Superpowers Scramble For N.Korea Info In Wake Of Korean Summit

Korean War veterans pray for the dead in front of a statue of a South Korean soldier hugging a young North Korean soldier, 25 June 2000 during a ceremony marking the 50th anniversary of the outbreak of the fatricidal war at a war museum in central Seoul. Thousands of people, including some 1,000 veterans from 21 countries, took part in the ceremony, which was scaled down to help the two Koreas boost reconciliation following the historic inter-Korean summit. Photo by Kim Jae Hwan - Copyright AFP 2000

Superpowers Scramble For N.Korea Info In Wake Of Korean Summit
Seoul (AFP) July 10, 2000 - Superpower intelligence agencies are stepping up their operations here in an effort to find out all they can about reclusive North Korea following last month's inter-Korean summit, a report said Monday.

The Korean-language JoongAng Ilbo said the United States, Japan, China and Russia had all bolstered their South Korean intelligence teams following the North-South summit in Pyongyang.

"Every movement of Kim Jong-il is top-class intelligence," an unnamed diplomatic source was quoted by the paper as saying.

"This kind of information is beyond comparison with those gathered through satellite or reconnaissance. The United States is reacting most sensitively."

The 90-minute limousine ride shared by South Korean President Kim Dae-Jung and North Korean leader Kim had aroused the most interest, the paper reported.

Israeli intelligence had also boosted its activities on the peninsula, attempting to glean information about possible North Korean sales of weapons technology to other states, the paper reported.

While most enquiries have focused on North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il's mindset, other apparently banal facts have also been sought according to the paper.

Materials used for hotel bathrooms used by South Korean summit delegates were among facts sought, the JoongAng Ilbo revealed.

North and South Korea have remained technically at war since the bitter 1950-53 conflict which divided the peninsula.

No armistice was ever signed between the two sides and their border, the world's last Cold War frontier, remains one of the most heavily fortified in the world.

ABMDAILY
Cohen Says NMD Test Failure "Not Fatal"
Elmendorf AFB (AFP) July 10, 2000 - US Defense Secretary William Cohen said Monday the failure of a national missile defense test was "not fatal" and indicated he may recommend deploying it anyway.

Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.

SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once

credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly

paypal only

The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2016 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement All images and articles appearing on Space Media Network have been edited or digitally altered in some way. Any requests to remove copyright material will be acted upon in a timely and appropriate manner. Any attempt to extort money from Space Media Network will be ignored and reported to Australian Law Enforcement Agencies as a potential case of financial fraud involving the use of a telephonic carriage device or postal service.