Loyal meeting of officials of youth league central committee

Pyongyang, January 19 (KCNA) -- The hearts of officials of the youth league central committee and Korean Young people are overflowing with great emotion and joy over the historical autographic letter of the great leader comrade Kim Jong Il on jan. 16, 1997 in reply to their letter at the time when they are significantly commemorating the 51st anniversary of the youth league and the first anniversary of the proclamation of the Kim Il Sung socialist youth league which is a signal event in the history of the development of the youth movement. The officials of the youth league central committee met to pledge their loyalty here on jan. 17. At the meeting Choe Ryong Hae, first secretary of the youth league central committee, conveyed comrade Kim Jong Il's autographic letter and read the letter of the officials of the central committee which was sent to him. Speakers at the meeting noted that their receiving of the autographic letter carrying great love and deep trust in the Young people is the highest glory and greatest happiness of the Korean youth league officials and Young people who are holding the great general Kim Jong Il, the greatest of great men, in high esteem as their benevolent father and teacher. They said that the officials of the youth league central committee and Young people are filled with determination to make a decisive turn in the youth league work true to their pledge to the memory of the fatherly leader president Kim Il Sung and their heartfelt pledge to general Kim Jong Il at the 8th congress of the league of socialist working youth and a conference of the lswy. They called upon the officials of the youth league to prepare all the youth and children to be human bombs defending the party and the leader at the risk of their lives and true Young vanguards and juvenile guards resolutely carrying forward the socialist cause of juche. A letter of pledge to comrade Kim Jong Il was adopted at the meeting.

Senior cadres see 38th part of multi-part feature film

Pyongyang, January 19 (KCNA) -- Senior party and government cadres appreciated the 38th part of multi-part feature film "the nation and destiny", part five of writers of the kapf ( Korea artista proleta federacio), at the people's palace of culture saturday. Among them were Ri Jong ok, Kim pyong sik, Kim Yong Nam and han Song ryong. The film shows that men of literature and art including hero Ri chan affiliated with the kafp failed to realize their desire and their organisation was forced to dissolve owing to the Japanese imperialists' harsh suppression and obliteration moves. Depicting their thirst for a great teacher who would defend their destinies and lead their struggle, and setbacks in their struggle, the film proves the truth that they may create the genuine literature and art of the working class only under the guidance of an outstanding leader, the leader of the people.

Japan urged to clarify its position

Pyongyang, January 19 (KCNA) -- Japan's postwar settlement is not a matter of one side giving money to the other nor a matter of choice. It is what Japan should do in any case. Japan must apologize to the Korean people for its past crimes and make as much material compensation as is acceptable to people. Rodong sinmun stresses this in a commentary today. The analyst says: compensation is part of Japan's postwar settlement and does not mean complete atonement for Japanese imperialism's crimes. If Japan is to fully atone for its past crimes, it must make an official apology and material compensation and pledge not to repeat such crimes. Japan's atonement for its past crimes is an unavoidable political and legal responsibility and moral obligation. The Japanese authorities are mistaken if they think Japan is an exception in international law and usage and that Japan can do without liquidating the past. Japan still refuses to atone for the past and pursues a hostile policy toward the DPRK. So, the anti-Japanese sentiment of the Korean people grows stronger. The Korean people do not want normal ties with Japan devoid of postwar settlement. For Japan to liquidate the disgraceful past and establish good-neighbourhood and friendly ties with the DPRK is an important issue for peace and stability in Asia. The 20th century is in the dusk and the 21st century is to break. It is high time the Japanese government authorities pondered it over and adopted a sincere approach toward postwar settlement.

"New security-oriented rule" of tyrant

Pyongyang, January 19 (KCNA) -- The Kim Young Sam fascist group held a "working meeting for public order" on jan. 16, attended by officials of the puppet administration, the board of audit and inspection, the prosecution and the police. At the meeting, they concocted a sinister plot to put down the workers' strike at the point of the bayonet. Rodong sinmun today brands this as an indication that the kim Young Sam group's intention to establish a fascist "new security-oriented rule" is being carried into practice. The analyst says: each time the puppets find themselves in a crisis, they mercilessly suppress the just struggle of the south Korean peopole, groundlessly connecting it with the north. This time, too, the Kim Young Sam group brutally suppress the workers, connecting their struggle with the north in a far-fetched way. It is obvious that the Kim Young Sam group intend to crack down on the south Korean workers, branding them as "leftist, pro-communist elements" manipulated by the north, as they have done so far. The Kim Young Sam group can never be justified in indiscriminately suppressing the workers' strike, branding it as "rash action of seditious forces" linked with the north. The fascist clique must clearly see the situation, immediately stop the suppression of south Korean workers and other people, repeal the revised "labor laws" and appear in the court of history.

