Peruvian Independence Day observed

Pyongyang, July 29 (KCNA) -- Peruvian Military Attache here Guillermo Enrique Alvisuri Valiente gave a party at the Pyongyang Koryo Hotel on July 28 on the occasion of the Independence Day of Peru. Invited to the party were Jong Chang Ryol, Vice-Minister of the People's Armed Forces, officers of the Korean People's Army and military attaches of foreign embassies here. Speeches were made at the party.

Extremely dangerous military action

Pyongyang, July 29 (KCNA) -- We cannot remain a passive onlooker to the military action of the United States, which is deploying aircraft carriers and other nuclear war means of massive scale in the sea near the Korean peninsula and posing threat to us. We will answer a war with a war, says Rodong Sinmun today. The news analyst says: The dangerous military action of the U.S. is a mockery of and threat to the dignity and sovereignty of the DPRK. It is tantamount to a declaration of war. The U.S. has no justification whatsoever to use armed forces against the DPRK. The fiction of "infiltration of an armed agent by north Korea" advertised by the U.S. Military and the South Korean authority is a product of their anti-DPRK smear campaign and a pretext invented by them to use pressure and armed forces against the DPRK. Through the military action the U.S. seeks to throw a wet blanket over the political zeal of the Korean people which has gained further momentum in the elections of deputies to the Supreme People's Assembly and tarnish the daily rising international prestige and influence of the DPRK. If the enemies dare infringe upon the dignity and sovereignty of the DPRK even a bit, the Korean people and the People's Army will mercilessly annihilate the aggressors with the iron hammer they made, tightening their belt, over the past 50 years.

Historic event in demonstrating might of socialist government of Juche

Pyongyang, July 29 (KCNA) -- Minju Joson, the organ of the government of the DPRK, today carries an editorial on the successful conclusion of the election of deputies to the 10th Supreme People's Assembly. The election was a great political event which demonstrated the might of the singlehearted unity of all the people and servicemen around General Secretary Kim Jong Il, the editorial says, and goes on: The election proudly showed to the world the steadfastness and solidity of the centre of the guidance bringing the socialist cause of Juche to a triumphant accomplishment, the centre of the unity of our society forming a large harmonious family. The world history of election knows no such successful and perfect election result as in Korea. The supreme power body of the DPRK has been built so firmly through the election that a definite guarantee of the power has been established to successfully accomplish the socialist cause of Korean style under the leadership of Kim Jong Il. The election also implanted the validity of the popular masses' cause of independence and conviction of victory into the hearts of the world progressive people looking enviously at Korea, the bulwark of socialism.

Immortal hero soldier

Pyongyang, July 29 (KCNA) -- DPRK hero Ri Su Bok's poem was engraved on a rock on Mt. Kuwol in Korea on the occasion of the day of victory in the war. Ri Su Bok covered the gun muzzle of the enemy with his body to make a breach for his unit in a battle on a nameless height on the left of Height 1211 (October 1951) during the Fatherland Liberation War, when he was 18 years old. Before the battle, he wrote a poem saying that nothing is happier than to lay down youth, life and hope for the fatherland. His exploits and noble spirit of patriotism still remain in the hearts of the Korean people 45 years after the war. President Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il visited his hometown several times and put him up as a model of young generation. A statue of the hero was built in Sunchon city, South Phyongan Province, where he was born and there are many units named after him. Among them are Ri Su Bok College of Chemical Engineering in Sunchon, Su Bok Senior Middle School, Ri Su Bok Youth Cooperative Farm and Su Bok-Dong. There are many literary and art works including a feature film "Eternal Youth" which gives a vivid description of his feat in battles and a song "Age of hero was 18." He proved the valuableness of the party, the leader and the fatherland by laying down his life. His noble ideological and moral trait is a good example for the People's Army soldiers and the youth.

