Summary of domestic news in North Korea this week

SEOUL, Sept. 2 (Yonhap) -- The following is a summary of domestic news in North Korea this week.

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N. Korea blasts new U.N. rapporteur on its human rights as 'puppet' of U.S.

SEOUL -- North Korea accused the newly appointed U.N. special rapporteur on its human rights situation Friday of serving merely as a "puppet" of the United States.

In response to a question by the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), a spokesperson for Pyongyang's foreign ministry launched the verbal attack on the U.S. and Elizabeth Salmon, who assumed the post in early August.

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N. Korea says it participated in U.N. maritime meeting in July

SEOUL -- North Korea participated in an International Maritime Organization (IMO) meeting in July, according to a belated announcement by its maritime agency Thursday.

In a piece posted on its website, the North's Maritime Administration (MA) said the country's deputy permanent representative to the IMO and officials from its maritime agency participated in the meeting to discuss measures to harmonize port control and procedures globally with the member states.

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N. Korea holds first meeting of civil defense organization commanding officers in 3 years

SEOUL -- North Korea has held the first meeting of active commanding officers of the Worker-Peasant Red Guards (WPRG) in three years to review its combat capability, Pyongyang's state media said Wednesday.

The WPRG is a civil defense organization of around 5.7 million workers and farmers, about a quarter of the country's population. The previous such meeting was held in February 2019.
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