First anniversary of proclamation of Kim Il Sung socialist youth league commemorated

Pyongyang, January 19 (KCNA) -- A meeting was held at the people's palace of culture on saturday to commemorate the first anniversary of the proclamation of the Kim Il Sung socialist youth league. Present at the meeting were Ri Jong ok, member of the political bureau of the central committee of the workers' party of Korea and vice-president= Kim Ki Nam and Kim Jung rin, secretaries of the WPK central committee= and jang chol, vice-premier of the administration council. Choe Ryong Hae, first secretary of the central committee of the youth league, in his report said that naming the youth league after the great leader comrade Kim Il Sung is a historic event which marked a radical turn in the development of the youth movement in our country and the highest commendation given to the youth by the respected general Kim Jong Il. The strengthening and development of the league of socialist working youth into the Kim Il Sung socialist youth league is a brilliant exploit performed under the energetic guidance and loving care of the great leader comrade Kim Jong Il, the reporter stressed, and went on: the respected comrade Kim Il Sung is the pioneer of the Korean Young communist movement and founder of the youth league who opened the glorious phase of the youth movement in our country and the great leader who applied the immortal juche idea to the building and activities of the youth organisation and developed the youth league into the most promising political reserve force of our party, the loyal ranks of successors to the juche cause. Naming the youth league after the fatherly leader comrade Kim Il Sung stands to reason in view of the league foundation and history of its development and of the characters and mission of the youth organisation and it was the unanimous desire and aspiration of all the youth and people. The respected general clarified the essence and charaters of the youth movement with revolutionary outlook on leader as a cornerstone and its position and general duty, which serves as a powerful ideological and theoretical weapon and a programmatic guideline to glorify the youth league forever as the youth organisation of the great leader comrade Kim Il Sung. The proclamation of the Kim Il Sung socialist youth league is of weighty significance because the youth league has been named after the great leader comrade Kim Il Sung, the pioneer of the juche-based youth movement and founder and leader of the youth league, for the first time in its history and the youth movement of our country has entered a new high stage. The reporter called upon all the Young people to become best loyal subjects, best filial sons who uphold the idea and leadership of the general with most allegiance under the red flag of revolution associated with the whole life of the great leader comrade Kim Il Sung, the flag of the Kim Il Sung socialist youth league given by the general, and to work hard for the strengthening and development of the socialist youth movement and the final victory of the revolutionary cause of juche.

Letters to S. Korean old woman

Pyongyang, January 19 (KCNA) -- Paek in jun, chairman of the north headquarters of the national alliance for the country's reunification, and jang Jae Chol, chairman of the Korean religionists' council, separately sent letters on saturday to presbyterian Pak Yong gil, chairperson of the 70 million Korean people's meeting for embracing national unification, co-chairperson of the family movement for realizing democracy and widow of the rev. Mun ik hwan in south Korea, on the third anniversary of the pastor's death. The letters praise the rev. Mun's life as a noble life dedicated to democracy and national reunification. He visited Pyongyang at an advanced age, risking persecution by the separatists. The letters say this was a righteous and patriotic action and that his image remains deep in the hearts of all Koreans. The great president Kim Il Sung met with the pastor in Pyongyang, discussed the issue of national reunification and forged intimate relations with him. This is recorded in the history of the Korean nation's movement for reunification, say the letters. Pak Yong gil's patriotic activities for great national unity and reunification will greatly encourage the nation's movement for reunification, the letters say, expressing belief that the rev. Mun's widow, bereaved family and friends will all continue the noble efforts for national unity and reunification with redoubled vigor, as wished by the pastor.

S. Korean workers' struggle continues

Pyongyang, January 19 (KCNA) -- Some 31,200 people of 21 unions across south Korea, including those of the hyundai motors corp. And broadcasting systems, continued their strike on saturday, a radio report from seoul said. The all-people measure committee sponsored a rally in seoul, attended by some 20,000 people under the office clerks' unions, the press unions and other unions affiliated with the "Korean confederation of trade unions." the ralliers denounced the Kim Young Sam puppet clique's secret passage of "labor law" and "law on the agency for national security planning" and vowed to fight till the evil laws are repealed. The "Korean confederation of trade unions" and the "federation of Korean trade unions" released a joint press statement, announcing that they would sponsor a joint rally of a million people on jan. 25 or 26. On friday, the opposition "national congress for new politics" and the "united liberal democrats" sponsored a grand symposium of people on the emergency situation in the form of an indignant rally, attended by representatives of the "national council of professors for democracy," the bar association for democratic society, "civic federation for economic justice," the federation of women's organisations and other civic and public organisations. The two opposition parties held a ceremony of starting a ten-million signature campaign for the repeal of the revised laws on seoul railway station plaza on saturday and entered into the campaign. The campaign is promoted mainly by 400 branches of the two opposition parties throughout south Korea. Some 1,530 members of 18 organisations under the council of academic organisations including the history institute issued a statement on the situation on saturday, calling for the repeal of the secretly passed laws. 849 men of literature including ko un and Pak wan so in a statement on the situation friday strongly denounced the railroading of bills through "parliament" as a challenge to democracy.

Int'l support for S. Korean workers

Pyongyang, January 19 (KCNA) -- The australian council of trade unions (actu) called on friday for the australian government to condemn south Korea's new "labor law," a reuter report said. The actu asked for foreign minister alexander downer to demand at the next meeting of the organisation for economic cooperation and development that the south Korean "government" withdraw the "legislation." the actu also wanted the foreign minister to ask the south Korean "government" to halt the arrests of union officials. The national liaison council of trade unions of Japan sent a letter on friday to the south Korean puppet embassy in Tokyo, calling for a halt to the arrest of union leaders in south Korea, which is in industrial unrest over the revised "labor law." the filipino progressive workers' union organised a demonstration of workers and students on friday in front of the south Korean puppet embassy in manila to express solidarity with the south Korean strikers. The deputy general secretary of the arab defenders' party of jordan issued a statement on jan. 12 on behalf of the political parties and organisations of jordan, strongly urging the south Korean authorities to respect the human rights of workers and immediately repeal the slavery-forcing "labor law." some 1,000 bank clerks held a demonstration and a rally in dhaka on jan. 12 under the sponsorship of the Bangladesh bank workers' union in support of the south Korean workers' strike.