Kim Jong Il inspects KPA unit
Pyongyang, June 1 (KCNA) - General Secretary Kim Jong Il inspected Kum Song Lifeguard Unit no. 845 of the Korean People's Army (KPA) on Sunday.
Upon arriving at the unit, he received a salute. He recalled the proud history of the unit, looking round a monument to the on-site guidance of President Kim Il Sung and the spring well that the President personally discovered in February, Juche 60 (1971).
Kim Jong Il heard a report from the unit's commander on the situation and learned about how the unit was performing its mission and training itself.
He noted with deep satisfaction that the unit's soldiers have made tremendous achievements in the efforts to fulfil the President's on-site instructions. He gave the unit important tasks to increase its fighting efficiency.
He praised the soldiers for trying hard to make their post and motherland beautiful with intense patriotism. This revolutionary spirit of soldiers and noble patriotism can be displayed only by the KPA, that is the army of the leader, the party and the revolution, he added.
He then looked round the unit's education room, bedroom and other facilities for cultural education and logistics and showed appreciation for the spirit of loving the soldiers that was highly displayed in the unit.
He learned about supply service of the unit and taught the unit how to improve supply service by making use of the geographical features.
He earnestly called on the officers to pay primary attention to supply service and provide best living conditions to the valuable soldiers.
Expressing belief that the unit's soldiers will perform feats in the noble work to defend the motherland, he gave them a pair of binoculars and an automatic rifle as gifts and had a picture taken with them.
Independence of Asia should be hastened
Pyongyang, June 1 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun May 31 called for promoting the independence of Asia.
It is an inevitable requirement for the development of Asia and the independence of the world to make Asia independent, the paper said in an article, and went on:
Asian countries have possibilities and potentials for their rapid development. The continent has one third of the global land and over a half of the global population.
It has also abundant natural resources and favourable conditions for economic and cultural development.
The Asian people must contribute to the cause of the world independence by making Asia independent.
To realize the independence of Asia, they should not tolerate arbitrariness and interference of the imperialists but firmly maintain an independent stand in solving the continent's problems.
Especially, they must not follow the policy of aggression and interference pursued by the imperialists to dominate, control and plunder Asia.
It is very important for them to abolish the aggressive military bases, legacies from the cold war, and get foreign troops out of the Asian region and make a durable and lasting peace in the region.
Differences of Asian countries in idea, system and religious belief are not obstacles to achieving their unity and cooperation. If the Asian people firmly unite and closely cooperate with each other under the banner of independence, peace and friendship, they can surely build a new independent, peaceful and prosperous Asia free from domination, subjugation, aggression and war.
Rodong Sinmun on anti-DPRK, anti-Chongryon racket in Japan
Pyongyang, June 1 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today comes out with a commentary lashing out at a smear racket of Japanese reactionaries against the DPRK and the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon).
On May 27, scores of Japanese rightwing gangsters, who had gathered at the Yasukuni Shrine, went to the Korean Hall by large loudspeaker cars and made a smear racket against the DPRK and Chongryon.
Commenting on this, a news analyst of the paper says:
We lodge a strong protest with the Japanese authorities against the anti-DPRK, anti-Chongryon racket staged in Japan in broad daylight and warn that they should take full responsibilities for all its consequences.
The smear racket is a very dastardly and tricky hostility intended to hurt Chongryon recognized by the world and impair its authority. In other words, it is precisely a wanton violation of the sovereignty of the DPRK.
It is very clear that the vicious anti-DPRK, anti-Chongryon hostility, which took place in Japan when the DPRK is making sincere efforts for the improved relations between the DPRK and Japan, was instigated and manipulated by the South Korean puppets.
The Japanese authorities must take a strong measure to prevent the recurrence of anti-DPRK, anti-Chongryon moves in Japan.
Protests continue in S. Korea
Pyongyang, June 1 (KCNA) -- South Korean people of various social sectors have continued protests, according to radio reports from Seoul. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) called a press conference at Myongdong Cathedral in Seoul on May 30 and urged the "government" to immediately withdraw the decision to prosecute Chairman Ri Kap Yong and other leaders of the KCTU.
The KCTU warned that if the puppet government authorities refuse to accept the demand, it will stage a general strike slated for June 10.
On the same day, students belonging to the South Korean Federation of University Student Councils staged surprising demonstrations in different parts of Seoul until late at night, while people in Ryonchon, Kyonggi Province, staged a four-hour tractor and truck protest against U.S. military exercises.
Basketball game between DPRK and United States
Pyongyang, June 1 (KCNA) -- A men's basketball game was held in Pyongyang on May 31 between the national team Uroe (thunder) of the DPRK and a U.S. student team.
It was refereed by Chinese international referees.
It was the first of its kind in Korea.
After the match began, the Korean cagers took the initiative and scored goals in succession.
Captain Pak Chon Jong no. 12 and Ri Myong Hun no. 15 scored many goals through close two-man combination.
The first half ended 63:43 in favour of the DPRK team.
In the second half, the Korean cagers frustrated the tactics of the opponents through successful combination of swift attack and action under basket and scored many goals in two-point and three-point throws.
In the match, the DPRK team defeated the U.S. team 127:83
Palhae remains and relics unearthed
Pyongyang, June 1 (KCNA) -- 16 tombs of Palhae (698 a.d.-926 a.d.) were recently unearthed in the Pugo-ri and Yonchagol area of Chongam district, Chongjin, north Hamgyong Province of Korea.
The coffin room of the largest tomb is 4.48 metres long, 4.56 metres wide and 2.4 metres high.
Discovered in the tombs were more than 140 relics including horse equipment.
The discovered horse equipment includes a bit, stirrups, a saddle frill, a girth, a belt ring, horse belt ornaments, a horse armour pieces, etc.
The horse equipment made of iron is of high quality and useful.
What draws the attention of people is that the discovered horse equipment is the same as that of the Koguryo dynasty.
This proves that the Palhae people were descendants of the Koguryo dynasty whose people were famous for horse riding and that they inherited the culture of the Koguryo dynasty.
According to master Han In Dok of the Institute of Archaeology of the Academy of Social Sciences of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the recently-unearthed Palhae tombs and relics are of weighty importance from the academic point of view.
The excavation continues.