Open letter on truth behind kidnapping of secretary of DPRK mission in
Germany
Pyongyang, January 27 (KCNA) -- The secretariat of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland (CPRF) on January 26 made public an open letter laying bare the truth behind the January 13 kidnapping of a secretary of the DPRK mission in Germany by the South Korean "Agency for National Security Planning" (ANSP).
The full text of the open letter reads:
On January 13, Kim Kyong Phil, secretary of the DPRK mission in Germany, and his wife were abducted by the "ANSP" in broad daylight.
The South Korean authorities are resorting to dastardly tricks to divert elsewhere the attention of public opinion at home and abroad, spreading rumours that they "have nothing to do" with the kidnapping and the couple "defected" to the United States.
The CPRF, on the basis of the material evidence secured on the spot, opens to the world the truth behind the thrice-cursed terrorist act committed by the "ANSP," the principal kidnapper.
The kidnapping is an unpardonable anti-national, unethical white terrorism perpetrated in a premeditated and systematic way for the purposes of doing harm to the DPRK and destroying an overseas Koreans' organisation.
From the end of last year, the "ANSP" began to cook up a shocking incident called "defection of north's diplomat" in an attempt to impair the ever rising international prestige of the DPRK and dampen the feelings of overseas Koreans for national reunification. Their ill-intentioned operation entered a full-scale stage from the moment when they obtained information that Kim Kyong Phil would return home on January 18 as his term expired.
The ANSP worked out a detailed operational plan to threaten, allure and kidnap him with his files stolen by its agent Choe Chang Dong from his computer, and dispatched an action group composed of four persons including Han Hyong Su (man aged about 47) to Berlin. And it ordered its agents disguised as officials of the consulate in Berlin to command the operation at first hand.
Having shadowed, watched and wiretapped telephone calls of officials of the DPRK mission in Germany, the action group hurriedly entered the practical stage as the date of Kim Kyong Phil's return home was at hand.
On January 9, Han Hyong Su conducted a so-called "telephone psychological operation" with the aim to give a psychological impetus to and allure Kim Kyong Phil, second secretary of the DPRK mission.
He called Kim and said, "I have come with a letter of introduction from Mr. Choe Chang Dong who had returned to Seoul from Berlin. I want your help in business matters.
Choe told me that he has some 100 files you have sent to Pyongyang through computer and that he will not abuse them."
And he asked Kim Kyong Phil to meet at the Hilton Hotel near the DPRK mission at around 10:00 on January 13.
Taking an ill-boding cue from the unexpected telephone conversation with Han Hyong Su, Kim Kyong Phil scolded him, asking why he made such a rude telephone call.
Failing to obtain any promise from Kim Kyong Phil, Han Hyong Su tenaciously made several telephone calls of the same content in a day.
On the morning of January 13, he called Kim again and entreated him to help in his trade dealings with the north and meet him.
Since Han Hyong Su pleaded for a help in his business activities although his introducer Choe Chang Dong was an undesirable agent of the "ANSP," Kim Kyong Phil consulted with the mission and, proceeding from compatriot feelings, promised to meet him at 10:00 on the morning of January 13 so as to know details of what he wanted.
Upon receiving a promise from Kim, the Han Hyong Su group decided to abduct him in front of the Hilton Hotel and entered a practical stage. Han Hyong Su, together with a "Korean student", appeared in front of the Hilton Hotel, the promised venue, under the command and observation by two agents of the "ANSP" in a car with the plate number "B-SS-5787."
However, as Kim Kyong Phil came out to the venue together with officials of the DPRK mission, Han Hyong Su could not put the kidnapping plan into practice. Badly confused by this, Han told Kim that he had come from Seoul with the introduction of Choe Chang Dong and asked him to give a helping hand to his business activities. Handing him an envelope with letters "working plan," Han asked Kim to study it scrupulously. At that time, an official of the DPRK mission accompanying Kim asked Han who he was and where he lived, saying that they were needed for contacts related to trade dealings. Fearful that his true nature might be disclosed if he stayed there any longer, Han hurriedly ran away after saying, "please study the 'working plan' scrupulously." The meeting lasted only five minutes.
After returning to the mission, Kim Kyong Phil and his party opened the envelope. Contained in it were a slip of a telephone number "0172-3123375. Han Hyong Su," a letter of blackmail, a list of computer files already stolen and 1,000 U.S. dollars.
Enraged at it, Kim Kyong Phil immediately informed the ,homeland of the "ANSP's" dirty moves, along with his determination to strongly react to the agents
.
His wife said= "how dare they distort the fact? I cannot remain a passive onlooker to those who stole my computer files and made fake files. I will personally meet them and refute what they say."
Having failed in the first kidnapping operation, Han Hyong Su's group made several phone calls to Kim Kyong Phil from around 10:30 that day. But, Kim Kyong Phil resolutely dismissed their blackmail, warning them that he would open their wretched plot to the international community.
Dismayed at it, they changed the method in a bid to seduce and abduct him at whatever costs.
At around 12:30, Han Hyong Su phoned him again, saying "I am sorry," "I beg your pardon," "Let us forget this unhappy thing." Then, he implored him to reconsider the matter of opening the story to the public, return the money because it was not his own and pity him who had come to an alien land.
After answering he would return the dirty money at once, Kim came out of the DPRK mission office, accompanied by his wife.
At around 13:00 at local time, the Han Hyong Su group abruptly kidnapped Kim Kyong Phil and his wife when they were returning the money.
The "ANSP's" kidnapping of a DPRK diplomat in Germany, a self-styled law-governed state, was rude and brazen terrorism.
As regards the emergency incident, the DPRK on January 16 sent to the South Korean authorities through a liaison channel at Panmunjom a warning letter containing its principled stand that they should reinstate the secretary and make an apology for the incident.
The measure was taken out of an intention to smoothly resolve the incident caused by the "ANSP," not worsening the north-south relations on any account.
But, the South Korean authorities tried to flee from the responsibility by sending a very disgraceful and dastardly reply letter to the north, the letter alleging they were not connected to the incident.
In actuality, they left a lot of evidence. A blackmail letter written by Han Hyong Su, a list of stolen computer files, photos of terrorists, plate number of a car, recorded conversations -- these material evidences eloquently show that the "ANSP" is the wirepuller of this kidnapping incident. DPRK officials have found that the telephone number of Han Hyong Su was a bogus one not listed in the telephone directory of Germany. So, it was evident that it was a mobile telephone number used by the "ANSP's" agents.
It is ridiculous for the South Korean authorities to try to avoid the blame for the kidnapping case in face of these stark facts and evidences.
South Korea's paid media including the Chosun Ilbo Newspaper had spread the rumour about the couple's "defection to the United States" before the mass media of Germany, where the incident took place, did. This is one more evidence that the "ANSP" is the chief culprit of the kidnapping case.
The Chosun Ilbo Newspaper, which speaks for the "ANSP," informed the Yonhap News in Germany of the false news about the couple's "defection to the United States" on January 17. The next day, all paid media of South Korea reported that secretary Kim Kyong Phil asked the U.S. consulate for asylum. The point at issue is how the Chosun Ilbo Newspaper collected the news before the news agencies in Germany.
According to data available, not only the investigation organ of Germany but the German Foreign Ministry and the U.S. embassy said at that time that they knew no fact or evidence that the couple defected to the United States.
This being the fact, how could the far-off Chosun Ilbo Newspaper know this case? Does this mean that a correspondent of the newspaper met with a phantom "secretary Kim Kyong Phil" in the U.S. consulate?
It is evident that upset by our strong warning, the "ANSP" granted the newspaper a script of "defection to the U.S." it had hurriedly written with a view to avoiding the blame for its kidnapping case. The script is the most clumsy and poorest it has ever written.
These days the South Korean authorities talk about "defection to a third country" while they first talked about "defection to the United States." this is also a very poor drama to escape from the predicament.
On January 19, the South Korean authorities announced that the U.S. government had officially notified them that Kim Kyong Phil of North Korea asked for asylum in the United States. They added that the formalities for asylum had been completed on the "understanding" of the German government.
The next day, they told the Yonhap News Kim Kyong Phil might go to a third country, not the United States.
At first, the South Korean authorities stated they were officially informed by the United States of the "defection", but deny it now. Perhaps their memory served them wrong or their hasty statement invited criticism from the United States. Their incoherent statements evidently prove that the "defection" of Kim Kyong Phil and his wife is a plot.
News media consider that the "ANSP" abducted and detained the couple three days to take them to South Korea and, flustered by the DPRK's stern warning, hurriedly transferred them to the U.S.
No matter how loudly they may advertise the kidnapping as "defection," the South Korean authorities can never cover up their colors as kidnapper.
The kidnapping is a result of the premeditated, systematic plots of the "ANSP" against Korean-Germans' organizations and the DPRK mission in Berlin.
Since the early 1990s the desire for the peaceful reunification of Korea by united efforts of the nation has been growing stronger among compatriots in Germany and other areas of Europe. They set up in Germany the European regional headquarters of the patriotic National Alliance for the Country's Reunification (Pomminryon) and launched vigorous activities for the peace and peaceful reunification of the country.
The existence of the headquarters has been a thorn in the flesh for the South Korean authorities rulers who have sought only national division and confrontation. So, the "ANSP" infiltrated its hand-raised agent Choe Chang Dong into Germany in the early '90s for the purpose of undermining patriotic organizations of compatriots or turn them into anticommunist, anti-north organizations.
Choe, who deceived compatriots with pompous wording and hypocritical devotion and penetrated into the Pomminryon European regional headquarters, made frantic efforts to disintegrate and undermine the organization from within. He fostered distrust and caused a rift among compatriots and covertly and overtly hindered the patriotic movement for reunification.
He also systematically offered the South Korean authorities consulate information on activities of the headquarters and individual compatriots. In may 1995 alone he gave several dozen pieces of information to the consulate and, in 1997, committed espionage on the DPRK mission through wiretapping and stealing of computer files. With his dirty colors as an "ANSP" agent discovered by Korean residents in Germany, he could not remain in Germany, rejected by the community of compatriots.
Tasting a bitter experience from this, the "ANSP" worked out an "operation of North Korean diplomat's defection" this time and kidnapped the secretary by means of terrorism.
The "ANSP" has not only engaged in political surveillance, intelligence and suppression in South Korea but expanded its activities into Russia, the northeast area of China and other regions where many ethnic Koreans are living, for the purposes of fostering distrust and discord among compatriots and openly terrorizing and abducting DPRK citizens. The latest kidnapping, like the kidnapping of Yun I Sang in Berlin, kidnapping of Kim Dae Jung in Tokyo and kidnapping of Kim Hyong Uk in Paris, only afforded abundant evidence of crimes committed by the "ANSP" abroad.
the incident clearly indicated that the "ANSP" is the very one that causes confrontation, antagonism and national discord among compatriots even abroad and is also a gang of regime to the nation. It also revealed that it is the main violator of human rights, master of terrorism and kidnapping and a gang which wantonly violates international law and other countries' law.
Keeping the kidnapped couple in its hands, the United States shows itself as an accomplice in the incident.
Whatever the South Korean authorities and the United States say now about the incident, it will only betray their despicable colors.
If the South Korean authorities and the United States do not reinstate the kidnapped couple but use them in their anti-DPRK plot, screw up the situation of the Korean peninsula and aggravate inter-Korean relations, they will be held fully responsible for all the consequences arising therefrom.
Preparatory committees formed to celebrate Kim Jong Il's birthday
Pyongyang, January 27 (KCNA) -- A national preparatory committee for celebrating the 57th birthday of Kim Jong Il was inaugurated with due ceremony in Katmandu, Nepal, on Jan. 22.
An inaugural declaration was adopted at the ceremony.
Noting that General Secretary Kim Jong Il is the supreme leader of the party, state and army of Korea and leads the heroic Korean people to the struggle for the final victory of the Juche cause, it said that his birthday marks an occasion in encouraging the world progressive people to the fight for freedom, peace and justice.
The chairman of the National Council of Nepal was elected chairman of the preparatory committee.
