18 May 2003
According to Japanese public safety and customs authorities, six Japanese trading companies associated with North Koreans living in Japan received orders from North Korea since the late 1990s for products that could be used in the production of missiles and weapons of mass destruction, including chemical and biological weapons. Among the materials ordered were gas chromatography analyzers, vacuum freeze dryers, constant temperature incubation tanks, and stainless steels.
--"Six Japanese Firms Received Orders for WMD-Related Materials from DPRK," Sankei Shimbun (Tokyo), 19 May 2003, OSC Document JPP20030520000099.

December 2003
In an unclassified report to the US Congress, the Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) assessed that North Korea has "continued to acquire dual-use chemicals that could potentially be used to support Pyongyang's long-standing chemical warfare program. North Korea's chemical warfare capabilities included the ability to produce bulk quantities of nerve, blister, choking, and blood agent, using its sizeable, although aging, chemical industry. North Korea possesses a stockpile of unknown size of these agents and weapons..."
--DCI Weapons Intelligence, Nonproliferation, and Arms Control Center, Unclassified Report to Congress on the Acquisition of Technology Relating to Weapons of Mass Destruction and Advanced Conventional Munitions-Attachment A, 1 July - 31 December 2003, pp. 5-6, www.cia.gov

1 February 2004
BBC television released a documentary, entitled "Access to Evil," which alleged that North Korea had killed political prisoners using gas chambers for the purpose of chemical weapons development. The documentary featured the testimony of a former North Korean prison officer, who claimed to have witnessed entire families being gassed. Supporting documentary evidence, provided by a North Korean electrical engineer who worked at the February 8 Vinalon Complex in Hamhung, where human experiments were allegedly carried out, was also presented. In response, North Korea denied chemical experiments on prisoners, and accused the United States of conducting chemical weapons experiments on North Korean prisoners during the Korean War. South Korea responded to the BBC documentary with skepticism. A spokeswoman representing South Korea's Unification Ministry stated, "We have no official comment on whether humans were used for tests...there are areas [of the documentary] that are not completely free of doubt." Activists in South Korea have alleged that the government does not want to further endanger relations with the North, and therefore is avoiding confronting North Korea over the issue.
--Andrew Ward, "North Korea Gassed Prisoners to Test Weapons, Says BBC," Financial Times (London), 2 February 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, www.lexisnexis.com; "North Korea Attacks US for "Spreading Rumors' of Chemical Tests of Prisoners," BBC Monitoring Asia Pacific, 6 February 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, www.lexisnexis.com; Jasper Becker and Dermot Tatlow, "North Koreans Take Revenge on Chemical Tests Whistleblowers," Independent of Sunday (London), 8 February 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, www.lexisnexis.com; Samuel Len, "Skepticism Over Gas Tests; Seoul to Await Probe After Report on North," International Herald Tribune, 3 February 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, www.lexisnexis.com.

1 March 2004
South Korea President Roh Moo-hyun says in a holiday speech that he is confident the North Korean nuclear issue will be resolved peacefully through the Six-party Talks. Roh also reiterates his call for reducing dependence on the United States in foreign affairs and military support.
--"S Korea Presid (sic) Optimistic about DPRK Nuke Problem Settlement," ITAR-TASS News Agency, 1 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com; Samuel Len, "South Korean Leader Urges Less Dependence on U.S.," International Herald Tribune, 2 March 204, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com.

2 March 2004
U.S. President George W. Bush tells visiting South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon that the second round of Six-party Talks was fruitful because the six nations have clearly demonstrated that North Korea should dismantle its nuclear program.
--"Bush Upbeat on Nuke Talks with N. Korea," Yonhap News Agency, 3 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com; South Korea Foreign Minister, US President Discuss North Korea, Iraq Issues, BBC Monitoring, 3 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com; Seo Hyun-jin, "Bush Confident of N.K. Nuclear Settlement," Korea Herald, 4 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com; "Bush Says Dismantling NK Nuclear Programs is a 'Paramount Concern,'" Korea Times, 4 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com.

