1.
1. Domestic Affairs
- The Standing Committee of North Korea's Supreme People's Assembly
decreed Mt. Geumgang and Gaeseong as tourism and industrial regions, respectively,
and adopted related laws. The steps reflect Pyongyang's willingness to accelerate
its ongoing "economic improvement measures" that include introduction
of capital from South Korea and other foreign sources.
* The newspaper, Joseon Shinbo, reported on November 25 that
work had begun in North Korea to redefine socialism's economic theory through
the notion of "practical socialism" based on Kim Jong-il's writings.
- During a central research debate session on patriotism on November
26 North Korea stressed the need to reinforce national defense capabilities
by arming the population with the anti-Japan patriotic spirit. The move indicates
a posture to strengthen its case against the United States by inspiring the
North Koreans' patriotism. Through report sessions marking various events, North
Korea pledged to tighten the regime's internal unity by emphasizing the "military-first"
and other measures intended to shore up the party's policies, while highlighting
the justification of its regime.
* The Academy of Social Science held research debate sessions
to mark the 50th anniversary (Nov. 25) of the academy's founding, the 2nd "enthusiasts'
meeting" of the national literary correspondents (Nov. 24) and on the occasion
(Nov. 21) of the 20th anniversary of Kim Jong-il's "great work" on
the improvement of judiciary-prosecution project.
2. Relations with South Korea
- North Korea resumed the mining-clearing work for the reconnection
of inter-Korean railways and roads, which had been suspended due to procedural
issues raised by the United Nations Command concerning notification of the mine-clearing
crews. The step indicates the Pyongyang's intentions to maintain the inter-Korean
cooperative atmosphere apart from its hardline attitude toward Washington.
- In connection with the recent accidental deaths of two South
Korean middle school girls by a U.S. military armored vehicle, North Korea sought
to stir up a nationwide anti-American atmosphere through statements denouncing
the United States in the name of the education ministry, the Joseon Student
Committee, and the Joseon Democratic Lawyers' Association and through rallies
by the Kimchaek Polytechnic University and others.
- Two hundred sixty-two delegates from the Jeju provincial headquarters
campaigning for aiding North Koreans visited North Korea as guests of the North's
council for reconciliation among Koreans from November 25 to 30. The Jeju headquarters
plans to donate a total of 4,000 tons of tangerines by the end of December.
3. External Affairs
- North Korea said in a TV commentary on November 27 that its
earlier assertion that it was "entitled to possess things more powerful
than nuclear weapons" meant to convey the principle that Pyongyang had
the right to possess nuclear weapons and that it was pursuing what it had a
right to do. The commentary was interpreted as an indication of North Korea's
hopes to settle the nuclear issue through dialogue.
- Meanwhile, North Korea emphasized a hardline position through
a newspaper Minju Joseon report on November 26. It said that it was ready for
either dialogue or war with the United States, while maintaining that suspension
of heavy oil deliveries was part of America's systemic breaches of the terms
of Agreed Framework.
- In a statement issued by the spokesman of its Red Cross society
on November 27, North Korea expressed its willingness to resume the Japan visit
program by the Japanese women who married after being abducted to North Korea,
while denouncing Japan for delaying the 4th homeland visit agreed on during
the North Korea-Japan Red Cross meeting.
- North Korea emphasized its "friendship forged in blood"
as it concluded with China an agreement on the mutual dispatch of delegations,
exchange and cooperation in the health and education sectors.
- North Korea said that an estimated 450 million people from
some 520 political parties and organizations worldwide put their signatures
on an international signature-collecting campaign, held between February and
September, demanding withdrawal of U.S. forces stationed in Korea and supporting
the June 15, 2000 South-North Joint Declaration.
