“The North, Used 400 Million Dollars of Mt. Geumgang Tour Exclusively for Military Purpose”

The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and military H.Q. in Korea believe that North Korea used 400 million dollars, which was received from Mt. Geumgang tour business since 1998, exclusively for military purpose, stated The Congressional Research Service (CRS) ON 25th.

CRS stated in a report of Korea-U.S. relationship that was submitted to Congress and added that business fund approached 800 million dollars , if we included the money which Hyundai side provided secretly, quoting well- know sources.

The report delivered that CIA informed this to Korean government in February last year, however, Korean side that considered Mt. Geumgang tour business as the main achievement of sunshine policy, decided to support this business financially.

The report stated that U.S. administration supports connecting North-South by railway, meeting of dispersed families, among President Kim Dae-Jung`s sunshine policy, however it is likely to withhold the matter like exclusion of North Korea from supporting nations on terrorism.

According to CRS, the U.S. seems to be concerned that peace agreement without including articles regarding reduction of conventional military power and pulling back of troops from the border, can give wrong view-point on security and damage political support or national opinion regarding U.S. stationary troops.

With regards to this, Bush administration that used to state, before resuming office, that it will issue conventional military power on the diplomacy to the North, is not able to promote initiative regarding negotiation for conventional military power because of Korean side that is reluctant to this, stated the report.

Korean officials are concerned that the negotiation for conventional military power will make difficult the aim of President Kim, who wants to conclude the peace agreement till his term is ends up in 2003, pointed out the report.

Ki-Heung Han eligius@donga.com