North Korea-weekly review-6

NORTH KOREA NEWSLETTER NO. 25 (October 16, 2008)
*** DATA ON NORTH KOREA

Chronology of Major Events Related to N.K.'s Listing on Terror Blacklist

SEOUL (Yonhap) -- The following is a chronology of major events over the last 20
years related to the U.S. designation and removal of North Korea from its list of
state sponsors of terrorism.

Jan. 20, 1988 -- The U.S. State Department designates North Korea as a state
sponsor of terrorism, holding it accountable for the bombing of a South Korean
passenger jet over Burma in November 1987.

April 30, 1992 -- The U.S. State Department redesignates North Korea on its
terrorism blacklist, despite its failure to find any proof of Pyongyang's
activities sponsoring terrorists since 1987.

Sept. 28, 1998 -- North Korea and the U.S. hold a working-level meeting in
Washington to discuss removing Pyongyang from the terror list.

Jan. 30, 2000 -- A North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman emphasizes the need
for the U.S. to remove Pyongyang from the list to improve bilateral relations.
Oct. 6, 2000 -- North Korea and the U.S. adopt a joint statement supporting
international efforts denouncing all terrorist activities.

Sept. 12, 2001 -- The North Korean Foreign Ministry denounces the Sept. 11
terrorist actions against the U.S., reaffirming its opposition to any form of
terrorism.

April 30, 2004 -- U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage attaches a
string to the delisting of North Korea, demanding that the North address the
issue of repatriating Japanese citizens kidnapped by Pyongyang.

Jan. 16-18, 2007 -- North Korea and the U.S. hold bilateral talks in Berlin and
agree that the working group of the six-party talks will discuss removal from the
terror list.
Sept. 2, 2007 -- The working group for diplomatic normalization between
Washington and Pyongyang agrees to remove the North from the terror blacklist and
the Trading with the Enemy Act.
Oct. 3, 2007 -- The six-party talks agree on a second-phase accord implementing
the Sept. 19 joint statement, including the start of procedures for North Korea's
delisting from the blacklist.

April 30, 2008 -- The U.S. State Department redesignates North Korea as a sponsor
of terror, but says it will remove it from the blacklist in accordance with the
denuclearization process.
June 10, 2008 -- The North Korean Foreign Ministry pledges to fulfill its
responsibilities as a U.N. member in its struggle against any kind of terrorism.
June 26, 2008 -- U.S. President George W. Bush notifies Congress of his plan to
remove North Korea from the list upon the North's submission of its nuclear
declaration as agreed upon in the six-party deal.
June 27, 2008 -- The North Korean Foreign Ministry welcomes the U.S. decision to
start the removal of North Korea from the terror list and the Trading with the
Enemy Act.
July 24, 2008 -- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice hints at delaying the
removal, saying the 45-day period given to Congress is the minimum period needed
before such a delisting can take effect.
Aug. 11, 2008 -- A U.S. State Department spokesman says that Washington will not
delist the North before Pyongyang agrees to the U.S.-proposed nuclear
verification protocol on the North's main nuclear facilities.
Aug. 26, 2008 -- North Korea's Foreign Ministry spokesman announces Pyongyang's
suspension of its disablement process at the Yongbyon nuclear facilities in
response to the U.S. delay and lukewarm action.
Sept. 19, 2008 -- North Korea's Foreign Ministry announces it is reactivating the
Yongbyon nuclear facilities by halting the disablement process.
Oct. 1-3, 2008 -- Chief U.S. nuclear envoy Christopher Hill visits Pyongyang to
discuss the nuclear verification issue.
Oct. 11, 2008 -- The U.S. Statement Department formally announces the removal of
North Korea from its list of state sponsors of terror.
(END)