Former DPRK Vice Premier Kim Rak Hui Dies (updated on 20 February)

Kim Rak Hui(L), former DPRK Cabinet Vice Premier and former alternate of the KWP Political Bureau, recently deceased, talks with Kim Jong Il during a tour of Jaeryong Mine in South Hwanghae Province in March 2009 (R) (Photos: KCNA, KCTV screengrab)

DPRK state media reported on 18 February (Monday) that Kim Jong Un (Kim Cho’ng-u’n) sent a floral basket to the funeral of Kim Rak Hui (Kim Rak-hu’i; Kim Nak-hu’i), a former DPRK Cabinet Vice Premier and Alternate (candidate member) of the Korean Workers’ Party [KWP] Political Bureau.  According to KCNA, KJU expressed “deep condolences over her death.”  Kim Rak Hui made her last reported public appearances in early March 2012 when she attended a national meeting and concert held to celebrate International Women’s Day.  During the 5th session (plenum) of the 12th Supreme People’s Assembly [SPA] she was removed from office as Vice Premier and during the 4th Party Conference was removed as a Political Bureau Alternate in April 2012.  At the time of her removal from her positions, it had been speculated that she was part of a wave of dismissals and demotions that occurred after Kim Jong Un formally assumed the supreme leadership of the DPRK.  It appears now that it was due to her declining health and age.

According to KCNA, Kim Rak Hui was born in Kaechon**, South P’yo’ngan Province on 11 November 1933 and attended the University of National Economics.  During most of her career, she worked as a manager in the country’s cooperative farming system and rural management committees.  In the 1950s she served as chairwoman of the Ponghwa Kaechon Agricultural Committee and supervised war-time rationing and food distribution during the Korean (Fatherland Liberation) War.  She also led post-war reconstruction efforts in Kaech’o'n’s agricultural sites, for which she was awarded the state title of Labor Hero in 1955.  Her service during the war earned her the attention of then-leader Kim Il Sung.  She was elected a deputy (delegate) to the 2nd Supreme People’s Assembly in 1957, re-elected in to the 3rd SPA in 1962 and the 4th SPA in 1967.  In January 1965 she Kim Rak Hui concurrently served as chairwoman of the Kaech’o'n County KWP Committee and the Kaech’o'n County Agricultural Management Committee.  She was elected a member of the Party Central Committee at the 5th Party Congress in November 1970 and was re-elected to the 5th SPA in 1972.  She was a member of the Budget Committee of the 5th SPA.  During the 1970s she served as chairwoman of the North Hwanghae Province Rural Management Committee.  During the 7th session (plenum) of the 5th SPA held during 26-29 April 1977, Kim spoke in favor of passage of the Land Law of the DPRK.

At the 6th Party Congress in October 1980 Kim Rak Hui was downgraded to Alternate (candidate member) of the Party Central Committee.  In the early 1980s she served as the Chair of the Kaeso’ng City People’s Committee.  In 1990 she was appointed Chairwoman of the South P’yo’ngan Rural Management Committee.  In 1997 she was appointed deputy (vice) director of the KWP Agriculture Department (currently part of the KWP Finance and Planning Department), but continued to serve as an advisor to the South P’yo’ngan Rural Management Committee.  In 1994 Kim Rak Hui was a member of Kim Il Sung’s Funeral Committee  and in 1995 was a member of O Jin U’s funeral committee.  In celebrating International Women’s Day in 1999, DPRK state media identified her as “Korean women performed brilliant feats in the efforts to build a prosperous socialist country after the cease-fire.  Among them were women farmers across the country including Kim Rak Hui, who earned fame as a plough-girl in the wartime. . .”

Kim Rak Hui (annotated) accompanied Kim Jong Il on his guidance tours of the Jaeryong (Chaeryo’ng) Mine in South Hwanghae Province in March 2009 (Photos: KCNA)

Kim Rak Hui returned to political office in 2003 when she was elected a deputy (delegate) to the 11th SPA.  In June 2005 was was appointed Chief Secretary of the South Hwanghae Provincial KWP Committee.  She was elected to the 12th SPA and was attended Kim Jong Il’s guidance tour of the Chaeryo’ng Mine in March 2009.  In June 2010, Kim Rak Hui was appointed DPRK Cabinet Vice Premier during the 3rd session of the 12th SPA.  Kim was one of several provincial party secretaries appointed to serve either as Vice Premiers or leading officials of the Party Central Committee in June 2010 which included South P’yo’ngan Provincial Chief KWP Secrtary Ri Tae Nam’s appointment as Vice Premier, North Hamgyo’ng Provincial Chief KWP Secretary Hong Sok Hyong appointed as director of the KWP Finance and Planning Department and South Hamgyo’ng Provincial Chief KWP Secretary Tae Jong Su as director of the KWP General Affairs Department.  Kim Rak Hui (along with these other elites) was subsequently elected to the KWP Political Bureau during the 3rd Party Conference on 28 September 2010.

