Balderdash about "northern limit line"

   Pyongyang, July 11 (KCNA) -- The South Korean war hawks, far from making an apology for the premeditated armed provocation committed by them in the West Sea of Korea on June 15, keep peddling the "northern limit line," raising a hue and cry over someone's "violation" of the Armistice Agreement (AA).
    Commenting on this, Rodong Sinmun today says the "northern limit line" on their lips is a "ghost line" which is not stipulated in the AA and upon which no agreement was reached by both sides. The news analyst goes on: The AA stipulates that the term "coastal islands" refers to those islands which, though occupied by one side at the time when this Armistice Agreement becomes effective, were controlled by the other side on June 24, 1950.
    As a result, only five islands among those lying to the north and the west of the provincial boundary line between Hwanghae-do and Kyonggi-do were to be under the military control of the U.S. forces side, and the "extension line of the Military Demarcation Line" or "limit line" between those islands and the area of the north side were not fixed. It was the South Korean authorities themselves who, talking about "155 mile truce line" so far, confined the MDL to the land demarcation line and clearly stated that the starting point west of it is the mouth of the River Han.
    The waters in question indisputably belongs to the north both in view of the international maritime law which defines 12 nautical miles as territorial waters and of the south side's "law on territorial waters." The war hawks' loudmouthed "northern limit line" is intended to make it a fait accompli and thus find a new pretext for dispute, unbound to the AA, in a bid to ignite a fratricidal war at any cost. The developments have placed the Korean peninsula at the crossroads of a durable peace mechanism or war.
    We have already advanced a landmark overture on establishing a new peace mechanism between the DPRK and the United States to replace the outworn and defunct AA. If the U.S. had responded to the DPRK's proposal, such an armed conflict would not have occurred. If the state of fragile cease-fire develops into a war any moment, the United States will be wholly responsible for this.
    We make it clear once again that we do not know the "northern limit line" or "extension line of the MDL" claimed by the South Korean war hawks. If they intrude into our territorial waters again and commit grave provocations at the instigation of the U.S. war hawks, they will face more merciless punishment than what they met before.

Joint preparatory committee meets

Pyongyang, July 11 (KCNA) -- The first meeting of the joint preparatory committee for the '99 Grand Pro-Reunification Festival and the 10th Pan-National Rally for Independence and Great Unity of the Nation (grand pan-national festival for reunification) was held in Pyongyang on July 9. The meeting was informed of the job done by the preparatory committees in the north and abroad since it was decided to open the August 15 grand pan-national festival for reunification and the preparations made in the south.
The meeting discussed in real earnest the program, contents and style of the festival this year, selection of delegates to the festival and other important matters related to preparations, and agreed on the issues placed on the agenda. The meeting positively appreciated the concerted efforts made by the south headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country's Reunification, National Alliance for Democracy and Reunification and other reunification movement organizations to promote preparations for this year's festival and expressed expectation that they would make good success in the days ahead.

President Kim Il Sung and Marshal Kim Jong Il praised

Pyongyang, July 11 (KCNA) -- Palestinian ambassador to Korea Shahier Mohammed Abdlah wrote poems "Ever-shining sun" and "Great leader and great nation" in praise of the President Kim Il Sung and Marshal Kim Jong Il. The poems say: The President lives forever in the hearts of the Korean nation and millions of peoples as the sun shining forever in the space. He is the closest friend of the people and the revolutionaries, the iron-willed commander who sent shivers down the spine of the enemy of the nation and the beacon for all the revolutionaries and freedom fighters. Although he passed away, the Korean people are carrying through his last instructions. As the great Marshal is standing in the van of the people, their cherished desire will certainly come true. The greatness of the nation depends on the greatness of the leader. The Korean nation is a great nation blessed with the great leaders who are just the same in terms of personality, intention and ideas.

New moves for arms race assailed

   Pyongyang, July 11 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today in a signed commentary lambastes the United States for pressing ahead with its moves to establish the "Theatre Missile Defense" system (TMD) and zealously helping South Korea　in its development of a long-range ballistic missile under the pretext of "military threat" from the DPRK. The commentary says: This matter was seriously discussed at the talks between the present South Korean chief executive and the U.S. President during the former's recent junket to the U.S. and it was agreed to debate it at length at the forthcoming working-level talks.
    Drawing attention to the fact that this agreement was made at a time when the plan to establish the TMD is going to enter soon into a phase of its implementation under the agreement between the United States and Japan, the commentary notes: The projected TMD means the establishment of a missile attack system targeted against the Asian countries. The United States seeks in this to have a military edge and establish an unchallenged domination on this continent.
    That is why many Asian countries are taking military steps to cope with this. China and Russia agreed with each other to set up a joint missile defence system. These moves of the U.S. have sparked a new arms race in Asia. A series of actions taken by the United States to encourage and assist South Korea in its development of missiles are designed to egg it on to military confrontation with the north and, furthermore, to use it as a shock brigade in its aggression to dominate Asia.
    All these facts go to prove that it is the United States and the South Korean ruling quarters who aggravate the situation in and around the Korean peninsula and threaten the peace and stability there. The DPRK is compelled to channel its efforts to increasing its defence capability by the United States' blatant moves to stifle it by force of arms.

