February 28, 2008

South Korean critic of past appeasement policies named new pointman on North Korea

Nam Joo-Hong has been called a South Korean John Bolton for his hawkish stance against North Korea. Nam, who wrote a controversial book, "There is No Reunification," will lead the Unification Ministry, which handles North-South relations, provided he wins parliamentary approval. Nam responded to his nomination by vowing to review the 10 years of the South's "sunshine policy" of engaging North Korea, saying the "appeasement" stance has only hampered efforts to bring about changes in the defiant North.                      (FULL STORY)
People bow in front of a statue of Kim Il-Sung in Pyongyang, North Korea on Feb. 26.    AP/David Guttenfelder

The deal: If Washington will 'manage' Taiwan, Beijing will lean on N. Korea

Chinese President Hu Jintao has asked Washington to put more pressure on Taipei to ensure that no mishaps take place in the run-up to Taiwan’s presidential elections scheduled for March 22. In return, Beijing has vowed to do its part in pressuring North Korea to abandon its nuclear programs and to also gradually reduce China's ballooning trade surplus with the U.S.
(FULL STORY)
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Beijing on Feb. 26.    AP/Adrian Bradshaw
Hunter: U.S. trade surplus financing PRC's massive military buildup
Beijing's request for a Persian Gulf naval base debated in Iran
   
U.S. military looking beyond war on terror to challenges from 'a rising Russia and a rising China'
Pretty woman: Cross-border deals in North Korean district near China compromised 'most local officials'
Seoul to clean house: Intel agency charged with appeasing North instead of spying
Report: Kim Jong-Nam to be next North Korean leader

Global cooling: Record winter weather in China exacerbates record inflation rates / Japan rolls out Asia’s wheels / Taiwan imperialism: 20,000 companies now doing business on the Mainland
Wu Yi challenging top party leaders on increasingly pervasive corruption
PRC article signals possible rehabilitation of Zhao Ziyang
Hanoi media escalate criticism of China moves on disputed island chains

 
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