Busy Government for Resuming North Korea-US Talks... North Korea Shouts 'Jaryok Gaengsaeng' (Comprehensive)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] North Korea is focusing on domestic affairs, urging workers to achieve the goals of the economic 5-year plan while proclaiming 'self-reliance.' Meanwhile, our government is actively working to resume North Korea-US and inter-Korean talks, with Noh Kyu-duk, head of the Korea Peace Negotiation Office, speaking with Sung Kim, the new US Special Representative for North Korea, and Park Ji-won, director of the National Intelligence Service, visiting the US.

The Korean Central News Agency reported on the 27th that "the 8th Congress of the General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea was held in Pyongyang on the 25th and 26th," and that Kim Jong-un, General Secretary of the Workers' Party, sent a letter to participants urging the "Trade Union to become the vanguard leading a new high tide of socialist construction."

In this letter, General Secretary Kim instructed the role of the trade union, saying, "The working class and trade union members must be firmly prepared as possessors of communist beliefs who fight with confidence in the bright future of our style socialism," and "In carrying out the Party's 5-year plan, prepare them solidly as the country's eldest sons, vanguards, self-reliance pioneers, and creative leaders who excellently fulfill their roles."

He continued, "We must deeply engrave in our hearts that only by our style and our strength can we pioneer the future of Juche industry," and emphasized self-reliance by saying, "Firmly reject the disease of imports and dependence on others, and thoroughly uphold the principle of self-sufficiency in all things necessary for economic construction and people's livelihood with our raw materials, supplies, strength, and technology."

General Secretary Kim urged that while achieving the goals of the 5-year plan in the metal, chemical, electric power, coal, machinery, railway transport, and construction sectors, the military industry sector should "once again strive with the indomitable spirit that pioneered our style advanced weapons development and actively contribute to raising our defense industry to a new stage of development."

While North Korea is fervently pursuing self-reliance and advanced weapons development, our government is striving to resume North Korea-US and inter-Korean talks, having secured new momentum through the Korea-US summit.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that on the 22nd (local time), the day after the Korea-US summit, Director Noh held the first phone agreement with Special Representative Kim shortly after his appointment. Director Noh emphasized the role of Special Representative Kim in resuming North Korea-US talks, and Special Representative Kim expressed his intention to continue close cooperation.

Director Park arrived in New York on the morning of the 26th (local time) to begin his visit to the US. It is expected that during this visit, immediately following the summit, Director Park will hold discussions with the US side to bring North Korea to the negotiating table.

Although the Korea-US summit concluded successfully, no concrete denuclearization agreements such as easing sanctions on North Korea were included in the joint statement, so attention is focused on whether any leverage cards can be obtained. The Korea Institute for National Unification under the Prime Minister's Office suggested in a report titled "Evaluation and Future Prospects of the Korea-US Summit: Tasks Left by the Korea-US Summit" on the 26th that efforts should be made to resume dialogue with North Korea by promoting vaccine supply and separated family reunions.

Minister of Unification Lee In-young also stated in a video congratulatory message at the legislative forum on "Peacebuilding and Management of the West Sea Five Islands and the West Sea" held at the Federation of Korean Industries building in Yeouido on the 26th, "It is time to work hard so that North Korea returns to the negotiating table and a space for dialogue and cooperation between the two Koreas can open."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.