North Korea's Annual Government-Party-Organizations Conference
2003-04-25
North Korea's Annual Government-Party-Organizations Conference
1. Overview
North Korea held its 2003 annual ¡°government-party-organizations conference¡± at the People's Culture Palace on March 18 under the theme of ¡°Korean Solidarity for the Defense of Self-reliance and Peace.¡±
Yang Hyung-sub, the deputy chairman of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, presided over the meeting and proposed the hosting of an inter-Korean ¡°Festival for Reunification¡± in Pyongyang. The tripartite meeting adopted a joint statement to urge inter-Korean solidarity among ¡°70 million Koreans¡± in a ¡°struggle against the United States.¡± A legion of top-ranking officials, including Kim Yong-soon, Cho Chang-deuk and Kim Young-dae, attended the event.
2. Agenda
Participants observed that inter-Korean relations have so far made important progress, transforming into a solid, cooperative relationship in all areas. The improvement, the officials agreed, brought frequent contacts, better dialogue and greater exchange between the two Koreas, making contributions to the creation of a favorable atmosphere for inter-Korean reconciliation and an eventual reunification.
Addressing the currently fluid political situation on the Korean peninsula, they pointed out that the Korean peninsula was regrettably in the ¡°worst state¡± of tension since the 1953 armistice, for which the United States was held accountable.
Given the circumstances, the North Korean officials stressed, the whole nuclear issue presented the entire Korean people with a crucial challenge to fight US war threats and thus safeguard peace on the peninsula. In connection with US war threats, the representatives at the conference issued a stern message of protest against ROK-US military exercises and demanded the withdrawal of US troops and the weapons of mass destruction from the Korean peninsula.
In the course of the conference, they also noted that inter-Korean solidarity, further strengthened through a full implementation of the 2000 South-North Joint Declaration, would present the best chance of success for the Koreans to prevent war, defend their national sovereignty and achieve reunification in the end.
In hopes of solidifying the inter-Korean unity, the representatives proposed a major inter-Korean ¡°unification festival¡± in Pyongyang on the third anniversary of the June 2000 Joint Declaration. It would be an event to bring together the peoples of the two Koreas, including overseas Koreans, for greater unity among them. The North Korean officials added that they would host more inter-Korean events, some of them on the theme of national commemoration (such as Foundation Day), for the purpose of solidifying inter-Korean cooperation and unity.
The ¡°Statement of Appeals to the 70 Million Koreans,¡± which the tripartite conference issued upon conclusion, contained entreaties for all Koreans to ¡°hold up¡± the spirit of the 2000 South-North Joint Declaration, unite in safeguarding their ¡°national dignity and sovereignty,¡± prevent war, and build solid inter-Korean unity.
3. Analysis
By and large, the 2003 tripartite conference was similar to those held in the past in terms of format and content, although its emphasis went to the making of progress in inter-Korean relations and the forging of resolve to ¡°fight¡± the United States. Obviously, the North Korean officials believed that strong inter-Korean unity and a renewed resolve against the US were key factors for the North to overcome the current crisis caused by its nuclear issue.
The conference also left the impression that North Korea's continuing denunciation of the United States, along with its enthusiasm for a non-aggression pact with Washington, was part of a tactic to strengthen inter-Korean solidarity, placate the hard-liners in Washington, and weaken the ROK-U.S. alliance.
The conference also made it clear that the North would continually make an effort to boost inter-Korean activities, such as the unification festivals, so as to expand inter-Korean dialogue, cultural exchange and economic cooperation. It was further evident that the North would remain equally committed to spreading anti-American sentiments, calling for the withdrawal of US troops from Korea and protesting ROK-U.S. joint military exercises.
