Review: "The Interview" Cites UN and John Kerry Once Each, Much Katy Perry, Why Not Sri Lanka?

By Matthew Russell Lee, Fast Review

UNITED NATIONS, December 24 -- North Korea wrote to the UN to try to stop the movie "The Interview." But when the movie screened, or streamed, on December 24, it mentioned the UN only once, with regard to $200 million a year in food aid.

  It mentions US Secretary of State John Kerry once, looking like an oak tree. There's a flash to a military base in South Korea, whose Ambassador Oh Joon took Press question at the UN Security Council stakeout on December 22. 

  There's (much) more Katy Perry; there's a joke about Frosty Nixon, and Stalin - Stallone. 

  Some have compared it to Charlie Chaplin's "The Great Dictator." But that was taking on a major power. This, about North Korea, feels too easy, at least to this reviewer. 

  But North Korea - in the movie it's called the "Democratic People's Republic of North Korea," the "North" being superfluous - fell into the trap, and made the movie more prominent than it would have been. 

   And that, is how it should work -- just as, at the UN,attempts to censor stories about UN Peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous (video here, Vine here) and United Nations Correspondents Association president Giampaolo Paolorenting one of his apartments to Palitha Kohona, Sri Lanka's Ambassador and then screening his government's war crimes denial, and by his then-vice president with streamer Google, cannot be allowed to censor.

  Would Hollywood make such a movie about Sri Lanka and Mahinda Rajapaksa? Would it, at least without Eddie Murphy, do one about an African leader? With Sri Lanka, it is at least in part a US ally. Like we said, North Korea was too easy. But it was done, and done. And there are certainly laughs in it.

   Back on December 22, in the real world or at least the UN Security Council, when the North Korea agenda item was proposed, the Council president from Chad gave a time for objections.

  China objected and spoke (below), and then in the meeting itself, spoke again, also below.

   After the meeting - seventeen speeches, no replies or request for an outcome - only South Korean ambassador Oh Joon and the UN's Ivan Simonovic came out to take questions at the UNTV stakeout.

 Inner City Press asked each of them the same two questions: about the UN's "field based structure" in Seoul, to open in March 2015, and if the turning off of the Internet in North Korea, some say by the US as its response to the Sony hack, could itself be a human rights violation (even granting how few people in DPRK have access to the Internet).

  This later question, both speakers seemed to dodge.Video here. Oh Joon said no one can turn off the entire Internet -- even in North Korea? -- and Simonovic said he wouldn't speculate.

  Nor did he address how South Korea's law restricting speech about North Korea might impact the work or credibility of the coming OHCHR office there.

  Earlier China's Permanent Representative said:

"China has stated its position against the Security Council's involvement in the human rights issues in DPRK. China has been consistent. The Security Council is not the forum to discuss human rights issues. We oppose any outcome document on the situation of human rights in DPRK.

"China is a neighbor to the Korean peninsula. China will never allow any turbulence or war in the Korean peninsula. We hope the members of the Security Council place their interest in denuclearization and maintenance of peace as a priority, exercise restraint, avoid rhetoric and mutual provocation, and refrain from activities that may lead to the escalation of tension. China will work towards the  realization of denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, the maintenance of peace and stability, and will address issues through peace and dialogue. China hopes the relevant parties will take real actions to create the environment for the relaunch of six party talks."

  Among the speeches, Rwanda recalling the UN Security Council's in- or mal-action during its 1994 genocide (see a 1994 memo here, and a letter to the UN today here.)

  Here is how China objected to the item at the beginning of the meeting:

"China is against using the existence of violation of human rights as a reason to include the agenda of the DPRK in the Security Council. The UN charter stipulates that the purpose of the Security Council is to maintain international peace and security. The Security Council is not a forum for getting involved in human rights issues.

"Currently, international peace and security are faced with daunting challenges. The Security Council should focus on addressing issues that really concern peace and security: upholding the goal of denuclearization, maintaining peace, and maintaining dialogue, these are in the common interests of all parties. The Security Council should work more to facilitate dialogue and refrain from doing anything that might cause the escalation of tension."

  Then Australia read into the record the letter which requested the meeting. A vote was called. China and Russia opposed the agenda item; Chad and Nigeria abstained.  It was decided to proceed.

  The first speaker was the UN's Taye-Brook Zerihoun (instead of Jeffrey Feltman), who began with the SONY Pictures hack.

