| July
1. | - North Korean leader Kim
Jong Un sends Chinese President Xi Jinping a message of
congratulations on the 100th anniversary of the Communist
Party of China (CPC).
･ “Hostile forces’ vicious
slander and all-round pressure upon the CPC are no more than
a last-ditch attempt, and they can never check the on-going
advance of the Chinese people, rallied closely around
General Secretary Xi, toward a fresh victory.”
･ “(The
Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK), by its firm unity with the
CPC,) would powerfully encourage socialist construction, the
cause common to the two parties, to vigorously advance
despite any change in the situation and challenges.”
|
| July 1. | - North Korea remains at Tier 3, the
lowest tier, in the US Department of State’s 2021
Trafficking in Persons Report.
|
| July 5. | - The Social
Dialogue for Peace and Unification Building of Korea
delivers a National Unification Contract and Recommendations
to the Minister of Unification.
･ The Unification
Minister said, “I will deliver the National Unification
Contract to President Moon Jae-in, and I know that it will
be delivered to members of the National Assembly by civic
representatives.” “The government will do its best to gain
the support for the Contract from the ruling and opposition
parties in close cooperation with the National
Assembly.” |
| July 7. |
- The ROK government suspends tours to
Panmunjeom as a result of upgrading the social distancing
level.
|
| July 11. | - The leaders of North Korea and China
exchange messages on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of
the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual
Assistance.
[Chairman Kim Jong Un→ President Xi Jinping]
･
“Now that the hostile forces have become more desperate in
their challenge and obstructive moves, the treaty is showing
stronger vitality in defending socialism of the two
countries and ensuring peace and stability in Asia and the
rest of the world.”
[President Xi Jinping → Chairman Kim Jong Un]
･
“Today, a major shift in the world landscape unseen in a
century is accelerating.”
･ “I am ready to work with
General Secretary Kim Jong Un to strengthen strategic
communication, chart the course for the China-DPRK
relationship and lift the friendly cooperation between the
two countries to new levels so as to bring more benefits to
the two countries and their people.” |
| July 11. | - The DPRK
Ministry of Foreign Affairs posts an article on the occasion
of the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Friendship,
Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance.
･ The article is
titled as “Relations of DPRK-PRC Friendship Will Continue to
Strengthen and Develop.”
･ “The DPRK and the PRC,
firmly convinced of the justness of their socialist cause,
are now staunchly advancing toward a bright future by
smashing the high-handedness and desperate maneuvers of the
hostile forces on the strength of militant friendship and
blood ties even under the complex international
situation.” |
| July 12. |
- The DPRK Ministry of Foreign Affairs
reports an article by Kang Hyon Chol, a senior researcher at
the ministry-affiliated Association for the Promotion of
International Economic and Technological Exchange.
･
The article is titled as “Humanitarian Aid Should Not Be
Abused For Sinister Political Purposes.”
･ “The ‘human
rights issue,’ a catchphrase used by the U.S. whenever they
bring up the issue of ‘humanitarian assistance,’ is in
essence a smokescreen for interfering in the internal
affairs of the countries concerned.”
･ “The American
ulterior intention of linking ‘humanitarian assistance’ with
the ‘human rights issue’ is to legitimize their pressure on
sovereign states and achieve their sinister political
scheme.” |
| July 13. |
- North Korea presents its voluntary
national review (VNR) report at the High-level Political
Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF).
|
| July 17. | - National
Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug proposes inter-Korean
parliamentary talks in his speech on Constitution Day.
･ “We need to unravel a complex problem for inter-Korean
dialogue, which has been deadlocked for over two years.” “As
the speaker of the ROK National Assembly, I propose to the
president of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly
(SPA) of North Korea the holding of inter-Korean
parliamentary talks.” |
| July
19. | - The DPRK Ministry of
Foreign Affairs emphasizes the friendship with Russia on the
occasion of 21st anniversary of the DPRK-Russia Joint
Declaration.