Kim Rak Hui (annotated) attends the U’nhasu Orchestra concert to mark International Women’s Day on 8 March 2012, one of her last reported public appearances prior to her death (Photo: KCTV screengrab)

From February to April 2011 Kim Rak Hui successfully led a Cabinet-level committee formed in response to an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease [FMD] and  other potential epizootic outbreaks in the DPRK.  On 19 December 2011 she was listed at #21 on the national funeral committee formed after the death of Kim Jong Il.  Kim continued to make public appearances at national meetings and cultural events, and presided over awards presentation ceremonies.  Her last public appearances were at a national meeting at the People’s Palace of Culture and a concert by the U’nhasu Orchestra (attended by Kim Jong Un), both marking International Women’s Day.  She was quietly removed as DPRK Vice Premier in April 2012.

30 October 2012 meeting of war veterans and the leading officials of Kim Il Sung Youth League chapters of the Korean People’s Army, an event at which Gen. Kwon Sang Ho spoke of his experience during the Korean War. Gen. Kwon passed away in February 2013 (Photos: KCTV screengrabs)

Kim Rak Hui was not the only DPRK elder to have recently passed away.  On 14 February DPRK state media reported that Kim Jong Un also sent flowers to the funeral for Gen. Kwon Sang Ho, a Korean (Fatherland Liberation) War hero and lecturer at the Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum in Pyongyang.  Gen. Kwon’s last reported public appearance in state media was in October 2012 when he attended a meeting of the leading officials of the Kim Il Sung (Socialist) Youth League’s committees in the Korean People’s Army [KPA].  According to KCNA Gen. Kwon, and other war veterans, “told stories about how bravely they fought, cherishing warm love for the country liberated by Kim Il Sung and burning hatred for the enemy.”

**Kaech’o'n was a county-level administrative division and was upgraded to a city (municipality) in September 1990

Update

On 20 February (Wednesday) DPRK state media released a new item detailing Kim Rak Hui’s career and accomplishments, identifying her as the “initiator of the plowwoman movement”:

Pyongyang, February 20 (KCNA) — Kim Rak Hui (Nov. 1933-Feb. 2013) was a peasant who rose to fame as a plowwoman during the period of the Fatherland Liberation War (1950-1953).

Born in a rural community in South Phyongan Province, she worked as a weaver in her teens.

She began the plowwoman movement in March Juche 40 (1951) to contribute to supplying food to the People’s Army in the war. She attended a meeting of frontrunner farmers held in 1952 and was highly praised by President Kim Il Sung for her devoted service.

Later, she was honored to receive a letter of thanks from the President for her big contributions to providing much relief food to the warfront.

In the post-war period, she overfulfilled grain output quota each year, as the chairwoman of an agricultural cooperative.

Under deep trust of the President and leader Kim Jong Il, she became a deputy to the Supreme People’s Assembly and had worked as chairwoman of a county cooperative farm management committee, chairwoman of a provincial rural economy committee, deputy director of the C.C., Workers’ Party of Korea, chief secretary of the South Hwanghae Provincial Committee of the WPK, and vice-premier and honorary councilor of the DPRK Cabinet.

She was awarded a lot of state citations, including Order of Kim Il Sung, Order of Kim Jong Il, title of Labor Hero and Order of National Flag 1st Class.

Some days ago, the dear respected Kim Jong Un sent a wreath to the bier of Kim Rak Hui to express his deep condolences over her death. -

DPRK Premier Visits Dental Hospital and Komdok Area Flood Damage

DPRK Premier Choe Yong Rim (3rd L) is briefed about ongoing flood recovery work in the Komdok area in North Hamgyo’ng Province. Also seen in attendance is DPRK Vice Premier and Chairman of the State Planning Commission Ro To Chol (2nd L) (Photo: Rodong Sinmun)

DPRK state media reported on 11 September (Tuesday) that DPRK Cabinet Premier Choe Yong Rim visited recovery work in the Komdok area of North Hamgyo’ng Province and the General Dental Hospital in Pyongyang.  Choe’s first visit was to the Ministry of Public Health’s General Dental Hospital in Pyongyang.  The dental hospital was opened in April 2010.  In August 2011, according to KCNA, the dental hospital saw the addition of seven new specialty departments.  During his visit, Choe “took measures for updating it.”

