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Weekly Report on North Korea No. 930 (February 9 to February 15 2009)

ROK Ministry of Unification

Internal Affairs

• On the eve of the 67 th birthday of Kim Jong-il (born in Khabarovsk on February 16, 1942), North Korea held various events on the same scale as those in previous years including the February 16 celebratory central reporting session at Pyongyang Gymnasium.

• The celebratory events have been held on the same scale as in previous years. North Korean media called the day of February 16 as “the happiest event for the people” (Korean Central News Agency, February 15) and “the most meaningful celebratory holiday for all mankind” (Rodong Sinmun, February 15).

• The themes of the events repeatedly emphasized loyalty to Kim Jong-il; new revolutionary momentum; building the most powerful country; accomplishment of the juche revolution; the victory of ‘our own socialism’; and military-led leadership of the Workers’ Party.

• According to North Korean media reports from February 9 to 15, Kim Jong-il had made three public appearances including an inspection on a military base, an on-site guidance at a factory and a visit to an educational facility.

• In the Expanded Plenum of the Cabinet, the DPRK discussed how to implement its 2008 plan for national economy and how to accomplish the tasks stated in the 2009 joint New Year’s editorial.
• Korean Central News Agency, February 10, 2009

• North Korean National Defense Commission and the Central Army Committee of the Workers’ Party appointed Lieutenant General Kim Young-chun of the North Korean People’s Army as the Minister of People’s Armed Forces and General Lee Young-ho as the Chief of the General Staff.

Inter-Korean Affairs

• North Korea criticized the revised operational plan of the Council for Unification Education, citing the second Forum of Mutual Benefits and Common Prosperity and the issues of POWs and abductees.
• Rodong Sinmun , February 12 / Democratic Chosun, February 13

• In a media report published on February 14, the Office of the Secretary of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland denounced the South Korean government’s prohibition on exchanges of media reports between the two Korea’s media department of the Council for the Implementation of the June 15 Joint Declaration as ‘another provocation for fratricidal confrontation.’
• Rodong Sinmun , February 14

• In a commentary of the Spokesperson for the Central Committee of the General Federation of North Korean Trade Unions, North Korea made a harsh criticism against the South Korean government and incited anti-government campaign.
• Rodong Sinmun , February 14

Foreign Affairs

• North Korea denounced the military drill of the U.S. Forces in Korea including firing exercises of Apache helicopters as a criminal act and the U.S. Forces’ movement to modernize its nuclear weapon as incitement to arms race.

• North Korea announced that the human exchanges between Britain and the DPRK are vigorous, introducing the itineraries of the visit of the delegation of the Workers’ Party to Britain and the visit of the representatives of the High Court of Parliament to North Korea .

• The DPRK made a strong criticism against Japan ’s military movements including its evasion of history clearance, establishment of missile defense system and attempts to dispatch its National Defense Forces to Somalia .

• North Korea claimed to be recognized as a nuclear power, capitalizing the comments by the U.S. ’s Central Intelligence Agency director. The North also urged attention to itself upon the Asian visit of the U.S. ’ Secretary of State.