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*North Korean Studies*Pyongyang, August 29 (KCNA) -- There are many anecdotes about leader Kim Jong Il during his historic visit to the Russian Federation. Mysterious natural phenomena took place in Hasan, Novosibirsk, Omsk and other places he went. The rain which had lasted for a week or ten days stopped all of a sudden and the sun began shining. On seeing these phenomena, Russians praised him as a legendary great man capable of controlling nature.
When he visited the Omsk state science library named after Pushkin, the guide said that Jo Ki Chon, a revolutionary poet of Korea, was "Mayakovski of Korea". On hearing this, Kim Jong Il explained that Jo was "Pushkin of Korea" and made a proper appreciation of his exploits and talent. The officials of the library were deeply admired by his warm love of the nation and highly praised him as a genius of literature produced by mankind.
There is also an anecdote about his visit to the Mausoleum of Lenin to pay homage to Lenin.
Ritbinov, first vice-editor-in-chief of the newspaper Patriot, said that Kim Jong Il's visit to the mausoleum of Lenin signified that the leader of the world cause of socialism declared victory of socialism on red square in Moscow and indicated the way of winning victory of socialism to the communists and the people of the world.
There is an anecdote about the leadership trait of Kim Jong Il who always links whatever he sees or has in mind with the interests of the Korean revolution and the people's living. While conversing with the mayor of the city of St. Petersburg Kim Jong Il raised a question about a turbine with its rotator having an angle of 45 degrees. This made Russians keenly realize what great energy and wisdom he is devoting to the development of the power industry in Korea.
There are anecdotes about what a tight program he had counting every second and minute during his six hour stay in Khabarovsk, how energetically he worked in the entire period of travelling by train, always doing three or four kinds of work at a time without a moment's rest and what a rich knowledge he had of the world history and what an outstanding insight he had into the present situation.
Joongang Ilbo reported that the ROK's National Intelligence Service (NIS) disclosed on August 29 that the DPRK and Russia will hold another round of vice-minister level meeting in Moscow for further discussion on bilateral loan adjustment in September. The two nations expect to determine the exact scale of the loan extended from the old Soviet Union (USSR) to the DPRK back in the 50s. The two nations also expect to conclude on the methods of repayment at joint economic meeting slated for late this year between vice-premiers. (Kim Hee-sung, "N.K.-RUSSIA TO HOLD LOAN TALKS IN SEPTEMBER," Seoul, 08/30/01)
Joongang Ilbo reported that Georgi Toloraya, Deputy Director-General of the First Asian Department in the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said on August 28 that in order to see progress in the stalemate between the DPRK and the US, the US must first guarantee the safety of the DPRK. Toloraya said in an international seminar on the DPRK economy, "North Korea wants to hold dialogue with the U.S. in equal terms. Unless North Korean Chairman Kim Jong-il gets his full guarantee from his neighboring nations reform of the Stalinist State is impossible. The change the North went through for past few years was more than was made for the last five decades, but it is the U.S. that holds a key to which direction the North will choose. Chairman Kim wants to improve relations with the international society, including the U.S." ("N.K. NEEDS SECURITY GUARANTEE, RUSSIAN EXPERT SAYS," Seoul, 08/29/01)
Pyongyang, August 28 (KCNA) -- As widely reported, Kim Jong Il, Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, recently paid an official visit to the Russian federation. Kim Jong Il's Russia visit is a historic event of great significance as it marked a milestone for the DPRK-Russia friendship and the cause of independence in the new century. This visit opened a new chapter in the history of the development of the traditional DPRK-Russia friendly relations and provided a banner for ensuring global peace and stability.
What is the most important aspect in the visit is that the DPRK-Russia Moscow declaration was adopted thanks to the political determination of the top leaders of the two countries. The adoption of the declaration after President Putin's Pyongyang visit last year is, first of all, clear evidence of the validity and vitality of the independent foreign policy the Workers' Party of Korea has consistently pursued. it once again proved that the DPRK-Russia relations are growing stronger and developing in the spirit of mutual respect and understanding, friendship and cooperation.
Taking note of the fact that the 1972 ABM treaty serves as a cornerstone of strategic stability and a basis for the further reduction of strategic offensive weapons, the top leaders of the two countries expressed the resolution to make every possible contribution to strengthening the international stability and they affirmed that the DPRK's missile program is of peaceful nature and, accordingly, poses no threat to any country that respects its sovereignty. This dealt a telling blow to the u.s. moves to establish the "Missile Defense" system (MD) aimed at unchallenged world domination and its hostile policy toward the DPRK.
The DPRK and Russia will strongly and decisively counter the U.S. moves for establishing MD to militarize space and spark nuclear arms race. The two top leaders reached a consensus of views on the fact that to support the Korean people in their efforts to settle the issue of the country's reunification independently and peacefully by themselves according to the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration will contribute to solving the issue of Korea's reunification and stressed the fact that the pullout of the U.S. forces from South Korea is a pressing issue in ensuring peace and security in the Korean peninsula and in northeast Asia. This reaffirmed the validity of the DPRK independent stand.
Peace and stability have not yet been settled on the Korean peninsula even after the demise of the Cold War entirely due to the U.S. hostile policy towards the DPRK and the U.S. troops' presence in South Korea which provides military backing to the policy. There is no justification for the U.S. troops to stay in South Korea any longer as the north and the south agreed to solve the issue of national reunification independently by the efforts of the Korean nation in the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration.
The United States should no longer budge from its obligation as the party responsible for the solution of the Korean issue and make a bold option to withdraw its troops from South Korea. Only then is it possible to ensure peace and stability in the Korean peninsula and northeast Asia. The two leaders agreed on the detailed orientation and measures to boost bilateral cooperation in different fields such as politics, economy, military affairs, science and technology and culture and a number of relevant agreements were signed to implement them. This is an auspicious event for the two peoples.
The intimate relations between the two leaders are getting closer and the enthusiasm to boost the friendly ties is growing stronger than ever before among the broad public circles and peoples of the two countries. This gives a powerful impetus to the development of the bilateral friendly relations. The traditional relations of friendship and cooperation between the two peoples which have steadily developed generation after generation, century after century will grow stronger and develop in the spirit of the agreement reached between the two leaders.
Moscow, August 21 (KCNA) -- The Russian paper Patriot in its 32nd issue carried an article entitled "star of freedom, August 15 is the day of Korea's liberation", illustrated by a picture of President Kim Il Sung delivering a speech upon his return home in victory. On August 15, 1945, the anti-Japanese national liberation struggle of the Korean people led by him was victoriously concluded and the cause of building a socialist state, a new socialist society, started in this land with a long history, the article says, and goes on: New Korea, born on this day, is a country where the most advanced idea, morality, life and humanity have been embodied.
The Arch of Triumph at the foot of beautiful Moran Hill in Pyongyang was erected to commemorate the day when he liberated the distress-torn country and returned home in triumph after defeating the Japanese militarist occupiers by leading the Korean People's Revolutionary Army. He was the great genius and the most prominent great man in the history of the nation and the world. He regarded himself as the true son of the people and the personifier of the people's desire and boundless creative power from the first step of his activities. Rare is such a great man as he who was possessed of the capability of theoretically popularizing the most profound philosophical principle and idea and waged the stubborn, meticulous and thorough revolutionary struggle every day.
Pyongyang, August 20 (KCNA) --Chairman Kim Jong Il of the National Defence Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea paid an official visit to the Russian Federation from August 4 to 5, 2001 at the invitation of Russian President V.V. Putin and paid an unofficial visit to St. Petersburg on August 6 and 7 and stayed in Russia from July 26 to August 18. Russian President V.V. Putin accorded cordial hospitality to Kim Jong Il with all sincerity and Kim Jong Il was warmly welcomed by Russian people everywhere he went in Russia.
Kim Jong Il had two meetings and talks with Russian President V.V. Putin in an amicable atmosphere as well as friendly conversations with plenipotentiaries of the Russian President, governors of regions and many other leading officials of national and local institutions. At meetings and talks between the top leaders of the two countries that took place in a friendly and open-hearted atmosphere they informed each other of their achievements and experience and had an exhaustive exchange of views on the matter of consolidating and developing the DPRK-Russia friendship and issues of mutual concern including the international situation and reached a consensus of views on all the matters discussed.
The leaders of the two countries unanimously recognized that boosting the traditional DPRK-Russia friendly and cooperative relations with deep-rooted history conforms with the basic interests of the two peoples in the new century and makes an important contribution to peace and security in Asia and the rest of the world. It was stressed at the meetings and the talks that developing the DPRK-Russia friendship with a long history onto a new stage is the unanimous desire of the two peoples. They also expressed the will to expand and develop the friendly relations for peace and stability in northeast Asia and the rest of the world, prosperity of the two countries and equally and mutually beneficial cooperation in the spirit of the DPRK-Russia joint declaration and the DPRK-Russia treaty of friendship, good-neighborliness and cooperation signed in Pyongyang last year.
Very pleased to see the long-awaited visit to Russia by leader Kim Jong Il in the first year of the new century, President V.V. Putin stressed that the visit was of weighty significance in further promoting mutual understanding and trust, friendship and cooperation between the two countries and accelerating the development of the DPRK-Russia friendly relations in the new century. Support and solidarity were expressed at the meetings and talks for the two peoples' efforts for social progress and development.
The leaders of the two countries agreed on the specific orientation and steps to further develop the bilateral cooperation in politics, the economy, military affairs, science and technology, culture and other fields. In particular, they had an in-depth discussion on the pressing issues of cooperation such as the matter of stepping up in full scale the project of linking the railways between Korea and Russia, which is aimed to put into practice the plan for building railways linking the north and the south of the Korean peninsula, Russia and Europe, and it produced good results.
They had a wide-range exchange of views on a series of international matters and expressed their resolution to make every possible contribution to establishing a fair new world order for global peace and stability by the joint efforts of the two sides in the new century. Putin arranged an unofficial meeting with Kim Jong Il at the end of the latter's stay in Moscow and accorded special hospitality to him.
Kim Jong Il deepened close relationship with Putin, through this historic meeting, and further strengthened the DPRK-Russia friendly ties.
Kim Jong Il paid an unofficial visit to St. Petersburg, the heroic city, on August 6 and 7 after concluding his official visit to the Russian Federation. He was courteously greeted by V.V. Cherkesov, plenipotentiary of the president to the northwestern federal district, V.A. Yakoblev, mayor of St. Petersburg, V.S. Bobrishev, commander of the Leningrad military district, G.I. Tkachev, deputy mayor and chairman of the committee for foreign relations, and other leading officials of the national and city institutions. He met and had a friendly talk with V.A. Yakoblev and other leading officials of the city and was invited to the reception given by the mayor.
While staying in St. Petersburg he laid a wreath at the monument "mother-homeland" of the Piskaryov cemetery where 490,000 defenders of Leningrad are entombed and visited Ermitazh Museum and historic sites such as the Petropablovsk fortress and various units including the Leningrad metal works and the plant named after Kirov. After going sightseeing of the city of St. Petersburg with a long history and culture and a tradition of struggle he noted with high appreciation that cultural heritages associated with the wisdom and talents of the Russian people are preserved and glorified well.
He enjoyed the ballet drama "Silfida" at the Maryinsky Theatre. He toured various parts of Russia on his way for an official visit to the Russian Federation and an unofficial visit to St. Petersburg. He was accompanied by K.B. Pulikovsky, plenipotentiary of the president to the far eastern federal district, and leading officials of the administration of the president and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia in the entire period of travelling Russia.
He visited the city of Omsk, one of the major industrial cities of Russia, from July 31 to August 1 on his way to Moscow. He was greeted at railway station by L.V. Drachevski, plenipotentiary of the president to the Siberian federal district, I. K. Polezhaev, administrator of Omsk region, V.A. Varnavski, chairman of the legislative council of the region, and other senior officials of national and local institutions. Accompanied by the regional administrator-led senior officials of the region and the city, he visited the Omsk transport machine plant which produces tanks and modern tractors, the agricultural complex "Omsk Bekon" and the Omsk State Science Library named after Pushkin. He was present at a reception given by the regional administrator and enjoyed a song and dance performance given by artistes in the region.
On his way home after wrapping up the Russia visit, he stayed in Novosibirsk city on August 11.
He was warmly greeted with particular friendship by the citizens who were looking back on the unforgettable day in may 1984 when they welcomed President Kim Il Sung. He was greeted by L.V. Drachevski, plenipotentiary of the president to the Siberian federal district, V.A. Tolokonski, administrator of the Novosibirsk region, V.V. Leonov, chairman of the regional Duma, V.F.Gorozetski, mayor of Novosibirsk, and other senior officials of national and local institutions.
He, conducted by leading officials of national and local institutions, visited the Siberian branch of the academy of sciences of Russia, the Aero production complex named after Chkalov and Siberian state railway university in Novosibirsk city.