Choe Yong Rim, joined by Vice DPRK Cabinet Premier and State Planning Commission Chairman Ro Tu Chol, also visited recovery efforts underway in the Komdok area, approximately 48 km (30 miles) north of Kimch’aek and 97 km (60 miles) south of Ch’o'ngjin, in North Hamgyo’ng Province.  According to a 7 September 2012 report by KCNA the Komdok area “suffered huge damage” to various mining complexes, farmland, roads, railways and telephone lines.  Choe toured damaged areas where he “learned in detail about the recovery operations and living of the inhabitants there before encouraging them.”

After touring the area, Choe convened a meeting with local government and Korean People’s Army [KPA] officials managing reconstruction and recovery.  According to KCNA, “the meeting   discussed issues of bringing the people’s living in the afflicted areas to normal at an early date and matters of restoring destroyed railways and roads [and] underscored the need for all the units including ministries and national institutions to render sincere help in the recovery operations”  Choe’s meeting with local officials also “called for winding up the recovery operations at an early date by the might of the unity of the army and the people and turning the area into a better place, not confined to restoring the afflicted area to its original state.”

Choe Ryong Hae Visits Coal Mine and Railway Station

VMar Choe Ryong Hae inspects reconstruction activities at the Joyang-area coal mine in South P’yo’ngan Province. (Photo: KCNA)

DPRK state media reported on 11 August (Saturday) that VMar Choe Ryong Hae, director of the Korean People’s Army [KPA] General Political Department (bureau) visited a coal mine and railway station in Joyang (Choyang-nodongjagu [Choyang Workers' District]), located approximately 8 miles (13 km) northeast of Kaech’o'n, South P’yo’ngan Province.  The mines and railway station were “hardest hit by the flood,” according to KCNA.  During his inspection he visited various infrastructure sites near the train station.  KPA construction personnel were mobilized to reconstruct the train station and other infrastructure sites.  According to KCNA, “servicepersons succeeded in completely rehabilitating the Kaechon-Joyang railway area in a short span of time less than three days in the spirit of ‘At one go’, ensuring the operation of the first freight train carrying coal.”  KCNA reports:

Choe Ryong Hae, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea and director of the General Political Bureau of the Korean People’s Army, inspected the Joyang Coal Mine hit hardest by the recent flood.

In hearty response to the order of Supreme Commander of the Korean People’s Army Marshal Kim Jong Un, servicepersons succeeded in completely rehabilitating the Kaechon-Joyang railway area in a short span of time less than three days in the spirit of “At one go”, ensuring the operation of the first freight train carrying coal.

They are now hastening the reconstruction of the railway station building, the improvement of waterways, the building of retaining walls and rehabilitation of pits, in the same spirit displayed in the operations to recover from flood damage.

Choe Ryong Hae went round the railway station compound and waterways improvement sites to encourage the servicepersons and people in their drive fully demonstrating the might of great army-people unity.

He stressed the need to bring people’s living in the area of the coal mine to normal under the slogan “Let us help people!” and finally round off the rehabilitation.
He also learned about the progress made in rehabilitating the main bridge and took measures.

A view of Joyang (Choyang) Workers District, a coal production area in South P’yo’ngan Province (Photo: Google image)

Overview of the area around Joyang (Choyang) Workers’ District in South P’yo’ngan Province (Photo: Google image)

DPRK Premier Choe Yong Rim Visits Flooded Anju

DPRK Premier Choe Yong Rim (3rd L) inspects flood damage in the city of Anju in South P’yo’ngan Province (Photo: KCNA)

DPRK state media reported on 4 August (Saturday) that Cabinet Premier Choe Yong Rim visited Anju (Anju-si), South P’yo’ngan Province to tour areas of the city ravaged by floods during July.  Choe’s visit to Anju occurred after DPRK state media revised the number ofcasualties and damage caused by typhoons and torrential rain from June to July.  KCNA reported that 169 people were killed, 144 injured, 400 people were missing and 212,200 people displaced.  The United Nations [UN] and Red Cross have been assessing the storm damage in the country and are in the process of gathering relief supplies.  In addition to widespread property damage, the flooding has particularly affected the DPRK’s supply of drinking water.  According to KCNA, in the city of Anju: “. . .houses for thousands of families, almost all public buildings and industrial facilities inundated or destroyed and a large area of farmland washed away or buried under silt. This made it hard for a large area of cultivated land to expect any harvest of crops.”

