Foreign guests pay homage to President Kim Il Sung
Pyongyang, January 24 (KCNA) -- A delegation of Russian
Foreign Ministry led by its Vice-Minister Grigori Karasin
and a delegation of the national council of the churches of
Christ in the United States of America led by its President
Melvin Talbert visited the Kumsusan Memorial Palace where
the great leader President Kim Il Sung is preserved in state
on Jan. 23 to pay homage to him.
Grigori Karasin wrote in the visitor's book that the
exploits of President Kim Il Sung of the Democratic People's
Republic of Korea, who made a great contribution to
strengthening the friendly and cooperative relations between
Russia and Korea, will be everlasting in their memory.
Ice skating contests of school boys
Pyongyang, January 24 (KCNA) -- Ice skating contests of
senior middle school students and primary school children
for Jong Il Peak Prize and Jangjasan Prize took place in
unhung county, Ryanggang Province, to commemorate the first
anniversary of the proclamation of the Kim Il Sung Socialist
Youth League.
Those from Pyongyang and Ryanggang province gave a good
account of themselves at the contests participated by
hundreds of school children.
Friendship gathering on national day of India
Pyongyang, January 24 (KCNA) -- A friendship gathering
was held at the Pyongyang International House of Culture on
Thursday to mark the 47th anniversary of the National Day of
India. Invited to the gathering were Narayana Bahadevan,
charge d'affaires ad interim, and officials of the Indian
embassy here.
Vice-chairwoman of the Korean committee for cultural
relations with foreign countries Chon Yon Ok, who is vice-
chairwoman of the Korea-India Friendship Association, and
other officials concerned were present there.
They saw an Indian feature film before they had a
friendly conversation.
Japan urged to settle the past
Pyongyang, January 24 (KCNA) -- The spokesman for the
measure committee for demanding compensation to "comfort
women for the army" and the victims of the Pacific War
released a statement on thursday urging Japan to admit its
state responsibility and settle the past without delay.
Recalling that Eto, former Director General of the
Management and Coordination Agency of Japan, justified the
country's past doings again, denying its military occupation
of Korea and forcible drafting of "comfort women", the
statement said:
The Japanese government has continued avoiding its
responsibility. Recently, the "civilian fund" backed by the
Japanese government suddenly paid "lump sum" to former
"comfort women" of south Korea and Asian countries in a
secret way.
Such an act is an unbearable insult to the Korean people
and all other victims in Asia and is also another crime
against them.
The measure committee made it clear long ago. At the end
of last year it sent a letter to the Japanese Prime
Minister urging Japan to renounce the "civilian fund" policy
and fully discharge its state responsibility for the
"comfort women" issue.
But the Japanese government, instead of acceding to our
just demand, is justifying the revival of militarism and
Japan's past crimes. This indicates that it has a sinister
intention to make no settlement of the past and repeat such
crimes when an opportunity presents itself.
Japan has been trying to make impressions that it has
done all for the post-war settlement by making public a
"statement" 50 years since the end of World War II. But it
must clearly know that as long as it refuses to liquidate
the past crimes, the post-war settlement will remain
unfinished and Japan can never win confidence from the
Korean people and other Asian people.
S. Korean opposition parties against "New Korea Party"
Pyongyang, January 24 (KCNA) -- South Korean opposition
parties, the national congress for new politics and the
united liberal democrats, held a meeting of the joint
committee for anti-dictatorship struggle at the "national
assembly" on Jan. 22 and decided to continue the joint
struggle against the "New Korea Party" including an anti-
"government" rally and a 10 million signature-collecting
campaign which were planned in early february, radio no. 1
from Seoul said, adding:
They said that in case the "New Korea Party" proposes
talks on the premise of nullifying the evil laws it single-
handedly passed, they would accede to it.
Nobody will lend ear to s. Korean authority
Pyongyang, January 24 (KCNA) -- The spokesman for the
Central Committee of the Red Cross Society of the Democratic
People's Republic of Korea released a statement today
denouncing the south Korean chief executive's solicitation
diplomacy for obstructing humanitarian aid to the Democratic
People's Republic of Korea. The statement says:
The south Korean authority will reportedly visit Japan at
the end of January and have a "summit" at which he is likely
to ask Japan not to give humanitarian aid to the DPRK before
south Korea renders rice to it or has negotiations with it.
As is well known, the International Federation of Red
Cross and Red Crescent Societies, on the principle of
humanitarianism, made appeals three times for assistance to
the DPRK's flood victims and many nation's Red Cross
organizations, in response to them, have rendered food and
other kinds of humanitarian aid materials to the DPRK.
