Chronologies
Regional Overview
Chronology from Jan 2003 to Mar 2003
: Japan launches first two of four planned spy satellites.
: JDA head Ishiba states that Japan will not develop nuclear weapons even if North Korea does so.
: South Korean Foreign Minister Yoon Yang-kwan meets with Secretary Powell in Washington.
: Russian FM Ivanov harshly criticizes U.S. action in Iraq.
: President Bush complains via telephone to President Putin about Russian firms providing military hardware to Iraq.
: U.S. Operation Iraqi Freedom begins against Iraq.
: President Bush calls Hu Jintao and congratulates him on his election as new PRC president.
: U.S. National Institute of Health announces measures to prevent the spread of a mysterious pneumonia.
: Russia’s lower house of Parliament indefinitely postpones ratification of U.S.-Russia nuclear arms reduction treaty because of U.S. threat of war against Iraq.
: President Bush issues 48-hour ultimatum to Saddam Hussein.
: PM Wen announces Beijing seeks to resume dialogue with Taiwan under the “one China” principle.
: At the conclusion of the NPC, President Jiang steps down and Hu Jintao is named his successor. Wen Jiabao becomes prime minister.
: VP Dick Cheney says North Korea nuclear program could force Japan to “readdress the nuclear question.”
: President Roh, yielding to pressure, authorizes a special prosecutor to investigate payments to the DPRK.
: The World Health Organization announces hundreds of people in China, Hong Kong, and Vietnam have fallen ill from a mysterious respiratory illness.
: South Korea urges DPRK to enter into multilateral talks with U.S.
: Indonesian Brig. Gen. Noer Muis sentenced to five years in prison for failing to prevent civilian massacres during East Timor vote for independence in 1999.
: Japan announces it is deploying an Aegis equipped destroyer to the Sea of Japan.
: The U.S. resumes military reconnaissance flights in the Sea of Japan.
: The U.S. announces it will send six radar-avoiding F-117A “stealth” warplanes to South Korea for “Foal Eagle.”
: UNICEF officials announces the DPRK will run out of food by June unless new aid pledges are given.
: Washington issues protest against Pyongyang spy plane intercept.
: Presidents Bush and Jiang have a phone conversation on North Korea and Iraq.
: DPRK test fires antiship missile in the Sea of Japan; also accuses the U.S. of plotting an atomic attack.
: DPRK rejects U.S. proposal for multilateral talks, reiterates demand for direct dialogue.
: U.S. Senate ratifies a treaty requiring the U.S. and Russia to reduce their nuclear arsenals by about two-thirds over the next decade.
: FM Tang meets with Secretary Powell on the sidelines of the UNSC meeting on Iraq.
: Secretary Rumsfeld says U.S. troops have become “intrusive” to South Korea and could be relocated or redeployed.
: France, Russia, and Germany pledge to block any UN resolution authorizing war in Iraq.
: President Macapagal-Arroyo announces there will be no combat role for U.S. troops in the southern Philippines.
: The 10th National People’s Congress (NPC) opens in Beijing.
: The U.S. deploys 24 B-1 and B-52 bombers Guam to deter any aggression by the DPRK.
: The U.S. and South Korea begin a month-long annual joint military exercise “Foal Eagle” on the Korean Peninsula.
: Relatives and supporters of Japanese citizens abducted by the DPRK visit Washington.
: JDA head Ishiba tells Diet that the SDF cannot protect Japanese people from North Korean ballistic missiles and can only minimize the damage.
: Kim Jong-il warns of a possible nuclear war if the U.S. attacks the DPRK.
: Cuban President Castro meets PM Koizumi in Tokyo, offers to mediate the stand-off with the DPRK.
: DPRK fighters intercept a USAF reconnaissance plane over the Sea of Japan about 150 miles off the DPRK coast.
: Philippine President Macapagal-Arroyo orders military to defeat the Abu Sayyaf within 90 days, while chief of the armed forces announces that commanders who fail to perform will be replaced.
: The DPRK restarts nuclear reactor at Yongbyon.
: The UN charges former Indonesian armed forces chief Gen. Wiranto, among others, with crimes against humanity for violence surrounding East Timor’s 1999 vote for independence.
: Secretary Powell announces the U.S. will donate 40,000 metric tons of food to the DPRK.
: Roh Moo-hyun is inaugurated as ROK president, meets separately with PM Koizumi and Secretary Powell.
: The DPRK fires antiship missile into the East Sea/Sea of Japan.
: China rejects Secretary Powell’s appeal for a regional approach; calls for direct talks between the U.S. and the DPRK.
: Secretary Powell visits Beijing; urges China to do more to resolve the DPRK nuclear crisis.
: Secretary Powell visits Tokyo.
: Burma military junta invites the U.S. to open a “constructive dialogue toward humanitarian, economic and political development” on Burma’s political future, saying the regime would “welcome American advice on making the transition to a stable democracy.”