During his visit to Anju, Choe Yong Rim “learned in detail about the flood damage before holding an urgent consultative meeting.”  According to KCNA, Choe “called upon the Cabinet and other relevant units to pay deep attention to recovery operations in the city and fulfill their responsibility and roles.”

KCNA reports:

Choe Yong Rim, premier of the Cabinet who is a member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Workers’ Party of Korea Central Committee, toured Anju City, South Phyongan Province hit by flood.

The torrential rain hit Anju City recently, leaving houses for thousands of families, almost all public buildings and industrial facilities inundated or destroyed and a large area of farmland washed away or buried under silt. This made it hard for a large area of cultivated land to expect any harvest of crops.

The flooding also left water supply and drainage networks and power supply system unworkable.

The premier learned in detail about the flood damage before holding an urgent consultative meeting.

The meeting underscored the importance of restoring the systems for the supply of drinking water and electricity in bringing the living of the people in the afflicted areas to normal and dealt with issues of determining a proper order of priority for recovery operations and focusing efforts on it.

The premier called upon the Cabinet and other relevant units to pay deep attention to recovery operations in the city and fulfill their responsibility and roles.

DPRK Premier Tours Flooded Songchon and Sinyang Counties

DPRK Premier Choe Yong Rim (front row, 3rd L) views flood damage in South P’yo’ngan Province, caused by several days of torrential rain and typhoons (Photo: KCNA)

DPRK state media reported on 31 July (Tuesday) that DPRK Premier Choe Yong Rim toured flood-ravaged areas of So’ngch’o'n County, South P’yo’ngan Province which is located approximately 27 miles (44 km) north east of Pyongyang, as well as neighboring Sinyang County.  During mid-July the DPRK saw a series of typhoons and torrential rains that caused heavy floods in the western part of the country.  The flooding has been exacerbated by ongoing problems with land management (i.e. deforestation) and rickety infrastructure.  According to DPRK state media reporting, 88 people have died, 134 have been injured and 60,000 people displaced.  Choe Yong Rim visited the town of So’ngch’o'n (the county seat) and two farms in the area.  According to KCNA, “he learnt in detail about the state of damage in various fields, acres of farmland being washed away or buried and the rehabilitation from flood damage. He also consoled the inhabitants in the flood-stricken areas.”

DPRK Premier Choe Yong Rim is briefed about flood damage in South P’yo’ngan Province. (Photo: KCNA)

Choe convened a meeting with local officials to discuss disaster relief work and reconstruction.  According to KCNA during the meeting Choe “underscored the need to energetically push ahead with the work for recovering from the flood damage and helping the flood-stricken inhabitants in the spirit of devotedly working for the society and collective.”  Choe also toured areas of Sinyang County.  After his visit, he referred to the problem of deforestation.  According to KCNA “he stressed the need to conduct afforestation for erosion control in a substantial way to suit the characteristic features of the region with lots of high mountains and valleys, and took necessary measures for them.”

KCNA reports:

DPRK Premier Choe Yong Rim went to Songchon County to acquaint himself with the state of rehabilitation from flood damage.

Going round the town area of Songchon, town co-op farm and Ryonghung Co-op Farm, he learnt in detail about the state of damage in various fields, acres of farmland being washed away or buried and the rehabilitation from flood damage. He also consoled the inhabitants in the flood-stricken areas.

He held a consultative meeting of the officials concerned on the spot.

Discussed there were measures for ensuring emergency transport of materials urgent for rehabilitation by concentrating efforts on reconstruction of railways and roads while paying primary attention to stabilizing the people’s living in the flood-hit areas.

The premier underscored the need to energetically push ahead with the work for recovering from the flood damage and helping the flood-stricken inhabitants in the spirit of devotedly working for the society and collective.

After taking stock of the flood damage in Sinyang County, he stressed the need to conduct afforestation for erosion control in a substantial way to suit the characteristic features of the region with lots of high mountains and valleys, and took necessary measures for them.

People’s Security Holds Loyalty Rally

Minister of People's Security Gen. Ri Myong Su gives the keynote speech at a rally of MPS and KPISF personnel. Seen behind him, L, is Col. Gen. Ri P'yo'ng-sam, head of the MPS/KPISF Political Bureau (Photo: KCNA)

The Ministry of People’s Security [MPS] and the Korean People’s Internal Security Forces held a loyalty rally Tuesday (3 April) on the campus of the MPS’ national headquarters in northern Pyongyang.  The DPRK central leadership will need all the police and public safety personnel in the coming weeks with the 4th Party Conference on 11 April, the 5th session of the 12th Supreme People’s Assembly [SPA] on 13 April and a military parade scheduled for 15 April.  KCNA reports:

Present there were Ri Myong Su, minister of People’s Security, Ri Pyong Sam, director of the Political Bureau of the KPISF, officials of the ministry, people’s security personnel and service personnel of the KPISF.

