Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

The Central Broadcasting Station reported on a recently erected mural, "A large-scale mosaic mural was set up in the harbor district of Nampo. The mural is titled "Great Leader Comrade Kim Il Sung is with us forever" and is 8.5 meters high and 7.8 meters wide."

Rodong Shinmun remarked in its June 20 editorial, "Let us develop the creative revolution of the 'SonGun (military-first)' era and raise our science and technology to the most advanced level in the world, building a strong and powerful country."

Kim Jong Il received a high-level military delegation from China headed by Colonel General So Jae Hu of the General Political Department of the Chinese People's Liberation Army.  Hosting the Chinese delegation at a dinner meeting on Aug. 18, Jo Myong Rok, director of the People's Army General Political Bureau, made a speech stressing, "I firmly believe that the Chinese delegation's visit to the DPRK at this time will serve as a significant opportunity to further develop bilateral relations between the DPRK and China's governments, military and people."

Rodong Shinmun claimed in its Aug. 18 editorial, "The six-way multilateral talks is all about resolving pending nuclear issues between the DPRK and the U.S. Therefore, countries participating in the talks must keep this in mind not to include the Japanese abduction issue in the agenda as it has nothing to do with the nuclear issue"

In its press release no. 844, the Secretariat of the DPRK's Committee for Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland stressed, "If the U.S. does not renounce its hostile policy against the DPRK and continues to push on to the path of war by conducting the Ulji Focus Lens military exercises behind the scene of dialogues, we will never give up our nuclear deterrent."

A spokesperson for the DPRK's 'Committee for Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland' issued a statement on Aug. 19 that stated, "It is fortunate that Seoul expressed regret, which is interpreted as a clear apology, for the anti-DPRK demonstration recently held by South Korea's anti-reunification groups. As the South promised to prevent the recurrence of such incidents, we have decided to dispatch our delegation of athletes and supporters to the Summer Universiade Games to be held in Daegu."

The Secretariat of the DPRK's Committee for Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland remarked in its press release no. 846 on the clash between South Korea's civilian groups and North Korea's reporters during the Summer Daegu Universiade Games, stressing "For the senseless anti-DPRK rally of South Korea's right-wing extremists on Aug. 24 that led to deliberate and pre-planned brawl, the South Korean authorities must apologize and promise to prevent the recurrence of such incidents."