| December 1 | The
South Korean government imposed independent sanctions against
North Korea (11 individuals)
･ As a response to the
North’s “military spy satellite” launch (November 21), the
government imposed additional sanctions on △ 5 North Koreans
involved in satellite and weapon development and procurement of
munitions and △ 6 North Koreans involved in ballistic missile
research, development, and operation. |
| December 2 | The
17th meeting of the Political Bureau of the 8th Party Central
Committee (Rodong/KCNA) |
|
December 2 | The spokesperson
for North Korea’s Defense Ministry argued that “the military spy
satellite launch, which abides by space law, was the right of a
sovereign state (Rodong/KCNA) |
|
December 2 | The spokesperson
for North Korea’s Foreign Ministry claimed that “space
development and the launch of satellites are legitimate rights
of the DPRK” (Rodong/KCNA) |
|
December 3 | KCNA condemned,
in a commentary, “the partial suspension of the September 19
Military Agreement” (KCNA)
< Opinions of the Ministry
of Unification (November 23) >
o The Ministry of
Unification strongly condemns North Korea’s false and
far-fetched claims against the partial suspension of the
military accord, our minimal legitimate measure, in the
statement of its Defense Ministry and KCNA.
o The South
Korean military is only taking defensive measures as the North
has, as a matter of fact, fully broken the pact with threatening
military provocations.
o Meanwhile, KCNA is attempting to
create internal discord by slandering the President of South
Korea using insolent language in its commentary (December 3).
- This only displays the North’s vulgar standards and the
regime will achieve nothing.
o The DPRK should not
miscalculate the situation, including South Korea’s military
readiness posture.
- We urge the North to immediately
cease spreading false propaganda and military threats and embark
on the path to dialogue and cooperation. |
| December 3 to 4 | Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un attended the opening
and closing ceremonies of the 5th National Meeting of Mothers
(December 3 to 4) and delivered a speech (Rodong/KCNA) |
| December 4 (Local) | The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution
condemning the DPRK's nuclear tests and urging for
denuclearization (Geneva) |
|
December 4 | The spokesperson
for North Korea’s National Aerospace Technology General Bureau
accused the U.S. of “double standards” regarding the North’s
reconnaissance satellite (KCNA) |
|
December 6 | The Minister of
Unification mentioned that “Kim Jong Un appears to be in a hurry
to highlight his daughter in an indication that he is trying to
demonstrate his will for succession in the face of difficulties
facing the North” (During a press conference) |
| December 6 | The
G7 leaders issued a joint statement condemning North Korea’s
reconnaissance satellite |
|
December 7 | The Presidium of
the Supreme People’s Assembly demarcated the administrative
district of Seopo in Pyeongyang |
|
December 8 | The director
general of the International Organization Department at North
Korea’s Foreign Ministry criticized “the UN General Assembly’s
adoption of the resolution (December 4) condemning the North’s
nuclear tests as a U.S. manoeuvre and manipulation (From the
website of the Foreign Ministry) |
|
December 9 | Joint press
conference of the National Security Advisors of the ROK, the
U.S., and Japan (Seoul)
･ South Korea, the United States,
and Japan agreed on new initiatives to respond to North Korea’s
nuclear threats: Block North Korea’s use of military cooperation
and dispatched hacking and IT workers to generate foreign
currency and closely cooperate in responding to the spread of
fake news from abroad. |
|
December 9 | North Korea, in a
commentary issued by KCNA, accused the U.S. of applying a
“double standard” over the North’s satellite and made the threat
that its satellite will guide super-powerful strikes (KCNA) |
| December 9 | The spokesperson of the DPRK Association for
Human Rights Studies condemned the U.S. Special Envoy on North
Korean Human Rights Issues (KCNA) |
| December 9 | A North
Korean critic of international studies argued that “South
Korea’s military assistance to Ukraine is a war crime against
peace” (KCNA) |
| December 10
| The vice minister of the International
Organization Department at North Korea’s Foreign Ministry
condemned the U.S. regarding the Middle East conflict (December
10, KCNA/December 11, Rodong) |
|
December 10 | KNCA condemned
the U.S. saying that its “comment of world division is to
sustain the unipolar world” (KCNA) |
| December 11 | The G7
said in a joint statement that they will “step up cooperation to
counter North Korea’s malicious cyber activities if North Korea
prioritizes weapon development over the welfare of its
people” |
| December 11 to 15
| A Russian delegation (led by Primorsky
Krai Governor) visited North Korea (December 12,
Rodong/KCNA) |
| December 12
| The Unification Minister said that
“North Korea appears to be illegally running some 30 facilities
at the Gaesong Industrial Complex (GIC), up from 10 earlier this
year and South Korea will accurately determine the situation and
seek to hold North Korea accountable for its unauthorized use of
the GIC (SFCC press briefing) |
|
December 12 | The U.S.
