North Korea Calls for Stronger Military

From the Washington Post, October 9 2005

PYONGYANG, North Korea -- North Korea promised to pursue a stronger military as it marked a major anniversary, but made no mention of its long-running nuclear standoff with the outside world.

North Korea's leader Kim Jong Il was present as the communist state held a large-scale convention Sunday on the eve of the 60th anniversary of its ruling Workers' Party of Korea, the North's official media reported Monday.

Kim Yong Nam, president of North Korea's parliament, said the country should "direct primary efforts to the strengthening" of the Korean People's Army, according to the North's Korean Central News Agency.

North Korea has the world's fifth-largest military with a total of more than 1.1 million troops, the backbone of leader Kim Jong Il's totalitarian rule. Besides conventional and chemical weapons, the communist state has claimed to have nuclear weapons as a "deterrent" against a U.S. attack.
Pyongyang has engaged the United States and four other regional powers in talks aimed at persuading Pyongyang to forgo its nuclear ambitions in exchange for economic and political rewards.

Last month's session of the negotiations produced a breakthrough accord in which the North pledged to abandon its nuclear programs in return for aid and security assurances. The prospect of its implementation, however, was thrown into doubt after Pyongyang demanded a nuclear reactor for power before it disarms.

International delegations at the anniversary included one from China, the North's only major ally. It was not known what the two sides discussed, but the delegation includes Beijing's main nuclear negotiator, Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei.