Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Accompanied by Kim Yong Choon, chief of the Korean People's Army (KPA) general staff, and Hyun Chol Hae, general of the KPA, Kim Jong Il paid an inspection visit on May 5 to a factory under the supervision of the KPA unit 597. During the inspection, he commented that "the factory has contributed significantly to strengthening the revolutionary strength of North Korea." He also watched a light comedy performance entitled "Cheollyeong."

Rodong Shinmun stressed on May 7 that "we must accomplish the revolutionary mission of Juche by protecting the revolutionary leadership with our lives and sustaining the leadership system at all costs." The North Korean Central Broadcasting Station reported on May 11 that "anti-U.S. sentiment and ideology is being indoctrinated and disseminated as workers from every walk of life are being mobilized to take part in indoctrination programs held at the 'central class education center.'"

On May 5, the Foreign Ministry spokesperson, in response to a question posed by a reporter for the Korea Central News Agency, criticized the U.S., saying "the redesignation by the U.S. of our country as a nation which supports terrorism is a trite method used by the U.S. to militarily stifle us." 

The North Korean Central Broadcasting Station condemned Japan on May 8, insisting that "the Japanese reactionaries are maneuvering to have special laws governing overseas dispatch of the Self Defense Forces revised so that its troops dispatched overseas could be stationed for a longer period of time" and "such a scheme is being designed under the pretext of providing support for anti-terrorist activities."

Rodong Shinmun unleashed a barrage of vitriol vis-a-vis the U.S. on May 11, saying "the labeling by the U.S. President, the U.S. Secretary of State, and the U.S. Defense Secretary of our initiative on the nuclear issue as a threat or a blackmail is merely an instance of U.S. sophism and a tactic used by the U.S. to find a cause for its invasion."   

On May 6, the Korea Central Broadcasting Station reiterated its condemnations against the South Korean government, saying that "the South Korean authorities' branding of 'anti-war, peace education' carried out by Jeongyojo, a maverick teachers' union in South Korea, as 'anti-American education' is a manifestation of the anti-national, history-defying act of national subservience displayed by the current South Korean government vis-a-vis the U.S."    

On May 10, Rodong Shinmun made baseless claims regarding the comments made by the Defense Minister of South Korea regarding the bolstering of military readiness, claiming "the words and behavior of the South Korean military authorities exhibit pro-U.S. kowtowing and flunkeyism" and "such treacherous and anachronistic behavior will take the relationship between two Koreas back to a confrontational and war-like state."