Chronologies
Regional Overview
Chronology from Jul 2002 to Oct 2002
: UN announces that donation shortfalls will force it to drastically reduce grain rations to North Korea.
: Asian Games open in Pusan; North-South Korean athletes march under common flag.
: North Korea announces that foreigners will be allowed to enter the special administrative region without visas.
: Indonesian FM Wirayuda visits Moscow to discuss preparations for President Megawati’s visit to Russia in early 2003.
: U.S. announces Asst. Secretary of State James Kelly will visit Pyongyang on Oct. 3.
: U.S. special envoy Pritchard meets with DPRK officials in NY.
: Pyongyang announces the establishment of a special administrative region near its border with China in the northwestern city of Sinuiju.
: Asia-Europe (ASEM) Meeting in Copenhagen.
: Washington releases The National Security Strategy of the United States of America, which addresses need for preemption against WMD threat.
: Japan issues demand for compensation from North Korea for abducting Japanese citizens.
: Taiwan’s First Lady arrives in U.S. for a private visit.
: Reconstruction of railways and roads through Korean DMZ begins.
: PM Koizumi visits Pyongyang. DPRK leader Kim-Jong-il apologizes for his country’s abduction of Japanese citizens.
: Singapore Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew visits Taiwan after PRC visit.
: ASEAN Plus Three Economic Ministers meeting, Brunei.
: China warns Singapore of “trouble” if it establishes an FTA with Taiwan.
: Malaysian PM Mahathir Mohamad announces intention to resign from all elected posts after his planned retirement late next year.
: FM Tang vows before the U.N. General Assembly that China will never allow Taiwan to become independent.
: North-South Korea family reunions at Mt. Kumgang.
: President Bush addresses UN General Assembly, calls for intrusive inspections to halt Iraq’s WMD programs.
: Pyongyang announces plans to set up a special administrative region in the northwestern city of Sinuiji on the Chinese border.
: The UN Sanctions Committee adds Xinjiang separatist group, East Turkestan Islamic Movement, to its list of terrorist organizations following U.S.-China request.
: Japan raises suspected North Korean spy-ship.
: Secretary Bolton arrives in Moscow for senior level talks.
: Russian President Putin threatens preemptive counterterorrism attacks against Georgia.
: The State Department announces U.S. Embassy in Jakarta and the U.S. consulate in Surabaya will close because of a threat of attack.
: PM Koizumi in the U.S.; meets President Bush and gives speeches at Harvard University, the United Nations, and the Council on Foreign Relations.
: APEC finance ministers meeting, Los Cabos, Mexico.
: Trilateral Coordination and Oversight Group (TCOG) meets in Seoul.
: Russia announces intention to ratify the Kyoto treaty on global warming.
: Chinese National People’s Congress Chairman Li Peng visits Thailand, Indonesia, and Philippines.
: The two Koreas agree to restore road and rail links across the border, beginning on Sept. 18.
: Japanese PM Koizumi announces intention to meet with DPRK President Kim Jong-il in North Korea on Sept. 17.
: Undersecretary of State Bolton visits Seoul, defends President Bush’s “axis of evil” comment.
: PM Koizumi and Deputy Secretary Armitage meet in Tokyo; Koizumi informs the U.S. of his plan to visit North Korea Sept. 17.
: Deputy Secretary of State Armitage meets Vice President Hu in Beijing to finalize preparations for U.S.-China summit in October.
: China’s announces that the 16th Party Congress will be held Nov. 8.
: China issued new regulations on the export of missile technology.
: North Korea and Japan hold the first governmental talks since 2000 in Pyongyang.
: Seventh PRC-Russia Prime Ministers’ meeting held in Shanghai.
: APEC senior officials meet in Acapulco.
: DPRK leader Kim Jong-il visits Russia, meets Russian President Putin in Vladivostok.
: Malaysian PM Mahathir visits Burma.
: Japan hosts ASEAN Plus Three meeting to address overseas development assistance.
: Philippine Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes meets with Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld at the Pentagon. New five-year plan for stepped-up U.S. military assistance to the Philippines announced.
: State Department special envoy Jack Pritchard attends ceremony in North Korea commemorating the first pouring of concrete in the KEDO project.
: Taiwan Premier Yu transits U.S. through Los Angeles and New York en route to Latin America.
: Taiwan Mainland Affairs Council chairperson issues statement that President Chen’s remarks do not signal a policy change.
: Japan’s FM Kawaguchi visit Burma, meets with Gen. Than Shwe and pro-democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi.
: Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian raises the possibility of a referendum on independence, states there is one country on each side of the Straits.
: Secretary Powell on visit to Jakarta announces U.S. will resume military training as part of U.S. counterterrorism assistance.
: Malaysian PM Mahathir and Australian FM Downer sign counter-terrorism pact in Kuala Lumpur.
: Secretary Powell attends ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) meeting in Brunei, hold informal talks with North Korean Foreign Minister Paek, the first high-level contact between the U.S. and DPRK in two years.
: ASEAN Plus Three Foreign Ministers meet in Brunei.
: Energy Secretary Abraham visits Moscow.
: Secretary of State Colin L. Powell visits India, Pakistan, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Brunei.
: North Korea issues statement of regret over June 29 naval clash.
: Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian takes over as ruling party chairman.
: First public reports emerge that North Korea is scrapping its decades old rationing system and instituting price reform.
: U.S. Congressional Commission report on China released.
: Pentagon releases report on China’s military capabilities.
: Malaysia’s highest court unanimously rejects an appeal by former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to overturn his 1999 conviction.
: U.S. presents payment to North Korea to help finance searches for the remains of U.S. soldiers missing in action from the Korean War.
: Kim Yong-nam, the head of North Korea’s Parliament, visits Indonesia.
: East Timor and Indonesia establish formal diplomatic ties.
: U.S. withdraws offers to North Korea to resume security talks.
: East Timor’s President Gusmao visits Indonesian President Megawati in Jakarta.
: Seoul halts rice shipments to North Korea following June 29 Yellow Sea naval clash.