Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Major Weekly Developments in North Korea (May. 1 - May. 7, 2006)

ROK National Intelligence Service

Inside North Korea

The Central Broadcasting Station reported (May 1), “On the occasion of the gala of the working class around the world, a National Meeting in honor of the 116th observance of May Day was held at Ryongseong Machine Complex on May 1, and was attended by Vice Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly Yang Hyeong-seop, Secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea Kim Joong-rin, Cabinet Prime Minister Noh Doo-cheol, and others.”


The Chosun Central News Agency reported (May 7), “”Kim Jeong-il, accompanied by secretaries of the Workers’ Party of Korea Kim Gook-tae, Kim Gi-nam, and members of the KPA, the military and the cultural and art sectors, attended a performance by the National Symphony Orchestra at the remodeled Moranbong Theatre, and presented tasks for the development of an independent symphony.”

Outside North Korea

Quoting a Rodong Shinmun editorial, the Chosun Central News Agency contended (May 5), “Japan’s decision to participate in the military exercise staged by the United States in the Southeast Asian region in mid-May shows that in reality it is advancing toward a path of invasion and war through military collusion with the United States while blathering about peace.”


The Pyongyang Broadcasting Service emphasized (May 7), “As the US imperialists are clinging madly to the development of new weapons and maneuvers to bolster their military might with the goal of world domination, the people of the world striving for independence and peace should enhance their alertness of the reckless maneuvers by the US imperialists to increase their military forces in the interest of aggression.”

Inter-Korean Issues

Quoting a Rodong Shinmun editorial, the Chosun Central News Agency contended (May 4), “Harmony based on acknowledgment of and respect for the ideology and system of the other party is the fundamental and principle issue of practical significance for the development of inter-Korean relations. Resolving this issue as soon as possible is a task that cannot be delayed in order to fulfill the June 15 Joint Declaration and complete the grand task of independent reunification.”


Quoting a Rodong Shinmun editorial, the Chosun Central News Agency contended (May 6), “Strengthening three-party solidarity among Koreans in the North, the South and overseas is a firm guarantee for enhancing the might and role of the national patriotic forces of reunification.”