Literature wishing for good health and long life of G.S. Kim Jong Il appeared in S. Korea

Pyongyang, January 9 (KCNA) -- More than 500 copies of literature sincerely wishing General Secretary Kim Jong Il good health and a long life were scattered in Thaebaek city on the early morning of January 1, Seoul-based radio Voice of National Salvation quoted the Kangwon Provincial Committee of the National Democratic Front of South Korea (NDFSK) as saying. On the front of the literature scattered in the name of the February 16 Fellowship Society were the following ketters: "The leader Kim Jong Il is heaven and destiny of the nation. Let us adjust our dresses and sincerely wish him good health and a long life on the morning of the New Year's Day." On the back were the words of a song with music under the title "Greetings to the respected leader Kim Jong Il on the New Year." The song says however rough the road to democracy may be, their new year will be full of hope because they live with the firm belief in General Kim Jong Il. The morning of reunification is sure to come on this land thanks to the leader Kim Jong Il, it says, and wishes the General, the destiny of the country, good health and a long life.

New upsurge in production called for

Pyongyang, January 9 (KCNA) -- Employees of Jenam Coal Mine and farmers of the Migok Cooperative Farm, Sariwon city, held meetings and called upon working people and agricultural workers throughout the country to launch a socialist emulation for effecting a new upsurge in the production and fulfilling the tasks set forth in the Joint New Year Editorial. Reporters and speakers said at the meetings that all the working people are full of determination to vigorously push forward with the forced march for the final victory under the leadership of General Kim Jong Il this year which marks the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. They called on the working people to bring about a new upsurge in this year's production with belief that they will certainly win as they are led by General Kim Jong Il.

Meetings held nationwide

Pyongyang, January 9 (KCNA) -- Mass meetings were held in Jagang Province, Nampho municipality and Kaesong municipality on Jan. 7 and 8 to launch efforts for carrying out the tasks set forth in the Joint New Year Editorial of the newspapers of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and the Korean People's Army under the leadership of the WPK. Speakers at the meetings said that the entire members of the WPK and other working people should press ahead with the forced march for the final victory, overcoming trials and difficulties in the indomitable revolutionary fighting spirit displayed in the course of the "arduous march", to make tangible contributions to the prosperity of the country, the motherland. The meetings called for gaining new success in the economic construction under the slogan "Let us push ahead with the forced march for the final victory !"

This year, year of victors in socialism

Pyongyang, January 9 (KCNA) -- This year, which marks the 50th anniversary of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, is a year of a new leap, a year of victors in socialism. This means that this is a year in which the Korean people will make a new leap in the indomitable revolutionary spirit they displayed in the "arduous march" and a historic year when the advantages of Korean-style socialism will be brought into full play. This is also a year of struggle when the Workers' Party and people of Korea will win a decisive victory in confrontation with the imperialists. Rodong Sinmun says this in an article today. The daily goes on: We have laid all the foundations to exalt this year as a year of victors in socialism. The revolutionary ideas and lines of President Kim Il Sung are a beacon indicating the way of certain victory and the wise politics of General Kim Jong Il is a decisive factor of guaranteeing our victory. All the people and servicemen should vigorously make a general march of socialism under the slogan "Let us push ahead with the forced march for the final victory !" and thus brilliantly adorn this year as a year of victors in socialism.

Perilous measures taken for anti-DPRK war provocation

Pyongyang, January 9 (KCNA) -- The U.S. decided to reform the U.S. eighth army corps headquarters present in South Korea into a field army headquarters, a Seoul-based radio said on January 7. And the U.S. and the South Korean authoritiese agreed to increase the function of the South Korea-U.S. "Combined Forces Command" drastically, the radio said. These criminal steps were taken to enable the U.S. aggression forces present in South Korea to have access to a war provocation against the DPRK= it shows the new war preparations of the U.S. and their stooges have reached a more dangerous phase. It must not go unnoticed that the South Korean radio said the two measures are aimed at "supplementing and completing" the U.S. strategy to carry out one or two wars on the globe simultaneously. This clearly shows that the U.S. seek aggression on the continent with the anti-DPRK war provocation as an occasion.

Rodong Sinmun on external policy of DPRK government

Pyongyang, January 9 (KCNA) -- The Workers' Party and people of Korea will firmly maintain the anti-imperialist, independent stand, invariably pursue the external policy of independence, peace and friendship and make active efforts to bring earlier the victory in the cause of global independence and socialism, come what may, declared the Joint Editorial of the newspapers Rodong Sinmun and Joson Inmungun (Korean People'sArmy) issued on the New Year. Rodong Sinmun says in a signed article January 8 that the declaration reflected the revolutionary principle of the Workers' Party and people of Korea, their external policy, their internationalism and revolutionary will to make great contributions to the accomplishment of the human cause of independence. International relations are developing in a diversified way and multi-poles are appearing in the world, the article says, and goes on: The international situation fully proves the justness of the WPK's external policy of independence, peace and friendship= it raises its sustained pursuance as the demand of the time. We will always hold fast to independence against imperialism as the revolutionary banner and push ahead with a courageous struggle against imperialism and dominationism in any adversity. We will strengthen the unity and solidarity with the socialist countries, non-aligned countries and the world people advocating independence against imperialism and develop good relations with capitalist countries that respect the sovereignty of the DPRK on the principle of independence. We want to deal in a fair way with the abnormal relationship with the countries hostile towards the DPRK in the interests and desire of the Korean people and the peoples of those countries and in view of the development of international relations. We will make every possible effort to hold in check and frustrate the imperialists' policy of strength, achieve peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and defend peace and security in Asia and the rest of the world in firm unity with all the peaceloving forces around the world. The idea of independence, peace and friendship is sure to win.

Koreans in China vow to vigorously fight for national reunification

Pyongyang, January 9 (KCNA) -- The Federation of Korean Nationals in China issued a statement on January 1 in support of the Joint Editorial of the newspapers of the Workers' Party of Korea and the Korean People's Army. The statement says last year was a historic year of victory that witnessed General Kim Jong Il's election as General Secretary of the WPK. With General Kim Jong Il at the head of the nation the final victory of the Juche revolution is guaranteed and the future of the Korean revolution is bright, it says. The Koreans in China will cherish the behests of President Kim Il Sung and work hard for the prosperity and development of the country and the motherland, for the reunification of the country and the final victory of the Juche revolution under the guidance of General Kim Jong Il, stresses the statement.

1998 will be year of socialist Korea

Pyongyang, January 9 (KCNA) -- Chairman B. Mohan of the People's Front of India had an interview with the KCNA correspondent in New Delhi on Jan. 2 in the wake of the publication of the Joint Editorial of the newspapers Rodong Sinmun and Joson Inmingun (Korean People's Army). He said: "1997 will be recorded forever in the history of modern Korea as a historic year in which the Workers' Party and all the people of Korea elected General Kim Jong Il as General Secretary of the WPK. "The New Year 1998 is a very significant year that marks the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the first state of workers and peasants in the east, by President Kim Il Sung, a legendary hero." He expressed the firm belief that a new progress will be made in the efforts of the Korean people to build up the politico-ideological and economic fortresses of socialism and reunify the country under the tested guidance of General Kim Jong Il, so 1998 will be a year of socialist Korea.

Rodong Sinmun urges S. Korean authorities to take stand of national independence

Pyongyang, January 9 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today comes out with a by-lined article entitled "the South Korean authorities must take the stand of national independence." The author of the article says: The Korean nation has made strenuous efforts for the reunification of the country for scores of years. This notwithstanding, reunification of the country has not yet been achieved. This is ascribable to the successive South Korean authorities' anti-national, anti-reunification policy of dependence upon outsiders. What is cardinal is not the change of regime and "President" in South Korea but what policy is enforced there. The South Korean authorities must no longer pursue the treacherous and flunkeyist policy which has brought serious sufferings to the fellow countrymen and the nation. Reunifying the country means, in essence, putting an end to the domination and interference by outsiders and realising the independence of the whole nation. It is only too clear that only when the Juche character and the national character are preserved can the basic purpose of reunification be realised. Only our fellow countrymen have a vital interest in reunification. The South Korean authorities, in conformity with the requirements of the time and aspirations of the people, must replace the anti-north policy of confrontation with a pro-north reconciliatory policy, pull down the concrete wall, repeal the "National Security Law", an anti-democratic and anti-reunification fascist law, and dissolve the "Agency for National Security Planning." The South Korean people will no longer allow any anti-national, anti-reunification dependent regime to exist in South Korea. The South Korean authorities must look squarely at the situation, throw away the foolish design to hurt and stifle the fellow countrymen in the north in league with outsiders and make a switchover in their policy. By doing so, they must work for the nation with the stand of national independence and shape the destinies of the country and nation hand in hand with the fellow countrymen. The whole nation will follow future behaviour of the South Korean authorities.