Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Weekly Report on North Korea No. 927 (January 19 to 25 2009)

ROK Ministry of Unification

Internal Affairs

• The 14 th athletic meet of central organizations’ workers for the Baekdusan Prize was held in Pyongyang .
• Central Broadcasting Station, January 21

Inter-Korean Affairs

• North Korea criticized that the South’s government was trying to worsen the inter-Korean relations this year, saying that President Lee Myung-bak appointed the writer of 3000: Denuclearization and Openness as the Minister of Unification referring to the nominee Professor Hyun In-taek.
• Democratic Chosun , January 25

Foreign Affairs

• The DPRK criticized Japanese Self Defense Forces’ overseas dispatch to Somalia . It also made criticisms with regard to North Koreans living in Japan and Chongryun.

• North Korea criticized the U.S. ’s military expansion in the Asia-Pacific region. It also criticized that the report of the U.S. ’s National Intelligence Council, “Strategic Implications of Global Health” pointed out that the North has poor health care system.

• With regard to the inauguration of President Obama, the DPRK expressed again its position on the nuclear issue and normalization of North Korea-U.S. relations by citing the statement and press conference of the Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

• Kim Jong-il met Minister Wang Jiarui of International Department of Chinese Communist Party who was visiting North Korea . They discussed China-North Korea relations and the six-party talks.