2 March 2004
U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell says that the Six-party Talks last week produced "a good deal of progress" and that the United States will be patient in pursuing the current negotiations with diplomacy. Powell adds "whatever they [North Korea] are doing or not doing they will not force us or pressure us into any kind of a deal that is anything short of CVID [complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement]."
-- "Powell Says US in No Hurry over North Korea Nuclear Crisis," Agence France Presse, 4 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com; "Powell Says US 'Patient' on N. Korea Nuke Dismantlement," Kyodo News Service, 4 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com; Salamander Davoudi, "Powell Upbeat on N-Weapons Talks," Financial Times, 3 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com; "Ban, Powell Agree on Peaceful Solution to NK Nuke Issue," Korea Times, 6 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com.

2 March 2004
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan praises the outcome of the latest Six-party Talks, citing "progress" and a "noticeable step forward" toward a denuclearized Korean Peninsula. Annan also promises to support the six nations "on ways to mobilize the support of the international community to [the denuclearization] end."
--"Annan Sees Progress at 6-Way Talks on N. Korea Nukes," Kyodo News Service, 3 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com; "UN's Annan Calls North Korea Six-Way Talks 'Noticeable Step Forward'," Financial Times, 3 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com; "Powell, Annan Cites Good Deal of Progress at Korea Talks," Deutsche Presse-Agentur, 3 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com.

3 March 2004
South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun says his government will continue dialogue and exchanges with North Korea despite a request from U.S. officials to sever ties and press North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons ambitions.
--Hwang Doo, "S. Korea to Engage N. Korea Despite U.S. Call for Severing Ties: Roh," Yonhap News Agency, 3 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com; "President Says South Korea to Pursue Dialogue with North Despite US Position," BBC Monitoring, 3 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com; "S. Korea to Continue to Engage the DPRK: S. Korean President," Xinhua News Agency, 3 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com.

4 March 2004
Russian Ambassador to Seoul Teymuraz O. Ramishvili says the six nations participating in the Six-party Talks need to utilize flexibility with the North Korea nuclear issue because the international community may not have the legal authority to stop North Korea's peaceful nuclear activities. He argues, "According to international law, it is impossible to stop such programs. But it could be considered in a diplomatic and political context."
--Seo Hyun-jin, "Russia Urges 'Flexibility' on N.K. Nukes," Korea Herald, 5 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com; "NK Has Right to Nuclear Development," Korea Times, 5 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com.

4 March 2004
U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell tells reporters that the United States is in no hurry to find a solution to the North Korean nuclear crisis, saying, "We will be patient in pursuing this policy. The president strongly believes that a diplomatic solution is possible and we are not in any urgency to achieve that solution. We want a good solution."
--"Powell Says U.S. in No Hurry over North Korea Nuclear Crisis," Channel NewsAsia, 5 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com.

4 March 2004
South Korea's National Security Council (NSC) proposes new security policy initiatives to enhance security on the Korean Peninsula and allow Seoul to play a leading role in resolving the North Korea nuclear issue. Kwŏn Chin-ho, National Security Adviser to President Roh Moo-hyun, says at a press briefing that some of the proposed measures are replacing the Korean War armistice with a "peace regime," regaining wartime command and control of ROK troops from USFK, pursuing the "peace and prosperity policy" with North Korea, and restructuring the ROK army. The NSC publication, titled Peace, Prosperity and National Security, marks the first time Seoul has officially released a publication concerning the nation's overall national security.
--Kim So-young, "Seoul Lays Out Security Goals," Korea Herald, 5 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com; "South Korean Government Issues Publication on Security Policy," Yonhap News Agency, 3 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com; "Seoul Softens 'Balanced Diplomacy' in Security Initiatives," Korea Times, 5 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com; "South Korea Hopes to Play Leading Role in Resolving North Nuclear Issue," BBC Monitoring, 4 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com.

