Spokesman of DPRK Flood Damage Rehabilitation Committee on anti-DPRK campaign

Pyongyang, May 21 (KCNA) -- The spokesman for the Flood Damage Rehabilitation Committee of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea issued today a statement denouncing the South Korean intelligence service and venal news media for false propaganda designed to spoil the atmosphere of international food aid to the DPRK and tarnish the image of the DPRK. The statement says: The South Korean Intelligence Service and venal news media have recently been engaged in an anti-DPRK smear campaign with groundless assertion that " wandering children are gathered at camps" and that the " massive outflow of refugees to northeast China requires cooperation of international refugees organisations." Some media of the West blindly join in this anti-DPRK diatribe. They dislike successful international humanitarian aid to the DPRK. They say international cooperation organisations in the northern half of Korea are taken in by a "drama" of the north and that China does not cooperate with international refugees organisations, in a bid to convince the international community of a " suspicion" of the effectiveness of the humanitarian aid to the DPRK. The South Korean Intelligence Service had been engaged in false propaganda that three million people were starved to death in the northern half of Korea for the last four years only to find itself disgraced under the eyes of the world. Their recent assertion is little different from the false propaganda. In any country natural disaster is a source of the loss of huge materials as well as of human lives. Primary attention was paid to the children bereft of houses and parents to provide them with temporary shelters and food and send them to their relatives and at the same time steps were taken to send them to baby homes and primary and middle schools as part of the efforts to do away with the aftereffects of natural disasters of years, including the rare-be-seen flood damage that hit the northern half of Korea in 1995. Under the socialist system established in the northern half of Korea where man is valued most there is no social source of "wandering children" and " refugees." The children who lost their parents and houses because of natural disasters and the residents in the afflicted areas have been looked after under the warm care of the state and society. It is the true picture of our society that such beautiful traits are the commonplace. Clear is the purpose of the anti-DPRK diatribe by the South Korean Intelligence Service and venal news media turning their back on such realities of ours. Their smear campaign is designed to do harm to the high international prestige of our republic, tarnish its image, obstruct the international humanitarian aid to the DPRK and undermine the traditional DPRK-China friendly relations. The smear campaign of falsehood and fabrication can no longer go down with any one, however crafty it may be. The South Korean Intelligence Service and venal news media are mistaken. Their frantic anti-DPRK campaign will only betray their true colors as dishonest elements. They should be aware of this and act with discretion. Some of the western news media that advocate "impartiality" and " objectivity" had better stop playing into the hands of the South Korean Intelligence Service infamous for its great hand at plot.

U.S. administration decides to deliver food to DPRK again

Pyongyang, May 21 (KCNA) -- The U.S. administration on May 18 made public a decision to offer 400,000 tons of food to the DPRK in response to a call of the world food program in April. The decision came when this year the delivery of 300,000 tons of food has reached the final stage and 200,000 tons of food the U.S. administration promised to offer in March is being delivered as scheduled. The U.S. decision to offer food to the DPRK is linked to the on-going discussions on outstanding issues between the two countries.

Kim Jong Il sends wreath to bier of late Kim Yong Ho

Pyongyang, May 21 (KCNA) - General Secretary Kim Jong Il sent a wreath on May 20 to the bier of the late Kim Yong Ho, who was producer of the Korean film studio, Labour Hero, winner of Kim Il Sung Prize and People's Artist, to express deep condolences over his death.

Iran-Korea friendship week begins

Pyongyang, May 21 (KCNA) -- A week of Iran-Korea friendship began. An opening ceremony was held in Teheran on May 12. Famous works of the President Kim Il Sung and Marshal Kim Jong Il, Korean books, photographs and handiworks were put on display. Addressing the ceremony Niimony, vice-chairman of the Cultural and Islamic relations organization of Iran, said that they always remember the Korean people's support and encouragement to the Islamic revolution of Iran. The Islamic Republic of Iran, he said, has actively supported the Korean people's struggle to realize national reunification, their long-cherished desire, in international arena and at many opportunities and it will not spare efforts to this end. He said that they wish Marshal Kim Jong Il greater successes in his work.