Hanchongryon headquarters for promoting festival inaugurated

Pyongyang, July 29 (KCNA) -- Some 400 students under the South Korean Federation of University Student Councils (Hanchongryon) held an inaugural ceremony of Hanchongryon headquarters for promoting the August 15 Pan-National Rally and the 8th Grand Pro-Reunification Festival of the National Alliance of Youth and Students for the Country's Reunification at Yonsei University in Seoul on the night of July 27 in the teeth of police crackdown, according to a report. The students made a resolution to successfully hold the August 15 Pan-National Rally for national independence and called upon youth and students to take the lead in the pro-reunification events.

Guarantee for holding in Panmunjom of Pan-Korea Rally called for

Pyongyang, July 29 (KCNA) -- A prison struggle committee in the Uijongbu prison supported ex-chairman Kang Wi Won of the South Korean Federation of University Student Councils (Hanchongryon) who was on indefinite hunger strike in the Kwangju prison, calling for a stop to describing Hanchongryon as an "enemy-benefiting organisation," a South Korean newspaper said. The Hanchongryon-lining committee vowed to fight it out in the name of the patriotic organisation and called for guaranteeing the peaceful holding in Panmunjom of the Pan-Korea Rally, abolishing the "National Security Law" and unconditionally releasing all the prisoners of conscience.

Pitiable fates of mercenary soldiers

Pyongyang, July 29 (KCNA) -- The U.S. imperialists, right after they unleashed the Korean War, introduced into it armed forces from its 15 satellite countries including Britain, Canada, Australia, Turkey and France under the cloak of the "UN Forces." But the Korean people and People's Army inflicted defeats upon the enemy in the decisive battles against the U.S. and British imperialists and other international reactionaries. The 27th Brigade (Scotch Brigade) and the 29th Brigade of Britain, which were the first to come to the Korean front, were torn to shreds, hit hard by the People's Army on the front of the Raktong River. When U.S. troops were surrounded on the bank of the Chongchon River, the 27th Brigade was driven out as bullet shields and suffered a heavy loss. In April Juche 40 (1951) the 29th brigade retreated up to the Rimjin River and made last-ditch efforts to break through a siege, but the brigade came to an end after a dog fight between themselves. A brigade of Turkey sent to the Korean War in October 1950 was annihilated by a counterattack of the People's Army nearly three days after it was sent to a "new position" built by the U.S. 8th army in the area south of the Chongchon River. Some 2,000 officers and men were killed or wounded and 1,000 were taken prisoner. The 10th battalion of the Philippine Army (about 1,200 strong) was destroyed as soon as it came to the front in September 1950. The commander of an Australian Army unit was forced by the U.S. Army to go to the forefront and died on the spot with his soldiers. According to underreporting by the enemy, 18,578 mercenaries from Britain were killed and most of the brigade of Turkey and Philippine troops were annihilated as of October 15, 1952.

Jubilation reflected in sky

Pyongyang, July 29 (KCNA) -- Great jubilation was reflected in the sky on July 26, when General Secretary Kim Jong Il was elected a deputy to the Supreme People's Assembly. The sky above Jophung-Ri, Kim Jong Suk county was bright with a glow and Mt. Paektu- and Jong Il Peak-shaped clouds reddened with the glow were floating for 40 minutes from 7:10 to 7:50 p.m. This mysterious phenomenon was witnessed by more than 280 farmers of the Jophung Cooperative Farm who were dancing after casting votes in the election of deputies to the SPA. They were delighted to see the clouds identical with Mt. Paektu and Jong Il Peak and shouted hurrah all at once.

