InfoAnda - U.S. secret documents on N.K. and Kim Jong-il revealed

Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case
Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They

Taiwan denies boycotting Australian film festival
Thursday, August 6, 2009

AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e

Merkel's support dips, regional ally resigns International
Thursday, September 3, 2009

By Sarah Marsh and Noah Barkin

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German

Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who

Asian markets mixed after Wall Street rally
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an

Sri Lanka pushes ahead with war on rebels | 4 January 2009
Former SS member, 90, charged over Nazi massacre | 18 November 2009
Israeli ‘price tag’ vandals mark up violence | 3 October 2011

New Sistine Chapel books to come out in Italy | 18 November 2009

Forum Views () Forum Replies ()

Read more with google mobile : U.S. secret documents on N.K. and Kim Jong-il revealed

Yahoo! My Yahoo! Mail More Yahoo! Services Account Options New User? Sign Up Sign In Help Yahoo! Search web search Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Weekend Edition Australia China India Indonesia Japan Malaysia Philippines Thailand Vietnam U.S. secret documents on N.K. and Kim Jong-il revealed ANN - Wednesday, December 1 Send IM Story Print Seoul (The Korea Herald/ANN) - Classified U.S. diplomatic cables, leaked by WikiLeaks on Monday (November 29), indicate that North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's health has been deteriorating and his power to control the communist nation is increasingly weakened. According to the secret documents, South Korea's top official in charge of inter-Korean relations predicts Kim will die within five years due to his poor health. A top Chinese official revealed that Kim's decision-making power has weakened since having a stroke in 2008 and this led him to hurriedly decide on his youngest son as successor. Under a diplomatic cable dated July 24, 2009, South Korean Unification Minister Hyun In-take said, "Kim Jong-il is unlikely to live beyond 2015." He made the comments in a meeting with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell on Kim Jong-il's health and succession concerns. "The current succession preparations for Kim Jong-un were 'rushed' and he anticipated additional 'fireworks' (either a third nuclear test or missile launches) at the end of the current 150-day campaign," Minister Hyun said. Another cable dated Jan. 11, 2010 reveals analysis on China-North Korea trade and Kim Jong-il's decision-making power. The analysis report said, "Kim Jong-il has recently reversed decisions and struggled to implement policies, showing increasing indecisiveness." "Officials also chart their own course as different factions competing for Kim's attention, making it difficult for Kim to set a firm, clear direction." The other diplomatic cable dated Oct. 26, 2009 describes a conversation between top officials from the United States and China over North Korean leader Kim's drinking habit. According to the conversation between U.S. Deputy Secretary James Steinberg and Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo, Kim Jong-il still drinks despite having had a stroke. "Kim Jong-il had a reputation among the Chinese for being 'quite a good drinker,'" Dai said. The Chinese official had asked Kim if he still drank alcohol. Kim said yes. N. K.'s collapse and succession process A cable dated Feb. 22, 2010 describes a conversation between South Korea's then Vice Foreign Minister Chun Yung-woo and U.S. ambassador to Korea Kathleen Stephens about China's position on North Korea. Over an official lunch, Chun, who is now President Lee Myung-bak's top foreign and security advisor, said, "China would not be able to stop North Korea's collapse following the death of Kim Jong-il." Chun said North Korea "had already collapsed economically and would collapse politically two to three years after the death of Kim Jong-il." Chun dismissed South Korean media reports that Chinese companies had agreed to pump $10 billion into the North's economy. Beijing had "no will" to use its modest economic leverage to force a change in Pyongyang's policies." South Korean opinion leaders and experts on North Korea made predictions of Kim Jong-un becoming the next leader and Kim Jong-il's brother-in-law Jang Song-taek challenging him, according to the cable dated Feb. 19, 2010. The cable said, "Of the five experts, one thought the younger Kim might succeed and one argued his lack of leadership experience made it unlikely he would win the support of the ruling elites. They agreed that Kim Jong-il's brother-in-law Jang Song-taek would prove a strong rival for the younger Kim and would probably be tempted to challenge him. Kim Jong-il had used draconian controls and international aid to discourage coups after having foiled three such attempts in the late '90s." Another cable dated April, 2009, with analysis on the North Korean currency reform, says "the most important reason for the recent DPRK (North Korea) currency reform is to uncover political opposition, particularly against Kim Jong-il's younger son." China's stance on a unified Korea Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Cheng Guoping said in a U.S. diplomatic cable dated June 8, 2009, "China hopes for reunification of the two Koreas in the long term." He made the remarks in a meeting with U.S. ambassador to Kazakhstan Richard E. Hoagland on key foreign issues. In the conversation, Cheng expressed concern over North Korean nuclear missile tests and political situation in the North and talked about China favoring