Desperate effort of S. Korean dictator denounced

Pyongyang, May 21 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today carries a commentary denouncing the South Korean rulers for intensifying harsh suppression of democratic forces. The commentary says: The South Korean authorities on Wednesday applied for arrest warrants for eight leading members of the Seoul Subway Trade Union, claiming that they " orchestrated a wholesale strike and impeded business." Earlier, they kicked up a racket of arresting students of six universities, including leaders of the Pusan and South Kyongsang Provincial Federation of University Student Councils, on " charges" of involvement in various demonstrations. This is an outrage of the ignorant and uncouth fascists who are clean indifferent to democracy, human rights and working masses' vital rights but are engaged only in bayonet-wielding actions. The struggle of South Korean workers, students and other people is a patriotic struggle of justice to overthrow the colonial fascist ruling system of the U.S. imperialists and the authorities and build a country independent, democratic and reunified. It should never be a target of repression. The rulers, driven into a corner by their vigorous anti-U.S., anti-" government" struggle, are now intensifying the offensive of harsh suppression of the pro-democracy patriotic forces in a bid to bridge over the crisis. The spearhead of repression is directed to the (South) Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and the (South) Korean Federation of University Student Councils, which stand shoulder to shoulder in the van of the struggle. Such suppression of workers and students is a recklessly desperate effort of the traitors driven into a crisis of destruction by the just struggle of the people. The South Korean people have already condemned the present rulers to death.

On-going vast projects

Pyongyang, May 21 (KCNA) -- Korean builders and servicepersons have engaged themselves in the construction of edifices of eternal value and many other objects across the country. Last year witnessed the completion of the building of magnificent September 9 Street in the section of more than 8 kilometres between Rimhung rotary near the Kumsusan Memorial Palace, the sacred temple of Juche, and Sinmi-dong, successful construction of April 25 Hotel with an accommodation of 20,000 people, the completion of the building of an electric furnace at the furnace workshop of the October 13 Youth Smeltery on an expansion basis and the project of electric furnace no. 3 at the carbide workshop of the Sunchon Vinalon Complex, the building of the loyal Sinpho Salt Refinery and the building of the Pyongyang Integrated Circuits Factory. More modern dwelling houses appeared in Pyongyang, local towns and rural villages. The recently-built December 5 Youth Mine will greatly help upgrade the nation's chemical industry and improve living conditions of people. This year the state drastically increased investment in the building of monumental edifices in Pyongyang for the building of a powerful nation. The building of Pyongyang-Nampho Express Highway, an East Pyongyang-Mangyongdae Metro, the General Hospital of Koryo Medicine, a vaccine factory, the April 25 Film Studio of the Korean People's Army, modern high-rise apartment blocks and other major objects will be pushed forward. The express highway now under way in the section of more than 40 kilometres is double or treble the existing express highways in the width. Though they were hard pressed for everything, the builders finished in the main the roadbed earth filling project and construction of small structures in the spirit of self-reliance and fortitude in a few months after the ground-breaking. The building of the film studio and blocks nos. 1 and 2 of the General Hospital of Koryo Medicine has reached the stage of completion. The building of large-scale hydraulic power plants and scores of minor power stations is accelerated in full swing.

No one is match for Korean people

Pyongyang, May 21 (KCNA) -- Alberto Moreno, general secretary of the c.c., the Communist Party of Peru (Red Motherland), who visited Korea some time ago, said that he was deeply moved to see the Korean people striving to build a powerful socialist nation, not yielding to the imperialists' moves for isolation and suffocation. Korea could be turned into a strong socialist state, independent, self-supporting, and self-reliant in defence, thanks to the wise and unique guidance of the great leader Kim Il Sung who devoted all his life to the freedom and happiness of the people and the accomplishment of the socialist cause, he noted, and continued: Today the Workers' Party and people of Korea are vigorously struggling to build a powerful socialist nation, holding high the red flag of revolution, under the wise guidance of Kim Jong Il who is a great statesman and an outstanding military strategist. Korea is registering great achievements in the political, economic, military and other domains and thus displaying its might to the whole world as an invincible nation that no one dares provoke. The United States and imperialists must clearly see the might of Korea. Korea is neither Iraq nor Yugoslavia. It is a foolish dream that the U.S. imperialists are scheming to stifle the DPRK economically and militarily. No one is a match for the Korean people who are firmly united in one idea and purpose.

Spokesman for DPRK Foreign Ministry on Israeli election results

Pyongyang, May 21 (KCNA) -- The spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of the DPRK today answered a question put by KCNA in the wake of the recent general election in Israel. He said As already reported, Netanyahu of the Likud Bloc suffered defeat in the general election in Israel on May 17 while leader Barak of the Israel Labour Party won a sweeping victory to become Prime Minister. It is fortunate that at a time when the mideast peace process faces a great challenge the leader of the Israel Labour Party who advocates reconciliation with Arab nations won the election to become Prime Minister. The recent election results prove that the Israeli people want peace and stability, not war and face-off. We expect that Barak's victory in the election will provide a favourable opportunity of promoting the mideast peace process and peace in this region.