Kim Jong Il inspects KPA units

Pyongyang, November 11 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Il, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, inspected units of the Korean People's Army (KPA), highly praised servicemen for firmly defending the outposts of the country and gave the units important tasks to increase their combat power in every way. The Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK went to combined unit No. 549 of the KPA on November 10. On the forward command post he learned about the situation of the enemy within a calling distance. He said as the matchless combatants, who devotedly fight for the sake of the party, the revolution, the country and people, are defending the forefront with the noble love for the country and burning hatred for the enemies, the revolutionary cause and socialist homeland are invincible. He looked round a power station built by the servicemen of the combined unit with their own efforts. He said that the People's Army had done a lot of good things in order to help the country as much as it can, and that such a commendable thing as thinking of the revolution and the country before anything else is a beautiful trait of the Korean People's Army, the army of the party, the revolution and the people. Earlier on November 9, the KPA Supreme Commander inspected an island-defending unit of unit No. 1202 of the KPA. He noted with great satisfaction that the unit had turned the defence theatre into an impregnable fortress and changed the looks of the unit, with all logistic facilities and surroundings kept clean and tidy. He said that the soldiers of the heroic Korean People's Army, the army of the party and the revolution, were all like the island defenders who carry out the party's orders and instructions in a revolutionary spirit, readily going through thick and thin. The socialist motherland is invincible and the Juche revolution is ever-victorious with this matchless army that displays its revolutionary features in national defence and socialist construction, he added. He was accompanied by KPA vice marshal Jo Myong Rok, director of the General Political Department of the KPA= KPA vice marshal Kim Yong Chun, chief of the general staff of the KPA= KPA generals Kim Ha Gyu, Hyon Chol Hae and Pak Jae Gyong= KPA colonel general Ri Myong Su= and staff members of the KPA Supreme Command.

Dissolution of U.S.-South Korea "combined forces command" called for

Pyongyang, November 11 (KCNA) -- The Central Committee of the National Democratic Front of South Korea (NDFSK) released a statement on November 6, 20 years after the organization of the U.S.-South Korea "combined forces command". The statement says: The aggressive nature of South Korea-stationed U.S. troops who were renamed "combined forces" from "UN forces" has not changed at all. But, the U.S. authorities' policy for military occupation of South Korea and moves for provoking a new war have been further intensified day by day. The Cold War was terminated, and an agreement on non-aggression was adopted between the north and south of Korea. Nevertheless, the U.S. authorities , under an absurd pretext of coping with "threats of attack" from the north, are more frantically carrying on the adventurous large-scale joint war drills with South Korea and Japan, thus driving the situation of the Korean peninsula to the brink of war. This shows that as long as the U.S.-South Korea "combined forces command" is left intact, peace and stability will never be ensured on the Korean peninsula nor can the independent and peaceful reunification of the country, the cherished desire of the nation, be achieved. With a correct understanding of the present-day reality, the United States should dismantle the "UN command," that is "South Korea-U.S. combined forces command," without delay and pull the U.S. troops out of South Korea unconditionally in accordance with the resolution adopted at the 30th session of the UN General Assembly. Kim Dae Jung's regime should immediately withdraw their requests for permanent stationing of the U.S. troops, and thereby turn to the road of independence, not pro-American flunkeyism and treachery.

Stop to suppression of Hanchongryon called for

Pyongyang, November 11 (KCNA) -- The Pusan measure committee for guarantee of basic rights of the people, abolition of the "National Security Law" and release of prisoners of conscience on November 4 reportedly issued a statement calling for stop to the suppression of the South Korean Federation of University Student Councils (Hanchongryon) and release of the detained students. The statement says: The Kim Dae Jung "government" has defined Hanchongryon as an "enemy-benefiting organisation" and arrested students under the influence of the organisation on charges of violating the "NSL." this illegal act cannot be justified in any case. The statement demands that the Kim Dae Jung "government" put an immediate halt to an attempt at forced dissolution of Hanchongryon as well as the suppression of the organisation, guarantee the election campaign of students for university student councils and a debate on the inauguration of the seventh-term Hanchongryon and keep the "public security" organs from interfering in the campaign.