Department of State designated shipping companies involved in
the transfer of munitions between the DPRK and Russia to be
subject to sanctions (3 companies and 3 ships) |
| December 13 | North Korea condemned the U.S. support for
Israel in a KCNA commentary (KCNA) |
| December 13 | South
Korea-Netherlands Summit
< Joint Statement on the
Establishment of a Strategic Partnership between the Government
of the Republic of Korea and the Government of the Kingdom of
the Netherlands >
･ “The two Leaders condemned the
DPRK's recent ballistic missile launches and conventional
provocations including repeated violations of the 2018
Comprehensive Military Agreement (CMA). The Leaders reiterated
that the DPRK’s destabilizing activities continue to present a
grave threat not only to peace and stability on the Korean
Peninsula but also the rest of Asia and indeed the world.”
･ “The Leaders reaffirmed their shared goal of the
complete denuclearization of North Korea and the importance of
the full implementation of the relevant UN Security Council
resolutions. Prime Minister Mark Rutte expressed his continued
support for the tireless efforts made by the ROK Government in
this regard, including the Audacious Initiative for a
denuclearized, peaceful and prosperous Korean Peninsula.”
･ “The two Leaders also expressed concerns on the deteriorating
human rights situation in North Korea and agreed to strengthen
cooperation in trying to ameliorate the human rights situation
of ordinary North Koreans as universal values should be
protected under any circumstances.” |
| December 15 (Local) | The Second ROK-U.S. Nuclear Consultative Group
(NCG) (Washington D.C.) |
|
December 15 | The Republic of
Korea, the United States, Japan, and Albania issued a joint
statement on the human rights situation in the DPRK |
| December 16 | Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un paid tribute at the
Kumsusan Palace of the Sun to commemorate the 12th anniversary
of Kim Jong Il’s death (December 17, Rodong/KCNA) |
| December 17 | Remarks by the spokesperson for North Korea’s
Defense Ministry immediately following the North’s SRMB launch
(December 17, KCNA/December 18, Rodong)
･ Remarks by the
Defense Ministry, “We will never stand idly by and watch the
provocative actions of the U.S. Any attempt by hostile powers to
use force against the DPRK will face a preemptive and deadly
response.”
< The Spokesperson of the Ministry of
Unification (December 18) >
o “The DPRK’s provocative
actions constitute a violation of United Nations Security
Council resolutions. The ROK-U.S. alliance will respond to any
provocations by the North in an immediate and overwhelming
manner. North Korea should break free from the wrong path of
provocations and threats and come out onto the path of dialogue
and cooperation.” |
| December
18 | Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un
observed the launch of a Hwaseong-18 ICBM (December 19,
Rodong) |
| December 18 |
In a commentary carried by the KCNA, North
Korea slammed the ROK-U.S. joint military exercises as bluffing
and bravado by South Korea (KCNA) |
| December 19 (Local) | The UN adopted the North Korean human rights
resolution (New York) |
|
December 19 | The G7 Foreign
Ministers issued a joint statement condemning North Korea’s ICMB
launch |
| December 21 |
Kim Yo Jong, the vice department director
of the Central Committee of the WPK, denounced the UNSC for
holding an open briefing on North Korea’s ICBM (KNCA) |
| December 21 | In a commentary carried by the KCNA, North
Korea slammed the ROK-U.S. planning and operation of a nuclear
strategy as a clear declaration of war (KCNA) |
| December 21 | ROK-U.S.-Japan Foreign Ministers issued a joint
statement condemning the DPRK's ballistic missile launch
(December 17 to 18), including an ICBM |
| December 26 | The
South Korean government established and announced the
comprehensive plan for the improvement of North Korean human
rights |
| December 26 to 30
| The 9th plenary meeting of the 8th
Central Committee of the WPK (Results reported on December 31,
Rodong/KCNA) |
| December 27
| The South Korean government imposed
independent sanctions against North Korea (8 individuals)
･ As a response to the North’s ICBM launch (December 18), the
government imposed additional sanctions on North Korean
individuals involved in △ earning foreign currency through
illegal cyber activities and technology theft and △ generating
revenue for the North Korean regime through transactions of
barred supplies, including weapons, and procuring funds for its
nuclear and missile activities. |