  UN Assistant Secretary General Ivan Simonovic was to briefing the Security Council on DPRK. His office sent his speech to select journalists, embargoed until 3 pm. Inner City Press, despite previous requests to Simonovic's (and before that, Ladsous') spokesperson, was not sent the speech, and was not bound by any embargo agreement...

  Here's DPRK on the UNGA vote:

The Foreign Ministry of the DPRK released the following statement on Saturday:

The efforts of the DPRK government to build the world's best power and a land of bliss for people where they are well-off as the masters under the socialist system have faced a grave challenge of the hostile forces.

The anti-DPRK "human rights resolution" which had been rammed through the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly by the U.S. was finally adopted in a forcible manner at a plenary session of the 69th UN General Assembly on Friday.

The "resolution" contains even the poisonous call for considering the matter of referring the "human rights issue" of the DPRK to the International Criminal Court, not content with malignantly hurting the DPRK's policy for ensuring genuine human rights. It is the most vivid manifestation of the U.S. harsh hostile policy toward the DPRK aimed at isolating and stifling it at any cost.

Washington, in utter disregard of the procedures and regulations of the UN, staged a farce of making the "human rights issue" of the DPRK an official agenda item by instigating its followers at the UN Security Council even before the adoption of the "resolution" at the UN General Assembly. This fact clearly proves its dangerous politically-motivated attempt to invent an excuse for mounting an invasion of the DPRK under the pretext of "human rights".

Under the present serious situation where the human rights issue of an individual country was politicized at the UN to make a dangerous precedent for abusing it for toppling the social system of the country and the human rights issue stands at the crossroads of genuine cooperation or war, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the DPRK solemnly clarifies its stand as follows:

First. The DPRK vehemently and categorically rejects the anti-DPRK "human rights resolution" rammed through the plenary session of the UN General Assembly by the hostile forces on the basis of plots, lies and fabrications and high-handed and arbitrary practices.

The "resolution", which was fabricated on the basis of the misinformation, a collection of "testimonies" made by human scum bereft of even an iota of conscience and appearance as human beings, failing to witness the actual human rights performance in the DPRK, can never remain valid no matter where and by whom it was "adopted."

Second. As the U.S. hostile policy toward the DPRK to mount an invasion of it under the excuse of human rights has become clear, the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula has lost its meaning.

The U.S. has reduced to dead papers all the agreements it made with the DPRK including the Sept. 19 joint statement adopted at the six-party talks in which the DPRK and the U.S. committed themselves to the mutual respect for sovereignty and peaceful co-existence from the moment it launched an all-out human rights showdown with the DPRK.

Third. The DPRK will take all the necessary measures, not bound to anything, to defend its sovereignty and security from the evermore undisguised moves of the U.S. to stifle it.

The DPRK will put increased spurs to its efforts to bolster up in every way its capability for self-defence including nuclear force.

The service personnel and people of the DPRK will smash the hostile forces' reckless "human rights" racket through unprecedentedly toughest counteractions and firmly defend the socialist system, their life and soul.

  On the Security Council from the EU are permanent members France and the UK, and Luxembourg which leaves in 13 days (Spain will replace it in 2015 and 2016). Ten days after ten UN Security Council members wrote to request a meeting on the situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the request was discussed behind closed doors on December 15.

  The day arrived at for the session appears to be December 22 (Inner City Press asked the Chadian President of the Security Council for December), with a moment of drama at the beginning.

 That day, the President of the Council will say, "the provision agenda is the situation in the DPRK," and any Council member has the right to object. There are, however, no veto rights on this procedural matter.

  China's Permanent Representative to the UN Liu Jieyi said China is opposed to putting DPRK on the Council's agenda, calling the situation there complex and sensitive. Will he object on December 22? Wait and see, he said.

  On December 5, ten UN Security Council council members on December 5 asked for a Council meeting on the subject.

  Inner City Press obtained the letter that day and put it online, here.

  The request, by  Australia, Chile, France, Jordan,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Republic of Korea, Rwanda,
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern
Ireland and the United States of America, is to put DPRK on the Council's agenda. For this, there is no opportunity to veto, unlike on any referral to the International Criminal Court.

  In January, there are five new members on the Council: Venezuela, Angola, Malaysia, Spain and New Zealand.