4-5 March 2004
According to the New York Times, a new CIA classified intelligence report is presented to White House officials detailing for the first time how Pakistan's Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) was able to provide North Korea with equipment and technology necessary to develop uranium-based nuclear weapons, including nuclear fuel, centrifuges and warhead designs. The assessment, partly based on interrogations of Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan and his associates from KRL by the Pakistani officials, purportedly provides a history of KRL's dealings with North Korea that started in the early 1990s. According to the New York Times, intelligence officials also claim North Korea obtained some parts through the same suppliers and middlemen as Libya.
--David E. Sanger, "U.S. Widens View of Pakistan Link to Korean Arms," New York Times, 14 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com; "KRL Provided N Korea with All Equipment to Produce Nuke Weapons," Press Trust of India, 14 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com; "Khan Network May Have Supplied North Korea with Nuke Material: Report," Channel NewsAsia, 14 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com.

7 March 2004
South Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Ban Ki-moon meets with Japan's Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi in Tokyo, and the two parties agree "to communicate closely and cooperate" to settle North Korea's nuclear issue through the six-party framework.
--Seo Hyun-jin, "Seoul, Tokyo to Boost Efforts on N.K. Nukes," Korea Herald, 8 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com; "Koizumi, Ban Agree to Cooperate to Settle N. Korea Nukes," Kyodo News Service, 8 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com.

8 March 2004
A commentary by North Korea's Rodong Sinmun criticizes South Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Ban Ki-moon for his recent remarks made in Washington regarding inter-Korea economic exchanges. Ban said it would be difficult to conduct economic exchanges between the two Koreas unless the current nuclear issue is settled. The commentary argues that the North's desire to have a nuclear deterrent force to "defend its right to existence and sovereignty" is natural and the statement by Ban corresponds to "anti-national and anti-reunification criminal acts."
--"S. Korean Foreign Minister's Unreasonable Remarks Flailed," Korean Central News Agency, 8 March 2004, www.kcna.co.jp; "Rodong Shinmun: Woegyot'ongsangbu changgwan'ŭi sarie matchi annŭn kwebyŏn," Korean Central News Agency, 8 March 2004, www.kcna.co.jp; "DPRK Condemns S. Korea for Linking Economic Cooperation with Nuclear Issue," Xinhua News Agency, 8 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com.

8 March 2004
A Rodong Sinmun commentary calls for a "verifiable and complete withdrawal" of U.S. forces stationed in South Korea as well as a "complete, verifiable and irreversible security assurance" guaranteed by the conclusion of a peace agreement and normalization of relations." It also demands that the United States stop its demand for "nuclear renouncement."
--"Key to Resolving the (Nuclear) Issue Likes in the United States' Change of Attitude," Rodong Sinmun, 8 March 2004, in "N. Korea Urges Verifiable, Complete Withdrawal" of U.S. Forces in South Korea," BBC Monitoring, 9 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com; "Rodong Sinmun on Key to Settlement of Nuclear Issue," Korean Central News Agency, 8 March 2004, www.kcna.co.jp; "Rodongsimnum 'munjehaegyŏlŭi yŏlsoenŭn migugŭi t'aedobyŏnhwa'e itta," Korean Central News Agency, 8 March 2004, www.kcna.co.jp.

9 March 2004
The Rodong Sinmun, official daily of the Korean Workers' Party, warns that any U.S. economic sanctions as part of an effort to settle the North Korea nuclear crisis would amount to a "military operation aimed at staging a large-scale war" against North Korea.
--"Must Stop Military Commotion against the Republic," Rodong Sinmun, 9 March 2004, "North Korean Radio Urges U.S. to Stop War," BBC Monitoring, 9 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com; "Rodongsinmun pan'gonghwagukkunsajŏksodong'ŭlkŏdŏch'iwŏya handa," Korean Central News Agency, 9 March 2004, www.kcna.co.jp.

