InternalAffairs
Internal Affairs
o Chairman Kim Jong-il visited military unit 1128, which was honored with the title of O Jung Heup's Seventh Regiment, and then honored with the title of Geumsung lifeguard unit 162, according to North Korean broadcast reports on February 11 and 13.
- Kim's frequent visits to military units were apparently intended to exhort the military to maintain combat preparedness and to boost morale as well as to draw out competitive loyalty among the units.
o On the occasion of Kim's 62nd birthday that falls on February 16, North Korea whipped up a nationwide festive mood led by the ninth Sports Meet of Central Agency Workers for Mt. Baekdu prize on January 28. Twenty-four other celebratory events were held or in preparation to mark his birthday.
- By staging such events, which also coincides with the 30th anniversary of the installation of Kim as the heir to his father as well as the 10th anniversary of the launch of the junior Kim's regime, North Korea tried to consolidate internal unity and promote popular allegiance to Kim.
o Through the February 2 Rodong Sinmun editorial titled "Economic Development and Scientific Technology," North Korea set forth three major themes for economic development, "Enhancement of Efficiency in Labor Productivity," "Minimum Consumption," and "Quality Control."
o North Korea's trade with China in 2003 amounted to $1,020 million, up 38.7 percent from a year earlier, but its trade with Japan came to $270 million, registering 28 percent fall from the previous year. Trade with China broke through the billion dollar mark for the first time.
- Due to a decline in trade with Japan owing to aggravating relations with Japan over the Japanese abduction case, North Korea's dependence on China and South Korea deepened on the trade front. Its trade with South Korea totaled $720 million, an increase of 12.9 percent over 2002.
Relations with South Korea
o Concerning the 13th inter-Korean ministerial talks held earlier in Seoul, North Korea's newspaper Joseon Sinbo observed that the "meeting was meaningful and produced a positive agreement" February 7 and 9. But, the Rodong Sinmun, in a commentary on February 12, criticized the talks for "not specifying the passage 'between the peoples of South and North Korea' in the joint press release," describing the omission as "inappropriate."
o North Korea's media denounced February 8 and 11 the speech before South Korea's National Assembly February 4 by the representative of the opposition Grand National Party as "unpardonable, absurd remarks that ran counter to the flow of national history toward Anti-Americanism and self-reliance and unification of the country." They also incited the South Koreans to "judge the opposition group by vote in the coming general elections."
External Affairs
o Concerning the second round six-way talks on the North Korean nuclear program, Pyongyang expressed hope and alluded to a "fruitful meeting" as expressed in the press release issued after the 13th inter-Korean ministerial talks held February 4-6.
- North Korea said that it and China agreed to cooperate in resolving the nuclear issue in their vice foreign ministers' meeting. Through an interview of the spokesman of the foreign ministry and a comment by the Korean National News Agency February 10 and 11, North Korea flatly denied suspicious cooperation in nuclear technology with Pakistan.
o Reacting to Japan's amendment to the foreign exchange law that provided anti-Pyongyang measures like restrictions of remittances, North Korea issued a series of statements in the name of the North Korea-Japan Friendship Association February 9, the Youth Union two days later and the Woman's Union February 12. North Korea's broadcast services issued the statements February 10-13.
- The statements vehemently denounced Japan and argued that Japan should excluded from the six-way talks on the North Korean nuclear issue.