: A DPRK MiG enters South Korean airspace (the first since 1983) for two minutes before being pursued across the border by South Korean fighters.
: Deranged arsonist starts fire on Taegu subway train, killing hundreds of ROK commuters.
: DPRK threatens to abandon the 1953 Korean War armistice if sanctions are imposed.
: Hyundai Asan Corp Chairman apologizes for secret payment of $500 million to DPRK to secure business rights and bring about the landmark June 2000 North-South summit.
: DPRK dismisses the IAEA decision to refer the nuclear crisis to the U.N. as “interference in [its] internal affairs,” calling the IAEA “America’s lapdog.”
: Outgoing President Kim apologizes for scandal surrounding the payment of money to the DPRK.
: DM Shigeru announces Japan would launch a military strike if it had firm evidence that the DPRK was ready to attack with ballistic missiles.
: Japan urges the DPRK to reopen dialogue with the IAEA.
: China and Russia issue statement that the standoff over North Korea’s nuclear program should be resolved through direct talks between Washington and Pyongyang.
: The IAEA declares the DPRK in breach of its nuclear nonproliferation commitments and refers the matter to the Security Council.
: South Korean opposition politicians demand special prosecutor be named to investigate government payments to the DPRK before President Kim went to Pyongyang.
: President Bush phones President Jiang to urge him to do more to help resolve the North Korean nuclear standoff.
: North Korea warns that a decision to send more troops to the region could result in a preemptive attack on U.S. forces.
: North Korea announces it has reactivated its Yongbyon nuclear plant to produce electricity.
: The ROK and DPRK re-open section of their land border for the first time in half a century. Nearly 100 South Korean tourism officials travel by bus to the Mt. Kumgang resort.
: FM Tang meets Secretary Powell in New York.
: Defense Secretary Rumsfeld puts 24 long-range bombers on alert for possible deployment within range of North Korea to deter “opportunism.”
: South Korean envoy Lim Dong Won visits Pyongyang, meets with No. 2 Kim Yong-sun, but not Kim Jong-il.
: China Airlines flight from Taipei lands in Shanghai via Hong Kong, the first island carrier in 50 years to land in mainland China.
: President Bush calls PM Koizumi; both agree to seek a peaceful solution to the Korean crisis.
: JDA Chief Ishiba tells Diet that Japan could launch a preemptive strike if Pyongyang begins preparations for a missile attack.
: Under Secretary Bolton visits Japan.
: DPRK chief delegate Kim Ryong Song and South Korea’s Unification Minister Jeong Se-hyun conduct Ninth Inter-Korean Ministerial talks in Seoul.
: Under Secretary Bolton visits South Korea.
: India signs deal with Russia to lease four long-range bombers and two submarines.
: Japan announces it will cut its contributions to the UN by 25 percent.
: Chinese FM Tang Jiaxuan meets Secretary of State Colin Powell in New York.
: Asst. Secretary Kelly visits Tokyo.
: Deputy FM Losyukov visits Pyongyang, meets with DPRK leader Kim Jong-il.
: Japanese FM Kawaguchi and President-elect Roh meet in Seoul and agree to build closer bilateral relations.
: Russian Deputy FM Losyukov visits Beijing to discuss North Korean nuclear program.
: Asst. Secretary Kelly visits Indonesia.
: Asst. Secretary Kelly visits Singapore.
: Under Secretary of State John Bolton visits China.
: President-elect Roh visits U.S. military headquarters in Seoul.
: Indonesian police arrest two more Bali bombing suspects.
: Asst. Secretary Kelly visits Beijing; China offers to host direct talks between the U.S. and DPRK.
: PM Koizumi visits Yasukuni Shrine; PRC and ROK immediately condemn visit.
: Asst. Secretary of State James Kelly visits Seoul, meets ROK President-elect Roh Moo-hyun.
: President Putin and PM Koizumi issue joint statement condemning North Korea’s NPT decision.
: President Bush and PRC President Jiang Zemin confer by phone regarding North Korea’s NPT withdrawal.
: North Korea announces withdrawal from the NPT, effective Jan. 11.
: Prime Minister Koizumi visits Moscow.
: Trilateral Coordination Oversight Group meets; issues joint statement supporting IAEA resolution.
: IAEA issues resolution calling on the DPRK to fully comply with its nuclear agreements.
: Burma’s junta leader Senior Gen. Than Shwe visits China.
: Indonesian police present first case to prosecutors against Bali bombing suspect Amrozi.
: PRC lodges protest against Japanese leasing of land on disputed Senkaku Islands.
: Ariz. Sen. John McCain says that the U.S. should allow Japan to develop nuclear weapons.
: China warns the U.S. against taking part in Taiwan’s annual war games.
: Taiwan Vice DM Chen Chao-min says the U.S. military is likely to participate in the 2003 “Han Kuang” exercises.