Bellicose remarks of S. Korean chief executive flayed
Pyongyang, March 17 (KCNA) -- The chief executive of South Korea on Friday showed up at a graduation-cum-commencement ceremony of the Naval Military Academy and renewed his bellicose remarks inciting anti-north confrontation. In an intention to exacerbate inter-Korean confrontation, he told a whopping lie that the north is "sustaining the strategy of communizing the south."
As is known to the world, the DPRK has consistently held that the north and the south should work hard to improve their relations on the principle of great national unity, transcending differences in idea, ideology and systems, and accelerate their reunification. And it is making sincere efforts to this end. This year the north proposed authority-to-authority talks to the south. This significant proposal is a proof of such efforts.
Nevertheless, the South Korean chief executive sticks to the conceptions of anti-north confrontation called "strategy of communizing the south," the conception which was commonly used by the preceding dictators, separatists for the maintenance of power and "security of power." Basing himself on this fictitious doctrine, he said that the "capabilities of South Korea-U.S. joint operation would be increased" to further strengthen "security cooperation" and that "security forces should be beefed up to the maximum. This is little different from the war slogan which was chanted at the time of the preceding military dictatorship for anti-north war preparations and provocation.
The facts only prove that his arguments about "reconciliation and cooperation" and "improvement of relations through dialogue" are hypocrisy full of contradictions. It is a typical expression of his flunkeyism and treachery to try to maintain "security" by doing harm to the fellow countrymen and relying on outsiders. If he truly wants improved north-south relations, he should choose the road of great national unity in the spirit of national independence.
Agreement between DPRK and UNICEF signed
Pyongyang, March 17 (KCNA) -- An agreement for the implementation of UNICEF cooperation plan for 1999 was signed between the DPRK government and the organization here on Tuesday. Under the agreement, the UNICEF will offer cooperation to the DPRK in children and women's health, nutrition, education, water sanitation and other domains.
Preparatory committees formed
Pyongyang, March 17 (KCNA) -- Preparatory committees for commemorating Sun's Day were formed in different countries on the occasion of the 87th birth anniversary of the President Kim Il Sung. An inaugural meeting of the Indian national preparatory committee was held on Mar. 11. Speakers at the meeting highly praised President Kim Il Sung as the father of socialist Korea, outstanding strategist, genius of creation and construction and the invincible and iron-willed commander, who built a powerful nation independent in politics, self-supporting in the economy and self-reliant in defence, people-centred socialist system, and set a world example in the revolution and construction.
An appeal was published at the meeting. The appeal called upon all the progressive political parties, public organisations and peaceloving people of the world to significantly commemorate Sun's Day on a worldwide scale as a holiday common to humankind to hand down the immortal exploits performed by the President for all ages. A message of greetings to General Secretary Kim Jong Il was adopted at the meeting. A meeting was held in Warsaw on Mar. 12 to inaugurate the Polish preparatory committee. The meetings decided to organize colorful events in the month of commemorating Sun's Day.
War maneuvers in South Korea
Pyongyang, March 17 (KCNA) -- The South Korean authorities are staging military exercises after introducing up-to-date laser equipment into the "ROK" army so that it may stage rehearsals in the simulated conditions of an actual war, a Seoul-based radio said. This laser equipment is meant to confirm a hit through laser launcher attached to rifle and machinegun. The radio said in this regard this device is instrumental in increasing the combat capability at the forefront units. This shows the South Korean authorities are pushing their preparations for war to a more reckless phase through the introduction of more new equipment.
Rodong Sinmun flails S. Korea's reckless arms buildup
Pyongyang, March 17 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today comes out with a signed commentary lashing out at the reckless arms buildup being stepped up by the South Korean authorities against the north. The news analyst of the paper says: The South Korean authorities are now hectic in their efforts to get "approval and cooperation" from the United States for its plan to develop and deploy "medium-range missiles capable of striking targets in the north including Pyongyang" under the groundless pretext of "threats of the north's attack."
Their reckless moves are an unpardonable treacherous act intended to hurt the fellow countrymen in the north by serving outside forces in a war and plunge the Koreans into the scourge of war. It is the U.S. invariable policy to threaten and stifle the DPRK with "strength" by beefing up its aggression armed forces and the army and pushing ahead with war preparations on the Korean peninsula. The South Korean authorities are now stepping up arms buildup in pursuance of the U.S. policy of aggression and war for the purpose of maintaining their power and gratifying their ambition for "unification through northward invasion," backed by their masters.
Even according to their official announcement, South Korea has squandered 14.4 billion dollars as military spending every year. At present, it is the world's 2nd biggest buyer of U.S. lethal weapons. In the final analysis, their outcries over "threats of the north's attack" are the height of folly. Their frantic arms buildup proves that their talk about "reconciliation and cooperation" is nothing but a deceptive platitude. Their reckless arms buildup and war preparations against the north will only precipitate their own destruction.
Children's films
Pyongyang, March 17 (KCNA) -- The Korean April 26 animated film studio has recently released new cartoon films. They include "a Crystal Bead" which proves that success in everything depends on pooled efforts and wisdom, not on individual talent, however exceptional= "a Picture Drawn by a Frog" which shows that a frog, which struts about with airs as a good painter, fails to find the beautiful cloud peak because it cannot read a compass and ends up drawing a strange peak= "a Secret Document," 13th part of "a Squirrel and a Hedgehog," which deals with brave fighting for justice. The new releases, "a Secret Document" in particular, become the highlight of kids. They are well tailored artistically to fit in with child mentality, and go a long way to their education.
"Combined use of Chinese characters" rejected
Pyongyang, March 17 (KCNA) -- The South Korean authority's planned "combined use of Chinese characters" has been rejected by Korean-language movement organizations, according to a report. The organizations criticized the authority's move as an intrigue to weaken the use of Korean language, maintaining its exclusive use is an immutable truth.
An article contributed by Jong Jae Do, chairman of the "Society for the Study of Korean Language", to the newspaper Hangyore says the Chinese characters that infected South Korean society should be eliminated. It continues: Chinese characters in our dictionaries account for 70%. Korean language useful in our life is hardly to be found while there are a lot of Chinese characters useless in our life. We have thus become slaves of Chinese characters. Classical Korean culture should be carried forward by use of Korean language. This slavery should be brought to a definite end. The authorities must unconditionally cancel the "policy on combined use of Chinese characters".
S. Korean authority's violation of human rights
Pyongyang, March 17 (KCNA) -- The Amnesty International has begun a protest movement against the South Korean authority's violation of human rights. According to a decision of the Amnesty International, members of all its chapters in different countries will participate in the protest slated to last until May. They are to conduct actions demanding repeal of the cancer-like "National Security Law" that legalizes violation of human rights in South Korea, release of imprisoned union leaders and workers and establishment of a public human rights organization. The South Korea chapter of this organization decided to make public a report on the authority's violation of human rights and intensify the movement of the South Korean human rights organizations.
S. Korean worker's struggle
Pyongyang, March 17 (KCNA) -- 3 public sector trade unions under the South Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (Minjurochong) officially announced their merger into a single organization called the "Federation of Public Transport and Social Service Ttrade Unions." And over 300 figures of labor, dissident and academic circles including the chairman of Minjurochong and the permanent representative of "People's Victory 21" agreed to form a "steering committee for the inauguration of a progressive political party" by the middle of next month.
It is quite natural for the South Korean workers to fight rallied close around their organizations with the firm will to achieve their vital rights through a struggle, Rodong Sinmun today says in a signed commentary. It goes on: The South Korean authorities are crying they will meet demands of the workers through the deceptive "Labor-Management-Government Committee." Nevertheless, they are further tightening the noose of harsh exploitation and subordination around the necks of workers in favour of foreign monopoly capitalists and local business groups. It is only too clear that as long as the flunkeyist and treacherous labor laws of the South Korean authorities remain in force, there will be no change in worker's condition.
Divided, one will lose and united, one will win. Let us win the vital rights through our united struggle. This is a bitter lesson drawn by South Korean workers. The South Korean workers will never lower the flag of struggle they have already upheld until their just demand is met and fully demonstrate the might of their tightened unity.
Title of DPRK Hero posthumously awarded to crew of boat
Pyongyang, March 17 (KCNA) -- Some days ago, the Title of the DPRK Hero was posthumously awarded to the 15-member crew of the side-line fishing boat No. 151-609 who died a heroic death in the sea off Kosong, Kangwon Province of Korea. They are indomitable men, who set an example in devotedly defending the leader while drifting about in rough storms for nearly 3 months.
Recently the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon) sent to the homeland photos of their belongings and a letter found in their dead bodies which had been discovered in waters off various prefectures of Japan. The bodies were hardly recognizable. But, the witnesses found a box in which the Portrait of the President Kim Il Sung and the Portrait of General Secretary Kim Jong Il as well as badges bearing the Portrait of the President were kept dry.
The heroes left a port to catch fish on November 5 last year. The sea weather went from bad to worse from that afternoon on. The hydrometeorological service continued sending a warning signal on November 8-9. They drifted about for a week, tossed about by strong wind and waves. A wireless apparatus could not air an SOS because of the weak battery. Food and water ran out on the boat. They buffeted violent waves, helping each other even at a time when their lives hung by a thread.
Their bodies were found roped to a raft made of pieces of boards of the boat nearly three months after the distress. The portrait box and the letter found along with them made a number of Japanese witnesses keenly realize once again the unshakable faith of the Korean people, who know how to live a worthy life and how to die. "convey our whereabouts, please. A side-line fishing boat of the Korean People's Army with 15 servicemen and workers on board. Convey all of us have fought courageously to the last moment as soldiers of Marshal Kim Jong Il. Long live Marshal Kim Jong Il long live Juche Korea, a powerful nation " these are a few lines of the letter written by them at the last moment.
S. Korean regime's repressive moves denounced
Pyongyang, March 17 (KCNA) -- The South Korean paper Hangyore denounced the self-proclaimed "people's government" for its suppressive moves. Taking office, the present chief executive said that he would not abuse the "National Security Law" but do his best for human rights and democracy. However, the reality is a far cry from his saying, the paper said, and went on: In the first 8 months after the appearance of the present regime the number of those arrested on charges of violation of the "National Security Law" increased 4.5 times that in the same period of the civilian-veiled regime. The present "government" is worse than the 5th and 6th republics in its indiscriminate arrest. It is unable to repress surprise at its law and blatant arrest.
Greetings to Jordan Foreign Minister
Pyongyang, March 17 (KCNA) -- DPRK Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun sent a message of greetings to Abudullah al-Hatib on his appointment as Foreign Minster of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. In the belief that the friendly relations between the two countries will further strengthen, the message wished him greater success in his work.
DPRK Foreign Minister meets Russian delegation
Pyongyang, March 17 (KCNA) -- Foreign Minister of the DPRK Paek Nam Sun met a delegation of the Foreign Ministry of the Russian Federation led by vice-Minister Grigory Karasin at the Mansudae Assembly Hall today. The ambassador of the Russian Federation to the DPRK was present.
Foreign Minister meets new South African ambassador
Pyongyang, March 17 (KCNA) -- Paek Nam Sun, Foreign Minister of the DPRK today met newly appointed South African Ambassador E.P. to Korea C. Endodebandla Dlamini who paid a courtesy call on him.