10 March 2004
Swedish Prime Minister Goran Persson visits South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun, and the two leaders issue a joint statement that "a peaceful resolution of the North Korean nuclear issue through dialogue is essential for the maintenance of peace and stability not only in Northeast Asia but globally." Persson announced yesterday that he may visit Pyongyang to address North Korea's nuclear ambitions and issues concerning past abductions of Japanese citizens.
-- "Sweden Backs Seoul's Effort for Peaceful Resolution of Nuke Crisis," Yonhap News Agency, 10 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com; "Swedish Premier Eyes Visit to N. Korea on Nukes, Abductions," Japan Economic Newswire, 9 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com; "Swedish PM May Still Visit North Korea This Week," Agence France Presse, 9 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com; "Swedish Premier Urges North Korea to Abide by International Obligations," BBC Monitoring, 11 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com.

10 March 2004
A DPRK foreign ministry spokesperson says that the country's reluctance to abandon its nuclear program is a response to U.S. hostile policies against North Korea. The spokesperson adds, "If [the U.S.] persists in demanding a 'verifiable, irreversible and complete abandoning' of [North Korea's] nuclear program it should first promise a verifiable, irreversible and complete abandoning of its hostile policies against it."
--"Spokesman for DPRK FM Denounces U.S. Reckless Stand at Six-way Talks," Korean Central News Agency, 10 March 2004, www.kcna.co.jp.

12 March 2004
Mitchell Reiss, director of Policy Planning at the U.S. State Department, says that the U.S. is willing to pursue a "normal relationship" with North Korea as long as the latter "accepts international demands for complete elimination of its nuclear weapons program."
--"U.S. Will Respond to N. Korean 'Actions, Not Mere Promises'," BBC Monitoring, 13 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com.

12 March 2004
South Korea's National Assembly passes an unprecedented impeachment bill that strips President Roh Moo-hyun of all executive powers until the Constitutional Court rules on the impeachment case. According to the ROK Constitution, Prime Minister Goh Kun assumes power as acting president.
--Chang Jae, "Parliament Impeaches Roh," Yonhap News Agency, 12 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com; Shim Sun, "Impeachment Unlikely to Stall Inter-Korean Relations, Officials Say," Yonhap News Agency, 12 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com. Samuel Len, "South Korea Parliament Votes to Strip President of Powers," New York Times, 12 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com. Anthony Faiola and Joohee Cho, "Jubilation, Rage in S. Korea; Impeachment of President Exposes Deep Ideological Rift," Washington Post, 13 March 2004, in ProQuest, proquest.umi.com; "South Korean Premier Pledges to Maintain Existing Policies," BBC, 12 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com; "Lower-Level Talks on N. Korea Nuke Crisis to Get into Full Swing," Yonhap News Agency, 14 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com; Kim So-young, "Roh Likely to Survive Impeachment Bill," Korea Herald, 11 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com; "S. Korea Urges North to Tackle Nuke Dispute Despite Impeachment," Japan Economic Newswire, 14 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com.

12 March 2004
White House spokesman Scott McClellan tells reporters that impeachment of South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun will not adversely impact the Six-party Talks on North Korea's nuclear program. U.S. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher says that Secretary Colin Powell spoke with South Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Ban Ki-moon, and the two officials confirmed to continue "to work together on issues of mutual concern, including things like the Six-party Talks and the Korean forces that are going to Iraq."
--"U.S. Unworried about Roh Impeachment Impact on 6-Way Talks," Japan Economic Newswire, 12 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com; "Impeachment Not to Have 'Special Influence' on Six-Way Talks - S Korean Minister," Financial Times, 18 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com; "South Korean Premier Pledges to Maintain Existing Policies," BBC Monitoring, 12 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com; Seo Hyun-jin, "Goh Stresses Business as Usual; Interim Leader Stands by Troop Dispatch, North Korea Talks," Korea Herald, 17 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com; Associated Press, in "Seoul Warns N. Korea on Nuclear Talks," Los Angeles Times, 25 March 2004, in ProQuest, proquest.umi.com.