Led by the minister, its participants made a solemn pledge to hold Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il in high esteem for all ages as the sun of juche, sun of songun, successfully carry out the behests of peerlessly great men and remain faithful to the songun revolutionary leadership of Kim Jong Un.

They said that they will consolidate Pyongyang and the whole country as a fortress for defending the leader, holding aloft the slogan “Let us defend the Party C.C. headed by the dear respected Kim Jong Un with our lives!” They determined to push ahead with the construction of major projects and undertake more good work for the people, aware of the mission and duty as protectors of their lives and properties and thus contribute to bringing the Party’s plan for building a thriving nation into full bloom.

Personnel of the Ministry of People's Security and Korean People's Internal Security Force assemble in front of the Kim Il-so'ng statue at MPS headquarters. At the left in the background is the Ponghwa Art Theater (Photo: KCNA)

MPS and KPISF personnel gesture during a loyalty rally (Photo: KCNA)

Ministry of People's Security/KPISF Headquarters (Photo: Google image)

Kim Jong Il Meets with Medvedev

Kim Jong Il steps out of his car prior to meeting Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on 24 August 2011 outside of Ulan Ude in Siberia (Photo: RIA Novosti)

Kim Jong Il (Kim Cho’ng-il) met with Russian Federation President Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev on Wednesday (24 August) at a military compound outside of Ulan Ude in Siberia.  During the meeting, KJI said that he would consider suspending any additional nuclear weapons development, testing and production as part of an oft-repeated pledge for the DPRK to return to the Six Party Talks.  RT reports:

North Korea is ready to return to the Six-Party negotiation table unconditionally and to do so, Kim Jong-il promised his country will impose moratorium on nuclear testing and nuclear weapons production.

Presidential Press Secretary Natalia Timakova announced these results of the meeting on Wednesday.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his North Korean counterpart have met in the secluded military compound Sosnovy Bor (Pine Wood) on the outskirts of the capital of Republic of Buryatia, Ulan-Ude. The talks lasted for two hours and ten minutes.The leaders shook hands for protocol photos in the presence of press, then proceeded to negotiate behind closed doors. Few results were announced once the negotiations were over, including little information about the topics of discussion.

Surely, tense topics have been discussed during the meeting. Most likely the talks were focused on Six-Party Talks: North Korea withdrew from the Six-Party Talks (which include North and South Koreas, Russia, China, US and Japan) and continued with its nuclear experiments, defiant in its continuation of its nuclear program, predictably causing outrage not only within the Six Parties, but the whole of the international community.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev (L) meets with Kim Jong Il, the top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), near Russia's eastern Siberian city of Ulan Ude, Aug. 24, 2011. (Xinhua/RIA NOVOSTI)

KJI and Medvedev also discussed the formation of a three-country commission to oversee the development and construction of a gas pipeline running from Russia through the DPRK to ROK.  ITAR-TASS reports:

Medvedev said, “We achieved certain results on gas cooperation. In particular, a decision has been taken to create a special commission for gas transit to the Republic of Korea via the territory of the DPRK.”

“The DPRK seeks to realise this project,” the Russian president stressed. At the same time, he pointed out that the gas pipeline of 1,100 km long was planning to be built.

“This year it will be possible to transport up to 10 billion cubic metres of gas by this pipeline. If there is demand, we are ready to increase our supplies,” Medvedev said.

“We instructed our agencies to create a special commission in order to determine concrete parameters of gas cooperation via the territory of the DPRK and involve South Korea in this project due to the fact that main consumers are deployed on its territory,” the Russian president said.

He noted, “The DPRK seeks to realise such tripartite project with the participation of Russia and South Korea. Now we are starting a technical work.” “Some time ago the Gazprom delegation led by the deputy head of the board visited the DPRK. Yesterday I instructed [the company’s head Alexei] Miller to deal with this problem. We’ll hope that there will be a good project,” Medvedev said.

A delegation from Russia’s Gazprom gas giant visited North Korea last week, for the latest in a sudden flurry of mysterious contacts between Moscow and the isolated state, the company said.

The Gazprom team was headed by deputy managing chairman Alexander Ananenkov, who met with North Korea’s oil minister to discuss “outstanding issues of cooperation in the energy sphere,” the Russian company said.

The construction of a gas pipeline between Russia and South Korea via the DPRK will guarantee the restoration and strengthening of trust between Seoul and Pyongyang, said Georgy Toloraya, director of research programmes at the Centre for Modern Korean Studies, Institute of World Economy and International Relations.

