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Major Weekly Developments in North Korea (May. 2 - May. 8, 2005)

ROK National Intelligence Service

Inside North Korea

The Central Broadcasting Station reported (May 3), “The opening of the 20th National Festival of Science and Technology at Kimchaek University of Technology (May 3) was attended by the Secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea, Choe Tae-bok, Chairman of the National Academy of Sciences, Byeon Yeong-rip, as well as others.”


The Pyongyang Broadcasting Service (May 6), quoting Cheyuk Sinmun [the weekly newspaper published by the Physical Culture and Sports Guidance Committee], lashed out at the decision of FIFA to order that North Korea play the World Cup qualifying match against Japan in a closed stadium at a neutral venue as “an improper act that lacks objectivity and truth.”


The Central Broadcasting Station reported (May 6), “A trade forum jointly organized by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) was held at Yanggakdo International Hotel from May 4 to May 5. Present were Minister of Foreign Trade, Lee Myeong-san, General Director of the Bureau of Cooperation for International Organizations, Kim Myong-chol, representatives of the UNDP and other international bodies, and trade experts from England, Germany, etc.”

Outside North Korea

In an interview with the Korean Central News Agency (May 2), a spokesperson for the North Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticized Washington’s continuation of its designation of Pyongyang as a terrorism-supporting country as “an aspiration to overthrow the system and a policy of stifling the DPRK.”


In an interview with the Korean Central News Agency (May 8), a spokesperson for the North Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs claimed, “We [DPRK] have never called for a North Korea–US meeting separate from the six party talks and if there were any, it was merely in accordance with the simple, practical business of confirming the US stance.”


The Pyongyang Broadcasting Service emphasized (May 8), “The sovereignty of a nation and its people is guaranteed by strong military power.” It went on to say, “Pre-emptive strikes are not the options nor exclusive rights of the US alone. Although we [DPRK] do not wish for war, we will not forgo fighting in the event war is compelled upon us.”

Inter-Korean Issues

In an interview with a spokesperson for the DPRK’s Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland, the Central Broadcasting Station claimed (May 6), “Both Operational Plan 5029 and Concept Plan 5029 are exactly the same in that they are scenarios for launching an war of aggression against North Korea that comprises military intervention in the event of an emergency and thus should be abandoned completely.”


As to South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Gi-moon’s press conference (May 4) and speech (April 25), the Korean Central News Agency retorted, “In the event that South Korea’s foreign affairs authorities, who have become the spokesperson and the trumpeter for the United States, dance to the tune of unjust commotion of the United States regarding the nuclear issue, South Korea will be inevitably isolated and there would be no future.”