DPRK FM spokesman on peaceful use of space
Pyongyang, August 4 (KCNA) -- The spokesman of the Foreign Ministry of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea today answered the question put by KCNA as regards the serious setback Japan suffered in its move against the DPRK at recent meetings of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).
At the 32nd conference of the foreign ministers of ASEAN nations and the 6th "ASEAN regional forum", Japan was very hectic in its efforts to put a halt to the DPRK's re-launch of a satellite insisting its earlier launch was a "missile launch". And, over the results of the meetings it is making much ado, asserting that its "successful" lobbying compelled participants of the meetings to express "apprehension" over the DPRK's "missile launch".
Quite contrary to Japan's far-fetched argument that the DPRK's launch of a satellite was a "missile launch", all participants of the meetings described it as a "payload launch", which is tantamount to officially recognizing the satellite "Kwangmyongsong 1" which the DPRK launched as a signal to start the building of a powerful nation.
This goes to prove that although Japan made desperate efforts to use the meeting of the "ASEAN regional forum" as an opportunity to inveigle the ASEAN nations into an anti-DPRK "cooperation" system in collusion with the United States and the South Korean authorities, most of the Asian and pacific nations are taking a cautious and vigilant approach to the wild ambition of Japan to become a military giant at any cost on the pretext of the DPRK's "missile threat."
It is a deep-rooted bad habit of the Japanese reactionaries to attain their ill-intentioned purpose by faulting others.
Potential threat to the Asia-pacific region does not come from the DPRK but from Japan which is working hard to realize at any cost its old dream of the "Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere" by stepping up nuclear weaponization and its conversion into a military giant.
Despite Japan's dogged argument about "launch of ballistic missile" the DPRK's satellite launch has been recognized by the world and its scientific research aimed at the peaceful use of the space will gain further momentum.
2nd meeting of the north preparatory committee
Pyongyang, August 4 (KCNA) -- The 2nd meeting of the north preparatory committee for the '99 Grand Pro-Reunification Festival for Independence and Great Unity of the Nation and the 10th pan-national rally was held here on Tuesday.
The meeting reviewed preparations made so far by the committee under the agreement of the joint preparatory committee for the grand pan-national reunification festival, and noted that the preparations are progressing successfully as planned by the joint preparatory committee.
It also discussed the detailed plans for the festival events and such pressing practical issues as material preparations for the festival and decided on measures for actively accelerating the festival preparations at the final stage.
Symposium on national reunification idea of Kim Jong Il
Pyongyang, August 4 (KCNA) -- A symposium on the national reunification idea of General Secretary Kim Jong Il was held on Tuesday.
The symposium put stress on the immortal feats performed by Kim Jong Il for the country and the nation, who, regarding it as the revolutionary duty and obligation to carry out the behest of the President Kim Il Sung on national reunification, has wisely led the whole nation to the struggle for the sacred cause of reunification with his prominent idea and leadership.
The speakers noted that he defined the principle of the national independence as the fundamental basis of the great unity of the whole nation by further developing in depth the idea of Kim Il Sung on great national unity and put forward the outstanding idea of achieving the great national unity in the spirit of patriotism.
Calling for the removal of the political and military confrontation between the north and south, they stressed that to this end, the north and south should pave the way together for national reunification, promoting co-existence, co-prosperity and common interests on the basis of recognizing each other's idea and system.
The South Korean authorities should replace the anti-north confrontation policy with the pro-north reconciliation policy and the war policy with the peace policy and oppose and reject the foreign forces by joining efforts with the fellow countrymen with the stand of the national independence, they held.
Present at the symposium were Yang Hyong Sop, vice-President of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, other cadres and officials of social organizations, national institutions and social scientific, educational and press organs.
Appeal to Japanese progressive organizations and figures
Pyongyang, August 4 (KCNA) -- The DPRK Measure Committee for Demanding Compensation to "Comfort Women for the Army" and the Victims of the Pacific War on Tuesday sent an appeal to progressive organizations and figures of Japan as regards Japan's persistent refusal to make apology and compensation for the crimes it committed against the Korean people in the past.
The appeal said:
The Japanese imperialists committed indelible crimes while enforcing unprecedentedly vicious colonial rule over Korea for nearly half a century after their illegal occupation of it.
Especially, the crime related to "comfort women for the army" was the unheard-of war crime and violation of human rights that could be committed only by Japan.
The unethical crimes committed by the Japanese imperialists in the early 20th century must be cleared away in the present century, not in the 21st century. Top class criminals are still at large in Japan. This is the tragedy for human society and disgrace to Japan.