NDFSK on S. Korea's unemployment problem

Pyongyang, July 29 (KCNA) -- The Propaganda Department of the Central Committee of the National Democratic Front of South Korea (NDFSK) released a statement on the unemployment problem of South Korea, Seoul-based radio Voice of National Salvation said. It offered detailed materials showing the serious unemployment situation, conditions of jobless people and the cause of the disaster. The statement said in part: Unemployment had been confined only to producers until South Korea was put under trusteeship of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Since then, however, it has swepted all domains of South Korea. More than 16,000 people have lost their jobs at city and country banks and some 8,700 public servants were dismissed from their jobs as of the end of May. Tens of thousands of public servants are likely to be dismissed soon throughout South Korea. According to an official announcement made by the authorities, the number of the unemployed reached 1.6 million as of the end of June. But more than 2 million people who are able to work but find it very difficult to get jobs, 1,960,000 people who do housework, unable to get jobs, and 400,000 people who have had no occupation since they graduated from universities and colleges bring the number to some 6.3 million. If some 1.7 million people who get jobs only four or five days on a monthly average are included, the number reaches more than 8 million. The figure is more than 17 percent of the South Korean population. This means that South Korea tops the world's list in unemployment. The unemployment problem will continue uninterruptedly and become all the more serious in South Korea. Due to business bankruptcies caused by the economic "restructuring," 500,000-600,000 workers are likely to be dismissed from big businesses alone this year and massive layoffs are also expected from minor businesses. South Korea, under the control of the IMF, has turned into a veritable hell, hit by waves of unemployment. The number of those who sleep in the open air has jumped more than ten times that before the introduction of the IMF trusteeship. The number of those who are unable to pay tuition fees has increased 59 percent in Seoul and those who leave university in mid-course are more than 19,000 throughout South Korea or up 70 percent than those last year. Those who eke out a living at the cost of their blood and internal organs have increased 67 percent over last year and those who commit crimes to make their living jumped 6 times. As of the end of June, some 600 people starved to death in Seoul and 5,700 in all parts of South Korea. South Korea has led the world in suicide cases, too. The United States is the very one who has brought economic bankruptcy and waves of unemployment to South Korea. It intentionally brought a financial crisis to South Korea for the purpose of reforming in the American way its crippled, bubble economy dependent on foreign monopoly capital and swallowing it up lock, stock and barrel. It is the present regime of South Korea that allowed the U.S. infiltration into the South Korean economy through the IMF. Suffering from massive layoffs, the South Korean people have drawn a serious lesson that colonial subordination and dependence on foreign capital bring them to doom and seeking independence and self-reliance is their only choice. They should turn out in the struggle for putting an end to the U.S. colonial rule, the IMF trusteeship and the traitorous regime.

The 8th meeting of Pomchonghakryon Executive Committee held

Pyongyang, July 29 (KCNA) -- The 8th meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Alliance of Youth and Students for the Country's Reunification (Pomchonghakryon) was held through facsimile in Pyongyang, Seoul and Tokyo over July 23-24. Discussed at the meeting were measures for a struggle of youths and students in the north, south and abroad to mark the 53rd anniversary of National Liberation (August 15). A complete agreement was reached on the common position of Pomchonghakryon on a "Grand Festival for National Reconciliation, Unity and Reunification," an action programme of a joint expedition to and academic seminar on historical and cultural relics in the north and a plan of the 8th Grand Festival of Pomchonghakryon for Reunification. The meeting, when making public the position of Pomchonghakryon on the August 15 festival, said that, basing itself on the July 21 agreement of the north, south and overseas preparatory committees of the pro-reunification festival, Pomchonghakryon should play a pivotal role in leading the festival common to the 70 million Koreans to provide a new phase of national reunification and achieve national reconciliation and unity. It also made clear the will of Pomchonghakryon to provide a meeting of youths and students from the north, south and abroad without fail, guarantee a successful holding of the festival, have the eighth pro-reunification festival of Pomchonghakryon within the framework of the August 15 festival and take part in all the events concerned. It demanded that the South Korean authorities stop describing the National Alliance for the Country's Reunification (Pomminryon) and the South Korean Federation of University Student Councils (Hanchongryon) as "enemy-benefiting organisations" and pursuing the policy of not allowing those organisations to participate in the August 15 pro-reunification festival and take the stand of national reconciliation and unity. They should abolish the "National Security Law" which defines a driving force of reunification as "enemy", immediately release the patriotic champions of reunification who have been kept in prison on the unreasonable charges of violating the law and unconditionally guarantee all the reunification-oriented events, including non-governmental pro-reunification movement and the Pan-Korea Rally, it said.