U.S. troops must be withdrawn from South Korea = KCNA commentary =

Pyongyang, July 13 (KCNA) -- U.S. Defense Secretary William Cohen said at a press conference on July 9 that the U.S. troops will be kept on the Korean Peninsula even after the reunification of the north and South of Korea, according to a news report. He made such remarks in Los Angeles, too, some time ago. This is a challenge to unbiased public demand for an immediate withdrawal of the U.S. troops from South Korea and a brigandish assertion which cannot be justified with anything. As all know, the U.S. military presence in South Korea is a stumbling block in the solution to the Korean issue and the main obstacle to the reunification of Korea. The U.S. troop pullout from South Korea is now presenting itself as vital to ensuring a durable peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and, furthermore, removing the root cause of aggression and war from the Asia-Pacific region. Cohen, however, prattled that any U.S.troop pullout will cause a dangerous "vacuum" which may rather weaken stability. His utterances are nothing but a sophism reversing black and white, which can be made only by a person with unreasonable way of thinking. Cohen also said their policy of deploying U.S. troops in forward areas is "making great contributions to stability and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region." This is a mockery of the Korean and Asian peoples demanding the withdrawal of the U.S. troops, wreckers of peace and the source of aggression and war, and a crafty move to keep them in the Korean Peninsula and the Asia-pacific region for an indefinite period under the signboard of "stability and prosperity." The United States is trying to dominate all Korea by force of arms and, with it as a springboard, pave the way for aggression on Asia but it is an anachronistic daydream and an imprudent action going against the trend of the time. The U.S. troop pullout is indispensable to genuine peace, stability, progress and prosperity in the Korean Peninsula and the Asia-Pacific region.

Foreign figures visit DPRK embassies

Pyongyang, July 13 (KCNA) -- The chairman and the vice-chairman of the Sweden-Korea Friendship Association, Hungarian medical workers and figures who visited Korea in the period of the Fatherland Liberation War called at the DPRK embassies in their countries on the occasion of the fourth death anniversary of President Kim Il Sung. They laid floral baskets and bouquets before portraits of President Kim Il Sung and paid homage to him.

Death anniversary of President Kim Il Sung commemorated abroad

Pyongyang, July 13 (KCNA) -- The fourth death anniversary of President Kim Il Sung was commemorated in different countries. Meetings were held in Russia, Bangladesh and Democratic Congo. The Chairman of the Council of the Union of Communist Parties-the Communist Party of the Soviet Union said in his report that President Kim Il Sung founded the immortal Juche idea, developed and enriched it in the whole course of great leadership and built the DPRK as a powerful socialist state independent, self-reliant and self-supporting in defence, which is guided by the Juche idea. The General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Bangladesh noted in his speech that the respected Kim Il Sung clearly indicated the road of the international communist movement with great ideas and theories, and that his august name will be shining forever with the history of humankind. The chairman of the Congolese Association of Friendship among the people stressed in his speech that victory and glory belong to the world people aspiring after independence as long as the General Secretary Kim Jong Il guides the Korean and world revolution to brilliant victory with his outstanding and tested leadership. Reading sessions and seminars on the reminiscences of President Kim Il Sung "With the Century" took place in Madagascar and Democratic Congo. Retrospective meetings were held in Yugoslavia, Guinea, India, Poland and the Asian Regional Institute of the Juche Idea. Film shows, photo exhibitions, lecture meetings and book exhibitions were held in Nigeria, Mexico, Thailand, Equatorial Guinea, Malaysia and Indonesia. Letters and telegrams to the General Secretary Kim Jong Il were adopted at meetings and seminars.

Party given by Chinese Consul General

Pyongyang, July 13 (KCNA) -- Zhang Min, Chinese Consul General in Chongjin, gave a party on July 12 on the occasion of the 37th anniversary of the signing of the DPRK-China Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance. Invited to the party were Kim Chol Gun, vice-chairman of the North Hamgyong Provincial Administrative and Economic Committee who is also chairman of the North Hamgyong Provincial Committee of the DPRK-China Friendship Association, and other officials concerned.

