Joint naval exercise projected

Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- The South Korean "Ministry of National Defense" on April 20 announced a plan for a joint naval exercise with the Japanese "maritime Self-Defense Force," a Seoul-based radio said. Th exercise will last 7 days, beginning on august 2 in the sea between Jeju Island and northwest of Kyushu, Japan. With a view to avoiding denunciation from people the South Korean authorities describe the exercise as one for "search" and "rescue," not for military purposes. The projected exercise shows that the U.S.-led triangular military alliance of the U.S., Japan and South Korea has reached a very dangerous phase, aiming at the DPRK.

Friendly meeting held at Indonesian embassy

Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- Indonesian ambassador to Korea Buchari Effendi hosted a friendly meeting at the embassy on April 21 to mark the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the DPRK and Indonesia. Present on invitation were vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Pak Tong Chun and officials concerned. On hand were Indonesian embassy officials. The participants deepened friendship, enjoying sports and amusement games and conversing with each other.

Wreaths laid before statue and grave of Kang Pan Sok

Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- Senior Korean party and state officials, including Paek Hak Rim, Choe Thae Bok and Yang Hyong Sop, working people and People's Army servicepersons laid wreaths before the statue of Kang Pan Sok, an indomitable revolutionary fighter and an outstanding leader of the women's movement in Korea, at the Chilgol Revolutionary Site and before her grave in Mangyongdae on April 21 to commemorate her 107th birth anniversary. Standing before the statue and grave were wreaths from General Secretary Kim Jong Il. Also laid there were wreaths from the Central Committee of the Worker's Party of Korea, the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, the cabinet, ministries, national institutions, working people's organizations, military academies, party and power institutions, farms and schools in Pyongyang.

Floral baskets laid to commemorate Sun's Day

   Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- Floral baskets and bouquets were laid before the Portraits of the President Kim Il Sung and General Secretary Kim Jong Il by representatives of political parties, ministries, organizations, institutions and enterprises and high-ranking political figures of different countries on the occasion of Sun's Day.
    The president of the congress, political parties, party leaders, chairmen of social organizations of Peru, chairman of the Bulgaria-Korea Friendship Association, chairman of the Communist Party of Sweden, the central committee of the Communist Party of Germany, officials of political parties and social organizations of India, the Foreign Minister, the Ministry of Defence and armed forces logistics and the chairman of the Mostazaffan Foundation of Iran, the Minister of Fishery and Livestock Farming of Bangladesh, the family of the secretary general of the International Kim Il Sung Prize Council, a Cuban woman lawyer and Uzbek public figures and other representatives of political parties, organizations, institutions and enterprises and figures from different social standings laid floral baskets and bouquets before the portraits hung at the Korean embassies and missions in their countries.
    The Tri-Continental People's Solidarity Organization also placed a floral basket before the Portrait of the President and the 10-year middle school in Altanbulag county, Tov Province of Mongolia, laid a basket of flowers before his statue. The general secretary of the National Democratic Party and other figures of different strata of Egypt sent floral baskets to the Korean embassy in their country.

KCNA on Kim Jong Pil's jargon

    Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- Some time ago, the South Korean "prime minister," Kim Jong Pil, at the talks with Ozawa, leader of the Japan Liberal Party, took issue with the DPRK over a fiction of "mysterious ships pursuit case." Kim Jong Pil described the fiction invented by Japan in a bid to do harm to the DPRK as a "case of operational ships from the north," adding that "such a thing would be frequent." he even asserted that what Japan has done was a countermeasure befitting it.
    His remarks are indicative of blind following and naked flattery toward the Japanese reactionaries who are engaged in a despicable smear campaign against the Korean nation, while finding in the "threats" from the DPRK an excuse for realizing their wild ambition for reinvasion of Korea and Asia and militarization of Japan.
    The remarks fully reveal the true colors of Kim Jong Pil as top class pro-Japanese traitor who sealed a humiliating "South Korea-Japan pact," describing himself as a "second Ri Wan Yong" and a remnant of "Yushin" who established "Yushin system" by following "the Meiji restoration," which had led to Japan, and plunged South Korea into the darkness of one-man military fascist dictatorship that sought national division.
    From Kim Jong Pil's servile flatteries toward the sworn enemy of the Korean nation and undisguised treacheries harmful to the fellow countrymen it is not hard to guess that the "policy towards the north" pursued by the self-proclaimed "government for the people" is full of sheer deceptive fictions. The recent words and deeds of the South Korean authorities in their relationship with Japan are reminiscent of a Korean saying that a crow cannot be whiter for often washing.

