Weekly Report on North Korea (No. 707)
ROK Ministry of Unification
1. Internal Affairs
o Chairman Kim Jong-il visited the rear-area of military unit 639, a field hospital of military unit 534, military unit 258 and No. 1116 farm of military unit 534 on August 13 and August 15-17.
- In the year to August 19, Kim''s military-related activities numbered 41, accounting for 70 percent of his public activities totaling 60.
o North Korea held a commemorative concert at the Mansudae Art Theater in Pyongyang on August 13 in the attendance of senior leaders like Kim Young-nam and Pak Bong-ju on the occasion of the 59th anniversary of Liberation Day (August 15).
o North Korea has been promoting the introduction of new technologies as a priority task of its economic sector this year in the belief that the introduction of advanced scientific technologies was essential to its economic development.
o In a report titled, "inheriting the brilliant tradition of defending Suryong (Great Leader) with death," the Central Broadcasting Station emphasized August 17 that the tradition of defending the Great Leader (or, Kim Il-sung) with death has been inherited to the defense of chairman Kim Jong-il.
o Through the Joseon Central Television Station, North Koreans were fed footages of the Athens Olympic Games beginning with the opening ceremony shown on August 14 featuring the joint entry into the stadium of the South and North Korean athletes and the silver medal performances of Gye Sun-hi in judo and Li Seong-hi in weightlifting on August 18.
o North Korea reported on August 18 that the first international martial arts competition will be held in Pyongyang September 15-20 in the attendance of hundreds of competitors from China , Russia and tens of other countries.
o Amid a nationwide promotion of land management projects, North Korea reported August 16 that Gwail and Yeonan Counties in South Hwanghae Province and Yontan County in North Hwanghae Province have been awarded the Best County Titles for national land environment protection.
2. Relations with South Korea
o In a letter addressed to "compatriots and brothers dragged to South Korea," issued in the name of the Democratic Front for the Unification of the Fatherland, North Korea tried to cajole the North Korean defectors to the South into returning to the North, describing them as abductees forcibly taken there by seduction and machinations, promising no punishment and to treat them with compatriotic love.
o Through its Council for Reconciliation and Cooperation (Minhwahyeop), North Korea said in a statement August 13 that a joint August 15 Liberation Day rally for unification was aborted because the South Korean government had banned the attendance of the event by the National Alliance for the Country''s Unification (Beomminryeon) and the South Korean Federation of University Student Councils (Hancheongryeon).
- North Korea said such a step was an unpatriotic act treating the same people as enemies and completely ignoring the June 15, 2000 , South-North Joint Declaration.
o North Korea denounced as a "breach of sovereignty" the US formal notification to the South Korean government that it would strictly apply its import control regime against sensitive goods and technologies produced out of the Gaeseong Industrial Complex project. The denunciation came in a statement issued August 19 by the spokesman of the Pyongyang side delegation to the South-North Korean Economic Cooperation Promotion Committee.
3. External Affairs
o The spokesman of the North Korean foreign ministry denounced the United States for keeping North Korea from attending the six-party talks on its nuclear issue. The spokesman said the United States destroyed North Korea ''s basis to participate in the meeting.
o Australian foreign minister Alexander Downer visited North Korea August 17-18 after visiting China and met with Kim Young-nam, chairman of Presidium of the Supreme People''s Assembly, and foreign minister Baek Nam-sun.
o North Korea ''s trade with Japan in the first half of 2004 totaled $120 million, down 10 percent from a year ago. Exports came to $80 million, down 7 percent, and imports to $40 million, down 16 percent, respectively.
o North Korea reported that Pak Jeong-do has been nominated to be ambassador to Mongolia by a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme People''s Assembly
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