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North Korea Weekly (Apr. 9 -15, 2007)

ROK National Intelligence Service

o Inside North Korea

(Apr. 9) North Korea’s Rodong Shinmun emphasized in its editorial written in celebration of the 14th anniversary of the election of Kim Jeong-il as chair of the DPRK National Defense Commission that “the entire people [of the DPRK] should place top priority on military affairs among national affairs, bolster the people’s army in terms of political ideologies and military technologies, and actively provide both material and emotional support.”

(Apr. 11) The North Korean Central News Agency reported, “the fifth session of the 11th-term Supreme People’s Assembly convened at the Mansudae Assembly Hall on April 11, 2007 and discussed the situation of the 2006 projects, the 2007 tasks, the closing results of the 2006 budget executions, and the 2007 national budget, as well as organizational issues,” adding, “As for organizational issues, Mr. Pak Pong-ju was withdrawn from the position of the Cabinet Prime Minister with Mr. Kim Yong-il elected to the position, while Mr. Kim Yong-chun was elected as Vice Chairman of the National Defense Commission.”

(Apr. 14) North Korea’s Rodong Shinmun reported, “Amid difficult hardships, powerful war deterrence has been prepared to secure the everlasting survival and prosperity of the fatherland and of the nation [the Korean race],” and contended, “With the powerful war deterrence, the skies over our [the North Korean] fatherland will be clear and blue forever and our [North Korea’s] people can anticipate a future in which [they] will be able to live their lives without having to feel envious of anyone.”

(Apr. 14) The North Korean Central Broadcasting Station reported that to mark “the 95th anniversary of the birth of Kim Il-sung, a central reporting rally was held at Pyeongyang Stadium on April 14, 2007, to emphasize that [we] should hone the strong political and military might of the Republic [of North Korea] under the highly [exalted] banner of Songun [military-first philosophy],” adding on the following day, April 15, “Mass gymnastics and Arirang artistic performances unfolded at the May Day Stadium on April 14.”

o Outside North Korea

(Apr. 11) The North Korean Central News Agency reported, “A delegation headed by US Governor [Bill] Richardson left North Korea through Panmunjeom,” adding, “At Panmunjeom, the remains of six US soldiers [from the Korean War] were handed over to the governor’s delegation, which were able to be excavated thanks to Chosun’s [North Korea’s] humanitarian measures and sincere efforts.”

(Apr. 13) In response to a question posed by a reporter for the Central News Agency, a spokesperson for North Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, “[We] are taking note of the statements made by the US Treasury Department and the Macao monetary authorities on April 10 that the sanctions on our [North Korea’s] funds frozen at Banco Delta Asia in Macao would be lifted, and our relevant financial institution will confirm the validity of these statements,” adding, “Our [North Korea’s] will to implement the February 13 agreement remains unchanged and when the lifting of the sanctions is proved to be a reality, we [North Korea] will also take action.”

(Apr. 14) The North Korean Central News Agency reported, “At the banquet hosted by the Islamic Republic of Iran in celebration of the birthday of Kim Il-sung on April 13, 2007, Vice President of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly [of the DPRK] Yang Hyong-sop emphasized, ‘Our [the North Korean] people will continue to develop their friendly and cooperative relationship with the Iranian people who are making efforts to strengthen their national defense and develop their national economy against the US’s high-handedness and tyranny.’”

o Inter-Korean Issues

(Apr. 10) The Pyongyang Broadcasting Service contended, “The South Korean government should stop its ‘selling of its own nation’ such as through the conclusion of an FTA that accommodates only the US’s unilateral demands.”

(Apr. 13) The North Korean Central News Agency reported, “During the 8th North-South Red Cross talks (Mt. Geumgang, April 10–13), the two parties agreed to hold two rounds of video-link reunions of separated family members [by border of the two Koreas] on the occasion of the August 15 Liberation Day and Chuseok [Full-moon Thanksgiving Day, one of the two most important traditional holidays in Korea along with Seollal, or the Lunar New Year]. They also agreed on issues concerning the 16th face-to-face reunions of separated families at Mt. Geumgang on the occasion of Chuseok and pilot exchanges of video messages [on CD], and decided to hold the 9th North-South Red Cross talks at Mt. Geumgang around the end of October.”

(Apr. 13) The Pyongyang Broadcasting Service propagandized, “North and South Korea as well as all Koreans overseas should hold high the banner of valuing the nation, safeguarding peace and realizing unity, and powerfully launch a battle for the withdrawal of US forces, which are the source of division and war and that are occupying South Korea by force, in order to add brilliance to the June 15 reunification era [allegedly, the current era wherein North and South are to join forces to accomplish reunification based on the June 15 Joint Declaration].