Korean unification in the long term. "We need to solve this (nuclear missile tests) problem. It is very troublesome," Cheng said. "Korea's nuclear activity is a threat to the whole world's security," the Chinese official said. "China hopes for peaceful reunification in the long-term but expects the two countries to remain separate in the short-term." "Kim Jong-il's reported decision to anoint his youngest son as his successor was driven more by Kim's deteriorating health than any carefully planned strategy," he said. In contrast, former Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew offered a different view on the outlook of a unified Korea. Lee said in a cable dated June 4, 2009 that China opposes South Korea's control of a unified Korea. He also said China prefers North Korea with nuclear weapons than having to see the collapse of the nation and added that the younger Kim might not be as tough as his father. Lee's conversation with Deputy Secretary of the U.S. State Department James Steinberg in Singapore on May 30, 2009, said, "If China has to choose, Beijing sees a North Korea with nuclear weapons as less bad than a North Korea that has collapsed. They do not want the South to take over the North." "The next leader may not have the gumption or the bile of his father or grandfather. He may not be prepared to see people die like flies," the ex-Singaporean leader said. Before special envoy to North Korea Stephen Bosworth's visit to North Korea, two officials of the U.S. and China exchanged their views on prospects of the visit and the possible outcomes. Another diplomatic cable dated Dec.11, 2009, which describes a conversation between senior Chinese official Wang Jiarui and senior U.S. State Department official William Burns carries a discussion about the stalled six-party nuclear talks. Wang predicted that the "North will not publicly announce denuclearization soon, but does not want to lose the opportunity presented by Bosworth's visit." The document said, "The North needed a breakthrough in its relations with the United States, Wang asserted, both because of its domestic situation and the current international environment." Inter-Korean relations and Lee's N.K. policy South Korea reached out to North Korea late last year to propose an inter-Korea summit but turned down North Korea's demand for economic aid as a precondition, said a U.S. diplomatic cable showing discussions between Kim Sung-hwan, then National Security Adviser to President Lee Myung-bak, and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell on Feb.2, 2009. "Kim said that, beginning last fall, the ROK (South Korea) has had contact with the DPRK about a summit," said the cable dated Feb.22, 2009. "The North, however, has demanded that Seoul provide a certain amount of economic aid prior to any summit." That precondition was unacceptable, Kim stressed, noting that the Blue House had emphasized to the ROK press this week that President Lee would never 'buy' a summit with the North. A U.S. diplomatic cable dated Jan. 12, 2009 shows President Lee's stance on North Korea policy and neighboring countries during his term, citing Blue House sources. "President Lee remained quite comfortable with his North Korea policy and he is prepared to leave the inter-Korean relations frozen until the end of his term in office, if necessary. With both sides (two Koreas) dug in, the outlook for any quick improvement in inter-Korean relations is slim to none." At the end of the analysis, the United States also evaluates South Korea's overall performance in foreign affairs: "During a year in which President Lee faced considerable difficulty advancing his domestic agenda, his foreign policy efforts, if not wildly successful, at least did not get him into trouble." Recommend Send IM Story Print Related Articles N.Korea touts nuclear prowess as China urges talks AFP - 36 minutes ago Aussie World Cup chiefs brush off finance snub AFP - 2 hours 23 minutes ago China urges US action over WikiLeaks revelations AFP - Wednesday, December 1 France's top HK diplomat fired for stealing wine: sources AFP - Wednesday, December 1 Solarz, US lawmaker who broke with Marcos, dies AFP - Wednesday, December 1 News Search Top Stories Eurozone debt crisis deepens Negotiators get down to details at UN climate talks US consumer confidence hits five-month high EU launches Google antitrust probe Euro plunges to two-month low under 1.30 dollars More Top Stories » ADVERTISEMENT Most Popular Most Viewed Most Recommended Britain's Prince William happy to wait for crown Ecuador offers WikiLeaks founder residency Billions of EU's euros going unused: report Obama calls for US government pay freeze Iran says nuclear scientists, programme attacked More Most Viewed » 'Naked' airport scanners may be 'dangerous' Pilgrims stone 'devil' as Muslims celebrate Eid World leaders scramble for funds to save the tiger US, S.Korea plan war games after N.Korean attack Obama gets 12 stitches after 'elbow in the lip' More Most Recommended » Elsewhere on Yahoo! Financial news on Yahoo! Finance Stars and latest movies Best travel destinations More on Yahoo! News Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Weekend Edition Subscribe to our news feeds Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS » More news feeds | What are news feeds? Also on Yahoo! Answers Groups Mail Messenger Mobile Travel Finance Movies Sports Games » All Yahoo! Services Site Highlights Singapore Full Coverage Most Popular Entertainment Photos Yahoo! News Network Copyright © 2010 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved. Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Community | Intellectual Property Rights Policy | Help

