N.Korea Invites Foreign Press to Armistice Day Events

North Korea has invited scores of Western and Japanese reporters to events on July 27 marking the 60th anniversary of the end of the Korean War. The invitations are apparently aimed at showing off the regime's stability.

A source in Beijing said Thursday, "The North has sent invitations to more than 100 journalists at about 40 media outlets in the U.S., Europe, Japan and Russia, and many of them are expected to attend."

Invitees include AP and CNN from the U.S., BBC from the U.K., and NHK, Nihon TV, Tokyo TV (TBS), TV Asahi and Kyodo News from Japan.

A Japanese correspondent in Beijing said, "The invitations went to Japanese broadcasters and news agencies through Chongryon [a pro-Pyongyang mouthpiece in Japan]. Each company can send up to three staffers to Pyongyang."

Invited foreign journalists will visit Pyonyang from July 24 until July 30 and cover a military parade, a performance of the North's notorious choreographed mass games, and ceremonies at a war memorial in Pyongyang.

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