Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Kim Jong Il inspected Korean People's Army (KPA) Unit Nos. 529 and 2833 on December 21st and 22nd respectively. Among those accompanying him were the KPA Chief of General Staff, Kim Yong Chun, and the Minister of the People's Armed Forces, Kim Il Chol. Kim Jong Il gave instructions to 'strengthen military might.' Around this time (date n/a), Kim also gave on-the-spot guidance to a number of factories in the Jagangdo region.  

The Ministry of the People's Armed Forces celebrated the 10th anniversary of Kim Jong Il's assumption of the position of Chief Commander (December 24, 1991), holding several events including "Presentations by the Ministry of the People's Armed Forces on the Greatness of the Chief Commander" (December 18).

On December 18, Central Television attacked the United States for "scheming to point the arrow of aggression elsewhere, as the Afghanistan war - which it waged under the pretext of fighting terrorism - draws to an end. And we sense that it is our republic that is being singled out as the next main target."

On December 22, a patrol boat of the Japanese Maritime Safety Agency downed a mysterious unidentified ship in a Chinese marine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The ship, which was suspected to be of DPRK origin, had transgressed into a Japanese EEZ the previous day.

A spokesperson for the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland issued a statement December 17 concerning recent developments in inter-Korean relations. The statement asserted, "South Korea must make a courageous decision that will be compelling to all the people in order to save time and bring about a turning point."

The North Korean headquarters for the National Alliance of Youth and Students for Reunification issued a statement December 19 demanding that South Korean authorities "immediately abolish the National Security Law and unconditionally release unjustly detained young patriotic students, particularly the president of the South Korean Federation of University Student Councils."