The south Korean authority, however, has ignored the
fellow countrymen's damage and even banned south Korean
people from assisting the compatriots. Worse still, he has
sent abroad agents of the "agency for national security
planning" to keep other nations from giving humanitarian
donations to the DPRK.
The principle of humanitarianism, one of the basic
principles of the international red cross movement,
stipulates that efforts should be made to prevent and lessen
sufferings of human beings, irrespective of who they are and
where they live, on worldwide or nationwide scale,
transcending difference in nationality, race, religious
belief and political view.
What the south Korean strongman has done is an inhumane
act which is contrary to the principle of humanitarianism.
Nobody will pay attention to his solicitation diplomacy
for obstructing humanitarian assistance and he will be
condemned by the world people as inhumane.
Japan urged to take resolute step
Pyongyang, January 24 (KCNA) -- The Japanese authorities
cannot flee from the historic responsibility for aggression
and crimes, and they should take a righteous stand and
attitude towards the liquidation of the past, says Rodong
Sinmun today.
Japan still refuses to recognize the history of
aggression and crimes at the time when a war criminal state
and its satellites and even neutral and victorious countries
have officially made clear their responsibility for war
crimes and atoned or are atoning for them, the analyst says,
and goes on:
Japan enforced 40-odd-year long colonial rule after its
occupation of Korea and committed the most vicious and cruel
crimes in view of international laws and human morality.
However, the successive governments of Japan have never
admitted the crimes against the Korean people up to now half
a century after its defeat. They have sought to conceal and
justify the thrice-cursed crimes.
Japan's attitude towards the liquidation of the past is
an issue concerning the conscience and reason of the
successive Japanese authorities.
Germany enjoys the trust of international community
because it officially admitted its war crimes against
humankind and apologised and compensated for them.
The overwhelming majority of the countries all over the world
are opposing and taking precautions against the attempt of
Japan, still refusing to liquidate the past, to get a
permanent seat in the un security council.
The politicians, who act self-righteously, refusing to
see and understand this, deceive their people and isolate
themselves in international community.
The liquidation of the past is the only way for Japan to
get rid of disgrace, enjoy international trust and live in
peace.
The Japanese authorities should be aware of it, make
clear their stand and attitude and take a resolute step for
the liquidation of the past.
Despicable international gangster act
Pyongyang, January 24 (KCNA) -- The Kim Young Sam puppet
clique did not allow the reentry of members of a delegation
of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions into
Seoul who had been to south Korea to support and encourage
the struggle of the south Korean workers.
Commenting on this fascist step, Rodong Sinmun today
brands it as a despicable international gangster act of the
fascist tyrants who are ignorant of politics and the
international law and indifferent to the trend of the times.
The analyst says:
The strikes of the south Korean workers against the
fascist labour laws are enjoying active support and
solidarity from the Korean nation as well as the world
public.
The puppets' railroading and publishing of the
retrogressively revised labour laws is a wanton challenge to
the south Korean working people demanding democracy and
right to existence and a political gangster act mercilessly
trampling underfoot the spirit of the international labour
laws. That is why the international labour organisation
dispatched an international protest visiting group to south
Korea, foreign labour movement organisations have held
meetings of protest and staged demonstrations, bitterly
denouncing the retrogressive revision of the labour laws by
the Kim Young Sam group.
Reflecting this international trend, the International
Confederation of Free Trade Unions is planning to send its
delegation to south Korea again. The fascist clique's
effort to repress even foreigners reveals their last-ditch
desperation.
Press review
Pyongyang, January 24 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today
reports that the great leader Secretary Kim Jong Il sent
thanks to public security officers, working people and an
officer of the Korean People's Security Forces for doing
good things for society and the collective.
Under the banner title "let us make it a tradition to
grandly celebrate the greatest holiday common to humankind"
in the upper part of its first page, Minju Joson highlights
news of the brisk preparations for celebrating the 55th
birthday of Secretary Kim Jong Il in different countries.
Conspicuous in the press is news that more than 4,000
south Korean workers staged a street march, demanding the
withdrawal of the fascist laws, south Korean opposition
parties decided to hold an anti-"government" rally and ten-
million signature campaign and members of the European
Headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country's
Reunification and German citizens waged solidarity
demonstrations.
Rodong Sinmun comes out with an editorial calling upon
officials to stand in the van of the ranks in this year's
general march forward to conclude the "arduous march"
triumphantly.
Under the title "'serve the people !' must be
slogan of party officials," the proposition of
comrade Kim Jong Il, the paper introduces the party
officials who are working as faithful servants of the
people.
