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Weekly on North Korea (July 15-21, 2005)

ROK Ministry of Unification

Internal Affairs

North Korean leader Kim Jong-il visited the food processing factory which is an affiliated organization of the Chosun People’s Army unit 534, according to the Central Broadcasting Station on July 18.

After visiting the factory, he also visited the army unit 937, command center unit 118, and the army unit 2653, according to the Central Broadcasting Station on July 20, 21, and 22.

Among various industry sectors the production plans for the electronics industry (125.3%), coal, overland and sea transportation and forest products were completed for this year, according to the Central Broadcasting Station on July 3.

In an editorial released on July 19 in the Rodong Daily titled ‘The grand march toward the military-first revolution is the truly heroic march in our time,’ it was stated that the grand march toward the military-first revolution was the revolutionary ideology and stimulated the need for a rearmament of the civilians’ ideology and also claimed the importance of implementing the party slogan.

A extended meeting of the general cabinet meetings was held with the presence of Prime Minister Park Bong-joo and other cabinet officials to discuss the progress made during the first half of the year and to discuss ways to maintain and uphold the joint slogans, according to the Democratic Chosun Daily on July 15.

An ceremony for completion of the construction of the Oncheon Youth Salt Manufacturing Factory was held on July 19 in South Pyongan province with the presence of party leader Lee Tae-nam, the head secretay, leader of People’s Committee for the Pyoung-an province Kim Jong-tae, and others according to the Central Broadcasting Station on July 20.

The Pyongyang International Boxing Competition started on July 18 and was held until July 23 at the Cheongchun street’s wrestling stadium, according to the Central Broadcasting Station on July 19. Contestants participating in the event included boxers from Indonesia, Mongolia, North Korean residence in Japan, North Korea (group 1 and 2), and others totaling 102 men and women.

 

Inter-Korean Affairs

The two Koreas held the 3rd working-level meeting for inter-Korean general-level military talks on July 20 in the southern area of Panmunjom at the ‘House of Peace’. The two sides discussed the schedules for the 3 rd working-level meeting for inter-Korean general-level military talks, administration of the communication centers to prevent accidental clash in the West Sea, and various other issues.

The two Koreas discussed the size and procedures related to the technical matters of the video reunion system which will facilitate the August 15 video reunion of separated families. Both sides signed and exchanged the ‘Agreement on the Inter-Korean Pilot Video Reunion of Separated Families’ on July 19. Both Koreas will host an event to celebrate the connection of the optical cables for the video reunion at the railway connection point of the Gyeung-ui Line.

The 2 nd inter-Korean university student’s reunion meeting was held in Mt. Geumgang from July 16 until July 18 with 278 South Korean students and 108 North Korean students. The meeting’s purpose was to reinforce the accomplishments of the June 15 Joint Declaration, anti-war and peace, and cooperative nationalism.

At the Central Broadcasting Station’s press conference on July 19 the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told the media that the report regarding North Korea ’s Supreme People’s Committee leader’s exile to South Korea is a ‘complete concoction’, according to the Pyongyang Broadcasting Station on July 20.

External Affairs

Concerning a rally for North Korean human rights held in Washington on July 19, North Korea criticized the United States for raising an irrelevant issue and causing political conflict. It was said that such actions by the United States prevents optimism concerning the results of the six-party talks, according to the Central Broadcasting Station on July 20.

North Korea continued to criticize Japan for the Prime Minister’s visit to the Yashikuni shrine, the Science Minister Nakamura’s statement concerning comfort women and distortion of the history textbooks, Japan ’s efforts to become a permanent member at the United Nations Security Council, and Japan ’s economic sanctions against North Korea .