News Summary – Week ending August 29

FORMER PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER ARRIVES IN BOSTON WITH AMERICAN WHO WAS IMPRISONED IN NORTH KOREA.

Former President Jimmy Carter arrived in Boston with American Aijalon Mahli Gomes who was arrested and imprisoned for illegally crossing into North Korea in January and sentenced to eight years hard labor. Before the arrest Mr. Mahli was teaching English in South Korea.

The KCNA reported that Former President Carter met with Kim Yong Nam, the President of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly and offered an apology for Mr. Gomes’ illegal entry into the country after which Kim Jung Il granted Mr. Gomes amnesty pursuant to the DPRK’s Article 103 of the Socialist Constitution. KCNA further reports that North Korea freed Aijalon Mahli Gomes as a “manifestation of its humanitarianism and peace-loving policy.”

A statement from Mr. Gomes family described his captivity in North Korea as “a long, dark and difficult period.” The family also thanked Mr. Carter for making the trip.

Kim Jung Il is reported to be in China and did not meet with Mr. Carter.

KIM JUNG IL VISITS CHINA WHILE FORMER PRESIDENT CARTER IS IN NORTH KOREA

Kim Jung Il is reported to have made his second trip to China within a four month period. Kim’s trip comes as Former President Jimmy Carter arrived in North Korea to free American prisoner Aijalon Mahli Gomes who was arrested and imprisoned for illegally crossing into North Korea in January.

Kim apparently crossed into China around midnight Wednesday. On Thursday Kim stopped for a brief time at the Yuwen Middle School in Jilin where his father Kim Il Sung attended school for two and one half years. While in Jilin he also stopped in Beishan Park to view the burial grounds of anti-Japanese independence fighters.A convoy believed to be carrying Kim arrived in Changchun within two hours of leaving Jilin.

Mr. Kim is expected to tour an industrial complex and visit with Hu Jintao while in Changchun. Traveling with Kim are his younger sister Kim Kyong-hee and her husband Jang, Kim Ki-nam, along with party secretaries Tae Jong-soo and Hong Sok-hyong. Tae is believed to be the successor to Pak Nam-gi, who was reportedly executed after the failed currency reform in the previous year. It has been reported the Kim Jong-un the apparent heir may be with his Father on the trip.

Kim Jong Il is traveling with some of his family and is speculated to deliberately visiting important historical family sites in an effort to groom is son Kim Jong-un for leadership duties. Some expertsbelieve the purpose of the trip is to introduce and discuss with Chinese President Hu Jintao the transfer of power to Kim Jong-un.

KIM  JONG IL ELECTED TO BE DELEGATE TO THE CONFERENCE OF THE WPK

Delegates of the People’ Army of the Workers’ Party of Korea proposed and elected to have Kim Jong Il a delegate at the WPK conference. The decision was unanimous. KCNA reports that Kim Jong Gak, the first vice director of the General Political Bureau of the KPA, in his speech said the support for Kim as a delegate is a “manifestation of the undisputed trust in him (Kim) and transparent loyalty to him of the service persons deepened in the course of historic struggle.” Other speeches were also made in support of the unanimous decision.

UNIFICATION MINISTRY APPROVES OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL AID TO FLOOD STRICKEN AREAS OF NORTH KOREA

North Korea has made an official request for international aid to provide relief to flooded areas. Theunification ministry is considering sending relief through international agencies or civil organizations.  The aid will not include rice. The ministry has also given approval for a South Korean religious group to enter the country to distribute 300 tons of flour to those in need across six different provinces in North Korea.

KIM JONG-UN REPORTED TO BE TRAVELLING WITH HIS FATHER IN CHINA

The Christian Science Monitor reports the Kim Jong-un the son of Kim Jong Il is travelling with his father in China. The surprise trip to China comes as Jimmy Carter is in North Korea to free an American imprisoned there for illegally entering the country.

With the WPK announcement that there will be a special conference were leadership changes will occur, it has been speculated that the purpose of the trip China is to gain Beijing’s support for a transfer of power from Kim Jong Il to his son. China is strong ally to North Korea and the North’s largest trading partner, therefore maintaining strong ties and support during any forthcoming change in leadership is imperative to North Korea.

POLITICAL ACTIVITY POWERED BY TWITTER PROMPTS THE SOUTH KOREAN GOVERNMENT TO BAN NORTH KOREA PROPOGANDA TWITTER ACCOUNT.

South Korea has experienced very high voter turnout for Wednesday’s election. Some of the high turnout was attributed to South Korean celebrities using Twitter to encourage large followings of young fans to vote. The power of social media for political activity seen in South Korean and earlier in Iran has prompted the South Korean government to ban a Twitter account that promoted and glorified North Korea. The account was purported to be a propaganda tool from the North Korean regime and had 6500 fans at the time it was banned. Digital East Asia reports that a North Korean government official has stated that North Korea in fact is not using YouTube, Facebook or Twitter despite previous reports that it was and that these sites are still banned in North Korea.

KOREAN LEADER EXPRESSES DESIRE TO JIMMY CARTER TO RESUME SIX-PARTY TALKS

While in North Korea Jimmy Carter met with North Korea’s second-in command leader, Kim Yong Nam because Kim Jong Il was visiting China at the time of the trip.  While speaking with Mr. Carter, Kim Yong Nam expressed the desire of North Korea to resume the six-party talks and expressed the desire of the DPRK and particularly Kim Jong Il’s desire for denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Some experts believe that if Mr. Kim had a sincere desire to resume the talks he would not have embarked on his surprise trip to China when Mr. Carter was soon to arrive in North Korea.

Discussion
- What is the significance of the absence of Kim Jung Il during Mr. Carter’s visit to North Korea?

- Does the absence of Kim Jong Il speak louder of North Korea’s real intentions than Kim Yong Nam’s declaration that North Korea would like to resume the six-party talks?

- Why would China be concerned over the appointment of Kim Jung-un?

- How would a failed transfer of power affect North Korea?