Secy. Kim Jong Il's celebrated work published in India

Pyongyang, January 6 (KCNA) -- "Respecting the forerunners of the revolution is a noble moral obligation of revolutionaries", a celebrated work of the great leader comrade Kim Jong Il, was published in pamphlet by the everest publishing house of india January 1 on the occasion of the new year. The pamphlet reads in the preface: The great leader, his excellency Kim Jong Il, though he was busy with leading the revolution and construction, authored a number of celebrated works, which give all- round answers to many complicated questions raised by the times, thereby lighting the road ahead of the Korean and the world's revolution. For their originality and profoundness, his works have totally gripped the people's hearts, boundlessly encouraging their struggle for justice, peace and socialism.

Comrade Kim Jong Il's 55th birthday to be celebrated in Bangladesh

Pyongyang, January 6 (KCNA) -- The Bangladeshi national committee for celebrating the 55th birthday of the great leader comrade Kim Jong Il was inaugurated in Dhaka on December 24, 1996. The committee has rashed Khan Menon, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Bangladesh, as its chairman, Nuran Nabie, secretary general of the Bangladesh-Korea friendship association, as its secretary general and 21 political and public figures including general secretaries of eight other political parties as its members. Elaborating on the program for celebrations, the nuran nabie said in his speech that, through the celebrations, they would broadly explain and propagandize the greatness of comrade Kim Jong Il among the Bangladeshi people and deeply inform them of the invincibility of the Korean-style socialism.

Struggle of S. Korean workers will continue

Pyongyang, January 6 (KCNA) -- The second-stage indefinite general strike of South Korean workers against the revised "Labour law" is an eruption of their pent-up wrath and resentment against the anti-social policy of the kim Young Sam group, declared Minju joson in a signed commentary January 5. Recalling that the Kim Young Sam group, who had refused to withdraw any of "labour-related laws", went the length of announcing them in an "official gazette" on December 31, the news analyst of the paper says: This outrageous act is a frontal challenge to the demands of workers. It is only too natural that the South Korean workers have started the second-stage indefinite general strike. It is because their struggle is a very righteous one to win their vital rights and democracy. They will not abandon their struggle till their demands are met but they will continue their valiant struggle for the independence and democracy of South Korean society and national reunification.

Italian pays homage to Pres. Kim Il Sung

Pyongyang, January 6 (KCNA) -- Giancarlo Elia Valori, secretary general of the Italian Institute of International Relations, Sunday visited the Kumsusan Memorial Palace in which the great leader President Kim Il Sung is preserved in state. He paid tribute to the statue of the great leader and made a bow before him. He looked round with keen interest the relics the president used in his lifetime. He wrote in the visitor's book that the palace where president Kim Il Sung received him and his mother several times is an unforgettable place and that the president is immortal.

Struggle for nullifying amended labour laws continues in S. Korea

Pyongyang, January 6 (KCNA) -- The struggle of the people from all walks of life in South Korea is continuing in the new year, too, to protest the revised "labour laws", Seoul- based radio reports said. The "Federation of Korea Trade Unions" on January 5 held rallies for nullifying the amended "Labour laws" in seven major areas of South Korea including Seoul, Pusan, Taejon and Inchon, and demanded the abolition of the "laws". The federation in a declaration of struggle published at a rally in front of Seoul railway station said that "The system of flexible work hours", which is included in the "Labour laws", means the transfer of the right to decide work hours to the employer and that the "System of readjustment and laying off" means a sentence of death on workers. It declared it would call a general strike in case they are not withdrawn. At rallies the federation strongly urged the "New Korea Party" to immediately renounce the "labour laws" which threaten the workers' right to existence, and apologize to the people. The all-people measure committee for defending democracy held a rally for nullifying the "laws on labour affairs and the agency for national security planning" at the Jongmyo park in Seoul and said that it will turn out in the struggle against the regime in case these evil laws are not abolished. On jan. 4, the South Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and the National Roman Catholic Priests' Group for the Realisation of Justice held rallies to protest the railroaded amendment bills on labour affairs and the "ANSP" at myongdong cathedral in Seoul. On January 1, members of the lawyers for democratic society staged a sit-in. The confederation declared that more than 200 trade unions under its affiliation including the federation of trade unions for hyundai group subsidiaries and the federation of office clerks' unions will go on a strike from January 6 and the federation of trade unions of hospitals and trade unions of broadcasting corporations will join it from January 7.

Rodong Sinmun calls for stepping up New Year's march with confidence, optimism

Pyongyang, January 6 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today editorially calls on the officials, party members and all other working people to take part in the new year's worthwhile general onward movement with revolutionary confidence and optimism and make this a year of new prosperity and victory, a significant year which effects a turn in the Korean revolution. Continuing advance and innovation for fresh victory with revolutionary confidence and optimism is the Korean people's noble traits and traditional characteristics, the daily says, adding: We must launch a final campaign to finish the "Arduous March" victoriously under the red flag. Guided by the respected general Kim Jong Il, the Korean people are in high spirits, sure of the victory in this year's march. They have an iron will and grit given by the powerful party and the leader and their strength is strong enough to successfully make this year's march. If all the people are to speed up this year's march with revolutionary confidence and optimism, they should be deeply aware of the greatness of general Kim Jong Il. Confidence in the victorious revolution is, so to speak, the conviction of the leader's greatness. Our revolution is guided by the great leader comrade Kim Jong Il. We should start this year's march with the belief that we can overcome whatever difficulties and carry out whatever tasks because we enjoy his wise leadership. For a successful march this year, it is also important that all the people fully display the revolutionary spirit of braving all the hardships. General Kim Jong Il, on the basis of a scientific analysis of the present situation and the nation's economic conditions, has clearly indicated a way of making a considerable progress in socialist construction this year. The party members and all other working people should courageously overcome all the difficulties with the might of singlehearted unity and revolutionary comradeship which have been brought into full play in the country, a large family with him as the father. It is the resolution and will of the Korean people to successfully carry out this year's tasks set forth by the party and fully demonstrate the spirit of socialist Korea once again.

Pyongyangites vow to implement tasks set out in joint New Year editorial

Pyongyang, January 6 (KCNA) -- A Pyongyang mass meeting was held at the Pyongyang Indoor Stadium on January 5 to carry through the militant tasks laid down in the joint editorial of the organs of the party, the army and the youth published on the occasion of the new year. Present on the occasion were vice-president Pak Song Chol and secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea central committee Han Song Ryong, who are members of the political bureau of the WPK central committee, and other officials as well as working people from all social standings. The reporter and speakers said that the joint editorial, which summed up the brilliant achievements made last year and brightly indicated targets and tasks for the new year and ways to put them into practice, is a banner of victory which powerfully encourages the whole party, the entire people and the whole army to a general march forward to exalt the Korean-style socialism. What is important in stepping up the general advance this year is to dye the whole society in the idea of the red flag of the Workers' Party of Korea, they noted. They said that this year's major tasks for socialist economic construction are to decisively solve the food problem and drastically improve the living standard of the people by making the maximum use of the already-laid economic foundation under the motto of self-reliance and lay a solid basis for the prosperity of the country through the acceleration of land administration. In order to triumphantly hasten the general advance this year, they added, it is very important to build up the defence capabilities of the country as much as possible. They called for frustrating the aggressive moves of the enemy and pushing ahead with socialist construction with the might of singlehearted unity of the army and people by fully displaying the tradition of this unity. The key to the successful implementation of the vast tasks for socialist construction is to give full scope to the revolutionary spirit of self-reliance, the Collectivist mode of life and the revolutionary traits of personal examples, they stressed. They called for making a great upsurge in production and construction.

Rodong Sinmun calls for nationwide efforts for reunification

Pyongyang, January 6 (KCNA) -- As the newspapers of the party, the army and the youth made clear in the new year joint editorial, the three principles of national reunification, the proposal for founding the democratic confederal republic of koryo and the ten-point programme of the great unity of the whole nation, which were put forward by the great leader comrade Kim Il Sung, are three mainstays and three charters the Korean nation should invariably maintain for the country's reunification. Rodong Sinmun says this in an article today. All the Koreans in the north, south and overseas should join in the efforts for the independence and peaceful reunification of the nation in line with the ten-point programme, the article says. They should make a tangible contribution to promoting the great unity and reunification of the nation, those with strength dedicating their strength, those with knowledge giving their knowledge and those with money donating their money. The article further says: Most of the compatriots in the north, south and overseas love the fatherland and value the sovereignty of the nation as its members, putting the common interests of the nation above anything else, irrespective of their living conditions, ideologies, political view, religious belief, knowledge and property. If the workers, peasants, youth, students, intellectuals, believers, national capitalists of conscience and all other Koreans who hope for the country's reunification collaborate, support and cooperate with each other in an integral way and take a joint action, making the best of their characteristics, they can constitute a powerful driving force of reunification and successfully accomplish the cause. All the compatriots should faithfully uphold the respected comrade Kim Jong Il as the leader of the nation and take part in the patriotic movement for implementing the policies and proposals advanced by the fatherly leader comrade Kim Il Sung and general Kim Jong Il for the reunification of the country, the nation's desire.