NORTH KOREA NEWSLETTER NO. 39 (January 29, 2009)

SEOUL (Yonhap) -- The following is a chronological review of major developments related to North Korea from Jan. 22-28.

January
22 The (North) Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) says Foreign Minister Pak
Ui-chun sent a message of greetings on Jan. 21 to Mohamed Sabah Al Salem Al Sabah
who stayed in office as deputy prime minister of the Cabinet and foreign minister
of Kuwait.
22 Kim Yong-nam, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly
(SPA) sent a message of greetings to Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, president of Uganda,
on the occasion of the anniversary of victory in the Uganda National Resistance
Movement.
22 Premier Kim Yong-il meets at the Mansudae Assembly Hall in Pyongyang with the
visiting delegation of the International Liaison Department of the Central
Committee of the Chinese Communist Party led by its head Wang Jiarui.
22-26 A festival of Korea's folk games is held in Pyongyang to mark the New Year
on the lunar calendar with about 300 select school children from all over the
country attending.
23 North Korean leader Kim Jong-il confers with Wang Jiarui.
24 The KCNA says the 35th national sports contest of school youth and children
for "Jongil Peak Prize" is held from Jan. 21 to 23 in Pyongyang and about 400
young students took part in.
24 The (North) Korean Central Broadcasting Station (KCBS) says Kim Jong-il sent
letters of thanks to public officials and laborers throughout the country for
their leading social service.
24 A group of senior officials of Chongryon, or the pro-Pyongyang General
Association of Korean Residents in Japan, flies into Pyongyang for a home-visit.
24 The delegation of the International Liaison Department of the Central
Committee of the Chinese Communist Party returns home.
24 A meeting is held in Pyongyang to deliver a letter of thanks from the WPK
Central Committee to public officials and workers of the Ministry of Post and
Telecommunications in praise of their achievements in modernizing the country's
postal service.
25 Minju Joson, the publication of the Cabinet, says Seoul's nomination of Hyun
In-taek, a conservative pro-U.S. scholar, as the new Unification Minister is an
"open provocation as it is little short of a declaration that South Korea would
continue to stand in confrontation with the DPRK (North Korea)."
25 A music concert by the state choir, symphony orchestra and art troups is held
at the East Pyongyang Grand Theater to mark the lunar New Year with ranking
officials of the party, military and the government attending.
25 Kim Yong-il sends a message of greetings to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh on the national day of India.
25 Kim Yong-nam sends a message of greetings to Indian President Pratibha Patil
on the national day of his country.
25 The KCNA says Kim Jong-il receives a gift on Jan. 21 from Abdullah II, King of
Jordan, on the occasion of the lunar New Year.
26 School children give a song and dance performance at the Mangyongdae
Schoolchildren's Palace to mark the lunar New Year.
26 The KCNA says soldiers and workers from all walks of life lay flower baskets
before statues of late leader Kim Il-sung in celebration of the lunar New Year.
26 Kim Yong-nam sends a message of greetings to Quentin Bryce, governor-general
of Australia, on the occasion of the national day of her country.
27 Kim Jong-il watches a performance by the State Merited Chorus on the occasion
of the New Year's Day on the lunar calendar.
27 A WPK delegation led by Pak Kyong-son, vice department director of its Central
Committee leaves Pyongyang to visit the United Kingdom.
27 A delegation of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs led by Vice Minister
Aleksei Borodavkin arrives in Pyongyang.
28 The KCNA says Kim Jong-il watched a volleyball match held between the "April
25" Team of the KPA and a mixed volleyball team on the occasion of the lunar New
Year.
28 The KCNA says Kim Jong-il attended a performance given by the song and dance
ensembles of the KPA Naval Command and Air Command.
(END)