14 March 2004
A spokesman for North Korea's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland says the impeachment of South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun has "pushed the political situation in south [sic] Korea to an unpredictable phase and brought an unbearable insult and disgrace to the south Korean people." The spokesman holds the United States responsible saying, "The U.S. had hatched such plot for 'impeachment' in south [sic] Korea since October last year."
--"Spokesman for CPRF on 'Motion on Impeachment against S. Korean President,'" Korean Central News Agency, 14 March 2004, www.kcna.co.jp; "Cho'p'yǒngt'ongtaebyǒn'in namjosǒn'esǒ'ǔi t'anhaek sat'ae'nǔn chǒngch'iballan, ŭihoe'k'udet'a," Korean Central News Agency, 14 March 2004, www.kcna.co.jp.

16 March 2004
North Korea's Korean Central News Agency states that Pyongyang was forced to cancel the 15 March meeting of the North-South Committee for the Promotion of Economic Cooperation because the impeachment of South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun has created a "state of anarchy and is making it impossible for both sides to have safe contacts."
--"Telephone Message to Chairman of South Side," Korean Central News Agency, 16 March 2004, www.kcna.co.jp; Hans Greimel, "North Korea Stokes Dispute over Scuttled Talks, Cites South Korean 'Anarchy'," Associated Press, 16 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com; Sang-Hun Choe, "North Korea Claims South in 'Anarchy'," Associated Press, March 16 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com.

16 March 2004
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao says, "The Chinese side has completed a concept paper [on the creation of working groups for the Six-party Talks]. We have submitted the paper to the other five parties concerned for opinion." Concurrently, South Korea's Deputy Foreign Minister Lee Su-hyŏk arrives in Beijing to discuss the setup of working groups and the Six-party Talks.
--"China Produces Concept Paper in Drive to Resolve N Korea Nuclear Standoff," Agence France Presse, 16 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com; "China Drafts Principles for Working Group on North Korea," Deutsche Presse-Agentur, 16 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com; Ted Anthony, "South Korean Envoy Arrives in China for Talks on North Korean Nuclear Program," Associated Press, 16 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com; "China Foreign Minister Heads to N Korea on Rare Visit, Likely with Sweetener," AFX News, 23 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com.

17 March 2004
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Mohamed ElBaradei says he wants IAEA inspectors to return to North Korea "as early as possible" with "comprehensive" rights to examine nuclear facilities. Speaking after a meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush and National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, he refers to the previous limits on IAEA inspectors prior to being expelled by Pyongyang at the end of 2002.
--Michael Adler, "UN Inspectors Would Need 'Comprehensive' Mandate in North Korea; IAEA," Agence France Presse, 18 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com; Michael Adler, "UN Agency to Work with US on Monitoring North Korean Nuclear Program," Agence France Presse, 19 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com.

19 March 2004
Referring to combined U.S.-South Korean military exercises, a North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesperson says that North Korea is forced to boost its nuclear arsenal in "quality and quantity" because the U.S. continues its "increased military threat."
--" U.S. Urged to Ponder over Unpredictable Consequences to Be Entailed by Its Provocations," Korean Central News Agency, 19 March 2004, www.kcna.co.jp; Sang-Hun Choe, "North Korea Threatens to Increase Nuclear Deterrent in 'Quality and Quantity'," Associated Press, 19 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com.

19 March 2004
In a report to Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, the Japanese Foreign Ministry calls on North Korea to abandon its nuclear program "in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner." The report also expresses concerns about North Korea's ballistic missile program.
-- "Japan Renews Call on N. Korea to Completely Abandon Nuke Programs," Japan Economic Newswire, 19 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com.

24 March 2004
North Korean leader Kim Jong Il meets with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing to coordinate and discuss the prospects of a third round of Six-party Talks.
--"Chinese FM Meets with North Korea's Kim Jong-Il," Agence France Presse, 24 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com; Associated Press, in "N. Korean Leader, Chinese Aide Discuss Arms," Washington Post, 25 March 2004, in ProQuest, proquest.umi.com; "N. Korea's Kim Meets Chinese FM," United Press International, 24 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com.

