Japan Institute for National Fundamentals

　　　　　　　In Pyongyang from May 6 through 9, the Workers’ Party of Korea held its first congress in 36 years. The WPK forcibly mobilized the people for a campaign called “70-day struggle” toward the congress, asking overseas diplomats, traders and migrant workers to provide massive foreign currencies. While the party thus imposed such great burden on the people, the congress fell short of presenting any new policy.

Demand to treat N. Korea in same way as P5
　　　　　　　It was noteworthy that the Chinese Communist Party refrained from sending any representative to the WPK congress. A written decision issued by the WPK implicitly criticized China for supporting United Nations sanctions on North Korea, saying that the North cannot tolerate the current situation where resolutions to rationalize the U.S. plot for aggression and war have been adopted at international arenas such as the United Nations and that the nominal justice of imperialists and colonialists should be burned to ashes. Colonialists could be taken as referring to China, reminding us of North Korea leader Kim Jong-un’s reported remark after a nuclear test in January, saying that China changed from a comrade into an enemy (The Tokyo Shimbun, May 10).
　　　　　　　Kim Jong-un in his speech to the congress said North Korea would refrain from using nuclear weapons first, faithfully fulfill its obligation for nonproliferation and strive for global denuclearization, leading some media to describe North Korea as calling for denuclearization. Just before the remarks, however, he positioned North Korea as a “responsible nuclear weapons state” suggesting that North Korea be treated in the same way as for nuclear powers under the nuclear nonproliferation treaty.
　　　　　　　Given that the countries allowed to possess nuclear weapons under the NPT are the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, Kim’s suggestion means that North Korea should be treated in the same way as for the P5. India, Pakistan and Israel have developed nuclear weapons without acceding to the NPT. We must not forget that North Korea is the only unlawful country that acceded to the NPT as a non-nuclear nation and violated the treaty to arm itself with nuclear weapons.

Exclude Japanese Foreign Ministry from talks on abductees
　　　　　　　An eye-catching fact regarding the WPK congress was that four speakers for the second day of the congress included Cho Yon-jun, first vice-director of the WPK Organization and Guidance Department. The other three were senior WPK executive Kim Ki-nam, director of the WPK Propaganda and Agitation Department, senior military leader Ri Myong-su, chief of the Korean People’s Army General Staff, and economic policymaker Pak Pong-ju, premier. The selection of Cho Yon-jun as a speaker was remarkable as he is not a member of the WPK Politburo Presidium.
　　　　　　　The WPK Organization and Guidance Department had served as the core of power in the Kim Jong-il age and had been a behind-the-scenes organization. However, the department led the purge of Jang Sung-taek, Kim Jong-un’s uncle and former vice chairman of the National Defense Commission, and has begun to demonstrate that it has been exerting power. Hwang Pyong-so, who is another first vice-director of the department, has risen as new chief of the KPA General Political Bureau and a member of the WPK Politburo Presidium. And at the latest congress, as I noted, Cho Yon-jun made a speech along with WPK, KPA and government leaders. The Organization and Guidance Department is a conservative organization that sticks to Kim Jong-il policies, rejects reform and opening, and gives priority to nuclear armament. Its policies have been represented by the latest WPK congress.
　　　　　　　As for Japan-North Korea relations, Pyongyang has refrained from criticizing Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and invited a former Japanese cook to North Korea, continuing to engage with Japan. This indicates that Pyongyang maintains its approach to Japan as a card to counter the deterioration of relations with China. The Abe administration should take advantage of this opportunity to start effective talks with Pyongyang for the return of all Japanese abductees from North Korea, with the Prime Minister’s Office taking the initiative and excluding the Foreign Ministry that has failed to give priority to the rescue of the abductees.

【Correction】
In #369 (special) titled “Are North Korea and the Islamic States Collaborating on Terror?” (dated April 22, 2016), the first paragraph’s second sentence (“This information reveals that, beginning two years ago, North Korean special forces entered IS-controlled areas, where they have since been acting as instructors in military exercises”) was wrong. It should have read: “This information reveals that, since two years ago, North Korean special forces have been acting as instructors in military exercises of the Syrian government. The request for cooperation in terrorism may run counter to North Korea’s traditional relationship with the Syrian government.”

Tsutomu Nishioka is a member of the Planning Committee at the Japan Institute for National Fundamentals and Professor at Tokyo Christian University.