Commenting on a visit to Russia by North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, Toloraya said, “The upcoming talks between the Russian and North Korean leaders are important. The six-party consultations may resume. North Koreans said they were ready to resume negotiations and discus the nuclear programme. It will be more difficult to ignore a signal that Kim Jong-il will give to the international community with the aid of Dmitry Medvedev.”

“If Russia supports the initiative [on resuming the six-party talks] and guarantees that North Koreans seek to discuss this problem, it will be more difficult for Seoul and Washington to scuttle the dialogue,” the Russian expert said.

Economic projects, such as the construction of a gas pipeline between Russia and South Korea via the DPRK, the linking up of the Trans-Korean railway with the Trans-Siberian mainline and the construction of a power transmission line from the Far East to the Republic of Korea, can be very significant in relations between the two countries. “This issue is being actively finalised. Gazprom’ s project has been approved by North Korea. Pyongyang is also ready to take part in the project jointly with South Koreans despite difficult relations. Now Gazprom intends to inform Seoul about this. South Koreans agree in word although they voice concerns over North Korea’s possible dependence, including illegal gas extraction and blackmail,” he said.

At the same time, he said, “The pipeline will guarantee the restoration and strengthening of trust between the North and the South. The economic development of North Korea will become one more argument for stopping the nuclear programme.”

Kim Jong Il meets with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on 24 August 2011 outside of Ulan Ude in Siberia (Photo: Kremlin)

Kim Jong Il and Dmitry Medvedev sit for a media availability on 24 August 2011 (Photo: Kremlin)

The meeting’s agenda also included a bit of old business, including the DPRK’s formal recognition of the Russian Federation succeeding the Soviet Union and the DPRK’s repayment of foreign debts to the former USSR.  RIA Novosti reports:

Medvedev and Kim met in Ulan-Ude, in East Siberia’s Buryatia Region earlier in the day.

“The leaders agreed on an approach toward solving this issue,” the source said.

Renewed talks on the issue had been going on for around six weeks, the source added.

“The Russian delegation thinks that the fact that these talks have been renewed is a significant breakthrough toward solving this issue.”

The talks involve North Korea’s $11 billion debt to Russia from the Soviet era, Deputy Finance Minister Sergei Storchak said on Wednesday.

He also said that North Korea should first recognize Russia as a successor state of the Soviet Union. Then the two states need to recalculate the sum of the loan, which was issued in Soviet rubles at the exchange rate of 0.6 rubles per $1.

Only then the two countries may launch negotiations “on how to repay the resulting sum.”

Moscow sees the loan as one of the factors that hinder trade and economic cooperation between the two states.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev talks with Kim Jong Il during a photo op on 24 August (Photo: Xinhua)

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev (L) and Kim Jong Il (R) on 24 August 2011 in Ulan Ude in Siberia (Photo: Xinhua)

KJI Arrives in Ulan Ude

North Korean and Russian flags are hung at Ulan-Ude Station in Ulan-Ude in eastern Siberia on the occassion of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's visit on Aug. 23. (Yonhap)

Kim Jong Il arrived in Ulan Ude on 23 August (Tuesday), greeted at the railway station by various local officials.  KJI is expected to meet with Russian Federation President Dmitry Medvedev on Wednesday (24 August).  On Tuesday, KJI indulged in one of his favorite past times, swimming, on this occasion in a pool of water pumped from Lake Baikal.  KJI took a dip with a local elected official, then cruised the lake and enjoyed a dinner of regional dishes.  Later in the day he toured Ulan Ude’s aircraft factory.  Radio Netherlands reports:

Kim’s armoured train earlier pulled into the traditionally Buddhist city of Ulan-Ude where he is expected to hold talks with Medvedev on Wednesday in an apparent bid to win Russian aid for his isolated state amid food shortages.

Russian officials have pulled out all the stops for the high-profile visit which has seen Kim ease his way across Siberia along the famed Trans-Siberian railway from the Pacific since crossing the border into Russia at the weekend.

Amid unprecedented security involving dozens of guards and North Korean snipers, the reclusive Kim was taken to the small village of Turka on the picturesque shores of Lake Baikal, a regional official told AFP.

There he took a swim in the pool filled with Lake Baikal water which locals believe has medicinal powers and gives bathers vital energy and health, he told AFP. “It is considered sacred,” said the official, who asked not to be named.

Kim was also given a boat ride across the lake and was offered local delicacies like the endemic omul fish and traditional Buryat dish of meat dumplings known as buuza.