At an inaugural meeting of the Pakistani preparatory committee held on Jan. 18, secretary general Iqbal Ahmed Khan of the Pakistan Muslim league was elected chairman of the preparatory committee.
He said that it is the duty and pride to grandly celebrate the birthday of Kim Jong Il, the great man of the world, as the common great holiday of humankind.
An inaugural meeting of the Madagascar preparatory committee for commemorating Sun's Day and the 57th birthday of Kim Jong Il was held at the building of the Federation of Trade Unions of the Malagasy Revolutionary Workers on Jan. 20.
The chairman of the National Assembly was elected honorary chairman and the chairman of the Madagascar-Korea Friendship and Solidarity Committee chairman of the committee.
Guyanese Juche Idea Study Organization holds annual meeting
Pyongyang, January 27 (KCNA) -- The Guyanese National Committee for the Study of the Juche Idea of Comrade Kim Il Sung held an annual meeting on Jan. 12.
Chairman Robert Williams in his report mentioned successes achieved by the national committee and groups in the study and dissemination of the Juche idea.
He called for more vigorously conducting the study and dissemination of the Juche idea and carrying out powerful activities supporting the struggle of the Korean people to achieve national reunification and build a powerful nation.
He emphasized that on several occasions including the birth and death anniversaries of President Kim Il Sung, the Kim Jong Il's birthday and the founding anniversaries of the DPRK and the Workers' Party of Korea, the committee will deeply grasp their greatness and leadership exploits and further strengthen friendship and unity with the Korean people.
The meeting elected the chairman, vice-chairmen, the secretary general and members of the national committee.
Kim Jong Il's work published in Guyana
Pyongyang, January 27 (KCNA) -- The famous work of General Secretary Kim Jong Il "Let Us Reunify the Country Independently and Peacefully Through the Great Unity of the Entire Nation" was published in booklet by the Fabric Publishing House in Guyana on Jan. 20 on the occasion of his 57th birthday.
Poster on third Kimjongilia show
Pyongyang, January 27 (KCNA) -- A poster has been issued with the approach of the third Kimjongilia show which will grandly be held here under the sponsorship of the Kimjongilia Federation of the DPRK to celebrate the 57th birthday of Kim Jong Il.
The poster shows impressive and magnificent Lake Chon on the top of Mt. Paektu which is associated with immortal revolutionary history of Kim Jong Il, the sun shinning above the mountain and Kimjongilia in full bloom.
Written in the upper part of the poster are letters "Celebration of the 57th Birthday of Kim Jong Il." in the lower part are letters "the Third Kimjongilia Show." a message below them says that the show will be held from February 13 to 17 Juche 88 (1999) at the Pyongyang International House of Culture.
Unreasonable act
Pyongyang, January 27 (KCNA) -- Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi at a press conference on Monday called on the DPRK to allow inspection of its "suspected construction of an underground nuclear facility", according to Kyodo news.
Unpardonable is his remark as he is following the diplomatic strategy of the United States which is tenaciously urging the DPRK to allow inspections of "suspected underground nuclear site."
The U.S. demand is just like urging a house search designed to disarm the DPRK.
Accordingly, Japan's joining in the U.S. demand shows how viciously the Japanese reactionaries are scheming to disintegrate the DPRK from within.
What cannot be overlooked is Obuchi's remark that the "DPRK has to make fullest efforts to gain the understanding of international public opinion."
This is nothing but a rigmarole which can be made only by a person with a wrong mode of thinking.
The United States is inviting strong criticism from the international public because it is insisting on inspecting the DPRK's facility, branding it as a "suspected facility."
What understanding should the DPRK gain from this unbiased opinion?
Facts clearly show that although he is loud-mouthed about "improvement of Japan-DPRK relations," he has no intention to give up the anti-DPRK hostile moves and that it regards the DPRK as a thorn in the flesh.
Japan had better make an early apology for its past crimes instead of urging any "inspection".
Provocation or hysterics?