The international public circles are extending support and solidarity to progressive organizations and figures of Japan which are conducting activities for the liquidation of Japan's past crimes, including crimes related to the "comfort women" issue and forcible drafting in the teeth of the pressure and obstruction by the Japanese government authorities and right-wing reactionaries, the appeal pointed out.
If the Japanese government authorities persistently deny the history of aggression and crimes and take the attitude of avoiding the responsibility for it, Korea will continue to struggle for the liquidation through generations and let them pay a high price at any cost, it said, adding:
We take this opportunity to call upon organizations and figures of Japan to invigorate their just struggle for smashing the unjustifiable moves of the authorities and liquidating Japan's past crimes including the crime related to the "comfort women" issue.
New posters created in Korea
Pyongyang, August 4 (KCNA) -- More than 20 posters inspiring the working people in the 2nd grand Chollima march were created at the Mansudae Art Studio of Korea.
Among them are posters saying that General Secretary Kim Jong Il's policy of giving priority to the army is a valuable sword of guaranteeing the victory of the revolutionary cause of Juche and showing the heroic spirit of the Korean people running at a canter on the steed.
Some of them introduce the excellent folk sports and games of the Korean nation.
Planned discussion on "abuses of human rights in north"
Pyongyang, August 4 (KCNA) -- The South Korean ruling quarters have come in for strong criticism by Rodong Sinmun today for their anti-DPRK smear campaign through "government"-sponsored students' organizations.
A plan to discuss "abuses of human rights in the north" at an "event" in Seoul National University was reportedly published by the "Kwangju-South Jolla Provincial Federation of General Student Councils" and the "North Jolla Provincial Federation of General Student Councils" under the "Association of University Student Councils Outside the South Korean Federation of University Student Councils", a "government"-sponsored students' organization of South Korea, the author of a Rodong Sinmun commentary today says, and goes on:
This plan is part of the South Korean ruling quarters' premeditated smear campaign to build up public opinion on "human rights abuses in the north."
There is no "human rights issue" in the DPRK.
Human rights are seriously violated in South Korea under the colonial fascist rule of the U.S. imperialists and present ruling quarters.
South Korea has many fascist laws including the "security law" which openly infringe on the human rights of the working people.
It also has many fascist repressive organs suppressing human rights of people such as "Intelligence Service," fascist police, "prosecution" and "defense security command."
The South Korean people are denied even elementary rights to existence under the fascist rule of the U.S. imperialists and the "people's government" rulers, to say nothing of political rights of man.
Through the anti-north campaign, the South Korean rulers seek to dampen longings of the South Korean people for the north, impair the DPRK in which rights of the working people are being fully guaranteed and conceal the true picture of the South Korean society, the worst area of human rights violations in the world.
But they can not attain their purpose.
No matter how frantically they may try to disparage the DPRK, its socialist system is just like heaven which must be looked up to because it has strong independence and invincible single-hearted unity. It is foolish enough to slander it.
Struggle against moves to open market to U.S. films supported
Pyongyang, August 4 (KCNA) -- The central committee of the Korean Film Workers Union released a statement on August 3 as regards the recent struggle of film workers and people of different social standings in South Korea against the moves to open a market to U.S. films.
The South Korean ruling quarters at negotiations with the U.S. on revising "investment agreement" yielded to its brigandish demand for drastic cutdown of the 146 day show of South Korean films a year from the year 2002 and screening of more U.S. films instead.
The South Korean filmdom including the moviemen association and the movie makers association set up organizations in protest against this and held a protest rally of all moviemen and a meeting declaring a struggle against the plot to cut down the compulsory screening days of South Korean films. They are waging powerful struggles of different forms including a street march, an over-night sit-in and a hair-cutting ceremony. Meanwhile, the South Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and Citizen's Solidarity for Democratic Society and other dissident organizations are conducting ceremonies for burning U.S. goods and movement for boycotting U.S. films, condemning the U.S. as "cultural imperialists" killing South Korean culture, the statement says, and goes on:
Their struggle is an eruption of their pent-up indignation at the U.S. cultural infiltration and at the despicable flunkeyist and traitorous acts of the South Korean authorities and a patriotic struggle to prevent the withering of national culture and preserve the soul of the nation.
The central committee of the Korean Film Workers Union vehemently denounces the South Korean ruling quarters' moves to open a market to U.S. films as an unpardonable anti-national flunkeyist and traitorous act of obliterating the excellent traditional culture of the Korean nation and blocking the South Korean moviemen's right to existence. It extends full support and encouragement to the struggle of the South Korean people from all walks of life.
To root out the poisonous Yankee-style culture which is flooding South Korea and revive Korea's peculiar culture is the way of defending the country and the nation and accomplishing national reunification.