Rodong Sinmun on S. Korean authorities' scheme to enact "special law"

Pyongyang, November 11 (KCNA) -- The South Korean authorities are trying to "enact a special law on legal status of overseas compatriots." commenting on this fact, Rodong Sinmun today brands it as an anti-national law seeking division. The news analyst says: The "law" is aimed at blocking the DPRK's influence on overseas compatriots and using them for confrontation with the north. Worse still, the South Korean authorities, who are in a serious financial crisis, seek in the law to collect money from overseas compatriots and incite division among them. Their attempt to enact the "law" is part of their anti-north, anti-reunification confrontation moves to block national reconciliation and unity. The overseas compatriots are well aware of what the South Korean authorities pursue in enacting the "law." Koreans at home and abroad are calling for giving up the scheme to enact the reactionary "law" at once, not merely erasing some articles. The South Korean authorities must stop vociferating about "examination" and "erasure" to deceive public opinion at home and abroad. Only destruction will go to those who make fun of the fellow countrymen.

Release of pro-reunification patriotic figures called for

Pyongyang, November 11 (KCNA) -- The Spokesman of the National Democratic Front of South Korea (NDFSK) made public a statement on November 5 to denounce the South Korean authorities for arresting Hwang Son, delegate of the South Korean Federation of University Student Councils (Hanchongryon), who went back to South Korea via Panmunjom after visiting Pyongyang, according to Seoul-based radio Voice of National Salvation. The arrest of Hwang Son can be made only by the heinous fascist group who are engaged in treachery and division, not patriotism and reunification, the spokesman said, and went on: One million students of Hanchongryon and 70 million fellow countrymen are indignant at the fact that the South Korean authorities, who have suppressed the pro-reunification patriotic figures, arrested a girl student in her twenties by invoking the notorious "National Security Law" (NSL) without an equal in the law history of the world. The South Korean authorities should abolish the "NSL," an anti-reunification evil law, and release all the pro-reunification patriotic figures and prisoners of conscience including Hwang Son before they are faced with a stronger resistance from one million students and the entire nation.

Assault on Korean schoolgirl in Japan

Tokyo, November 10 (KNS-KCNA) -- A schoolgirl (15) of the Tokyo Korean Middle and High School under the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon) was stabbed by Japanese gangsters at Shinjuku railway station on November 5. On the way back home after circle activity in the afternoon she was intercepted by two boys around 20 years of age asking "are you a Korean?" When she began to come down stairs of the station platform in disregard of their wild words, one of them pounced upon her with a knife and cut the back of her left hand four centimetres. In this connection, Ku Tae Sok, principal of the Tokyo Korean Middle and High School, held an emergency press conference on November 9. He said that such outrage was committed because discrimination and prejudice against the Koreans in Japan are not essentially changed in the Japanese society. The assaults on schoolgirls are related to the hostility of the Japanese reactionaries and the press toward the DPRK and Chongryon in the wake of the DPRK's launch of an artificial satellite, he noted. He demanded that the pressmen of Japan join in preventing outrages.

Bizarre "invitation"

Pyongyang, November 11 (KCNA) -- Japanese Prime Minister Obuchi invited his South Korean counterpart Kim Jong Pil to a "meeting of cabinet members" of South Korea and Japan scheduled to be held in Japan in late November, according to a foreign news report. Kim Jong Pil, grateful for the "invitation," accepted it with pleasure. This particular relationship between Obuchi and Kim Jong Pil is by no means accidental. Kim Jong Pil is an avowedly pro-Japanese flunkeyist. He took the lead in bringing the traitorous "South Korea-Japan talks" to success in the period of the Park Chung Hee government rule. Later, he often visited Japan in the capacity of the "Prime Minister" in pursuit of pro-Japanese flunkeyist diplomacy. That is why the Japanese Prime Minister invited Kim to the soon-to-be-held meeting, showing particularly friendly feelings to him. The invitation proves that the Japanese militarists are trying to keep a tighter hold on Kim.

Stop to anti-Chongryon campaign called for

Pyongyang, November 11 (KCNA) -- The Federation of Korean Nationals in China on November 5 released a statement denouncing the Japanese authorities and right-wing reactionaries for their brutal suppression of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon) and Koreans in Japan. The statement vehemently denounces the anti-DPRK, anti-Chongryon campaign of the Japanese authorities as a grave hostile act of trampling underfoot the national dignity and democratic national rights of Koreans in Japan and encroaching upon the sovereignty of the DPRK. The Japanese authorities, far from apologizing and compensating for the crimes they committed against the Korean people in the past, engage themselves in suppression and persecution of Chongryon and Koreans in Japan, it says, and continues: this adds to their crimes. The Japanese reactionaries should ponder over the ensuing consequences of their reckless suppression and persecution of Chongryon and Koreans in Japan, immediately stop their anti-DPRK, anti-Chongryon campaign and make an apology.

