Anniv. of July 26 Armed Uprising of Cuban people commemorated
Pyongyang, July 23 (KCNA) -- A gathering to mark the 46th anniversary of the July 26 Armed Uprising of the Cuban people was held at the Chollima House of Culture on Thursday. Present at the gathering were Minister of Education Pyon Yong Rip who is also chairman of the Korea-Cuba Solidarity Committee, vice-chairman Kim Jin Bom of the Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries, other officials concerned and working people in the city. Invited there were Cuban ambassador to the DPRK Jose Manuel Inclan Embade and embassy officials. Speeches were exchanged there.
Revision of "broadcasting law" demanded in South Korea
Pyongyang, July 23 (KCNA) -- 60 civic and public organizations including the South Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and the Citizens' Federation for Democratic Society on July 20 held a joint press conference to join in the struggle of the trade unions of the "Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation" and the "Korean Broadcasting System" going on for 8 consecutive days, according to a Seoul-based radio. The organizations demanded the revision of the "broadcasting law" and urged the present South Korean ruler to make a decision for the settlement of the issue. Meanwhile, the trade unions reclarified a 5-point demand necessary for broadcasting reform and declared that they would go on strike until it is met. And the joint emergency measure committee of the broadcasting trade union declared that if the "government" and ruling party don't show a responsible posture within this week, it will escalate the struggle in all sectors.
DPRK government memorandum supported abroad
Pyongyang, July 23 (KCNA) -- The DPRK government memorandum on immortal feats performed by the President Kim Il Sung in the history of the movement for the country's reunification is actively supported by organizations and figures of different countries.
The Guyana-Korea friendship Association in a statement on July 13 said that the three principles of independence, peaceful reunification and great national unity and the proposal on reunifying the country by confederal formula, both put forward by Kim Il Sung, are the most correct offers for reunification suitable to the realities on the Korean peninsula.
Boris Petkov, president of the executive council of the central committee of the Bulgarian Communist Party (Marxist), in his statement on July 16 said that he joined the peace-loving people of the world in bitterly condemning the anti-reunification moves of the U.S. imperialists and South Korean authorities and strongly demanded the latter accept the fair and aboveboard proposals for reunification of the DPRK at an early date.
Manik Lal Shrestha, chairman of the Nepal-Korea Friendship Association, issued a statement on July 15 stressing that the proposals put forward by President Kim Il Sung for the reunification of the country are fully supported and welcomed by the world people who love justice and peace as they are a great reunification program proved by history.
The memorandum was published in bulletin by the Guyana Committee for Support to Korea's Reunification on July 16. In the preface the bulletin noted that the immortal feats performed by Kim Il Sung will shine for all ages and Korea will certainly be reunified independently and peacefully in the near future, as the respected Kim Jong Il, the great lodestar of Korea's reunification, is brilliantly carrying forward the cause of Korea's reunification.
Flinging S. Korean markets open to Japanese goods
Pyongyang, July 23 (KCNA) -- The secretariat of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland (CPRF) issued information bulletin no. 791 on July 22 denouncing the pro-Japanese sycophantic treacheries of the South Korean ruling quarters in flinging their markets open to Japanese goods after having sold off the inviolable territory of the country and totally allowed the infiltration of Japanese culture.
The present South Korean ruling quarters totally abolished the "system of diversified channel of import," thus lifting the embargo on even a few items of Japanese goods, the information bulletin said, and continued: This means a total submission to Japan and fully shows the pro-Japanese treacherous nature of the South Korean authorities.
The CPRF secretariat resolutely condemns the South Korean ruling quarters' opening of their markets to Japanese goods in the name of the entire nation, branding it as an intolerable treacherous act of totally bankrupting South Korean impoverished businesses which are on the verge of collapse under the pressure of foreign capital and throwing the people into distress.
It is as clear as noonday that the South Korean economy which is reeling under the IMF mandate will be more seriously shackled by the United States and Japan and go into bankruptcy and the people's life will be more miserable owing to all the more highhanded U.S. trade pressure and to the Japanese goods' monopoly on the South Korean markets.
KCNA on S. Korean political quagmire
Pyongyang, July 23 (KCNA) -- A movement to carry out political reform by "putting on hold the introduction of parliamentary cabinet system slated within the year" and "creating a new party" is driving the South Korean political situation into a quagmire.
