Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Kim Jong Il, accompanied by generals Ri Myong Su, Hyon Chol Hae, and Pak Jae Gyong, inspected military units 243 and 2744 of the Korean People's Armed Forces on January 31 and February 1, respectively, and instructed the servicemen to strengthen their combat capabilities. On February 1, he also attended gala performances presented by the Korean People's Armed Forces to celebrate the lunar New Year.

On the occasion of the lunar New Year (February 1), the North Korean broadcasting stations propagandized about the lunar New Year spirit of the people by reporting that "the festive aura of the holidays has reached its heights as the streets are flooded with national flags and red banners, and public places are filled with celebrative lanterns and flower decorations" and that "military officers and people from all walks of life have come to the Kumsusan Memorial Palace to pay their respects."

Rodong Shimun criticized Asahi Shimbun of Japan on January 29 by reporting that Asahi Shimbun "has decided to use 'North Korea' as the official title of our nation, instead of the 'Democratic People's Republic of Korea'" and "at the same time, has consecutively run unfair and prejudiced stories which promote anti-Korea sentiments."

Korean Central News Agency criticized the U.S. by reporting that "the 'tailored containment' strategy of the U.S. vis-a-vis DPRK is an isolationist anti-Korean campaign designed to stifle our nation by imposing internationally coordinated sanctions and applying pressure on every aspect of our nation including political, economic, military, and diplomatic affairs" and "that the fundamental goal of the U.S. in this matter is the destruction of our nation."

In response to the State of the Union address given by U.S. President George W. Bush on January 29, the spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry claimed in a statement issued on January 30, that "as Bush's speech is fundamentally a blatant declaration of the attempt of the U.S. to overthrow our system, we will exert our utmost efforts to maintain and preserve our system, in response to such a declaration."

Korean Central News Agency reported on January 27 that "at the meeting of the chief delegates to the inter-Korean military working-level talks, the North and the South adopted a tentative agreement, which went into effect immediately, on providing military guarantees for inter-Korean traffic along the Eastern and Western Coastal Districts across the South-North Control Zones."

In a statement issued by the spokesperson for North Korea's Asia-Pacific Peace Committee condemning South Korea's controversial remittances to North Korea, the North claimed that "if anti-reunification ultra-rightists in South Korea question and interfere with normal economic cooperation and transactions between Hyundai and us, inter-Korean cooperative projects such as reunions between separated families, visits at the private level, or Mt. Kumkang tours shall not take place" and "that will only leave us with conflict, confrontation, and war."