Paektusan Cup sports contest closes
Pyongyang, February 27 (KCNA) -- The Paektusan Cup sports contest of sports groups, which opened Feb. 5 on the occasion of the auspicious February holiday, closed on Friday with due ceremony. At the closing ceremony cups and medals were awarded to top honor units in the events of volleyball and basketball of the contest. Kim Jung Rin, secretary of the Worker's Party of Korea Central Committee, was present at the ceremony.
Kim Jong II lauded
Pyongyang, February 27 (KCNA) -- The Russian newspaper Vladivostok February 16 ran an article on immortal achievements General Secretary Kim Jong II has gained in army building. Dazzling successes made by North Korean scientists who, imbued with the Juche idea, possess missile and nuclear technologies struck many world people with admiration, said the paper. It further said: Socialist Korea follows the victorious course of its own choice despite dramatic changes in the world political arena following the frustration of socialism in some countries.
All that happened in the DPRK is considered to be miracles in the history of world politics. General Secretary Kim Jong II is not daunted at all when confronted with the United States, which boasts of being the only "superpower," and anybody else. He, guided by an idea that a country without its own army goes to ruin, gives priority to beefing up army. The world often admires his well-calculated, bold decision.
February illuminates century
Pyongyang, February 27 (KCNA) -- Pyongyang-based newspapers carry a poem titled "February Illuminates Century" written by Kim Man Yong. The poem sings of enduring feats of General Secretary Kim Jong II, who has devoted his all to the happiness of the people, without celebrating even his birthday, February 16.
It says that though the February holiday is celebrated by the whole world, only Kim Jong II spends the day as a usual one of the year. Reflected in the Korean people's happiness achieved with a lot of sacrifices is deep love for the people of Kim Jong II, who has never devoted even a single day to himself in his 57 years, says the poem. It also says that as he brings happiness to the people with great love, February which started on Mt. Paektu illuminates the century and February of the sun ushers in a new century.
The poet, who is well known in Korea, dedicated "Comrade Kim Il Sung, our immortal leader," "Pyongyang time will be everlasting," "May Kim Il Sung's homeland prosper" and other poems to the first three anniversaries of the death of Kim Il Sung.
KPA company commanders swear oath
Pyongyang, February 27 (KCNA) -- The participants in a meeting of company commanders of the Korean People's Army (KPA) on Friday solemnly swore oath of loyalty to the President Kim Il Sung and General Secretary Kim Jong II at the Kumsusan Memorial Palace Plaza. Present were KPA vice-marshals, commanders of arms and services, generals and officers. Led by Jo Myong Rok, director of the general political department of the KPA, the company commanders swore oath in chorus.
In the oath they vowed to hold the President Kim Il Sung in high esteem for all ages and glorify his revolutionary exploits through generations. They stressed that under the leadership of General Secretary Kim Jong II they would run at a canter on a steed and bring about a revolutionary turning-point in increasing company's combat readiness and combat capacity and make the President Kim Jong II era shine all over the world with arms. It was followed by a march past.
80th anniversary of March 1 Popular Uprising marked
Pyongyang, February 27 (KCNA) -- A seminar of social scientists was held here on Friday to mark the 80th anniversary of the March 1 Popular Uprising. The popular uprising was an inevitable result of the vicious colonial rule of Japanese imperialism. The uprising, which had flared up in Pyongyang on March 1, Juche 8 (1919) as a massive anti-Japanese demonstration, spread in an instant to all parts of the country as well as to overseas Koreans to become a nation-wide resistance. It was mentioned at the seminar that the uprising was a praiseworthy action of the nation, which powerfully demonstrated the Korean nation's spirit of independence at home and abroad and an eruption of the pent-up rage and resentment of the nation at the Japanese imperialists.
It was stressed at the seminar that the uprising taught the immutable truth that for the Korean people to win victory in the anti-imperialist struggle for national liberation they should have an outstanding leader and wage an organized struggle with correct tactics and strategy under the guidance of a revolutionary party. It stressed the need for the Korean people to preserve the patriotic tradition, which was formed through history, and for all the Koreans in the north, south and overseas to firmly unite under the banner of great national unity and vigorously struggle to reunify the country without fail under the leadership of General Secretary Kim Jong II.
Anti-reunification ballad flailed
Pyongyang, February 27 (KCNA) -- On February 24 the South Korean chief executive at a "press conference" again peddled "sunshine policy," saying that he hoped for an impartial dialogue acceptable to the north and south of Korea. Commenting on his remark, Rodong Sinmun today says: The "policy," rejected by the entire nation, is designed to "induce" the north to "reform and opening" through "reconciliation and cooperation." It is a policy of confrontation with the north, which denies ideology and social system of the north and seeks to "invade the north to unify." it is also a policy of permanent division, not reunification, because it runs counter to the three principles of national reunification--independence, peaceful reunification and great national unity and the basic idea of the inter-Korean agreement.
Underlying it is his intention to turn inter-Korean relations into those of confrontation between the systems.
His remark prompted by such an intention is an unbearable challenge and provocation which insults and defies the faith of the Korean people.
His identifying the "policy" with that of the U.S. which led to the collapse, "reform and opening" of a certain country is a revelation of his ulterior intention to do harm to and stifle the north at any cost with the backing of outsiders. His repeated talk about the "policy" following the statement that there will be "no unification during his term of office" proves that he has no will for reunification.
U.S. military strategy remains unchanged
Pyongyang, February 27 (KCNA) -- The commander of the U.S. marines in Japan referred to direct backing of the Okinawa-based U.S. forces for the U.S. forces and army in South Korea in "emergency" on the Korean peninsula. Rodong Sinmun today observes his remarks provide an evidence that the U.S. forces present in South Korea and Japan are aggression forces for the second Korean war and a shock brigade in the pursuance of the U.S. military strategy for domination over the Asia-pacific region.
The news analyst says: The U.S. intends to make a preemptive attack on the North Korea with the U.S. task forces in South Korea and Japan as a shock brigade and turn it into a full-scale war. His statement that the Japan-based U.S. forces are on "standby for immediate reaction" and intensifying maneuvers indicates that the U.S. forces are ready to make a surprise attack on Korea. The DPRK and the U.S. are technically in a state of war. So a war may break out any moment. There is no institutional mechanism on the Korean peninsula to prevent a war between the two countries.
For prevention of war and preservation of peace and stability in the peninsula the U.S. forces should be pulled out of South Korea and a peace accord should be signed between the two countries. Only then is it possible to remove the chief source of war and set up a mechanism for peace. Whether war is prevented and peace and stability preserved or not depends on the U.S. attitude. The U.S. should get rid of the anachronistic viewpoint, rectify Korea policy and work towards peace and stability in the Asia-pacific region.
South Korean students vow solidarity with workers
Pyongyang, February 27 (KCNA) -- General student councils of all universities in South Korea expressed their will to invigorate the worker-student solidarity struggle all at once at a time when the South Korean Confederation of Trade Unions declared its withdrawal from the "Labour-Management-Government Committee" and a March-April all-out struggle, a news report said.
The General Student Council of Koryo University in a statement on February 25 charged "what the labour-management-government committee has done is only an indiscriminate lay-off of workers" and voiced support to the decision of the South Korean Confederation of Trade Unions on withdrawal. General student councils of Sogang University, Ehwa Women's University and other universities expressed their stand to launch a solidarity struggle.
Reception given by Yemeni charge d'affaires ad
Pyongyang, February 27 (KCNA) -- Awadh Abdulah Ali Mashbah, charge d'affaires ad interim of Yemen, gave a reception at the embassy here on Friday on the occasion of the 36th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the DPRK and Yemen. Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Pak Kil Yon and others were invited to the reception. Speeches were made at the reception.
Reception given by Yemeni charge d'affaires ad
Pyongyang, February 27 (KCNA) -- The proposal of a joint meeting of the DPRK government, political parties and organizations to open a new epochal phase of national reunification is favored worldwide. A meeting was held under the co-sponsorship of the Italian Committee for Friendship and Solidarity Among the People, the federation of people's councils and the People's House on Feb. 17. It said that to achieve Korea's reunification at an early date is a common task facing the Korean people and all the world people, who aspire after peace, stability and justice, and underscored a need for active solidarity campaigns of various forms supporting the proposal of the joint meeting.
The Maltese Committee for Supporting Korea's Reunification in a statement on Feb. 12 urged the South Korean authorities to stop pursuing a policy of dependence on outside forces, adhere to the three principles of national reunification, abolish the "National Security Law" and other evil laws and discontinue U.S.-S. Korea joint military exercises targeted against the DPRK.
The Senegalese Organization for Friendship with the Fraternal Korean People in a statement on Feb. 10 expressed conviction that political parties, public organizations and figures of all social strata of South Korea would work harder to develop a wide-range dialogue between the north and south of Korea and create a favorable atmosphere for reunification to see the north-south high-ranking political talks convened in the second half of the year.
The Party of the Congress for the Independence of Madagascar, the National Committee for the Study of the Juche Idea and 15 other political parties and organizations in Madagascar in a joint statement on Feb. 5 said that the Korean people's struggle to achieve the country's reunification by founding the Democratic Confederal Republic of Koryo through great unity of the whole nation will always enjoy support from the progressive people of the world and certainly triumph.
Portraits of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong II hung in Guinea
Pyongyang, February 27 (KCNA) -- Portraits of the President Kim Il Sung and General Secretary Kim Jong II were hung with due ceremony in the building of the National Information Committee of Guinea on Feb. 16. The ceremony was attended by the chairman and members of the committee. Invited there were the DPRK ambassador to Guinea and embassy officials. Speeches were made at the ceremony.
The portraits were hung on the wall of the office of the chairman of the committee and a floral basket was laid before them. On the same day, a ceremony for hanging a portrait of General Secretary Kim Jong II took place at the Kim Il Sung Institute of Agricultural Science in Guinea. The participants in the ceremony laid a floral basket before the General Secretary's portrait hanging at the science exhibition of the institute and paid tribute to him.
Repeal of "NSL" called for
Pyongyang, February 27 (KCNA) -- The headquarters of All-People Movement to Cope with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the umbrella organization of 53 civic, public and labor organizations, including the South Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and the Citizens' Federation for Democratic Society, on February 23 called a news conference one year after the appearance of the present "government," a Seoul-based radio said.
The organization charged that over the last one year the present "government" has posed graver threats to popular right to existence and increased the jobless rate on the plea of tiding over a crisis triggered by the IMF. It thrust at the authorities 13 demands, including halt to lay-off, punishment for heads of big business groups, politicians and bureaucrats responsible for economic bankruptcy and repeal of the "National Security Law" (NSL).
It said that it would hold a rally in Seoul on February 27 to press demands, including opposition to the IMF, halt to lay-off, repeal of the "NSL" and release of prisoners of conscience.
Withdrawal from "Labour-Management-Government Committee" declared
Pyongyang, February 27 (KCNA) -- The South Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (Minjurochong) was reported to have formally declared on February 24 withdrawal from the "Labour-Management-Government Committee." The confederation at a meeting maintained the "committee" has been reduced to a tool imposing sacrifices upon workers only and strongly demanded the authorities to meet four points including a stop to "restructuring" and lay-off depriving workers of their vital rights.
The confederation announced it would hold a big rally on Feb. 27 to look into the failure of the present "government's" policy and win people's vital rights and launch an all-out struggle in March and April including a general strike. In another development, the Federation of South Korean Trade Unions (Hangukrochong) repeatedly threatened on Friday to withdraw from the "Labour-Management-Government Committee" unless the authorities stop unilateral "restructuring" and "exchange of entities" of conglomerates.
Greetings to Saharan President
Pyongyang, February 27 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, today sent a message of greetings to Mohamed Abdelaziz, President of the Saharan Arab Democratic Republic and general secretary of the Polisario Front, on the occasion of the 23rd anniversary of the proclamation of the republic. The message expressed belief that the friendly relations between the peoples of the two countries would continue to develop and sincerely wished the President and his people success in their work.