Celebrations by Russia-resident Koreans

Pyongyang, October 13 (KCNA) -- A meeting of Koreans in Russia was co-sponsored in Moscow on October 8 by the United Confederation of Koreans in Russia and the United Confederation of Koreans in Moscow to mark the first anniversary of Kim Jong Il's election as General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and the 53rd WPK birthday. The meeting was attended by the chairmen of the United Confederations, Ri Tong Chol and Ro Yong Jin, and Koreans in Russia. A reporter and speakers said Kim Jong Il, General Secretary of the WPK, is best in ideology, leadership and virtues, expressing their determination to conduct the patriotic movement for national reunification through more vigorous work among fellow countrymen under his leadership. And, a photo exhibition and a film show took place in Moscow on October 7 on those occasions.

Round-table talk to mark anniversary of friendship cities

Pyongyang, October 13 (KCNA) -- A round-table talk was held here on Monday on the occasion of the 8th anniversary of establishment of friendship cities between Pyongyang of the DPRK and Georgetown of Guyana. Present there were Ryang Tal Ju, vice-chairman of the Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries and vice-chairman of the Korean City Federation, officials concerned, officials of the friendship association and citizens. A speech was made and a letter to the mayor of Georgetown was read out at the talk. The participants looked round pictures which introduce Guyana.

Russian ambassador gives reception

Pyongyang, October 13 (KCNA) -- Russian ambassador to Korea Valery Denisov gave a reception at the embassy on Monday on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the DPRK and the Russian Federation. Invited to the reception were vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Ri In Gyu and other officials concerned. Speeches were made at the reception.

Disgraceful sycophantic trip to Japan =KCNA commentary=

Pyongyang, October 13 (KCNA) -- The South Korean chief executive described his recent trip to Japan as "successful." Upon his arriving in Seoul, he said the successes of his trip to Japan included a clear apology of the Japanese government for the past history, its grant of loan to the tune of dlrs 3 billion and the signing of fishing agreement. Anyone who knows history and nation and who has an elementary common sense of the DPRK-Japan relations can see without difficulty how ridiculous and humiliating his behaviour is. As for what he calls "an apology" from Japan, it is no more than an empty talk made by Japan from the first days of its defeat in the war. That is why a pressman of southeast Asia observed, "after issuing this kind of statement (of apology), other Japanese people will come out and make some contradiction. So the result is zero." By describing the "signing of humiliating fishing agreement" as "successful" the South Korean chief executive proved to be a man imbued with pro-Japanese flunkeyism and stand to the marrow. During his stay in Japan, he made no word about Japan's criminal "comfort women issue" which creates quite a stir among the world people for the present, and "claim to dominion over Tok Islet". In actuality, the press of South Korea are lamenting that the "Fishing Agreement" will cost South Korea more than 500 billion won a year. His describing this as "successful" brings his disgraceful treachery into bolder relief. Japan's granting of the dlrs three billion loan on his lips is little different from what the loans Japan has so far granted in a bid to increase economic dependence on Japan. That is well known to the world and eloquently proved by a deficit of astronomical amount in trade with Japan. In this situation the South Korean chief executive promised to open the door to the decadent Japanese culture and invited the Japanese "Emperor" to visit South Korea. And he has gone the length of saying that he would get "understanding" from the people full of rancour against the Japanese imperialists. The recent trip to Japan is, in the final analysis, a sycophantic trip to Japan without parallel in history and one more blot on history of the nation.

Paper on great unity of whole nation

Pyongyang October 13 (KCNA) -- For early reunification of the country the whole nation should turn out as one in the struggle for it under the banner of great unity, says Rodong Sinmun today in an article. Noting that there is no more powerful weapon than great unity in the struggle of the Korean nation for reunification, the article continues: When all the compatriots in the north, the south and abroad visit one another, hold contacts, promote dialogue and strengthen solidarity, they can build up mutual understanding and trust and pool their will and strength for the common objective of the nation even though there is difference in ideologies, ideals and political views and religious beliefs within the nation. All the Korean nation should unite on the principle of giving priority to the common interests of the nation, regardless of difference in classes, ideologies, political views and religious beliefs. All the political parties, organisations, public figures of all strata and people at home and abroad who love the country and the nation and aspire after the reunification should take the national unity and the great cause of national reunification as the supreme task and steadily expand and firmly unite the ranks of reunification and patriotism. Only then, is it possible to form a nationwide united front involving political parties, public organisations and people of all social standings in the north, the south and abroad. All the Koreans in the north, the south and abroad should turn out as one in the sacred patriotic struggle to reunify the country without fail in our generation under the leadership of General Secretary Kim Jong Il, sun of the nation and lodestar of national reunification.