"Unification Minister's" balderdash under fire

   Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today in a commentary lashes out at the South Korean "Minister of Unification" for spinning out a balderdash a few days ago that he would "dynamically step up" the "south-north economic cooperation."
    Kang In Dok tried to create the impression that an extensive economic cooperation was under way between the north and the south. But this is intended to conceal the South Korean authority's crime of having reduced the cooperation to a mere name through their persistent anti-north confrontation moves, the news analyst observes, and continues:   The South Korean authorities have, in fact, blocked the north-south economic cooperation, peddling "sunshine policy," "engagement policy" and "reciprocity." Hand in glove with outside forces, they are hell-bent on arms-buildup and war exercises targeted against the North Korea, a dialogue partner, after defining it as the "principal enemy."
    Dismissing what the South Korean authorities are peddling over the inter-Korean economic cooperation as a sheer trick and sophism, he stresses:  A well-grounded logic of patriotism is bound to prevail over a treacherous logic. Clean indifferent to what the South Korean authorities should do for the inter-Korean economic cooperation, they are just whiling away time with trite word-juggling about "cooperation." with nothing can they conceal their anti-national and anti-reunification colors.

New military machine rigged up

Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- The South Korean authorities reportedly founded an "army air operation command" with due ceremony attended by the "chief of general staff of the army" and other war hawks on April 20 to incite war fever against the north. At the ceremony the war hawks made such bravado as claiming that with the foundation of the "command" the "army" could make a surprise attack on the "depth of enemy's areas" and "vantage-points" and there were possibilities of applying "strategic, operational and offensive means" in war. "Minister of National Defense" Chon Yong Thaek in a "message of congratulations" "hoped that the command would play a pivotal role in three-dimensional high-speed maneuvers." All this proves that the South Korean authorities are overheated in war preparations against the north.

Korean books presented to Tajikistan

Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- Korean books were presented on April 14 to a library in Leninabad region, Tajikistan, with due ceremony to mark the 87th birth anniversary of the President Kim Il Sung. At the ceremony the DPRK ambassador to Tajikistan handed the president's celebrated works to the curator of the library. The curator said the library would regard those works as its valuable wealth and widely distribute them among readers.

Pyongyang cultural exhibition

   Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- The Pyongyang cultural exhibition is crowded with foreign delegates and overseas. Koreans who had come to Korea on the occasion of Sun's Day (April 15). More than 120 foreign delegations and many overseas. Koreans have visited it during the last 8 months since its opening.
    It is situated in Munsu Street in the eastern part of Pyongyang. It has book, handiwork and photo exhibitions, a recorded lecture room, a souvenir counter and a lounge arranged in national style. It covers an area of 2,700 square meters.
    Displayed at the book exhibition are works of the President Kim Il Sung and General Secretary Kim Jong Il which have been published in foreign languages, literary and art books and books of history, science and culture, more than 14,000 copies of 1,780 kinds in all.
    On display at the photo exhibition are more than 200 pictures showing the great feats of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il who have built an invulnerable fortress of socialism in terms of politics, economy and military by wisely leading the party, state and army as a whole, achievements made by the Korean people in all sectors of social life and the struggle of the compatriots in the north, south and abroad for the reunification of the country. Also seen there are pictures introducing the April Spring Friendship Art Festival.
    On display at the handiwork exhibition are more than 850 pieces of Korean paintings, oil paintings, embroidery works, Mannyon paintings, jewel paintings and a variety of ceramic works.

S. Korean workers protest against layoff and suppression

Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- More than 5,600 workers under the South Korean Confederation of Trade Unions held a meeting and staged a demonstration on April 21 to lodge a protest against the layoff and the suppression of the labor movement, according to a radio report from Seoul. The confederation urged the authorities to stop the unilateral layoff and to open direct negotiations with trade unions. At the end of the meeting, unionists staged a demonstration through the street, despite the suppression by over 3,000 police forces of 30 companies. The "National Scientists and Technicians" Trade Union, went on a strike for an indefinite period on April 21.

Minju Joson on S. Korean worker's struggle

Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- Minju Joson today comes out with a commentary supporting the South Korean workers in their mounting struggle for the right to existence. The news analyst says: The massive struggle of the South Korean workers, which is gaining momentum with the advent of spring, is an eruption of their curses and resentment at the South Korean ruling quarters who have forced utter political non-right, abject poverty and unspeakable miseries and sufferings upon them and an expression of their aspiration and will to lead a worthy life.
South Korea has been turned into a veritable hell due to the "lay-off" and "restructuring" pursued by the authorities to meet the brigandish demands of outsiders. It is, therefore, natural for the workers to have turned out in a massive strike every day in protest against the authority's labour misrule. As long as the South Korean authority's flunkeyist and treacherous, anti-popular misrule persists, the South Korean worker's ever more intensified struggle is inevitable and their just actions to survive can never be arrested.

Provocative document for piracy

Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- The "Maritime Self-Defense Force" (MSDF) of Japan reportedly worked out and distributed a "directive for vessel checkup" on April 19, which clarified subdivided provisions for checking foreign vessels under the updated "guidelines for Japan-U.S. cooperation on defense," a war document for overseas aggression. The "directive" stipulates that the "MSDF" shall put a stop on the voyage of any "questionable" ship, send armed personnel to it for cargo checkup and take certain coercive measures. Such moves of Japan to seize and check ships of other countries at sea at will are little different from rude and barbarous piracy.

We are voluntary defectors to DPRK

   Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- Former South Korean Army soldiers and fishermen, who defected to the north, were interviewed by KCNA.
    Present at the interview were Hong Sun Ik, 70, residing in Unchon county, South Hwanghae Province, who served as an assistant driver for logistics of the 6th division of "ROK" army before defecting to the north to join the Korean People's Army (KPA) in November 1950, Choe Won Su, 49, in Yangdok county, South Phyongan Province, who was rescued by the KPA navy while being at the mercy of wind and waves on the West Sea of Korea on July 9, 1968, Ri Jong Ju, 67, in Unchon county, South Hwanghae Province, who was an artilleryman of the 8th regiment of the 7th division of "ROK" army before crossing the frontline to join the KPA in May 1951, Kwon Hyok Jo, 62, in Jangyon county, South Hwanghae Province, who defected on June 20, 1972 when his fishing boat was in the north's territorial waters off the west coast of Korea, Jong Ho Jin, 70, in Paechon county, South Hwanghae Province, who served in the 3rd division of "ROK" army before joining the KPA in 1952.
    Question: As you know through news media, the South Korean authorities recently argued that "'ROK' army POWs" and "those kidnapped by the north" should be exchanged for the north-origin unconverted long-term prisoners. This is a sheer sophism, I dare say.
    Answer by Hong Sun Ik:   You are right. The South Korean authorities are now persistently refusing to repatriate those unconverted long-term prisoners of the north origin. The prisoners have consistently demanded their repatriation since they were taken prisoner of war. They became crippled after scores of years of imprisonment. They do not have any kinsmen who they can depend upon in South Korea. They in the sunset of their years are impatiently waiting for their return to the DPRK to reunite with their families and relatives.
    Answer by Jong Ho Jin:   In the DPRK there is no "'ROK' army POW" claimed by the South Korean authorities. The DPRK government already sent all of the south-origin POWs back to South Korea just after the cease-fire in keeping with the international convention on POWs and the requirement of the Korean armistice agreement.
    Answer by Choe Won Su:   There are no "persons kidnapped by the north", but those who voluntarily defected to it according to their faith and will. Unable to live any longer in the south, a colony of the United States, we all defected to the north where genuine human life is guaranteed.
    Answer by Kwon Hyok Jo:   There have been neither "army POWs" nor "persons kidnapped" nor can there be such persons in the DPRK where human dignity and life are ensured substantially. It is preposterous to call us, voluntary defectors to the north, "POWs" and "those kidnapped".
    Answer Ri Jong Ju:   It is an intolerable insult to us, defectors, that the South Korean authorities raised the issue of nonexistent "army POWs". The rulers in the south should not urge us to come back but immediately repatriate the unconverted long-term prisoners of the north origin as they demanded.
    The participants in the interview were unanimous in saying that they are not "POWs" nor "persons kidnapped" and defected to the north of their own accord, turning against the South Korean society, a veritable hell. They declared that none of the defectors in different parts of the DPRK wants to go back to the south.

