Why does U.S. please Japan's whim = KCNA commentary =

Pyongyang, October 9 (KCNA) -- Nowadays the United States is calling, at the request of Japan, for the release of "kidnapped Japanese" and the repatriation of "hijackers" of the ship Yodo, which are not its business. The "abduction" and "Yodo" issues were a product of Japan's trick to evade apology and compensation, which are preconditions to normalization of DPRK-Japan diplomatic relations. They had already been rejected after their truth was clarified. Nevertheless, those issues have been raised again by the United States which is styling itself "superpower". This shameful and discreet behavior of the U.S. cannot be construed otherwise than an intention not to keep its promise to lift sanctions on the DPRK by continuing to brand it as a "terrorist state" at Japan's request. The U.S. attempt to keep "sanctions" on unreasonable charges shows that it has no willingness to implement the DPRK-U.S. framework agreement. Our people and army are never afraid of that attempt as they have built a powerful state even under "sanctions" of the imperialist allied forces more than half a century. The U.S. will be held wholly responsible for all the consequences arising therefrom.

Celebrations held

Pyongyang, October 9 (KCNA) -- Youth and students here, servicemen of the Ministry of Public Security and writers and artists held colorful functions on Thursday to celebrate the 1st anniversary of the election of Kim Jong Il as General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and the 53rd WPK founding anniversary. An evening dance of youth and students was held at Kim Il Sung Square. Performers and youth and students danced, pledging that they would resolutely defend General Secretary Kim Jong Il in the van. In an art performance and evening dance of public security officers, performers vividly showed their great honour and joy of having Kim Jong Il, who has developed the WPK into an ever-victorious iron-willed one with extraordinary intelligence and outstanding leadership for over 30 years, as General Secretary of the WPK. In an art performance "following the great party", writers and artistes showed their unchangeable faith to defend the exploits of Kim Jong Il and remain loyal to the leadership of the WPK.

Floral basket from Cambodian Party

Pyongyang, October 9 (KCNA) -- The Khmer Civilian Party of Cambodia sent a basket of flowers to the Korean embassy in Phnom Penh on October 5 in celebration of the first anniversary of Kim Jong Il's election as General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and the 53rd WPK birthday.

Taehung Unjong Wood Processing Factory commissioned

Pyongyang, October 9 (KCNA) -- The Taehung Unjong Wood Processing Factory was commissioned. Its total floor space is 5,000 square metres. All production processes of the factory -- lumbering, processing, assembling and perfecting -- have been built along modern lines. A commissioning ceremony took place on the spot on Thursday. General Secretary Kim Jong Il sent thanks to officials and workers for their contribution to its construction.

National Day of Germany marked

Pyongyang, October 9 (KCNA) -- A photo exhibition and a film show were held here on Thursday to mark the National Day of the Federal Republic of Germany. A friendship gathering with members of the German Interest Section in Korea was also held on this occasion. Invited to the events were the head and members of the section. The participants looked round photos and appreciated a German documentary film. They also went round educational facilities at the Moranbong No.1 Senior Middle School and saw an art performance given by students.

Anniversary of friendship associations of Korea and China marked

Pyongyang, October 9 (KCNA) -- The Central Committee of the Korea-China Friendship Association gave a party on Thursday to mark the 40th anniversary of friendship associations of Korea and China. Invited to the party were Chinese ambassador to Korea Wan Yongxiang and embassy officials, a delegation of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the China-Korea Friendship Association and other Chinese guests. Kim Su Hak, Minister of Public Health and concurrently Chairman of the Korea-China Friendship Association Central Committee, and officials concerned were present. Speeches were made there.

National symposium on glacial traces discovered on Mt. Kumgang

Pyongyang, October 9 (KCNA) -- Scientists of Korea recently discovered glacial traces in different places of Mt. Kumgang after finding out similar traces on Mt. Onjin in Yonsan county, North Hwanghae Province last year. A researchers' team, consisting of geologists, geographers and other related scientists and experts, made a joint field survey and studied the traces by uptodate means and method. It has been proved scientifically that Mt. Kumgang area had been glaciated once in the quaternary of the Cenozoic era and the framework of scenic Mt. Kumgang had been formed by glaciation. A national symposium on glacial traces in Mt. Kumgang area was held at the Grand People's Study House on Wednesday. Speakers cited samples and moraine collected from the spot, pictures and video tapes to elaborate on the glacial traces, time, scale and features and glaciation on the natural features and plants of Mt. Kumgang. They said that the discovery and scientific confirmation of glacial traces on Mt. Kumgang will be a basis for studying natural environment of Korea from the position of Juche. It is of weighty significance in verifying animals and plants of Korean origin and, especially, the evolution process of humankind, they stressed.

