Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Major Weekly Developments in North Korea (August. 21 - August. 27, 2006)

ROK National Intelligence Service

Inside North Korea

The Central Broadcasting Station reported (Aug. 22), “The students of Kim Il-sung University held a rally on August 21 on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the university. The resolution emphasized, ‘The students and youths are filled with a burning passion to firmly grow into reliable men of the revolution sought by the Party, the Leader, the fatherland and the people.’”


The Central Broadcasting Station reported (Aug. 24), “A national meeting was held on August 24 at the April 25 House of Culture to celebrate the 46th anniversary of Kim Jeong-il’s launch of the Seon-gun (military-first) Revolutionary Leadership, and was attended by Kim Yeong-chun, Chief of the General Staff of the KPA (who delivered a report), and Kim Gi-nam, Secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea.” It went on to say, “The entire Party, army and the people, while safeguarding Kim Jeong-il with their life and keenly watching the moves of the United States, Japan and their followers to stifle the DPRK with sharp vigilance, will exert its utmost efforts to bolster its deterrence for self-defense unhindered by anything under the principle of Seon-gun.”

Outside North Korea

On the occasion of the 31st anniversary of North Korea’s becoming a member of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), the Rodong Shinmun emphasized in an editorial (Aug. 25), “Only when support and solidarity are improved among non-aligned countries and collective and joint actions are taken will it be possible to protect the sovereignty and interests of the NAM member nations.”


The Chosun Central News Agency quoted an interview with a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Aug. 26) in which he stated, “In the event the September 19 Joint Statement is fulfilled, there is more that we [the DPRK] stand to gain, and we wish to take part in the six-party talks. However, we will not appear at the talks wearing the hat of financial sanctions. We will seek all possible countermeasures to safeguard our sovereignty at a time when the United States is escalating its pressure.”

Inter-Korean Issues

Quoting an interview with the Panmunjeom Mission of the Korean People’s Army, the Chosun Central News Agency blasted (Aug. 22), “At a time when the United States has become ever more overt in its hostile policy towards North Korea and its moves to isolate and stifle North Korea, and the stand-off between North Korea and the US has reached an extreme phase, the Ulji Focus Lens joint military exercise that took place in South Korea on August 21 is a military threat to and blackmail against the DPRK and a war action.”