  Back on November 18 in the UN's Third Committee India said, in the fast transcription Inner City Press published that day, "We have abstained on the vote. We had voted in favor of the Cuban amendment. One of the main reason for India being unable to sign on to the ICC is that this doesn't allow the court to be free from political interference. The Security Council has the power to refer, the power to block, and the power to refer non-state parties. No state can be forced to be bound by a treaty it has not accepted. The Rome Statute violates international law. It gives state parties the power to refer non-state parties. OP 7 and OP 8 represent the very reasons against our joining the statute.It is unfortunate that matters on human rights have been taken to a vote."

 Earlier, after Cuba's proposed amendment was voted down, with 40 in favor, 77 against and 50 abstaining, DPRK itself spoke. Here is a fast transcription:

We express profound to all delegations that supported the amendment this morning.

"Regarding the draft resolution, the DPRK rejects the draft resolution. It is a product of political and military confrontation with no relevance to human rights. The EU and Japan submitted the resolution based on the reports of the Commission of Inquiry, which has never been to the country at all. The reports of the CoI is only based on fabricated testimonies of a handful of people who fled the country, abandoning their loved ones. The report is a compilation of groundless political accusations. We have maintained a position of rejecting confrontation and giving priority to dialogue and cooperation. The EU and Japan chose to provoke confrontation. The draft fails to reflect reality on the ground. Some member states of the EU and Japan hastily included dirty materials as leaflets flown by defectors. We do not feel any need to appeal to anyone to come and see the reality of our country, where politics and social system are all for the people. The Eu and Japan disclosed that the goal was subservience and sycophancy to the US and hostility to the DPRK from the outset, thus closing the door to doalogue. 

  "We shall strongly respond without slightest tolerance to any attempt to abuse the human rights issue as a tool for eliminating the social system of the DPRK. There is a hostile policy pursued by the US against the DPRK with a view to eliminating the social system of the country by means of force. The US instigated its followers to accuse us of crimes against humanity. The US unleashed a war in Yugoslavia, claiming to prevent crimes against humanity. It is now clear that all crimes of aggression committed by the US are linked to the vicious human rights campaign. We need to maintain powerful state capability to defend our people and their human rights. 

"This compels us not to refrain any further from conducting nuclear tests. In light of the human rights campaign we shall keep in our hearts pride and honor about the socialist system which was chosen by our people .The current draft resolution is confrontational in nature and will result in serious consequences. We wish to request a recorded vote and will vote against it. We encourage the representatives of the UN member states to vote against this confrontational resolution."

Before the vote on Cuba's amendment, South Africa spoke in support of the amendment, fast transcription here:

"We take the floor to support the Cuban proposal for the amendments of this res, in matters of principles. We agree with the views expressed, that this resolution is not balanced. The proposal Cuba is making would balance. We support the view Cuba raises about the dangerous precedent, as well as referring matters to the Security Council that do not belong in the realm of the Security Council. 

 "The Security Council can deal with any other matter in the world, without having the General Assembly urge it to do so. We find the res to be contradictory. There is a reference to the DPRK having gone through the UPR, but in the Operative Paragraph, the first OP condemns the longstanding violations in the DPRK. We find that to be a contradiction.... We will support the Cuban proposal."

  Here is a fast transcription of what the Cuba representative said: 

I would like to note that on the webpage there is a text in which we request that only the initial part of our amendment be maintained. The rest of the text will be eliminated. This had been included in the resolution but we wish to maintain only the first part.

This does not necessarily reflect human rights in the DPRK. Cuba has maintained a clear position on this matter and will vote against the resolution. We are not trying to prevent the SC from looking at the report of the Commission of Inquiry. Rather, Cuba is taking a position of principle. A number of delegations referred to the trigger mechanism, whereby the Human Rights Council is turning in to a tool used by some countries to attack others. Countries for which dialogue is not interesting, countries that don't want to promote human rights or uphold economic and social rights.

This resolution has been used to est a pattern which would endanger all developing countries. It creates a procedure under the Human Rights Council whereby there's no debate, the country in question isn't consulted, and has no chance to clarify the situation. It undermines the purpose of the council.

There's been a call to refer to the ICC. All these proposals will undermine the ICC. The ICC is a tool used against some developing countries, being used by more powerful countries. We haven't had time to explain our truth, and we would like to see a greater spirit of cooperation in terms of giving the country in question a chance to clarify.

We're trying to ensure that a precedent isn't being set. This would further damage the credibility of the council. This is political manipulation. We're not looking for confrontation. We believe where there's a will to cooperate, that will must be recognized. We don't want the situation to be exacerbated. We don't want to see people deprived of sovereignty.

