US demands the closure of 'cash cow' projects for Kim

[spindrifter]

The Times October 19, 2006

From Richard Lloyd Parry in Gosonggun, South Korea and Leo Lewis in Tokyo

THE United States and South Korea are on a collision course over sanctions against North Korea because Seoul refuses to close projects that are channelling money to Kim Jong Il.

Condoleezza Rice will press South Korea to halt operations at two symbols of cross-border co-operation today. The Kaesong industrial complex and the Mount Kumgang tourist resort are a few miles north of the border dividing the neighbours.

Both are funded by the South Korean Government and the huge Hyundai conglomerate, and are intended to build co- operation and trust between North and South. But the US, backed by Japan, believes that the projects — Mount Kumgang in particular — are cash cows for Mr Kim. The hiking resort “seems to be designed to give money to the North Korean authorities”, Christopher Hill, the chief US diplomat on the North Korean crisis, said.

The controversy has caused deep divisions within South Korea between conservatives who hate the idea of rewarding a country that is building nuclear weapons and liberals who believe engagement is the only way to bring North Korea out of its xenophobic isolation.

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http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-2410461,00.html

[madrchsod]

1. sad but true

the people of north korea are told that things are worse in the rest of the world than they are there. they basically eat what ever they can and if it wasn`t for the chinese food and fuel aid they would die. the bush approach has set back the progress that has been evolving over the last few years