1. Domestic Affairs
Chairman of the National Defense Commission Kim Jong-il
watched the performance by Unit 630 and Unit 549 of the Korea People's Army,
both of which participated in fifth the contest for the art circles of families
of servicemen at the Mansudae Art Theater June 10.
The first national TV Korean wrestling contest of working
people for "bull prize" was held to celebrate Dano Day June 13 to 15 on Moran
Hill in Pyongyang.
Minister of Agriculture Kim Chang-sik visited Sweden from
June 1 to 8, then went to Rome to attend the World Food Summit from June 10 to
13, where he gave a speech. On his visit to Sweden, he met his counterpart,
visited a livestock farm, a cheese factory, and an educational institution
related to agriculture. In his address to the summit, in Rome Kim mentioned that
humanitarian donor countries should not force their values and development
models on recipient countries on the condition of assistance.
A ground-breaking ceremony was held at Thaechon Youth
Power Station No.4 in Unjon County, North Pyongan Province, June 7.
Pyongyang International Exhibition of Books on Science
and Technology was held at the Grand people's study House from June 10 to 14.
Various International organizations and 19 groups from eight countries
participated in the event.
Five reservoirs were dedicated in Nak won County South
Hamkyong Province, Central Broadcasting Station reported June 10.
2. South Korean Relations
North Korea hosted the "Grand Festival for the National
Reunification" in Mt. Geumgang, from, June 14 and 15, to commemorate the second
anniversary of the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration. South Korea, overseas
Korean community, and host North Korea each sent 200 delegates to the festival.
Participants agreed to hold a national reunification meeting of youths from July
26 to 28 and a meeting of women is September this year. The North Korean
preparatory committee for the June 15 Grand Festival for the National
Reunification and the delegation of Koreans living abroad issued statements
attacking the South Korean government for rejecting requests by two
pro-Pyongyang groups, Pomminryon and Hanchongryon, to participate in the event,
calling the decision an anti-national and anti-reunification measure.
The Secretariat of the Committee for the Peaceful
Reunification of Hoi-chang the Fatherland issued a "letter of indictment" June
13. It branded the activities of the presidential candidate of the South Korean
major opposition Grand National Party, who is critical of the North Korean
regime, as being anti-national and anti-reunification. The Secretariat also
called for his exclusion out of political scene, Central Broadcasting Station
reported June 14.
3. External affairs
Central Broadcasting Station reported June 10 that the U.S.
government decided to provide an additional 100,000 tons of food aid to North
Korea. "It is a humanitarian step to help ease food shortages of North Korea
inflicted by natural disasters for the past few years, the station said.
A spokesman for the Foreign Ministry had an interview
with the North Korea Central News Agency (KCNA) June 13 concerning the
resumption of the U.S.-North Korea dialogue which was mentioned by the U.S.
secretary of state. "The U.S. government is trying to attach preconditions to
its dialogue with North Korea by urging Pyongyang to scrap its long-range
missile program and implement the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty," he said.
"They should give up their hostile stance against Pyongyang if they want to
reopen a dialogue with us."
Parliamentary delegations of Thailand and Vietnam paid
friendship visits to Pyongyang,Broadcasting Station reported June 9. |
