Kim Jong-Il To Visit Russian Tank Factory In August 1

North Korea`s National Defense Commission Chairman Kim Jong-Il plans to visit T-80U tank production factory in the industrial city of Omsk in west Siberia from August 1 through 2 one day before arriving in Moscow, reported the Russian sources yesterday.

Transmashu factory to which Chairman Kim plans to visit has been concentrating on the modernization of old model tanks and exported T-80U and T-80UK to South Korea in mid 1990s.

While staying in Omsk, Chairman Kim was reported to visit the Svetly rifle range to watch the shooting practice and the maneuvers of tanks.

The special train in which Chairman Kim is riding continued to run toward the west after having stopped over in Havarovsk for 30 minutes in the early morning yesterday

While the special train with the 22-train carriage stopped at the Havarovsk station, the Russian security police completely blockaded the civilians` approach to the train. 30 Russian and foreign reporters could not enter the platform either.

Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department spokesperson Philip Ricker said on Thursday that ``we do not have any say on the North Korean leader or individual person`s visit to Russia. It is their trip, not our trip.``

kimkihy@donga.com