Cuba has taken a position of principle. Every time attempts are made to manipulate the process, to use the council as a tool, we will take a stand.

  Here was the full text of Cuba's amendment:

Cuba: amendment to draft resolution A/C.3/69/L.28

Situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic
of Korea

Delete operative paragraphs 7 and 8 and insert a new operative paragraph 7 reading as follows:

Decides to adopt a new cooperative approach to the consideration of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea that will enable: (a) the establishment of dialogues by representatives of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea with States and groups of States interested in the issue; (b) the development of technical cooperation between the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea; and (c) the visit of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to the country;

   In the Third Committee on November 17, others disassociated themselves from the portions of the Human Rights Council's resolution on their country-specific mandates, including Iran and Eritrea, which also argued that Norway had erroneously stated that the African Group supported the mandate against it.

 There was a dispute when Mauritania tried to present as the African Group's statement on the report of the Human Rights Council a text that after challenged it admitted South African had not agreed to. We'll have more on this.

 On North Korea, as Inner City Press reported on November 4, here, a wider range of countries have expressed concern to the European Union and Japan about not only the ICC language, but also a reference to the Responsibility to Protect. 

  While these countries may not constitute the majority to derail the proposal, if an amendment along the lines of their concerns is proposed, the waters will be clouded. This should be next week.

  On November 8 the US announced that the Democratic People Republic of Korea released U.S. citizens Kenneth Bae and Matthew Todd Miller, held for two years and seven months, respectively.

  The US State Department said "We also want to thank our international partners, especially our Protecting Power, the Government of Sweden, for their tireless efforts to help secure the freedom of Mr. Bae and Mr. Miller. The Department of State reiterates our strong recommendation against all travel by U.S. citizens to the DPRK."

  This comes amid talk that the proposed referral of North Korean human rights to the UN Security Council for follow-on referral to the International Criminal Court might be traded away for a visit. Some are opposing the ICC language on other grounds, Inner City Press has learned.

   Some non-aligned countries have told the resolution's co-sponsors the European Union and Japan that they do not favor the language on the ICC, nor on the Responsibility to Protect, these sources exclusively tell Inner City Press.

  More recently Inner City Press has heard from sources not sponsoring the resolution that an amendment will be offered to strip out the ICC and other language, but may not pass. And now?

  Meanwhile, the Security Council's president for November Gary Quinlan of Australia indicated on November 4 that some of his colleagues in the Council -- certainly not all - think the Security Council can directly consider the question of referring North Korea to the ICC. Is the position based on guessing there would not be a veto? Or to work around a loss of momentum in the General Assembly's Third Committee? We'll continue on this.

  The draft in Operative Paragraph 7

"Encourages the Security Council to consider the relevant conclusions and recommendations of the commission of inquiry and take appropriate action, including through consideration of referral of the situation in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, to the International Criminal Court; and consideration of the scope for effective targeted sanctions against those who appear to be most responsible for crimes against humanity."

  The drafters note that this language is "BASED ON OP 7 HRC25/25+ OP10 68/182 SYRIA INT. CRIM. JUSTICE MECH. REFERRAL."

  The draft also "expresses its very deep concern at the precarious  humanitarian  situation in the country, which could rapidly deteriorate owing to limited resilience to natural disasters and to government policies causing limitations in the availability of and access to food." UN humanitarian official John Ging recently told the press how under-funded the UN's aid appeal for DPRK is.

  A US' September 23 event was at the Waldorf Astoria. The speakers were the US' Robert King, then John Kerry, then an articulate escapee, the foreign ministers of South Korea and Japan and finally UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Prince Zeid of Jordan.

  Afterward Inner City Press asked Zeid if it was he who brought the blue UN flag to the event which was not in the UN and did not play by the UN rules of "right of reply." He laughed, graciously. The bombing in Syria had begun only the night before.

  Back on August 25 when North Korean deputy ambassador Ri Tong Il held a UN press conference inside the UN, he described his government's August 18 letter to the UN Security Council requesting an emergency meeting about the US - South Korean joint military exercises, Ulchi Freedom Guardian.

  On August 20, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's first letter arose in Security Council consultations.As Inner City Press reported that day, the Council's president for August Mark Lyall Grant of the UK said that China had raised the issue of the letter, asking for other members' views. He said no further action or consideration of the letter is expected.

