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Weekly on North Korea (No. 745)

ROK Ministry of Unification

 

1. Internal Affairs

o Kim Jeong-il, Chairman of the National Defense Commission, while presenting rice-transplanting and footwear production performance in each region on the occasion of the 41 st anniversary of the launching of projects by the Workers ’ Party of Korea, propagandized them as achievements made under his leadership, and called for loyalty and determination to and fulfillment of these projects (June 7, Central Broadcasting Station, Pyongyang Broadcasting Service and others).

o North Korea established the “ North Korean Educational Sponsorship Fund ” for the modernization of school facilities and for a more comprehensive educational environment (June 8, Central Broadcasting Station, Pyongyang Broadcasting Service).

o Construction workers and staff of the Tideland Reclamation Coalition Company of North Pyeongan Province are pushing ahead with the final stages of the construction of the third embankment at the Daegyedo tideland (June 3, Central Broadcasting Station).

o The Bocheonbo Torchlight Sports Competition began on June 4 at the Cheongchun Street basketball stadium in Pyongyang . Eleven sports events including gymnastics, archery, canoe, yacht and shooting were held in Pyongyang , Wonsan and Nampo (June 4, Central Broadcasting Station).

o Koryo-Global Trust Bank (a commercial bank) was established through a joint venture between Koryo Commercial Bank and the Global Group of England (June 3, Joseon Central News Agency).

  o On the occasion of the 59 th anniversary of the Korean Children ’ s Union (June 6), youths and students were urged to grow to be revolutionaries determined to give their lives to Chairman Kim Jeong-il (June 6, Central Broadcasting Station) .

o North Korea propagandized that in early June, the factories and companies fulfilled the People ’ s Economic Plan for May in various sectors of the People ’ s economy (June 6, Central Broadcasting Station and others).

o Kim Rak-hee replaced Kim Woon-gi as the South Hwanghae Province party secretary, and Park Do-chun replaced Yeon Hyeong-mook as party secretary of Jagangdo (June 2, June 6, Rodong Shinmun).

2. Inter-Korean Relations

o To mark the one millionth visitor to Mt. Geumgang , the spokesperson for North Korea ’ s Asia-Pacific Peace Committee held a press conference on June 7 at which he stated that Mt. Geumgang tourism was a great national undertaking that paved the way for reconciliation and cooperation between South and North Korea . The spokesperson urged the furthering of various inter-Korean economic cooperation projects, including the Mt. Geumgang tourism project (June 7, Pyongyang Broadcasting Service).

o With the June 15 Grand Festival for National Reunification just around the corner, North Korea is actively pushing ahead with last-minute preparations for the event (June 9, Central Broadcasting Station and others).

   - The Commemorative Art Exhibition opened at the International Cultural Center in Pyongyang on June 8, and the production of “ propaganda paintings ” related to the Grand Festival for National Reunification was completed.

3. External Affairs

o In an interview with the Joseon Central News Agency, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs gave a positive evaluation of the use of the title “ Mister ” for Chairman Kim Jeong-il by US President George Bush (June 3, Pyongyang Broadcasting Service).

   - Meanwhile, North Korea denounced the chaos within the US administration with regard to US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld ’ s criticism of the North Korean regime and his remarks about bringing the North Korean issue to the US Security Council (June 8, Pyongyang Broadcasting Service).

o A delegation from the Czech Republic ’ s Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia visited North Korea to participate in talks with high-ranking officials including Kim Yeong-nam, chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme People ’ s Assembly, and Choi Tae-bok, secretary of the Workers ’ Party of Korea. At the talks, the delegation said that it supports the North Korean stance with regard to the nuclear issue (June 1, Central Broadcasting Station, Pyongyang Broadcasting Service).

o A delegation from the Ministry of People ’ s Security (chief delegate: Joo Sang-seong, Minister of People ’ s Security) visited Russia and signed a “ cooperation agreement ” with the Ministry of Interior of Russia (June 4, Central Broadcasting Station, Pyongyang Broadcasting Service and others).

o A government economic delegation headed by Minister of Foreign Trade Im Gyeong-man left Pyongyang on June 6 for a visit to African nations, including Uganda, Kenya, Guinea and Mali (June 6, Central Broadcasting Station, Pyongyang Broadcasting Service).