Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

The second session of the 11th Supreme People's Assembly was held at Mansudae Assembly Hall on Mar. 25, attended by Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the SPA, high officials of the party, the military and public organizations. The deputies discussed the 2003 and 2004 party project and also reviewed the 2003 and 2004 state budgets. (Mar. 25, Central Broadcasting Station)

Kim Jong Il paid an inspection visit to KPA unit No. 916(date unreported) and ordered soldiers to beef up combat capabilities. He also inspected a sub-unit of KPA Unit 979 honored with the title of Kum Song Lifeguard, and a power plant constructed by KPA unit 966. He was accompanied by KPA generals Kim Yong Chun, Ri Myong Su, Hyon Chol Hae, Pak Jae Kyong, and WPK Central Committee first vice department director Ri Yong Chol. (Mar. 26,28, Central Broadcasting Station)

Pyongyang Broadcasting Station criticized Japan on Mar. 23, quoting an article of Rodong Sinmun titled 'Japanese reactionaries' anti-DPRK ambition will never be realized,' saying "recently, Japanese reactionaries have made a series of remarks that make no sense, such as 'it is good to wage a war against the DPRK', or 'economic sanctions against the DPRK will make the socialism collapse' etc. Such outrageous remarks are flagrant violations of the DPRK-Japan Peace Declaration and no doubt an attempt to isolate and stifle the DPRK."

Kim Jong Il received Li Zhaoxing, China's foreign minister and his party who were on a visit to the DPRK. Present there were Kang Sok Ju, first vice-minister of Foreign Affairs, and Wu Donghe, Chinese ambassador to the DPRK. (Mar. 24, Central Broadcasting Station)

Pyongyang Broadcasting Station vehemently criticized Washington on Mar. 27, saying "recently, the U.S. has announced that it would keep latest type destroyer Aegis equipped with up-to-date missile interceptor system in the East Sea of Korea on a permanent basis from September, under the pretext of coping with the 'ballistic missile attack' from someone."

Using the Korea-US annual joint military exercise as a pretext, Choe Yong Gon, the north side's chairman of the North-South Committee for the Promotion of Economic Cooperation, sent a phone message to the South, proposing to postpone some inter-Korean economic cooperation talks to early April in Gaeseong.

Pyongyang Broadcasting Station claimed on Mar. 24, "Recently, the US State Department spokesperson said regarding the impeachment of South Korea's president that it is internal matters of South Korea and it is Korean people who will make a decision on it, but it is highly ridiculous that U.S. pretends to remain neutral with regards to the impeachment scandal."