   After Ri Tong Il on August 25 said no response had been received, Inner City Press asked him if, beyond what Lyall Grant said at the stakeout, a formal letter should have been sent.

  Citing a US military web site which lists 10 other countries involved in UFJ, including the UK and France, Inner City Press what about the other countries in the joint military exercises, are they just a fig leaf?

  Ri Tong Il answered the second question first saying that the US never gives troup numbers, and that every time the US is talking about troops, under pretext of exercise they bring in nuclear weapons, aircraft carrier George Washington, B52, Tomahawk missiles. And they have all related weapons. And now concerning number of troops, over half a million. You can see, they are ready to move at any time. With full capacity. Plus, over 40,000 civilian population of South Korea. This is a full scale war exercise and the word ewcercise is not proper one. They are fully ready since they have been holding them annually.

 On the letter(s), Ri Tong Il said concerning the response from the UNSC, we in the name of the Permanent Repressentative presented a formal request addressed to His Excellency Grant, and in established practice of protocol whatever answer should be addressed to us. They’re not showing any respect even for the protocol. They should reply.

  Inner City Press immediately asked the UK Mission to the UN, whose spokesperson Iona Thomas quickly replied, "On the letter, it is my understanding that there is no requirement to respond to such requests in writing.  As the Ambassador said at the stakeout on Wednesday, there was no support in the Council for discussing the issue."

  Perhaps burying the lead on August 25 Ri Tong Il said, "The entire army of DPRK is closely watching. DPRK will conduce the most powerful pre-emptive nuclear strike against the US since the US openly decleared it would use so-called tailored deterrents. As long as the US exposes its intention to remove the government of Pyongyang, the DPRK responds the same way by making out conter-actions on a regular basis."

  Back on August 1, Inner City Press asked Ri Tong Il if he had asked for the letter to be formally circulated, or would North Korea take it to the General Assembly?

  Ri Tong Il replied that it is not a question of approaching individual countries, but a formal request to the Security Council. Inner City Press inquired with the mission of Rwanda, July's president, and got a copy of the letter and the response that there was no consensus for holding the requested emergency meeting. Inner City Press has put the letter online here.

  Also, at the bottom of this page is a fast transcript of the press conference, by Inner City Press & the Free UN Coalition for Access.

Inner City Press also asked Ri Tong Il for an update on his mission's announcement thirteen months ago that it sought the end of the so-called “UN Command” in South Korea. Ri Tong Il said his country remains opposed to it:

On UN command, the DPRK is consistently insisting on the dismantling of UN Command in South Korea. This is a UN body but not under the direction of the UN, it is not under the approval of its budget. If you look at the inside nature, 100 percent US troops. This is a typical example of position of power by the US. It should be dismantled. And we are raising it to the UN on a regular basis.

  Later on August 1 Inner City Press asked Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman for Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, if Ban has received North Korea's letter complaining about the Seth Rogen film “The Interview.” (Inner City Press has commented on the letter, here.). Dujarric said the letter has been received, but Ban has no response.

  Ban, of course, was South Korea's foreign minister. His c.v. or biography, including for a recent op-ed about Haiti(where the UN brought cholera and then has dodged accountability), states that Ban previously served as “Director of the UN’s International Organizations and Treaties Bureau.” 

 Other iterations say he was director of the “UN’s International Organizations and Treaties Bureau in South Korea, Seoul” (here). So was that really a UN (or “UN's”) agency? Or is is like the UN Command? Watch this site.

Footnote: In Ri Tong Il's press conference, the UN Correspondents Association demanded the first question, and gave it to a representative of a media from Japan - another representative of which took a second question, before other media got even one. While both are genial, this is how UNCA, a/k/a the UN's Censorship Alliance, works.

The new Free UN Coalition for Access is opposed to any set-asides or automatic first questions. Also, despite the continued censorship of the question, the Free UN Coalition for Access believes that at a minimum the UN should disclose “in kind” (or gift) private jet travel for Ban Ki-moon paid for by a state. We'll have more on this.Watch this site.

   

North Korea Deputy Ambassador Tells Inner City Press of Letter and Scam "UN" Command, Ban on Seth Rogen Film & “UN” on CV

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, August 1, updated with transcript -- When North Korean deputy ambassador Ri Tong Il held a UN press conference on August 1, it was to describe his government's July 21 letter to the UN Security Council requesting an emergency meeting about the US - South Korean joint military exercises.

