Weekly Report on North Korea (No. 714)
ROK Ministry of Unification
1.Internal Affairs
o Chairman Kim Jong-il, accompanied by generals Hyeon Cheol-hae and Pak Jae-gyeong, visited military unit 1404, according to a Central Broadcasting Station report October 28.
o North Korea held trade consultations dubbed "Pyongyang World-OKTA" for overseas Korean business people in Pyongyang October 22, the Joseon Sinbo reported the next day.
o North Korea held the third National Presentation of Fictions and Ideas to encourage exploration of scientific and technological ideas at the Three Revolution Exhibition Hall October 14-15, the Pyongyang Broadcasting Station reported October 16.
o To mark the 20th anniversary of the announcement of chairman Kim Jong-il's "Letter of Education," North Korea held a National Education Workers' Rally at the People's Palace of Culture on October 26.
o North Korea held a National Enthusiasts' Meeting of Workers in Economic Stimulation Sector at the People's Palace of Culture on October 19.
o North Korea developed a microscope capable of seeing atoms and molecules as tiny as 1 to 50 nanometers. The instrument was jointly developed by Kim Il-sung University and the Institute of Electronic Materials , the Central News Agency (KCNA) reported October 14.
o North Korea constructed a large-scale ranch (some 8,900 hectares) in Jangjin County , South Hamgyeong Province , in compliance with the party's policy of raising grass-eating domestic animals, the Central Broadcasting Station reported October 27.
o An archeological study group of the Academy of Social Sciences has recently unearthed a tumulus with murals dating back to the Balhae Kingdom era at Geumseong-ri, Hwadae County , North Hamgyeong Province , according to the KCNA October 21.
2. Relations with South Korea
o With regard to the controversy in the South Korean political arena over the repeal or amendment of the National Security Law, North Korea continued to denounce the opposition Grand National Party and the conservative forces, while condemning the governing Uri Party for offering an alternative bill to the existing law, which Pyongyang described as "a second National Security Law, a bad law running counter to unification."
o In connection with the US North Korean Human Rights Act that will take effect soon, North Korea denounced South Korea 's opposition Grand National Party and civic organizations for following America 's anti-Pyongyang maneuverings. The denunciation came in the form of a press interview October 29 by the spokesman of North Korea 's Committee for Peaceful Unification of the Fatherland.
- Meanwhile, the KCNA urged the South Korean government October 29 to make its position clear as to whether it would uphold the June 15, 2000 , South-North Joint Declaration or fall victim to the scourge of war by going along with the US Human Rights Act.
o North and South Korea held a series of on-site events recently related to the development of the Gaeseong Industrial Complex. They opened the Office of the Gaeseong Industrial Zone's Management Committee on October 20, held a groundbreaking ceremony the same day for the construction of a model house for the incoming enterprises as well as a ceremony a day later to celebrate the completion of the Office of Development of the Gaeseong Industrial Complex.
o North Korea urged South Koreans to wage anti-American and anti-war struggles while demanding the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Korea , arguing that South Korea was subject to Al Qaeda's terror threats because of its dispatch of troops to Iraq . The demands came in the form of an October 22 interview with a spokesman of the DPRK's Committee for the Peaceful Unification of the Fatherland, according to broadcasting services.
3. External Relations
o On the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between North Korea and China, chairman Kim Young-nam of the Presidium of North Korea's Supreme People's Assembly visited China October 18-20 at the invitation of the standing committee of Chinese National People's Congress and the State Council, according to broadcasting services on October 18.
o In an interview with the KCNA on October 22, the spokesman of the North Korean foreign ministry offered conditions for the reconvening of the six-party talks on Pyongyang 's nuclear program.
- The spokesman said the resumption of six-party talks would depend on whether (a) the United States regarded us as an enemy or not, (b) it is prepared to discuss the first step of "nuclear freezing and compensation" on the basis of a "simultaneous action" principle in a comprehensive package deal, and (c) it is ready, first of all, to discuss the South Korean nuclear issue for the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, according to the Central Broadcasting Station on October 22.
o Ambassador Pak Kil-yeon of the North Korean permanent mission to the United Nations October 12 denounced the U.S. Bush administration for the so-called preemptive attacks and hostile policy toward Pyongyang . Pak made the denunciation in an address delivered before the 59th U.N. General Assembly's Disarmament and International Security Committee, held October 4-November 5.
o North Korea invited pro-Pyongyang figures from around the world to Lima , Peru , held an "international meeting for peace and unification of Korea " October 15-16, and engaged in propaganda and agitation drive against the United States .
o An Ethiopian government cultural delegation and a Mozambique government delegation visited North Korea October 19-23 and October 23-26, respectively, and met with Kim Young-nam, chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, and foreign minister Baek Nam-sun, according to broadcasting services October 19-26.
o North Korea relieved Pak Chang-ryeon, 70, of his duty as the director general of the Central Special Development Guidance Bureau. Ju Dong-chan, 57, succeeded Pak in the post. Ambassador-designate Jang Myeong-seon, 57, presented his credentials to the Egyptian president October 20
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