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North Korea Weekly (February 11-17, 2008)

ROK National Intelligence Service

【Inside North Korea】

o On February 11, the North Korean Central Broadcasting Station (KCBS) reported, “A national photo exhibition has been launched to mark February 16 [Kim Jeong-il’s birthday] in the People’s Place of Culture today with Choe Thae-bok, secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of [North] Korea, and other officials from relevant agencies as well as Pyongyang citizens attending.” The KCBS propagandized, “Over 170 photos on the themes of uriminzokkiri, or ‘by our nation itself,’ and independence, peace and friendship are on display alongside photos of judoka Kye Sun-hui’s victories at four World Judo Championships.”

o On February 11, the North’s Rodong Sinmun published an article titled “Symphony Orchestras with a Long History” in which it said, “The New York Philharmonic Orchestra is one of the orchestras boasting a long history and great tradition.” The newspaper stated, “The orchestra plays and exemplifies a variety of musical pieces spanning different periods in musical history from music predating classicism to classicism to romanticism to modernism.”

o On February 13, the KCBS said, “With Kim Jeong-il’s birthday around the corner, gatherings to celebrate and make pledges took place on February 12,” adding, “Comrade Kim Jung-rin, secretary of the Central Committee of the Worker’s Party of [North] Korea, and other officials from the relevant agencies, officials of the General Federation of Trade Unions of [North] Korea, the Union of Agricultural Workers of [North] Korea, the [North] Korean Democratic Women's Union, and a range of workers participated in the gatherings to solemnly pledge to persistently walk the dedicated path of the Songun [military-first] revolution under the leadership of Kim Jeong-il.”

o On February 13, the North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) propagandized, “The Korean Central History Museum has added over 10,000 new historic relics and remains to its collections over the past 30 years to showcase the Korean nation’s long history and splendid cultural traditions. New items include a jar with fir leaf patterns from the New Stone Age and carbonized grains from the Bronze Age—rice, beans, sorghum, jo and gijang (kinds of foxtail millet).”

o On February 14, North Korea’s Central TV said that as per Kim Jeong-il’s instructions, “Soldiers of the [North] Korean People’s Army sent a great number of eels to restaurants in Pyongyang,” adding, “The restaurants in the capital city are planning to serve eel dishes on February 16 and 17, holidays marking the 66th birthday of Kim Jeong-il.” Meanwhile, the KCNA and Pyongyang Broadcasting Service (PBS) reported, “Foreign military officers and economic and trade councillors stationed in North Korea have sent flower baskets and congratulatory letters to Chairman Kim Jeong-il on the occasion of his upcoming 66th birthday.

【Outside North Korea】

o On February 15, the North Korea Central News Agency (KCNA) said, “With Kim Jeong-il’s birthday approaching (Feb. 16), Cuban Ambassador to Pyongyang Jose Montano invited Central Committee Secretary of the WPK Choe Thae-bok and others to the Cuban Embassy for a banquet on February 13.” The KCNA continued, “Ambassador Montano said he hoped ‘the special brotherly and friendly cooperative relationship between the parties, governments and people of the two countries will be strengthened in every area, including politics, economics and the military.’”

【Inter-Korean Issues】

o On February 12, North Korea’s Pyongyang Broadcasting Service (PBS) said, “The June 15 Reunification Era is an era of uriminzokkiri, or ‘by our nation itself,’ during which North and South Korea pursue national reconciliation and unity transcending ideological and institutional differences.” The PBS contended, “At this time, wielding the old-fashioned National Security Law and denying the other’s ideology and [political] system to fuel inter-Korean confrontation is truly outrageous,” and called for the abolition of the National Security Law.

o On February 12, the North’s Central TV reported, “On the night of February 10, a fire broke out on the second story of Sungnyemun in Seoul. Despite hours of fire fighting, raging flames toppled the entire structure early in the morning of February 11.” Central TV added, “Sungnyemun, built in 1398, is a valuable historic relic demonstrating the outstanding tradition of our nation.”