Rodong Sinmun on bellicose nature of Japanese government

Pyongyang, October 13 (KCNA) -- Only two months or more have passed since the birth of a new government in Japan. During the time it was disclosed that the present Japanese government is more bellicose and aggressive than the former ones, stresses Rodong Sinmun in a signed article today. The article says: It has been brought to light in approaching the issue of the past, inciting militarism and patronizing agitation for overseas aggression. To liquidate the past is an unavoidable historic task and duty of the present Japanese government. But Japan has not yet made a sincere admission, apology and compensation for the past crimes. The Japanese reactionaries are evading liquidation of the past including the crime against "comfort women for the Japanese army", because they want to repeat the history of past aggression. Japan's overseas aggression has turned out to be a down-to-earth one. Never should it go unnoticed that Korea is the first target of offensive for Japan's overseas aggression. Japan's armed forces, along with U.S. troops, are frequently carrying on war exercises against the DPRK. The Japanese authorities, describing DPRK's launch of a satellite as "launch of a missile", are now kicking up a row against the DPRK, which is bringing DPRK-Japan relations to the brink of war. Such moves clearly illustrate that the present Japanese government is running amuck in preparations for a war against North Korea with the backing of the United States as former governments did.

Change of Taehongdan county

Pyongyang, October 13 (KCNA) -- Taehongdan county, Ryanggang Province (1,100 metres above sea level) is situated in the central part of Paektusamcholli field. General Secretary Kim Jong Il visited the county on October 1 and said that the county, once a sterile land, has been changed into a fertile place and model unit of socialist rural economy. It is the place where a large-scale collective economic system was established for the first time in Korea. The Taehongdan county integrated farm was founded in July, Juche 41 (1952). At that time, it was covered only with thick forests and had small plots cleared for cultivation by burning. And its main crop was potato. Since its foundation, it has increased its arable land to 10,000 hectares and created 1,400 km-long windbreak. Now, all its farming work is being done with the help of machines. It cultivates its vast crop area with less manpower, a farmer tending 30 hectares. The county has built minor hydro-electric power plants to supply sufficient electricity to production units. And many schools and dwelling houses are heated with electricity. In particular, the county is fully solving the food, clothing and housing problem by its own efforts. The farmers of the county are actively striving to convert their farm into a model communist farm where comprehensive mechanization is completely realized.

Japan urged to respect human rights of Koreans in Japan

Pyongyang, October 13 (KCNA) -- Japanese personages on Sept. 28 made a request for respecting human rights of Koreans in Japan in connection with the undisguised anti-Chongryon (General Association of Korean Residents in Japan) moves including wild words and violence on Korean students in Japan after the launch of an artificial satellite in the DPRK. Among them are Tomoko Nakagawa, member of the house of representatives, Mizuho Fukushima and Sumiko Shimizu, members of the house of councilors, dietmen, local assemblymen, academics, believers and civic activists. They went to the Prime Minister's office, the halls of members of the house of representatives and the house of councillors to submit a letter of request to the Japanese Prime Minister, the President of the house of councillors and the speaker of the house of representatives. The letter mentioned the undisguised wild words and violence on Korean students in Japan, denouncing them as national and sexual discriminations. They called a press conference and said that persecution of the Koreans in Japan is unpardonable and demanded that the government take a concrete measure for removing national discrimination.

Let us go to see sunrise of 21st century

Pyongyang, October 13 (KCNA) -- Kang Jin, a member of the Thaeyang Society in South Korea, made public an article "Let us go to see sunrise of the 21st century" praising General Secretary Kim Jong Il as the sun of the 21st century. He said in the article that he had good fortune to see sunrise on Mt. Paektu. The sunrise on Mt. Paektu was the culmination of splendidness and ecstasy and the acme of mystery and beauty, and that was the greatness of the sun's nation which will dye the world with glow of independence, he said, and went on: Thanks to General Secretary Kim Jong Il, the sunrise on Mt. Paektu could be enjoyed by the people and the nation and Mt. Paektu could become world's famous spot of sunrise. The sunrise on Mt. Paektu is that of the marshal who exalted it. General Secretary Kim Jong Il was born on Mt. Paektu. His birth was the sunrise of a new era the mountain produced first in the nation's history of thousands of years. With his birthday Mt. Paektu made a brilliant figure as the mountain of the sun and the sunrise on Mt. Paektu became famous. Mt. Paektu is precisely marshal Kim Jong Il because peaks and valleys of the mountain are associated with his idea, high aspiration, will and wisdom. In this sense, I praise the sunrise on Mt. Paektu as that of marshal Kim Jong Il. It is the sunrise of Kim Jong Il's era and its victory. The era of independence started by President Kim Il Sung on Mt. Paektu in the 20th century, will make its way all over the planet under General Secretary Kim Jong Il in the 21st century. Let us go to Mt. Paektu to see the sunrise of a hopeful new century.

