Cuban embassy officials' friendship labor

Pyongyang, July 17 (KCNA) -- Ambassador Jose Ramon Rodriguez Varona and embassy officials of Cuba here participated in friendship labor at the Korea-Cuba Friendship Factory on July 16 to mark the month of solidarity with the Cuban people. After hearing about the history of the factory, they worked together with its workers.

Nigerian head of state on friendly relations with DPRK

Pyongyang, July 17 (KCNA) -- Abdul-Salam Alhaji Abubakar, head of state and commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, met a DPRK government delegation led by Kwak Pom Gi, Minister of Machine-Building Industry, on July 13. Noting that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries are successfully developing under the care of General Secretary Kim Jong Il, the head of state hoped that the relations will further strengthen. He, on behalf of the government and people, expressed deep thanks to Kim Jong Il for the delegation he sent when Nigeria was in difficult condition. He extended sincere congratulations to Kim Jong Il on wisely leading the DPRK. Saying he knows well how the DPRK struggles to defend the sovereignty of the country, he pledged to fully support the Korean people in their cause of the reunification of the country.

Gift to Kim Jong Il from Nigerian head of state

Pyongyang, July 17 (KCNA) - General Secretary Kim Jong Il received a gift from Abdul-Salam Alhaji Abubakar, head of state and commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria. The gift was handed to Minister of Machine-Building Industry Kwak Pom Gi, who is heading the DPRK government delegation, on July 13.

Shameless scheme for suppression = KCNA commentary =

Pyongyang, July 17 (KCNA) -- The South Korean chief executive on July 14 issued instructions on “severely punishing illegal strikes of workers,” according to a news report. This is a repressive order to deprive workers of their elementary vital rights and a shameless move to shift the responsibilities for the catastrophic crisis of the South Korean economy onto innocent workers. Millions of South Korean people have lost their jobs owing to the anti-social policy and inhuman exploitation by the rulers and comprador capitalists. Such a phenomenon of unemployment has worsened day by day, threatening jobs of workers. It is only too natural that under this situation, workers, who are at crossroads of life and death, have risen up in massive strikes. Their struggle is an elementary right of workers which is recognised in other countries. However, bestial South Korean rulers seek to ruthlessly trample underfoot the vital rights of workers under the pretext of the economic crisis, which has been caused by their flunkeyist and treacherous economic policies and which is being aggravated owing to their depending upon outsiders in dealing with the crisis. This clearly reveals again the deceptive nature of the present South Korean regime styling itself as “government for the people”. The South Korean rulers would be well advised not to wax eloquent about “democracy” but to guarantee workers rights to democracy for their existence.

Preliminary talks for three-party talks for August 15 festival

Pyongyang, July 17 (KCNA) -- Preliminary talks were held on July 15 through fax for three-party working-level talks involving the preparatory committee of the north side and the preparatory committees of the south and overseas headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country's Reunification for the “Grand Festival for National Reconciliation, Unity and Reunification.” It was agreed at the preliminary talks to hold the working-level talks in a third country convenient for the parties on July 21. It was also decided to analyze the prevailing situation at home and abroad as regards the holding of the festival, negotiate measures, discuss and confirm the program of the festival at the working-level talks.

60,000 S. Korean workers go on strike

Pyongyang, July 17 (KCNA) -- Some 60,000 unionists of 19 public sector enterprises went on a full-scale strike on Thursday urging the “government” authorities to stop the anti-social “restructuring” and ensure employment security, a Seoul-based radio reported. Among the enterprises are the South Korea communications, medical insurance companies, the Mint Corporation, the South Korean Broadcasting Development Centre and the Institute of the Press. Unionists of Dae Dong Bank, Dong Hwa Bank and other banks have continued their strikes in protest against the authorities' steps to close banks. Meanwhile, seven trade unions under the South Korean Confederation of Trade Unions in Taejon and South Chungchong Province went on strikes on Wednesday. More than 2,000 unionists of the mint corporation, medical insurance companies, the Asan branch of the Hyun Dai Motor Company, the Dae Dong Industries, etc. held a rally in Taejon on the same day, demanding the discontinuation of the forcible “restructuring” and employment security. The strikes have suspended operation at most of enterprises.

