*** CHRONOLOGICAL REVIEW

SEOUL (Yonhap) -- The following is a chronological review of major developments related to North Korea from July 14 to July 20, 2011.

  
July
14 The (North) Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reports that a volleyball coaching course took place in Pyongyang, according to a cooperation program of the International Volleyball Federation.

   14 Yang Hyong-sop, vice president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly (SPA), meets with Souheil Haidar, outgoing charge d'affaires ad interim of the Syrian embassy in Pyongyang at the Mansudae Assembly Hall in Pyongyang.

   14 Foreign Minister Pak Ui-chun meets with Jose Manuel Galego Montano, outgoing Cuban ambassador to North Korea.

   14 An art group of the Gansu Provincial Song and Dance Theatre of China performs the dance drama "Confetti on the Silk Road" at the North Hwanghae Provincial Art Theatre in Sariwon City on a visit to North Korea.

   15 The KCNA says an increasing number of people are quitting smoking in North Korea.

   15 The KCNA says a campaign for the July 15 Honor Student Prize is on a high tide among secondary school students.

   15 Kim Yong-nam, president of the SPA Presidium, meets with a delegation of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the China-Korea Friendship Association led by Wu Donghe, chairman of the China-Korea Friendship Association.

   15 The KCNA says many areas of North Korea were hit again by torrential rainfall.

   15 North Korean leader Kim Jong-il and his third son, Kim Jong-un, enjoy a performance of the dance drama "Confetti on the Silk Road," staged by an art group of the Gansu Provincial Song and Dance Theatre of China.

   16 The KCNA says the State Bureau issued new stamps to mark leader Kim Jong-il's unofficial visit to China from May 20-26.

   16 The KCNA says a commodity exhibition opened recently at Pyongyang Department Store No. 1.

   16 A delegation accompanying Foreign Minister Pak Ui-chun leaves Pyongyang to visit Mongolia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.

   16 Senior party and state officials and officials of working people's organizations, ministries and national institutions visit the second commodity exhibition of Pyongyang Department Store No. 1.

   17 Kim Jong-il watches a concert staged by the Unhasu Orchestra at the newly rebuilt Unhasu Theatre to mark its opening along with Kim Jong-un.

   17 Glyn Ford, member of the National Policy Forum of the British Labour Party, arrives in Pyongyang by train.

   17 Kim Kum-ok wins the women's marathon race of the Fifth Military World Games held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

   18 A delegation of the Press and Information Department of the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry led by Director General Nguyen Phuong Nga arrives in Pyongyang.

   18 The KCNA says meetings where voters nominated candidates for deputies to provincial (municipality), city (district) and county people's assemblies took place across North Korea.

   18 A meeting and a film show takes place in Pyongyang to mark the month of solidarity with the Cuban people.

   18 Foreign Minister Pak Ui-chun on a visit to Mongolia holds talks with Gombojab Zandanshatar, minister of External Relations of Mongolia, in Ulaanbaatar, the country's capital.

   19 The KCNA says Kim Jong-il sent his autograph "July 14, 2011 Kim Jong-il" to officials and employees of the Kosan Fruit Farm, in reply to their letter to him.

   19 A delegation of the Fukuoka Prefectural Japan-North Korea Friendship Association led by Chairman Mamoru Kitahara arrives in Pyongyang.

   19 The KCNA says "Order of Kim Il-sung" was conferred on Kwon Hyok-bong, vice department of director of the Central Committee, the Workers' Party.

   20 The KCNA says coal mines in the North suffered damage from heavy rainfalls that hit the country from July 12 to 15.

   20 The KCNA says the visiting delegation of the Press and Information Department of the Vietnamese Foreign Ministry handed a gift for Kim Jong-il to North Korean officials.

   20 Nominations for deputy positions at people's assemblies of provinces (municipalities), cities (districts) and counties in North Korea is completed.

  (END)