Vicious challenge to pro-reunification festival =KCNA commentary

Pyongyang, July 13 (KCNA) -- The South Korean authorities are making desperate efforts to obstruct a pro-reunification festival which is scheduled to be held on August 15. On July 10, when making public their "official stand" on the festival, they said that the (South) Korean Federation of University Student Councils (Hanchongryon) and the South headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country's Reunification (Pomminryon) can not be allowed by law to participate in the festival. They have advertized a "new north Korea policy," overpowered by public opinion after the alternation of "power" in South Korea, and recently talked about "acceptance" of North Korea's proposal concerning the festival, as if they were interested in reunification movement. They are now threatening to keep Hanchongryon and Pomminryon, which have led a pan-Korea rally and other pro-reunification events, from participating in the festival, describing them as "illegal" in a bid to block joint holding of a "grand festival for national reconciliation, unity and reunification" and flee from the responsibility for the ensuing consequences. They already brought the dialogue between authorities they had called for to a rupture by raising unreasonable preconditions. Though they talk about "acceptance" as regards non-governmental pro-reunification events, they are in actuality describing the two organisations as "illegal" Worse still, they have gone the length of describing those organizations as the "forces of sympathising" with North Korea. They intend to rig up a pro-"government" organisation called an "all-people council" with Hanchongryon and Pomminryon excluded from the council for the non-governmental festival. Their efforts cannot be construed otherwise than a treacherous act aimed at inciting hostility and consciousness of confrontation with the North Koreans who are fellow countrymen, dividing and alienating South Korean champions of reunification and democracy, disorganising the reunification movement from within and stamping it out. If the South Korean authorities are interested in the improved inter-Korean relations and national reunification even a little, they should abolish the "national security law" which is used as a "standard" in defining Hanchongryon and Pomminryon as "illegal organisations" and take a resolute step to turn the anti-north policy of confrontation into a pro-north policy of reconciliation at an early date.

S. Korean authorities hit for blocking August 15 pro-reunification festival

Pyongyang, July 13 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the Central Committee of the Korean Social Democratic Party released a statement on July 12 denouncing the South Korean authorities for deliberately obstructing the participation of the South headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country's Reunification (Pomminryon) and the (South) Korean Federation of University Student Councils (Hanchongryon) in a grand pro-reunification festival which is scheduled to be held on August 15 and suppressing their righteous patriotic activities for national reunification. The statement says: The South Korean authorities describe Pomminryon south headquarters and Hanchongryon as "enemy-benefiting organisations," and the minister of national unification, Kang In Dok, said that in case members of the two organisations defect from their organisations, they may be allowed to participate in the festival. No doubt, their description and Kang's utterances are meant to destroy the festival. Such an act of the South Korean authorities goes only to prove that the "exchange" and "cooperation" on their lips are all a lie and that they intend to block the festival at any cost. If they are really interested in national reconciliation, unity and reunification, they should immediately stop describing Pomminryon South headquarters and Hanchongryon as "enemy-benefiting organisations" and preventing them from participating in the festival, but abolish the "National Security Law" and dismiss Kang In Dok from the post of the "Minister of National Unification" as soon as possible. The Korean Social Democratic Party together with political parties, organisations and compatriots in the north, south and abroad will make every possible effort for the success of the festival through a joint struggle of the nation.

S. Korean workers' struggle favored

Pyongyang, July 13 (KCNA) -- The General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea Central Committee sent an appeal to the workers and jobless people of South Korea on July 12 supporting their just struggle for the right to existence and democracy. The appeal says: The unemployment in South Korea is an inevitable offspring of the U.S. colonial rule over South Korea, the puppet ruling quarters' treacherous policy of dependence on outsiders, anti-social misrule, new war provocation moves, fascist suppression, corruption and irregularities. The present rulers of South Korea are hell-bent on begging for foreign capital in a bid to save the economy which went bankrupt owing to foreign capital, continue purchasing weapons from abroad and staging military manoeuvres in the worsening financial crisis and spend a huge amount of money for an anti-north smear campaign of the "Agency for National Security Planning" and the "Ministry of National Unification." The layoff system and "labor-management-government consultative system" sought by the present rulers are all murderous systems designed to kill the South Korean workers, and their loud-mouthed step for the jobless people is a trick to lull the workers. The South Korean workers should continue holding aloft the banner of struggle which they already began. All the trade unionists and workers in the northern half of Korea will support to the end the just struggle of the South Korean workers and jobless people for an independent and democratic society of South Korea and their right to existence.

Increase in production of building materials

Pyongyang, July 13 (KCNA) -- The officials and workers at the Mirim Concrete Block Factory are making a great advance in production. They produced pre-fab parts of various sizes and supplied them to construction sites in Pyongyang, including the projects for the April 25 Hotel, the Korean People's Army April 25 Film Studio and apartment houses to be erected along the street between the Rimhung rotary and Sinmi-Dong. They overfulfilled their annual assignments on May 20. This year they built four barges by tapping production potentials to make the gravel and sand production bases twice as large as before and set up minor power stations in and around the factory to satisfy the need for electricity by their own efforts. Officials went down to the production sites so as to give the workers assistance in solving difficult problems and stimulate them to greater efforts for production. Workers at the steam workshop took good care of machines, thus considerably reducing the consumption of coal and increasing per-hour steam production. Workers at workshop No. 1 in charge of the production of pre-fab parts actively introduced technical innovation proposals into production, including the application of a new kind of accelerant to mortar. This enabled them to boost up the production of pre-fab parts markedly. Workers at workshop No. 2 ensured caisson production on a high level even under unfavourable weather conditions. Workers at the gravel and sand workshop are stepping up production by making effective use of dredgers and barges, the drivers at the transport workshop are keeping the transport of gravel and sand ahead of all other work by increasing actual working ratio of the lorries. All officials and workers at the factory are now working hard to mark the 50th anniversary of the DPRK with splendid labour achievements.

Achievements in literature and art

Pyongyang, July 13 (KCNA) -- The Juche-based literature and art of Korea has made a considerable progress under the banner of the DPRK in the past 50 years. President Kim Il Sung founded the original idea of literature and art long ago, and wisely led literature and art to rapidly develop into socialist national literature and art conducive to the Korean revolution after the liberation of the country. Literature and art had its heyday in the 1970s, during which the General Secretary Kim Jong Il authored the original idea and theory on man-centred literature and art on the basis of the Juche-orientated idea of literature and art of the President and gave energetic guidance to this sector. Literature, movie, opera, music, drama, dance, fine arts, circus and all other kinds of literature and art have reached a high level. The greatest achievement is the artistic portrayal of the President's glorious revolutionary history, wise leadership and noble virtues. Typical are a multi-part feature film "Star of Korea," a feature film "Mt. Paektu," A cycle of novels "Immortal History" and a drama "Under Banner of Victory." "the Sea of Blood," "the Flower Girl," "the Tate of a Self-Defence Corps Man" and "a Mountain Shrine" and other masterpieces created during the anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle were filmized, operatized and dramatized and models and traditions of the revolutionary literature and art and thousands of movies and art works were created. Many famous poems and songs including "Mother," "Comrade Kim Il Sung, Our eternal leader," "Song of Comradeship" and "Let's defend socialism" were written, reflecting the demand of the time and the aspirations of the people. And national musical instruments have been modified and new orchestras created to contribute to the development of literature and art. The founding of the Pochonbo Electronic Band and the Wangjaesan Light Music Troupe is a pride of the Juche art glorifying the history of the renaissance of socialism. Besides, the Mansudae Grand Monument, the Samjiyon Grand Monument and other monuments, pictures, handiworks, embroideries, Korean paintings and other kinds of fine art works were created. Circus and mass literature have also made a rapid progress. The literature and art of Korea are evoking a great response among the world people.

S. Korean workers' struggle

Pyongyang, July 13 (KCNA) -- More than 100,000 members of the (South) Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) and the Federation of (South) Korean Trade Unions (FKTU), which refused to participate in the "Labour-Management-Government Committee," reportedly held a rally and urged the puppet government authorities to immediately stop the unilateral "restructuring." they declared that trade unions of metal, banking and public sectors will go on a general strike on July 15 in case their demand is not met. On the 11th, over 2,000 unionists of Dong Hwa bank and other banks held a rally under the sponsorship of the KCTU and strongly demanded the reactionary step for "restructuring" be cancelled and jobs be ensured. The Trade Union of the Kyonghui Medical Centre demanded the management raise wages and ensure employment security on 15 occasions from May. As its demand was not met, however, it went on a strike on July 10. The National Federation of Public Sector Trade Unions and trade unions of six organs under the puppet ministry of culture and tourism said on July 9 that they will start a strike and a general struggle from July 15 protesting against the "restructuring" step.