Pyongyang, January 27 (KCNA) -- The chief executive of South Korea at a recent "central meeting for joint defense" said that a "willingness should be shown to thoroughly block north's infiltration" in "cooperation" with the United States and Japan. He went so far as to say that the preposterous "sunshine policy" is rejected "because it is posing a serious threat to the north."
What do these anti-north confrontation remarks made by the "president" of the "People's Government" mean?
A provocation or hysterics?
An answer to it should be found from the fatal position of the present ruler who is driven deep into the catastrophe.
He took office advertising himself as a "qualified president" by taking advantage of the economic crisis of South Korea caused by his preceding dictators. Nearly one year has passed since he came into power, but his "commitments" to overcoming the crisis has become bubble and the political, economic and social crisis of South Korea reached the worst in history.
He, staking his fate on depending on outsiders, dreamt of becoming "president" all his life before coming into power. But, unfortunately, his "government" is shaken to its very foundation by the outsiders he has trusted in and has become the target of overthrow.
Politics is administered in melee, economy is under trusteeship and brings about unemployment and society is full of crimes, degeneration and suicide--the blame is focused on the flunkeyist and treacherous policy of the present chief executive of South Korea. It is a very natural result.
That is why he is trying to mislead public opinion with the trite anti-north confrontation rackets. His provocative remarks and hypocritical self-complacency are expressed as reckless hysterics.
The fact clearly proves that the South Korean chief executive is the most heinous target of punishment who is putting the successive fascist dictators into the shade.
S. Korean authorities accused of effectuating "fisheries accord"
Pyongyang, January 27 (KCNA) -- The South Korean authorities recently validated a new "fisheries accord" with Japan.
Commenting on this, Rodong Sinmun today says: All of the successive dictators in South Korea had been steeped in treachery, but the rulers of the present regime styling itself "government for the people" set a "new record" in flunkeyist and treacherous deeds already in the first year of office.
They called the Japanese king, symbol of the Japanese crimes against the Korean nation, "Emperor" and sold Tok Islet, an inalienable territory of the nation, over to Japan. And they visited and asked their Japanese masters to join in the suffocation moves against the fellow countrymen. In addition to this, they invited the Japanese military boss to Panmunjom to incite reinvasion and opened door to Japan's vulgar culture.
Nevertheless, the South Korean authorities claim the "fisheries accord" is needed for "revival of the economy" and "public welfare" as if its effectuation will bring benefit to South Korea.
Patrimonial land and waters were sold to Japan. Then how can it be beneficial to South Korea?
Under the "accord" South Korean fishermen have been deprived of golden fishing ground, wailing about hard life.
History and the nation will never pardon the rulers of the "government for the people."
South Korea's unemployment rate reaches record high
Pyongyang, January 27 (KCNA) -- The rate of unemployment in South Korea in December last year reached the record high with the increase of jobless people, or 108,000 more than the figure of the previous month, according to a radio report from Seoul.
Many workers lost their jobs because of "exchange of key entities" at top conglomerates this year, too.
It is foreseen that the unemployment rate will further increase.
South Korean workers' indefinite sit-in strike
Pyongyang, January 27 (KCNA) -- Some 1,000 workers of the Dae Woo Electronics Co., Ltd. of South Korea began an indefinite sit-in strike on January 23 for the withdrawal of "exchange of ownership" with the Sam Sung Motor Company, according to a radio report from Seoul.
They vowed to fight it out for "independent existence of the Dae Woo electronics Co., Ltd."
Korean Computer Center
Pyongyang, January 27 (KCNA) -- The Korean Computer Center has rapidly developed into an all-embracing centre for the study and development of computer technology.
Its scientists and technicians perfected many development targets including software, production process control and business management system. And it succeeded in developing advanced technology such as radar signal and fingerprint image process and predictive diagnosis support system of cardiovascular system diseases.
It has major study and development sections including groups for developing system, business management and applied programs, and multi-medium technology and other technical departments supporting them.
Their development environments are above windows 95 / NT, MAC OS 7,5 and development languages are C, VISUAL / BASIC, JAVA POWER BUILDER and so on.
It has a doctoral institute which trains holders of academic degrees and titles of computer science and technology, a short course for technicians of all sectors and a branch college that selects geniuses and trains reserves.
