Internal Affairs
Internal Affairs
a) On the occasion of the 50th anniversary (July 27) of the signing of the Korean Armistice Agreement, North Korea issued a statement July 24 by the spokesman of the foreign ministry, held a symposium organized by the Ministry of the People's Armed Forces July 23, and an "International Conference on Peace Guarantee" (July 23-25). In anticipation of the People's Assembly elections, the events highlighted Kim Jong-il's leadership and emphatically denounced the United States for "systematically violating the armistice agreement."
b) Chairman Kim Jong-il visited military unit 581, a recipient of Oh Jung-heup's Seventh Regiment Title, July 18 and unit 292 and its headquarters company four days later and highly rated training performance of the soldiers and expressed interest in their well-being.
c) Through on-site guidance of the Eorangcheon Power Station in North Hamgyeong Province, a state project now under construction, Kim jong-il exhorted workers to build the power station firmly so that it would last for ages as it will be a source of the "nation's wealth that will contribute to the construction of a strong and prosperous nation."
d) On the occasion of Builders' Day, May 21, North Korea held the third May 21st Architectural Festival in the People's Cultural Palace July 20-22. North Korea said the most popular in the event were the architectural designing programs developed with the introduction of the latest scientific technology.
e) North Korea tried to induce allegiance and competitive efforts toward Kim Jong-il by creating a heroic atmosphere ahead of the holding of "Heroes Meeting" in September on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the founding of the North Korean regime. Preparations include praise for meritorious persons, visit to schools honored with hero titles bestowed by Kim Jong-il and presentation of movies with a hero theme.
f) North Korea said through its radio on July 23 that a substantial achievement was made as a result of upgraded comprehensive quality control efforts in all sectors of the economy in July, the "Month of Enhancing Quality of Goods."
Relations with South Korea
a) Regarding the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command's annual Ulchi Focus Lens military exercises scheduled for August 18-29, North Korea demanded their cancellation through its radio July 23, arguing that they are "exercises for war intended to provoke northward aggression and to militarily strangulate the People's Republic."
b) According to North Korea's radio July 24, spokesmen of the Korean residents associations in the Eastern and Western regions of the United States said in their respective statements July 15 and 18 that Hwang Jang-yop's visit to the United States could deteriorate inter-Korean relations and relations between North Korea and the United States.
External Affairs
a) Through its media outlets, North Korea highlighted the necessity and justification for direct dialogue and conclusion of a nonaggression treaty between North Korea and the United States, following Chinese emissary Dai Bingguo's visit to Pyongyang July 12-15.
In a commentary July 21, the Rodong Sinmun said, "The nuclear issue should be resolved through direct and equal-footed dialogue with the United States and the conclusion of a nonaggression treaty with the United States."
b) North Korea poignantly denounced the United States day in and day out for devising a new war plan, known as Operations Plan 5030, and reportedly formulated by the Pentagon for a possible conflict with North Korea.
The statements issued by the spokesmen of the secretariat of the Committee for the Peaceful Unification of the Fatherland and the Anti-nuclear Peace Committee July 18 and 19, respectively, and other organizations, urged the rescission of Operations Plan 5030, saying that "as a new strategic plot to invade North Korea, the plan already crossed the danger line of military aggression maneuvers against the North."
c) In reaction to the 2003 White Paper on Defense, Japan published recently, North Korea denounced it as an "attempt to expedite militarism and to complete war preparations to invade North Korea."
d) North Korea held a commodity exhibition in Russia's Far East July 2-29 in an effort to earn much-needed foreign exchange and promote trade and publicity for goods.