World famous for its dramatic beauty, Lake Baikal contains around a fifth of the world’s fresh water and is home to a variety of endemic species.

Kim also visited the Soviet-era Ulan-Ude aviation plant making assault jets and helicopters. “It was a good day,” said another local official involved with the visit, noting the straight-faced Kim sported his trademark sunglasses.

In an apparent nod to Kim’s concerns about personal safety, the Kremlin imposed a virtual blanket ban on information about Kim’s plans and itinerary.

Kim is set to meet Medvedev for a rare summit in the eastern Siberian city 5,550 kilometres (3,450 miles) east of Moscow on Wednesday, with the talks expected to focus on Pyongyang’s nuclear programme, energy and food shortages in the isolated state.

Back in the DPRK, the country welcomed a Russian military delegation, among other visitors. KCNA reported on on 22 August of the arrival (among others) of “a delegation of the Eastern Military District of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation headed by Commander of the district Konstantin Sidenko.”  Kyodo News, citing ITAR-TASS, reports:

Itar-Tass said a Russian military delegation headed Adm. Konstantin Sidenko, commander of troops of the Eastern Military District, arrived in North Korea earlier in the day for a five-day visit.

Citing the Russian Defense Ministry, the report said, ”The agenda of the visit envisages meetings with the top officers of the Korean People’s Army in order to have consultations seeking to resume and develop military and naval cooperation.” It said the visit is also intended ”to negotiate probable dates and the scenario of Russian-North Korean humanitarian exercises and to exchange courtesy visits of Russian and North Korean warships.”

The two sides ”will discuss prospects for cooperation between the ground troops of the countries, probable joint exercises and trainings for the search and rescue of ships in distress and the aid to people in natural disasters.”

For a glimpse of Kim Jong Il, spots and all, one might wish to rely on images taken and released by non-DPRK media sources.  Chosun Ilbo reports that DPRK media has edited KJI’s liver spots and other blemishes from photos it releases.  It seems that the DPRK has imported the practice of the airbrushed celebrity.

The most conspicuous picture was shown on CCTV and features Kim in Yangzhou in the Chinese province of Jiangsu on May 23. But in a photo released on May 28 by the North’s state-run Korean Central News Agency, which it claimed shows Kim inspecting Huichon Power Station, he has no liver spots on his face. Another image shows him inspecting a fish farm on June 2, again without liver spots.

But in a photo taken by a Xinhua news agency cameraman, which shows Kim meeting with Chinese official Li Yuanchao in Pyongyang on June 13, he has liver spots again.

On his July 6 visit to Sinam Cooperative Farm in North Pyongan Province, the KCNA seems to have photoshopped his skin clean again.

But in a picture released by Chinese media on July 12, he has dark spots on his face again.

KJI Visits Hydroelectric Power Plant in Russian Far East

Kim Jong Il is greeted at an Amur railway station on 21 August with bread (Photo: Port Amur/Amur information agency)

Kim Jong Il (Kim Cho’ng-il) continued his visit Sunday (21 August) to Russia’s Far East with a visit to Amur Oblast, which included a tour of the Bureiskaya hydroelectric power plant.  There was a small reception and send-off at the local train station.  According to Amur news agency, during his visit to the power plant, he toured the machine room and then watched the water discharge.  He departed the city in the late afternoon, as he wends his way to Ulan Ude where his meeting with Russian President Dmitry Anatoliyevich Medvedev is expected to occur.  RT reports:

North Korean leader has been greeted with Russian traditional bread and salt in Russia’s Far Eastern Amur Region as he came off his armored train. Kim Jong Il’s security was guarded heavily by dozens of police.

People living nearby were advised to veil their windows and photo and video shooting were prohibited, local news agency Amur.info reported.

The North Korean leader stepped out onto a red carpet and was then swept off in his very own Mercedes-Benz, which had travelled with him on the same armored train.

The motorcade headed for the local Bureiskaya hydropower plant where he spent just five minutes.

Kim Jong Il is now proceeding on his train to Ulan-Ude, the capital of the Republic of Buryatia, where he is due to meet with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

Kim Jong Il tours the Bureiskaya Hydroelectric Power Plant in Amur Oblast on 21 August 2011 (Photo: Port Amur/Amur information agency)

Kim Jong Il signs a guestbook during his visit to a hydroelectric power plant in Amur Oblast on 21 August 2011. Arrow indicates an individual believed to be his wife, Kim Ok (Photo: Port Amur/Amur information agency)

KJI crossed the DPRK-Russian border on Saturday (20 August) where he met briefly with local officials at Khasan Railway Station.  Xinhua’s Mu Xuequan reports:

According to the KCNA, the unofficial visit by Kim Jong Il to Siberia and the Far East Region of the Russian Federation at the invitation of Dmitri Anatoliyevich Medvedev, president of the Russian Federation, is another event in “achieving world peace and security and the human cause of independence” and will mark a historic occasion in “boosting the DPRK-Russia friendship given steady continuity generation after generation and putting strong impetus to the drive of all the servicepersons and people to build a thriving socialist nation”. Kim was greeted at Khasan Railway Station by Viktor Ishayev, presidential envoy to the Far East Region of the Russian Federation, Sergey Darikin, governor of Maritime Territory, and other senior Russian officials at the railway station. The officials warmly welcomed Kim, saying President Medvedev who paid deep attention to the Russia-DPRK friendship dispatched them to greet him and the current visit of Kim to Russia will mark a historic occasion in putting the Russia-DPRK friendly and cooperative relations onto a fresher and higher stage, said the report. Kim said that he was very pleased to see the achievements made by the Russian people and appreciated the greeting of the senior officials of Russia, the report added.

Seen in attendance, standing behind Kim Jong Il, are members of the DPRK leadership including Tae Jong Su, Jang Song Taek, Pak To Chun and Kim Yong Chun (Photo: Port Amur/Amur information agency)

KCNA reported about KJI’s first day in Russia, as well as a selected list of the members of his travel party:

He was presented with a souvenir by Sergey Darikin on behalf of the Maritime Territorial Government and people.

After a while, he left for his destination amid send-off by senior officials of Russia.

Prior to it, he left the country to pay an unofficial visit to Siberia and the Far East Region of the Russian Federation.

He is accompanied by Kim Yong Chun, member of the Political Bureau of the WPK Central Committee and minister of the People’s Armed Forces, Kang Sok Ju, member of the Political Bureau of the WPK Central Committee and vice-premier of the Cabinet, Jang Song Thaek, alternate member of the Political Bureau of the WPK Central Committee and vice-chairman of the NDC, Kim Yang Gon, Pak To Chun and Thae Jong Su, alternate members of the Political Bureau and secretaries of the WPK Central Committee, Ju Kyu Chang, alternate member of the Political Bureau and department director of the WPK Central Committee, Pak Pong Ju, first vice department director of the WPK Central Committee, O Su Yong, chief secretary of the North Hamgyong Provincial Committee of the WPK, Kim Kye Gwan, first vice-minister of Foreign Affairs, Kim Yong Jae, DPRK ambassador to Russia, and Sim Kuk Ryong, consul general of the DPRK Consulate General in Nakhodka of Russia.

His visit to Russia, another event in achieving world peace and security and the human cause of independence, will mark a historic occasion in boosting the DPRK-Russia friendship given steady continuity generation after generation and putting strong impetus to the drive of all the servicepersons and people to build a thriving socialist nation.

A view of Kim Jong Il's projected rail route during his sojourn through Russia's Far East (Photo: Google image)

In images taken by a local news agency, an individual who resembles KJI’s current wife, Kim Ok, was also seen in attendance.  Kim Jong Un (Kim Cho’ng-u’n) was neither listed nor observed to have accompanied KJI.  AFP (via Channel News Asia) reports:

Korean Central News Agency confirmed on Sunday Kim’s “unofficial visit to Siberia and the Far East” region at the invitation of Russian leader Dmitri Medvedev, calling it a “historic occasion”.

A large group of government and military officials were accompanying Kim including defence minister Kim Yong-Chun, vice premier Kang Sok-Ju and Jang Song-Thaek, the leader’s brother-in-law and vice head of the powerful National Defence Commission, KCNA said.

But Jong-Un, the leader’s youngest son and heir apparent, was not listed in the official entourage.

The young protege, believed to be in his late 20s, was made a general and given senior posts in the ruling communist party last September.

The leader, who suffered a stroke in August 2008, has been grooming his Swiss-educated son as eventual successor in an attempt to extend the family dynasty into a third generation.

Kim Jong-Il took over in the late 1990s from his father and founding president Kim Il-Sung, who built the dynasty that has ruled the impoverished country with an iron first for more than six decades.

Jong-Un, known to be expanding his role in policy-making, has not yet been spotted accompanying his father to diplomatic trips overseas including the leader’s surprise visit to China in May.

The visit to Russia comes at a sensitive time for the two countries. Russia is heading into crucial presidential polls in 2012, in which the big unknown is whether Medvedev or former president and current Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will run.

Kim Jong Il enters his personal armored train, prior to departing Amur on 21 August 2011 (Photo: Port Amur/Amur information agency)