*** NEWS IN BRIEF

N.K. Denounces Move by Seoul-Washington Military for Cooperation

SEOUL (Yonhap) -- North Korea on Nov. 3 denounced recent moves for military cooperation by South Korea and the United States, claiming that "they are rounding off anti-N. Korea war scenarios."

   The denouncement came in response to the 43rd Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) by the two countries held in Seoul on Oct. 27-28.

   The SCM is an annual meeting between the defense chiefs of the long-time allies and is held alternately between Seoul and Washington. It's the first SCM for U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, who succeeded Robert Gates in July.

   South Korean Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin and Panetta agreed to complete a joint operational plan this year to counter potential provocations by North Korea at their annual meeting.

   A spokesman for the National Peace Committee of (North) Korea was quoted by the (North) Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) as saying, "They are stepping up the preparations for a war of aggression against the North."

   "Branding their military tie-up and war moves as dangerous actions to wreck peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, spark a new Cold War and arms race, and ignite a war," the KCNA reported.

   After the SCM, Kim and Panetta said they will ensure solid combined defense against North Korean provocations with the "South Korea-U.S. Counter-Provocation Plan."

  
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Tourist Group from Harbin Made Four-day Tour to Mount Kumgang

SEOUL (Yonhap)-- A tourist group from Harbin of China made a four-day trial tour to Mount Kumgang, as North Korea has sought for ways to invigorate its tourism industry.

   The trial Harbin-Mount Kumgang tourist group arrived in Pyongyang by a chartered flight, the (North) Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said on Nov. 4.

   While indicating the importance of the tourist group, the KCNA reported the tourists were greeted at the airport by Ri Chung-bok, deputy director of the DPRK (North Korea) Guidance Bureau of the Special Zone for International Tour of Mount Kumgang.

   The tourists headed by Chen Xibin, a member of the Standing Committee of the Heilongjiang Provincial People's Congress of China, toured Mount Kumgang the day after their arrival.

   During the stay in the North, they also visited other tourist attractions in Pyongyang, including Mangyondae, the birthplace of former North Korean leader Kim Il-sung, the Arch of Triumph and the Friendship Tower.

   South and North Korea launched the Mount Kumgang tour program in November 1998, but it has been suspended since August 2008 when a South Korean tourist was shot dead in the Mount Kumgang resort.

   The North has opened the inter-Korean tour program to foreigners, mainly to Chinese people, after it made the "Law on the Special Zone of Mount Kumgang International Tourism." The tourist route between Rajin, located in the North's northern tip, and Mount Kumgang was opened in August so that tourists can go to the mountain by ship.

   According to data by the Chinese government, the number of Chinese tourists to North Korea was tallied at 131,100 in 2010 up 36.4 percent from 96,100 in 2009.

  
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Senior N. Korean Official Leaves on Apparent Trip to Germany

SEOUL (Yonhap) -- A senior North Korean official left for Europe on Nov. 5 as head of the country's parliamentary friendship delegation, Pyongyang's state media reported.

   Ri Jong-hyok, vice chairman of the North's Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee that oversees inter-Korean relations, led a delegation of the North's rubber-stamp parliament Supreme People's Assembly on the trip, the North's Korean Central Broadcasting Station said.

   However, the report did not say where the delegation was headed.

   Earlier, Washington-based Radio Free Asia reported that Ri planned to make a three-day visit to Germany from Nov. 6 at the invitation of German parliamentarian Stefan Muller.

   Ri and Muller co-head the North Korea-Germany Parliamentary Friendship Group.

  
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Local Workers from CNC Plant Unusually Hailed in Pyongyang

SEOUL (Yonhap) -- Unusually, North Korean leader Kim Jong-il invited local workers into Pyongyang and the North's ruling Workers' Party (WPK) gave a warm welcome to them, according to the North Korea's news outlets.

   "Officials, labor innovators, scientists and technicians of Jagang Province arrived in Pyongyang on Nov. 3 to tour the capital city of Pyongyang at the invitation of leader Kim Jong-il," the (North) Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

   On Nov. 5, the KCNA reported a reception hosted by the Central Committee and the Central Military Commission of the WPK was held at the People's Palace of Culture in Pyongyang to congratulate Ryonha Machine officials, labor innovators, scientists and technicians who performed feats in the drive to realize CNC (computer numerical control) on a route in Pyongyang.

   A day earlier, a mass meeting to welcome workers from the Huichon Ryonha General Machinery Plant took place at the Pyongyang Indoor Stadium, with the participation of Kim Yong-nam, president of the SPA Presidium, according to the news agency.
Workers from the plant on Nov. 9 leave Pyongyang, winding up their week-long visit to the city from Nov. 3, the KCNA said. During the stay in Pyongyang, they visited Kimilsung University and the Tudan Duck Farm.

   North Korea has been propagating the development of CNC technology, which refers to the automation of machine tools as the North's heir-apparent Kim Jong-un's own feat since early 2009.

   It is noteworthy that the invitation of workers from the plant to Pyongyang was made just after Kim Jong-il made inspection tours to the industrial facilities in Jagang Province, bordering China, at the end of October, along with his son and heir-apparent Jong-un.

   Meanwhile, Kim Jong-il invited workers of industrial facilities in South Hamgyong Province to Pyongyang from Oct. 19-25. Kim Jong-il and his son Jong-un visited the industrial facilities in South Hamgyong Province in mid-October, according to the KCNA on Oct. 16.

  
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Friendly Ties between Chongjin and Khabarovsk Set

SEOUL (Yonhap) -- North Korea's Chongjin City in North Hamgyong Province has established friendly relations with Khabarovsk City of Russia, the North's media said on Nov. 4.

   "An agreement on the establishment was signed at the Khabarovsk City Administration Office on Oct. 31," the (North) Korean Central News Agency said.

   However, the North's news agency did not elaborate on the details of the agreement.

   Ri Il-su, chairman of the Chongjin City People's Committee of North Hamgyong Province, and S. N. Kazachenko, first-deputy mayor of Khabarovsk, inked the agreement, the KCNA said.

  (END)