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Weekly on North Korea (Feb.3-Feb.9, 2006)

ROK Ministry of Unification

Internal Affairs

After giving on-site guidance to factories in a city of Gangye, Jagang Island on Feb.5, Chairman Kim Jong-il inspected the army unit 1687, according to the Central Broadcasting Station on Feb. 6.

Around the anniversary of the 64 th birthday of Chairman Kim Jong-il, North Korea fostered a festive atmosphere and promoted the regime’s internal solidarity. Several events were held, including reporting sessions, seminars and presentations, movie-showing, athletic events, visits to revolutionary historical sites.

North Korea encouraged its people to accomplish the tasks suggested in the New Year’s Joint Editorial through reporting meetings on the 60 th anniversary of the establishment of the ‘Union of Agricultural Working People’ and the ‘Chondoist Chongu Party.’

Inter-Korean Affairs

Concerning the South Korean government’s decision to provide selective cooperation in the U.S.’ Proliferation Security Initiative ( PSI ), the spokesperson for the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland denounced the South’s decision as an obvious provocation against the North , and announced a statement calling for the withdrawal of its decision to participate in military drills on Feb. 9.

The spokesperson for the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland on Feb. 6 condemned the South Korean National Defense Minister’s remarks as an act to deny the existence of inter-Korean military talks and called for the cessation of the U.S.- ROK military exercises. The South Korean National Defense Minister mentioned on Feb.1 that South Korea would continuously conduct an annual ROK -US military exercise.

The several media commented on this issue. Rodong Sinmun, through its commentary said that the joint exercises staged a serious challenge to North Korea, according to the Pyongyang Broadcasting Station on Feb. 8. And the Central Broadcasting Station and the Pyongyang Broadcasting Station on Feb. 8 said that South Korea should express its obvious position. Lastly, the Pyongyang Broadcasting Station on Feb. 9 dubbed it as an intolerable challenge.

Foreign Affairs

The Foreign Ministry spokesman, through the press conference with the Central Broadcasting Station on Feb.9, expressed its will to observe domestic and foreign norms in the field of finance and pressed for policy changes in the U.S. The spokesman said that “the DPRK has consistently opposed to illicit activities and would actively engage in international anti money laundering activities.”

The governmental talks were held in Beijing from Feb.4-8 for the normalization of diplomatic relations. The two parties discussed pending issues such as the normalization of diplomatic relations, security, and Japanese abductees, but closed the meeting without any agreement, ending up identifying differences in their positions.

An Indonesian Presidential envoy paid a visit to North Korea from Feb. 4 to 7 and delivered a confidential letter of Indonesian President as well as his intention to invite Chairman Kim Jong-il.

• The North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesperson expressing the North’s will to engage in anti money laundering prevention norms

Major points of the Foreign Ministry spokesman’s conference are as follows:

“The results of ongoing investigation for the past several months have clearly demonstrated that there is no evidence for North Korea to counterfeit notes and launder money.”

“We think much of the lift of the U.S.’ financial sanction as it may signal the U.S.’ resolve for its policy shifts.”

“The peaceful resolution of the North Korean nuclear issue through dialogue will be difficult to achieve without the U.S. policy shifts.”

“North Korea has consistently opposed to illicit activities. And North Korea put legal and institutional measures to govern illicit activities, such as counterfeiting notes and money laundering, in place and has been strictly punishing people for illegal behaviors in compliance with the measures.

“We will, in a future, join the international anti money-laundering campaign.”

“There is no change in our basic position to stick to the goal of denuclearization on the Korean peninsula, to implement the Joint Statement adopted in the fourth round of Six-party talks, and to pursue the peaceful resolution of the nuclear issue.”

North Korea, through the press conference by the spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, publicized its intention to strictly apply its domestic laws and to join the international anti money laundering activities, and called for the U.S. policy shifts regarding its financial sanctions.

• The status on the talks on the normalization of diplomatic relations between North Korea and Japan

North Korea, through the Central Broadcasting Station and Pyongyang Broadcasting Station on Feb.9, reported on the ongoing governmental talks on the normalization of diplomatic relations. The two parties discussed matters of mutual concern so as to implement the DPRK-Pyongyang Joint Declaration which was adopted in September, 2002. North Korea emphasized separate compensation for anti-humane crimes committed by Japan, such as forceful levy of the Korean people, the improvement of Korean residents’ status in Japan, and the return of plundered cultural properties to North Korea.

Concerning the security issue, North Korea demanded for independent rights for missile launching and expressed its concern for Japan to become a military power.

With regard to the issue of Japanese abductees, North Korea pointed out the unjustness of Japan’s demands: the return of Japanese survivors, clarification of facts and hand-over of North Korean abductors.

Even though this talk did not produce any tangible results, it was meaningful that the two countries reconvened dialogue at the governmental level in three years and three months. Song Il-ho, head of the North Korean delegation, mentioned that he felt this kind of dialogue necessary for the improvement of bilateral relations. Harakuchi, head delegate of the Japanese delegation also said that it was meaningful for each side to identify matters of mutual concern.

The bilateral dialogue is forecasted to continue to gain momentum as the two countries shared a need for further negotiations, which is shown by the two parties’ decision to discuss following schedules through diplomatic channels in the future.