News

DATE=7/13/98 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-235350 TITLE=N. KOREA / SPY (L-ONLY) BYLINE=JOHN LARKIN DATELINE=SEOUL CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: SOUTH KOREAN SOLDIERS ARE COMBING THE COUNTRY'S EAST COAST FOR NORTH KOREAN SPIES FOLLOWING THE DISCOVERY OF A DEAD INFILTRATOR ON SUNDAY. JOHN LARKIN REPORTS FROM SEOUL, THE INCIDENT IS PUTTING PRESSURE ON THE SOUTH TO ADOPT A TOUGHER POSTURE TOWARD ITS COMMUNIST NEIGHBOR. TEXT : SOUTH KOREAN SECURITY OFFICIALS HAVE CALLED AN EMERGENCY MEETING TO DISCUSS POSSIBLE COUNTER-MEASURES TO THE NORTH'S LATEST INFILTRATION INTO SOUTHERN TERRITORY. TROOPS HAVE BEEN COMBING THE HEAVILY-WOODED MOUNTAINS OF THE EAST COAST SINCE SUNRISE (MONDAY), HUNTING UP TO FOUR SPIES THE DEFENSE MINISTRY SAYS COULD BE ON THE LOOSE. MILITARY SCUBA DIVERS ARE TO BEGIN AN UNDERWATER SEARCH FOR MORE BODIES, AND A POSSIBLE MOTHER-CRAFT USED BY THE SPIES TO INTRUDE INTO SOUTHERN WATERS. THE DEFENSE MINISTRY BELIEVES IT IS HIGHLY LIKELY THE DEAD SOLDIER WAS NOT ACTING ALONE, AS A PROPULSION CRAFT FOUND NEAR HIS BODY WAS CAPABLE OF CARRYING UP TO FIVE PEOPLE. IT HAS CONCLUDED THE DEAD COMMUNIST COMMANDO, FOUND WEARING A WET-SUIT AND CARRYING A MACHINE-GUN, BAYONET AND A HAND GRENADE, WAS ON A FRESH SPY MISSION -- THE SECOND UNCOVERED IN LESS THAN THREE WEEKS. THE DEFENSE MINISTRY IS DEMANDING THAT THE NORTH IMMEDIATELY CEASE WHAT IT CALLS ACTS OF USELESS AGGRESSION, WARNING IT WILL NOT TOLERATE FURTHER INCURSIONS. THE NORTH KOREAN INFILTRATOR'S BODY WAS FOUND WASHED ASHORE AT THE PORT OF DONGHAE, NEAR WHERE A COMMUNIST SUB WAS CAPTURED THREE WEEKS AGO AFTER GETTING TANGLED IN FISHING NETS. ITS NINE-MEMBER CREW WAS FOUND DEAD INSIDE. MILITARY OFFICIALS SAY THEY ARE CERTAIN THE DEAD SOLDIER WAS NOT FROM THAT SUB, SINCE AN EXAMINATION OF THE BODY INDICATED HE HAD BEEN DEAD FOR LESS THAN 48 HOURS. THE INCIDENT HAS PUT PRESSURE ON SOUTH KOREA'S PRESIDENT KIM DAE-JUNG TO TAKE A TOUGHER STANCE AGAINST THE NORTH -- IN CONTRAST TO A CONCILIATORY POLICY HE HAS PURSUED SINCE TAKING OFFICE IN FEBRUARY, STRESSING CULTURAL AND BUSINESS EXCHANGES. ALTHOUGH PRESIDENT KIM HAS REFUSED TO SCRAP HIS SO-CALLED SUNSHINE POLICY, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS REPORTEDLY ARE NOW SAYING SOME FOOD AID AND ECONOMIC COOPERATION WITH THE FAMINE-STRICKEN NORTH LIKELY WILL BE DELAYED. (SIGNED) NEB/JL/GC/WTW 13-Jul-98 1:48 AM EDT (0548 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .