DPRK official on food problem
Pyongyang, February 3 (KCNA) -- The spokesman for the Flood Damage Measure Committee of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) issued a statement today on the temporary food problem caused by repeated natural disasters in the DPRK in recent years. The statement says:
As is known to all, the DPRK has in recent years been repeatedly hit by unprecedented natural disasters, which greatly damaged agriculture and other sectors of the national economy and caused temporary food problem.
The nation's annual demand for grain is about 7.84 million tons, of which 4.82 million tons is needed as food.
Last year's flood damage made the grain output drop to 2,502,000 tons in unhulled state, the amount being far less than expected.
The food inventory as of late December last year was estimated at 246,000 tons in all, except 1,020,000 tons of maize, potato and other early crops consumed in the June-October period, 200,000 tons of seeds for this year's farming, 550,000 tons to feed farmers, 10,000 tons for raw material in industries and another 10,000 tons for fodder, 3,000 tons for catering service and the amount supplied to 13 million industrial and nonindustrial workers since harvesting.
In this connection, many countries and national and international organisations -- governmental and nongovernmental -- express deep sympathy with the Korean people and render food and other relief goods to them from the noble humanitarian point of view, irrespective of differences in ideology, social system and political view.
This international assistance encourages the Korean people to make energetic efforts to recover from the damage at an early date. It is also instrumental in stabilising their life. We are really grateful for this.
Amid continued international assistance to the afflicted areas in the DPRK, the U.S. Administration recently announced that it would continue to take part in food assistance through international agencies and encourage humanitarian assistance on the part of nongovernmental organisations in the U.S.
This is noteworthy in that it is a positive move motivated by a desire for improved ties between the DPRK and the U.S. as well as humanitarianism.
At the same time, the governments of many countries and governmental and nongovernmental international organisations around the world express their willingness to continue emergency food assistance to the DPRK.
Natural disaster is out of control in any country. It is a universal humanitarian practice in international relations to help the victims irrespective of differences in ideology and social system.
But the South Korean authorities have intentionally obstructed international assistance to the DPRK from the beginning. South Korea's "National Unification Board" recently spread groundless rumors that the DPRK produced 3,690,000 tons of grain last year, or 6.9 percent higher than the previous year and it was agreed that the DPRK receives food aid of 500,000 tons from China every year until 2000 so that the DPRK's food shortage is likely to be eased to some extent. In this way, the South Korean authorities intend to spoil the atmosphere of international food supply.
The fact makes the international community clearly know that they are clean indifferent to the sufferings of the fellow countrymen in the north and are ignorant of the trend of the time.
Our people have a proud history in which they advanced victoriously, overcoming more rigorous trials than today's.
No matter how heavy our economic loss by disasters may be, our grain production will reach the pre-disaster level in the near future and our temporary food shortage will surely be overcome under the guidance of the illustrious leader and the great party.
Based on such belief is our needing the international community's assistance.
Koreans from Japan arrive
Pyongyang, February 3 (KCNA) -- A loyal letter relay group and an art troupe of the 700,000 Koreans in Japan arrived in Wonsan on February 1 by the ship mangyongbong-92 to celebrate the 55th birthday of General Kim Jong Il.
The relay group is led by Vice-Chairman Jo Son o of the Central Standing Committee of the League of Korean Youth in Japan.
Joint rally calls for rewriting of evil laws
Pyongyang, February 3 (KCNA) -- The "Korean Confederation of Trade Unions" and the "Federation of Korean Trade Unions" in South Korea held a joint rally on the road in front of a theatre in central district, Pusan, on February 1 in demand of the rewriting of the evil labor laws before marching through the streets, a Seoul-based radio said.
Present on the occasion were unionists of the two organisations and students, more than 3,000 in all.
The Kim Young Sam group called police out to encircle the place of the rally and tried to keep the unionists and students from marching through the streets.
The fascist police used their clubs freely on the protesters' heads, leaving some 30 injured.
The "Korean Confederation of Trade Unions" bitterly denounced the fascist police for brutal suppression and demanded that the chief of Pusan police make an apology and compensation.
Land development, environment and allied workers meet
Pyongyang, February 3 (KCNA) -- A meeting of land development, environment and allied workers was held in Pyongyang on February 1 and 2.
The meeting reviewed the success and experience made in land management in the autumn of last year and focused on the tasks to be fulfilled in the spring of this year.
The reporter and speakers at the meeting said that unprecedented achievements were made in land development and grand nature transformation projects, with the result that the country took on new looks.
They vowed to improve land management and environmental protection this year, with much effort directed to afforestation.
They also stressed the need to do well river and road management, field readjustment and protection of marine resources.
Present at the meeting were Secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea Kye Ung Thae, Vice-Premier of the Administration Council Hong Song Nam and officials concerned.
Review of Rodong Sinmun
Pyongyang, February 3 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today reports that a national symposium was held in Uganda under the title "His excellency the great leader Kim Jong Il" on the occasion of the 55th birthday of Secretary Kim Jong Il.
Carried in the paper is news that a loyal letter relay group and an art troupe of the 700,000 Koreans in Japan to celebrate the 55th birthday of General Kim Jong Il laid floral baskets before a Statue of President Kim Il Sung.
Printed in the paper is a political essay "Spirit of socialist Korea".
The political essay writes that the spirit of Korea is a spirit of snowstorm of Mt. Paektu, which overpowers imperialism through revolution.
Rodong Sinmun runs an editorial calling for stepping up the forced march of socialism under the slogan of self-reliance.
The paper gives an account of a meeting of land development, environment and allied workers held.
It edits news that in February progress continues following overfulfilment of the January plan in various sectors of the national economy.
It informs the readers that the South Korean workers keep up the struggle for nullifying the fascist laws and foreign countries extend full support to and solidarity with their just struggle.
Under the title "indictment of fascist rule" the paper comments on the U.S. State Department's "annual human rights report", which describes the "labour laws" revised by the Kim Young Sam group as violating human rights.
An article of the paper says the South Korean workers live in more miserable conditions than during the military dictatorship.
It runs an article saying that the European union members make economic advance into Asian countries in real earnest.
Indictment of fascist rule
Pyongyang, February 3 (KCNA) -- The U.S. State Department in a recently released "annual report on human rights" said that the "labour law" retrogressively revised by the Kim Young Sam group has been strongly opposed by labour circles and the "basic rights of citizens" including the freedom of expression have been violated in South Korea with "enforcement of the law on the Agency for National Security Planning."
This is a natural criticism and indictment of the treacherous misrule of the Kim Young Sam fascist clique, who turned south korea into a barren land of democracy and civil rights and a prison of human rights, says Rodong Sinmun in a commentary today. The daily goes on:
As the "report on human rights" of the U.S. State Department noted, the retrogressively revised "law on the ANSP" and "law on labour affairs" are fascist and anti-social laws gravely encroaching upon freedom, democracy and vital rights of working people in South Korea.
The "law on the ANSP", aimed at ruthlessly cracking down upon the slightest elements for independence and justice with the "ANSP" acting the king of fascism, has become a target of denunciation by the South Korean people as well as human conscience around the world.
The "labour law" retrogressively revised by the puppets is also an evil law to reduce the workers to slavers for employers and impose greater exploitation and hardships on the workers by trampling underfoot their basic rights including the three rights of labour and depriving them of vital rights.
The South Korean people are given subhuman treatment in a Barren land of human rights without an equal in the world.
As long as Kim Young Sam, the "civilian"-veiled fascist dictator, remains in power, such a tragedy will continue.
The Kim Young Sam group, who are committing unethical crimes against the elementary freedom and rights of the people with fascist rule, must be overthrown without delay.
S. Korean workers' struggle favored worldwide
Pyongyang, February 3 (KCNA) -- Organisations of many countries fully support the struggle of the South Korean workers against the retrogressively-revised "law on the Agency for National Security Planning" and "labor laws".
Organisations of Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados in a joint statement dated January 25 said the "law on the ANSP" and "labor laws" which were railroaded through the South Korean "national assembly" in the absence of the opposition are "laws" contradictory to human rights, democracy, freedom of association, and the basic rights of the labor union movement to bargain collectively and organise.
The statement strongly demanded that the South Korean "government" repeal them immediately.
The centre of the trade unions of Finland, the central union of office workers in industrial sector of Finland and the union of scientists and technicians of Finland on January 20 had a joint debate as regards the question of supporting the South Korean trade unions' struggle and sent a letter of protest to Kim Young Sam.
The letter lodged a protest with the South Korean "government" against the enactment of the "laws" that go against the principle of the international labor organisation, and bitterly condemned the South Korean authorities for their brutal suppression of strikes and labor movement.
Economic achievements in January
Pyongyang, February 3 (KCNA) -- The working people across the country made great economic achievements in January.
The Anju, Pukchang, Sunchon and Tukjang area coal complexes, the Hwangbuk Area United Sapropelic Coal Mine and the Pyongyang Municipal Coal Industry Management Bureau overfulfilled their quotas for January.
Many power stations throughout the country including the Taedonggang United Power Station and the Wiwon Power Station also fulfilled their monthly quotas far ahead of schedule and now are carrying out their daily plans at 120 percent.
The Ryongsong Associated Machinery Bureau, the Taean Heavy Machine Complex, the April 3 General Factory and other machinery factories overfulfilled the January assignments by speeding up the production of ordered equipment for major projects, generating equipment and materials of various kinds.
The workers under the ministry of forestry completed the January plan of prop timber production at 110 percent as of Jan. 30.
The January schedule was overfulfilled 15 days ahead by 9.4 percent at the associated bureau for the forestry industry in Ryanggang Province.
Such achievements were also made at the Tongdaewon Garment Factory, the Songchongang Garment Factory in Hamghung and other factories and enterprises under the Unha Associated Trading Bureau, the Pyongyang General Garment Industry Bureau, the Pakchon Silk Mill, the Ryuwon Export Shoe-Making Factory and other light industry factories.
They are putting spurs to the fulfilment of February schedule.
Pak Tu Ik, soccer expert
Pyongyang, February 3 (KCNA) -- A People's Sportsman,Pak Tu Ik, is one of Korea's well-known soccer experts.
He has a 40-year-long career as a soccer expert.
He enjoyed a high reputation when he made a good job at the 8th World Championship held in Britain in 1966.
In the match with Italy, he scored the first goal, contributing to Korea's winning the match.
His role in the Asia soccer games of new emerging forces in 1965 and many other national and international games was enough to draw attention from soccer fans and experts. After 12 years of activities as a gridder, he began serving as a soccer trainer.
He successfully trained Korean teams to win in the 8th Asiad in 1978, the 13th World Universiad in 1985, the 17th and 18th King Cup Soccer Tournaments held in Thailand in 1986 and 1987 and many other soccer games.
Pak Tu Ik has trained some 20 soccer coaches and some 40 soccer stars.
For his contribution to the nation's soccer development, he became a People's Sportsman and has been honored with many official decorations.
Secretary Kim Jong Il sent a dinner to him on his 60th birthday, December 17 last year.
He is now active as Chief of the Training Guidance Department of the Federation of Footballers under the State Physical Culture and Sports Commission.