S. Korean workers' struggle supported

Pyongyang, January 9 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun in a commentary today expresses support for the workers and other people of South Korea in the valiant struggle against the kim Young Sam group's retrospective amendment to the "labour laws". The news analyst says their struggle against the fascist laws, which trample down their freedom and rights, is an exercise of their elementary rights for existence as well as of human rights which should be enjoyed by social beings. Upset by the growing massive strikes, the fascist clique are kicking up a frantic wholesale repression, the commentary notes, adding: This reality calls upon the workers and other people of South Korea to hold the banner of struggle higher and continue their strike until their demand is met. It goes on: If they overlook the situation, taken in by the Kim Young Sam group or give up the struggle in face of threats, they will fall a victim to the "civilian" dictatorship and will never rise again. The only way for them to lead a genuine life is to get the fascist laws abrogated and continue the struggle to overthrow the Kim Young Sam group to the last. The empty-handed South Korean workers should consolidate solidarity between businesses, occupations and regions, closely rallied around the independent, democratic trade unions and wage a joint struggle with peasants, students and other people until their just demand is met.

5th anniv. of establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Ukraine

Pyongyang, January 9 (KCNA) -- The Korean people extend greetings of friendship to the Ukrainian people on the 5th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Ukraine (January 9, 1992). A by-lined article of Minju Joson today says this and goes on: Since the establishment of the diplomatic relations the two countries have enhanced cooperation in many fields including politics, the economy and culture and the two peoples boosted mutual understanding and ties through visits and interchange. The Korean people believe that the friendly relations between the two countries will further expand and develop in future.

Repatriation of unconverted long-term prisoner urged

Pyongyang, January 9 (KCNA) -- Kim Hwa Sim and Kim Jong Sim, daughters of old man Kim In So, an unconverted long- term prisoner in South Korea, sent letters to international human rights organisations including the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, requesting them to render an active help for an early repatriation of their father. Hailing from the northern half of Korea, Kim In So was taken prisoner by the enemy side while fighting in the south during the Korean war. He was kept behind bars for 33 years and 7 months for the mere reason that he refused his "Ideological conversion". He has been under detention in the south for over 45 years. In letters, his daughters said that the South Korean authorities are persistently refusing the repatriation of their father, who is suffering from a serious brain haemorrhage, and persecuting him politically. With nothing can they justify their inhuman behaviour, the daughters stressed. They earnestly requested the international human rights organisations to put pressure upon the South Korean authorities to stop the unwarrantable political persecution of their father. The daughters also asked for active help so that they, together with doctors, can go to South Korea for his emergency treatment for the present, and his repatriation to the north be realised at an early date.

DPRK orgs. urge repatriation of POW

Pyongyang, January 9 (KCNA) -- Organizations of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea wrote to international organizations in connection with the unreasonable political persecution of an unconverted long- term prisoner, Kim In So, by the South Korean authorities. The society for human rights studies sent a letter to the un commission on human rights, the DPRK Red Cross Society central committee to the internaitonal committee of the Red Cross, the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the International Liaison Committee for Release and Repatriation to the North of Unconverted Long-Term Prisoners in South Korea, the Korean Democratic Lawyers' Association to the International Association of Democratic Lawyers and the Amnesty International respectively. Kim In So, hailing from the north of Korea, joined the Korean people's army and was taken prisoner in South Korea in the Fatherland Liberation War (June 25, 1950-July 27, 1953). The South Korean authorities kept him in prison for 33 years and seven months, trying to make him abandon his ideology, and has continued imposing mental and physical sufferings on him after he was released. Due to their harsh persecution, the old man recently suffered a serious brain Haemorrhage which has put him in a critical condition, the letters said. But the South Korean Red Cross has taken no measure for his medical care but rejected the north's offer for a medical team and his two daughters to be sent to South Korea for first-aid treatment and nursing. The letters said he has no reason to be placed under supervision for the preservation of public peace. They demanded that the South Korean authorities discontinue political persecution and send him back to the north, where his family is waiting for him, and requested the international bodies to exercise all their influence for his immediate repatriation.

Traitor Kim Young Sam's press conference under fire

Pyongyang, January 9 (KCNA) -- The South Korean opposition "National congress for new politics" and the "United Liberal Democrats" decided to strengthen a joint struggle after the traitor Kim Young Sam in a "New Year press conference" held on January 7 refused to have "Talks between ruling and opposition party leaders", according to a radio report from Seoul. On the 8th of January, the opposition parties separately had executive committee meetings and decided to stage a protracted struggle, saying that Kim Young Sam's press conference is a clear revelation of the intention of the ruling camp to dismiss dialogue with opposition parties and bring the helm of state affairs under its monopoly control. The spokesman for the "national congress for new politics" said that the refusal to respond to the call of the opposition parties for "talks at Chongwadae" is indicative of the "height of singlehandedness" and means that the ruling party will "Continue one-party solo" even in the "presidential elections" to be held at the end of the year. Meanwhile, the opposition parties decided to have a joint seminar on the situation at the "National assembly" on January 17 in an effort to probe the policies of the present "government" as a whole and stage a phased off-floor struggle, the radio said.

Korea: Land administration in full swing

Pyongyang, January 9 (KCNA) -- Korea is directing efforts to land administration, including road construction, river improvement and tree planting. The autumn period last year alone saw tree planting on 25,600 hectares of land, road improvement in 61,000 kilometre sections and bank revetment and repairing along 7,000-kilometre sections across the country. Soaring high is the zeal of all the working people to turn their beautiful country into a splendid paradise. South hwanghae province in the flat area of the country exploited more than 12.5 million cubic metres of rubble stones over two months from mid-October last year for river improvement projects along 970-kilometre sections at some 490 places, which could protect more than 40,000 hectares of cultivated land. Along with it, land, reservoirs and pumping equipment which were washed away, buried or devastated by last year's flood, were all restored to original state. Counties in north Phyongan province, including sakju, Hyangsan and kujang counties in the country's mountainous northwestern area, have exerted efforts to improve roads. In autumn last year, the province smoothed a total of 20 million square metres of road surfaces. Over 2 million trees were planted in Ryanggang Province in a little more than two months of last autumn. In particular, districts and counties in Pyongyang, including manGyongdae, Phyongchon and Junghwa, planted many trees at revolutionary sites, parks and on streets and promenades.

S. Korea: Over 240,000 in general strike

Pyongyang, January 9 (KCNA) -- Kwon Yong gil, chairman of the "Korean confederation of trade unions" (kCTU), called a press conference Wednesday and declared that the general strike from Jan. 15 will grow into the largest ever in history unless the "labour laws" are repealed till the midnight of Jan. 14. He also said that kctu will strengthen solidarity in the strike with the "Federation of Korean Trade Unions" and all other unions, according to a radio report from Seoul. As of Jan. 8, more than 240,000 people of 210 unions under the kctu went on a general strike. Above 3,000 unionists of the kctu held a rally in Seoul that day, demanding the repeal of the evil labour laws. The organization set jan. 8 as "day for public service" and let its affiliated unions conduct such activities as medical care and free auto servicing, calling for solidarity struggle from other people. Meanwhile, workers in Hyundai Motor, Hyundai Precision, mando machine and other corporations, affiliated with the federation of trade unions for Hyundai group subsidiaries are continuing their overall or partial strikes for three consecutive days.

S. Korean defectors interviewed

Pyongyang, January 9 (KCNA) -- Paek Hung Ryong (31) and his wife Jin Chan I (26), who defected to the north of Korea from the south some time ago, called a press conference here today. Before his defection paek was engaged in film production as representative of "Namnuri screen" from 1991. Once a secret agent of the "Agency for national security planning" (ANSP), he made public a declaration of conscience in berlin in October 1994, disclosing such intrigues as "Kim Sam Sok and Kim Un Ju spy case" invented by the agency. On the motive of his defection, he said he has come over to the north to get rid of the "ANSP's" tentacle and expose it. "Our defection was also motivated by the ardent yearning for the north," he added. He said: "Spy cases" announced by the "ANSP" at present are all lies. They are no more than a slushy drama intended to slander and do harm to the north. The "ANSP" infiltrates its secret agents into opposition parties, dissident camps and activist organizations and manipulates them to slander the north. Inside the "ANSP" there is another secret "agency" which is the supreme power body in South Korea, and it is even out of the "President's" control. This body is in direct link with the U.S. CIA. A huge amount of fund and many persons are involved in it. That is why the budget of the "ANSP" is not made public. The "ANSP" describes the South Korean federation of university student councils as a pro-north organization in order to repress it. On the question of the cinematic art, he said the north's film art has developed in a sound and independent way, free from the corrupt western style and reflects the cultural traditions and sentiments peculiar to the nation. He said the "Theory on cinematic art" is a great encyclopedia of literature and film art. The north's film art will further develop as it is guided by general Kim Jong Il, a genius of literature and art, he stressed.