After going round the complex which produced and sent many fighter planes to the front and thus greatly contributed to winning the victory in the great patriotic war and is now designing and manufacturing various types of latest aircraft, he saw a flight demonstration, met with its participants and congratulated them upon their success. That evening, V. A. Tolokonski hosted a grand banquet in honor of Kim Jong Il. President Putin sent a congratulatory message to him staying in the Russian Federation on the occasion of the 56th anniversary of August 15 liberation. Kim Jong Il stayed in Khabarovsk city, the seat of the far eastern federal district, on Aug. 17.
Senior officials and citizens of the city of Khabarovsk and its area paid high respects to him and warmly welcomed him who was on a return trip after making an immortal contribution to strengthening the DPRK-Russia friendship. He laid a wreath before the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Slava Square before visiting the folk museum, veterans' house, a children's food combine and a department store. He had a cordial talk with senior officials of the area cruising in the River Amur and was invited to a reception. Former Soviet marshal D. T. Yazov, V.V. Kruchkov: Former chairman of the U.S.S.R. committee of State Security: S. Z. Umalatova, chairwoman of the Party for Peace and Unity of Russia: V. V. Karpov, former first secretary of the central committee of the Writers' Union of the U.S.S.R.: and other personages called on him to welcome him and sincerely wished him good health during his stay in Russia.
His visit to Russia and stay there were successfully wound up thanks to Putin's deep concern and cordial hospitality and the warm welcome of the Russian people. Kim Jong Il expressed his satisfaction at the results of the visit and sent a message of heartfelt thanks to Putin upon crossing the border. Kim Jong Il's historic Russia visit will be brilliantly recorded in the annals of the DPRK-Russia friendship as a landmark event which brought about a new turning point in consolidating and developing the traditional friendship.
Reuters reported that the DPRK's official Korea Central News Agency (KCNA) said that a series of "natural wonders" took place during leader Kim Jong-il's trip to Russia. KCNA said that on August 4, a 20-meter high "waterspout" rose, mushroom-like, in the center of a lake in the DPRK and was visible for 10 minutes. It added that two days later, a rainbow appeared over a monument to the Kim family "as if congratulating Kim Jong-il on his outstanding revolutionary activities to glorify president Kim Il-sung's revolutionary cause." The rainbow followed an "unprecedented" appearance on July 31 of a double rainbow three times in 30 minutes over the northwestern city of Shinuiji. ("N.KOREA SAYS RAINBOWS BLESS KIM JONG-IL RUSSIA TOUR," Seoul, 08/23/01)
Nezavisimaya gazeta published comments of Sergey Kazennov, Geostrategic Problems Sector Chief, Institute of World Economy and International Relations, and Vladimir Kumachyov, Vice President, Institute of National Security and Strategic Problems, on DPRK leader Kim Jong-il's recent visit to the RF. They believe that the RF is becoming "an element of the emerging important pole of the future multipolar world." The one-sided West-oriented RF foreign policies of the early 1990s are criticized, as the sudden break with DPRK then did not pay any dividends to RF, but rather made it of less interest to the partners in Northeast Asia. On the contrary, this time just the talks about RF participation in the DPRK-ROK railway restoration and its link to the Trans-Siberian railway increased the international rating of the RF and President Vladimir Putin personally. "The role of an effective mediator between 'the clean' and (in Western view) 'the unclean' countries and regimes may prove extremely advantageous to Russia." ("WHAT FOR DID YOU COME, DEAR GUESTS?," Moscow, 3, 08/21/01)
Pyongyang, August 19 (KCNA)) --Russian news media reported leader Kim Jong Il's official visit to the Russian Federation on a total of over 800 occasions, according to data available. The newspaper Patriot said that though many heads of state visited Russia, mass media have never reported so much as this. Itar-Tass and other news media gave prompt news coverage of Kim Jong Il' visit to Russia along his journey on nearly 400 occasions. TV and radios broadcast news of his visit for more than 250 times. Zabtra, Patriot, Pravda and many other papers carried special-write-ups with his portraits and photos of his official visit to Russia. Reporting about achievements of his external activities, papers impressively wrote about his talented wisdom, extraordinary diplomatic stratagem and lofty moral obligation.
Pyongyang, August 18 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Il, Chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission, sent a message of thanks to Russian President V.V. Putin today. The message says:
Leaving your country, I'd like to express deep thanks to you for cordial hospitality accorded to us.
My deep thanks also goes to the government of the Russian Federation and plenipotentiaries of the Russian President in districts of the federation, who warmly received us in the whole territory of Russia from Hasan, a border village in the Pacific coastal area, to St. Petersburg on the northwestern tip of the country, to administrators of the regions and cities of Russia we stayed in or passed, and to the friendly Russian people. Our recent meeting in the first year of the new century has provided a historic occasion of further developing the cooperative relations between the DPRK and Russia and ensuring peace and security in Asia and the rest of the world. I am convinced that the traditional long-standing and close relations of friendship and cooperation between the two countries, which have continued generation after generation and century after century, will grow stronger and develop in the spirit agreed upon between the two sides. I wish you greater success in your noble work for building strong Russia and the Russian people happiness.
Pyongyang, August 16 (KCNA) -- A reception was given at the Russian embassy here yesterday, the 56th anniversary of the liberation of Korea. Present there on invitation were Yang Hyong Sop, vice-president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, Ri Kwang Gun, minister of foreign trade, and officials concerned. Russian military attache Vladislav Prokopenko in his speech said that the liberation of Korea gave a new origin to the development of the relations between the two countries and they have accumulated experience with each other through multi-faceted cooperation and contacts in the past period.
The meeting and talks between President Putin and Chairman Kim Jong Il of the DPRK National Defence Commission and the publication of the joint declaration in Pyongyang last year became a solid foundation for strengthening and developing the bilateral relations, he noted, and went on: Kim Jong Il's recent historic Russia visit, his talks with Putin and the publication of the Moscow declaration are an event of special significance. Russia sincerely hopes that the DPRK would build a powerful nation and implement the north-south joint declaration to achieve the peaceful and democratic reunification free from foreign interference at an early date.
Minister of foreign trade Ri Kwang Gun in his speech said that the liberation of the country on August 15, 1945, by the anti-Japanese armed struggle led by President Kim Il Sung and the nationwide struggle of all the Korean people for national liberation centering on it was a historic event which opened a turning phase in shaping their destiny and creating their new life. The feelings of friendship of the Korean people toward the Russian people who devoted their fine sons and daughters to the cause of the liberation of Korea will as always be cherished, he noted. He underscored the need to substantially implement the agreements reached between the top leaders of the two countries and provisions of the DPRK-Russia joint declaration, the DPRK-Russia Moscow declaration and the DPRK-Russia treaty of friendship, good-neighborliness and cooperation and further develop the bilateral relations in all fields including politics, the economy, military affairs and culture. He wished the Russian people fresh success in their work to build powerful Russia under the leadership of Putin.
Pyongyang, August 15 (KCNA) -- Leader Kim Jong Il today sent a message to Russian President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin in reply to his congratulatory message he received on the occasion of the 56th anniversary of Korea's liberation. The message expressed thanks for Putin's congratulations on the anniversary and extended warm and friendly greetings to the president, government and people of Russia on the occasion. The recent Russia visit and the Moscow declaration adopted during the visit marked an epochal event in putting the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries with long history and tradition onto a new and higher stage, it noted. The message expressed conviction that the DPRK-Russia relations of friendship and cooperation would grow in scope and strength on the basis of the foundation provided by the meetings of the top leaders of the two countries. It wished the president success in the work for sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country and build powerful Russia and the Russian people happiness and well-being.
Pyongyang, August 14 (KCNA) -- Hong Song Nam, premier of the DPRK cabinet, sent a message of greetings to Russian prime minister Mikhail Mikhailovich Kasyanov on the occasion of the 56th anniversary of the liberation of Korea. Expressing the belief that the traditional friendly and cooperative ties between the two countries, which reached a new high stage in the spirit of the historic Moscow meeting between the two heads of state and the DPRK-Russia Moscow declaration, would more vigorously strengthen and develop, the message sincerely wished the prime minister and government of Russia success in their work for the development of the national economy and well-being of the people.
Reuters reported that a Moscow court sentenced former diplomat Valentin Moiseyev to four-and-a-half years in jail on Tuesday for handing the ROK state secrets about Russia's relations with the DPRK. Interfax quoted Moiseyev's wife as saying after the verdict, "We have to appeal this decision and are prepared to take it to the European Court for Human Rights." Moiseyev, a former official in the Russian embassy in Seoul and head of the Foreign Ministry's Korea department, was first found guilty in December 1999 of supplying South Korean intelligence with classified documents which related to the RF-DPRK relations, and sentenced to 12 years in jail but Russia's Supreme Court overturned the decision in June 2000, ordering a retrial.("RUSSIA CONVICTS MAN OF SPYING FOR SOUTH KOREA," Moscow, 08/14/01)
Chosun Ilbo reported that Russian railway authorities announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin and DPRK Chairman Kim Jong-il had agreed on the signing of the agreement during summit talks on August 4, adding that concrete steps could now be taken to link railways between the two Koreas. According to the agreement, Russia will participate in the modernization and operation of DPRK railways and in the training of railway engineers. Russia also expects to take part in the de-mining of the DMZ to link railroads between the ROK and the DPRK. (Hwang Seong-jun, "NORTH KOREA AND RUSSIA SIGNED THE NORTH KOREA-RUSSIA RAILWAY AGREEMENT ON TUESDAY," Moscow, 08/14/01)
Nezavisimaya gazeta's Yelena Shesternina published an interview with Aleksey Arbatov, Deputy Chairman of RF State Duma Committee on Defense. While chiefly dealing with US-RF strategic relations, Arbatov commented on DPRK leader Kim Jong-il's recent visit to Moscow. He assessed the results as "bad." Considering the outward circumstances of the visit, "an impression emerges that it is not just a diplomatic game to put pressure in Americans, but that there are some genuine feeling existing. No European country would arrange such agitation for the sake of receiving such an odious figure. What Russia did out of that visit will both shy away South Korea and relevantly condition Americans. We will not facilitate DPRK-ROK dialogue, but make Russia-South Korea and Russia-USA dialogues more difficult. We want to use the North Korean card. In fact Kim Jong-il begins to use the Russian card. A tail starts wagging a dog." ("CONSULTATIONS WITH U.S.A. WILL GIVE NOTHING," Moscow, 6, 08/14/01)
Zavtra published DPRK leader Kim Jong-il's interview to ITAR-TASS news agency in which he, in particular, said, "We cherish Russian-Korean friendship. The meeting in Moscow, I think, will serve as a new important moment in deepening the relations between the two countries' leaders. The US attempt to create a missile defense may cause a new stage of the arms race. We support Russia's position, that is to preserve strategic stability by means of the AMD Treaty. American cries about 'a missile threat' on the part of our country are totally groundless. Nobody believes that. Even more so, considering that the new US administration now has started unreasonably complaining about our conventional armed forces, branding them as 'a threat.' It's totally absurd, it's an arrogant challenge to us. As for the prospect for normalization of our country's relations with the US and Japan, that totally depends on the positions of the US and Japan. Our duty is to build a socialist, strong and prosperous power on our land, to carry a reunification of our Motherland as Kim Il-sung wished. As for my habits, I prefer to go among masses of people and military servicemen, to spend time with them. Also I like reading and listening to music. I send friendly greetings to Russia's people and wish them success in the struggle to build strong Russia and to create beautiful life." ("KIM JONG-IL: TO THE RUSSIAN BROTHERS," Moscow, 1, August, 2001, #32(401))
Chosun Ilbo, August 13 2001. It was as early as the latter half of the 1940s when North Korean laborers began to work at construction, logging and fishing sites in Russia's Far East. Such work resumed following an interruption during the 1950-53 Korean War. As none volunteered, criminals, who committed a succession of thefts and violence, were first mobilized for the work. At the protest of the Soviet Union government, North Korea began to send model workers to Russian logging sites in the 1970s. In the absence of volunteers, the authorities still had to resort to forceful means in sending loggers to Russia.
In due course, however, the North Korean loggers invited the envy of neighbors when they returned home carrying a quantity of electric home appliances and foods. Public perception of loggers began to improve from that time. Upon arriving logging sites, North Korean workers exerted themselves to make money. Having exhaustively bought commodities available in the local market, North Korean loggers earned the nickname of "grasshoppers" in the 1980s. As the local authorities made an issue of the practice, Kim Il Sung during his visit to the Soviet Union in 1984 raised the wages of the loggers and changed the currency paid to them from the North Korean won to ruble.
Those changes resulted in a golden age for the North Korean loggers in Russia for some time. Earning over 100 rubles (equivalent to US $120 at that time) a month, some successful loggers returned home carrying 2.4 tons of daily necessities. The follwoing perception prevailed, "You can bring home appliances; including a TV sets, refrigerators and tape recorders. Once you manage to get there, you can make money without fail." This gave rise to bribing officials in an attempt to get recruited for the logging operation in the Soviet Union. To prevent possible fleeing from the work sites, needless to say successful applicants had to meet the three conditions of holding party membership, favorable family background and being married.