Bulletin "Korea today" published

Pyongyang, November 11 (KCNA) -- The September issue of bulletin "Korea today" was published by the east European religious propaganda and information centre. The bulletin gave a full detail of the re-election of Kim Jong Il as Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK and of successful launch of the first artificial satellite "Kwangmyongsong No.1" in the DPRK. It also carried the answer the Foreign Ministry spokesman gave to a question concerning the DPRK-U.S. high-level talks on September 10 and the September 15 statement of the Foreign Ministry spokesman condemning the Japanese authorities for anti-DPRK campaign.

Relics of Koguryo newly collected

Pyongyang, November 11 (KCNA) -- Buddhist images and box were recently collected in the area of Pyongyang, attracting attention of academic circles. Dating back to the Koguryo dynasty, they were made of copper alloy. The relics are composed of a pedestal, a case of templeshape and Buddhist images. The images and case are installed on the pedestal. The height from the pedestal to the roof of the case is 17 centimetres. The three-staged pedestal is 16 centimetres long and 14 centimetres wide. The upper stage of the pedestal is enclosed with a rail, and three Buddhist images are designed to be installed in its floor. Of the three Buddhist images, the middle one assumes a seated posture and the remaining two are in a standing posture. There are points in soles of their feet so that they can be fixed in holes of the floor. What draw particular attention is the case of temple shape. The square and straight case with hipped roofs is typical of the Koguryo-style buildings which can be seen in mural paintings of tombs dating back to Koguryo. Engraved in the back wall of the case are 47 letters of five lines which say that the Buddhist images were made in a temple called "Raknangdong Temple" during the Koguryo dynasty. It has been confirmed that the images were manufactured in 539. The newly collected relics are one more valuable cultural heritage which proves that handicraft technique and architecture of the Koguryo people were highly developed.

Rodong Sinmun on danger of imperialists' arms export

Pyongyang, November 11 (KCNA) -- The peace of humankind is facing a grave challenge and the danger of disputes and military conflicts among countries is increasing owing to the arms export of the imperialists. Rodong Sinmun says this in a bylined article today. The daily goes on: The imperialists are scooping up a fabulous sum of money every year through arms export. The United States is selling weapons to different countries under the signboard "maintenance of balanced military strength" as the world public is calling for disarmament and peace more loudly after the end of the Cold War. Particularly, it is using arms export for domination over and intervention in other countries. The U.S. arms export is aimed at creating international circumstances to carry out its aggressive foreign policy while making money. The United States is defining those countries to which it would export arms and selling weapons to these countries to incite military confrontation between them. Such moves of the united states are exerting a grave influence on the whole regional situation, beyond relations among individual countries. As a result, regional peace and security are being seriously trampled underfoot. This is a major aim sought by the United States through arms export. When arms race and military confrontation come about among countries, the United States makes undisguised military interference in the important strategic regions of the world under the pretext of guaranteeing "peace" and "security."

Streets lined with gingko trees

Pyongyang, November 11 (KCNA) -- All roadside trees have been replaced with gingko trees in downtown Kaesong, a city just near the Military Demarcation Line. For more than 20 years, hundreds of gingko saplings have been raised in the nursery every year to transplant them along the new streets of the city. Gingko trees in the city are now 25 metres tall at maximum. Gingko nuts are harvested abundantly every year, from which oil is extracted. They are used for a cure of various diseases and infirmities.

Gift to Kim Jong Il from Mongolian government

Pyongyang, November 11 (KCNA) - General Secretary Kim Jong Il received a gift from Mongolian government. The gift was conveyed to Hong Song Nam, Premier of the Cabinet by B. Batbayar, Acting Minister of Finance and member of Great State Ikh Hural (Parliament) of Mongolia, who is visiting the DPRK as head of the Mongolian Government delegation.

Hong Song Nam meets Mongolian delegation

Pyongyang, November 11 (KCNA) -- Hong Song Nam, Premier of the Cabinet, today met and conversed with a Mongolian government delegation led by B. Batbayar, Acting Minister of Finance and member of Great State Ikh Hural (Parliament) of Mongolia, who paid a courtesy call on him. Present there were Paek Chang Ryong, Minister of Procurement and Food Administration, Pak Tong Chun, vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Mongolian ambassador to DPRK D. Byambaa.