  Inner City Press asked Ri Tong Il if he had asked for the letter to be formally circulated, and if to his knowledge any Council member had brought up the request in their bilateral meetings with UK Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant, the Council's president for August. Or would North Korea take it to the General Assembly?

  Ri Tong Il replied that it is not a question of approaching individual countries, but a formal request to the Security Council. Inner City Press inquired with the mission of Rwanda, July's president, and got a copy of the letter and the response that there was no consensus for holding the requested emergency meeting. Inner City Press has put the letter online here.

  Also, at the bottom of this page is a fast transcript of the press conference, by Inner City Press & the Free UN Coalition for Access.

Inner City Press also asked Ri Tong Il for an update on his mission's announcement thirteen months ago that it sought the end of the so-called “UN Command” in South Korea. Ri Tong Il said his country remains opposed to it:

On UN command, the DPRK is consistently insisting on the dismantling of UN Command in South Korea. This is a UN body but not under the direction of the UN, it is not under the approval of its budget. If you look at the inside nature, 100 percent US troops. This is a typical example of position of power by the US. It should be dismantled. And we are raising it to the UN on a regular basis.

  Later on August 1 Inner City Press asked Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman for Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, if Ban has received North Korea's letter complaining about the Seth Rogen film “The Interview.” (Inner City Press hascommented on the letter, here.). Dujarric said the letter has been received, but Ban has no response.

  Ban, of course, was South Korea's foreign minister. His c.v. or biography, including for a recent op-ed about Haiti(where the UN brought cholera and then has dodged accountability), states that Ban previously served as “Director of the UN’s International Organizations and Treaties Bureau.” 

 Other iterations say he was director of the “UN’s International Organizations and Treaties Bureau in South Korea, Seoul” (here). So was that really a UN (or “UN's”) agency? Or is is like the UN Command? Watch this site.

Footnote: In Ri Tong Il's press conference, the UN Correspondents Association demanded the first question, and gave it to a representative of a media from Japan - another representative of which took a second question, before other media got even one. While both are genial, this is how UNCA, a/k/a the UN's Censorship Alliance, works.

The new Free UN Coalition for Access is opposed to any set-asides or automatic first questions. Also, despite the continued censorship of the question, the Free UN Coalition for Access believes that at a minimum the UN should disclose “in kind” (or gift) private jet travel for Ban Ki-moon paid for by a state. We'll have more on this.

Fast transcript:

Good morning, distinguished colleagues. Thank you for your time. In today’s briefing I’d like to introduce the US-South Korea joint military exercises. It’s a serious nature and the formal request made by the DPRK upon the UN Security Council with regard to the join military exercises.
First, I’d like to talk about the US South Korea joint military exercises. As you know every year the US is continuing to open joint military exercises, large scale, one after another, thereby increasing tension and bringing about crisis of war on the Korean peninsula. The US has been holding large scale joint military exercises since 1953, after the end of the Korean war, ceasefire. And if you look at the number, they were holding these exercises, it is estimated at over 18,000 times. Now, if you calculate that figure, it is estimated one joint military exercise almost every year.

Now with regard to what kind of nature it is carrying, with regard to the situation on the Korean peninsula. The US is not hiding that the objective of their large scale joint military exercises with South Korea is to eliminate DPRK militarily. In this century, the first decade, the US declared the objective is to bring about regime change of the DPRK. In 2011, in August and November, the US conducted large scale joint military exercises with South Korea aimed at so-called stabilization and transition to civilian government in North Korea. In 2012, in March and May the US again conducted massive landing exercises targeted at Pyongyang. And in August they also conducted joint military exercises.

Coming into this year, 2014, the US already conducted and openly declared the objective of the exercises was to occupy Pyongyang.

If you look at another part of the serious nature of this joint military exercises, there is a very serious nature of 3 year old nuclear strike means, and most sophisticated weapons of mass destruction and massive number of troops. Now every time the joint military exerices open George Washingtom super large aircraft carrier along with other vessels and nuclear powered submarines and B52 bombers with nuclear weapons do not hesitate to come into South Korea.
This month in the middle of August will open another joint military exercise, involving over 500,000 US troops and a ground, naval, and air forces from South Korea. If you look at another part of the serious nature in terms of duration, it cannot compare to any other part of the world. If you look at the other large scale exercises conducted by the US, they cover one week, maximum one month, and not every year. Every two years, or after some years. However, the US South Korea joint exercises go beyond two months.

