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Weekly on North Korea (Sep.2-8, 2005)

ROK Ministry of Unification

Internal Affairs

North Korea’s Chairman Kim Jong-il gave on-site directions in Miru plain, accompanied by Ri Yong-chol and Ri Jae-il, vice ministers of the Central Committee of the Korean Workers Party (KWP) , according to the Central Broadcasting Station on Sep. 6. Taking Hwang Byung-seo, vice minister of the Central Committee of KWP, he also inspected the ‘April 16 goat farm’, which is run by the army unit 757 , according to the Central Broadcasting Station on Sep. 5. He also paid a visit to the battalion and its subunits under army unit 292 and army unit 1652 , according to the Central Broadcasting Station on Sep. 3 and 4.

On Sep.9 around the 57 th anniversary of the establishment of the regime, leading figures from the Party, the Military , and the Cabinet attended the Central Report Convention which was held at the April. 25 Hall of Culture on Sep. 8 , according to the Central Broadcasting Station, the Pyongyang Broadcasting Services and (North) Korean Television Broadcasting Station on Sep. 8. A variety of commemorative events were held such as the speech contest for the labor class as well as people from trade unions and baseball games for workers from central organizations, according to the Central Broadcasting Station on Sep. 6 and 8.

A commemorative briefing session was held in celebration of the 60 th anniversary of the establishment of Hwangnam Ilbo and Hwangbuk Ilbo with the participation of the province’s chief secretary, workers, reporters, and editors who are related to the newspapers.

The (North) Korean Television Broadcasting Station urged all institutions, factories, and enterprises as well as households to improve the living conditions thoroughly on the occasion of the Monthly Sanitation Campaign during autumn from September to October.

Inter-Korean Affairs

The spokesperson on the press conference on Sep. 2 in connection with the termination of Ulchi Focus Lens, an annual joint military exercise between the United States and South Korea, claimed that two countries be responsible for the negative influences the exercise would have, according to the Central Broadcasting Station and the Pyongyang Broadcasting Services on Sep. 2.

Around the 60 th anniversary of the U.S army’s presence in South Korea , starting from Sep. 8, 1945 , a mass rally in Pyongyang was held to instigate people to call for the withdrawal of the U.S army from South Korea and anti-American struggles, according to the Central Broadcasting Station and the Pyongyang Broadcasting Services on Sep. 7.

Concerning the inter-Korean joint excavation of the remains of Ahn Joong-geun, a prominent anti-Japanese activist, South and North Korea held an inter-Korean working-level contact in Gaeseong on Sep. 7 and held consultations on the dates and procedures of a joint academic meeting for the excavation of his remains and of a joint on-site survey.

The South and North Korean Broadcasting Commission held the second discussion meeting for broadcasters at Mt.Geumgang from Sep. 4 to 6, agreed to hold it on a regular basis and hold an introductory meeting on South and North Korean broadcasting programs.

South and North Korea held the working-level contact and consultation on the overall issues covering the establishment of the Office of Inter-Korean Economic Cooperation at the Gaeseong Industrial Complex Management Committee.

The New Seoul Opera Company headed by Hong Ji-won visited North Korea from Sep.5 to 8 and performed at the Bonghwa Cultural Theatre on Sep. 7, according to the Central Broadcasting Station on Sep. 8.

Foreign Affairs

The Central Broadcasting Station reported on Sep. 6 that a sovereign nation be have a legitimate right to peaceful use of nuclear programs and nuclear power plants be required to meet consistently increasing electricity demands.

Relevant organizations such as the National Front, through their spokespersons’ talks and commentaries, argued for the nullification of the (South) Korea- Japan agreement and censured the South Korean government, the Japanese government, and the United States as the masterminds behind the agreement, according to the Central Broadcasting Station and the Pyongyang Broadcasting Station on Sep. 3 and 6.

The North Korean Red Cross expressed its condolences to its U.S counterpart as huge damage was inflicted on the U.S southern areas by hurricane Katrina, according to the Central Broadcasting Station on Sep. 4. The Central Broadcasting Station on Sep. 6, citing the CNN and BBS’s reports, pointed out the chaotic status of the damaged areas including the New Orleans city.