Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

North Korea Weekly (Oct. 30 - Nov. 5, 2006)

ROK National Intelligence Service

Inside North Korea

The North Korean Central News Agency reported (Nov. 3 & Nov. 5), “Kim Jeong-il, accompanied by KPA generals Lee Myeong-su, Hyeon Cheol-hae, Pak Jae-gyeong, and Vice Department Director of the WPK Central Committee Hwang Byeong-seo, inspected KPA Unit 1112 and called for the strengthening of the unit’s combat power. Kim also inspected the Gamnamu Battery under KPA Unit 595, honored with the title of the Three-Revolution Red Flag, accompanied by First Vice Department Director of the WPK Lee Jae-il and Vice Department Director Hwang Byeong-seo,”

The Central Broadcasting Station reported (Nov. 2), “Meetings took place at different organizations, factories, enterprises, co-op farms and universities across the country and pledged to bring about a new surge in advancing the Seon-gun (military-first) revolution, greatly encouraged by the successful nuclear test.”

Outside North Korea

The North Korean Central News Agency reported (Nov. 1), “Bilateral and multilateral contacts were held in Beijing, China on Oct. 31, with the focal contact between the DPRK and the US. At this contact, ways to resume the six-party talks were discussed. We [the DPRK] agreed to return to the talks on condition that ways to lift financial sanctions would be discussed and settled between the DPRK and the US within the framework of the six-party talks.”

The North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) printed a statement (Nov. 4) made by a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the form of an answer to a question asked by a KCNA reporter, “Japan is prattling on and making absurd statement on resuming the six-party talks. It would be far more desirable if Japan would not participate in the six-party talks, and fewer participants may well make the talks more fruitful.”

Inter-Korean Issues

Quoting an interview with a spokesperson for the Asia-Pacific Peace Committee, the North Korean Central News Agency contended (Nov. 1), “The Mt. Geumgang tourism project is a shortcut to reunification, and should the Mt. Geumgang tourism project be hampered by the ultra-right conservative forces, including the Hannara Party (Grand National Party), it would leave a mark on the people and on history that cannot be erased.”

Quoting Report No. 925 of the Secretariat of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland, the North Korean Central News Agency blasted (Nov. 4), “The fact that South Korea’s Minister of Defense stated during the parliamentary audit that ‘there is a need to adjust national defense policy, including the matter of designating the main enemy’ is a challenge to the June 15 Joint Declaration and an unbearable provocation to us [the DPRK].”