In March, the US issued a report naming the DPRK the state of direct threat and the so-called biggest adversary of the US. Openly announcing that in case of failure of the deterrents against DPRK they will enforce their own nuclear forces for suppression of the DPRK. This clearly indicates what kid of purpose these joint military exercises are pressuring.

The US has been conducting for almost 6 decades and they are carrying the nature of aggression against the DPRK in view of their nature and scale. On whatever ground, the US is making ridiculous argument on the threats and provocation of the DPRK to deceive the world. This will demonstrate that the major source of provocation on the Korean peninsula is none other than the United States.

I will talk about the defensive measures of the DPRK.

Now the ground, naval defense and air defense forces of the Korean people’s army are staging the ballistic tactical rocket launches of ultra precision and artillery fire in order to increase the power of self-defense. All these rocket launches are giving great strength and encouragement to the Korean people’s army and the people so that they can make steadfast progress in nation building based on this strong self defense. It is because all these successful launches are taking place in the middle of aggressive provocative military exercises of war against the DPRK.

It is the right of every sovereign state to have the right to defend its own sovereignty and peace and safeguard itself by military strength. The ongoing tactical rocket launches being conducted by the DPRK is natural, more than justifiable, because this is in response to the grave situation created by the large scale joint military exercises. And because of these ones the danger is increased. The environment for security and peace is not gifted by anyone, it is not commodity someone can buy or sell. Peace can be safeguarded only one’s own power is strengthened so trhat nobody can provoke. When there is no one’s own power, one can easily fall victim to the bargaining chip of power countries, and the important, valuable history inherited with bloody struggle can instantly be lost. This is a historical lesson. The DPRK has been warning the US and South Korea to stop all these dangerous exercises.

Coming into this year last January, the DPRK supreme governing body issued proposal, followed by open letter. Last June, the National Defense commission advanced another proposal, and last July DPRK government issued a statement. All these proposals converning the proposal on full-scale suspension of these exercises, and DPRK went ahead with generous initiative on its own.

However, every time we came to propose, the US and South Korean authorities made challenge by responding and opening provocative joint military exercises together, disregarding the sincerity and generosity of the DPRK. Last February, the US flew into South Korea B52 bombers equipped with nuclear eweapons when Northand South Korea were sitting together face ot face on a dialogue table to come to agreement.

There was another provocation last July. Again, North and South Korea were sitting together to discuss the participation of North Korean players in the Asian games. US did not hesitate to bring in South Korea George Washington super large nuclear powered aircraft carrier.

The US is misbehaving militarily in order to undermine dialogue, and North_South relations improvement. It is reminding us of the historical last symptom of mentally retarded patients.

Despite the fact that the US is the major source of increased tension, the US raised the question of tactical rocket launches of the DPRK at the UN security council and brought about so-called condemnation of the DPRK on the ground of so-called violation of UNSC resolution.

So third, I will talk about the request made by the DPRK upon the UNSC with regard to the US South Korea joint military exercises. The US and South Korea joint military exercise is the root cause of the aggravation of tension on the Korean peninsula and the peace and security cannot be guaranteed. Last July 21, the DPRK presented a formal request to the Security Council to open emergency meeting with regard to these exercises. If the UNSC is genuinely serious about the peace and security of the Korean peninsula, the UNSC should discuss the matter very seriously. If the UNSC turns away from this request, for the emergency meeting, it will only expose itself as a UN body which lost principles, lost impartiality, lost responsisbility with its mandate of securing international peace and security.

As long as the UNSC continues to disregard and turn away, in contravention of its mandate, DPRK will go alone. The situation on the Korean peninsula proves the pursuance and adoption of the parallel line policy of national economic building based on powerful nuclear deterrents is the right choice DPRK made. As long as the US continues blackmail, the DPRK will strengthen and consolidate its nuclear deterrent. As long as the US continues joint military exercises, the counter actions will become annual and routine.

In the process of continued dangerous joint military exercises, if there is any spark it will easily turn into war and the full responsibility will lie with the US and the UNSC who illegally support the US.

Q: to clarify, you intend to request a Security Council meeting?

A: As I said in my opening remarks, DPRK gave an official letter in the name of the PR of the DPRK to the United Nations on July 21, addressed to the president of the UNSC, officially requesting to put the question of joint military exercises into the agenda and openly discuss it in the form of emergency meeting. But so far there is no reply from the president. Maybe it is a silent procedure. I don’t think this is a silent procedure. They are ignoring. Disregarding. This is showing the working method of the UNSC which is a common concern of the UN member states.