But for the entire three-year contract period the loggers have to put up with a hellish bachelor-like life at the logging sites in thick forests. Not every logger can make money, either. Bribes are essential if one wants to get assigned to a favorable working site with parts and necessary tools. Even remittances back to home of earned money sometimes need bribes. As a consequence, some loggers end up accumulating debts.
When the Soviet Union collapsed in the late 1980s, making money got even more difficult due to serious inflation and suspended supply of parts. Nonetheless, many ordinary North Koreans still aspire to work as loggers in Russia in a bid to improve their fate. Once they become loggers, they can eat ordinary meals at the least, which is a far cry from the reality in the North. The number of North Korean loggers in Russia is said to have plummeted to less than 5,000 now from a peak of 20,000-30,000 in the 1980s. Since it's difficult to accumulate money through logging alone, many of them are engaged in side jobs as well like commerce and house repairing for the Russians.
(Kim Sung Chol, 40, defected to South Korea in 1994 while working as a logger in Russia. A graduate of Hamhung College of Water Supply, Kim is a researcher at the North Korean Research Institute.)
Pyongyang, August 12 (KCNA) -- Leader Kim Jong Il's official Russia visit is warmly supported and welcomed by world public circles. The Socialist Unionist Party of Syria in a statement released on August 7 noted that the party has followed with keen attention leader Kim Jong Il's historic official visit to the Russian Federation. Now that the U.S. moves for "globalization" and world domination are getting pronounced, we regard his visit as a historic one of opening a new prospect of leading socialism to progress and development worldwide, the statement said.
The Arab and International Committee for Solidarity with the Korean People and for Supporting the Reunification of Korea in a statement issued on August 6 said it is a striking demonstration of the traditional friendship and solidarity between the DPRK and Russia that Kim Jong Il went to Russia and met with President V.V. Putin. Organizations for friendship and solidarity with the Korean people are convinced that people's Korea and Russia will contribute to genuine peace and security of asia and the rest of the world and the solidarity and progress of the world people, it stressed.
Pyongyang, August 11 (KCNA) -- As many as five billion people around the world including political and public figures listen to news of leader Kim Jong Il's historic official visit to Russia everyday, according to information available. Every news of his visit to Russia was specially reported everyday by TVs in more than 150 countries. Among them were hundreds of Russian national and regional TVs such as NTV, ort and central TV, Chinese Central TV, CNN TV, BBC Radio and TV, TVs no.1 and no.3 of France and NHK TV. A total of 30 billion people around the world listened to news of his official visit to Russia since the first report on Kim Jong Il's meeting with President Putin was released on August 4.
Pyongyang, August 8 (KCNA) -- Personages of Russia presented gifts to leader Kim Jong Il in congratulation of his official visit to Russia. Among them were I.A. Slujai, chairman of the Moscow war Veterans' Committee of Russia, I.I. Sannikov, member of the Russian War and Military Service Veterans' Committee, A. Danilov, editor-in-chief of the Russian paper Veteran, A.K. Nikonov, curator of the Russian National Military Museum, V.P. Zhukov, president of Partnor-1 Company of Russia, and the National Flight Technological Center of Russia.
FROM GILES WHITTELL IN MOSCOW
MONDAY AUGUST 06 2001.
IN AN extraordinary effort to maintain its status as an honest debtor, North Korea is to repay loans worth billions of pounds to Russia by sending thousands of workers to toil in closed logging camps in eastern Siberia. The spectre of the gulag came to haunt President Kim’s Moscow summit with a report that, in order to service a $5.5 billion (£3.5 billion) Soviet-era debt, he will enlarge a scheme blamed for the torture and summary execution of some of his country’s most desperate refugees.
Pyongyang’s barter of labour for loans dates from the 1960s and has produced an archipelago of labour camps in some of Russia’s most remote forests, where human rights activists claim that inmates are tortured for petty crimes, pursued if they try to escape and are sometimes shot if captured and returned to North Korea. About 90 per cent of the dictatorship’s debt to Moscow was serviced with “free” labour last year, a Russian Economics Ministry spokesman told the RIA Novosti news agency, adding that Mr Kim intended to repay his outstanding Russian debts in the same way over the next 30 years. The first detailed claims of abuse in one of the leaststudied corners of the Russian labour camp system did not emerge until nearly a decade after the start of perestroika. A report by Amnesty International in 1994 alleged that North Korean secret police still operated freely in a string of camps in the Badzharsky Mountains northwest of Khabarovsk, where inmates signed three-year contracts to cut timber, the profits from which were split between the Russian and North Korean Governments.
At their peak the camps held 30,000 workers, who had been drawn by the promise of better wages than they could earn at home and, in many cases, the secret hope of escape to South Korea, whose constitution guarantees asylum to refugees from the North. The Korean lumberjacks are still instantly recognisable, Russians in the area say, by their skinny physiques and uniforms of striped shirts and blue trousers.
Those considered likely to try to escape were told that their relatives would be at risk should they try to break out and were often given steel shackles or had their legs encased in full-length plastercasts, the Amnesty report alleged. It also described the 1988 suicide of a worker who threw himself in front of a Russian train rather than return to North Korea; an attempted suicide by a worker, who cut open his stomach when arrested for escaping; and the summary execution of a refugee, who was shot at the border when returned there by Russian authorities. Two others were spared the same fate by officials who saw the execution and let them stay in Vladivostok. Another refugee who had escaped several times said that a needle had been driven through his nose and attached to a rope.
Despite such reports, the loans-for-labour scheme was formally renewed in 1995. Administered by the North Korean Number One Log Company, it still “employed” some 4,000 loggers last year, although they are thought to receive subsistence wages, at best. Some have reported being “re-educated” on their return home by being forced to watch the government propaganda films they had missed.
Their labour represented $50 million in debt-service payments to Moscow last year, RIA Novosti reported. The signs are that it will continue to be a vital part of Mr Kim’s foreign policy. He urgently needs Russian help to modernise North Korea’s power grid and its moribund farms, not to mention its Armed Forces. President Putin has made clear he is ready to oblige, but also that all assistance must be paid for.
Chosun Ilbo reported that Russian railway authorities announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin and DPRK Chairman Kim Jong-il had agreed on the signing of the agreement during summit talks on August 4, adding that concrete steps could now be taken to link railways between the two Koreas. According to the agreement, Russia will participate in the modernization and operation of DPRK railways and in the training of railway engineers. Russia also expects to take part in the de-mining of the DMZ to link railroads between the ROK and the DPRK. (Hwang Seong-jun, "NORTH KOREA AND RUSSIA SIGNED THE NORTH KOREA-RUSSIA RAILWAY AGREEMENT ON TUESDAY," Moscow, 08/14/01)
Nezavisimaya gazeta 's Yelena Shesternina published an interview with Aleksey Arbatov, Deputy Chairman of RF State Duma Committee on Defense. While chiefly dealing with US-RF strategic relations, Arbatov commented on DPRK leader Kim Jong-il's recent visit to Moscow. He assessed the results as "bad." Considering the outward circumstances of the visit, "an impression emerges that it is not just a diplomatic game to put pressure in Americans, but that there are some genuine feeling existing. No European country would arrange such agitation for the sake of receiving such an odious figure. What Russia did out of that visit will both shy away South Korea and relevantly condition Americans. We will not facilitate DPRK-ROK dialogue, but make Russia-South Korea and Russia-USA dialogues more difficult. We want to use the North Korean card. In fact Kim Jong-il begins to use the Russian card. A tail starts wagging a dog." ("CONSULTATIONS WITH U.S.A. WILL GIVE NOTHING," Moscow, 6, 08/14/01)
Zavtra published DPRK leader Kim Jong-il's interview to ITAR-TASS news agency in which he, in particular, said, "We cherish Russian-Korean friendship. The meeting in Moscow, I think, will serve as a new important moment in deepening the relations between the two countries' leaders. The US attempt to create a missile defense may cause a new stage of the arms race. We support Russia's position, that is to preserve strategic stability by means of the AMD Treaty. American cries about 'a missile threat' on the part of our country are totally groundless. Nobody believes that. Even more so, considering that the new US administration now has started unreasonably complaining about our conventional armed forces, branding them as 'a threat.' It's totally absurd, it's an arrogant challenge to us. As for the prospect for normalization of our country's relations with the US and Japan, that totally depends on the positions of the US and Japan. Our duty is to build a socialist, strong and prosperous power on our land, to carry a reunification of our Motherland as Kim Il-sung wished. As for my habits, I prefer to go among masses of people and military servicemen, to spend time with them. Also I like reading and listening to music. I send friendly greetings to Russia's people and wish them success in the struggle to build strong Russia and to create beautiful life." ("KIM JONG-IL: TO THE RUSSIAN BROTHERS," Moscow, 1, August, 2001, #32(401))
Nezavisimaya gazeta's Grigory Nekhoroshev reported on the activities of the Moscow Youth Society for Juche Ideas Study that was created in December, 1993 by young radicals and anarchists. Dmitry Kostenko, the leader, told the author that at that time "there was no money to be given for Mao," meaning propaganda of Mao Zedong's ideas, " and here there was Juche and a military uniform almost the same." The DPRK Embassy in Moscow started inviting young Juche students to lectures. Oleg Kireyev, a leader of the Movement of Ultra-Radical Anarchists-Experts on Local Places, recalled, "It was an unusual impression in itself: the ideology of the last totalitarian country brought to the extreme degree of primitive madness expressed in monumental propaganda images; officials; carpets; semi-religious movies about 'Great Comrades Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il. Marijuana made the visits especially charming. The environment invited a psychedelic perception of the world."
With DPRK money a couple of propaganda booklets were published. Kostenko said, "It was a mutual admiration. They needed us for reports, we needed them for revolutionary exotics." Some leaders even visited Pyongyang and were driven in a Mercedes car there. But a year ago a movement member was convicted for trying to explode a monument to the Romanoffs dynasty in Moscow and, while in prison, asked for a political asylum in the DPRK. "They refused. But they got very frightened. Relations have become very strained. They even refused to take greetings message to Kim Jong-il who came to Moscow, advising us to fax it." ("JUCHE ADHERENTS IN MOSCOW," Moscow, 8, 08/09/01)
Joongang Ilbo reported that DPRK leader Kim Jong-il is out to establish a trade office in Saint Petersburg, Russia. An ROK government source said on August 13, "The North's side revealed its desire to open a trade office in St. Petersburg during the Chairman's tour to the region just after his summit meeting with Russian President Putin. St. Petersburg also responded positively to the request, making it highly likely for the North to have its wish. However the overall trade volume between the North and St. Petersburg is meager, recording just $640,000 for export and $570,000 for import this year alone. Even with a trade office significant improvement in bilateral trade is not expected." Meanwhile, Kim who toured around the city of Saint Petersburg last week, has expressed further interest in the city's beer industry, frigate (ship) construction, petroleum and gas system, road construction, lumber equipment and many others. (Hwang Song-joon, "CHAIRMAN KIM TO OPEN TRADE OFFICE IN ST. PETERSBURG," Moscow, 08/13/01)
By Valeria Korchagina (Staff Writer
) Moscow Times, August 10, 2001
Some 10,000 North Koreans are working in Russia under the supervision of their country's security forces and without legal protection, making them essentially serfs, state and regional officials acknowledged this week. "I am afraid they are treated completely arbitrarily," a Labor Ministry official said Thursday. "Nobody monitors the situation."
Last week an Economic Development and Trade Ministry official told The Moscow Times that Pyongyang is continuing a Soviet-era practice of servicing its debt to Russia by sending indentured servants to work for free in lumber camps across Siberia. The official, who asked not to be named, said North Korea serviced some $50 million of its $3.8 billion debt this way last year.
This week, however, the ministry refused to elaborate on the debt-for-labor scheme or how it calculates the value of the workers, who are classified as "goods."
In fact, none of the 15 or so officials from seven regions and five ministries interviewed by The Moscow Times this week could say how much these laborers earn - if anything - or what kind of labor agreements they have while working in Russia under the supervision of North Korean agents. Economic and migration officials in the Far East and Siberia said they were powerless to do anything about the conditions under which hundreds if not thousands of North Koreans are working.
"I feel sorry for them. They all look brainwashed," said Taisia Rozhanskaya, deputy head of the regional migration service in the Primorye region. "They wear pins with the portrait of [Kim Jong-il] and have to attend political gatherings twice a week."
Rozhanskaya said the 2,000 or so North Koreans currently working in Primorye are involved mainly in construction projects, but she said the working and living conditions are similar to those of the logging compounds.
Construction workers are managed by a state-owned North Korean company, which is tasked by Pyongyang with finding contracts in Russia and supplying the labor force to carry them out. Local authorities have no jurisdiction over the North Koreans, who are housed, fed and supervised by North Korean officials, she said.
Rozhanskaya said these workers are given temporary permits to reside and work only in the immediate area - and if they leave that area they are classified as illegal aliens and are subject to arrest. "But the workers don't seem to be doing it too often," she said. "They have to live somehow, and what they get here is probably by far better than what they have in North Korea."
Those who violate the traveling restrictions or commit other acts illegal under Russian law or considered so by North Korean agents are sent back home.
