It will provide a forum for multi-disciplinary research and analytic exchanges on the national goals and strategic posture of the People's Republic of China and the ability of the PRC to develop, field and deploy an effective military in support of its strategic objectives. Republic of Korea 1. The New York talks, which will be led by Charles Kartman, US special envoy on Korea, and DPRK Vice Foreign Minister Kim Gye-gwan, are expected to deal with the scope of the DPRK delegation and the itinerary and agenda for the April trip. Many analysts said that they expect the visit to be the first major step towards rapprochement for the two rivals. In its latest human rights report, it said that DPRK citizens are detained arbitrarily and many are held as political prisoners.
Prison conditions are harsh.
The North Korean regime subjects its citizens to rigid controls. The state leadership perceives most international norms of human rights, especially individual rights, as illegitimate, alien social concepts subversive to the goals of the state and party. The report also said the penal code was draconian, stipulating capital punishment and confiscation of all assets for a wide variety of crimes against revolution, including detention, attempted defection, slander against the policies of the party or state, listening to foreign broadcasts, writing revolutionary letters and possessing reactionary printed matter. Based on the Western authorities' information and because these three civilians had no interest in the DPRK before they went missing, the Japanese security authorities are suspecting that the DPRK abducted the civilians. This would be the first food aid from Japan to the DPRK in three years.