Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Kim Jong Il inspected the Korean People's Army unit 293 on May 19 and watched a performance given by the servicemen of KPA units 762 and 671 on the following day. On May 23, he paid an inspection visit to KPA unit 1973 and ordered all servicemen to strengthen their combat capabilities.

The North Korean Central Broadcasting Station propagandized on May 22 that "a ceremony to celebrate the completion of a massive mosaic mural located in Songrim City, Northern Hwanghae Province was held." The mural portrays the late Kim and his son on the top of Mt. Paekdu. 

Rodong Shinmun condemned Japan on May 19, claiming that "the Japanese authorities' remarks regarding the imposition of international pressure on us in terms of placing a limit on remittances to the North and banning export of weapons of mass destruction are actions which aim at irritating and inciting us."

In a statement issued on May 24, the North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated that "our position is open to the possibility that a series of bilateral meetings between the DPRK and the U.S. may lead to multilateral meetings, which is favored by the U.S." and that "the U.S. should not make the format of the meetings a precondition for talks between the two countries if it is sincerely interested in resolving the nuclear standoff."  

The 5th round of the inter-Korean Economic Promotion Committee meeting, held in Pyongyang from May 19 to 23, failed to proceed smoothly in the wake of the comments made by Park Chang Ryon, the chief delegate of the North side, in the keynote speech. Park stated that "should the South take the path of confrontation, talking about the so-called nuclear issue or taking 'further steps', North-South ties would come to naught" and "the South could face a horrific disaster."  

In its May 21 editorial entitled "A Humiliating and Disappointing Act," Rodong Shinmun made false claims regarding the South Korea-U.S. summit meeting, saying that "the so-called joint statement announced by the two countries is, in essence, an attempt to reaffirm South Korea's dependency on the U.S. and a treacherous collection of provocative and inciting rhetoric."

The North Korean Central Broadcasting Station claimed on May 21 that the comment made by the South Korean military adviser to President Roh Moo Hyun that South Korea needs to "differentiate between the North Korean system and its people" is tantamount to "South Korea's new declaration of a standoff vis-a-vis North Korea as the comment attempts to disrupt the nature of the North Korean socialist system and to defame North Korean institutions."