Weekly on North Korea (March 17-23, 2006)

ROK Ministry of Unification

Internal Affairs

Chairman Kim Jong-il, accompanied by Chief of the General Staff Kim Yong-chun and Director of the Workers Party Hwang Pyong-so, paid consecutive visits to army units in the front and rear areas.

 

The Central Broadcasting Station reported on March 23 that a meeting of officials and managers from the economic planning sector had been held at the People’s Palace of Culture the previous day. The meeting was attended by Premier Pak Pong-ju, Secretary-General of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People’s Assembly Choe Yong-rim and Vice Premier Ro Tu-chol as well as the Director of the Central Committee of the Party Pak Nam-gi and Chairman of the State Planning Commission Kim Kwang-rin.

 

The fourth regular session of the 11 th term of the Supreme People’s Assembly will be held in Pyongyang, according to the Central Broadcasting Station on March 22. Representatives on the Supreme People’s Assembly serve five-year terms. It is convened with the attendance of two-thirds or more of the representatives and passes laws and decisions by a majority of two thirds of attending representatives.

 

Inter-Korean Affairs

 

The North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesperson released a statement criticizing the Reception, Staging, Onward Movement and Integration Exercise (RSOI) and the Foal Eagle Exercise (FE), according to the Central and Pyongyang Broadcasting Station on March 23. RSOI/FE are exercises conducted annually by the ROK-US Combined Forces.

 

He defined the RSOI/FE exercises as preemptive nuclear attacks by the U.S. against North Korea and emphasized North Korea would counterattack with powerful and defensive measures.

 

Foreign Affairs

 

Regarding the National Security Strategy of the United States released on March 16, the North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesperson claimed that it would be wise of the United States to cooperate with North Korea on nuclear issues, according to the Central and Pyongyang Broadcasting Station on March 21.