• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Major Weekly Developments in North Korea (December 20 - 26, 2004)

ROK National Intelligence Service

Inside North Korea

Accompanied by Labor Party secretaries Jeon Byeong-ho, Choi Tae-bok, Kim Gook-tae as well as artists and designers from various art organizations, Kim Jeong-il saw the performance of the Mansduae Art Troupe (date unreported). Additionally, he visited (date unreported) the military base of the 541st battalion with Lee Myeong-su, Hyeon Cheol-hae, Park Jae-gyeong and others (Dec. 20 & 24, Central Broadcasting Station).

The Pyeongyang Broadcasting Service (Dec. 23) reported, “The Central Report Conference in commemoration of the 13th anniversary of Kim Jeong-il’s appointment as Supreme Commander took place at the April 25th Culture Hall with the participation of Labor Party secretary Jeong Ha-cheol, Kim Young-choon, who delivered the report, and other high-ranking officials from the party, government and military.

The Central Broadcasting Station (Dec. 24) announced, “The National Agricultural Sector Workers’ Conference was held (Dec. 22) in Pyeongyang with the participation of cabinet prime minister, Park Bong-joo; Minister of Agriculture, Lee Gyeong-shik, who delivered the report, and others, in which comrade Lee Gyeong-shik emphasized in his report that ‘the workers and laborers of the agricultural sector have the patriotic duty to uphold the military-first policy of Kim Jeong-il and must create a new turning point in agricultural production in the coming year.’”

Outside North Korea

The Central Broadcasting Station (Dec. 21) reported, “The president of Mongolia, Mr. Natsagiin Bagabandi, arrived in Pyeongyang (Dec. 21) via a specially chartered plane on the invitation of Kim Young-nam, the chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People’s Conference.

The Pyeongyang Broadcasting Service (Dec. 22) warned, “If Japan eventually launches an anti-Republic (North Korea) embargo as a result of the Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary’s announcement (Dec. 8) of DNA test results on the remains of Japanese abductees to North Korea, our (North Korea) military and the people will regard it as a declaration of war against our nation (North Korea) and will immediately respond, using aggressive measures.

The Pyeongyang Broadcasting Service (Dec. 25) condemned Japan and the US, saying, “while Japan and the US are scrambling to adopt the new Japan-US Joint Declaration on Security in an effort to further strengthen the military ties between the two nations, the Japanese business daily, Nihon Keizai Shimbun, reported on Dec. 22 that the main points of the new Japan-US Joint Declaration on Security had been revealed on Dec. 21.”

Inter-Korean Issues

The Central Broadcasting Station (Dec. 21) reported, “The North’s Preparatory Committee for the North-South Joint Overseas Event for the Implementation of the June 15 Joint Declaration” has been organized in Pyeongyang, with members including Yang Hyeong-sug, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People’s Conference; Ryu Mi-young, chairman of the central committee of the Cheong-woo Party under the religion of Cheondo-gyo; and others in accordance with the agreement made between the overseas representatives of the two Koreas.

In a political argument titled The Call for Independent National Security Made by the Slaves of War, the Pyeongyang Broadcasting Service (Dec. 25) stated, “Whenever they open their mouths, the war-crazy South Koreans insist on taking the leading role in deterrence against the North or that they should strengthen their military powers so as to realize independent national security, which is merely a subterfuge to hide their true intentions in preparation for war against the North under the name of national security.”