Rodong Sinmun flails outbursts of “Chongwadae” spokesman

Pyongyang, July 17 (KCNA) -- The spokesman for “Chongwadae” in South Korea announced that the “government” will strictly deal with the general strike of workers under the South Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) because the strike is an unjust one ignoring “legal procedures”. And he went the length of alleging that the strike of workers is almost the same as imputing their wrongdoings to others and forcing all people to become jobless together. Commenting on his outbursts, a news analyst of Rodong Sinmun today says: The present South Korean regime is trying to shuffle off the responsibility for its crimes on workers. This is an act which puts even the preceding fascist dictatorial regimes to shame. The puppets must be punished by law for ruthlessly violating democracy and vital rights of workers through treacherous politics. They must not launch a bloody repressive campaign to punish workers in their righteous struggle for democracy and vital rights but provide them with a means of living as demanded by them. If they persist in the frantic suppression, workers will not pardon the traitorous clique.

Pomminryon overseas headquarters' preparatory committee for festival formed

Pyongyang, July 17 (KCNA) -- The overseas headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country's Reunification (Pomminryon) formed a preparatory committee for the “Grand Festival for National Rreconciliation, Unity and Rreunification” on July 14 and made public an announcement on its inauguration. The announcement condemned the South Korean puppet clique for keeping Pomminryon and Hanchongryon (South Korean Federation of University Student Councils), main forces of the movement for independence, democracy and reunification, from participating in the grand pro-reunification festival. It stressed that the Pomminryon overseas headquarters vowed to successfully hold the festival and the Ninth Pan-National Rally for Peace and Reunification of the Country.

Voters' meetings

Pyongyang, July 17 (KCNA) -- Meetings of voters were held at all constituencies throughout the country from July 14 to 16 to repay with the deep trust shown by General Secretary Kim Jong Il in his open letter to them. Speakers said at the meetings that nominating Kim Jong Il as candidate for the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) and expressing deep trust in him was obligation of the Korean people and servicemen. In spite of that, he sent thanks to all of the voters, they noted. They pledged to take part in the election with a high degree of political enthusiasm and kindle the flames of a “new speed of Chollima, speed of the forced march” in all fields of the national economy so that the election may mark a good occasion in making a new breakthrough in the forced march for final victory.

Japan must liquidate its past wrongdoings

Pyongyang, July 17 (KCNA) -- “The Asia Peace National Fund for Women” in Japan confirmed on July 8 that it will continue paying “compensation” to former “comfort women for the army.” Commenting on this, Minju Joson today says: By doing so, the Japanese government revealed again the willingness to make neither apology nor compensation for the crimes against the “comfort women for the army.” Lurking behind this an unreasonable attitude is a vicious intention of the Japanese government to conceal the history woven with the crimes committed by the Japanese imperialists and realize their old dream of aggression they failed to attain in the past. In Japan, the history has openly been distorted to incite militarism among the local people, and legislative and material preparations for war of aggression stepped up under the patronage of the government. If the Japanese government tries to repeat the crime-woven history of aggression, giving a deaf ear to world public demand for apology and compensation and resorting to clumsy tricks to shirk its responsibility, it will get nothing but destruction.

Bubble economy of South Korea criticized

Pyongyang, July 17 (KCNA) -- Public opinions at home and abroad are criticizing the South Korean economy, which once boasted of “miracles on Han River” and “economic growth” and is now revealing its true colors as a bubble economy and pop-rice cake economy, gripped by the financial crisis. The magazine Hangyore 21 and the newspaper Hangyore of South Korea, deploring the economic bankruptcy, said that the authorities, who described the growth of the colonial comprador businesses as “miracles on Han River,” are now facing an economic catastrophe and feeling the “economic growth” was a sand castle built with debts. The Yonhap News Agency of South Korea said that though South Korea joined the organization for economic cooperation and development with an illusion about the developed countries, it only exposed itself to public disgrace soon and was brought to hospital, that is, the international monetary fund, to undergo a major operation. The “Chongwadae” officials, " national assemblymen” and economic experts, too, have registered surprise at the bubble economy of South Korea. Right after he was elected, the present South Korean ruler was reportedly briefed on the serious condition of the economy by the deputy prime minister in charge of the economy and said he had not known it was so difficult and that the money he had spent so far was other's money, not his. The New York Times said the South Korean economy is more awful than considered and that the economic crisis would be far longer than expected. Mass media of Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong, etc. also exposed the South Korean economic crisis with such expressions as “hallucinatory economy,” “empty economy,” “fake,” “end” and “dying hour.”