Tok Islet is inseparable from Korean territory

Pyongyang, October 13 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today runs an article titled "Tok Islet is inseparable from Korean territory" by Dr. Jong Nam Yong. Calling attention to the fact that on September 25 the South Korean authorities and their Japanese masters defined the water area around Tok Islet as "jointly controlled waters" and reached a "Fishing Agreement," under which Japanese and South Korean fishermen may engage themselves in "free fishing operation," the author of the article says: According to the UN conventions on marine laws and marine usage, if there are an islet and a traditional fishing ground in water area between the countries opposite to each other, the water area around them constitutes the terrioral waters and economic zone of the country that have the islet and fishing ground. The definition of the water area around Tok Islet as a "jointly controlled waters" in the "agreement" denies the existence of Tok Islet inseparable from the territory of Korea, before anything else. The islet is in the heart of the East Sea of Korea (131 degrees 52 minutes 30 seconds of the east longitude and 37 degrees 14 minutes 30 seconds of the north latitude). It has some 30 islets around bigger tong and so islets. The definition also denies the legal possession of the islet. The islet is part of the Korean territory in view of the principles of discovery, possession and use, which are internationally recognised irrefutable evidence of legal possession of no-man's island and in view of a legislative step of a state to possess it. Historical materials and documents of Korea and Japan ascertain that the ancestors of Korea discovered the islet before 500 A.D. and since then they have systematically used it as a major fishing ground. It was not until the end of the 16th century that Japan came to know that there was Tok Islet in the East Sea of Korea. From the legislative point of view Korea took a step to put the islet under the control of Uljin, Kangwon Province, in 512 A.D., or nearly 1,400 years before Japan did. Judging from the map mark which is an visual indication of the legal possession of the territory, the islet belongs to Korea. The wood-block map published by Korea at the end of the 16th century, which is preserved in the Samseong Publishing Co., Ltd. Museum of South Korea, and all other Korean maps published by other countries clearly show that Tok Islet belongs to Korea. The Japanese maps published before the Japanese imperialists' occupation of Korea did not define the islet as theirs. In the 1690s the then governor-general of Japan, and the Tokugawa Shogunate admitted that the islet belonged to Korea111d sent Korea an official diplomatic document in this regard. Even after the Second World War Japan made it clear that the islet belonged to Korea. Japan also signed the San Francisco Peace Treaty in 1951. The treaty deprived Japan of all rights, titles and claims to the mainland of Korea, Jeju, Komun and Ulrung (with Tok Islet included) islands. It is stipulated in the "fishing accord" that Japanese and South Korean fishermen may engage themselves in free fishing operation in the "jointly controlled waters," Meaning that Japan swallowed up the traditional fishing ground around Tok Islet of Korea, lock, stock and barrel. The term "free fishing operation" means that Japan and South Korea may engage themselves in fishing to their heart's content according to their ability. It is obvious that as Japan is superior to South Korea in view of the number of fishing boats and equipment, Japan has the fishing ground to itself. With nothing the South Korean authorities can conceal the flunkeyist, anti-national nature of the recently-signed "fishing accord" with Japan. Tok Islet still remains part of Korea and the water area around the islet is the traditional fishing ground of Korea. This historic fact and legal ground are invariable.

CILRECO issues statement

Pyongyang, October 13 (KCNA) -- The International Liaison Committee for the Reunification and Peace in Korea (CILRECO) issued a statement on the occasion of the month (October 1-31) of supporting the proposal for founding the Democratic Confederal Republic of Koryo (DCRK). The statement dated October 6 says: The proposal advanced by the President Kim Il Sung is a reunification program based on the three principles of national reunification -- independence, peaceful reunification and great national unity -- and it is the unique proposal for building a unified state on the basis of one nation, one state, two systems and two governments. Reaffirming that the proposal for Korea's reunification through confederacy formula is the most realistic and suitable one, the CILRECO will more actively conduct the activities for supporting the proposal with a view to substantially contributing to the reunification and peace of Korea. The statement appealed to all progressive forces of the world to take more measures and set forth initiatives to propagandise and support the proposal.

