Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

North Korea Weekly (May 4 - 10, 2009)

ROK National Intelligence Service

[Inside North Korea]

o In a May 5 report by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korea said, "On the occasion of the DPRK-China Year of Friendship, the ‘DPRK-China Goodwill City Rally’ will be held in Pyongyang amidst keen interest and strong expectations by the people of the two countries." On May 9, the country said, "Kim Jong-il, accompanied by Secretary Jeon Byeong-ho, Director Jang Seong-taek, and Director Park Nam-gi of the Workers’ Party, visited industrial facilities in Heecheon including Heecheon Machine Tool, Heecheon Precision Machinery, and United Youth Electric Company."

[Outside North Korea]

o In a statement by the spokesperson for the ‘Korean Space Technology Committee’, North Korea contended on May 7 that the Gwangmyeongseong II satellite was in normal operation. In a KCNA interview by the spokesperson of the North Korean Foreign Ministry, the country stated on May 8 that it “cannot have a dialogue with an antagonistic party”, mentioning ‘reinforcement of nuclear deterrence for the protection of sovereign rights.’