May 1 (Local) | A
joint statement by fifty UN members, the countries to review a
plan to establish an independent body to replace the UNSC expert
panel (New York) |
May 2
| The Foreign Ministry and the National
Counter Terrorism Center of the Office for Government Policy
Coordination announced in a press release, “Intelligence
agencies indicated attempts by North Korea to threaten our
diplomatic staff,” and the South Korean government raised its
terror alert level
targeting five overseas diplomatic missions |
May 3 | Parliamentary State Secretary for East Germany
Carsten Schneider stated, “The DPRK’s two Koreas rhetoric is an
act to quell its internal issues,” at the 13th Korea–Germany
Unification Advisory Committee |
May 5 | Supreme Leader Kim
Jong Un had a photo session with the participants in the 5th
National Conference of Heads of Branch Public Security Stations
(May 5, Rodong/KCNA) |
May
5 | Permanent Representative of the
DPRK to the UN Kim Song issued a press statement condemning
Seoul, Washington, and Tokyo for seeking an alternative to the
expert panel (KCNA) |
May 8
| Remarks by Kim Sun Kyung, vice minister
of the International Organization Department of the DPRK’s
Foreign Ministry, opposing the U.S. decision to set up another
sanctions monitoring mechanism (May 8, KCNA/May 9, Rodong) |
May 9 | President Yoon, “The DPRK’s export of weapons
to Russia not only supports the illegal waging of war but also
violates international sanctions (During a press conference to
mark the end of his second year in office) |
May 9 | Supreme
Leader Kim Jong Un sent a congratulatory message to Russian
President Putin on the occasion of Russia’s Victory Day (May
9)(Rodong/KCNA) |
May 9 |
Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un attended the
funeral of Kim Ki Nam, former secretary of the Central Committee
of the WPK (May 10, Rodong/KCNA) |
May 10 | Statement by the
spokesperson for the Ministry of Unification on the demolition
of the fire station located in Mt. Geumgang (Briefing) o
“The government has confirmed that the fire station, a South
Korean government facility in the Mount Geumgang district, has
been demolished by North Korea.” o “The government
expresses strong
regret that North Korea has unilaterally demolished it.”
- “The government sternly urges North Korea to immediately cease
the demolition of our facilities.” o “North Korea’s
unilateral demolition utterly lacks any justification, and the
North Korean regime should take all responsibility for this
case, including the property infringement of our government.”
- “The government will review legal measures regarding
this case.” |
May 10 |
Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un watched the
test-fire of shells for the 240mm multiple rocket launcher
system (May 11, Rodong/KCNA) |
May 11 to 12 | Supreme Leader
Kim Jong Un gave field guidance at the major defense industrial
complex (May 13, Rodong/KCNA) |
May 12 | Remarks by the
spokesperson for the DPRK's Foreign Ministry expressing support for
Palestinian UN membership (KCNA) |
May 13 | Remarks by the
section chief for external policy of the DPRK Foreign Ministry
condemning the U.S. allies for monitoring violation of UN
sanctions (Rodong/KCNA) |
May
14 | Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un
attended a ceremony for the completion of new houses on Jonwi
Street (Seopo District) (May 15, Rodong/KCNA) |
May 15 | Supreme
Leader Kim Jong Un gave field guidance to the completed Central
Cadres Training School (May 16, Rodong/KCNA) |
May 15 | Supreme
Leader Kim Jong Un learned about the production status of major
weapons and equipment (Rodong/KCNA) |
May 16 | Remarks by
Pak Myong Ho, vice minister for Chinese Affairs of the Foreign
Ministry of the DPRK, condemning South Korea (KCNA) |
May 17 | Remarks by Kim Yo Jong, the vice department
director of the Central Committee of the WPK, opposing a false
rumor that the weapon systems produced by the DPRK are for
exporting to Russia (KCNA) |
May 17 | Military commentator
of the DPRK condemned the ROK and the U.S. for the deployment of
strategic assets (Rodong) |
May
17 | Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un
visited a defense industrial complex and guided production
activities (Rodong/KCNA) |
May
17 | Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un
oversaw a test fire of a tactical ballistic missile (SRBM) into
which a new navigation system was introduced (May 18,
Rodong/KCNA) |
May 18 |
Remarks by Kwon Jong Gun, director general
of the Department of U.S. Affairs of the Foreign Ministry of the
DPRK, condemning the U.S. Department of State for repeatedly
designating the DPRK as an uncooperative state in combating
terrorism (KCNA) |
May 20
| Remarks by the spokesperson for the
DPRK's Foreign Ministry condemning the U.S. subcritical nuclear
test (Rodong/KCNA) |
May 20
| Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un laid a
flower at the grave of Hyon Chol Hae on the occasion of the