Release of prisoners of conscience urged in South Korea

Pyongyang, October 13 (KCNA) -- "The National council of professors for realizing democracy," the council of democratic youth organizations and other organizations in South Korea urged the release of prisoners of conscience on Oct. 1, according to a South Korean newspaper report. They held that all the prisoners of conscience including Father Mun Kyu Hyon should be set free at once, saying that "the north-south agreement cannot be implemented with patriotic, democratic forces left behind bars" and "release of prisoners of conscience is the first step for reunification." They also called for abolishing the notorious "National Security Law" and dissolving the "Agency for National Security Planning."

U.S. warned not to provoke DPRK

Pyongyang, October 13 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the DPRK today released a statement denouncing some impure elements of the U.S. for taking issue with the DPRK groundlessly. The statement says: These days congress and some conservatives hardliners of the U.S. are slandering the DPRK over the fiction of "underground nuclear facilities" and "launch of ballistic missile," while demanding that the U.S. administration cut the fund for heavy oil to be sent to the DPRK under the framework agreement between the two countries and reconsider its humanitarian aid of food. Their crying for tough policy is meant to encroach upon the sovereignty of the DPRK. We, therefore, cannot but take a serious note of it. If their crying represents the U.S. political stand, the matter is more serious. The construction of light water reactors pursuant to the framework agreement has proceeded no further than the ground-breaking ceremony. The delivery of heavy oil is not progressing as scheduled. Only a few of the sanctions against the DPRK, basic to the framework agreement, have been lifted as a mere symbol. The sanctions which may bring a practical stop to the hostile policy have not been lifted at all. The DPRK has a lot of civil underground structures now under construction. The U.S. demands to verify them, claiming that they are "underground nuclear facilities." The U.S. attempt cannot be construed otherwise than a sinister intention to disarm the DPRK and violate its sovereignty. The U.S. ridiculous allegations that the DPRK's launch of artificial satellite is "that of ballistic missile" stem from its heinous political purposes. The U.S. is crying for a tough policy toward the DPRK and re-examination of the framework agreement instead of taking a step of good neighbourhood and appeasement. The DPRK cannot remain a passive onlooker to the misbehaviour. If the U.S. policy is to break the framework agreement, the DPRK has no intention to keep the U.S. from doing so. If the U.S. side considers the framework agreement white elephant, it is free to break it. The DPRK does not care about it. Now the Korean people are strongly calling for not lending an ear to the U.S. empty talk about supply of lwrs whose prospects are gloomy and supply heavy oil. They are calling for doing things their own way according to their original plan, irrespective of the framework agreement. We cannot but take the feelings and demands of our people into account. In case the U.S. seeks to put pressure on the DPRK, as demanded by some elements of the U.S., it will certainly lead the DPRK to take its own choice in the implementation of the framework agreement.

If U.S. wants to pursue policy of not implementing framework agreement, it needn't implement it

Pyongyang, October 13 (KCNA) -- If the U.S. policy is to break the framework agreement with the DPRK, the latter has no intention to keep the former from doing so. If the U.S. side considers the framework agreement white elephant, it is free to break it. A spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the DPRK made the remarks in a statement dated October 13 denouncing congress and some conservative hardliners of the U.S. for having recently slandered the DPRK over the fiction of "underground nuclear facilities" and "launch of ballistic missile, "demanding that the U.S. administration cut the fund for heavy oil to be sent to the DPRK under the framework agreement and reconsider its humanitarian aid of food. Now the Korean people are suspecting that the framework agreement is a "Trojan wooden horse" made to appease and weaken them. The organs concerned also strongly calling for lending a deaf to the U.S. empty talk about supply of light water reactors and heavy oil which is not progressing as scheduled and whose prospects are gloomy. The organs also call for doing things their own way according to their original plan, irrespective of the framework agreement, the statement says, and continues: We cannot but take the feelings and demands of our people into account. We will not remain, bound by the framework agreement in the face of the unreasonable trick to disarm us, even if the agreement constitutes an important one in the relations between the DPRK and the U.S.