Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Weekly Report on North Korea No. 942 (May 1 to 8, 2009)

ROK Ministry of Unification

Internal Affairs

Kim Jong-Il’s public appearance during the first week of May – From May 1 st to 8 th, North Korean media reported Kim Jong-Il’s public appearance for three times.

The North’s appeal for 150-Day Mobilization Campaign – Through the commentary of Rodong Newspaper, the North insisted to spread 150-Day Campaign (May 4 th, Rodong Newspaper).

The propagation about astonishing achievement of securing coal yard and lumbering logs – The North propagated that the achievement of securing coal yards at Sangwon Colliery exceeded the planned goal for the first half of the year; lumbering logs at Imsan and Gaengmok goal for the year.

The 11 th Medical Science Debate in Pyongyang opened – From May 4 th to 5 th, the 11 th Medical Science Debate in Pyongyang was opened at People’s Culture Palace (May 6 th, KCNA)

Inter-Korean Affairs

The criticism against the comforting event for the separated family – At the North Korean Red Cross spokesperson talks, the North criticized the appreciation event for the separated family held by the South and tried to stimulate the antigovernment campaign. (May 8 th, KCNA)

The spokesperson of the Committee for Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland criticizing against raising the North Korean human right issue – The Committee for Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland issued a statement criticizing the South Korea ’s raising the human rights issue as well as the speech of South Korean ambassador for North Korean human rights on North Korean refugee camp. It resolutely claimed that inter-Korean dialogue would not be restarted. (May 9 th, KCNA)

Foreign Affairs

North Korean Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson having a conference to criticize the U.S.’ hostile policy – The North Korean Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson criticized the Obama Administration that the administration had kept a hostile policy against the North likewise the former administration. The spokesperson of Korean committee of Space Technology announced that the Satellite Kwangmyongsong-2 is operating normally.

The criticism on the U.S. ’ speech related to the operational plan and the one-sided foreign policy of the U.S. – The North repeatedly criticized the speech by Gen. Sharp, the commander of U.S. Forces Korea, which was related to the operational plan. The North claimed also that one-sided foreign policy of the U.S. failed to denuclearize Korean Peninsula .

The criticism on Japan ’s developing space technology and its preemptive attack theory – The North criticized Japan ’s movement to develop space technology, such as introduction of early warning satellite, and the preemptive attack theory, which had been suggested in Japan