･ “Our republic’s stance remains
unchanged that the friendly and cooperative relations
between North Korea and Russia should be continuously
expanded and advanced to live up to the spirit of the joint
declaration and the new era of our time and that we will do
our best to safeguard peace and safety in the region.”
|
| July 19-26. | - U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy
Sherman makes a tour of East Asia.
･ Japan (July
19-21), Republic of Korea (July 21-23), Mongolia (July
23-25), and China (July 25-26)
･ Deputy Secretary of
State Wendy R. Sherman had a trilateral meeting with
Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Mori Takeo and Republic of
Korea First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun in Tokyo on
July 21; made a courtesy visit to President Moon Jae-in, met
with the Minister of Unification, had a meeting with Vice
Unification Minister Choi Young Jun, and met with the
Minister of Foreign Affairs on July 22; and had a dialogue
with Republic of Korea (ROK) First Vice Foreign Minister
Choi Jong-kun on July 23. |
| July 19. | - The U.S. House
unanimously passes the U.S.-North separated family reunion
bill (H.R. 826).
･ The bipartisan legislation was
sponsored by 21 lawmakers including Grace Meng (Democrat),
Van Taylor (Republican), and Brad Sherman (Democrat).
|
| July 21. | - The International Olympic Committee
confirms Brisbane as the host of 2032 Summer Olympics.
|
| July 24. | - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sends
Chinese President Xi Jinping a verbal message of sympathy
over the flood damage.
[Chairman Kim Jong Un →
President Xi Jinping]
･ “(Respected Comrade Kim Jong
Un) sent Xi a verbal message expressing deep condolences to
the victims of the recent flood that claimed heavy
casualties and material losses in several areas including
Henan Province of China.”
･ “He expressed his sincere
condolences to the victims and bereaved families following
the damage caused by the floods.”
[President
Xi Jinping → Chairman Kim Jong Un]
･ “The message
showed the friendship of the General Secretary, the WPK, and
the DPRK people for me, the CPC, and the Chinese people.”
･ “I expressed thanks to General Secretary Kim for
sending a message of sympathy over the deadly flooding that
hit China’s central province of Henan and other regions.”
･ “Under the new situation, the Chinese side,
together with the DPRK side, will contribute to
accomplishing the cause of socialism in the two countries
and make positive contributions to achieving regional peace
and stability by successfully implementing the important
common understanding reached by the two sides to
successfully defend, consolidate, and develop China-DPRK
relations.” |
| July 27. |
- South and North Korea restore the
inter-Korean communication liaison lines (during a press
conference by a presidential senior secretary for public
communication).
･ South and North Korea have agreed
to restore their communication lines at 10 a.m. on July 27.
･ Since April, the leaders have exchanged multiple
letters to restart inter-Korean relations. During the
process, the two sides first agreed to restore the cut-off
communication links.
･ Also, the leaders agreed to
rebuild mutual trust as soon as possible and further develop
inter-Korean relations.
･ (We) expect that the
resumption of communications will have positive effects on
the improvement and development of inter-Korean relations.
※ North Korea’s report about the restoration of
inter-Korean communication liaison lines |
| July 27. | - Now, the
whole Korean nation desires to see North-South relations
recovered from setbacks and stagnation as quickly as
possible. The top leaders of the North and the South agreed,
through recent exchanges of personal letters, to make a big
stride toward rebuilding the mutual trust and promoting
reconciliation by restoring the inter-Korean communication
liaison lines.
|
| July 27. |
- According to the agreement made
between the top leaders, the North and the South began to
reconnect all inter-Korean communication liaison lines at
10:00 a.m. on July 27.
|
| July
27. | - The restoration will have
positive effects on the improvement and development of
inter-Korean relations.
|
| July
30. | - The Ministry of
Unification approves two requests from civilian
organizations to provide humanitarian assistance to the
North.
･ “The Unification Ministry resumes approval of
requests from civilian organizations to provide humanitarian
assistance to North Korea as of July 30.” |