"I realize that it is a sin to send them back, and most likely the punishment there is very severe," Rozhanskaya said. But no matter how they are treated, she said, there is no shortage of demand for cheap labor from Russian companies.
In the Far East region of Amur, OAO Tynda Les, a private Russian joint-stock company, has 1,500 North Koreans working for it in a kind of camp many thought was a thing of the past.
Ivan Gayev, an aide to Tynda Les's general director, said by telephone that North Koreans had been working the camp for 26 years and that his company inherited it during the course of privatization.
Gayev refused to say whether the workers were paid or treated well, but he did say that his company gets 66 percent of all the trees the North Koreans cut, with the North Korean government getting the rest. He said the North Koreans produced 200,000 cubic meters of timber last year. Assuming the going rate for wood, the North Koreans made Tynda Les about $8 million in 2000.
According to Gayev, the camp still has its own party structure and police force. "The discipline of the workers is also the responsibility of the Koreans," he said. "And anyone who leaves without a permit is sent back home."
Company records list at least 240 North Koreans as "missing persons" who are assumed to have run way, he said. "They leave documents behind, and try to make it westward, reaching Irkutsk, Krasnoyarsk and occasionally Moscow."
At the federal level, the Science and Technology Ministry is technically in charge of supervising the North Korean logging camps, which were established in the Far East more than 30 years ago. By the early 1990s, human rights activists had gathered enough evidence on what actually went on in the camps to paint a convincing portrait of a modern-day gulag system.
Amnesty International, for example, reported in 1996 that the camps were run by North Korea's notoriously ruthless Public Security Service and were equipped with their own prisons. Amnesty also reported eyewitness accounts of workers being tortured and even executed by the PSS.
A Foreign Ministry spokesman said the lack of protection under the Labor Code is a result of the two countries not having an agreement that outlines working conditions, which relieves both sides of any obligations.
"Such an agreement is currently in the works, and is about two-thirds ready," the spokesman said. In the meantime, he said, the burden falls on regional authorities to work out the details of any agreement or contract, which are "often based on a very old framework that dates back to Soviet times."
Yury Zhilkinsky, an official in the Science and Technology Ministry's forestry department, said North Korean agents still keep a watchful eye over the discipline of the workers, and rule violators are sent home. "But because there are no regular trains, the hooligans are kept in a special intermediary point until a train is available," he said, declining to elaborate on the nature of the "special intermediary point."
"Salaries, medical care, and transportation to and from North Korea are the responsibility of the North Korean side, as is maintaining work discipline," said Zhilkinsky.
"The Russian side only provides equipment [and the trees]," he said, adding, however, that when North Korean state management has difficulties with food supplies, the Russian side sends "the occasional railcar of pollock, and a few bags of rice."
"The Koreans seem to like pollock a lot," Zhilkinsky said. Pollock is a variety of codfish.
Officials in Krasnoyarsk said there were at least a thousand North Korean construction workers in the region who are valued because they are cheap.
The North Korean company Renrado, however, claims to pay its workers, who are under strict supervision across Siberia and the Far East, between $500 and $800 a month. The average salary in Russia is about $100, while freelance construction workers in cash-rich Moscow rarely manage to pull in $300.
North Koreans are working with the permission of their government in European Russia as well. There are dozens of small groups of North Korean sharecroppers 170 kilometers south of Moscow, in the Kaluga region, said Nikolai Kamensky, the local administration official responsible for external economic relations.
Local agricultural enterprises assign the groups a plot of land and take a percentage of the harvest - a practice found in many other regions, Kamensky said.
By Alla Startseva and Valeria Korchagina STAFF WRITERS
MOSCOW - North Korea is paying off its Soviet-era debt to Russia by sending indentured servants to work unpaid in labor camps across Siberia, an official from the Economic Development and Trade Ministry said Friday.
"Workers are working unpaid or for an insignificant salary," said the official, who requested anonymity. "This way they are paying off their country's debt."
The Economic Development and Trade Ministry classifies such workers as "exports," and calculates that they account for 90 percent of all "goods" imported from North Korea every year.
Pyongyang reduced its $3.8 billion debt to Moscow in this way by $50.4 million last year, the official said.
"North Korean labor holds the position of a special type of mass-quantity product that meets a real demand in Russia," the official said, quoting from the economic cooperation agreement in effect between the two countries. The official didn't say when that agreement was signed.
A press officer in the North Korean Embassy said Friday that he didn't know anything about the debt-for-labor deal. When asked if North Koreans in Far Eastern camps were working for free, the spokesperson said, "North Koreans are not working unpaid."
The details of the scheme - such as how many workers are involved, where the camps are located, the precise nature of the work they do and how payments are made - were unclear as of Sunday.
But human rights groups who have studied the scheme can answer many of the questions, and those answers suggest Russia, not to mention North Korea, is violating international law.
Russia is violating the 1951 Refugee Convention, for example, by denying asylum to North Koreans who escape from these camps - and the very existence of these camps could mean that Russia is also violating the International Slavery Convention of 1927.
"Just the way North Koreans are described in the [Economic Development and Trade Ministry] document, where the majority of exports is classified as 'labor force,' could actually be qualified as slave trade," said Alexander Podrabinek, the editor of the human rights information agency Prima.
"As the conditions under which the Korean workers are held and the specifics of the compensation packages they get for their work are unclear, it is hard to say whether the work in the camps can be qualified as slavery," said Rachel Denber, deputy director of Human Rights Watch for Europe and Central Asia.
"But we do know that Russian police are involved in guaranteeing security for those timber camps where the North Koreans are meant to stay. That means that there is an obvious element of compulsion involved," she added.
"When they come to Russia they have to work under a very strict regime. They are not free to move around. They are not free to seek asylum if they want to. It's a very prison-like environment. And it is the Russian police who are involved in guaranteeing these kind of conditions."
And the fact that Russian law enforcement agencies cooperate with North Korea's security service to hunt down those who escape "is a flat outright violation of Russia's obligations under international law," Denber said.
It is no secret that during the Soviet era such camps existed. But Podrabinek said that he and other human rights activists who campaigned against their existence in the early 1990s thought they had been closed down in 1993 when a 1967 agreement with Pyongyang expired. According to Amnesty, that agreement was renewed in 1995.
By 1996, Amnesty said the camps were still going strong and they were guarded by the North Korean secret police, the PSS, and human rights violations, including executions, were routine.
Amnesty estimated the number of miners and loggers in such camps across Siberia and the Far East in the 1970s and '80s was 20,000 - a number that shrank to about 6,000 in the early 1990s.
Many who escaped told Amnesty the prisoners were often immobilized by plaster casts put along the length of their legs, or metal devices of similar purpose. There are also reports of executions.
The Washington Times reported that the US said on August 6 that it was pleased that Russian President Vladimir Putin urged DPRK leader Kim Jong-il to visit the ROK. US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said, "We do note with pleasure that the Russian president stressed to Chairman Kim the importance of making a visit to South Korea, resuming the North-South dialogue." He added, "Without knowing the complete details of the conversations, I don't know that I would characterize the Russian role in any particular way at this point. But one of the elements that we had encouraged them to do was to raise this issue of resuming the North-South dialogue." Boucher said that the US welcomes the "international engagement of North Korea with other nations" and has watched Kim's trip to Russia "with great interest." Regarding possible US-DPRK talks, Boucher said, " we are prepared to undertake serious discussions with the North Koreans without preconditions." (Nicholas Kralev, "PUTIN URGES KIM TO TRAVEL TO SEOUL," 8/7/01)
The Korea Herald reported that ROK Foreign Minister Han Seung-soo said Monday that it is likely that Russian President Vladimir Putin advised DPRK leader Kim Jong-il during their summit in Moscow Saturday to visit Seoul. "Putin clearly expressed his support for reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula, and Russia knows well that talks between two leaders are crucial to the peace process," Han said. "We have not yet confirmed this, but I believe Putin stressed the importance of the inter-Korean summit for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula," he said. Han welcomed the result of the Kim-Putin summit saying that he hopes the talks will have a positive effect in reinvigorating inter-Korean rapprochement. (Hwang Jang-jin, "FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS PUTIN MAY HAVE URGED KIM TO VISIT SEOUL," Moscow, 08/07/01)
Nezavisimaya gazeta's Yelena Shesternina reported that on Wednesday DPRK leader Kim Jong-il was to return to Moscow from Saint Petersburg to travel through Siberia back to the DPRK. The Moscow Declaration he signed with RF President Vladimir Putin is "similar in general" to the Pyongyang Declaration signed during Putin's visit to the DPRK a year ago. "Moscow can be glad with the results of the negotiations. It's obvious that by developing its relations with DPRK Moscow is in a position to influence the contents of North Korean missile programs allegedly so frightening to the adherents of US NMD plan.
The task of Kim Jong-il's visit to Moscow evidently was not limited to strengthening and developing relations with Russia. One of the goals was to consult with Russia on the issue of resumption of the dialogue with South Korea and response to a proposal by Bush to resume talks with the US. The are grounds to expect that after the Moscow trip there will be shifts emerging in DPRK- ROK and DPRK-USA contacts." Also modernization of railway network in the Korean Peninsula and linking it to the Trans-Siberian Railway, restoration of industrial and energy facilities in the DPRK, joint extraction of natural resources including magnesium, and prospects of realization of an energy facility in the DPRK within the KEDO framework were discussed.
RF diplomatic sources said however, "Moscow was not going 'to give (the DPRK) anything for free, out of ideological considerations.' Neither is Moscow going 'to forgive' Pyongyang its debts left since the times of the USSR." On Sunday, Kim Jong-il visited the Korolyov Space Flight Control Center and the Khrunichev State Space Science and Production Center, where he inspected "Proton," "Rokot" and "Angara" carrier-missiles, as well as a space platform for small space communication devices. In Saint Petersburg he visited the Leningrad Metal plant and the Kirov Plant. In ten days he was to return to Pyongyang. ("'THE BIG TRIP' IS CLOSE TO THE END," Moscow, 6, 08/07/01)
Yulia Kantor of Izvestia reported on DPRK leader Kim Jong-il's visit to Saint Petersburg. The report covered almost entirely the cultural program of the visit. An unsigned box under the report covered world media reports on Kim Jong-il's visit to RF, varying from allegations of RF-DPRK intentions to establish a strategic alliance ("Washington Post") to statements that in Moscow he "failed to sign any treaties concerning either deliveries of arms, namely the most modern anti-missile complexes S-300, or cooperation in the nuclear energy field" ("Liberacion"). ("A RAIN MAN," Moscow, 4, 08/07/01)
Nezavisimaya gazeta's Andrey Vaganov reported that on August 6 DPRK leader Kim Jong- il planned to inspect the Leningrad Metal Plant (LMP) in Saint Petersburg. He was to be shown a unique turbine made there for the Lianyungang nuclear plant in the PRC. By 2000 the RF Atomic Energy Ministry (Minatom) had signed 4 inter-governmental and 6 inter- ministerial agreements with the PRC. Minatom Press service reported that they did not rule out a possibility of resumption of cooperation with DPRK in the nuclear energy field. Full-fledged cooperation was stopped more than 10 years ago.
"The 'Finmarket' agency reported that a relevant agreement could be reached at the talks that were held in Moscow between the Russian leaders and the North Korean leader Kim Jong-il. Russia could help Pyongyang in building of nuclear power stations, especially in view of the fact that the relevant agreements of North Korea with western countries still have not been implemented. It's interesting that the LMP is in fact a firm with foreign participation-- as of December last year 10 percent of the LMP shares belonged to 'Siemens', a German electric technology concern. In the opinion of Ivan Safranchuk, Director of the Moscow Representative Office of the Defense Information Center, in the Northeast Asian region the DPRK is second after China in terms of missile-nuclear potential.
Yet RF Minatom is optimistic. In Russian experts' opinion, a construction of a nuclear power plant in Russian territory in an area close to the DPRK border might become the most real and promising joint project. The plant would supply electricity to North Korea. Simultaneously the nuclear technologies non-proliferation problem would be solved. The nuclear power plant construction could be financed form the funds now being spent on KEDO. Russian specialists cast doubt on the feasibility of the implementation of the KEDO project. RF Minatom failed either to confirm or to deny the information on participation of Russia's Atomic Energy Minister Aleksandr Rumyantsev in the talks with the North Korean leader." ("KIM JONG-IL'S ATOMIC INSPECTION," Moscow, 1, 6, 08/07/01)
Pyongyang, August 7 (KCNA) -- Personages of Russia expressed in their congratulatory messages and letters the conviction that the traditional DPRK-Russia relations of friendship and cooperation would grow stronger. The chairperson of the eastern European center for the support and solidarity to the DPRK said it is great pleasure and inspiration to them that true to President Kim Il Sung's cause, leader Kim Jong Il has tirelessly worked heart and soul to strengthen the friendship between the DPRK and Russian peoples. Vitaly Ignatenko, director general of Itar-Tass, expressed the belief that the meeting of the leaders of Russia and the DPRK which have traditional ties of friendship, would give a powerful impetus to the development of bilateral cooperation in different fields. The scientific secretary of the Russian Youth Association for the Study of the Juche Idea said that the Russia-DPRK summit marked a very important momentum in ensuring peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region and developing the friendly and cooperative relations between the two peoples. And he was convinced that the traditional friendship between the two countries with a long history would further strengthen, he added. Yu.V. Vanin, section chief of the institute of the oriental studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, hoped that the traditional friendship and cooperation between the Russian and Korean peoples would grow stronger.