Press on planned S. Korea-Japan naval drill

Pyongyang, October 9 (KCNA) -- Papers here today comment on the recent announcement of the South Korean authorities that the navy and the Japan maritime "self-defence force" will stage a joint naval drill on the East Sea of Korea in the spring of next year. A news analyst of Rodong Sinmun says: This shows that the political and military collusion between the South Korean authorities and the Japanese reactionaries for "cooperation system against north Korea" has reached a very grave stage. The joint naval drill is targeted at the DPRK. The South Korean authorities and the Japanese reactionaries must clearly know that we will not show mercy to the enemies bent on harming the DPRK but will deal a thousandfold retaliatory blow at them. A news analyst of Minju Joson demands they give up the military collusion and war exercise that lay grave obstacles to peace and peaceful reunification of Korea.

Third-stage tramway section completed

Pyongyang, October 9 (KCNA) -- A third-stage tramway section has been opened to traffic in he capital city of Pyongyang. The section runs between Raknang (Thongil Street) and West Pyongyang (West Pyongyang Railway Station). There are 30 stops in the section which extends scores of kilometres in both ways, and two semi-automatic and two automatic separator are instated at tramway intersections. With the completion of this section, traffic conditions of citizen have been improved. This is used by 70,000-80,000 people on a daily average. The first-stage section between Songsan and Songsin was completed in April Juche 80 (1991) and the second-stage section between Munsu and Thosong in April Juche 81.

Absurd "interview" = KCNA commentary =

Pyongyang, October 9 (KCNA) -- The Japanese Sankei Shimbun and the South Korean Chosun Ilbo recently carried a preposterous "interview" with an official of the organization "Medecins Sans Frontieres" (MSF) to slander the DPRK. The newspapers said that the north "hindered" MSF from conducting its activities for emergency assistance to public health in the DPRK and that relief goods "were distributed preferentially to upper strata of the system, troops, munitions and export factories." This is a false propaganda and a fabricated report for an insidious political purpose. As recognized by the international community, we have never disturbed activities of those international organizations, MSF in particular, which came to the DPRK to offer humanitarian assistance. And it is an irrefutable, stark fact that relief goods have been equally distributed to people in the affected areas. In fact, humanitarian assistance organisations staying in the DPRK are free to go to the area under their concern, if there is no special problem, and relief materials are distributed to relevant areas. Such being the case, the papers claimed that relief activities were "disturbed" and relief materials are "used by upper strata and army". Their false reports pursue a sinister attempt to check humanitarian assistance to the DPRK.

Minju Joson on Japan's nuclear arming

Pyongyang, October 9 (KCNA) -- Minju Joson today comes out with a commentary on Japan's nuclear arming which has entered a dangerous stage. Japan's nuclear arming will result in plunging Japan into the second nuclear calamity, the news analyst of the paper says, and continues: A spent nuclear fuel reprocessing factory, which was built in Rokashyomura, Aomori Prefecture, Japan, as the largest one in the world, will soon start operation on a test basis. When it goes into full-scale operation in the year 2000, it will annually produce five tons of plutonium. In an attempt to secure more plutonium, Japan set up a nuclear cycle development institute and stopped the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel overseas this year and is going over to local reprocessing. The world peace-loving people strongly denounce Japan for overstocking plutonium. Moreover, voices of protest are rising louder also in Japan. Irritated by this, the Japanese reactionaries are employing conceivable means and method to appease public opinion at home and abroad and justify their arms expansion and nuclear arming. It is motivated by their sinister purpose that they branded the DPRK's artificial satellite as "missile" and raised a "nuclear issue" in the DPRK. Their reckless anti-DPRK hostile acts and nuclear arming have fuelled anti-Japanese feelings of the Korean people. The Korean people are firmly determined to make Japan compensate for their past crimes as soon as possible.

Evidences of glacier discovered

Pyongyang, October 9 (KCNA) -- Evidences of glacier have recently been discovered around Mt. Kumgang in Korea and scientifically proved. The glacial terrain of the mountain includes a cirque, a u-shaped glacial valley, the site of a glacial lake, a glacial terrace, a heap of moraine, a sharp ridge, a glacier snout, crevasse, moraine, signs of scraping on rocks, curved rocks and holes caused by icy water. Sediments contain many spore and pollen fossils. Most of the spore and pollen fossils belong to the species that are fond of cold weather. Needle-leaf plant pollen fossils were discovered en masse. Fungi and algae fossils were also discovered in large numbers. There remain many descendants of plants that lived in cold weather. The discovery of evidences of glacier around Mt. Kumgang is of great academic significance in that they show there was glacier in a place lower than and south of Mt. Onjin in Yonsan and Suan counties, North Hwanghae Province. The discovery is another scientific and theoretical proof that there was an ice age in Korea.