27 March 2004
Radio Pyongyang reiterates that the DPRK will never accept the demand for "complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantling" of its nuclear weapons programs first. The broadcast insists the United States must provide economic aid and written security guarantees first and that North Korea has the right to keep civilian nuclear programs.
--"North Korea Rejects Complete Disarmament," Korea Herald, 29 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com; "North Korean Radio Criticizes US Demand for Nuclear Dismantlement," BBC Monitoring, 27 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com; Joseph Kahn, "North Korea Rejects U.S. Demand to Scrap Its Nuclear Programs," New York Times, 28 March 2004, in ProQuest, proquest.umi.com.

29 March 2004
South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon visits Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing and Assistant Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo in Beijing to discuss the creation of a working group for the Six-party Talks framework. Ban also asks Li, who visited Pyongyang to discuss the Six-party Talks 23-25 March, to work to grant asylum to North Korean defectors detained in China for humanitarian reasons.
--Choi Soung-ah, "Foreign Ministers Meet on N.K. Nukes," Korea Herald, 30 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com; "China, South Korea Agree on Early Start for North Nuclear Issue Working Group," BBC Monitoring, 30 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com; "China, South Korea Push Six-Party Working Group," Deutsche Presse-Agentur, 29 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com; "Seoul, Beijing Discuss NK Nuke Issue," Korea Times, 30 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, web.lexis-nexis.com.

30 March 2004
According to North Korean media, a North Korean engineer who provided evidence supporting allegations that North Korea conducted chemical weapons tests on humans for a February 2004 BBC documentary recanted and admitted the documents were faked. The man, Kang Pyong-Sop, was arrested along with his family by Chinese authorities as he tried to flee North Korea and was returned to North Korean authorities, according to human rights activists. It is not known under what conditions Kang admitted to North Korea that the documents were false, but rights groups note that returnees to North Korea often face torture and imprisonment.
--Sang-Hun Choe, "North Korea: Alleged Gas Chamber Witness Says He Lied," Associated Press, 30 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, www.lexisnexis.com; "North Korean Says He Faked Documents of Chemical Tests: Official Media," Agence France Presse, 31 March 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, www.lexisnexis.com.

24 June 2004
Citing a South Korean magazine article, North Korea issues a litany of accusations against the US and South Korea, accusing them of manufacturing and stockpiling numerous chemical and biological weapons on the Korean peninsula. No evidence was provided to substantiate the bulk of the claims.
--"North Korean Daily Denounces US Preparations for Biological, Chemical War," BBC Monitoring Asia Pacific, 24 June 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, www.lexisnexis.com.

28 July 2004
The BBC program "Newsnight" interviewed a former North Korean research scientist who claimed that North Korea regularly tested chemical agents on prisoners. The man, whose identity was concealed, claimed he had performed experiments on prisoners since 1979, with the objective of determining how much lethal gas was required to kill a human, in order to calculate the amount of agent necessary to "annihilate Seoul." The report was produced by the reporter responsible for a February 2004 BBC documentary, "Access to Evil," which documented similar claims from other North Korean defectors. The new report increased pressure on the South Korean government to address the issue, which it has avoided in order to avoid inflaming tensions with the North.
--"North Korean Scientist Recounts Chemical Tests on Prisoners," Agence France Presse, 28 July 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, www.lexisnexis.com; "Seoul Pressed to Address Claims of Human Experiments in North Korea," Korea Times, 3 August 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, www.lexisnexis.com.

24 September 2004
The South Korean government announced that a South Korean businessman had illegally exported 107 tons of sodium cyanide to North Korea, via transshipment through China. Sodium cyanide is a dual-use chemical which may be used to manufacture chemical weapons, including nerve agents. The man, who did not receive government approval for the export, was sentenced to 18 months in jail. The North Korean government said, via its official news agency, that the sodium cyanide was not for chemical weapons, stating, "Deals in sodium cyanide are being done among countries on the principle of meeting each other's needs."
--Park Chan-kyong, "ROK Says Sodium Cyanide Shipped to North Korea via China Sep 2003," Agence France Presse, 24 September 2004, OSC Document JPP20040924000085; "North Korea Defends Imports of Toxic Chemical," Associated Press Worldstream, 5 October 2004, in Lexis-Nexis, www.lexisnexis.com.

	Updated July 2008