S. Korean defector interviewed
Pyongyang, November 5 (KCNA) -- South Korean Jong Min (46) met Korean and foreign reporters here today at which he said: the north is an authentic homeland of the Korean nation, which engages itself in politics, economy and culture in its own way.
A few days ago, he came over to the north from the south.
Before defecting to the north, he worked as a band singer, member of the council of the Ansan city, Kyonggi Province, sports association, member of the "National Congress for New Politics" and as a businessman.
He said:
"On arriving in the north, I greeted a great event of electing the General Kim Jong Il as General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, the historic event in which the Korean nation has come to have the general as the recognised outstanding leader of the nation who will lead the destinies of the 70 million fellow countrymen and as the great sun of reunified country who will add lustre to the 21st century.
"I have come over to the northern half of the country to live a true life under the socialist system in which the feelings and spirit peculiar to the nation are kept alive.
"The south Korean society whose politics, economy, culture and morality have gone to ruin is doubtlessly part of our country. However, only foreign things do exist in the south.
"The successive south Korean "presidents" after the country's liberation were all hunting dogs of the United States, butchers who killed fellow countrymen, swindlers who deceived the people and thieves who amassed only their wealth.
"The north has preserved excellent traditions of the nation, not being affected by foreign fashions.
"This is a result of the independent politics, the Korean-nation-first spirit of President Kim Il Sung and the General Kim Jong Il.
"It is none other than the general who defends our nation and country.
"He is the destiny, reunification and future of our nation."
Referring to musical art in the south, Jong Min said that south Korea's music is a narcotic and venomous poison which mentally degenerates people and makes them mental fanatics.
Gifts to Gen. Secy. Kim Jong Il from foreign figures
Pyongyang, November 5 (KCNA) - General Secretary Kim Jong Il received gifts from President of the Yangtze Cruise and Tour Sdn. Bhd., of Malaysia Tan Han Soong and Chairman of the Poland-Korea Friendship Club in Otwock Stanislaw Wilk on his election as General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea.
They called at the embassies of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in their countries and asked the ambassadors to convey the gifts to General Secretary Kim Jong Il.
War manoeuvres continue in s. Korea
Pyongyang, November 5 (KCNA) -- The United States and the south Korean warmaniacs on Nov. 3 staged a joint exercise at the combat flying corps no. 11 of the puppet air force to cope with "chemical war" with the mobilization of chemical supporting corps and other armed forces and equipment, according to a radio report from Seoul.
In the meantime, the warmaniacs staged a joint river-crossing training of mechanized divisions, infantry and artillery pieces on the south Han River in Ryoju, Kyonggi Province.
The U.S. and the south Korean puppets are staging such war gambles, firing bullets and shells at random, in all parts of south Korea every day as part of the "Foal Eagle" joint war manoeuvres to realize their wild ambition for invading the north, and aggravating the situation as the days go by.
Friendly meeting with Pakistani Embassy officials
Pyongyang, November 5 (KCNA) -- A friendly meeting with Pakistani Embassy officials was held here on Tuesday, co-sponsored by the Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries and the Korea-Pakistan Friendship Association to mark the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
Present there were Chon Yon Ok, vice-chairperson of the Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries and vice-chairperson of the Korea-Pakistan Friendship Association, and other officials concerned.
Rehmdil Bhatti, Pakistani Ambassador to Korea, and the Embassy officials were invited to the meeting.
The participants conversed with each other in a friendly atmosphere and saw a Pakistani documentary film.
Joint congratulatory letter to Gen. Secy. Kim Jong Il
Pyongyang, November 5 (KCNA) - General Secretary Kim Jong Il received a joint congratulatory letter from delegates of nine federations of trade unions of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and India participating in the 36th conference of the All-India Trade Union Congress.
In the letter they extended warmest congratulations and highest honor to comrade Kim Jong Il, the great leader of the Korean people, defender and leader of the cause of independence of humankind, on his official election as the supreme leader of the Korean revolution.
The letter said that comrade Kim Jong Il comprehensively developed in depth the Juche idea founded by President Kim Il Sung to illumine the way for the victory of socialist cause.
He pursues benevolent politics so that the people enjoy a life and worth of independent humanity, it said.
Especially, he made sure that President Kim Il Sung is preserved in state at the Kumsusan Memorial Palace and the Juche Era and Sun's Day were instituted and thus showed the world revolutionary people a distinguished example of highest loyalty and moral obligation to the preceding leader, the letter noted.
Therefore, his official election as the supreme leader of the Korean revolution is the honour and happiness of the Korean people as well as the world revolutionary peoples, it said.
The letter wished him a long life in good health for the accomplishment of the socialist cause.
Kim Hyon Chol's release protested in s. Korea
Pyongyang, November 5 (KCNA) -- The puppet Seoul High Court released on bail Kim Hyon Chol, a son of Kim Young Sam and a ringleader of Hanbo incident, on Nov. 3, according to a radio report from Seoul.
Kim Hyon Chol had been imprisoned in the middle of may and sentenced to 3 years of imprisonment at the puppet Seoul district court.
In protest against his release, the deputy spokesman of the opposition "Democratic Party", commented that the decision on his release is an act ignoring people's feelings and demanded that the criminal himself cancel the application for bail.
The south Korean bar association expressed indignation over the step of the high court, saying that it means protection for power-backed irregularities.
The "citizens federation for economic justice" and other civic organizations strongly protested about the release.
Rodong Sinmun calls for grasping noble traits of Gen. Secy.Kim Jong Il
Pyongyang, November 5 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today editorially calls upon all the party members and other working people to deeply grasp the noble traits of General Secretary Kim Jong Il.
It says:
They should cover the road of the revolution forever with loyalty to his guidance and thus add lustre to the habit of our society which bears a perfect resemblance to his traits.
For the Korean people to learn from the General is a very honorable and noble work to glorify their political integrity and perform their obligations as his revolutionary soldiers.
He is a peerlessly great man who is possessed of all good qualities and traits befitting the leader of the people, a revolutionary and a man.
While triumphantly directing the Workers' Party of Korea and the Korean revolution for more than 30 years, he has fully displayed his matchlessly distinguished traits.
For the party members and other working people to deeply grasp the greatness of the General is an important requirement for firmly building up the whole party and society into ranks of loyalists who bear full resemblance to his traits.
It is a trait of our society to live as intended by him, advance with his grit and stamina and follow his example of noble obligation and feelings.
All people are looking up to him as a great teacher, sharing their feelings and aspirations, destinies and future with him.
It is a proud look of our country.
Only when they tirelessly carry on the work to learn from him can the revolutionary ranks be strong ranks in which the spirit of absolutely worshipping the leader is prevalent and which are united in one mind and can our society be an impregnable fortress of socialism which is replete with the revolutionary stamina and the faith in sure victory.
Warmaniacs must not act rashly
Pyongyang, November 5 (KCNA) -- The U.S.-led joint field training in south Korea is now going on at full capacity.
In this connection Rodong Sinmun carries a signed article today.
Involved in the war exercises codenamed "Foal Eagle" are U.S. troops stationed in south Korea, most of the south Korean puppet army and a large number of U.S. war means based in the U.S. mainland and outside south Korea.
The United States is staging the joint military exercises with the south Korean puppets who are dreaming of invasion of the north and "unification by prevailing over communism". This is a manifestation of its war policy to stifle the DPRK behind the curtain of dialogue, the paper says, and goes on:
The U.S. has promised not to make military threat and attack the DPRK and is conducting some contacts and negotiations with it.
But, the point at issue is that its hardline conservative forces are using this as a smokescreen to cover up their policy of stifling the DPRK, more frantically resorting to the way of strength. The "Foal Eagle" field training is part of their scheme.
And what cannot be overlooked is that the U.S. uses "Foal Eagle" as a way to fill up the blank caused by cancelled "Team Spirit" nuclear war exercises.
This is well illustrated by the fact that its warhawks have made the current "Foal Eagle" the largest-scale joint field training and converted it into prelimiary nuclear war by involving in it the forces who had participated in the "Team Spirit".
Such deeds prove that they do not want dialogue and peace.
We do not want a war but will not beg for peace.
We will take strong and merciless countermeasures to those who attempt to stifle the DPRK.
The U.S. bellicose forces would be well advised to stop reckless military demonstration under our eyes.
Celebrated places on Mt. Paektu
Pyongyang, November 5 (KCNA) -- Mt. Paektu in Korea is blessed with many celebrated places.
Its sunrise presents a grand spectacle.
The moment the sun rises, the forests sway and the water of Lake Chon is dyed with five colors.
People often climb up the mountain to enjoy this moment. they can simultaneously see the flowering spring and snowy winter.
Lake Chon is the largest of craters or natural lakes in the country.
It is 14.4 Kilometres round and 384 Metres deep at maximum.
There is a hot spring in an area of 930 metres on the lakeside.
The spring water is 9.5 percent of the total volume of the water which flows into the Lake. Even in winter, an area of about 200 square metres does not freeze.
Rare flowers and trees grow on the mountain.
Flower plants growing in the section of 1,950-2,000 metres above sea level are diverse in kind and color.
In July and August, flowers come into bloom, spreading a sea of flowers on peaks of the mountain.
It has more than 20 waterfalls which originate from Lake Chon.
The highest waterfall is Paektu secret camp waterfall situated in the Sobaeksu Valley. It is 40 metres high.
The Rimyongsu Waterfall is a peculiar one which gushes out from cracks of rocks of various shapes. Its water falls, rolling down slopy surfaces of rocks.
The landscape of the waterfall is magnificent in winter.
Its water falls not frozen even in severe cold, producing many frostworks.
Besides, there are many scenic places in Mt. Paektu.
U.S. President urged to pay attention to repatriation of long-term prisoners in s. Korea
Pyongyang, November 5 (KCNA) -- The Afro-Asian People's Solidarity Committee of Nepal, the International Study Centre for Juche-Oriented Mass Media in Nepal, the World Human Rights Committee of Nepal and other public organisations of Nepal jointly sent a letter to the U.S. President on October 30 as regards the issue of repatriation of unconverted long-term prisoners in south Korea.
The public organisations of Nepal hold that the responsibilities for the repatriation of the unconverted long-term prisoners lie with the united states, a party to the Korean War, the letter said, and continued:
Kim In So, Ham Se Hwan and Kim Yong Thae, pows and unconverted long-term prisoners, should have been repatriated to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea at the time of the exchange of pows right after the ceasefire according to the Korean Armistice Agreement signed between the DPRK and the United States.
The south Korean authorities have forced prison terms upon them for more than 30 years for the reason that they refused to abandon their ideology. Worse still, the pows are still solitarily spending their remaining days in agony.
As the United States of America is a party which directly signed the Korean Armistice Agreement, its president should pay due attention to the issue of their repatriation and help them to return to the DPRK without fail.
Traces of glacier discovered in Korea
Pyongyang, November 5 (KCNA) -- Korean scientists recently made a joint survey of traces of glacier on the northern slope of Mt. Onjin in Yonsan county, north Hwanghae Province.
The site is in middle latitudes and not so high above sea level.
The survey team made up of geographers, geologists, archaeologists and other scientists and experts proved through joint surveys and modern means and methods that the traces of glacier on Mt. Onjin belong to the quaternary, discovered for the first time in middle latitudes in Korea.
A scientific symposium on the traces of glacier on Mt. Onjin was held here on Monday.
Speakers at the symposium explained the traces and time, scope and features of glacier on Mt. Onjin and the impact of the glacier on the life of primitive humanity, on the basis of moraine, micropaleontologic fossil and other materials taken from the mountain and pictures.
The discovery and confirmation of traces of glacier on Mt. Onjin provide basic materials for studying the natural environment of Korea in the early period of human development from the Juche stand. They will greatly help study the activities of ancestors of Korea from a new angle.
They are also instrumental in studying the distribution and scope of glacier in Korea and the history of the development of lithosphere in the quaternary on a new basis.