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Weekly on North Korea (May 26-June 1, 2006)

ROK Ministry of Unification

Internal Affairs

North Korea expanded its funding sources for the social insurance system to enterprises. The Chosun Shinbo, the mouthpiece of a pro-Pyongyang Association of Korean Residents in Japan, reported on May 26 that North Korea had announced that each organization and enterprise should pay 7 % of their total profits from this year for the operation of the social insurance system.

On the occasion of ‘World No Tobacco Day’ on May 31, North Korea held a commemorative event, which was attended by Vice Minister of Public Health Choe Chang Sik and the WHO representative to Pyongyang at the People’s Palace of Culture. Since it initiated the ‘smoking eradication campaign’ in August, 2000, the North has promoted the non-smoking campaign on the occasion of ‘World No Tobacco Day’ and has more actively pursued the campaign with the opening of the WHO representative Pyongyang office in 2001.

The smoking rate of North Korean males aged over 20 is known to have reached as high as 80 %. The high smoking rate of the North Koreans seemed to be attributable to emotional instability due to economic difficulties. In particular, vulnerable groups’ smoking habits such as females and children seemed to aggravate their bad health status due to debilitated health and medical treatment facilities.

Inter-Korean Affairs

After North Korea unilaterally notified South Korea of the postponement of test runs of inter-Korean trains, a spokesperson for the Committee for the Peaceful Unification and a spokesperson for inter-Korean military talks released press statements saying that South Korea was responsible for the postponement of the planned test runs.

Foreign Affairs

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced a statement concerning the Six-party talks and insisted that the United States is accountable for delays in the resumption of the talks.

The main points of the statement are as follows:

Recently, the U.S. administration officials has repeatedly advocated ‘the resumption of the Six-party talks’ and been forming public opinions that the North needs to make a ‘strategic decision’ and that the U.S. is seeking for a ‘new approach’ to the North.

There are no changes in the North’s position and will to realize the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula through the truthful implementation of the Joint Statement of the fourth round meeting of the Six-party talks.

North Korea is ready to discuss the nuclear issue and the points of the Joint Statement including normalization of bilateral relations, peaceful existence, the conclusion of a peace treaty, the provision of light water reactors in accordance with ‘actions to actions’ principle.

The U.S. should create conditions and an atmosphere for North Korea to get back to the Six-party talks and to implement its promises.

If the U.S had made a political decision to implement the Joint Statement, North Korea would invite U.S. chief negotiator to Pyongyang so as to directly explain the U.S. positions.

North Korea’s socialist system characterized by Seongun (military-first)-based solidarity and self-reliant national economy will not be swayed by the U.S. sanctions.

If the U.S. continues to antagonize and puts more pressure on North Korea, it has no choice but to take hard-line steps to preserve the right to survival and independence.

The spokesperson’s statement reiterated the North’s position not to abandon its nuclear programs first and to stick to ‘actions to actions’ principle. While insisting that it is the U.S. that should create conditions and an atmosphere, the North did not directly put forward the resolution of a Banco Delta Asia- related issue as a precondition for its return to the Six-party talks. It is noticeable that the North invited Christopher Hill and also mentioned that it would react aggressively to the U.S. strengthened pressure.

The North emphasized the necessity of direct dialogues between the North and the U.S., urging the U.S. to make a strategic decision, and trying to hold bilateral negotiations by handing over the invitation to Deputy Assistant Secretary to State Christopher Hill. In addition, it appears to have intended to deter additional sanctions in response to the U.S. moves to step up sanctions against North Korea.

The Central Reporting Station reported on June 1 that Minister of Foreign Affairs Paek Nam Sun had held talks with Chinese Prime Minister Win Jiabao and Director of the Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry Li Zhaoxing. The purpose of Minister Paek’s visit to China appears to be strengthening of friendly and cooperative ties between the North and China and to show off their relations inside and outside of North Korea.