It was opened to the public through the press on July 20 that the South Korean chief executive and the "Prime Minister" Kim Jong Pil met in top secrecy on July 17 and "confirmed the policy of shelving the constitutional revision of parliamentary cabinet system slated within the year" and agreed to jointly "inaugurate a new party" in early August with the "National Congress for New Politics", "United Liberal Democrats" and some opposition members in a bid to win the "parliamentary" election next year. This news heralded a "storm of sweeping political reform".
Upset by this, Kim Jong Pil immediately tried to dodge his responsibility by asserting that he has never agreed upon the "inauguration of a new party" and, at the same time, put pressure on the present chief executive, threatening he would "resign as prime minister" in retaliation against the leakage of the secret.
This news also sparked protest among opposition factions of the two ruling parties in the coalition "government." And opposition parties are taking an offensive against the ruling camp, branding the top-secret confab of the present authorities as a "secret-room politics" and an "operation for destroying opposition parties".
Mounting are criticism and grievance among the people that they are the only victim to the unpredictable political turbulence in South Korea in the grip of a serious political and economic crisis. The developments prove to the international community once again that South Korea is politically most underdeveloped area in the world and that the present ruling quarters of South Korea are repeating a despicable trick employed by the "civilian-veiled" dictator to take power in the past.
The South Korean political situation clearly indicates that the fate of the present ruler is little different from that of Kim Young Sam and that the present "government" will face the same doom as the "civilian-veiled government" did.
"Jonsung Cup" sports contest opens
Pyongyang, July 23 (KCNA) -- The "Jonsung Cup" sports contest opened on Thursday to mark the 46th anniversary of the victory in the Fatherland Liberation War (July 27), the day of the second liberation. The contest will include 10 sports events such as swimming, water polo, yachting and water skiing. Addressing the opening ceremony, chairman Mun Jae Dok of the Federation of Sports Technique under the Ministry of Sports and Physical Culture called upon all the sportsmen and sportswomen to display high sports technique and strong will so as to positively contribute to the development of national sports technique and adorn the contest with success.
Japanese reactionaries urged to drop foolish ambition
Pyongyang, July 23 (KCNA) -- The Japanese reactionaries have come in for strong criticism by Rodong Sinmun today for the recently disclosed foolish preparations for an aerial attack on the DPRK's territory.
The Japanese reactionaries will have to pay a dear price for any form of infringement, to say nothing of an aerial attack on the DPRK, a signed commentary of the paper warns, and goes on:
Japan stands no chance whatever against the DPRK. To reinvade the DPRK would be a very dangerous act that would put the very existence of Japan into an unpredictable danger. And it is a day dream. They are now running wild out of reason, overheated with fever of militarism.
They have been steeped in this militarism for a long period of time. Only a severe punishment awaits those militarist lunatics who are throwing themselves into an abyss of ruin, unable to find east and west, south and north. Noting that the Korean people have long waited for an opportunity to give vent to their deep-seated resentment against Japan, the commentary stresses:
If the Japanese authorities truly wish to give the DPRK such an opportunity, it will not miss it.
Rodong Sinmun calls for accelerating 2nd grand Chollima march
Pyongyang, July 23 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today editorially calls on the entire party and country and all the people to adorn this year with a great turning-point in building a powerful nation by accelerating in full gear the second grand Chollima march on the basis of the achievements made in the first half of the year and brilliantly honoring their tasks for the latter half of the year.
In the first half of the year the Korean people have achieved signal successes which guarantee a bright future of socialist construction by making a breakthrough toward a new leaping advance despite the blockade of the imperialists and serious economic difficulties, it says, and goes on:
The Korean people's victory in their struggle clearly demonstrates that neither obstructive maneuvers on the part of the imperialists nor hardships and trials can ever break the will of the worker's party and people of Korea to forge ahead to build a powerful nation.
Under the wise leadership of the respected Kim Jong Il our socialist economy has come to dynamically advance to hit the high goal of building an economically powerful nation after overcoming difficulties. Referring to the tasks for the latter half of the year, it notes it is the most important task and aim for the entire party and country and all the people to turn out as one and concentrate all efforts on the economic work and bring about a second great Chollima upsurge.
It calls for turning the plan of the WPK for socialist economic construction into reality with the faith and optimism about a final victory under the uplifted slogan, "Let's always be cheerful although our path is thorny". It underscores the need to create a new speed of advance in socialist construction by fully displaying the revolutionary spirit of self-reliance and working hard in the same style of work as in the period of the great Chollima upsurge when the Chollima movement and the collective innovation movement swept the country.
The prevailing situation demands that the whole party and all the people accelerate the socialist economic construction with an attitude of alert and readiness. The editorial calls for accelerating economic construction holding a rifle in one hand and a hammer or sickle in the other, guided by the WPK's idea of giving priority to military affairs.
Juche-based war methods bring victory in war
Pyongyang, July 23 (KCNA) -- The Korean people are greeting the 46th anniversary of their victory in the Fatherland Liberation War (July 27). The victory of the Korean people in the war was a brilliant fruition of the outstanding military idea, strategies and tactics of the President Kim Il Sung, a brilliant strategist.
He, basing himself on a correct analysis of the natural and geographical features of Korea and the balance of forces between our side and the enemy in each period and at each stage of the war, created original Juche-based war methods unprecedented in the world history of war.
When the U.S. imperialists unleashed a war of aggression by surprise on June 25, 1950, he put forward the strategical and tactical policy of going over to a decisive counterattack immediately. He made sure that the Korean People's Army did not only attack the enemy along thoroughfares but encircle and annihilate the enemy by going round his flanks and rear and employed new war methods including a coordinated operation of services and arms and a continuous striking action.
With these original war methods employed, the KPA servicemen liberated Seoul, the bulwark of the enemy, in just three days after the start of the war and more than 90 percent of the territory of South Korea under the enemy control and 92 percent of its population in one month and more.
During the period of the strategic retreat of the KPA the President saw to it that the second front was formed by large combined units of the regular army in broad areas in the depth of the enemy to shatter its attempt through close combined operation with the main front in advance, thus opening a favourable phase for a new counterattack of the people's army.
Besides, the President put the enemy on the defensive with the original war methods including an active positional defence warfare in reliance on fortified pits, mountain warfare, night warfare, aircraft hunters team movement, tank hunters team movement, snipers group movement and storming party movement.
It was thanks to the President's clairvoyant military strategy that the enemy was brought to his knees though he boasted of being superior in number and technology.
Gift to Kim Jong Il from Japanese delegation
Pyongyang, July 23 (KCNA) - General Secretary Kim Jong Il@received a gift from the Japanese joint delegation of the New Socialist Party and the Okinawa Socialist Mass Party on a visit to Korea. The gift was handed to Kim Yong Sun, secretary of the Central Committee of the Worker's Party of Korea, by co-leaders of the delegation, Osamu Yatabe, chairman of the New Socialist Party and former member of the House of Councilors, and Souko Simabukuro, chairman of the Okinawa Socialist Mass Party and member of the House of Councilors.
Army-people unity is main source of certain victory
Pyongyang, July 23 (KCNA) -- July 27 is the second liberation day for the Korean people because they defeated the U.S. imperialists in the Fatherland Liberation War (1950-1953) and defended the country's independence and the national sovereignty.
With the approach of this day, working people across the country are recalling with deep emotion the war days during which the army and the people fought together for the victory.
The great vitality of the army-people unity was fully displayed during the war. It was the main source of miracles unprecedented in the war history. As the war broke out, all the Korean people turned out in the wartime production and in support of the front. The people in the frontline area not only ensured production but transported ammunition and food, took wounded soldiers to field hospitals and reconstructed destroyed roads under the shower of shells and bullets.
Throughout the war the women in Namgang village, Kosong county, and the people in Soksari, Kumgang county, Kangwon Province, shared sweets and bitters with the soldiers on Mt. Wolbi, Hill 351 and Height 1211. The massive self-sacrificing spirit and heroism performed by them are still stirring up the hearts of all the people.
Whenever the boom of guns stopped, they covered 28 km to climb up a height with ammunition cases on their heads even at dead of night and whenever a bridge was destroyed by an enemy air raid they threw themselves into a deep river to reconstruct it. People sincerely helped the fighting soldiers by forming stretcher-parties, front art groups and cooking teams.
The peasants across the country donated over 3,000 tons of rice to support the front by the end of April, 1953, in hearty response to the patriotic initiative taken by the peasants who reaped a bumper harvest in Phyongwon county, South Phyongan Province, in November, 1952. This is just one example of a high degree of enthusiasm of the people to assist the army at that time. This patriotic movement also involved businessmen, merchants and even pupils.
Thanks to this invincible might of the army-people unity the Korean people were the first in history to defeat the U.S. imperialists and emerged a victor in the war.
The army-people unity the tradition of which was achieved in the anti-Japanese bloody war and consolidated to be invincible in the flames of the Fatherland Liberation War still serves as a bottom line of our society and a sure guarantee for victory.