Sovetskaya Rossiya's Vasily Safronchuk published reported that DPRK leader Kim Jong-il arrived on August 3 in Moscow on his official visit. The RF and Western mass media derided the fact that he travelled from the RF-DPRK border to Moscow in nine days and that extreme security measures were taken, making RF citizens' life inconvenient. The author argued, however, "there is nothing sensational in Kim Jong-il's desire to get more substantially familiar with a friendly neighbouring country. Possibly Kim Jong-il's wish to travel the Trans-Siberian Railway was dictated by the plans to create a railway to link Europe and Asia." As for the security measures, they are "more than justified by the fact that he is the leader of a state that the United States included in a category of rogue- states.
It is known that US special services carry out a regular hunt for those state's leaders." The RF mass media reported much more about the outside features than about the contents of negotiations and documents signed. "Some of newspapers, for instance 'Izvestia ', covered the visit in a hostile spirit. The Kremlin services did nothing to ensure a favourable coverage. The results of the visit to a large extent strengthen Russia's foreign policy positions. The Declaration signed by the two countries' leaders emphasizes that the ABM (Anti-Ballistic Missile) Treaty of 1972 is the corner stone of strategic stability, international security and a basis for further reductions of strategic arms. It says that the DPRK missile program is of a peaceful nature and does not threaten countries that respect its sovereignty.
In a narrow-circle conversation, Kim Jong-il confirmed that Pyongyang intended to observe its moratorium on ballistic missile launching till 2003. Those assurances leave no grounds under the feet of Bush Administration striving to get Congressional sanction to create NMD (National Missile Defense). It was reported Defense Minister S. Ivanov promptly informed by phone Condoleeza Rice, National Security Advisor to President Bush, of the negotiations' results. The Moscow Declaration touches on the problem of inter- Korean settlement. The North Korean party stressed that the withdrawal of US troops from South Korea was an urgent problem. The Russian party spoke on the issue more carefully--it stated that peace and stability on Korean Peninsula must be ensured by peaceful means. The declaration also stated that both parties would promote the formation of a new just system of world order and confirmed the right of any state to have an equal degree of security." ("A TEA-PARTY NEAR SOCHI," Moscow, 3, 08/07/01)
New York Times reported that the ROK on Tuesday rebuffed a statement by DPRK leader Kim Jong-il during his weekend visit to Moscow on the presence of US troops in the Korean Peninsula. Kim Euy-taek, an ROK Foreign Ministry spokesman, called the presence of US troops in the ROK "a bilateral issue between the United States and the Republic of Korea." Officials and political analysts offered a range of reasons why Kim might have wanted the wording about the US troops included in the DPRK-Russia joint declaration even though he has been widely reported as having told ROK president Kim Dae-jung that he would not object if the US troops stayed on. Kim, the ROK Foreign Ministry spokesman, said that the wording in the Moscow declaration, was "intended more for domestic consumption than anything else."
The implication was that the DPRK leader had called for withdrawal of the troops during his Moscow visit in order to mollify hardliners in the DPRK, on whom he relies to maintain his power. Nonetheless, said Moon Chung-in, dean of international studies at Yonsei University, "the Moscow declaration defies Chairman Kim Jong-il's tacit acceptance of American forces in South Korea." Moon called the DPRK demand "a setback for President Kim Dae-jung" even though he said that the DPRK leader's trip to Russia seemed to make it more likely that he will pay a return visit to Seoul. He added that a summit meeting in Seoul would be likely to lead to reopening the rail link between the DPRK and the ROK, in keeping with the Moscow declaration's commitment.
Lee Hoi-chang, leader of the opposition Grand National Party, said that the declaration showed that Kim Dae-jung had "either lied to the people or was deceived by the North" on the topic of US troop withdrawal. Kim Song-han, professor at the Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security, an adjunct of the ROK Foreign Ministry, said that Putin and Kim "are touching the guts" of the ROK's relationship with the US "by raising the question of U.S. forces in Korea. That is the tactical strategy of North Korea." Choi Jin-wook, director of DPRK Studies at the Korea Institute of National Unification, said that Kim Jong-il's shift reflected the change in the DPRK's relations with the US under President George W. Bush. He said, "North Korea still wants to talk to the United States, but North Korea is trying to strengthen its own position." (Don Kirk, "SOUTH KOREANS CHALLENGE NORTHERNER ON U.S. TROOPS," Seoul, 8/7/01)
Jiefang Daily reported that an official who asked not to be identified in the ROK Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministry said on August 5 that the Moscow Declaration, signed by DPRK leader Kim Jong-il and Russian President Putin, will help to improve ROK-DPRK relations on the Peninsula. The official said that the Moscow Declaration backs up the South-North Common Declaration signed last June, expressing its support to the proposals to realize unification in a peaceful and independent way. The Declaration also says, according to the official, that Russia will play a constructive and responsible role in the ROK-DPRK dialogue, which will bring a positive effect to the improvement of ROK-DPRK relations. The official pointed out that another issue of ROK concern is that the DPRK and Russia proposed to build a railway connecting the Korean Peninsula to Russia and to Europe. (Xinhua News Agency, "MOSCOW DECLARATION'HELPS TO IMPROVE SOUTH-NORTH RELATIONS ON THE KOREAN PENINSULA," Seoul, 08/06/01, P3)
Agence France Presse reported that Russia's press said on Monday that Russia was "putting up" with an extended visit by DPRK leader Kim Jong-il in a bid to persuade the US to drop its national missile defense plan. However, most newspapers agreed that Russia was unlikely to sway US resolve by portraying Kim as a man ready for negotiations and could itself benefit little from the leader's visit.
The Vremya Novostei daily stated, "It is clear that Russia is not courting the Pyongyang leader out of love for him personally or for the Stalinist regime that he heads." The paper described Kim's visit as "surreal" and criticized the Russian authorities for agreeing to the DPRK requests to close off large swaths of central Moscow as a security precaution. Vremya Novostei reasoned, "Russia plans to use North Korea as a trump card in its ABM game with the United States." The paper added, "An agreement with North Korea is, if not hopeless, then very unrewarding." Other papers agreed that Kim's journey across Russia is aimed at the US but unpleasant for Russian officialdom nonetheless.
The Kommersant business daily said, "The Kremlin thinks an agreement with North Korea will seriously back Russia's position in its argument with the United States about the need to preserve the ABM (treaty). It appears that for this cause, Moscow was ready to put up with all the North Korean's guests eccentricities." The Izvestia daily observed that Kim could indeed be using the visit to his own advantage and was in fact as eager to win favor from the US as he was from Russia. Izvestia said, "We should not forget that Kim is playing his game by trying to benefit from the disagreements between the more powerful nations, in case Korea's own ideology of self-reliance does not work." ("RUSSIAN PRESS SEES N. KOREA'S KIM AS PAWN IN US MISSILE TALKS," Moscow, 8/6/01)
Knight Ridder News Service reported that DPRK leader Kim Jong-il visited the Korolyov mission-control center on the city's outskirts and inspected a top-secret factory that develops rockets used to launch commercial satellites on August 5. Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly told Kim that Russia would be receptive to supplying satellite-launch rockets to the DPRK but would insist on payment, either from the DPRK or through assistance from another nation. The Interfax news agency quoted an unidentified diplomat as saying, "If the North Korean side shows such an interest and somebody else pays, we could take part in such launches." (Dave Montgomery, "N. KOREA'S KIM VISITS RUSSIAN FACILITIES," Moscow, 8/6/01)
The Korea Herald reported ROK analysts said Sunday that the call for the withdrawal of US troops from the ROK included in the joint declaration signed by the leaders of the DPRK and Russia is seen as a bid to challenge the Bush administration's line foreign policy. In an eight-point "Moscow Declaration," issued after a summit between DPRK leader Kim Jong-il and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the DPRK insisted that there be "no delay" in the withdrawal of the US soldiers.
Analysts said that the latest declaration represents the DPRK's intention to use the issue as leverage for its negotiations with the US. Russia sided with the DPRK apparently in a bid to cement the two nations' alliance in checking the United States' arms buildup plans, including the Missile Defense (MD) project, an analyst added. The Moscow Declaration included an agreement on connecting Russia's Trans-Siberian Railway with an inter-Korean rail link to be reconnected. Observers said that the agreement on the rail linkage reflects Moscow's hope to benefit from Asian-European expansions. Elsewhere, the Moscow Declaration includes more indirect and tempered criticism of the MD project than the statement that Kim and Putin issued after their talks in Pyongyang last year, the observers said. The declaration states that the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) treaty is the cornerstone of strategic stability, without elaborating on the missile shield program of the US. (Kim Ji-ho, "WITHDRAWAL OF U.S. TROOPS INCLUDED IN N.K.-RUSSIA PACT," Moscow, 08/06/01)
The Korea Herald reported that ROK analysts said Sunday that US-DPRK relations are likely to remain stalled for the time being following the DPRK and Russia's formation of a joint front against the US missile defense plan and their raising of the issue of US forces stationed in the ROK. In the declaration, Russia expressed its understanding of the DPRK's demand for the withdrawal of US troops from the ROK. "In view of the fact that Russia expressed sympathy with the North's position, the deadlock between the United States and North Korea talks is likely be prolonged," said Suh Dong-man, professor of Sangji University. ROK government officials tried to play down the connotations of the US forces issue. "There was no agreement on the issue. North Korea explained its position once again and we view that Russia only expressed its understanding of why the North takes such a position," Deputy Foreign Minister Yim Sung-joon said. (Hwang Jang-jin, "PUTIN-KIM PACT FEARED TO PROLONG STALEMATE," Seoul, 08/06/01)
Combined Report - Reuters, Gazeta.Ru 04 August 2001, 18:56
Sergei Prikhodko, Putin's top foreign policy adviser, said the assurance had been given during talks and the signing of a declaration stating that Pyongyang's missile programme was not intended to threaten the security of other nations. "North Korea is prepared to adhere to its stated 2003 moratorium on launching ballistic missiles," Russian agencies quoted Prikhodko as saying.
The United States says it intends to build a missile defence shield to protect it from attacks from "rogue states" like North Korea. Russia and China are key opponents of the plan, saying it could lead to a new arms race. A key part of the Moscow Declaration signed by Kim and Putin on Saturday insisted that Washington's fears were groundless. "North Korea asserts that its missile programme is peaceful in nature and does not present a threat to nations respecting North Korea's sovereignty," RIA news agency quoted the declaration as saying.
"The Russian Federation and North Korea, recognising that international relations should consistently guarantee independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, support the right of every state to the same degree of safety," RIA quoted the pact as saying. Before meeting Putin in the Kremlin Kim laid a wreath at the grave of the Unknown Soldier and visited Lenin’s Mausoleum on Red Square. On Sunday evening Kim is to leave Moscow for St Petersburg on his armored train. He is to spend two days in Russia’s northern capital before commencing the return train journey home to N. Korea.
Moscow, August 4, 2001 (KCNA) -- The Moscow declaration of the DPRK and the Russian Federation was released here today. The declaration reads: Comrade Kim Jong Il, Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, stayed in Russia from July 26, 2001, and paid an official visit to it on August 4-5 at the invitation of his excellency V.V. Putin, President of the Russian Federation. The meeting and talks of the top leaders of the DPRK and Russia held in Moscow in the first year of the new century are an event of special significance in the history of the bilateral friendly relations. And they have marked a historic landmark that will be conducive to strengthening peace and security in the Asia-Pacific region and the rest of the world.
The top leaders of the two countries had a wide-range exchange of views on the matters related to the bilateral relationship and the international issues of mutual concern in a friendly and candid atmosphere, and have agreed as follows: 1. The DPRK and the Russian Federation will contribute to establishing a just, new world system based on the principle of priority of law, equality, mutual respect and mutually beneficial cooperation in order to preserve global stability in the new century and ensure reliable security of all the members of the international community in political, economic, social and cultural, information and other fields...
Moscow, August 4 (KCNA) -- President V.V. Putin of the Russian Federation hosted a grand banquet in honor of Kim Jong Il, Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, at the Grand Kremlin Palace this evening . Kim Jong Il was invited to the banquet. When Kim Jong Il entered the banquet hall guided by Putin, all the participants warmly welcomed him with enthusiastic applause. V.V. Putin made a speech at the banquet. Then Kim Jong Il made a speech. The banquet proceeded in an atmosphere overflowing with warm friendship.
Moscow, August 4 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Il, Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, made a speech at the banquet given by Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, President of the Russian Federation, this evening. He said:
I would like to thank you President Putin for kindly inviting us to this grand banquet and making a good speech. We have come to visit your country when witnessing a bright prospect of Korea-Russia friendship in the new century. I am very pleased that my Russia visit provides me with an opportunity to see for myself your country full of patriotic enthusiasm to build a powerful Russia. The Russian Federation is now drawing the great attention of the international community for its positive foreign policy and energetic efforts to defend world peace and stability and establish a friendly and cooperative atmosphere in the overall international relations.
