1. Domestic Affairs
Chairman Kim Jong-il inspected an aviation club
of the Air Force Command of the Korea People's Army (April 3). He was
accompanied by Jo Myong-rok, director of the general political department of the
KPA, Kim Yong-chun, chief of the general staff, Kim Il-chol, minister of the
People's Armed Forces, and general Ri Myong-su.
A seminar on Kim Jong-il's work, entitled "About juche
(self-reliance) ideology," was held in the People's Palace of Culture,
Pyongyang, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the publication of the
treatise (March 30). Panelists called for the realization of the ideology in
socialist construction and revolution.
The Internet edition of the Chosun Shinbo ran a feature
story on North Korean tourism attractions, which are included in the so-called
"Arirang" package tour (March 27). Arirang is a a mass gymnastics performance.
"The package tour spans the Triumphal Arch, the Pyongyang subway system and 25
other Pyongyang-based sites, and tourist sites in three provinces, such as
Kaesong City, West Sea Floodgate and Mt. Myohyang," it said.
The Pyongyang Science and Technology Festival was held on
the campus at Kim Chaek University of Technology on April 2 to commemorate the
90th birthday of the late leader Kim Il-sung's exhibited. It displayed
scientific inventions, held a seminar on new technology and prize-winning
technologies.
Oh Kwang-hong was appointed Minister of Power and Coal
Industries, Central Broadcasting Station reported (April 2).
2. South Korean Relations
North Korea announced a six-point agreement with South Korea,
which had been reached after a South Korean special envoy's meeting with
Chairman Kim Jong-il (April 6). It called for respect for each other under the
June 15 Joint Declaration, restoration of inter-Korean relations, reconstruction
of railroads and roads that had once been disconnect , reopening of Inter-Korean
dialogue and cooperation projects, resumption of inter-Korean military talks,
and cooperation to boost the national unity and humanitarian
projects.Social and political organizations, including the
Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland (March 29), the
Socialist Democratic Party (March 30) and the Korean Chondoist Young Friends
Party (March 31), accused South Korea's Grand National Party of its basic policy
toward North Korea. "They absurdly demand that reciprocity, transparency and
peace be placed before inter-Korean exchanges and cooperation," they
noted.
3. External affairs
A Foreign Ministry spokesman had an interview with Pyongyang
Broadcasting Station on the U.S. government's announcement that it might defer
the implementation of the 1994 Geneva nuclear agreement between the two
countries. "North Korean would take necessary measures if the United States does
not provide North Korea with a light-water reacted and heavy oil under the
agreement," he said(April 5).
A Foreign Ministry spokesman had an interview with the
Central News Agency on a meeting between North Korean and U.S. officials in New
York, Pyongyang Broadcasting Station reported (April 5). "The United States have
clarified their position on meetings between Washington and Pyongyang and called
for the resumption of negotiations with the Korea Energy Development
Organization (KEDO). We agree to continue our negotiations," he said.
A spokesman for the Asia-Pacific Peace Committee imputed
responsibility for the stalled Mt. Geumgang Tour project to the United States,
Pyongyang Broadcasting Station reported (April 4). "The project has been bogged
down solely due to the U.S. trickery and intrigue," he said.The
Pyongyang-Khabarovsk(in Russia) regular air flight began a twice-a-week service
(April 5). |
