rights on a worldwide scale came
~ into immediate conflict with the regime of the late President Pak Chong-
hui.
Despite the conflict, the U.S. Admini~tration was forced to underscore the
fact that U.S. policq toward South Korea placed a higher priority on defend-
3ng that nation from possible North Korean aggression than on converting
the South Korean Government ta democracy.
Conveniently, U.S. intelligence studies showed that North Korean military
forces were larger and more powerful than previously estimated. Therefore, -
Mr Carter could easily back down on his commitment, made rashly during the
last presidential campaign, to withdraw U.S. ground forces from South Korea.
There was discussion in Washington that the U.S. should pressure South Korea
to speed democratic reforms. But it became even more apparent that the U.S.
has really very little leverage to influence events, unless it threatens to
abandon South Korea. Its aid to South Korea now amounts annuallq to only
$127 million in military credit sales and $30 million in food. And a shut-
off would have little impact. Also, the U.S. is reluctant to use economic
- sanctions at a time when the South Korean economy is encountering great
difficulties .
What worries the U.S. Government even more than the new South Korean rulers'
failure to appreciate the U.S. concern is the belief that the South Korean
1
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people are opposed to a return of military dictatorship, and that their
resistance could lead to even more d~ngerous turmoil. General Chon should
not be too smug about U.S. impotence. He should listen to the advice from,
Washington and even more to the silent voice of the people since his coun-
try's survival could very well depend on giving more freedom to the people
rather than supprassin~ it.
South Korea desperately needs to find political stability and unity and this
cannot be achieved if the people are discontented with and distrustful of
- their own rulers.
COPYRIGHT: THE JAPAN . TL'~IES 1980
CSO: 4120 �
2
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S. KOREA/POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT
ROK PRESIDENT'S SPEECH ON AMENDING CONSTITUTTON
OW180935 Tokyo THE JAPAN TIMES in E'nglish 17 Jun 80 p 12
[Editorial: "President Choe's Clarification"]
~ [Text] The heavy cloud of gloom hanging over tt?e Republic of Korea was
lifted a little by President Choe Kyu-ha's special statement last week.
~
What he did was to reaffirm, albe it with some new policy modifications, the
so-called timetable for democratization announced by himself last November.
President Choe said that a draft for an amended constitution would be put
to a national referendum by the end of October this year. This wi11 be fol-
lowed by the elections of the pre sident and the national assembly in the
first half of next year, with a newly constituted government being installed
before the end of June 1981.
The latest clarification brought a