Aeguk factories prove their worth

Pyongyang, July 13 (KCNA) -- Many factories sprang up in the capital city of Pyongyang and local towns of Korea thanks to the devoted services of patriotic-minded Japan- resident Koreans. Those factories furnished with modern production processes and equipment render enormous services to the nation's economic development and the improvement of the people's living standard. The enormous services make the fellow countrymen in the homeland keenly feel the love of overseas Koreans for the country. Those factories are increasing production in a bid to adorn the election of deputies to the Tenth Supreme People's Assembly with a high degree of political zeal and great achievements. The Mangyongdae Aeguk Aluminium Sash Factory, the Aeguk Kitchen Unit Factory, the Sunggil Aeguk Prefabricated Structural Elements Factory, the Kilbong Aeguk Sidewalk Block Factory and other building-materials factories turn out a large number of various building materials and modern fixtures. The products hold a lion's share in main projects and housing construction which are progressing apace on a large scale. The Pyongyang Aeguk Okdang Sugar Factory, the Kyongryon Aeguk Cider Factory, the Kyongsik Aeguk Children's Foodstuff Processing Factory, the Pyongyang Aeguk Noodle Factory, the Aeguk Vegetable-Processing Factory and other factories supply tasty and nutritious foodstuffs, confectionery and soft drinks to the people. A great many factories mass-produce a variety of smart and high-quality knitted clothes and dresses. Among those factories are the Aeguk Knitted Goods Factory, the Aeguk Moran Garment Factory, the Tongdaewon Aeguk Knitted Goods Factory, the Kaesong Aeguk Garment Factory and the Aeguk Children's Knitted Clothes Factory which is a gift factory from Korean Women in Japan. These factories produce a large number of knitted clothes and dresses for working people and children. The Workers' Party of Korea and the government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea highly appreciated the patriotic zeal and devoted services of Koreans in Japan who are working hard for the prosperity and development of the country and made sure that those factories are named after the donors.

Voters called on to vote for SPA candidates

Pyongyang, July 13 (KCNA) -- The Central Committee of the Democratic Front For the Reunification of the Fatherland held a meeting here today and adopted an appeal to all the Korean people. The appeal calls on all the citizens to participate in the July 26 election to the 10th Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) with a high degree of political zeal and determination to further strengthen the DPRK Government and Korean socialist system and make a fresh progress in the revolution under the banner of the republic. It also calls on them to cast their votes, with unfailing loyalty to Secretary Kim Jong Il and with patriotic mind, for all the spa candidates, genuine representatives of workers, peasants, servicemen and working intellectuals, who devotedly work for the party and the leader and for the country and the people. Present at the meeting were Pak Song Chol, politburo member of the Workers' Party of Korea Central Committee and Vice-President of the DPRK= Kim Pyong Sik, Chairman of the Korean Social Democratic Party Central Committee and Vice-President of the DPRK= Ryu Mi Yong, Chairwoman of the Korean Chondoist Chongu Party Central Committee= and others.

All Koreans called on to participate in SPA election

Pyongyang, July 13 (KCNA) -- The Central Committee of the Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland held a meeting here today and discussed adopting an appeal to all the Korean people with the approach of the election to the Supreme People's Assembly (SPA). Present at the meeting were Pak Song Chol, politburo member of the Workers' Party of Korea Central Committee and Vice-President of the DPRK= Kim Pyong Sik, Chairman of the Korean Social Democratic Party Central Committee and Vice-President of the DPRK= Ryu Mi Yong, Chairwoman of the Korean Chondoist Chongu Party Central Committee= and others. The appeal adopted at the meeting says the forthcoming election will be a political event of weighty importance in further strengthening the revolutionary government and making the republic more powerful by thoroughly materializing the great Kim Jong Il's ideas and ensuring his leadership. The election will fully demonstrate the unshakable will of the Korean people to exalt for all ages the undying exploits performed by the President Kim Il Sung, founder of socialist Korea, in state building and accomplish the revolutionary cause of Juche under the leadership of Kim Jong Il and it will also shows the might of the singlehearted unity of the Korean revolutionary ranks, the appeal says. It calls on all the citizens to participate in the election with a high degree of political zeal and determination to further strengthen the DPRK government and Korean socialist system, great gains of the Korean revolution, and make a fresh progress in the revolution under the banner of the Republic. It says the leadership of Kim Jong Il is the life and soul of the DPRK Government and that the singlehearted unity around him of the revolutionary ranks should be cemented still further. Noting that modelling the whole society on the Juche idea is the general task of the Korean revolution and the final goal of the DPRK government, it calls for successfully building Korean socialism as required by Juche. It says the calls of the WPK Central Committee should be implemented to the letter and the 50th anniversary of the DPRK celebrated as a grand festival of socialist victors. It calls for invigorating the drive for creating a "New Chollima Speed, the Speed of the Forced March" and make a great progress in socialist economic construction so as to further consolidate the economic bulwark of Korean socialism. The servicemen and people should closely watch all the moves of the enemy and reliably defend prosperous socialist Korea, the cradle of the Korean people's genuine life and happiness, it says. It calls on the citizens to vote for all the SPA candidates, genuine representatives of workers, peasants, servicemen and working intellectuals, who devotedly work for the party and the leader and for the country and the people.