Letters, postcards praising General Kim Jong Il in S. Korea

Pyongyang, March 8 (KCNA) -- The Sobaeksu society members in south Jolla Province, South Korea, mailed letters or postcards praising General Kim Jong Il to people in Mokpho and Ryochon cities and Hwasun and Yonggwang counties on february 1, the Seoul-based radio voice of national salvation quoted the south Jolla Provincial Committee of the National Democratic Front of South Korea as saying. The letters and postcards describe General Kim Jong Il as a great man who was born as the bright star on Mt. Paektu, the most famous mountain of Korea, fifty-five years ago on February 16 and has performed enduring exploits for the country and the nation, the time and humanity. It is also written in them: "Only when General Kim Jong Il is upheld and followed, can the country be reunified and the nation have a bright future. We wholeheartedly wish him good health and a long life for national reunification."

Peruvian critical of Kim Young Sam

Pyongyang, March 8 (KCNA) -- The Peru-Korea Institute of Culture and Friendship issued a statement Feb. 27 criticizing Kim Young Sam's irregularities. The statement expresses full support to the Feb. 23 white paper on Kim Young sam's crimes in four years of office issued by the Secretariat of the DPRK's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland. The statement brands Kim Young Sam as a tyrant, a shameless murderer, a "civilian" dictator and an immoral being. The statement continues: "kim Young Sam called for abolition of the 'national security law' during his opposition days. After he took the 'Presidential' chair, he discarded his 'commitment,' brutally suppressed the people and did not keep his word to liquidate irregularities. "He is the king of thieves without an equal in the world. "Through the Hanbo scandal alone, he squeezed four to five trillion won of black money in conspiracy with his son and relatives. "Kim Young sam, enemy of reunification, is increasing military spending, viciously maneuvering against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and trying to mount an invasion. "He will face the severest punishment as a medieval fascist tyrant."

Spring tree planting begins

Pyongyang, March 8 (KCNA) -- Spring tree planting has started in Korea. Meetings of working people's organizations and school children across the country were held here to invigorate the tree planting movement. Reporters and speakers at the meetings said it is one of the main tasks of socialist economic construction this year to step up the land administration including afforestation. They called upon all the people to turn out in the work. They said each of the working people should plant 100-150 trees and every farmhouse five or more fruit trees during the tree-planting day and month. They laid stress on implementing afforestation and beautification program and planting more trees to cover towns and villages, mountains and hills with flowers and green forest.

Press review

Pyongyang, March 8 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today reports that Secretary Kim Jong Il sent thanks to officers of the propaganda and agitation section of the political department of the ministry of public security for contributing to the passenger transport in Pyongyang. Under the title "The great leader comrade Kim Il Sung will always be with us" papers run articles stressing that President Kim Il Sung is the eternal sun of not only the Korean people but also the revolutionary people of the world Given in the press is an account of a national meeting held to commemorate the 87th anniversary of the March 8 International Women's Holiday. Papers carry articles on the pride and happiness of the Korean women who enjoy a dignified life under the care of the Party and on the plight of women in those countries where capitalism has revived and on South Korean women groaning in humiliation and insult. Rodong Sinmun runs an editorial calling for exalting the traditions of the Korean women's movement forever. Conveyed in the press is news of innovations in the production of nonferrous metal ore and of spring tree planting which has started. Rodong Sinmun carries an article on the fine art works of high ideological and artistic value and good animal and plant samples made by officers and men of the Korean people's army. The paper in a commentary denounces the "cabinet reshuffle" by Kim Young Sam as a desperate effort to get out of the crisis. Papers introduce achievements made by the Cuban people advancing under the socialist banner. Rodong Sinmun dedicates an article to the 34th anniversary of the Revolution Day of Syria. Pyongyang, March 8 (KCNA) -- Spring tree planting has started in Korea. Meetings of working people's organizations and school children across the country were held here to invigorate the tree planting movement. Reporters and speakers at the meetings said it is one of the main tasks of socialist economic construction this year to step up the land administration including afforestation. They called upon all the people to turn out in the work. They said each of the working people should plant 100-150 trees and every farmhouse five or more fruit trees during the tree-planting day and month. They laid stress on implementing afforestation and beautification program and planting more trees to cover towns and villages, mountains and hills with flowers and green forest.

Rodong Sinmun marks Revolution Day of Syria

Pyongyang, March 8 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today dedicates an article to the 34th anniversary of the Revolution Day of the Syrian people. The Korean people are sincerely rejoiced over the success achieved by the Syrian people in building a new society after the victory of Revolution, the paper says, and continues: Syria has made constant efforts to resolve the mideast issue fairly and comprehensively. The Syria's just stand to retake the Golan Heights on the "peace for land principle" and achieve peace in the mideast enjoys international support and sympathy. The Korean people extend full support and solidarity to the just cause of the Syrian people, regarding it as their own. They will make all their efforts to further develop the traditional friendship with Syria in the future. The Korean people send the warmest congratulations and militant salute to the Syrian people on the revolution Day and sincerely wish them great success in their struggle to build a new independent and prosperous Syria.

kim Young Sam seeks way out in "cabinet reshuffle"

Pyongyang, March 8 (KCNA) -- Kim Young Sam of South Korea on March 5 carried out a "cabinet reshuffle", the 16th of its kind since he came to power. Rodong Sinmun today views the latest shakeup as Kim Young Sam's last-ditch effort to emerge from the worst crisis. The daily says in the commentary: His political drama was aimed at getting himself out of the wood over the Hanbo incident at any cost, spending his remaining days in power without mishap and having his man returned in the next "Presidential election" so that he may be safe after retirement. It was also designed to dissipate the distracted climate of the ruling group. With the "Presidential election" approaching, power struggle has become fiercer between the "democratic" and "democratic justice" factions of the "New Korea Party" and such a scramble is also under way within the "democratic" faction. Under this situation, Kim Young Sam intends to resolve the conflicts within the ruling "Party" by swaying the neglected "democratic justice" faction to his side. He also wants to win over the military dictatorial forces of the "fifth and sixth republics", stifle the pro-democracy forces and prolong his miserable days, but it is only a daydream. New puppet Prime Minister koh kun, a "Yusin" remnant, served the military dictatorial regimes of the "fifth and sixth republics" and the new "Vice Prime Minister" was also a "Minister of the fifth republic." what the Kim Young Sam group have to do now is not to stage a useless "shakeup" or "restructuring" but to repent of their monstrous crimes against the country and the nation, step down and stand judged by history.

Criminal "amendment to foreign exchange control law" in Japan

Pyongyang, March 8 (KCNA) -- The Japanese government submitted an "amendment to foreign exchange control law" to the diet a few days ago, said the Japanese Asahi Shimbun. This amendment allows the Japanese government to take "sanction" against other countries according to its own "independent judgement". It was stipulated in the former law that the Japanese government shall need a resolution of the United Nations Security Council to take sanction. The Japanese reactionaries claimed that the amendment was aimed at promptly taking economic sanctions to provide against such crisis as the perusian Gulf War. This fact clearly shows that Japan has openly entered the stage of legalising and politicising its aggression on and intervention in sovereign states under the name of "economic sanctions". "sanctions" are, in essence, bellicose acts. Japan's intention to freely impose "economic sanctions" upon other nations reveals its reactionary policy of aggression and war and its wild design for militaristic revival and overseas expansion. It must not go unnoticed that the amendment was worked out allegedly to "promptly cope with emergency on the Korean Peninsula". "Emergency on the Korean Peninsula" on the lips of the Japanese reactionaries is a trite propaganda to divert elsewhere the attention of the people and justify its moves for reinvasion and a prelude to unleashing a war on the Korean Peninsula by aggravating its situation. We will never tolerate such criminal moves of the Japanese reactionaries, who are committing more heinous crimes, far from liquidating its past indelible wrongdoings against the Korean people for more than half a century.

Russian committee formed for 85th birthday of President Kim Il Sung

Pyongyang, March 8 (KCNA) -- An inaugural meeting of the Russian organizing committee for celebrating the 85th birthday of the great leader President Kim Il Sung was held in Moscow on mar. 4. Academician Alexander Kapto, vice director of the Socio- Political Affaires Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences was nominated to the chairmanship of the committee. He said in his speech that the birthday of President Kim Il Sung, the greatest of the great men in the 20th century, is always the most auspicious holiday to all of them. An appeal to friends of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in different countries adopted at the meeting said the august name of President Kim Il Sung is related to the most brilliant chapters of history of the 20th century and that the Juche idea he established would be the most militant and realistic idea in the 21st century, too. His greatest exploit is that he put forward Secretary Kim Jong Il loved by the people as a reliable successor, said the appeal. It called upon the Korean friends in all countries to inaugurate organising and preparatory committees involving the most authoritative and respected public figures of different countries and significantly celebrate April 15. Former Soviet Defence Minister Marshal Dmitry Yazov said in his speech that they would commemorate the birthday of President Kim Il Sung in most humble reverence and do their best for achievements of the organising committee in its work.

-Reminiscences "With the Century" vol. 7 published in foreign languages

Pyongyang, March 8 (KCNA) -- The seventh volume of the anti-Japanese revolution, the first part of "With the Century", the great leader President Kim Il Sung's reminiscences, was published in Chinese, Japanese, English, French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic and German by the foreign languages publishing house. The book in the form of continuing edition is based on a detailed programme written by the President, his own manuscripts and reminiscences of many events and facts he had witnessed and experienced in the course of the arduous revolution and innumerable historical records preserved in the library of the Workers' Party of Korea. It deals with the historical period from November 1937 to March 1940 when a fresh upsurge was brought about in the most difficult situation of the heroic anti-Japanese armed struggle. The book consists of three chapters -- the 19th chapter "overcoming trials", the 20th chapter "for a fresh upsurge of the revolution" and the 21st chapter "roar of gunfire in the large-unit circling operations". These chapters are divided into 21 sections including "the Matanggou secret camp", "the last of the Independence Army Forces", "expedition to rehe", "grandmother Ri Po Ik", "arduous march", "Chinese landlord Liu Tong-Shi", "O Jung Hup and his 7th regiment" and "Let us defend the Soviet Union with arms". The reminiscences will continue to be published. Those who want to read the book are required to ask the Korean Publications Exchange Association in Pyongyang, the DPRK (mail box: 222, fax: 850-2-3814632).

Rodong Sinmun on march 8 International Women's Holiday

Pyongyang, March 8 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today carries an editorial headlined "Let us exalt traditions of Korean women's movement forever" on the occasion of the 87th anniversary of the March 8 International Women's Holiday. The Korean women's movement and its proud history have long started under the leadership of the great leader President Kim Il Sung, the editorial says, and goes on: The movement, that struck deep root with solid hardcore forces in the flames of the anti-Japanese revolution, entered into a new higher stage after the liberation of the country. President Kim Il Sung's promulgation of law on sex equality right after the country's liberation was a historical event which brought about a fundamental turn in the position and status of the Korean women. It also enabled them to take part in the building of a new society with equal rights with men, free from the feudalistic fetters that shackled them for centuries. The President constantly developed onto a higher stage the women's movement along with the advance of the revolution and the progress of socialist construction. The movement, that was pioneered and developed under the care of the president, has greeted a new historic period of turn under the leadership of Secretary Kim Jong Il. Secretary Kim Jong Il has energetically led the women to constantly enhance their position and role to meet the requirements of modelling the whole of society on the Juche idea and discharge their responsibility and role as the driving force of the revolution. It is only the Korean women who are proudly making revolution in the most advantageous socialist country of Juche, being blessed by the sagacious leader down through generations. All the Korean women should devote their all to the struggle to firmly defend and exalt the Korean-style socialism under the leadership of Secretary Kim Jong Il, holding high the red flag, as they enjoy great happiness in the bosom of the great Party and leader. They should actively support and encourage the South Korean women in their struggle for independence, democracy, reunification and the liberation of women and further strengthen solidarity with the women in different countries in the idea of independence, peace and friendship.

DPRK gov't delegation off to Africa

Pyongyang, March 8 (KCNA) -- A DPRK government delegation led by vice-Premier and Foreign Minister Kim Yong Nam left here today on a visit to African countries. The delegation was seen off at the airport by first vice Foreign Minister Kang Sok Ju and other Korean officials and the diplomatic envoys of China, India, Nigeria and Ethiopia accredited to Korea.

Foreign Ministry spokesman on "Radio Free Asia"

Pyongyang, March 8 (KCNA) -- The spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in an interview with KCNA today criticised the United States for beginning to broadcast "Radio Free Asia" in Korean language. He told KCNA: A few days ago, the United States began broadcasting "Radio Free Asia" in Korean, following its broadcasting in Chinese, Vietnamese and other national languages of Asia despite repeated protests and criticisms from the DPRK and other Asian countries. The Korean language broadcasting is aimed at infiltrating American "values" and decadent ideas and culture into the DPRK, paralysing its people's consciousness of independence and undermining its socialist position from within. This shows the U.S. policy of antagonising and stifling the DPRK remains unchanged and is getting pronounced with the passage of time. The more false propaganda the U.S. makes against the DPRK, the stronger the Korean people's anti-American sentiments will grow and the firmer their absolute confidence in their ideology, culture and cause of justice will become. American "values" and Yankee culture can never affect the DPRK, which has the best political philosophy in the world and blooming socialist culture. The Korean people will determinedly smash the imperialist ideological and cultural infiltration, consolidate their politico-ideological fortress and continue to bring into full play the advantages of the man-centred Korean socialist system under the banner of the Juche idea. The start of the broadcasting of "Radio Free Asia" awakens the countries in this region. We, together with all other Asian countries, will maintain our independent policy of defending Asia's unique time-honored traditions and culture.