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Weekly Report on North Korea (July 9, 2007 - July 15, 2007)

ROK Ministry of Unification

Internal Affairs

• According to the report by Chosun Central Broadcasting on July 9, president of Kim Il Sung National War College Ji Gi-seon died.

• Pyongyang Broadcasting Services reported on July 10 that the chairman of General Federation of North Korean Trade Unions was replaced by Kim Byeong-pal from Yeom Sun-gil.

• Through Chosun Sinbo , North Korea advertised the 2 nd Arirang performance and made every effort to attract foreign spectators.

• North Korea compared and analyzed Chairman Kim Jeong-il’s public activity and major characters’ movements during the first half of this year with that of the previous year.

Inter-Korean Affairs

• The South and the North held the 30 th Inter-Korean Working-level Military Talks at Tongilgak on July 10 and discussed the implementation of the agreement of the 5 th Inter-Korean General Level Military Talks.

• According to the reports by Pyongyang Broadcasting Services on July 9 and 12, North Korea maintained that the U.S. Armed Forces in Korea should be withdrawn and the Status of Forces Agreement should be abolished.

• Through the report by the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland, North Korea criticized South Korea for arresting and restraining public safety offender, saying it is rash behavior against unification and nation.

Foreign Affairs

• North Korean diplomatic activities, which have come to a state of lull since the missile test on July 5, 2006 and nuclear test on October 9, 2006, began to recover with the February 13 Agreement and got back to the level of the average year.

• North Korea released several reports to criticize Japan for suppressing Chongryun and held massive rally in Pyongyang on July 10.

• In the comments in the Rodong Daily on July 10, North Korea criticized the U.S. for the recent efforts to build up military strength such as setting up Missile Defense System and reinforcing nuclear weapons.

• In the comments in the Democratic Chosun on July 10 and press conference for local and international reporters in Pyongyang on July 12, North Korea maintained that Japan abducts North Koreans systematically.

• The Central Broadcasting Station reported on July 12 that standing committee chairman of the Supreme People’s Assembly Kim Young-nam plans to make a formal visit to Mongolia according to the invitation by Mongolia president Nambaryn Enkhbayar and make a goodwill visit to Algeria and Ethiopia .

• In a statement on July 13, the chief of the Panmunjom Mission of the Korean People’s Army proposed to hold military talks with the U.S. on peace and security on the Korean peninsula.

• The spokesperson of the Korean National Peace Committee announced a statement on July 14, urging the U.S. to demonstrate in a verifiable way that there is no nuclear weapon in South Korea .

• In an interview with a reporter of the Korean Central News Agency on July 15, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs made formal statement that North Korea suspended the operation of the nuclear facilities in Youngbyun.