Bush Meets Privately With Noted N. Korean Defector

Washington Post ^ | 06/14/05 | Peter Baker and Glenn Kessler

[TigerLikesRooster]

Bush Meets Privately With Noted N. Korean Defector

By Peter Baker and Glenn Kessler
Washington Post Staff Writers
Tuesday, June 14, 2005; Page A04

President Bush met privately yesterday with a well-known North Korean defector who spent 10 years in a prison camp and has since become an outspoken critic of his homeland's government, a move that could provoke Pyongyang just as it was reviving stalled nuclear talks.

Bush invited Kang Chol Hwan, a journalist and director of the Democracy Network Against North Korean Gulag, to visit with him in the Oval Office and recount his tale of suffering in North Korea, where he was arrested in 1977 at age 9 and had to eat rats, cockroaches and snakes to survive. The White House did not list the meeting on the president's public schedule, but a spokesman later confirmed it.

According to aides, Bush has been fascinated with Kang's story ever since he began reading the former prisoner's book, "The Aquariums of Pyongyang: Ten Years in a North Korean Gulag," published in English in 2001. Bush has recommended the book to senior White House and Bush administration officials, who have been poring through it lately as well.

"He found the book compelling and wanted to talk to the author," said spokesman Frederick L. Jones II. "These are issues that are of great interest to the president -- freedom and democracy."

The timing of the meeting could fuel simmering tensions between Washington and Pyongyang a week after North Korea signaled that it was ready to resume six-party negotiations about the future of its nuclear weapons program. The North Korean government routinely reacts with outrage at even the slightest perceptions of disrespect and in the past has labeled Kang part of "the riffraff devoid of human dignity and values" engaged in....

[TigerLikesRooster]

Bush Welcomes Kang Chol-hwan

Bush must have genuine respect for Mr. Kang, while he has nothing but deep suspicion on Roh Moo-hyun, S. Korean President. After weeks of non-stop lobbying, Roh only secured 45 minutes of face-time with Bush(On the surface, it was meeting of no substance, a kind of cold shower from Bush. Apparently, some key content of the meeting was not made public. I wonder what it is.)

Then Mr. Kang met Bush for 40 minutes. This shows how Bush views the situation. He would not walk away from the plight of N. Koreans under the barbaric oppression of totalitarian regime. We may not know how he goes about it. We do know that he will not lose focus on it, despite Roh Moo-hyun's rearguard action. With this meeting, Bush is giving a backhanded slap to Roh. Roh would not be happy about this.

It seems that everyday, Bush reminds Kim Jong-il of two stark choices he faces: surrender like Qadaffi or go down like Ceausescu, using various events and rhetoric. One day Bush people talk nice, the next day they hit hard.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Ping!

[Jay Howard Smith]

"The Aquariums of Pyongyang: Ten Years in a North Korean Gulag,"

Maybe we should send a copy to Amnesty International..??..!

[TigerLikesRooster]

Re #3

I think that they already have one. Probably that is why they are not dismissing N. Korean atrocity by claiming "lack of reliable information." :-)

[BigSkyFreeper]

Then Mr. Kang met Bush for 40 minutes. This shows how Bush views the situation. He would not walk away from the plight of N. Koreans under the barbaric oppression of totalitarian regime.

This shows Bush values the life of others just itching for a taste of freedom and democracy.

[gulfcoast6]

Thank you for your statement, you are so right.

[Guillermo]

Just gotta love the appeasing tone of the WaPo.

Nver meet with anyone who would upset your enemy, as that might "dis" them.

[Theo]

That's what I thought when they wrote that Bush's meeting this man was "a move that could provoke Pyongyang"....

Once again, "it's Bush's fault."

[Stashiu]

"Just gotta love the appeasing tone of the WaPo.

Nver meet with anyone who would upset your enemy, as that might "dis" them."

My thoughts exactly.

I think we should institute the "Neville Chamberlain Award for Appeasement Excellence". My first nominee would be the Washington comPost.

[nuconvert]

Bump!

[Dark Wing]

fyi

[PetroniusMaximus]

I'm so glad this issue is one the President's heart.

Thanks goodness we have a real leader - one who is working behind the scenes to address these issues and not simply using them as a backdrop for a photo op.

[SevenofNine]

Hey Tiger I hear something that Dubya gave South Korea Prez Roh 30 minutes while he gave defector who survive Golgug whole hour

OUCH