Weekly on North Korea (August 25-31, 2006)

ROK Ministry of Unification

Internal Affairs

The Central Broadcasting Station reported on August 28 that Kim Jong-il inspected unit 1643 and a company under unit 851. During this inspection, Kim Jong-il stressed the importance of enhancing battle practice and logistic service. Mr. Kim also showed much interest in soldiers, visiting their recreation program.

The Central Broadcasting Station reported on August 30 that North Korea held the 6 th meeting of the North Korea-Vietnam Economic and Scientific Cooperation Committee, for which the Vietnamese Economic Representatives visited North Korea . The two nations signed a protocol after discussing measures to promote economic and scientific cooperation and trade.

At the 6 th meeting, the representatives of the two countries seemed to discuss plans to improve the two nations’ economic exchanges including the sluggish bilateral trade. They also seemed to talk over the introduction of the Vietnamese raw materials.

Pyongyang Broadcasting Services reported on August 27 that North Korea blasted 60,000m 3 in the waterway construction site in the Miru Plain on August 25. The blasting would contribute to early completion of the basic excavation work on dams, important in the reservoir construction.

Foreign Affairs

The Central Broadcasting Station reported on August 26 that a North Korean spokesperson announced statement through which North Korea criticized the U.S. financial sanction and urged to remove it for the resumption of the six-party talks.

The main points of the statements are as follows:

• Lifting the sanction is not just practical affairs related to recovering frozen money. It is political issues, directly linked to the implementation of the 9.19 Joint Statement as well as the six-party talks and by which North Korea can recognize the change in the U.S policies to the North.
• North Korea does not beg the coexistence of the U.S. and wants to reach an agreement from an equal position.
• North Korea has reiterated that it could not participate in the six-party talks under the financial sanction.
• As long as the Bush administration is raising the pressure by enhancing the financial sanction, North Korea will consider every countermeasure to protect its ideology, regime, autonomy, and dignity.