Battle to defend height 1211 during Korean War

Pyongyang, July 17 (KCNA) -- The battle to defend Height 1211 during the Korean War was one of the fiercest battles in history. The height situated in the east of Kangwon Province was a major strongpoint of the People's Army. The U.S. made desperate efforts to conquer the height at any cost. The battle was a showdown of strength and will with the enemy. From the first day of attack, the Americans hurled huge troops and combat technical equipment into the height, showered 30,000-40,000 shells and bombs at the height on a daily average and made scores of "wavy" attacks a day. Rocks were broken, trees uprooted, soil burned and the height lowered due to brutal bombing and shelling of the enemy. The defenders rolled rocks and fought hand-to-hand fight with the enemy when they ran out of ammunition. The battle continued day and night. One day in September Juche 40 (1951), President Kim Il Sung rang up the army corps commander on the battle scene and told him to supply the soldiers with warm rice, hot soup and warm place to sleep in lest they should catch a cold because they were all priceless treasures. Moved by his loving care, the soldiers of the People's Army pledged to defend the height of the motherland at the cost of life. They silenced enemy pillboxes with their chest, jumped into enemy soldiers with a bundle of handgrenades and linked communications line with their body. The civilians carried food, bullets and shells to the height and repaired roads and bridges despite a shower of enemy bullets. Thus, the height was defended with credit. During the battle, tens of thousands of enemy troops were killed or taken prisoner, more than 40 enemy planes shot down and some 60 enemy tanks and a large number of weapons and combat technical equipment captured or destroyed. The enemies called the height "heart-break ridge" as it hurt their mind when they saw it. They also called its valley "punch bowl" as it allowed no intruder to escape alive.

S. Korean authorities censured for anti-north campaign

Pyongyang, July 17 (KCNA) -- The spokesman for the committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland made a comment today on the South Korean authorities' escalating anti-communist campaign. The spokesman said: The South Korean puppets have alleged that there was an “explosion” in Hyesan recently. The groundless allegation is another intolerable drama which can be played only by those who are preoccupied with confrontation with the north. It came when singlehearted unity of our society was being further cemented and its socio-political stability consolidated by our people's political enthusiasm with the approach of the election to the Supreme People's Assembly. The South Korean puppets are despicably trying to harass our society, impair the absolute prestige of the Workers' Party of Korea and stop local and foreign people from supporting the DPRK. It is for this purpose that they have infiltrated spies into the north through sea and borders to destroy major establishments. We made it clear in the July 15 statement of the CPRF spokesman. They have repeatedly attempted explosions in the north by infiltrating spies through the northeast area of China. Their attempts, however, have been checked and criminals arrested by our people and public security men. The criminals' confessions proved that it is South Korea's “Agency for National Security Planning” (ANSP) that sponsored the subversive activities. Nevertheless, the South Korean puppets are advertising the attempted explosions as “incidents caused by north Koreans.” They are really despicable and shameless traitors to the nation. Intrusion, subversion and sabotage on the Korean peninsula come from the south, not from the north and they are makings of the South Korean puppets themselves. The puppets are now charging the north with “intrusion” and “disturbance” in the hope of camouflaging their infiltration, subversion and sabotage against the north. We will, by all means, make the puppet dearly for their abominable crimes. The South Korean authorities must immediately dissolve the “ANSP”, the headquarters of anti-communist plots, and dismiss Kang In Dok, who brought the vice minister-level negotiations in Beijing to rupture, deteriorated inter-Korean relations and is persistently seeking confrontation with the north, from the post of “Minister of National Unification.” We will closely watch their future attitude.

SPA chairman meets Pakistani ambassador

Pyongyang, July 17 (KCNA) -- Chairman Yang Hyong Sop of the Supreme People's Assembly today met and conversed with Pakistani Ambassador to Korea Rehmdil Bhatti at the Mansudae Assembly Hall when the latter paid a farewell call on him.

Greetings to chairman of Malagasy National Assembly

Pyongyang, July 17 (KCNA) -- Yang Hyong Sop, Chairman of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, sent a message of greetings to Andrianarisoa upon his election as Chairman of the National Assembly of Madagascar. The message expressed the belief that the excellent relations of friendship existing between the two parliaments will continue to develop on good terms and wished the Chairman success in his responsible work.