US embassy cable - 03VATICAN5264

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 005264 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/WE LEVIN; DRL/IRF FOR INBODEN; EAP/K 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/18/2013 
TAGS: KIRF, KN, KS, PHUM, PREL, VT 
SUBJECT: VATICAN-NORTH KOREA CONTACTS ON HOLD PENDING 
OUTCOME OF SIX-PARTY TALKS 
 
REF: A. A) VATICAN 3436 
 
     B. B) 02 VATICAN 5461 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: AMBASSADOR JIM NICHOLSON.  REASONS:  1.5 (B) AND (D). 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1. (C) THE HOLY SEE'S OFFICE DIRECTOR FOR NORTH AND SOUTH 
KOREA, MONSIGNOR LUIS MONTEMAYOR, TOLD DCM NOVEMBER 18 THAT 
THE VATICAN'S PERIODIC SENIOR LEVEL CONTACTS WITH PYONGYANG 
WERE IN SUSPENSION PENDING THE RESULTS OF THE SIX-PARTY TALKS 
ON NORTH KOREA'S NUCLEAR ARMS PROGRAM.  THE HOLY SEE HOPED 
THAT AN EVENTUAL AGREEMENT WITH NORTH KOREA VIA THE GROUP OF 
SIX PROCESS WOULD CREATE AN OPENING FOR A RESUMPTION OF 
CONTACTS WITH THE DPRK.  IN PAST CONTACTS, THE HOLY SEE HAS 
FOCUSED NARROWLY ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AND HUMANITARIAN RELIEF 
WORK THROUGH CARITAS, BOTH AIMED AT CREATING A SMALL SPACE 
FOR THE GROWTH OF RELIGIOUS WORSHIP THAT COULD EVENTUALLY 
HAVE A SPIN OFF ON OTHER HUMAN RIGHTS. 
 
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FEAR OF CHURCH DESPITE LACK OF FAITHFUL 
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2. (C) MONTEMAYOR EMPHASIZED THAT THE DPRK GOVERNMENT 
REMAINED WARY OF THE VATICAN, EVEN THOUGH THE CHURCH PRESENCE 
OVER TIME AND THROUGH PERSECUTION HAD BECOME VIRTUALLY 
NONEXISTENT IN NORTH KOREA.  THE NORTH KOREANS FEAR THE U.S. 
MOST OF CALL," MONTEMAYOR OBSERVED, BUT THEY ARE ALSO 
TERRIFIED OF THE POTENTIAL INFLUENCE OF RELIGION -- AND OF 
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN PARTICULAR WHICH CONTINUES TO GROW 
RAPIDLY IN SOUTH KOREA. 
 
3. (C) MONTEMAYOR POINTED OUT THAT THERE WAS NO 
    ECCLESIASTICAL STRUCTURE IN NORTH KOREA, EVEN THOUGH THERE 
MAY BE SCATTERED BAPTIZED CATHOLICS STILL LIVING.  THE HOLY 
SEE IS NOT AWARE OF ANY LIVING CLERGY MEMBERS IN THE COUNTRY, 
AND NOTES THAT THE FATE OF THE LAST BISHOP OF PYONGYANG, HONG 
YONG-HO HAS REMAINED A MYSTERY SINCE 1962.  HE IS STILL KEPT 
IN THE VATICAN BOOKS AS THE BISHOP, WITH A NOTE THAT HIS 
WHEREABOUTS ARE UNKNOWN.  WHEN THE VATICAN HAS ASKED ABOUT 
INDIVIDUAL CLERGY MEMBERS, THE DPRK GOVERNMENT HAS TOLD THE 
VATICAN THAT ALL THE CATHOLICS WERE KILLED BY AMERICAN 
BOMBING DURING THE WAR, WHICH THEY INSIST TARGETED CHURCHES. 
IN FACT, MONTEMAYOR NOTED, MANY NORTH KOREAN CATHOLICS FLED 
TO THE SOUTH DURING THE KOREAN WAR, AND THERE IS STILL A 
PRESENCE OF NORTH KOREAN CATHOLICS THERE.  THIS FACTOR, AND 
THE STRENGTH OF THE SOUTH KOREAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, IS ENOUGH 
TO PRESENT A THREAT TO THE PARANOID PYONGYANG GOVERNMENT, 
WHICH HAS RESISTED VATICAN EFFORTS TO REESTABLISH ANY 
ECCLESIASTICAL STRUCTURE. 
 
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POSITIONING FOR THE FUTURE 
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4. (C) AS IT NOW STANDS, THE ARCHBISHOP OF SEOUL SERVES AS 
APOSTOLIC ADMINISTRATOR FOR PYONGYANG.  THIS IRRITATES THE 
NORTH KOREANS, WHO GRATE AT THE IDEA OF BEING IN ANY WAY 
SUBORDINATED TO AN ORGANIZATION IN SEOUL.  TO AVOID THIS 
'IGNOMINY' THE HOLY SEE HAS OFFERED TO ESTABLISH A BISHOP FOR 
PYONGYANG WITH HIS OWN STRUCTURE, BUT THE NORTH KOREANS HAVE 
YET TO TAKE THE BAIT.  IF ANY MODEST OPENING COULD BE 
ACHIEVED IN NORTH KOREA, THE HOLY SEE WOULD BE VERY WELL 
POSITIONED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT, DRAWING ON THEIR STRONG 
    AND GROWING CHURCH STRUCTURE IN SOUTH KOREA.  AS MONTEMAYOR 
OBSERVED WITH A WRY SMILE, "THIS IS ONE CASE WHERE WE HAVE 
PRIESTS IN ABUNDANCE -- AND THEY SPEAK THE LANGUAGE." 
 
5. (C) MONTEMAYOR SAID THAT HE AND VATICAN DEPUTY FOREIGN 
MINISTER MONSIGNOR PIETRO PAROLIN WOULD LIKELY RESUME 
CONTACTS NEXT YEAR - IDEALLY AFTER A AGREEMENT HAD BEEN 
ACHIEVED LEADING TO THE DISMANTLEMENT OF NORTH KOREA'S 
NUCLEAR WEAPONS PROGRAMS.  PAROLIN'S PREDECESSOR, ARCHBISHOP 
MIGLIORE, VISITED PYONGYANG FIVE TIMES TO KEEP A LINE OF 
COMMUNICATION OPEN.  AT THE SAME TIME, MONTEMAYOR 
ACKNOWLEDGED THE VATICAN'S DIFFICULTIES IN TRYING TO OPEN UP 
SPACE FOR RELIGIOUS PRACTICE IN THE REPRESSIVE REGIME.  FOR 
THE TIME BEING, THEY WOULD CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SUBSTANTIAL 
AID TO THROUGH CARITAS INTERNATIONAL AND AFFILIATED 
CHARITIES, WHILE ENSURING THIS AID WOULD NOT BE FUNNELED TO 
THE DPRK GOVERNMENT OR MILITARY (REF. A).  IN ADDITION, THE 
HOLY SEE CONTINUES TO TRY TO ENCOURAGE PERSONAL CONTACT 
BETWEEN NORTH AND SOUTH TO THE LIMITED EXTENT POSSIBLE. 
 
NICHOLSON 
 
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 2003VATICA05264 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL