Door open for Japan's corrupt broadcasting programs
Pyongyang, February 24 (KCNA) -- The South Korean authorities have decided to fling the door open for Japan's corrupt radio broadcasting, a Seoul-based radio said. According to it, all radios, TV and other relevant units of South Korea are allowed to deal with films, news items and entertainment of Japan on a large scale.
National photo exhibition opens
Pyongyang, February 24 (KCNA) -- A national photo exhibition has opened in Pyongyang on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the declaration of the program on modeling the whole society on the Juche idea. On display are photos "The great leader Comrade Kim Jong Il declaring the modeling of the whole society on the Juche idea our party's maximum program" and "Some famous works written by the great leader Comrade Kim Jong Il" and pictures showing his immortal achievements and noble virtues.
Also exhibited are photos showing successes made by the DPRK in the construction of socialist economy and culture in the period from the 1970s to the 90s and pictures of the Korean people striving with confidence and optimism to build a powerful nation as well as photos dealing with the struggle of the world progressive people advancing along the road of independence under the banner of the Juche idea. The opening ceremony was held on Tuesday. Present was Kim Ki Nam, secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea.
Gifts to Kim Jong Il from abroad
Pyongyang, February 24 (KCNA) - General Secretary Kim Jong Il was presented with a gift on February 17 by general secretary of the New Democratic Party of Yugoslavia Tahir Hasanovic on the occasion of his 57th birthday.
When conveying the gift to a Korean official on a visit to Yugoslavia, the general secretary said the sampling of the Serbia-originated red fir tree to be presented to Kim Jong Il as a gift was found in the year 1875 and called "Flame of Life." It is a rare plant under legal protection which grows only in Tara area 160 km from Belgrade, he added. I hope that the sampling would be planted in the arboretum of the Kumsusan Memorial Palace and serve as a symbol of eternal friendship between the two parties and the two peoples, he said.
Vladimir Tolstikov, chairman of the Russian Association for Friendship and Cultural Cooperation with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, on February 18 asked the head of the delegation of the Korea-Russia Friendship Association on a visit to Russia to convey his gift to Kim Jong Il.
Putting brake on LWR construction
Pyongyang, February 24 (KCNA) -- Chairmen for security affairs committees of the liberal democratic and liberal parties of Japan held talks with the South Korean Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Trade and National Defense" during their recent visit to Seoul at which they let loose blasts slandering the DPRK. At "talks" with the "Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade", the acting chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party's Political Affairs Research Council ,Niwa, who was heading the delegation, said, on the issue of cooperation in offering funds to KEDO (Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization), "it would be difficult for the diet to approve of the fund contribution if North Korea launches another missile."
Lurking behind his remark is Japan's crafty aim to put a brake on the construction of the LWR. Whether Japan contributes fund to LWR construction or not is an internal matter of KEDO. So the DPRK has nothing to do with it. But, it can never remain onlooker to the ill-intentioned behavior of Japan talking about the freeze of the fund contribution on the pretext of the DPRK's missile launch. The LWR construction has not made any progress since its start. This is, to a considerable extent, because of the Japanese authorities' irresponsible attitude of dodging an international obligation. Displeased with the LWR construction from its very start, the Japanese reactionaries evaded the fund contribution on various pretexts. They have been utterly indifferent to fund contribution to KEDO since they cried over "missile threat" on the pretext of the DPRK's launch of a satellite last August.
This being the reality, the fiction of "missile threat" loudmouthed by the Japanese reactionaries is no more than a pretext to speed up Japan's militarization and to lower a check-bar on the LWR construction. Underlying the ulterior intention of the Japanese reactionaries, who regard the DPRK as a thorn in the flesh, is, in a nutshell, to delay the LWR construction and make the DPRK-U.S. agreed framework abortive so as to pave the way for reinvasion on the pretence of the "March crisis" on the Korean peninsula. It is well illustrated by the fact that officials of the liberal democratic and liberal parties strongly called for the passage of the bill on the "U.S.-Japan defense cooperation guidelines" at the recent talks in Seoul.
They also said the bill related to guidelines lays down such "counter-measures as logistic support to the U.S. forces in the event of emergency as the situation on the Korean peninsula remains obscure." This reveals the criminal attempt of the Japanese reactionaries to reinvade Korea backed by the U.S. forces in case of contingency on the peninsula. The Japanese reactionaries should be well advised not to run amok, clearly aware that reinvasion leads to self-destruction.
Flagrant violation of sovereignty
Pyongyang, February 24 (KCNA) -- The Japanese Sankei Shimbun February 22 said a Fuji Television Channel on February 21 live-broadcast arguments between the Liberal Party leader, Ichiro Ozawa, and the chairman of the Democratic Party, Naoto Kan, over the security policy.
Ozawa said "it is natural to make a counter-attack on a launching pad" if North Korea makes a missile attack. This is a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the DPRK and just like a declaration of war. So his statement is sparking bitterest indignation among the Korean nation. Development, test and launch of missile is in actuality, a legitimate issue at which nobody can sling mud as it belongs to the sovereignty of the DPRK. Nevertheless, Ozawa groundlessly labeled the missile launch as a "missile attack" and openly declared a "counter-attack". This shows how bellicose and wicked Ozawa is.
The Japanese reactionaries have spun out a string of slanders against the DPRK. But no one has made such offensive and aggressive remarks in public as Ozawa did. The fact proves that Ozawa is the worst man among the Japanese reactionaries and the most bellicose element among war hawks. Ozawa is now running amuck like a puppy knowing no fear of a tiger.
It is certain that Ozawa does not know the DPRK today is not what it was under Japan's colonial rule. Indeed, his misbehavior is the height of shamelessness. To answer the "counter-attack" with counter-attack is the unshakable will and faith of the people and the People's Army of Korea. Ozawa had better stop running amok.
Chinese ambassador hosts reception
Pyongyang, February 24 (KCNA) -- Chinese ambassador to Korea Wan Yongxiang hosted a reception at the embassy on Tuesday on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the signing of agreements on cultural cooperation and air transport between the DPRK and Chinese governments.
Invited were acting chairman of the Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries Mun Jae Chol, vice-Minister of Culture Song Sok Hwan, vice-general director of the general bureau of the Civil Aviation Sin Yong Bok and other officials concerned. Present were officials of the Chinese embassy and Civil Aviation Mission in Korea. Speeches were made at the reception.
Russian ambassador gives party
Pyongyang, February 24 (KCNA) -- Valery Denisov, Russian ambassador to Korea, gave a party at the Taedonggang Club for the Diplomatic Corps on February 23 on the occasion of the "Day of Fatherland Defenders." Invited there were lieutenant general Pak Sung Won and other officers of the Korean People's Army and foreign military attaches here. Military attach Vladimir Dombrovsky and other officials of the Russian embassy were on hand. Speeches were made.
State commendations to participants in meeting of KPA
Pyongyang, February 24 (KCNA) -- A ceremony for awarding state commendations to participants in a meeting of company commanders of the Korean People's Army (KPA) was held at Pyongyang Indoor Stadium on Tuesday. The Title of Labor Hero of the DPRK was awarded to 3 KPA company commanders who distinguished themselves in perfecting their company's combat readiness and firmly defending the forefront posts of the fatherland.
16 company commanders were awarded wrist watches bearing the august name of the President Kim Il Sung and 18 other company commanders letters of commendation of General Secretary Kim Jong Il. Orders and medals were also awarded to many company commanders who have greatly contributed to strengthening combat and political training of their companies to meet the requirement of modern warfare and displaying the might of the militarily powerful socialist country in the spirit of devotedly defending the leader.
Annual meeting of Korea-Cuba Solidarity Committee
Pyongyang, February 24 (KCNA) -- An annual meeting of the Korea-Cuba Solidarity Committee was held here on Tuesday. The meeting summed up last year's activities of the Committee for Supporting the Cuban people in the struggle to firmly defend socialism, decisively smashing the anti-Cuba blockade of the U.S., and strengthening friendship and solidarity with them and discussed action program for this year. Present at the meeting were Choe Ki Ryong, Minister of Education and chairman of the committee, and other officials concerned. On hand were also Nirsia Castro Guevara, charge d'affaires ad interim, and officials of the Cuban embassy here.
Record of crimes of S. Korean chief executive
Pyongyang, February 24 (KCNA) -- In the last one year of their term of office the authorities of the self-styled "government for the people" in South Korea have committed crimes of pro-Americans, pro-Japanese sycophantic treachery, dependence on outsiders, fascist suppression of the people and anti-north, anti-reunification confrontation. Rodong Sinmun today says this in a commentator's article issued one year after the appearance of the "government for the people" in South Korea.
The crimes committed by the present "government" authorities put their preceding dictators in the shade in crime index, the paper says, and goes on: There were 15 "presidential elections" which replaced rulers 8 times in South Korea. But nothing has changed. This proves that alteration of "governments" in South Korea is of no use unless a period is put to the colonial rule of U.S. The South Korean authorities should get rid of a foolish idea to prolong their remaining days in reliance upon outsiders and should turn to national independence, great unity and reunification. They should show an affirmative response to the proposal of the joint meeting of the north. They should not miss the chance given to them after a long interval.
Record of crimes of S. Korean "government"
Pyongyang, February 24 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today carries a commentator's article on 1-year-long record of crimes of the South Korean self-styled "people's government." The article says that in the past one year after their coming into power the South Korean "government" authorities have committed crimes of pro-American, pro-Japanese flunkeyism and treachery, dependence on outsiders, fascist suppression of the people and confrontation moves against the north and reunification. It further says: The people's national dignity and sovereignty were sold out and South Korea has turned into a dual colony of the U.S. And Japan owing to the pro-American, pro-Japanese flunkeyist and treacherous acts of the present rulers. This is the crime of the blackest dye.
No sooner had the present chief executive of South Korea, who once advocated "nationalism," come into power than he begged for the U.S. troops' permanent occupation of South Korea, saying the U.S. troops should remain in South Korea even after the reunification of Korea as the occupation does not hurt independence. Political, economic, cultural and all other sectors of South Korea fell into subjugation, disgrace and bankruptcy owing to the present rulers' heinous pro-American, pro-Japanese flunkeyist and treacherous acts and dependence on outsiders.
Politics of South Korea is totally dead due to the U.S. colonial rule and international trusteeship. A policy can be worked out, a bullet fired and even a single penny spent only with the permission of the U.S. master. This is the reality of South Korea. Not content with offering South Korea to the United States as its state, the present rulers are leaving it to the mercy of the Japanese reactionaries. They declared the past crimes of Japan null and void, sold out the Tok Islet to Japan and are going to invite Akihito, to South Korea, calling him "Emperor", and flung the door open to corrupt Japanese culture.
Over the past one year they ruthlessly suppressed the righteous advance of the people for independence, democracy, reunification and the right to existence at the point of bayonet. With their coming into power the sagging South Korean economy has been driven into a total bankruptcy in a real sense of the word. In fact, it has nothing but foreign debts amounting to hundreds of billions of dollars, ruins and debris of enterprises that fell victim to indiscriminative "hunting" by foreign monopoly capital. The South Korean people have been subjected to worst sufferings, misfortune, destitution and death under the present authorities' treacherous misrule. The past one year is also characterized by their confrontation and war moves against the north and reunification--obstruction of national reconciliation, unity and reunification, aggravated tension and increased danger of war.
The present chief executive of South Korea, who had said he would be a "president" who achieved reunification, recently did not hesitate to say that there "would be no reunification" during his term of office. Such anti-reunification remarks represent his intention not to work for reunification. The South Korean hawks have brought the situation in the country to the brink of war by going ahead with frantic arms buildup and military maneuvers of various types with the U.S. and Japanese aggressors.
In the last one year after their coming to power the authorities of the self-described "government for the people" in South Korea has done nothing but plunging South Korea into politico-economic confusion and crisis, the worst in history, through dependence on outsiders and sycophantic treacheries, blocking the reunification of the country and increasing the risks of war, through fascist suppression of the people and never-ceasing war preparations for a showdown with the north. This puts their preceding dictators in the shade in crime index. The authorities of the "government for the people" will have to pay dearly for their crimes. They should get rid of a foolish idea to prolong their remaining days in reliance upon outsiders and turn to national independence, great unity and reunification. Only then can they save South Korea from a catastrophic crisis, as well as their fate.
As proposed at the joint meeting, they should discontinue "cooperation" and joint military maneuvers with outsiders and take a step for repeal of the "National Security Law", basing themselves on reaffirmation of the strict implementation of the three principles of national reunification--independence, peaceful reunification and great national unity. Only then will inter-Korean high-level political talks be convened in the second half of the year to open an epochal phase of national reunification. There is not always a chance. The South Korean authorities should not miss the chance given to them after a long interval, but show an affirmative response to the sincere proposal of the north.
Kim Jong Il sends many books to Grand People's Study House
Pyongyang, February 24 (KCNA) - General Secretary Kim Jong Il sent many books and video tapes on science and technology to the Grand People's Study House. He sent some 3,900 books of 970 odd kinds on different domains on 11 occasions and 73 video tapes on 5 occasions to the house this year alone. Among them are books on basic and social sciences and on science and technologies including techniques of computer use, laser and production of solar batteries. Video tapes include "Data on ultra-modern construction" and "How to raise ostrich."
Kim Jong Il receives message from Chongryon
Pyongyang, February 24 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il received a message of thanks on Monday from the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon) Central Standing Committee for the Educational Aid Fund and Stipend. The message noted Chongryon was very happy and moved to receive the educational aid fund and stipend of 114,030,000 yen General Secretary sent again for the democratic national education of Chongryon.
The message said: Indeed, you are the tender-hearted father of Korean residents in Japan including school youth and children, who values and leads Chongryon and them.
We renew our firm resolution to remain loyal to your idea and leadership in step with the dynamic advance of the people in the homeland. We will further strengthen and develop Chongryon into an overseas compatriots' organization which is faithful to you and which throws in its lot with the socialist homeland in any storms. We will strictly maintain the Juche character and national character in school education so as to train the Korean school youth and children in Japan to be able men for the nation and true Koreans who are boundlessly faithful to you.
Kim Jong Il praised by Russian
Pyongyang, February 24 (KCNA) -- A Russian Kantamirov Leonid Pablovich released a poem "He is the great sun of 21st century" in praise of General Secretary Kim Jong Il. The poem says the whole world is wholeheartedly praising Kim Jong Il as the brilliant sun of the 21st century. Describing him as a great legendary man of the century identical to the President Kim Il Sung, it notes he foresees the distant future in an instant with far-sightedness.
He is a genius of ideology and leadership who indicates the road ahead of the nature, society and mankind with the great Juche idea, the poem notes. A gifted man, he starts the grandiose work envisaged in the 21st century not only for present-day Korea but also for the future world and finishes it in this century, moving up the days, the poem stresses. The 21st century to be prosperous under his outstanding leadership will be a new brilliant century of independence, that is, the century of Kim Jong Il, the poem says.
S. Korean Medical Insurance Trade Union on strike
Pyongyang, February 24 (KCNA) -- The "National Workshop Medical Insurance Trade Union" of South Korea went on an overall strike on Tuesday demanding a repeal of the authorities' measure of medical insurance merger and so on, a Seoul-based radio said. Over 3,000 unionists of its 100 branches participated in the strike. The trade union had been on partial strikes demanding a repeal of the "Law on Protecting People's Hhealth" since last Thursday.
DPRK abounds in granite
Pyongyang, February 24 (KCNA) -- Granite is being widely used in the construction of monumental buildings in Korea. Many parts of interiors and exteriors of thousands of buildings in Pyongyang including the Kumsusan Memorial Palace, Kim Il Sung Square, the Tower of the Juche Idea, the Arch of Triumph, the Revolutionary Martyrs Cemetery on Mt. Taesong and the Korean Revolution Museum were decorated with granite. In particular, granite was also used for the decoration of their surroundings.
Monuments and edifices built with granite of different sizes from scores of square centimetres to tens of square metres are the culmination of modern architecture. Besides, there are a number of granite-decorated monumental edifices in local areas of Korea. Among them are the Grand Samjiyon Monument, the Monument to the Victorious Pochonbo Battle, the Monument to the Victorious Musan Area Battle and the Wangjaesan Revolutionary Site. The granite has become one of important building materials thanks to the clairvoyant wisdom of the President Kim Il Sung and his devoted services for the people. He put forth tasks to work out a plan for the reconstruction of Pyongyang and develop the building stone industry already at the time of the Fatherland Liberation War, foreseeing the victory in the war.
Therefore, the first granite processing factory of Korea was built at the foot of Mt. Kyemyong in Onchon county, South Phyongan Province, in October, Juche 41 (1952) when the war was at its height. In May, Juche 47 (1958), he took another step to expand the factory and lay a railway line branching into the factory. He sent over 600,000 pounds worth of stone extracting and processing facilities to the factory early in the 1970s and saw to it that its employees were given the best treatment in the mining field.
It has developed into a factory with an annual capacity of extracting and processing tens of thousands of square metres of granite under his deep loving care.
The area of Onchon abounds in high-quality granite. Korea has tens of granite processing factories. Granite produced there is also being used in pavement of road and embankment work. The total length of the roads paved with granite is over 400 km. Korean granite is in high demand in other countries.
Hong Song Nam calls for solving food problem
Pyongyang, February 24 (KCNA) -- Hong Song Nam, premier of the cabinet of the DPRK, called for turning out in the efforts to make this year a year of a turning-point in agricultural production. This year marks the 35th anniversary of the publication of the President Kim Il Sung's famous work "Theses on the Socialist Rural Question in Our Country". He made this call in a report at a national meeting held to observe the day. The reporter said agricultural production is the primary task to build a powerful nation and that farming is one of the sectors to which we should direct primary efforts this year.
Primary efforts should be concentrated on doing farm work well this year, in response to the agriculture-first policy of the Workers' Party of Korea, so as to effect a new upswing in all fields of agricultural production including grain and solve the food problem, he noted. Underscoring the need to thoroughly implement all the agricultural policies set forth by General Secretary Kim Jong Il, the reporter stressed: It is necessary to have a clear understanding of the Juche method of farming and do all farm work as required by the method from A to Z and, at the same time, effect innovations in potato cultivation, widely introduce double cropping and step up innovative seed cultivation.
National meeting marks day of publication
Pyongyang, February 24 (KCNA) -- A national meeting took place here today to mark the 35th anniversary of the publication of "Theses on the Socialist Rural Question in our Country," a famous work of the President Kim Il Sung. Present there were Kim Yong Nam, Pak Song Chol, Yang Hyong Sop, Choe Thae Bok and other senior party and state officials. The rural theses which was published on Feb. 25, Juche 53 (1964) gives a scientific exposition of the core of the socialist rural question, basic principles of its solution and basic tasks for rural construction and ways of their implementation.
Premier of the cabinet of the DPRK Hong Song Nam in a report at the meeting said the rural theses was a great program for socialist rural construction that was clarified on the basis of the Juche idea. He said: The past 35 years was a period of ordeals when the situation at home and abroad was not favourable for the Korean revolution. In recent years the Korean people and agricultural workers, however, have vigorously advanced along the road indicated by the rural theses without the slightest vacillation and achieved great successes, breaking through manifold difficulties and trials. Thanks to the great vitality of the rural theses, the socialist rural economic system has been consolidated politically and ideologically, materially and technologically and an epochal turn effected in the historic advance of the Korean people for the complete victory of socialism.
The President Kim Il Sung and General Secretary Kim Jong Il clearly explained theoretical and practical problems in implementing the rural theses in each period of the developing revolution and have wisely led the efforts for their solution.
Kim Jong Il, with a deep insight into the actual condition of our agriculture in recent years, lucidly clarified the essence of the Juche method of farming, saying it is a scientific farming method that accords with the will of peasants and specific conditions of the country. Noting that the socialist rural theses will remain as ever a steadfast guideline for socialist rural construction, he called for further developing in depth the three revolutions, ideological, technical and cultural, in keeping with the requirement of socialist rural construction at a new stage along the path indicated by the theses.
The reporter went on to say: We should thoroughly implement all agricultural policies set forth by Kim Jong Il and thus effect an epochal turn in agricultural production to solve the food problem. For this it is necessary to have a clear understanding of the Juche method of farming and do all farm work as required by the method from A to Z, effect innovations in potato cultivation, widely introduce double cropping and step up innovative seed cultivation. We should, at the same time, steadily improve the rural economic guidance and management, enhance the level of management and operation of cooperative farms, strengthen material and technical assistance of industry to rural economy, further consolidate and develop the socialist rural economic system and successfully carry out the historic tasks of bringing cooperative ownership under public ownership in future.
Paek Nam Sun meets new Slovak ambassador
Pyongyang, February 24 (KCNA) -- Foreign Minister of the DPRK Paek Nam Sun today met and had a conversation with new Slovak Ambassador E.P. to Korea Peter Paulen who paid a courtesy call on him.