| October
3. | - North Korean leader Kim
Jong Un offers his sympathies to US President Trump for
testing positive with the coronavirus.
･ “I’ve got an
unexpected news that you and the First Lady had tested
positive with the coronavirus. I would like to express words
of consolation to you and your family.” |
| October 5. | - North
Korea holds the 19th meeting of the Political Bureau of the
7th Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK).
･ In the meeting, presided over by Chairman Kim Jong
Un, the Political Bureau decided to conduct the ‘80-day
campaign’ and to promote Ri Pyong Chol and Pak Jong Chon,
key officials of the WPK and the Korean People’s Army (KPA)
to the country’s highest military rank on the occasion of
the 75th founding anniversary of the WPK. |
| October 10. | - North
Korean leader Kim Jong Un gives a speech at the military
parade held to celebrate the 75th founding anniversary of
the WPK.
･ “I also send this warm wish of mine to our
dear fellow countrymen in the South and hope that this
health crisis would come to an end as soon as possible and
that the day will come when the North and the South take
each other’s hand again.” |
| October 14. | - ROK
Unification Minister Lee sends a congratulatory message to
the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) for being
awarded the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize.
･ “The Ministry of
Unification and the WFP have maintained cooperation over the
past 25 years. The Ministry will continue to actively
support the WFP’s humanitarian aid programs for North Korea
in the hope that these efforts will clear the way for
sustainable cooperation toward a community of life on the
Korean Peninsula.” |
| October
20. | - North Korea holds the
plenary meeting of the Cabinet via video conferencing.
･ In the meeting, the Cabinet decided to step up
emergency anti-epidemic efforts nationwide; guarantee
materials necessary to repair damage and carry out
restoration work; efficiently harvest this year’s crops; and
complete major construction works. |
| October 28. | - ROK
President Moon Jae-in delivers a speech at the National
Assembly to propose the government budget for 2021.
･“The last three and a half years was a period to eliminate
the risk of war on the Korean Peninsula as well as a
challenging time of transition to a peaceful and prosperous
Korean Peninsula. There was much progress, but the dialogue
was suspended again, and the people are very concerned due
to the recent death of a Korean national in the West Sea.
The government will transparently reveal the truth and
fulfill its responsibility, but this incident also serves as
one more reminder of the urgent need for a peace regime.”
･“Across our shared territory, seas, and sky, peace
is a ‘path for coexistence’ for both South and North Korea.
It is my earnest wish that the two Koreas find a way to
coexist as a community of life and safety to overcome
disasters, catastrophes, and diseases that infect people and
animals.” |
| October 30. |
- North Korea reports on the death
of a Korean national in the West Sea.
･ “We expressed
our regret for the unfortunate incident happening on our
side of the waters.”
･ “Explicitly speaking, the
recent inglorious incident in the waters of the West Sea of
Korea was the result of improper control of the citizen by
the South side in the sensitive hotspot area at a time when
there are tensions and danger due to the vicious virus
sweeping the whole of South Korea…Therefore, the blame for
the incident first rests with the South side.”
･ “We
do not want to see a recurrence of any unpleasant precedents
in which accidents lead North-South relations to a
catastrophe. This is our stand.” |
