Secy Kim Jong Il's 55th birthday to be celebrated in Pakistan and Benin
Pyongyang, January 11 (KCNA) -- The National Preparatory Committee for Celebrating the 55th Birthday of H.E. The Great Leader Kim Jong Il was inaugurated in Islamabad, Pakistan, on January 5.
The committee has Rafiq Ahmad Sheikh, secretary general of the Pakistan People's Party and also member of the senate, as its honorary chairman, the chairman of the Pakistan and Korea Friendship Association as its vice-chairman and senior officials of other political parties and public organisations as its members.
The committee set the period from January 15 to February 16 as a month of celebration.
The secretary general of the Pakistan People's Party said at the meeting that comrade Kim Jong Il's birthday is a happy day not only for the Korean people but also for the Pakistani people and called for widely organizing meetings and other significant events on the day.
The Benin Preparatory Committee for Celebrating the 55th Birthday of H.E. The Great Leader Kim Jong Il was formed in Cotonou on January 4.
At the meeting the name of the committee, its composition, the period and plan of celebration were declared.
The presidential advisor in charge of diplomatic affairs who is also chairman of the union of the unity of democratic forces was elected its honorary chairman and Ali Houdou, secretary general of the construction Workers' Party of Benin, its executive chairman.
The committee set the period from January 6 to February 16 as a period of celebration and decided to hold meetings, lectures, seminars and other events during the period.
Rodong Sinmun on Kim Young Sam's repressive order
Pyongyang, January 11 (KCNA) -- The traitor Kim Young Sam summoned the puppet prime minister and other high-ranking underlings to "Chongwadae" on January 9 and ordered them to decisively deal with "illegal strikes" of workers according to "laws".
Branding this as an open order to ruthlessly crack down upon the struggle of South Korean workers at the point of the bayonet, a news analyst of Rodong Sinmun today says:
Kim Young Sam, loudly talking about the "plan for new labour-management relations" and "new labour-management reform", had promised that he would do something beneficial to the working people. But, he at last revealed his true color as a wicked vampire and a fascist murderer of the worst type who mercilessly bleeds the working people white.
At the meeting, Kim Young Sam blared that the "fantastic debate on reunification" must not be allowed and every security preparedness must be maintained in view of the present relations between the north and the south.
This reveals his criminal intention to ruthlessly suppress the struggle of workers and other sections of people against the amended laws under the pretext of "security" by branding it as an "illegal act benefitting the enemy".
Facts show that the Kim Young Sam group plan to launch another new bloody repressive campaign to lay the institutional foundation needed for the stability and prolongation of power and crack down upon the just struggle of workers and people from other social standings.
The Kim Young Sam group will not be able to dampen the fighting spirit of the South Korean workers and people no matter how desperately they may try, wielding the sword of fascist dictatorship.
An analyst of Minju Joson says the repression of the struggle for existence and democracy can never serve to prolong the fascist rule.
Ambition for domination revealed
Pyongyang, January 11 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today comments on the New Year press conference of Japanese prime minister Hashimoto.
He told newsmen that it is time Japan's values and philosophy were disseminated throughout the world. He also called for dispelling the idea that global peace and prosperity can be guaranteed only by the United States.
The news analyst says:
None of his predecessors had ever provoked the United States, Japan's senior ally, so unhesitatingly at an official place while calling for disseminating Japan's "values" and "philosophy" all over the world.
Japan, an economic power, has embarked on the road to a military power and has grown so arrogant and ambitious as to dream of playing the leadership role in the world.
Japan's strategic goal is to free itself from U.S. control and virtually hold the position of a major power, with the "Japan-U.S. security system" as a springboard.
It is no accident that Hashimoto not only called for dispelling the idea and view about U.S.-guaranteed global peace and prosperity but also insisted that Japan should "Guarantee stability in the Asia-Pacific region."
Stability in this region can never, and need not, be guaranteed by Japan. As a matter of fact, Japan is not able to do so.
"Dissemination of Japan's values and philosophy throughout the world" and "Japan-guaranteed stability in the Asia-Pacific region" mean Japan's overseas aggression and domination of the world.
Struggle of S. Korean workers against amended laws continues
Pyongyang, January 11 (KCNA) -- Some 1,000 striking workers held a rally in front of the major "government" building on January 10 and demanded the abrogation of the evil laws and the resignation of Kim Young Sam in disregard of the south Korean court's approval of warrants of arrest for union leaders, who are taking the lead in the unprecedented strike in the history of South Korea.
Kwon Yong Gil, chairman of the "Korean Confederation of Trade Unions," called a press conference in Seoul and declared, "We will issue an order to start a fierce strike instantly anyone of us seven leading members including me is arrested."
He determinedly said that the union leaders would not comply with any prosecution's summons because the general strike is a just one related to the socio-economic position of workers.
On the same day, the hospital attached to dong-a university and other big hospitals across South Korea also joined the strike and some 2,000 members of trade unions in the construction sector held a protest.
Several hundred professors and clergymen started a petition drive criticising the unilateral passage of "labour laws" by the "New Korea Party" to express their support to the trade unions, while Buddhist leaders urged the amendment of new "labour laws."
The opposition united liberal democrats called an emergency meeting related to labour and declared that it would take a positive step including the formation of a juristic rescue group in case the prosecution takes a legal action against leaders of the strike.
Unionists of Thailand, Australia, the Philippines and Taiwan held protests in front of the South Korean embassies or consulates in their countries according to the directive of the international confederation of free trade unions.
S. Korean foreign debts amounting to dlrs 100 billion
Pyongyang, January 11 (KCNA) -- The South Korean economy is now at a standstill by the general strike of the workers which is gaining momentum with each passing day in South Korea, according to the recent reports of foreign news media, including reuter, the Japanese Yomiuri Shimbun and Sankei Shimbun.
The South Korean economy is on the verge of bankruptcy owing to the failure of economic and open market policies pursued by the traitor Kim Young Sam after coming into power.
Foreign news media have given wide publicity to the bankruptcy of the South Korean economy, saying that South Korea with the "export-oriented economy" suffered a deficit of 23 billion dollars in trade last year.
The Yomiuri Shimbun said that according to the 1996 export statistics issued by the South Korean "Government", a balance of payments deficit recorded 23 billion dollars in trade, or 3 times the 7 billion dollars it predicted.
The figure showed that the deficit increased 230 percent from 10 billion dollars of 1995.
Foreign debts, too, are exorbitantly high.
The Sankei Shimbun said that last year foreign debts of South Korea were 100 billion dollars, the highest ever known in history.
According to foreign news media, the general strike of the South Korean workers suspended the operation of big businesses, brought a great confusion in traffic, hospital and services. This pushes the already ailing South Korean economy into further recession.
As of the end of last year more than 5,000 enterprises, including some 100 big businesses, were hit and idled, the damage amounting to 1 billion dollars, they said.
The labor movement which paralyses key industries has developed into a political strike, shakening the Kim Young sam "Civilian government" to its foundations, they added.
Greetings to Yugoslav parliament speaker
Pyongyang, January 11 (KCNA) -- Chairman Yang Hyong Sop of the Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea sent a message of greetings to Srdja Bozovic, upon his election as President of the council of the Republic of the Federal Assembly of Yugoslavia.
The message expressed the belief that the friendly relations between the two parliaments would further strengthen and develop in the future and wished him great success in his responsible work.