Japan's dangerous move against DPRK
Pyongyang, July 23 (KCNA) -- Norota, director general of the Defense Agency of Japan, at a press conference on July 21 after a cabinet meeting said that the Defense Agency will seek an appropriation of funds to acquire a midair refueling airplane in the budget for the next fiscal year, according to a report. The July 21st issue of the Japanese Yomiuri Shimbun said the Defense Agency is planning to introduce refueling tankers on the pretext of the DPRK's "ballistic missile" issue and increase the duration of flight of early warning planes and fighters.
Accordingly, the Defense Agency is scheming to include the cost for the introduction of refueling aircraft in the last budget of the 1996-2000 "mid-term plan for the maintenance of defense capability" so as to deploy refueling tankers during the next mid-term defense plan. It is scheduled to deploy more than 4 refueling tankers, each costing about 20 billion yen by the year 2005. The move is aimed to drastically extend the ranges of fighters of the air "Self-Defense Force" for a war of aggression against the DPRK.
Japan's sea transport of plutonium accused
Pyongyang, July 23 (KCNA) -- Over 100 members of the Pusan council of citizens movement organizations and the "National Association of Fishermen" in South Korea held a rally in front of the Japanese consulate general in Pusan on Thursday, strongly protesting against Japan's sea transport of plutonium, a radio report from Seoul said.
The ralliers in a statement noted that a Japanese ship carrying 446 kg of plutonium left Britain for Japan on July 20, in spite of protest at sea by Green Peace and other organizations. This is an intention to revive militarism through nuclear arming, they said. They declared that they would launch a joint struggle with Green Peace and other world's environmental organizations and citizens and fishermen's organizations across South Korea to check Japan's transport of plutonium.
They also adopted a letter of protest addressed to the Japanese Prime Minister, in which they urged Japan to stop the plutonium transport plan and repeal the policy of nuclear arming and nuclear energy threatening global peace.
Tongrim waterfall
Pyongyang, July 23 (KCNA) -- Tongrim waterfall is one of the eight scenic spots in the northwestern part of Korea. The waterfall is called "beads fall", as its water is as clear as the beads. It is in the southern valley of Mt. Thae (593 m) in Kogunyong-ri, Tongrim country, North Phyongan Province.
The waterfall is only five metres high. But the declivity is so steep that great turbulence is produced. There is a legend that when taking a shower bath a crookback would become straight. The waterfall brink consists of rock stratum, surrounded by pine and maple trees and overcup oaks. At the rock bottom there is a saddle-shaped rock on which you can take a shower bath.
The waterfall of curious shape blends in perfectly with the beautiful environment.
On the way up to the waterfall there stands the Jangsu (general) rock, which is inscribed with messages written by an anonymous poet. It reads: "Even three high-ranking posts cannot substitute for this beautiful landscape." Tongrim waterfall is designated as a natural monument (registered number is 69) by the state. Today the waterfall is used as a recreational ground for the people.
Greetings to Egyptian President
Pyongyang, July 23 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, yesterday sent a message of greetings to Mohamed Hosni Mubarak, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, on the occasion of the 47th anniversary of the July 23 revolution, the national holiday of the Egyptian people. Expressing the belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would continue to grow stronger and develop, the message wished progress and wellbeing to the Egyptian people.
Funeral of Kim Pyong Sik held
Pyongyang, July 23 (KCNA) -- A solemn state funeral of Kim Pyong Sik, advisor to the central committee of the Korean Social Democratic Party, was held in Pyongyang today.
Kim Pyong Sik held important posts, including the first vice-chairman of the central standing committee of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, and vice-president of the DPRK and chairman of the central committee of the Korean Social Democratic Party after returning to the socialist homeland.
It was attended by Hong Song Nam, Yang Hyong Sop, Kwak Pom Ki and other members of the state funeral committee, officials concerned and the bereaved family members. Pyongyangites expressed deep condolences over his death as the car carrying his coffin went past them. A funeral service was held at the patriotic martyrs' cemetery situated on the suburbs of Pyongyang.
Yang Hyong sop, vice-president of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, said in his farewell address that Kim Pyong Sik a political figure who devoted himself to the development of Chongryon and the independent and peaceful reunification of the country, loyally upholding the wise guidance of the great leaders President Kim Il Sung and Marshal Kim Jong Il. His death brought big sorrow and loss to our people but the exploits performed by him for the country and the nation will always be remembered, Yang Hyong Sop noted.
Amid the playing of a dirge and a rifle volley, the coffin was placed in the grave.
Members of the state funeral committee and bereaved family members put earth on the coffin and laid wreaths before the grave.