Q: What outcome would you expect from the UNSC?

A: I introduced the nature of the military exercises being conducted by the US. It is not their land. It is Korean land. Now they are holding it for over 6 decades, unnoticed by the international community. We continue to struggle to stop it. US simply ignored it. Every time they responded with military exercises, increasing tension and climate of war. Now we asked for this emergency meeting, it is a question of the SC mandate, and we officially presented our letter, and they already discussed last July on request of the US. US is the major source of the threat on the Korean peninsula. It is ridiculous. This country is raising the issue and condemning the DPRK self-defense tactical rocket launches.

Q: What do you mean that the US is like a mentally ill patient? And, DPRK’s neighbors say DPRK is erratic, frightening, what’s your response?

A: When you say surrounding countries, can you name?

Q: Japan. South Korea.

A: Now you see. US, South Korea, Japan, they are military allies. US has military bases in Japan and in South Korea. The question of the US behavior – this is ridiculous behavior. If they are serious about peace and security on the Korean peninsula, they should remove their troops and nuclear weapons. They should not bring weapons of mass destruction. Now I refer to US, because this is the root cause of the tension on the Korean Peninsula. DPRK has never conducted military drills at the doorstep of US, and US has been doing it for over 6 decades at our doorstep. Now they say regime change is the objective. How can you explain this behavior?

Q: The US might say they bring nuclear armed vessels into South Korea because your country has nuclear weapons. Could you address that?

And, what can you say about DPRK missiles aimed at the US?

A: Nuclear weapons of the DPRK cannot be observed in isolation from the nuclear blackmail of the US. If there was no nuclear blackmail, if the US did not pressure the policy of nuclear preemptive strike against DPRK, under Bush administration, then there would be no nuclear weapon of the DPRK. And DPRK has no other option but to go nuclear. You can imagine. No country has been living like DPRK under serious threats to its existence, threat to its survival. That’s why DPRK made an option to go nuclear with a strong nuclear deterrent.

On the long-range missiles, DPRK has made it very clear, all the long-range missiles are targeted at the US since US is targeting Pyongyang.

Q: Was there any response from the Security Council to your request?

And, what did you say would be annual?
UNSC imposed new sanction on OMM. Is this a threat to you?

A: On the first question, I already answered that.
On annual, yes, now every time these exercises are being held, this is a response from United States and they are bringing in weapons of mass destruction ot South Korea. So under this nuclear blackmail, we made it clear our counter-actions will become annual and routine. This is self defense. It can be missile launch, nuclear test, depends on the option.

Q: Has your letter to the UNSC been circulated? Has any council member tried to get it on the agenda? Any development on UN Command?

A: On the response, I already answered, nothing to add.

On UN command, the DPRK is consistently insisting on the dismantling of UN Command in South Korea. This is a UN body but not under the direction of the UN, it is not under the approval of its budget. If you look at the inside nature, 100 percent US troops. This is a typical example of position of power by the US. It should be dismantled. And we are raising it to the UN on a regular basis.

Q: Should the letter be circulated?

A: Yes. No, it’s up to, in the coming years, what kind of action it will take.

Oh yes, the sanctions. They added another one. They are continuing to add. And the sanctions and resolution are illegal. DPRK rejects as unlawful against a sovereign state. They raised the question of satellites launched by the DPRK. But every UN member has sovereign rights. And DPRK is like the other countries. It is a state party to the outer space treaties. Every state has the right to conduct research for peaceful purposes. But Japan raised the satellite launch. And if their argument of the use of ballistic missile for satellite launch, we need to look at the US technology. They are also using ballistic missiles to alunch satellites. They should be number one target for sanctions by the UNSC. This can only invite strong powerful actions by the DPRK.

Q: What about the change to article 9 in Japan’s constitution, for re-militarizing? Is your government the target?

A: The US is opening its way toward militarization. They are going to repeat past crimes by having the right to collective self-defense. The US is supporting this dangerous move of Japan. It is an international concern and a concern of the DPRK. In the case of Japan, already agreed the current administration the president visited the shrine with no apologies for past crimes. And now they’re going through military moves, the right to collective self-defense, along with the military power Japan has accumulated, you can imagine what kind of nature, based on military power they have already,