Other News on Wednesday, 1 December 2010
Egypt's Islamists say they might withdraw from vote
Euro plunges to two-month low under 1.30 dollars
Medvedev warns West of new arms race
Sanctions squeeze Dubai's trade with Iran
Negotiators get down to details at UN climate talks
Student protests disrupt Italian roads, railways |
Coalition ramps up air war over Afghanistan
Picasso treasure trove surfaces in France
US consumer confidence hits five-month high
Eurozone debt crisis deepens
Sony sells 4.1 million Move systems
Afghan gunman had no criminal background
Ugandan paper says it will keep outing gays |
Iraq delays first census since 1987 over land row |
Swiss slammed as 'black sheep' over expulsion vote
Chile's Collahuasi resumes wage talks with workers |
Amid doubts, Cubans pursue private sector dreams |
Solarz, US lawmaker who broke with Marcos, dies
Warhol's portrait of Dutch queen sold for 400,000 euros
China postpones Norway talks as Nobel tensions rise
China suspends Norway trade talks amid Nobel fury
Lagerfeld undresses Greek gods for Pirelli calendar
France's top HK diplomat fired for stealing wine: sources
Classic Bob Dylan lyrics up for auction in New York
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary
GM hiring to push electric effort beyond Volt |
"Winter's Bone" wins best film at Gotham Awards
RIM shares jump on positive view of new OS |
"Winter's Bone," "Kids" come up big at Spirit Awards
U.S. secret documents on N.K. and Kim Jong-il revealed
Lowe's to boost online biz, margins initiatives |
Wall collapses at Pompeii's House of Moralist
Thai group organises rally criticising court verdict
Veteran French rockers Noir Desir split: drummer
Sony sells 4.1 million Move systems |
Finnish vineyards use creativity, not grapes, for wine
UK's Telegraph newspaper says no paywall decision |
Filmmaker Zucker pays tribute to Leslie Nielsen
Winter's Bone, Kids come up big at Spirit Awards |
Michael Douglas eyes Liberace after chemotherapy |
Roger Waters honors war casualties on Wall tour |
US-TECH Summary
Lowe's to boost online biz, margins initiatives
FCC proposes broadcast airwaves for wireless use
Sony sells 4.1 million Move systems
UK's Telegraph newspaper says no paywall decision
Cablegate leaks divide opinion on freedom of information
Google close to buying shopping site Groupon: reports
Indian tech firms link with China to take on Western brands
Chinese micro-blog re-emerges after shutdown
'Sarkozy the American' mulled troops for Iraq: WikiLeaks
INTERPOL issues global arrest request for WikiLeaks' Assange
South Korea plans new drills as China avoids blaming North |
Comcast, Netflix partner feud over 'open Internet'
Sarkozy to run for second term: UMP
Don't hunt down my son, says mother of WikiLeaks founder |
Complacency fuels new AIDS surge in West: UN
Heavy snow hits airports and roads across Europe
China arrests hundreds of hackers, says situation grim |
Wireless firms playing bigger role in Linux
Palestinians have other options if talks fail: Abbas
Branson scoops Murdoch with digital magazine
Russia's Putin warns West over missile defense: report |
Finger length predicts prostate cancer risk: study
China's healthcare plans bump against rural skills gap |
Google in crosshairs of the wary and watchful
Landslides and flooding kill 21 in Venezuela |
New York Times looks to WeightWatchers for Internet tips
Activision cool to mobile, social games
Opposition cries foul at Ivory Coast poll result delay |
Obama and Republicans agree to negotiate on taxes
BofA may be next WikiLeaks target; stock falls
Motorola to split in two in January
Global Weather-Asia-Celsius
Branson launches glossy iPad magazine, 'Project'
U.S. military study gives green light to end gay ban
Motorola to split in two in January
Pakistan dismisses nuclear fears in leaked US cables
E.Timor leader pushes for ASEAN membership
Swiss Timing charged in Delhi Games graft case
Malaysia detains Indonesian terror suspect: report
"Tron: Legacy" may fall short at box office
Hong Kong to hold inquest over Manila bus hijack
