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North Korea Weekly (January 7-13, 2008)

ROK National Intelligence Service

【Inside North Korea】

□ On January 8, the North Korean Central Broadcasting Station (KCBS) said, “The battle to build a great and powerful nation cannot be won without advances in science and technology.” The KCBS contended, “Only with progress in science and technology can we stand up to imperialist maneuvers aimed at the economic and technological containment [of the DPRK] and demonstrate a resolute ability to live and develop independently, by our own efforts.”

□ On January 9, the KCBS said, “This year’s joint editorial stated that the pursuit of self-reliance is loving our own country and opening the way to true prosperity.” The media outlet stressed, “Whatever challenge lies ahead, we ought to build an economy that serves the people with our own strengths, technology and resources, making our country even richer.”

【Outside North Korea】

□ On January 7, North Korea’s Rodong Sinmun published an editorial titled “Realization of Independence, Peace and Friendship Are the DPRK’s Unflinching Stance” in which the newspaper emphasized, “We [North Korea] will never allow anybody to infringe on our right to independence, interfere in our home affairs or attempt to rule and control our country. We are also opposed to the violation of any other country’s right to independence,” and declared, “Under the guidance of our foreign policy principles of independence, peace and friendship, we will do our utmost to forge healthy international relations as a member of the international community.”

□ On January 8, Rodong Sinmun said, “As part of its reorganization of its forces, the US has renamed its command center in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, the First Corps Local Headquarters and upgraded its status to make it the US’s core operational base covering Asia.” The newspaper argued, “This move is an expression of the US’s perilous and vicious scheme to make inroads into our republic [the DPRK] by leveraging Japan as the key invasive stronghold and establish its military control over the Asian region.”

□ On January 9, Rodong Sinmun featured an editorial titled “The Guarantee of Steadfast Peace is a Critical and Practical Challenge” in which claimed, “The US boldly speaks of ‘carrot-and-stick’ to continue to intensify its military threat and pressure on us [North Korea].” The editorial went on to contend, “Our nation should eliminate this risk of war with its own hands.”

□ On January 10, the North’s Pyongyang Broadcasting Service (PBS) said, “Safeguarding world peace and security and walking the path of self-reliance are indisputable trends of our era.” It went on to insist, “The US is currently making a range of attempts to create the military environment and conditions required to help realize its ambition to conquer the world.” The PBS castigated the US, saying, “The war against terrorism the US is engaged in is a contemporary version of the Crusades intended to conquer the world and control the fate of humanity.”

【Inter-Korean Issues】

□ On January 8, North Korea’s Rodong Sinmun urged, “The direct parties to the execution of the October 4 Declaration are none other than the North and South. Whoever loves the country and the nation and thinks about the reunification of the nation should support and promote the declaration and roll up their sleeves for its execution.” The newspaper also contended, “The movement for national reunification has entered a new stage, and the current circumstances call for North and South Korea to powerfully press ahead with patriotic tasks for the development of inter-Korean relations as well as peace and prosperity as set forth in the declaration.”

□ On January 10, Rodong Sinmun said, “National unity is a basic prerequisite and a powerful guarantee for national reunification,” stressing, “The issue of Korea’s reunification is in essence an issue of both realizing national self-reliance and of reuniting the separated blood relations of the nation so as for the North and South to become harmonized and unified.