The paper in a commentary denounces the Kim Young Sam
group for taking a fascist measure for prohibiting the
reentry of members of a delegation of the International
Confederation of Free Trade Unions into Seoul.
An article of the paper lays bare the deceptive nature of
the Kim Young Sam group's scheme to appease south Korean
workers and other people who are fighting for the abrogation
of the fascist laws.
Appearing in the paper is a press statement released by
the spokesman for the measure committee for the compensation
to "comfort women for the army" and the pacific war victims,
blasting the former director general of the management and
coordination agency of Japan for making remarks to justify
the past crimes some time ago.
The paper in a commentary urges the Japanese
reactionaries to make a resolute decision to liquidate the
past.
Rodong Sinmun and Minju Joson come out with articles
under the respective titles "powerful struggle must be
launched to democratize international community" and
"international unity and solidarity are sure guarantee for
the victory of the cause of independence."
Minju Joson runs an article exposing the moves of the
Japanese reactionaries to revive militarism.
Preparations for Secy. Kim Jong Il's birthday in Dominica and Panama
Pyongyang, January 24 (KCNA) -- The Dominican Preparatory
Committee to Celebrate the 55th Birthday of the Great Leader
Comrade Kim Jong Il was inaugurated in Santo Domingo on Jan.
10. Silvano Lora, Secretary General of the Dominican
Committee for Support to Korea's Reunification, was elected
coordinator of the preparatory committee.
The committee decided to introduce celebrated works of
Secy. Kim Jong Il and his greatness and hold a roundtable
talk, lecture meeting, party and other events to celebrate
the february holiday.
A preparatory committee to celebrate his birthday was
also formed in Panama on Jan. 13.
Lorenzo E. Guerrero, chairman of the Panama-Korea
Friendship and Cultural Association, was elected chairman of
the preparatory committee.
The committee decided to organise various events to
celebrate the holiday grandly.
Secy. Kim Jong Il's work reprinted in Nepal
Pyongyang, January 24 (KCNA) -- The great leader Secretary
Kim Jong Il's famous work "the Workers' Party of Korea is
the Party of the great leader comrade Kim Il Sung" was
published in booklet by the Samjana publishing house of
nepal to mark his 55th birthday.
In the preface, the booklet says the work was published
by Secretary Kim Jong Il on October 2, 1995.
The preface also says that in this celebrated work, he
stressed that the Workers' Party of Korea is the Party of
President Kim Il Sung, which was founded as a new-type Party
of the working class under the wise leadership of the
President and strengthened into an invincible Party in the
course of fifty years of revolutionary struggles.
The Nepal-Korea Friendship Association dedicates to the
55th birthday of Secretary Kim Jong Il this Nepalese version
of the work that clarifies the nature and work system of the
Workers' Party of Korea, the Party of President Kim Il Sung,
which has victoriously led the Korean people to advance
without the slightest vacillation under the banner of
socialism, true to the president's ideology, despite the
complex situation of the world and the collapse of socialism
in some countries, the preface notes.
Research centre for preventive medicine
Pyongyang, January 24 (KCNA) -- The research for
preventive medicine is now brisk in the Democratic People's
Republic of Korea.
Recently, the medicobiological institute of the academy
of medical sciences under the national academy of sciences
completed research in type-c hepatitis and produced
medicines for diagnosing and preventing it.
These medicines are effective in detecting and curing
cases of hepatitis-c virus in good time.
In the past the institute produced elisa through cell
engineering and invented a medicine to prevent hepatitis-b,
whose application in clinical practice has brought about
good results in preventive medical care.
The institute, set up in 1968, has 10 odd research
sections equipped with hundreds of pieces of latest
equipment, among them sections for the study of genetic and
cell engineering and molecular biology, and an intermediary
pilot plant with a plottage of 2,000 square metres.
40 people of its staff hold academic degrees or titles
such as candidate academicians, doctors and masters. Its
potential is great and prospect is optimistic.
The staff are now pushing ahead with the work of
industrializing the production of medicines for preventing
hepatitis-b and diagnosing second-generation hepatitis-c,
through genetic engineering method and insulin production.
Especially, their study for the development of medicines
for erasing antigen o, which is under way at the final
stage, draws deep attention of departments concerned as it
is of a world level.
The great leader Secy. Kim Jong Il sent thanks to the
staff of the institute on several occasions, lauding their
achievements.
Letters to international organisations
Pyongyang, January 24 (KCNA) -- The European regional
headquarters of the national alliance for the country's
reunification sent letters to the secretariat of the
international labour organisation, the secretariat of
organisation for economic cooperation and development and
the director of the secretariat of the un commission on
human rights on January 15, urging them to continue
discharging their responsibility and duty for the abrogation
of the revised "labor laws" and "law on the agency for
national security planning" in south Korea.
