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Major Weekly Developments in North Korea (May. 16 - May. 22, 2005)

ROK National Intelligence Service

Inside North Korea

The Central Broadcasting Station reported (May 19, May 21, May 22), “Kim Jeong-il, accompanied by General Hyeon Cheol-hae, enjoyed a performance by the art group of the military family members of army units 593, 529, 549, 572, 526 and 583, who took part in the 8th Art Group Contest of Military Family Members (date unreported).”


The Pyongyang Broadcasting Service reported (May 16), “The 8th Pyongyang International Commodity Fair (held from May16-19, participated in by companies from more than ten nations, including China) was launched at the Three-Revolution Exhibition, and was attended by Ro Doo-cheol, Vice Premier of the DPRK Cabinet.”


The Central Broadcasting Station reported (May 22), “The Ministry of Agriculture is urging vigorous rice-transplanting, with the goal of rice-planting performance topping 85% by the first week of June.”

Outside North Korea

The Central Broadcasting Station lashed out at Japan, (May 17) saying, “Japan’s recent distortion of history, territorial expansion and attempts to seek permanent membership in the UN Security Council, remind of us Japan in the imperial era, when it ran wild, crying for the ‘Yamato Spirit’.”


The Central Broadcasting Station claimed (May 20), “It was because of the unjust nuclear policies and nuclear threats of the Bush Administration that we (the DPRK) withdrew from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. It was also because of the Bush regime that we came to possess the power of nuclear deterrence.”


While confirming that contact took place between US and North Korean officials on May 13 in New York City, the spokesperson for the North Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs mentioned on May 22, “When the time comes, our (the DPRK’s) stance will be officially delivered to the US through contacts in New York.” (May 23, Central Broadcasting Station).

Inter-Korean Issues

On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Gwangju democratization movement, the Pyongyang Broadcasting Service asserted (May 17), “The Gwangju people’s uprising was a patriotic feat that tore large holes in the colonial rule of the US imperialists, and that sublimated the anti-fascist democratization movement into an anti-US struggle for freedom.”


The Central Broadcasting Station reported (May 20), “The working-level meeting between the North and South Korean authorities that began in Gaeseong on May 16 ended on May 19, and the two sides agreed on and released a joint press statement during the meeting.”