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Weekly Report on North Korea No. 886 (April 7 to 13, 2008)

ROK Ministry of Unification

Internal Affairs

Kim Jong Il inspected a company under the direct control of KPA Unit 493 on April 6, KPA Navy Unit 152 command on April 9 and an artillery company of KPA Unit 109 and the command of KPA Combined Unit 337 on April 10, reported Central Broadcasting Station on April 6.

A central reporting convention was held at the April 25 House of Culture on April 8 to celebrate the 15 th anniversary of Kim Jong Il’s election as the chairman of DPRK’s National Defense Commission which falls on April 8, reported Central Broadcasting Station, Pyongyang Broadcasting Services and North Korean Central Television on April 8.

Chosun Shinbo reported on April 8 the development and introduction of a multi-functional lighting system which gives full lighting effects with 20 percent less electricity.

North Korea met its goals in every sector of civilian economy in the first quarter of 2008, reported Central Broadcasting Station on April 8.

North Korea held the sixth session of the 11 th Supreme People’s Assembly at the Mansudae Assembly Hall to review the expenditures for 2007 and endorse a new budget for 2008, reported Central Broadcasting Station, Pyongyang Broadcasting Services, Korean Television Broadcasting Station and Korean Central News Agency on April 9.

Inter-Korean Affairs

North Korea continued denouncing South Korea’s “Denuclearization, Opening and 3000” initiative through various news media dismissing it as a “declaration of confrontation and war against Pyongyang,” reported Rodong Sinmun on April 7.

In a report titled “A ridiculous call for human rights improvement” and others released on April 12 by Central Broadcasting Station and Pyongyang Broadcasting Services, North Korea blasted South Korea ’s criticizing human rights conditions in North Korea as a “political provocation intended to deteriorate inter-Korean relations.”

Foreign Affairs

Through state media, North Korea continued denouncing Washington citing nuclear threats the United States posed and, at the annual meetings of the United Nations Disarmament Commission, urged it to drop a hostile policy toward Pyongyang .

In a foreign ministry spokesperson’s interview with the Korean Central News Agency on April 9 and a report from Chosun Sinbo on April 11, North Korea announced the results of the US-DPRK discussions on nuclear declaration and urged the United States to implement them.

Through state-run media such as Rodong Sinmun and Central Broadcasting Station and Chosun Sinbo , North Korea kept criticizing Japan for its decision to extend a sanction against Pyongyang and attempts to strengthen the Self-Defense Forces.

In an interview with the Korean Central News Agency on April 12, the spokesperson for DPRK Olympic Committee announced North Korea ’s support for China on the torch relay for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.