The letters said that the "New Korea Pparty" betrayed the
moral baseness of the Kim Young Sam regime by illegally
railroading the "labor law" and "law on the agency for
national security planning".
The letters requested them to strongly and officially
urge the south Korean regime to abrogate the revised laws at
once.
Rodong Sinmun calls for waging vigorous struggle for democratization of international society
Pyongyang, January 24 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today
carries a signed article headlined "powerful struggle should
be waged to democratize international society".
The struggle to democratize international society is, in
essence, to establish international relations based on
independence and an international order in which all the
countries and nations may exercise their independent right
on an equal footing in the international arena, the article
says, and goes on:
If democratization of international society is to be
promoted, the struggle against dominationism should be waged
more strongly.
Under the banner of independence all the countries and
nations should not allow privilege or arbitrariness of any
country and should not move on the order of other countries,
following them.
What is important in strengthening the struggle for
democratizing international society is to enhance the
responsibility and role of international organisations.
Especially, the non-aligned and other developing countries
which hold an overwhelming majority in the United Nations
should wage an active struggle to establish a new democratic
order in the U.N. By practical action, not confining to
taking common stand toward the reform of the U.N.
If the world progressive people wage a powerful struggle
for democratizing international society in the idea of
independence, peace and friendship, the building of a new
world, free and prospering, will be accelerated that much.
International solidarity with s. Korean workers
Pyongyang, January 24 (KCNA) -- Powerful solidarity
movements for supporting the struggle of south Korean
workers have been launched in different countries.
The General Confederation of Trade Unions of the
Commnonwealth of Independent states in a solidarity message
addressed to the "Federation of Korea Trade Unions" noted
that the new "labour law" adopted at the "national assembly"
under the "government" pressure violates the code of the
international labour organisation and infringes upon the
interests of the south Korean workers and trade unions.
The Bulgarian Unitary People's Trade Union in a January
16 letter to the "Korean Confederation of Trade Unions"
urged the south Korean puppet clique to promptly cancel the
"amendments to the law on the agency for national security
planning and labour laws" railroaded through the "national
assembly" and stop crackdown upon the righteous struggle of
workers.
In a letter to the "Korean Confederation of Trade
Unions", the Mexican movement for peace, anti-imperialism
and solidarity, the Executive Committee of the National
Council of Workers of Mexico and the National Executive
Committee of the Lazaro Cardenas Trade Union Front of Mexico
expressed firm solidarity with the south Korean workers in
their struggle and evinced the conviction that they would
achieve the final victory.
The left party of sweden made public a statement on
January 13 urging trade unions and governments in different
countries of the world to strongly denounce the moves of the
south Korean puppet clique.
The Socialist Workers Party of Romania and the Communist
Party of Jordan released statements expressing full support
to the struggle of the south Korean working class.
The speakers at a meeting of the committee of the Russian
public circles for relations with the Democratic People's
Republic of Korea held on January 17 stressed that the just
demands of south Korean workers would certainly be met under
international support and encouragement.
A visiting group of the International Confederation of
Free Trade Unions at a press conference in south Korea on
January 22 expressed its willingness to intensify
international solidarity and urged the south Korean puppet
regime to revise the "labour laws" in line with the
international standard.
Newspapers of Denmark, France, Ukraine, Switzerland,
Hungary and Nepal carried articles accusing the traitor Kim
Young Sam of cracking down upon the struggle of the south
Korean workers.
Agreement on mutual visit of citizens signed between Korean and Russian governments
Pyongyang, January 24 (KCNA) -- An agreement on mutual
visit of citizens was signed in Pyongyang on Jan. 24 between
the governments of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
and the Russian Federation.
Present at the signing ceremony on our side were Ri In
Gyu, vice-minister of foreign affairs, and other officials
concerned and on the opposite side were a delegation of the
foreign ministry of Russia led by its vice-minister Grigori
Karasin and Russian ambassador to Korea Valery Denisov.
The agreement was signed by Ri In Gyu and Grigori
Karasin.
Foreign Minister meets Russian delegation
Pyongyang, January 24 (KCNA) -- Vice-Premier and Foreign
Minister Kim Yong Nam of the Democratic People's Republic of
Korea met and had a talk with the visiting delegation of the
foreign ministry of Russia led by its vice-minister Grigori
Karasin today.
Present there were Vice-Minister of foreign affairs Ri In
Gyu and Russian ambassador to Korea Valeri Denisov.