More than 800 talented researchers are working here.
The state preferentially sends it excellent persons, who receive special treatment.
The Korean Sinhung Company of the centre is engaged in external activities. It makes trade dealings with other countries in joint-venture software and hardware development and renders services by order and conducts other scientific, technical and industrial exchanges in the domain of computer technology.
Those who hope to make contact with this centre can use phone: 850-2-18111, (EXT 8825), fax: 381-4707 and telex: 5344 slnhngkp.
One and only barrier of division in the world
Pyongyang, January 27 (KCNA) -- A barrier extending more than 240 km is erected in the area south of the Military Demarcation Line of the Korean peninsula. It is the only concrete barrier in the world that is dividing the Korean territory into the north and south.
By the barrier, several railways and boulevards and more than 220 big and small roads between the north and south have been cut off and 8 counties and some 120 villages bisected.
The reinforced concrete structure, 5-8 metres in height, 10-19 metres in lower width and 3-7 metres in upper width, was built by the South Korean authorities with billions of dollars and with the mobilization of hundreds of thousands of people for several years.
This physical barrier is dividing one and the same territory into two, severing the blood vessel of the homogeneous nation with a history of thousands of years and imposing sufferings of division upon the separated parents, brothers and sisters and friends.
Even publications of South Korea said that "it is a structure for permanent division which can be invented and built only by the group seeking the two nations and two states to lay foundations for permanent power."
The proposal of the DPRK government for pulling down the barrier that blocks the nation's desire for reunification is being supported on a worldwide scale.
An international fact-finding group surveyed and confirmed the concrete barrier on the spot in May Juche 84 (1995) and published a joint statement calling upon the UN Secretary General and the international community to make efforts for its demolition.
All foreign visitors to Panmunjom area keenly feel the tragedy of division the Korean nation is suffering, seeing the barrier at first hand.
Voices calling for demolition of the barrier are ringing out from more than 120 countries of the five continents of the world.
New books of flora published
Pyongyang, January 27 (KCNA) -- In the DPRK the catalogue of gift plants (edition of the Central Botanical Garden), The Flora of Korea (vol.4), the Garden Plants (Tree and Flower editions) and the Medicinal Herbs of Korea (vols. 1, 2 and 3) have recently been published.
The catalogue of gift plants, edited by the Central Botanical Garden in a chronological order, contains the plants presented as gifts to President Kim Il Sung and General Secretary Kim Jong Il by heads of state, prominent people from different countries and overseas Koreans.
Some 3,000 species of gift plants were preserved in the Central Botanical Garden as of Juche 83 (1994) in their family order. The book gives a brief explanation to their ecological conditions, distribution, the range of use and the methods for propagation.
The garden plants deals with the ecological characters, the range of use and the methods for propagation of the garden plants. The Flora of Korea covers the overall Korean flora. The book is rich in content and new information is added. This helps the botanists and students specialising in this field broaden the botanical horizon.
The medicinal Herbs of Korea authored by Im Rok Jae, academician, professor and doctor, covers plant morphology, distribution, pharmacology, ingredients and the range of use. It is very helpful in research of Koryo medicine and to the health workers in their practices of treatment.
U.S. and S. Korean armies scheme to intensify joint military exercises
Pyongyang, January 27 (KCNA) -- The U.S. and South Korean armies plan to intensify joint military exercises from this year, according to the South Korean newspaper "Choongang Ilbo" quoting the Jan. 22 announcement of the "Ministry of National Defense."
They are going to put the plan into practice at "RSOI" command post exercise which is due in April, the paper said.
An important content of this exercise, it noted, is to hurl the U.S. troops into South Korea from the U.S. mainland and the pacific region on a large scale and rapidly to deploy them along the frontline in the event of "contingency" on the Korean peninsula.
This criminal act of the U.S. and the South Korean authorities shows that their "operation plan 5027" which aims at invading the North Korea has reached full practical stage and that they are putting into practice war scenario against the north which they mapped out at the 30th "annual consultative meeting on security" and the 20th "military committee session" held in Seoul in mid-January.