second anniversary of his passing (Rodong/KCNA) |
May 20 to 26 | The Ministry of Unification held the 12th
Unification Education Week |
May 21 | Supreme Leader sent a
message of condolence to the First Vice President of Iran for
the death of the Iranian president (5.29) (Rodong/KCNA) |
May 21 | Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un attended the
inauguration ceremony of the Central Cadres Training School of
the WPK and delivered a speech (May 22, Rodong/KCNA) |
May 21 to 25 | U.S. Special Envoy on North Korean Human Rights
Issues Julie Turner visited South Korea and met with families of
abductees and POWs |
May 23
| Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un had a photo
session with contributors of the construction and inauguration
ceremony of the Central Cadres Training School of the WPK (May
23, Rodong/KCNA) |
May 24
| The ROK imposed independent sanctions
on vessels and individuals involved in the DPRK-Russia military
cooperation, refined oil trade, and earning hard currency (2
vessels and 7 individuals) ・ △ (Russian vessels) MAIA-1,
MARIA △ (North Korean individuals) Rim Yong Hyok, Han Hyok Chol,
Kim Jong Gil, Jang Ho Yong, Ri Kyong Sik, Ri Yong Min, and Park
Kwang Hyok |
May 24 |
Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un held the 20th
meeting of the Political Bureau of the 8th Party Central
Committee (May 25, Rodong/KCNA) |
May 26 | Remarks by Kim Kang
Il, the vice minister of National Defense of the DPRK, that the
DPRK may exercise its self-defensive power against scattering
leaflets and intrusion across the maritime border (KCNA) |
May 27 | The ROK-Japan-China Summit (Seoul) |
May 27 | Remarks by the spokesperson of the DPRK's
Foreign Ministry condemning the ROK (May 27, KCNA/May 28,
Rodong) |
May 27 | The DPRK announced the fourth launch of a
military reconnaissance satellite and its failure (May 28, KCNA)
< Top Nuclear Envoys of the ROK, the U.S., and Japan
(May 28) > o “The DPRK‘s satellite launch is a blatant
violation of UN resolutions and a serious threat to peace and
stability in the region and the world.” |
May 28 | Supreme
Leader Kim Jong Un made his congratulatory visit to the Academy
of Defense Sciences and delivered a commemorative address on the
occasion of the 60th anniversary of its founding (May 28) (May
29, Rodong/KCNA) |
May 28 to
29 | The DPRK's trash balloons seen
in all parts of the ROK (JCS announcement) |
May 29 | Remarks by
Kim Yo Jong, the vice department director of the Central
Committee of the WPK, regarding the inundation of trash balloons
to the ROK (KCNA)
< Statement by the Ministry of Unification (May 30)
> o The ROK would like to ask whether it is right to
discuss the DPRK’s freedom of expression in the same line as
ours, where the expression of the residents’
opinions is severely restricted. - Kim Yo Jong’s words
are self-contradictory, considering the reality that the DPRK is
restraining freedom of expression by enacting three
unjust laws – the Anti-Reactionary Thought Law, the Youth
Education Guarantee Law, and the Pyeongyang Cultural Language
Protection Act. - Kim Yo Jong’s warning of sending more
balloons carrying trash is a self-confession that the “regime”
is the main agent carrying out the balloon scattering, not its
“people.” o Instead of continuing to violate UN
resolutions with actions such as the recent failed launch of a
so-called military spy satellite and subsequent ballistic
missile launches, - The DPRK should immediately recognize
that enabling its residents to freely access external
information and enjoy the right of self-determination is a more
pressing task. |
May 30
| Remarks by the vice minister of the
International Organization Department of the DPRK’s Foreign
Ministry, denouncing the UN’s criticism (May 28) of the DPRK's
latest launch of a spy satellite (KCNA) |
May 30 | The DPRK
attempted to jam GPS signals near the NLL in the West Sea |
May 30 | Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un guided the power
demonstration firing of 600mm super-large multiple rocket
launchers (SRBM) (May 31, Rodong/KCNA)
< Statement by the Ministry of Unification (May 31)
> o “We strongly condemn North Korea’s habitual
violation of UN Security Council resolutions, blatantly
targeting South Korea as its main enemy and committing all kinds
of threatening language and illegal provocations, including talk
of a ‘preemptive strike.’” o “The latest ballistic
missile launches by the DPRK are successive provocations
following the test fire of tactical ballistic missiles on May 17
and the botched launch of a military spy satellite. We make it
clear that the action is a violation of UN resolutions and an
act of provocation that poses a serious threat to the peace of
the Korean Peninsula.” |
May
31 | KCNA commentary threatening
that the DPRK will take military response against the air
espionage by the U.S. (Rodong/KCNA) |
May 31 | The UNSC
convened an open meeting on the DPRK's recent satellite launch
(New York) |