We are well aware of your excellency's splendid leadership ability displayed in the work to build up the country's defence capability and economic potential and achieve socio-political stability and national prosperity and sincerely wish your people great success in this work. It is the common desire of our two peoples to glorify the Korea-Russia friendship with a long history and tradition century after century.
The DPRK government and people will make positive efforts to strengthen and develop the Korea-Russia friendship still further in the hopeful new century, too. Convinced that the meeting with you President Putin here in Moscow in the first significant year of the new century will be of weighty significance in making closer traditional ties between the two governments and the two peoples, I would like to propose a toast: To the strengthening and development of the Korea-Russia relations of friendship, to the health of your excellency esteemed President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, to the health of all of you present here.
Moscow, August 4 (KCNA) -- Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, President of the Russian Federation, made a speech at the banquet given this evening in honour of Kim JongIil, Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. he said:
Allow me to warmly and sincerely welcome you in Kremlin in Moscow, the heart of Russia. It was of symbolic significance that banquets took place here in this hall in 1984 and 1986 in welcome of President of the DPRK Kim Il Sung. The first visit paid by Kim Jong Il to our country as the leader of the DPRK, I believe, will mark a new stage in the development of the relations between the two countries and provide an opportunity to continue to develop the candid and fruitful political dialogue between us. There is the old Korean saying "ten years are enough to change mountains and rivers." Indeed, there is a time when the people and their life themselves change in a short period and there come a new era and priorities. This makes the long-standing and invariable traditions of good-neighborliness and multi-faceted cooperation between the two peoples more precious for us. These traditions stood the trials of the times and got stronger in the period of founding an independent state in Korea and enriched in the period of its postwar rehabilitation. Precisely these traditions served as a basis of the treaty of friendship, good-neighbourliness and cooperation signed between the two countries one and half years ago.
This historic document confirmed the common desire of the peoples of Russia and the DPRK to develop the relations in the spirit of mutual respect and creative partnership and provided a main foundation for deepening collaboration between us. Today we have signed the Moscow declaration to confirm the common attitude of Russia and the DPRK towards pressing international issues and thus added to the treasure house of the bilateral agreement. Russia is ready to render cooperation in the efforts to establish a fair and safe system of international relations. Therefore, it is important for us that this attitude towards international issues is in line with the goal and principle of the foreign policy of the DPRK. One of the key issues concerning Russia-DPRK cooperation is to expand the trade and economic relations. We are convinced that the economic cooperation including cooperation involving the two countries' neighbours will not only exert strong financial effect but have a good impact on ensuring a sound situation in northeast Asia.
I would like to stress that Russia is ready to have diverse effective cooperation with both the DPRK and the ROK. This attitude, I believe, is in full line with the interests of the Korean nation and the whole region. The historic meeting of the leaders of the DPRK and the ROK held in Pyongyang in summer last year is an important result of the mutual efforts and an expression of the wisdom and political responsibility of the leadership of north and South Korea. We welcome this resolute step taken on the way to reconciliation, cooperation and reunification. We sincerely hope that the uneasy yet only just decisions made in your land will help attain the goals set in the north-south joint declaration.
We do not seek any unilateral interests while sharing with the Korean people the desire to reunify their country. Russia's interests in this is in accord with those of the Korean nation, and that is precisely the prosperity of all the Korean people, the guarantee of peace and reconciliation in the region and the consolidation of international security. We would like to regard today's meeting between us as a logical continuation of the dialogue that began in Pyongyang in summer last year. We deem it necessary to preserve the common will to deepen the spirit of mutual trust and the bilateral understanding. Esteemed comrade Kim Jong Il, I would like to wish you and all the citizens of the dprk happiness, success and wellbeing.
Allow me to propose a toast: To the strengthening and development of the traditional friendly Russia-DPRK relations, to the longevity of Chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission comrade Kim Jong Il and to the health of all Korean and Russian guests present here.
Moscow, August 4 (KCNA) -- Talks between Kim Jong Il, Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin were held at the Grand Kremlin Palace today. Present at the talks on the DPRK side were members of the NDC of the DPRK Kim Yong Chun, chief of the general staff of the Korean People's Army, and Yon Hyong Muk: Kim Kuk Thae, secretary of the central committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, Jo Chang Dok, vice-premier of the DPRK cabinet, Jong Ha Chol, director of the propaganda and agitation department of the central committee of the WPK, Kang Sok Ju, first vice-minister of foreign affairs, Pak Nam Gi, chairman of the state planning commission, Kim Yong Sam, minister of railways, Ri Kwang Ho, president of the Academy of Sciences, Pak Ui Chun, DPRK ambassador e.p. to Russia, and other suite members. At the talks, they informed each other of the situation in the two countries and had an exhaustive exchange of views on the issue of further developing the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries and a series of matters of common concern. The talks took place in a warm and friendly atmosphere.
Moscow, August 4 (KCNA correspondent) - Leader Kim Jong Il laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier this morning. Amid the playing of a dirge he laid a wreath at the tomb and observed a moment's silence. Written on the ribbon hanging from the wreath were letters "To Unknown Soldiers. Kim Jong Il". After the wreath was laid, a guard of honour of the three services of the Russian Army marched past.
Moscow, August 4 (KCNA correspondent) - Leader Kim Jong Il, visited the Mausoleum of Lenin in Red Square in Moscow today. Kim Jong Il placed a wreath at the mausoleum and paid a silent tribute to Lenin. Written on the ribbon hanging from the wreath were letters "To V. I. Lenin. Kim Jong Il." He went round the mausoleum.
Moscow, August 4 (KCNA correspondent) -- There was a meeting between Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Kim Jong Il and President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin in Moscow today. Leader Kim Jong Il was warmly received by President V.V. Putin at the Grand Kremlin Palace after he arrived in Moscow for an official visit to Russia. He had a cordial talk with V.V. Putin.
Moscow, August 4 (KCNA correspondent) -- Tete-a-tete talks between Chairman Kim Jong Il of the National Defence Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Russian President V.V. Putin took place at the Grand Kremlin Palace on August 4. At the talks they discussed the issue of further developing the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries and a series of international issues of common concern. The talks took place in a sincere and friendly atmosphere.
Moscow, August 4 (KCNA correspondent) -- A ceremony of signing the DPRK-Russia Moscow declaration took place at the Grand Kremlin Palace on August 4. Chairman Kim Jong Il of the National Defence Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea attended the ceremony together with Russian President V.V. Putin. Kim Jong Il and V.V. Putin separately signed the declaration.
Pyongyang, August 3 (KCNA) -- Leader Kim Jong Il clarified the DPRK-Russia relations and prospect of its development in his answers to questions raised by Itar-Tass. The Pyongyang summit of the leaders of the two countries held last year was a landmark event in developing the friendly relations between the DPRK and Russia onto a new higher stage. The DPRK-Russia joint declaration signed during the visit of the Russian President to the DPRK as well as the DPRK-Russia treaty of friendship, good-neighborliness and cooperation signed in February last year are historic documents that provide a guarantee for promoting the friendly relations between the two countries. Practical measures have been taken by the two countries concerning cooperation in the fields of the economy, military affairs, science, technology, education and culture. There are ample conditions for boosting the bilateral friendly and cooperative relations and their prospect is very bright.
Kim Jong Il noted in the answers that the development of the relations is of great significance in ensuring peace and security in Asia and the rest of the world. Officials of the Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries made pledges to make energetic efforts for the development of the relations, true to his foreign policy. Its vice-chairman Jon Yong Jin resolved to take the lead in implementing the independent foreign policy of the Workers' Party of Korea so as to devote himself to enhancing the DPRK's international prestige and creating favorable international environment for the Korean revolution. Its vice-chairman Ho Hae Ryong vowed to loyally uphold the WPK's foreign policy for global independence in the efforts to glorify the immortal exploits performed by Kim Jong Il for the development of the relations.
Chosun Ilbo reported that Russia will provide some US$2 billion in assistance to the railway modernization project in the DPRK over the few next years in exchange for linking the Trans-Siberian Railway (TSR) to the Trans-Korean Railway (TKR), according to a government source. The source said that Russia is likely to specify the exact amount of the assistance during Kim Jong-il's visit to Russia when the two countries are likely to sign the DPRK-Russia Railway Agreement. The source went on to say that military equipment will cover labor costs and fees for using the facilities, as DPRK requested. (Chung Byeong-seon, "RUSSIA TO PROVIDE NK AID OF US$2 BIL.FOR RAIL LINK," Seoul, 08/03/01)
Chosun Ilbo reported that ten holes appearing to have come from bullets have been found in the bulletproof train taken by DPRK's National Defense Commission Chairman Kim Jong Il on his trip across Siberia to Moscow, according to a report in the Russian daily Komsomolskaya Pravda on Tuesday. The damage was reportedly discovered while Kim was in Omsk on July 31st, and an expert was quoted as saying that the holes resemble bullet holes from a 7.62 mm rifle at a distance of 30 to 50 meters, and that one of the holes has chalk in it, and that this is usually left after a trajectory test has been performed. According to the Komsomolskaya Pravda report, by all appearances, "at least one of Kim Jong-il's train cars was shot at somewhere in Russia." While in Omsk, where the DPRK leader spent one night, there was particularly strong security in the streets of the city and on rooftops. Kim was completely separated from the crowds, to a degree unusual even for his foreign travels. The news report said that this may have been because the DPRK had information about a possible sniper in the area. Experts are saying that an automatic 7.62mm AKM rifle would not be enough to penetrate the bullet-proof train, even when shot at one of the windows from as close as 10 meters. (Hwang Seong-jun, "KIM JONG IL'S TRAIN HIT BY GUNFIRE?," Moscow, 08/03/01)
Reuters reported that the DPRK embassy in Moscow denied a report on Thursday in the Russian tabloid Komsomolskaya Pravda that bullet holes were visible on leader Kim Jong-il's train as it headed toward Moscow. The newspaper printed what it said was an image from a frame of video footage of the train showing white spots beneath a window. It said that experts had studied the image and believed the spots were holes made by 7.62 mm rounds, like the bullets in an AK-47 automatic rifle. A DPRK embassy official stated, "There are hundreds of guards around the train. If anything like that had happened on an official visit--the train being shot at--there is no way anyone would have been able to get close enough to take such a picture." ("N. KOREA DENIES BULLETS HIT MOSCOW-BOUND KIM TRAIN," Moscow, 08/0201)
The Associated Press reported that the DPRK's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said in a commentary on Thursday that it will continue to develop missiles to guard against US military threats. It argued that US talk about the missile threat from the DPRK is nothing but "groundless sophism to cover up its dominationist intention." It added that the DPRK missile program is only for self-defense and cannot pose a threat to the US. The DPRK's Rodong Sinmun newspaper warned that the US missile defense program would trigger a new arms race, particularly on the Korean peninsula. ( "N. KOREA RIPS U.S. MISSILE PROGRAM," Moscow, 08/02/01)
By Bruce Kennedy. CNN Interactive
It was no secret at the time of the Korean War that the Soviet Union had equipped North Korean forces. But documents made public after the collapse of the U.S.S.R. have revealed the full extent of Moscow's involvement in the conflict.
According to documents uncovered by Alexander Mansourov, a scholar of the Korean War, North Korean leader Kim Il Sung pressured both China and the Soviet Union for permission to invade South Korea. Among the highlights in the documents, which were kept secret for decades in Soviet files:
• Soviet leader Joseph Stalin approved North Korea's plans to invade the rival South and sent officers to help Pyongyang finalize those plans.
• Soviet pilots, with their identities carefully hidden, flew missions against U.N. forces in Korea.
• Soviet intelligence officers not only interrogated U.S. personnel taken prisoner during the Korean conflict, but a number of those U.S. POWs were transported to Russia -- where many were never heard from again...
