North Korea-weekly review-6

NORTH KOREA NEWSLETTER NO. 33 (December 11, 2008)

*** CHRONOLOGICAL REVIEW

SEOUL (Yonhap) -- The following is a chronological review of major developments
related to North Korea from Dec. 4-10, 2008.

December
4 The North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) says Foreign Minister Pak Ui-chun
sent a message of greetings to Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister Ivailo Kalfin on
Dec. 1 to mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties
between the DPRK (North Korea) and Bulgaria.
4 The KCNA says Premier Kim Yong-il sent a message of greetings to his Bulgarian
counterpart Sergei Stanishev on Dec. 1 to mark the 60th anniversary of the
establishment of diplomatic ties between the DPRK and Bulgaria.
4 Kim Yong-nam, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly
(SPA), sends a message of greetings to King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand
congratulating him on his birthday and the national day of his country.
4-5 Christopher Hill, chief U.S. nuclear envoy, holds a meeting with his North
Korean counterpart, Kim Kye-gwan, in Singapore, but fails to announce progress on
an agreement over sample taking from North Korea's nuclear facilities.
5 The KCNA says the banks of the Taedong River, which flows through Pyongyang,
have been lowered and consolidated between the areas of the Okryu Restaurant and
the Chungsong Bridge.
6 A spokesman for the Foreign Ministry says North Korea will not regard Japan as
a member nation to the six-party talks.
6 A delegation of the Physical Culture and Sports Guidance Commission headed by
Chairman Pak Hak-son flies out of Pyongyang on a visit to Laos.
8 A new round of the six-party talks for the denuclearization of North Korea
begins in Beijing.
8 The KCNA says the Workers' Party of (North) Korea (WPK) Publishing House
released Vol. 77 of "Among the People," a collection of reminiscences by Kim
Jong-il.
8 Officials from various North Korean religious organizations visit the Russian
embassy in Pyongyang to express condolences over the death of Patriarch Alexy II,
head of the Russian Orthodox Church.
8 Jang Jae-on, chairman of the (North) Korean Council of Religionists, and Ho
Il-jin, chairman of the (North) Korean Russian Orthodox Church Committee, send
their condolences to Chairman of the Office of Foreign Relations of the Russian
Orthodox Church over the death of Patriarch Alexy II.
8 North Korean leader Kim Jong-il sends a wreath to the bier of Wi In-chan, "an
anti-Japanese revolutionary fighter," expressing deep condolences over his death.
9 A press conference and film show takes place at the Cuban embassy in Pyongyang
to mark World Human Rights Day.
10 Kim Yong-nam sends a message of greetings to Blaise Compaore, president of
Burkina Faso, to mark its 50th national day.
10 Riyad Shehadeh, charge d' affaires of the State of Palestine, arranges a
friendship meeting at his embassy in Pyongyang to mark the 17th anniversary of
Kim Jong-il's assumption of supreme commandership of the (North) Korean People's
Army and the 91st birthday of his mother Kim Jong-suk.
(END)