North Korea Weekly (September 16-21, 2008)
ROK National Intelligence Service
【Inside North Korea】
o On September 17, the North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said, “Currently in Korea, the grand mass gymnastics and artistic performance ‘Arirang,’ which is a masterpiece crowned by the Kim Il Sung Award, along with the mass gymnastics performance ‘May the Motherland Prosper’ are being staged and earning a fervent response from audiences.” The KCNA introduced the Mass Gymnastic Display Creative Group, which was awarded a Kim Il Sung decoration, saying, “A splendid gymnastics stage with changing sets, three-dimensional backgrounds, powerful music, and masterpieces that evoke praise are all associated with the creative group.”
【Outside North Korea】
o On September 18, the North Korean Central Broadcasting Station (KCBS) reported, “Comrade Kim Ki-nam, secretary of the WPK Central Committee, had a congenial conversation with a delegation from the Chinese People’s Daily headed by Secretary General Zhang Dexiu at Mansudae Assembly Hall today.” The KCBS added, “Assistant editor of Rodong Sinmun Ri Jin and Diplomatic Minister Hao Xiao-fei of the Chinese Embassy in Pyongyang also attended the meeting and discussed how to further develop the traditionally friendly relations between the two countries.”
【Inter-Korean Issues】
o On September 16, the Pyongyang Broadcasting Service (PBS) contended, “The unification of our fatherland is an issue of our nation itself and of the nation’s autonomy, and thus our nation should take ownership of the process of pursuing unification based on the nation’s independent opinions and demands and its own power.” The PBS added, “The history of North-South dialogue [demonstrates] that even if the nation itself produces a wonderful agreement for unification, if it is dependent on foreign forces [for its realization], that agreement will be no more meaningful than a blank sheet of paper.”
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