The Washington Post reported that Ivo H. Daalder, a foreign policy expert at the Brookings Institution in Washington, said that DPRK leader Kim Jong-il is using his trip to Russia to reopen talks with the US. Daalder stated, "Kim wants to re-engage with the Americans, but he won't do it as a beggar. It's easier for him to do it through Russia, with Russia as the surrogate, even though the audience is Washington." Pavel Felgenhauer, a Russian military analyst in Moscow, argued that Russia has an incentive to encourage engagement with the DPRK to gain the upper-hand with the US over missile defense. Felgenhauer argued, "It's important for the Kremlin to show that Kim is not a real threat, but much more civilized." (Sharon LaFraniere, "KIM HEADING FOR MOSCOW WITH EYE ON U.S.," Moscow, 08/02/01, A12)
The Wall Street Journal reported that ROK and US officials are paying close attention to DPRK leader Kim Jong-il's trip to Russia. An unnamed senior ROK official stated, "This trip--due to its length and mystery--is being closely watched by our government." He added that the trip could have profound implications "for North-South ties." Some US and ROK observers expressed fear that Kim will use his trip to try to form a stronger military alliance with Russia. Moon Chung-in of Yonsei University stated, "In his long tour of Russia, Kim Jong Il will be able to see both the bright side and dark side of embracing economic reforms." An unnamed US diplomat who has met with DPRK officials this year stated, "The North Koreans are trapped and don't have many policy options open to them anymore. In the next few months, they're going to increasingly look for new ways out of their crisis." (Alan Cullison and Jay Solomon, "OFFICIALS HOPE MEETING OF PUTIN, KIM WILL REVIVE NORTH-SOUTH KOREA TALKS," Moscow, 08/02/01)
Lee Wha Rang, August 1, 2001, Seattle, WA
It is an open secret that the US commanders wanted Kim Il Sung and his key supporters killed covertly or overtly. It is assumed that Kim Il Sung's heir, Kim Jung Il, is also on the target list. On July 26, Kim Jong Il embarked on a long journey to Moscow aboard an armored 21-carriage train manned by North Koreans. For security reasons, Kim Jong Il stays on the train, but one of the few exceptions is Novosibirsk, where the family of a Soviet officer, Yakov Novichenko, deceased, reside. Yakov's widow, Maria Novichenko, 80, waited for Kim on the platform and received gifts from Kim Jong Il, who relayed to her that he would meet her on his way back from Moscow. Yakov intercepted a grenade thrown at Kim Il Sung at a ceremony commemorating the March First Movement. The grenade exploded in Yakov's hand and Kim Il Sung suffered only minor wounds on his face.
The Korea Herald reported that ROK officials and analysts said Monday that DPRK leader Kim Jong-il and Russian President Vladimir Putin will likely manifest their opposition to US plans for a missile defense system in their joint declaration to be issued at the coming summit in Moscow. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Losyukov revealed Sunday that Kim and Putin plan to sign a declaration stating their shared outlook on world affairs at their summit talks. "This demonstrates that the two leaders will mention the controversial Missile Defense (MD) shield and the North's missile program in the statement," said Professor Yu Suk-ryul of the Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security (IFANS), which is affiliated with the ROK Foreign Ministry. (Shin Yong-bae, "KIM-PUTIN STATEMENT LIKELY TO INCLUDE OBJECTION TO U.S. MD," Seoul, 07/31/01)
Joongang Ilbo reported that ROK sources said on Monday that DPRK Chairman Kim Jong-il and Russian President Vladimir Putin would seal a railway accord on linking the Trans-Siberian Railway (TSR) and Trans-Korean Railway (TKR) during the upcoming summit in Moscow. The latest agreement reportedly included Russia's investment to modernize the DPRK railway. "The representatives from various nations including the North, South and Russia gave heavy focus on TKR-TSR issue and amid the talks Russia's side displayed strong will to make investment to modernize the North's railway," said Professor Kwon Won-sun of the Hankuk University
of Foreign Studies who was at a meeting held from July 27-28. (Kim Hee-sung, "N.K.-RUSSIA TO SEAL RAILWAYS ACCORD," Moscow, 07/31/01)
The Korea Herald reported that an ROK government source said Sunday that Russia and the DPRK made significant headway in their negotiations for weapons trade before DPRK leader Kim Jong-il embarked on a trip across Russia. The DPRK has requested that Russia provide a number of high-tech weapons, including ground-to-air missiles, anti-aircraft radar navigation system, large warships, and advanced T-90 tanks, he said. "Ahead of Kim's visit, the two sides significantly narrowed their differences over the terms of their arms trade agreement," he added. Military cooperation is expected to be a key agenda item during a summit between Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow slated for this weekend. (Hwang Jang-jin, "RUSSIA, N.K. MAKE PROGRESS ON HIGH-TECH WEAPONS TRADE," Seoul, 07/30/01)
The Korea Herald reported that a report said Sunday Russia plans to use the Trans-Siberian Railway (TSR) to provide food aid to the DPRK in time for the 53rd anniversary of the founding of the DPRK government on September 9. Russia and the DPRK have pushed to send the humanitarian aid through the TSR in a symbolic move to link the Russian railway to an inter-Korean railroad, the Yonhap News Agency reported, quoting an unnamed diplomatic source. (Kim In-gu, "RUSSIA TO SEND AID TO N.K. THROUGH TSR," Seoul, 07/30/01)
Pyongyang, July 30 (KCNA) -- The Russian newspaper Pravda carried an article headlined "New aggression is prepared" on July 27. The United States is about to set up four new combat brigades allegedly to cope with a possible dispute in the Asia-Pacific region, which proves its preparations for a second Korean war, the newspaper pointed out, and went on: It is 48 years since the armistice agreement was signed, but the Korean peninsula has not yet been freed from the danger of war. Its main cause lies in the U.S. hostile policy toward the DPRK and the U.S. troops' presence in South Korea. Reconciliation and reunification between the north and south of the Korean peninsula depend on when the U.S. hostile policy toward the DPRK comes to an end.
By Andrei Shukshin
MOSCOW (Reuters) - With North Korean leader Kim Jong-il rolling his way across Siberia to a Moscow meeting with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin (news - web sites), Russian experts said on Monday they hoped warming ties would generate economic benefits. Kim, aboard an armored 21-carriage express, is due to arrive at the weekend in the capital, where officials have set bilateral and regional cooperation as their priorities. Security issues, like North Korea (news - web sites)'s missile capabilities, may also be discussed but are expected to take a back seat.
``Multilateral economic cooperation -- involving Russia, the North, South Koreas and maybe also China -- is high on the agenda,'' said a government expert who asked not to be named.Among a number of proposals on the table is a high-profile plan to open Russia's Trans-Siberian railway, largely idle since the collapse of the Soviet Union, to South Korea (news - web sites)'s booming exports, currently shipped by sea. The project, launched after a groundbreaking summit between the two Koreas last year, requires relatively little investment as an old rail line already exists.
Kim's journey, his first official foreign trip apart from China, is taking him along the Trans-Siberian system. His train stopped in the city of Krasnoyarsk on Monday, but he did not get off -- as was the case at the weekend in Ulan-Ude, much to the consternation of local officials. His next stop is Novosibirsk, where he plans to visit the family of a Soviet officer who, according to Korean historians, saved the life of Kim's father, North Korea's founder Kim Il-Sung, by throwing himself on a hand grenade about to explode.
Pyongyang and Seoul have agreed to de-mine by September areas along a dismantled stretch of the line in the demilitarized zone on the border which has been closed since the 1950-53 Korean War ended in an armed truce. ``Similar plans exist for gas and oil transportation across North Korea,'' the expert said.
RUSSIAN GAS FOR CHINA AND KOREA
He said the latter projects were still at very early stage but with the government working on a scheme to provide natural gas to Russia's Far East, extending prospective gas pipelines into South Korea was a distinct possibility. Russia was also looking into ways to deliver gas from its Kovykta fields in the Siberian Irkutsk region to China and Korea, the expert said. Pyongyang hopes such lines will bring it Russian energy supplies along with transportation fees.
In terms of bilateral projects, Moscow wants to return to North Korea with spare parts and modernization programs for plants built for Pyongyang by the Soviet Union in the heyday of ideological friendship. Much of Pyongyang's industrial capacity is obsolete and some plants can run only on Russian raw materials. North Korea's debts to Russia, put by newspapers at about $1.7 billion, have so far hindered plans to rebuild ties but the expert said Moscow was ready to negotiate rescheduling and a partial write-off to boost exchanges. Moscow's annual trade turnover with North Korea has plummeted from $2 billion in late 1980s to a current $100,000. ``These figures show that there is scope for improvement,'' the expert said.
He said non-ferrous metals and cheap labor were just two examples of how Pyongyang could pay back Russia. The business daily Vedomosti said Moscow had also offered to join Seoul in upgrading the North's infrastructure to be used in the transportation projects. Moscow wants South Korea to write off some of Moscow's own debts in exchange, it said. But as all economic projects on the Korean peninsula hinge on easing political tensions there, talks in Moscow were also set to address security issues, the expert said.
Russia, N. Korea to Sign Statement
By John Iams
Associated Press Writer Saturday, July 28, 2001; 11:16 AM
MOSCOW –– North Korean leader Kim Jong Il and Russian President Vladimir Putin plan to sign a declaration stating their shared outlook on world affairs at their coming meeting in Moscow, a Russian Foreign Ministry official said Saturday. The declaration will build on one signed by Putin and Kim during the Russian president's high-profile visit to North Korea last year, Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Losyukov was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency. The statement would reflect "Moscow and Pyongyang's views on the international outlook for development of bilateral relations and approaches to key international issues," Losyukov said. Discussions may include the two countries' shared opposition to U.S. plans for a national missile defense system, he said.
Russian officials have played down U.S. concerns that North Korea poses a potential nuclear threat, worries cited by the United States in support of its plans to build the missile defense system. Losyukov said he doubted North Korea's missile program would be on the official agenda for the talks, but the topic could be covered in the discussion of strategic stability. "We believe that this issue is a matter for U.S.-Korean relations," Losyukov said, adding that Moscow would welcome a resumption of dialogue between the United States and North Korea...
People Daily reported that DPRK leader Kim Jong-il arrived in Russian Far East territory on July 26, at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin. It was reported that Kim would follow his father's route when he visited Russia in the 1980s. Kim is expected to meet Putin on August 4 or 5, and discuss issues like bilateral relations, peaceful unification of the Korean Peninsula, the Anti-
Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty and global strategic stability. (Xinhua News Agency, Xie Rong, "KIM JONG-IL PAYS A VISIT TO RUSSIA," Moscow, 07/27/01, P3)
Reuters reported that DPRK leader Kim Jong-il told Russia's Itar-Tass on Thursday that he supported Russia's position on US missile defense. Kim added, "The American fuss over the 'missile threat' from our country is completely groundless. It is no more than sophistry aimed at concealing the ambitions of those seeking to establish their global domination." (Oleg Zhunusov, "N.KOREA'S KIM IN RUSSIA, SLAMS U.S. MISSILE FEARS," Ussurisk, 07/26/01)
US Secretary of State Colin Powell said Friday Russia could play a "useful" role in nudging North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il into a second peninsular summit and back to talks with Washington. Powell said the US was eager to move forward with a dialogue with North Korea. "Put all the issues on the table that you wish to and we'll talk about anything. So no preconditions and we're prepared to meet any time and any place; we're ready to go now," Powell said. As Powell flew into Seoul from Vietnam, North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il was still trundling across Siberia, after embarking on a surprise train trip to Moscow on Thursday.
Also this week Kim Jong-Il insisted the Stalinist state's missile development program was "purely peaceful" and should not justify Washington's missile defense shield plans, in an interview released Friday. "Our missile program is of purely peaceful nature. It threatens nobody. Implementing the peaceful missile programme is an exercise of our legitimate sovereign right," Kim said in a rare interview, conducted by Russia's Itar-Tass news agency and released by the North Korean state news agency. "The world knows that we are not threatening the United States, but that the United States is constantly threatening us by occupying a half of our country by force of arms," Kim said in the interview held Tuesday in Pyongyang.
