North Korea Weekly (July 16-22, 2007)
ROK National Intelligence Service
Inside North Korea
o On July 17, North Korean Central TV reported, “The grand mass gymnastics and artistic performance Arirang will be performed at May Day Stadium from early August to mid October.” It also insisted, “The entire world will once again be swept by the hot wind of Arirang.”
o On July 18, North Korea’s Rodong Sinmun emphasized the importance of rigorous preparation for the rainy season and presented what had been done at Chongsan Co-op Farm in Gangseo County to forestall storm damage, saying, “While full-scale efforts are underway to briskly finish [tasks including] the replacement and repair of drainage outlets, the maintenance and repair of drainage pumping stations, and the deepening of drainage trenches, highly responsible and experienced farm workers are in place at the drainage outlets and drainage pumping stations so as to quickly drain any standing water from any severe, heavy rains.”
o On July 22, the North Korean Central Broadcasting Station (KCBS) contended, “A democratic and sound election system is possible only in a socialist nation in which national sovereignty is in the control of the people; and under our [the North Korean] style socialist election system, too, the entire people, including workers, farmers and intellectuals, practically exercise true political freedom and rights as the owners of the nation and society.”
Outside North Korea
o On July 17, North Korea's cabinet organ Minju Joson urged in a commentary titled “Mindsets of the Cold War Should Be Jettisoned” that the United States should guarantee other nations’ right to peaceful nuclear activities.
- Minju Joson stated, “The right to peaceful nuclear activity is a right of every independent and sovereign nation and is legally guaranteed by the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT),” and maintained, “The US is not recognizing this right, which should be equally granted to everybody.”
o On July 19, North Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs unveiled a memorandum denouncing Japan for its alleged obsession with the issue of North Korea’s kidnapping of Japanese citizens and claimed that due to Japan’s obsession with the issue, a crisis is looming over the six-party talks.
o On July 19, the North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said the Russian Ambassador to North Korea threw a banquet to celebrate the DPRK-Russia Joint Declaration at the Russian Embassy. The KCNA reported that among invitees was DPRK Foreign Minister Pak Ui-chun, who delivered a speech to express his expectation that the two nations will further facilitate cooperation and exchanges in a variety of areas and reinforce mutual collaboration and support on [a number of] international stages in line with the spirit of the Joint Declaration.
o On July 21, the KCNA said, “President of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People’s Assembly Kim Yong-nam, who is visiting Mongolia (July 20–23), met with the Mongolian president and then with the chairman of the State Great Hural of Mongolia.”
- The KCNA also reported, “The meetings confirmed a shared view that the development of relations between the two nations is valuable; [the two nations] will make active efforts to further strengthen these relations; and exchanges and cooperation are important in developing their relations.”
Inter-Korean Issues
o On July 23, the North Korean Central Broadcasting Station (KCBS) said, “Today, at a time when peace and reunification of the Korean peninsula are the general trend, the [South Korean] National Security Law should be abolished, while the Korean Federation of University Student Councils will vigorously proceed with its fight to eradicate the law along with the [South Korean] people.” The KCBS insisted, “[South Korea’s] security authorities should immediately set free the chair of the federation (Lee Hui-cheol) and stop its witch hunt-like oppression of the federation.”
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