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Sunday April 5,
 
North Korea launches 'long-range' rocket
SEOUL (AFP) - North Korea launched a long-range rocket onSunday, defying months of pressure from the United States andits allies over what they warned would be an illegal ballistic missiletest. US President Barack Obama swiftly condemnedPyongyang's "provocative" act, South Korea denounced it as a"reckless" threat to world security, and the UN Security Councilwas to hold an emergency meeting at America's request. Japansaid the rocket flew over its territory while the boosters landedsafely in the waters off its coasts, and that it had not moved tointercept the rocket -- something North Korea had warned wouldbe seen as an act of war. But the launch, which the North saidwas a peaceful move to test a communications satellite, angerednations which have held years of nuclear disarmament talks withKim Jong-Il 's secretive communist regime. "The launch took placeat 11:30:15," a South Korean spokeswoman said, breaking firstnews of a launch which the North had vowed would take placebetween April 4-8. There was no immediate announcement fromPyongyang. The North tested a missile and an atomic bomb in2006, while in the midst of the six-nation disarmament talks, and Obama said Pyongyang had tested a Taepodong-2, itslongest-range missile, with Sunday's launch. The North tested the Taepodong-2, which has an estimated range of 4,100miles (6,700 kilometres) in July 2006 but it failed after 40 seconds. The US State Department reiterated it saw the launchas a violation of Security Council Resolution 1718, adopted after that test, which imposed sanctions on the North andwarned against further nuclear or missile tests. The United States and North Korea have decades of hostility betweenthem, dating back to the 1950-53 Korean war which ended without a peace treaty, and Pyongyang's secretive regime hasoften worried its neighbours. "Regardless of any North Korean claims, this is provocative activity which threatens stabilityand peace on the Korean peninsula and in Northeast Asia," South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-Hwan said. "NorthKorea's launch is a clear violation of (Resolution) 1718," Yu said. Despite the flurry of confirmations and condemnations ofthe launch, it was not immediately known if the exercise had succeeded. A South Korean official said Seoul believed therocket was carrying a satellite. "However, it does not necessarily mean that the launch was a success," the official wasquoted as saying by South Korea's Yonhap news agency. The other five nations in the disarmament talks had all calledon North Korea to refrain from the launch, including China -- the North's closest ally, which declined to make officialcomment in the aftermath of the launch. The Taepodong-2 could theoretically reach Alaska or Hawaii at maximum range,though North Korea was not believed to have configured a warhead for it yet. The North had given a window for thelaunch beginning on Saturday, and the actual launch came not long after official radio announced favourable weatherconditions in the morning. Analysts said North Korea wanted good film footage of a launch as part of plans to maximise itspropaganda value. The regime is seen as eager to give its people news of a technological triumph to bolster support at atime of lingering uncertainty over the health of leader Kim. There are widespread reports Kim suffered a stroke lastAugust. While apparently largely recovered, the incident has raised questions about who would succeed the 67-year-old.North Korea is also seen as trying to strengthen its hand with Washington in future nuclear disarmament negotiations.Pyongyang has said that bringing the matter to the UN Security Council -- let alone any sanctions -- would cause thebreakdown of the disarmament talks.
Photo: AFP
 
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North Korean Intelligence Agencies
Central CommitteeKorean Workers PartyCabinet General Intelligence BureauLiaison DepartmentResearch Department for ExternalIntelligence (RDEI) General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (ChosenSoren) General Staff DepartmentReconnaissance Bureau State Safety & Security AgencyState Security Department Ministry of Public Security North Korean Prison CampsNo. 25 Chongjin PrisonNo. 22 Hoeryong Camp No. 18 Bukchang CampNo. 16 Hwasong CampNo. 15 Yodok CampNo. 14 Gaechun Camp
 