"The United States' clamour about the 'missile threat' from our country is totally unfounded. It is nothing but a lie to hide its intention to dominate other countries," the North Korean leader said. Kim claimed the Pyongyang regime's own missile programme was being unfairly used by Washington to justify its National Missile Defense plan for which the United States was trying to alter the anti-ballistic missile treaty it concluded with Russia. "We support the Russian standpoint for maintaining strategic stability through the ABM treaty," Kim said. Any prospect on the Stalinist state normalizing relations with the United States or Japan depended on the standpoints of Washington and Tokyo, Kim said, adding that the Bush administration had in vain revived a hard line policy of isolation towards
Pyongyang. "Our invariable standpoint is to approach goodwill with goodwill and respond to a hard line with a super hard line," Kim said. Source: WorldNews, July 27, 2001
The Korea Herald reported that DPRK leader Kim Jong-il and Russian President Vladimir Putin are expected to focus their upcoming talks on economic and military cooperation and the security situation on the Korean Peninsula, officials and analysts in Seoul said yesterday. "Putin is expected to emphasize the need to push for three-way economic cooperation which also includes the ROK when he meets Kim," an ROK government official said. During the secret visit to Moscow, Kim is expected to call for Russia to provide oil and high-tech military hardware to his country suffering from energy shortages. Kim's visit to Russia is the first trip by a top DPRK leader in 11 years. "Kim and Putin are expected to discuss ways to strengthen relations among their countries and China to stand against U.S. President George Bush's strength-based diplomacy," an ROK researcher said. It is widely believed that the PRC and the DPRK will also discuss the alliance among the three former Cold War allies during PRC President Jiang Zemin's visit to the DPRK, probably in October. ROK officials seem to believe that the visit by Kim to Russia will have a positive effect on inter-Korean affairs. (Shin Yong-bae, "N.K.-RUSSIA TALKS WILL BENEFIT INTER-KOREAN RELATIONS," Seoul, 07/27/01)
Joongang Ilbo reported that accompanying DPRK Chairman on his train trip to Moscow for summit talks are Yon Hyong-mok, the Responsible Secretary to Jaggang Province in the DPRK, and Jon Hui-jong, the Chairman's Secretary of Ceremonies and also External Foreign Affairs Director of Kumsusan Memorial Palace. Yon also holds an additional post as a member of the National Defense Commission in which DPRK Leader stands as the Chairman, and has made frequent appearances to the public as he continues to accompany Chairman Kim in his various trip either at home or abroad. Experts perceive that there are no particular reasons for Yon to participate in the trip except Kim's tendency to bring along his favorite aides whenever he goes out. Others however speculate that Yon's position as the head of Jaggang Province must have been considered in the process since the upcoming summit talks would involve issues of military cooperation. Jaggang Province is the hub of the DPRK's military industry. As for Jon, observers point out it is only too obvious that he joined the trip as being in charge of all protocol matters whenever Chairman meets with foreign dignitaries. He has been serving as the External Foreign Affairs Director since 1980. (Kim In-gu, "2 SPECIAL N.K. OFFICIALS JOIN TRIP TO RUSSIA," Seoul, 07/27/01)
Chosun Ilbo reported that DPRK leader Defense Chairman Kim Jong Il crossed the border into Russia by train Thursday morning. The special train carrying Kim arrived at Hasan, a city by the border, at around 8:20 am, and the two countries simultaneously announced his arrival in Russia. However, the statement was a brief announcement of his visit and arrival without referring to any specific itinerary. At Hasan Station, Konstantin Pulikovsky, the plenipotentiary envoy of the Russian President to the Far Eastern Federal District, welcomed Kim. After a brief arrival ceremony, Kim headed for Havarovsk at 9:20am. Kim's train was formed of 17 carriages carrying about a 150-member entourage, and they are to use the trans-Siberian railway to reach Moscow on August 3 or 4. The DPRK leader is to hold a summit meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on August 4 and 5. (Hwang Seong-jun, "KIM JONG IL ENTERS RUSSIA BY TRAIN," Seoul, 07/27/01)
The Associated Press reported that US Secretary of State Colin Powell encouraged Russia on Friday to tell DPRK leader Kim Jong-il that it is in his interest to resume reconciliation efforts with the ROK and to reopen the stalled security dialogue with the US. Powell was asked about the visit during a joint news conference with ROK Foreign Minister Han Seung-soo. He declined to predict the outcome of the Putin-Kim talks but said that it would be very useful if the Russians would encourage Kim to visit the ROK for a second summit with ROK President Kim Dae-jung. He said that the DPRK's terrible economic problems can only be dealt with if it is willing to resume the reconciliation process with the ROK and accepts US President George W. Bush's invitation to resume US-DPRK dialogue. Han said that the Moscow deliberations offered hope because Russia has been supportive of inter-Korean cooperation and of a second summit between the two leaders. Han added that there was no discrepancy between the US and the ROK on DPRK policy. ("POWELL URGES RUSSIA TO PRESS NORTH KOREA ON TALKS," Seoul, 7/27/01)
Pyongyang, July 27 (KCNA) -- Leader Kim Jong Il answered questions raised by Itar-Tass on July 24. The full text reads: I am grateful that Itar-Tass has asked for an interview with me. I would like to answer your questions. First, I would like to mention about the relationship between Korea and Russia and the prospect of its development. Korea and Russia are neighbours and they have maintained traditional friendly relations for a long time. The development of these relations fully accords with the interests of the peoples of the two countries and is of great significance in ensuring peace and security in Asia and the rest of the world. We set great store by friendship between Korea and Russia and pay deep attention to the development of the relations between the two countries...
Pyongyang, July 26 (KCNA) -- Leader Kim Jong Il received a gift from the committee on family and women under the government of the Republic of Tajikistan. The gift was conveyed to vice-president Yang Hyong Sop of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly by Latofat Shokhmurodovna Nasridinova, head of the committee who is leading its delegation on a visit to the DPRK.
N. Korea Leader Begins Russia Trip
By Anatoly Medetsky
Associated Press Writer
Thursday, July 26, 2001; 5:58 PM
KHABAROVSK, Russia –– After midnight the lights went out in the Khabarovsk railroad station, and Russian guards with rifles went on the ready. Then, just before 2 a.m. a Moscow-bound train pulled in, carrying a mysterious and reclusive passenger: Kim Jong Il, leader of North Korea.
Historians believe Kim was born near Khabarovsk, but if the 20-minute stop had any sentimental meaning, he kept it to himself. The train took on supplies and Kim never left it. The 59-year-old Korean is reputed to hate flying, preferring a 10-day ride on the world's longest rail track for his third foreign trip during seven years as leader....
By Anatoly Medetsky. Associated Press Writer.Wednesday, July 25, 2001; 10:12 PM
VLADIVOSTOK, Russia –– North Korea's secretive leader Kim Jong Il crossed into eastern Russia Thursday morning, the first leg of a railroad journey to Moscow, the Federal Border Guards service said. Kim's train reached the Russian border town of Khasan at about 8:20 a.m., said Irina Ovechkina, a spokeswoman for the guards service. He was greeted by President Vladimir Putin's envoy to the region, Konstantin Pulikovsky. Kim's visit was confirmed only the previous day by a customs service official in Vladivostok, a Pacific port in Russia's Far East region, and Putin's office, the Foreign Ministry and the North Korean Embassy in Moscow all denied knowledge of the trip on Wednesday. It was only the second known foreign visit by Kim as leader of the impoverished and isolated Stalinist country. His visit to China in May 2000 – also by train – remained secret until he returned home. He also visited China in 1983, when his father, Kim Il Sung, ruled North Korea...
Pyongyang, July 19 (KCNA) -- Russian ambassador to the DPRK Valery Denisov hosted a reception at the embassy yesterday on the occasion of the first anniversary of the historic meeting between leader Kim Jong Il and President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin and the adoption of the DPRK-Russia joint declaration. Referring to the signing of the treaty of friendship, good neighbourliness and cooperation between the two countries in February 2000, the ambassador said that the bilateral relations were rejuvenated through several contacts in the past one year. He highly praised the Korean people for their achievements made in building a powerful nation under the leadership of Kim Jong Il and noted that the russian federation is paying deep attention to peace, stability and detente on the Korean peninsula. Russia supports the aspiration of the Korean people for peaceful and democratic reunification reflected in the north-south joint declaration, he said, adding: to put an end to Korea's division is not only the desire of the Korean people but an essential condition to ensure a durable peace on the Korean peninsula and in all areas of Asia.
Yang Hyong Sop, vice-president of the presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, said that the DPRK has steadily strengthened cooperation and relations in various fields including politics, the economy, military affairs, culture and sports in the spirit of the DPRK-Russia joint declaration during the past one year. We expressed the belief that such equal and reciprocal cooperation would further expand and develop in the future, he noted. The Korean people have well known about the successes made by the russian government and people in their work to achieve socio-political stability and unity, develop the economy and strengthen the national defense capabilities under the leadership of President Putin, he said, adding: We are rejoiced over them and wish the leadership and people of Russia greater success in their future work.
Pyongyang, July 19 (KCNA) -- Papers here today dedicate editorial articles to the first anniversary of the DPRK-Russia joint declaration. Rodong Sinmun says that the Pyongyang meeting between the heads of the two countries and the adoption of the joint declaration marked historic events which provided a solid groundwork for developing the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries in all fields. Exchange and cooperation between the two countries have gained in depth in various fields since the adoption of the declaration, the article notes, and continues: The development of the DPRK-Russia relations is in full accord with the interests of the peoples of the two friendly neighbours. They are making joint efforts to boost the traditional bilateral relations of friendship in all fields.
A number of positive measures are being taken and fresh changes taking place in Russia today in the direction of building powerful Russia. Russia stands opposed to hegemonism, strong-arm politics and the moves to establish an unipolar world and calls for multi-polar world and a new fair international order in the international arena. It maintains the firm stand to keep and strengthen the 1972 ABM treaty and strongly reject the U.S. establishment of the "Missile Defense" system in particular. Such efforts exerted by Russia are conducive to checking a new arms race and space militarization and guaranteeing the global peace and security.
The DPRK closely follows the principled stand maintained by Russia on a series of major international issues and estimates them. It is the hope of the Korean people that Russia will achieve fresh success in their efforts to increase the national defence capability, boost economy and stabilize people's living under the leadership of President V.Putin. An article of Minju Joson notes that the efforts made by the two countries to improve the traditional friendly relations in all fields in the spirit of the historic DPRK-Russia joint declaration will have a positive impact on the peace and progress in the region and the rest of the world.
Chosun Ilbo reported that the DPRK had asked Russia for more modern weapons in exchange for linking the trans-Korea railroad (TKR) to the trans-Siberian (TSR), an informed ROK government source said Tuesday. The source said that when DPRK Defense Minister Kim Il-chul visited Moscow on April 26, he requested Mig-29 fighters, T-90 main battle tanks and armored combat vehicles. Kim told his Russian counterpart that payment would be made in cash installments and goods. Kim expressed active interest in the IGLA portable anti-aircraft missile and radar systems. Russia is known to have not accepted the requests due to the lack of hard cash in the DPRK. Instead it agreed to supply parts and maintenance of equipment already supplied. The source said that the Russians expressed displeasure to the DPRK linking the joining of the TKR and TSR to weapons provisions. He added that Moscow wanted the DPRK's leader, Kim Jong-il, to visit between May 10-11, but now expect him to go to the Russian capital in October following PRC President Jiang Zemin's to Pyongyang in September. (Chung Byong-seon, "NK ASKS FOR WEAPONS IN EXCHANGE FOR TSR LINK," Seoul, 07/16/01)
Pyongyang, July 9 (KCNA) -- Yang Hyong Sop, vice-president of the presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, met and conversed with Valery Denisov, Russian ambassador to the DPRK, who paid a farewell visit to him at the Mansudae Assembly Hall today.
Pyongyang, July 6 (KCNA)-Leader Kim Jong Il sent a message of sympathy to Russian President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin today. The message reads: Upon hearing a very sad news that all the crew and passengers of a russian airliner were killed in its crash in Russia on July 3, I express deep sorrow to you and, through you, to the Russian people and the bereaved families of the deceased. I sincerely hope that you will master your sorrow and register a success in your responsible work for the prosperity and peace of the Russian people
Pyongyang, July 2 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, today sent a message of greetings to Belarussian President Alexandr Lukashenko on its national day. The message extended warm congratulations to the president, government and people of Belarus on the day. It wished the Belarussian president and people greater success in their work for the prosperity of the country and expressed the belief that the traditional friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would steadily develop on good terms in the new century, too. Meanwhile, premier of the DPRK cabinet Hong Song Nam and foreign minister Paek Nam Sun separately sent congratulatory messages to their Belarussian counterparts Vladimir Yermoshin and Mikhail Khbostov.
HQ USAFFE (Adv) Intelligence Digest, Vol. II, No. 8, October 1953, pp. 13-20
Courtesy: Cookie Sewell
Based on an analysis of over 500 reports, with dates of information from May 1952 to June 1953, and on reports and studies made prior to this time (FEC Intelligence Digest, No. 3, 17 July 1951; and No. 6, 2 September 1951), it is estimated that at the end of May 1953 there were approximately 10, 000 Soviet ground force personnel in Korea. Some appear in Soviet Army uniforms, others in the uniforms of the CCF and NKA, or in. civilian clothes. The participation of Soviet AAA and Air Force units, European Satellite medical teams, and the Chinese "Volunteer" forces in the Korean War preserves the Soviet claim of "unity in the Communist Bloc". forestalled the certain loss of the war if the NKA fought alone, and is invaluable as a morale and propaganda device (FEC intelligence Digest, No. 3, 17 July 1951)...
Pyongyang, July 1 (KCNA) -- The 25th issue of the Rrussian newspaper Duel carried an article entitled "Leader Kim Jong Il's Century". In the article the paper said that Kim Jong Il, leader of the DPRK, has rich political experience equivalent to that gained by any other country in one century. Praising him as the most experienced statesman ever in the world, the article further said: He was in his twenties when he graduated from Kim Il Sung University. This means that he has been totally dedicated to his service at several posts of the state.
During his political career he acquired such rich political experience as gained by other countries in one whole country because none of them experienced such total economic blockade, aggression and constant military and political provocation as the DPRK did. It is by no means an overstated expression. Especially, the years of his revolutionary activities were the days of so grim political struggle that no slightest mistake was allowed to happen as was the case with the great President Kim Il Sung of the Korean people. If he had once made a mistake, big or small, socialist Korea today would have already ceased to exist.
In the middle of the 1970s the DPRK built socialism guided by the Juche idea, following an ideologically independent line, not pursuant to the line of the central committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union which styled itself a leader of the international socialist movement. Those countries which did not depend on their own strength, scoffing at the DPRK's independent political line, collapsed with the CPSU, but the DPRK is still standing up and growing stronger politically and economically. Putting many achievements made in scores of years of Kim Jong Il's political activity together, one can say that he established in Korea an innovative political system whereby to unite the leader, the party and the people as one socio-political organism and thus the DPRK is advancing forward.