Real nature of S. Korea's "Intelligence Service" exposed

   Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- The South Korean authorities, having renamed the "Agency for National Security Planning" (ANSP), the headquarters of anti-north fascist plots, the "Intelligence Service" some time ago, are crying as if its character and function were changed. In this regard, the national reunification institute in the DPRK made public an open statement on April 21 disclosing its real nature.
    It said:   The main purpose of this renaming is to improve the ugly image of the "ANSP" tarnished for all kinds of wrongdoings it has committed for scores of years and to intensify the fascist rule and the policy of confrontation with the north. Their talk about "information-gathering" means a pronoun of surveillance, control and suppression of pro-reunification patriots and democratic forces as well as espionage, plots, subversive activities and sabotages against the north.
    Under the signboard of "simplification of the structure," divisions of the "Intelligence Service" scattered in various places were amalgamated and invested with a greater role and function than ever before. As far as the reshuffle made at the "Intelligence Service" is concerned, the present ruler replaced his political rival and factions close to him with his right-hand men to set up a "pro-government system."
    According to the "Law on the Intelligence Service," it is empowered to gather international information and domestic information on public peace, conduct activities for public peace and investigate violations of the "National Security Law." In fact, this shows that the "Intelligence Service" is a power machine invested with the same intelligence and investigation powers as those of the past "Central Intelligence Agency" and the "ANSP."
    In the last one year since the appearance of the present "government," the number of people detained on the strength of the "National Security Law" has more than doubled as compared with the figure at the time of the preceding regime and cases of political intervention, torture and wiretapping have multiplied. When reorganizing the "ANSP" into the "Intelligence Service," the South Korean authorities increased its function and role related to the north. They merged the international and north affairs divisions into one division specializing in gathering information on the north and promoted the "training course" once operated under the "Intelligence Service" to the "postgraduate course" which can train a large number of experts on anti-north intelligence every year.
    The "Intelligence Service" outshines the "ANSP" in its methods of intelligence activities, subversive acts and sabotages against the north. The former "Central Intelligence Agency" and the "ANSP" conducted all their intelligence activities, subversive acts and sabotages, advertising the principle of "unofficial and secret activities." On the contrary, the "Intelligence Service" is openly conducting such activities.
    It stretches out its tentacles to all the public circles of South Korea. In particular, it is getting frenzied in its intelligence activities, subversive acts and sabotages against the north in other countries. All facts prove that the "intelligence service" is a group of anti-north fascist plotters who are more disgusting and slovenly than those of the former "central intelligence agency" and the "ANSP."

Independence is DPRK's life and soul

   Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- The Korean revolution was launched and triumphed thanks to the spirit of independence and is bound to be consummated in that spirit, says Rodong Sinmun in a political essay titled "Independence is our life and soul." The essay says:   Independence represents the philosophy of trust that the leader believes the people and vice versa.
    The great leader Kim Jong Il is the great sun of independence, who is resolutely defending the cause of independence, upholding the Juche idea and the spirit of national independence as a revolutionary philosophy. He is, indeed, the leader of independence who has performed the greatest exploits despite the most difficult situation and the great sun who is leading the era of independence not only for the Korean revolution but for the cause of global independence and not only for the destiny of a nation but for the destiny of mankind.
    Independence is a banner for building a powerful nation. The way of building a prosperous powerful nation lies in independence, self-reliance, that is believing in one's own strength and exerting his efforts. It is Korea's will to build a Korean-style powerful socialist nation in reliance upon its political and ideological position and military position and its self-supporting national economy, not through "reform" and "opening".
    Under the uplifted great banner of independence, the banner of socialism, the Korean people will get united and cooperate with world's progressive people and will make the coming 21st century a century of independence, that of socialism. The forces of imperialism and dominationism may destroy the material wealth created by mankind on our planet by using nukes but can never deprive them of independence.

Kim Yong Nam meets Koreans from Japan

Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- President Kim Yong Nam of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK met and had a talk with a delegation of Korean residents in Japan led by So Man Sul, first vice-chairman of the central standing committee of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon), and leading members and principal actors and actresses of the art troupe of Korean residents in Japan led by Kim Hong Chol, head of the Kumgangsan Opera Troupe of Chongryon, at the Mansudae Art Theatre today. Present there were Honorary vice-President of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly Pak Song Chol, secretary of the Central Committee of the Worker's Party of Korea Choe Thae Bok, vice-president of the SPA presidium Yang Hyong Sop, secretary of the WPK Central Committee Kim Yong Sun and Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun.