G.S. Kim Jong Il appreciates concert of military band of KPA Supreme Command

Pyongyang, December 8 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Il, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army (KPA), appreciated a concert of the military band of the KPA Supreme Command on Sunday. Among the audience were Jo Myong Rok, Director of the General Political Department of the KPA= Kim Yong Chun, Chief of the General Staff of the KPA= and generals of the KPA. The audience also included secretaries Kye Ung Thae, Choe Thae Bok, Kim Ki Nam and Kim Yong Sun and other senior officials of the Workers' Party of Korea Central Committee. The band played "Let us uphold our Supreme Commander with arms," "Song of coast artillerymen," "Following the leader and the party forever" and other songs of revolution and struggle that give inexhaustible strength and courage to the servicemen and civilians of Korea. General Kim Jong Il expressed great satisfaction and thanked the creating staff and artistes of the military band for the wonderful concert. He showed high appreciation for the exploits of the band, saying that the band has a long history and tradition in that for more than 50 years it has made meritorious services through revolutionary and militant art activities by encouraging the servicemen and civilians to fight to build a new country, defeat the enemies, build socialism and implement the military line of the party. He gave the band important tasks, urging its creating staff and artistes to deeply learn the party's Juche-based idea of literature and art and conduct more brisk art activities for revolution among servicemen and civilians.

S. Korean clique accused of causing catastrophic economic crisis

Pyongyang, December 8 (KCNA) -- South Korean public organisations and people are getting angry with the clique for causing the catastrophic economic crisis and asking the international monetary fund for financial assistance, according to a report of the Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation from Seoul. The organisations and people expressed disgracefulness and resentment, saying the South Korean economy has come under the subordinating control of the IMF. They also expressed strong humiliation over the submissive negotiations and agreement between the clique and the IMF. The agreement reflects the unilateral concession of the puppet clique and predatory demands of the United States and Japan, they said.

Preparatory committees for celebrations formed abroad

Pyongyang, December 8 (KCNA) -- Preparatory committees were formed in Austria and Madagascar to celebrate the sixth anniversary of the election of General Kim Jong Il as Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army and the 80th birth anniversary of the great communist revolutionary fighter Kim Jong Suk. The inaugural meeting in Austria heard speeches and elected the chairman of the preparatory committee. And the meeting in Madagascar set a period of celebration, decided to hold colorful events during the period and elected the chairman of the committee.

South Korean economic crisis exposed

Pyongyang, December 8 (KCNA) -- French papers Le Monde and L'Humanite carried articles on the catastrophic economic crisis of South Korea. They said it is foreseen that South Korea will be driven into a more serious political, economic and social crisis. The South Korean regime, having failed to bring the financial crisis under control, asked the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for "help" which will further aggravate the crisis sweeping various domains of South Korea, the papers noted. They said enterprises will have to cut operations, decrease investment and reduce the number of employees above 30 percent. They also said that in this case, the rate of unemployment will exceed the level of 10 percent, causing fierce competitions in labour markets. The French papers predicted that South Korean trade unions would object to the belt-tightening policy to be taken by the South Korean regime in compliance with the IMF demands and that they would call for a structural change of the South Korean economy, not confining themselves merely to resistances.

Book "Comrade Kim Jong Suk, outstanding revolutionary woman activist" published

Pyongyang, December 8 (KCNA) -- The Workers' Party of Korea Publishing House recently brought out the book "Comrade Kim Jong Suk, Outstanding Revolutionary Woman Activist" on the occasion of the 80th birth anniversary of Kim Jong Suk, a great communist revolutionary fighter. The book consists of two parts, which give a wide and deep account of her great personality. Part 1 describes the great personality of the woman who was the most loyal subject of President Kim Il Sung under the titles of chapter 1 "Extraordinary ideological propagandist who absolutized the leader's revolutionary idea, made it her faith and actively propagandized it", chapter 2 "Outstanding political activist who faithfully assisted the leader's guidance" and chapter 3 "Peerless lifeguard who defended the leader at the risk of her life". Written in part 2 are the noblest traits of the woman including clear and clean loyalty, warm love for the country and the people, boundless devotion to the revolution, indomitable faith and will, revolutionary comradeship, principle and organisation under the titles of chapter 1 "Great communist revolutionary fighter", chapter 2 "Woman general with spirit of Mt. Paektu" and chapter 3 "Noble human being".

R.S. calls for repeal of "National Security Law" in South Korea

Pyongyang, December 8 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today comes out with a signed article entitled "notorious 'National Security Law' must be repealed at once." The author of the article says: The "National Security Law" (NSL) of South Korea is a product of the colonial fascist rule and anti-DPRK confrontation policy of the United States and the South Korean clique, their stooges. Accordingly, it is an anti-national fascist law which hinders the democratic development of South Korean society and the reconciliation and unity of the nation, antagonizes the fellow countrymen in the north and obstructs the reunification of the country. Hundreds of thousands of people have been murdered or punished by the law in South Korea since it came into being. It is a cancer-like law of the worst type against the democratisation of South Korean society and the national reunification. After taking office, however, Kim Young Sam reneged his commitments and cried that the "NSL" could not be cancelled under any circumstances. With this evil law as a ruling means, he has been engaged in flunkeyism, treachery, fascist outrage, anti-reunification and splittist moves and the policy of confrontation and war against the DPRK. By invoking the "NSL", the Kim Young Sam group harshly persecuted not only reunification champions who had visited the northern half of Korea but also South Korean people who were sharing the painful sorrow with the fellow countrymen in the north in the greatest national misfortune. And they ruthlessly cracked down upon the South Korean Federation of University Student Councils (Hanchongryon) and other progressive organisations calling for independence, democracy and reunification, branding them as "forces seeking to overthrow the system". All these facts clearly show that as long as the "NSL" remains in force in South Korea, the independence and democratisation of South Korean society can never be realised nor can the reunification of the country be achieved. The South Korean rulers must abrogate the "NSL" without delay, guarantee people all their political freedom and democratic rights including free debates on and activities for reunification and provide legal and institutional devices for national reconciliation, unity and reunification.

Songs praising Kim Jong Suk

Pyongyang, December 8 (KCNA) -- The Korean people are now singing many more songs praising the great communist revolutionary fighter Kim Jong Suk with the approach of her birth anniversary (Dec. 24). Songs are replete with infinite respect and yearning for the woman fighter and eulogize her immortal exploits and virtues. The songs "Kim Jong Suk is Our Mother" and "Kim Jong Suk whose feats are shining" laud the immortal exploits of the woman fighter who was wholeheartedly loyal to President Kim Il Sung, brought a bright future of Korea and devoted herself to the revolution. The song "Retrospection of Native Home" reflects yearning for Kim Jong Suk and the song "Unforgettable echo in Lake Samil" touch the heartstrings of people. The songs "We will follow mother's loyalty" and "Looking up to mother Kim Jong Suk" carry the Korean people's will to hold only General Kim Jong Il, successor to the Juche revolutionary cause, for ever in high esteem, following the exemplary loyalty of the woman fighter who devoted all her life to President Kim Il Sung. There are many songs reflecting her warmest patriotism and noble outlook on posterity, including "I will come back with General", "Korea, Let me embrace you again" and "Warmest love of woman fighter". The songs, which are gentle, fervent and easy to sing, fully reflect the mind of the Korean people.

Mysterious natural phenomena

Pyongyang, December 8 (KCNA) -- Mysterious natural phenomena were witnessed in Korea before and after November 30. The day before General Kim Jong Il visited Kim Chaek Air Force University, it heavily rained and blew hard all day long from the morning. In the evening an owl flew into the university dispensary and perched for hours. There were no cloud in the sky and no blow the next day. The instructors and students of the university were surprised at the abrupt change of weather. That day, General Kim Jong Il, Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army, visited the university. After he left the university, the snow fell in large flakes in the evening, which piled up 40 cm on the ground.