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Weekly on North Korea (Jan. 20-Feb.2, 2006)

ROK Ministry of Unification

Internal Affairs

Chairman Kim Jong-il gave on-site inspection to the army unit 932 and watched a celebrative performance titled ‘My Country’s Blue Sky’ around lunar New Year’s day, according to the Central Broadcasting Station on Jan. 28. He also attended a banquet organized by the National Defense Commission, according to the Central Broadcasting Station on Jan. 29.

The ‘Nationwide Agricultural Meeting’ was held twelve years after February 1994 in the April 25 Cultural Theatre on Jan. 25. High ranking officials from the Party and the Cabinet such as Kim Yong-nam, chairman of the presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly, participated in the meeting, calling for increase in agricultural yields.

An expansionary meeting for all members from the Cabinet was held where the matters were discussed to accomplish the tasks, such as designation of agriculture as a major industrial front, suggested in the New Year’s Joint Editorial.

A festive atmosphere was promoted everywhere in the country with folk games held for students in Pyongyang from Jan. 25 to 29.

Inter-Korean Affairs

North Korea held a joint meeting for the government, the Party and organizations at the People’s Theatre of Culture on Jan. 26. At the meeting, North Korea suggested holding a national unification festival on the 6 th anniversary of the June 15 historic inter-Korean summit and adopted ‘a letter of appeal to all the Korean people’.

North Korea denounced the ‘strategic flexibility’ of the U.S. troops stationed in South Korea , stirring up a struggle for the withdrawal of the U.S. troops. The Committee for the Peaceful Unification of the Fatherland announced a statement which criticized South Korea for submitting to the U.S. ’ strategic flexibility, according to the Central and Pyongyang Broadcasting Station on Jan.26. Rodong Sinmun through its commentary, said that South Korea is conducting pro-American toady behavior causing the calamity of war according to the Pyongyang Broadcasting Station on Jan. 28. The Pyongyang Broadcasting Station on Jan. 29 aired an interview titled ‘an obsequious and abominable antinational criminal act’ pointing at South Korea .

The central committee of the ‘Anti-imperialist Democratic Front’ suggested ‘Wurriminjokkiri’ (inter-Korean national solidarity), antiwar and peace, national grand unity as struggle slogans of Year 2006 on Jan. 26.

The ‘National Front’ on Jan. 28 released a statement denouncing the comments made by the representative of the Grand National Party, an opposition party in South Korea during the news conference on Jan. 26 concerning the North Korean matters, such as the issue of counterfeiting notes.

Foreign Affairs

North Korea announced the bilateral talks between North Korea and Japan to be held in Beijing on Feb. 4 for the normalization of diplomatic relations. The matters to be discussed will include pending issues including settlement of the past, security issue, such as the elimination of North Korean nuclear and missile threats, and Japanese abductees issue.

North Korea, through the Rodong Sinmun’s commentary titled ‘ The U.S. is accountable’ dated on Jan. 31, said that the U.S.’ hostile policy toward North Korea is responsible for the Six-party talks’ coming to an impasse.

Concerning the annual report on human rights on Jan. 18 released by the U.S. international human rights organization, Human Rights Watch , North Korea condemned the U.S. as a culprit of national terror and leader of international human rights abuses.

The ‘committee for investigation into damages caused by the domination of Chosun by Japan ’ instigated anti-American and anti-Japan struggles on the 100 th anniversary of the establishment of Japan ’s directly governing institution over Chosun.

Concerning the ‘1998 CIA Report in the U.S. ’ broadcasted on KBS on Jan. 21, the Committee for the Peaceful Unification of the Fatherland insisted that the U.S. acknowledge its criminal scheme and make an apology.