Posted on 05/07/2003 5:02:07 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
"But, but how can this be? After all, we know that Bush has been ignoring the North Korean problem because of his obsession with Iraq. This report must be false!"
The United States Senate should contract with ATT or some other major US telecom in S. Korea that has videoconferencing capabilities; they can procure a simultaneous Korean-to-English interpreter. They can send Senate staff to Seoul to arrange the program and set up the equipment and technicians in Mr. Hwang's residence in Seoul.
The US Senate can then send an official letter to the Korean Embassy in D.C. stating that they are going ahead with an official Senate hearing live by Transpacific videoconference and NOT to interfere with it.
Such a hearing/interview/testimony unraveling the inner workings of North Korea (despite it irritating the conciliatory/appeasing South Korean government) can occur from 8:30 a.m. Washington D.C. time (9:30 p.m. Seoul) for perhaps an hour that will not necessarily be a time zone inconvenience for either party.
This creative approach by the US Senate takes away the Roh Mu Hyon Administration's lame reason that it is unsafe for North Korean defector Hwang Jang-Yop to travel to the United States because of North Korean agents there (or whatever nonsense it is).
From today "Chosun Ilbo" Chosun Ilbo (Joo Yong-jung, "TOP DEFECTOR TRYING AGAIN TO VISIT US," Washington, 05/06/03) reported that Hwang Jang-yop, former secretary of the North Korean Workers Party and the highest-ranking official to ever defect from the country, has asked four US senators to help him visit US. Hwang sent letters to politicians such as Henry Hyde (Republican-Illinois, chairman of Committee of International Relations) and Christopher Cox (Republican-California, chairman of the Policy Committee). In the letter sent under two titles - honorary chairman of the North Korean Refugee Association and chairman of the Committee of North Korean Democratization, Hwang wrote that he would like to visit US to exchange opinions with officials there about problems concerning DPRK. "I would very much appreciate if you would assist my visit to the U.S." he said in the letter. Hwang also sent letters to Secretary of State Colin Powell. The U.S. Defense Forum Foundation, which is actively promoting Hwang's visit, sent him an invitation - then on April 10, Hwang sent a letter to the Korean Embassy in Washington, requesting that necessary procedures for the visit be commenced. ROK government has blocked Hwang from making the trip to US in the past, citing security concerns. ROK government official said Monday that they knew Hwang wanted to go to America by July. "Although we have not yet decided on the final course of action," he said, "there is no reason to block Hwang's visit - so we are looking it over from a positive perspective."
OK, that answers my question as to WHO to work with on doing the videoconference if the Clintonist ROK officials try to block him again from going to the US to tell the truth.
Great for you to try this. I hope that you can motivate these friendly congressmen to go extra miles to get Mr. Hwang into U.S. or set up the video-conferencing you suggested. You apparently have some contacts and resources. I really want you to succeed. There would be many here who wish that he could make his trip to U.S. but have no control over steering his fate.
Let me know how this thing will progress if you can. I also like to hear about your reports after your visit to JSA and the meeting of Japanese officials.:)
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