Weekly on North Korea (Nov.11-17, 2005)

ROK Ministry of Unification

Internal Affairs

Chairman Kim Jong-il inspected a company under the army unit 1337, a ?Three Revolutionary Red Flag’ company under the army unit 1188, a ?Revolutionary Red Flag female company under the army unit 4302 and a company under the army unit 287 successively, according to the Central Broadcasting Station on Nov. 12 and 15.

Korea Workers Party’s publishing house published Chairman Kim Jong-il’s book titled ?National Cultural Heritage and National Tradition,’ according to the Central Broadcasting Station on Nov. 12.

The central committee of Supreme People’s Assembly on Nov.15 announced a governmental order on awarding ?Three Revolutionary Red Flag’ to working places and schools, according to the Central Broadcasting Station on Nov. 18.

North Korea designated key points for transportation near China including Shinuiju, Nampo and Euncheon, special epidemic control zones against avian influenza and strengthened its quarantine procedures on the poultry and medical examination for its residents, according to the Pyongyang Broadcasting Station on Nov. 14.

The Central Broadcasting Station reported on Nov. 7 a lot of achievements including planting 23 million trees, construction and repair of roads, rearrangement of many rivers and streams, and construction of ten thousands of houses as well as repair of 1,500 public buildings.

A central reporting convention was held at People’s Palace of Culture on Nov. 17 on the occasion of the 60 th anniversary of the establishment of the (North) Korean Democratic Women’s Union, according to the Central Broadcasting Station and Pyongyang Broadcasting Station on Nov. 17.

The death of Park Tae-hwa, chairman of the central committee of the (North) Korean Buddhists Federation was announced on Nov.11 on the name of the standing committee of the Supreme People’s Assembly, the Fatherland Front and the central committee of the (North) Korean Buddhists Federation, according to the Central Broadcasting Station on Nov. 12.

Inter-Korean Affairs

Hyun Jung-eun, chairwoman of Hyundai and Lee Jong-hyuck, vice chairman of the Asia Pacific Peace Committee held a contact in Gaeseong and agreed to normalize the Mt.Geumgang Tourism project from Nov. 18, according to the Central Broadcasting Station on Nov.12.

A spokesperson for the central committee of the Fatherland Front, through his commentary on Nov.11, denounced the formation of the New Right National Federation, saying that it ran counter to the spirit of the June 15 Joint Declaration, a momentous agreement reached during the first inter-Korean summit in June 2000, and attempted to reverse the stream of progressive movements, according to the Central Broadcasting Station and Pyongyang Broadcasting Station on Nov. 11.

The South and North Korean Red Cross exchanged final lists of candidates participating in the second and third video reunion of separated families through South and North Korean liaison officers at Panmunjom on Nov. 16.

The Central Broadcasting Station criticized the ROK -U.S Combined Forces Command for implementing the strategy to hold sway on the Korean Peninsula, calling for its dismantlement on Nov.13.

Foreign Affairs

Kim Gye-gwan, North Korean Vice Foreign Minister, through his press conference at the North Korean Embassy in Beijing on Nov.11, explained the result of the first stage of the fifth round of the Six-Party Talks and expressed his view that U.S. financial sanction on North Korea would be resolved through bilateral negotiations between the U.S. and North Korea, according to the Central Broadcasting Station and Pyongyang Broadcasting Station on Nov. 12.

The Rodong Sinmun, through its comments, insisted that U.S. dismantle all of its nuclear weapons if it wants to prevent nuclear proliferation and works for peace, according to the Central Broadcasting Station on Nov. 15.

The Central Broadcasting Station on Nov. 16 criticized U.S. democracy for being reactionary one against the people, which only reflects the demands of monopolistic conglomerates and the ruling class.

The Central Broadcasting Station on Nov. 17 emphasized the unjustness of a forced agreement reached between Korea and Japan in 1905, which had deprived Korea of its sovereignty, and called on Japan to settle its past affairs.

North Korea and Russian signed an agreement titled ?Plan on Cultural and Scientific Exchanges from 2005 to 2007’ on Nov. 16, according to the Central Broadcasting Station on Nov.17.

The 13 th executive board meeting of the (North) Korean International Joint Company was held in Pyongyang on Nov. 14 and ended with the adoption of a written document, according to the Central Broadcasting Station on Nov.15.

North Korea and Venezuela reached an agreement on bilateral cooperation on trade in Caracas on Nov.8, according to the Central Broadcasting Station on Nov.16.