Michael Douglas on 'upward curve' from cancer
FCC proposes wireless use of broadcast airwaves |
China's healthcare plans bump against rural skills gap
Complacency fuels new AIDS surge in West: UN
Wireless firms playing bigger role in Linux |
China arrests hundreds of hackers, says situation "grim"
Judge issues rulings in estate's superhero battle
Google close to clinching Groupon deal: reports |
Amy Poehler trades "SNL" skits for single character
US, S.Korea wrap up war games amid N.Korea crisis
CBS revamps low-rated "Early Show," ousts anchors
Branson scoops Murdoch with digital magazine |
China's manufacturing activity picks up in November
iPad has real Xmas rival in Galaxy tablet
Michael Jackson's dad files new wrongful death suit
Activision cool to mobile, social games |
S.Korea Nov exports, PMI ease slowdown concerns
Uma Thurman stalker back in jail
New York Times looks to WeightWatchers for Internet tips |
NZ to hold two minutes' silence for dead miners
Seoul shares end up 1.3 pct on autos, refiners
USOC eyes revival of Olympic TV network
Tiger Woods all a-Twitter at Sherwood |
S.Korea bonds rise as Nov inflation decelerates
China arrests hundreds of hackers, says situation grim |
Korea Hot Stocks -Vaccine issues up on Foot-Mouth disease fears
South Korea won stronger on brisk exports data
Seoul shares open up helped by U.S. data
S.Korea Nov mfg PMI ends 6-month fall
Argentina, China sign 'historic' farm trade deals
Surveys show China manufacturing up in November
Michael Jackson's dad files new wrongful death suit |
CBS revamps low-rated Early Show, ousts anchors |
Amy Poehler trades SNL skits for single character |
Uma Thurman stalker back in jail |
Judge issues rulings in estate's superhero battle |
Tron: Legacy may fall short at box office |
Bob Dylan lyrics seen fetching big money at auction |
Egypt opposition threatens to boycott runoff
Hamas would honor referendum on peace with Israel |
Egypt ruling party heads to sweeping win in vote
Israel torn on U.S. arming Arabs against Iran: WikiLeaks |
Iran hangs woman for murdering love rival
FCC to take up net neutrality at December meeting
U.S. calls for stronger OSCE support for Afghan war |
U.S. condemns Palestinian report on Western Wall
Bailout chief says EU serious about protecting euro
Euro recovers -- but fears of Portugal bailout
Egypt Islamists say quitting rigged election |
Taliban kidnap demining team in east Afghanistan
Afghanistan announces last set of election results |
Pakistan rejects fears over its nuclear weapons |
Iran says U.N. sanctions helped scientist's killers |
Al Qaeda finds in Yemen a society ripe for infiltration |
South Korea spy chief says more attacks likely
Iran biggest drug supplier for Indonesia
Former Soviet republic giving up nuclear materials
Indonesian presenter Susan divorces husband
Bangladesh protests hit businesses
Indonesia sees pre-marital sex active among teenagers
Bangladesh ex-PM's son faces money laundering charges
Bali gears up for influx of holiday visitors
FCC to take up net neutrality at December meeting |
Home alone: Life of a 6-year-old HIV-positive boy in China
FTC report to push stronger Web privacy but limited |
India ratifies key spending bill amid corruption row
AC/DC drummer hit with NZ cannabis conviction
Cyber Monday sales hit all-time high: comScore |
Chinese firms keen on Taiwan IT show: organisers
NZ housing confidence touch softer in Q3
Japan's Skymark to hire 470 former JAL staff
IMF likely to delay next Pakistan loan tranche-source
Vietnam urges 'strong measures' to stabilise forex, gold
Group urges Indonesia's Aceh to repeal sharia bylaws
India's Maruti car sales top 100,000 for fifth month
Pakistan's 3-month fiscal deficit at 1.6 pct of GDP
Eurozone, China fears weigh on Asian markets
Thailand hikes interest rate to 2.0 percent
Pakistan to announce results of T-bill acution on Wednesday
MTV launches Me, Myself and HIV film on AIDS day |
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights

USD EUR - 1 year graph	VPN on MacOSX	BlogMeter 1.01