Photo exhibition in Tokyo

Tokyo, July 9 (KNS-KCNA) -- A U.S. cameraman in Japan held a photo exhibition in Tokyo from July 1 to 6 on the occasion of the 5th anniversary of the President Kim Il Sung's passing away. Put on show were photos of people laying floral baskets before the statue of the President on Mansu Hill in Pyongyang, photos taken during the Pyongyang international sports and cultural festival for peace and photos showing the features of Korea. The cameraman said that he exhibited the photos showing the features of the DPRK to honor the memory of President Kim Il Sung.

Repeal of "National Security Law" demanded

Pyongyang, July 11 (KCNA) -- The preparatory committee for all-people solidarity action commenced one million-signature campaign for the repeal of the "National Security Law", according to the July 1st issue of Korean newspaper Minjok Sibo published in Japan. The organization which was inaugurated in Seoul on June 25 is conducting the signature campaign for the repeal of the "National Security Law", the unconditional release of the prisoners of conscience and stop to the police search for political offenders on the want list, the withdrawal of the regulation of defining the South Korean Federation of University Student Councils and the National Alliance for the Country's Reunification as "enemy-benefiting organizations" and the guarantee of the non-governmental movement for reunification.

Kim Il Sung's reminiscences released in Nepal

Pyongyang, July 11 (KCNA) -- A ceremony of releasing volume 6 of part 1 the anti-Japanese revolution from the President Kim Il Sung's reminiscences "With the Century" was held in Katmandu on July 5. The former chairman of the National Council said that the President's reminiscences is the precious textbook that should be read and studied by all people.

Large floral basket to Korean embassy

Pyongyang, July 11 (KCNA) -- Chea Sim, acting head of State and president of the Senate of Cambodia, sent a large floral basket to the DPRK embassy in Phnom Penh　on the occasion of the 5th anniversary of the President Kim Il Sung's passing away. The chief of protocol of the National Assembly on July 8 visited the embassy and laid it before the portraits of the President Kim Il Sung and General Secretary Kim Jong Il.

Birth anniversary of Kim Hyong Jik marked

   Pyongyang, July 11 (KCNA) -- Aa national meeting took place at the April 25 House of Culture on July 10 to commemorate the 105th birth anniversary of Kim Hyong Jik, an indomitable revolutionary fighter and an outstanding leader of the anti-Japanese national liberation movement in our country.
    It was attended by Kim Yong Nam, Jo Myong Rok, and other senior party and state officials, working people from all walks of life and servicemen. A report was delivered by Yang Hyong Sop, alternate politburo member of the Central Committee of the Worker's Party of Korea and vice-president of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly.
    Born into a patriotic family in Mangyongdae, Kim Hyong Jik was an outstanding leader who indicated a new way of the anti-Japanese national liberation movement, the way of national independence, in the dark period of the Japanese imperialist rule and energetically guided the struggle to achieve its objective, the reporter said, and went on: He clarified from a new angle the truth that the independence of the country should be achieved by concerted efforts of the Korean people themselves, not by depending on outside forces or by "petitioning", and laid it down as the general orientation of achieving Korean independence to take arms and fight the Japanese imperialists by the force of the Korean nation.
    Particularly, he formed the Korean National Association (KNA), the largest anti-Japanese underground revolutionary organization, on March 23, 1917. This was a historic event which marked an occasion of an epochal turn in the development of the anti-Japanese national liberation movement in Korea.The KNA spread its affiliated branches across the country and abroad and actively aroused broad masses to the anti-Japanese struggle through enlightenment of masses and educational and other activities.
    He was a distinguished revolutionary who provided a steady continuity to the Korean revolutionary traditions and left a precious inheritance that guaranteed a victorious start and advance of the revolutionary cause of Juche. The President Kim Il Sung said in his reminiscences "With the Century": "The thought of 'aim high,' being prepared for the three contingencies, the idea of gaining comrades, and two pistols--this was all I received from my father."
    Kim Hyong Jik regarded "aim high" as his lifelong maxim. "Aim high" is the indomitable revolutionary spirit that one should restore the country at any cost by fighting generation after generation. He enlightened and awakened the people with the patriotic idea of "aim high" and aroused them to the anti-Japanese struggle. President Kim Il Sung, true to Kim Hyong Jik's noble idea of "aim high," organized and led the protracted anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle to a brilliant victory and achieved the historic cause of the liberation of the country.
    The reporter underscored the need to perfectly inherit and glorify the precious revolutionary inheritance left by Kim Hyong Jik. He continued: We should hold in high esteem with loyalty and filial piety the great leader Kim Jong Il who has perfectly personified and steadfastly defended the precious ideological and mental inheritance of the Korean revolution left by the Mangyongdae revolutionary family in order to bring Kim Hyong Jik's intention to brilliant reality.
    We should unite ever closer around Kim Jong Il and cement the single-hearted unity of the ranks of the Korean revolution as firm as a rock with the faith in certain victory and iron will that we are sure to win as we are led by him. There is no force on earth that can block the Korean people who are confidently advancing under the leadership of the great Worker's Party of Korea, cherishing the noble idea of "aim high" and the faith in certain victory instilled into them by Kim Hyong Jik as the soul of the nation and the truth of human life, and the final victory belongs to us.
    Similar meetings were held in north Phyongan, Jagang and Ryanggang provinces. Meanwhile, a national symposium, a national scientific symposium on Koryo medicine and a poem-reciting meeting of youths and students took place. Wreaths were laid before Kim Hyong Jik's statue and grave by senior party and state officials, working people, servicemen, youth and schoolchildren today. His statue erected at Kim Hyong Jik Military Medical University was unveiled with due ceremony.