In a significant development, North Korea’s No.2 leader Kim Yong Nam, President of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly (North Korean Parliament) visited Singapore. He was accompanied by Ri Kwang Gun, chairman of the Commission for Joint Venture and Investment and North Korean Light Industry Minister An Jong Su. After Singapore, Kim is to leave for Indonesia on a four-day long visit. In the meantime, Chief of the General Staff of the North Korean People’s Army- Ri Yong Ho- too recently paid a visit to Laos. During his visit, Ri reportedly insisted on the necessity of the two countries’ armed forces making “positive efforts to deepen friendship”. 1

• 1. “N. Korea’s No. 2 arrives in Singapore”, Mainichi Daily, May 12, 2012, at http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20120512p2g00m0in0280...