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North Korea Weekly (July 28-Aug 3, 2008)

ROK National Intelligence Service

【Inside North Korea】

o On July 28, North Korean media outlets propagandized the legitimacy of Songun [military-first] politics on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the signing of the cease-fire agreement (July 27) by trumpeting, “This has helped maintain peace on the Korean peninsula and also benefited the South.” The North Korean online media outlet Uriminzokkiri, or “by our nation itself," stated on the same day that the adoption of the June 16 Joint Declaration and the October 4 South-North Summit Declaration, let alone national reconciliation and unity, would be unimaginable without Songun politics, which has reliably safeguarded peace on the Korean peninsula and created an environment conducive to independence and unification.

o On July 30, in celebration of the 62nd anniversary of the promulgation of the North Korean act on gender equality, North Korea’s Rodong Sinmun encouraged North Korean women by saying, “Women will make a great contribution toward the virtuous task of building the country into a socialist power by fighting a more vehement fight.” The newspaper urged society in general to “take great care to build an atmosphere wherein women are more respected in society and guaranteeing conditions for them to actively participate in societal activities.”

o On July 31, North Korea’s Central TV said, “Many parts of Kaesong, including Panmunjom-ri, Dongchang-ri and Rimhan-ri, were struck by sudden heavy rains and winds that caused serious damage.” Central TV broadcast three minutes of footage of the damage, along with details such as that across rural parts of Gaesong City, 1,493 jeongbo (approx. 14.8 million m2) of rice paddies and 40 jeongbo (approx. 0.4 million m2) of fields were submerged; a total of 1,138 m of roads were severely damaged at 11 locations; and numerous houses and public buildings were inundated or had collapsed.”

o On August 3, the North Korean Central Broadcasting Station (KCBS) said, “This year, which marks the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Republic [DPRK], officials and miners at Jonchon Mine, who have been pressing ahead with a tireless battle to produce more coal, are continuously yielding results.” The KCBS added, “The officials, bearing in mind the importance of coal production in building an economic power, have engaged in an impassioned ideological education project to fuel a burning enthusiasm among the miners.”

【Outside North Korea】

o On July 29, the North Korean cabinet organ Minju Joson said, “Through the heavy deployment of cutting-edge military equipment on and around the Korean peninsula and the execution of a range of military exercises, the US has provoked us even as we engage in dialogue with the nation, and disrupted the atmosphere of dialogue and negotiation.” The newspaper contended, “So long as the US military threat and intrusive wiles are heightened, we [North Korea], too, will inevitably continue to augment our mighty, independent [war] deterrence.”

o On July 31, North Korea’s Rodong Sinmun said, “Japan’s argument for its dominium over Dokdo [a rocky island near Uleung-do in the East Sea of Korea] is a very dangerous stratagem that is aimed to kindle a territorial conflict with neighboring countries, and it is using [this conflict] as a pretext for reinvasion [of neighboring countries.]” The newspaper reasoned, “This is all a part of Japanese authorities’ attempt to publish reference materials for middle school teachers containing a distorted description of Russia as forcefully occupying the four Kuril Islands, as well as the authorities’ claim that China’s Diaoyu Islands belong to Japan.”