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Major Weekly Developments in North Korea (November 29 - December 5, 2004)

ROK National Intelligence Service

Inside North Korea

Kim Jong Il, accompanied by Ri Myong Su and Hyon Chol Hae among others, paid a visit to KPA unit 3875 (date unspecified) and ordered soldiers to beef up combat capability. He also paid an inspection visit to pottery manufacturing facilities, accompanied by Kim Kuk Thae and Kim Ki Nam, and attended a concert “The Great Way of Songun” (date unspecified) of the DPRK National Orchestra (Nov.30, Dec.1, Dec.4, Central Broadcasting Station).

The Central Broadcasting Station stressed on December 5, "All people and workers must thoroughly arm themselves with Juche ideology, which stresses individual responsibility and initiative in working independently in a way that is most suitable to the nation’s situation, and reflects the people’s views.”

International Issues

With regards to the Chinese envoy’s visit to North Korea and the recent U.S-DPRK talks in New York, Pyongyang said in a press conference with the KCNA, "We (the DPRK) see no reason to hurry the talks. We would rather wait and see how the new Bush administration takes shape, and how it formulates its policy toward the DPRK (Dec.4, Pyongyang Broadcasting Service).

Pyongyang Broadcasting Service denounced Tokyo on December 5, saying "Given a series of moves by the Japanese government such as its November 30 decision to review the three principles on the prohibition of arms exports, there seems to be no end in sight to Japan’s military ambition, or its attempt to further intensify the military alliance with the U.S. The purpose of the decision is to expand the list of items that are not subject to arms export prohibition so that it can include parts necessary for its developing Missile Defense system with the U.S.”

Inter-Korean Issues

Pyongyang Broadcast Service condemned Seoul on December 3, "South Korean authorities are completely deluded in thinking that they can attempt to ‘reform’ or ‘open’ the DPRK, which will never be allowed to happen. Therefore, Seoul should wake up to the reality, and immediately put an end to such an outrageous attempt.”

A spokesperson for the Central Committee for the DPRK Confederation of Trade Union issued a statement calling for trade unions in the South to commit themselves more fully to their struggle, saying, "All trade-union members in the DPRK are in full support of the recent militant struggles by labor unions and activists in the South, including the KCTU (Korean Confederation of Trade Unions) and the Public Employee Union, among others (Dec.3, Central Broadcasting Station).

Pyongyang Broadcasting Service claimed on December 4, "South Korean schemers have concocted an alleged espionage scandal of a North Korean defector, which is nothing but a flagrant and groundless fabrication.”