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Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Koreaor DPRK) is a Communist state with anunderdeveloped economy, but a powerful military, situated on the Korean peninsula between northeastChina and the Republic of Korea (South Korea). North Korea limits trade and transportation links with othercountries and tightly restricts the circumstances under which foreigners may enter the country and interactwith local citizens. Telephone and fax communications are unavailable in many areas of the country, andforeigners can expect their communications to be monitored by DPRK officials. In recent years, North Koreahas experienced intermittent famine, chronic fuel and electricity shortages, and outbreaks of disease. Manycountries, including the United States, have contributed to international relief efforts to assist the people ofNorth Korea.The DPRK adopted Marxism-Leninism as its ruling philosophy when it proclaimed its establishment in 1948,but in a Constitutional revision in 1972, supplemented it with the juche ideology, or national self-reliance.The two philosophies were combined into one as "the juche idea of the Worker's Party of Korea, a creativeapplication of Marxism-Leninism to the conditions of our country". In 1980, the official ideology wassimplified as "the juche thought of the Great Leader, Kim Il-Sung". According to the DPRK Constitution, juche is "a revolutionary ideology with a people-centred view of the world that aims to realise theindependence of the masses, the guiding principle of its actions". Juche consists of two parts: thephilosophical theory that claims the masses are the masters of history and the revolution, and the principlethat the masses need the guidance of a leader (Kim Il-Sung and his son, Kim Jong-Il) to fulfil their destiny.In practice, juche resulted in an inward looking economic and political system that ostensibly rejectedinternational trade, but in reality became heavily dependent on the provision of goods on favourable termsfrom fraternal socialist states. With the demise of the communist bloc, the difficulties of this position soonbecame apparent. Shortages in spare parts, fuel, and food have grown but the isolationist ideology of juche
 
continues to underlie all government policies and emphasis remains in advancing an independent road tonational development. The population is motivated to pursue juche through an intensive ideologicalcampaign and a pervasive programme of political indoctrination. Since its inception, juche has primarilystressed independence from external powers, but the regime now faces the dilemma of how to expand tradeand investment with the outside world in order to resuscitate the economy, without jeopardising its politicalstability.The "Military First" orientation has always been the heart and soul of the North Korean regime. It providesthe only conceivable means by which the regime can survive and achieve its ultimate security throughreunification. The military continues to grow in both conventional and asymmetrical forces with increasingemphasis on the latter. The military provides deterrence, defense, and a massive offensive threat, as well asleverage in international negotiations. The army is much more than just a military organization; it is NorthKorea's largest employer, purchaser, and consumer, the central unifying structure in the country, and thesource of power for the regime.In August 1945, the Japanese in Korea surrendered to the former Soviet Union, which gained control of theKorean peninsula south to the 38th parallel. In August 1948, supposedly following general electionsthroughout the peninsula, the DPRK was established, with Kim Il-song heading the central government.These factitious elections are the basis for Pyongyang's claim as the only legitimate government of Korea,and Pyongyang has made a national goal of reunifying the country on its terms. In pressing this claim, theDPRK has engaged in a political, economic, and military competition with the Republic of Korea (ROK).However, in any comparison except military power, Pyongyang is a poor second.On Saturday, 24 June 1950, DPRK forces invaded the ROK. The United States, acting with a mandate fromthe UN, took the lead in defending the ROK. The Chinese entered into the fighting, and the war'sinconclusive end led to a return to the status quo at the 38th parallel. An armistice, signed in July 1953, wasfollowed 2 months later by the signing of a mutual defense treaty between the United States and the ROK.The country is currently being led by Kim Chong-il who succeeded his father upon the latter's death on 8July 1994. The elder Kim was a ruthless, charismatic leader who retained tremendous loyalty from thepeople, despite their hardships. Kim Chong-il has been described by detractors as paranoid, spoiled, andsuspicious, not having his father's abilities, and his access to the government bureaucracy is through aclique. The country is facing insurmountable internal problems and is unstable politically, economically, andsocially.
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