The moviemen and people of different social standings in South Korea should raise the flame of the anti-U.S. and anti-"government" struggle to resolutely foil the attempt to open a market to U.S. films and defend and exalt the national culture.
Japanese hit for attempting to reexamine constitution
Pyongyang, August 4 (KCNA) -- The Japanese diet recently endorsed a bill on inaugurating AD HOC committees in both houses of the diet tasked to reexamine the constitution in a comprehensive manner, says Rodong Sinmun in a signed commentary today.
The bill suggests that these committees reexamine the problematic points in the present constitution so as to provide conditions for the discussion of the constitutional issues at the next regular diet session.
It is very ill-boding that the bill on inaugurating the AD HOC committees in both houses was endorsed at a time when the conservative politicians have become frantic in their moves to amend or delete the provisions banning war participation in the "peace constitution" after the adoption of the new war-related legislation, the commentary observes.
It continues:
By "problematic points" in the present constitution the Japanese reactionary ruling quarters mean articles restricting militarism and overseas expansion. They are to rewrite or delete such points.
In fact, the Japanese militarist forces are fully ready for overseas aggression militarily, but they cannot do so, subject to the "peace constitution".
It is, therefore, the stand of the Japanese reactionary ruling quarters to rewrite the "peace constitution" and legalize their moves for overseas aggression.
Now that the right of belligerency is legally guaranteed to them by the war-related legislation, they will be able to invade any countries as they please without any legal and institutional restrictions once the provisions of the present constitution banning overseas aggression are retrogressively revised.
This is what the recently endorsed bill is aimed at.
If the Japanese reactionary quarters are truly desirous of peace, they should stop the moves for the retrogressive revision of the constitution.
New stamps issued
Pyongyang, August 4 (KCNA) -- The DPRK Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications has recently issued new stamps.
Seen in the stamp dedicated to the 3rd World Women's Football Championship is the scenes of a spirited game such as deft dribbling, recovering the ball, goal kick and flying kick with the world map in background.
In background of the stamp dedicated to the 125th anniversary of the foundation of the Universal Postal Union is the telecom means showing the history of mail service.
There are other five stamps issued in commemoration of Mt. Kumgang tourism. Shown here are standing rocks and lagoon Samil in Sea-Kumgang, and Kuryong falls, Samson rocks and Kwimyon rock in outer-Kumgang.
In addition to these, a triple souvenir sheet let showing the history of mars and heavenly body is available. In its center are mars and its research satellite and two moons, phobos and deimos.
In its right part is the DPRK's first artificial satellite Kwangmyongsong 1, in its left Chomsongdae, an astronomical and meteorological observatory built in the first half of the 7th century in Korea and in its lower the profiles of the famous polish astronomer Copernicus (1473-1543), author of the Heliocentric Theory, German astronomer Kepler (1571-1630), Italian physicist and astronomer Galilei (1564-1642), British mathematician, physicist and astronomer Newton (1642-1727) and British astronomer Halley (1656-1742).
"National Federation of Women's Trade Unions" formed
Pyongyang, August 4 (KCNA) -- The "National Federation of the Women's Trade Unions" was formed with the attendance of representatives of the women's trade unions in nine areas in South Korea including over 700 female unionists and started its activities, a newspaper of South Korea Hangyore said.
This organization clarified its position to join soon the South Korean Confederation of Trade Unions.
The formation of the first women's trade union in Seoul in January this year was followed by the appearance of more organizations of women workers struggling for the democratization of the society and the right to existence and their number is on a steady increase.
Monument to victory in Fatherland Liberation War
Pyongyang, August 4 (KCNA) -- The monument to victory in the Fatherland Liberation War stands on the bank of the River Pothong, Pyongyang.
This monument symbolizes the immortal heroic feats of the Korean people and the people's army who achieved a great victory in the last Fatherland Liberation War (June 1950-july 1953).
It was erected on July 26, 1993 to mark the 40th anniversary of victory in the Fatherland Liberation War.
It consists of a large granite gate, two stone monuments, one bearing the handwriting of the respected President Kim Il Sung and the other carrying an ode dedicated to him, sculptured flag of the Worker's Party of Korea and military standard, the main sculpture "victory" and ten other sculptures.
Its architectural style is distinguishable from other monuments.
The main sculpture "victory" and all other sculptures show 70 figures in all. They are standing high on elaborately trimmed large granite pedestals.
The main sculpture "victory" flanked by group sculptures depicts a heroic KPA soldier, his submachine-gun slung across his chest, his right hand holding aloft the national flag.
And other sculptures "battle for liberating Taejon", "battle for crossing Raktong River", "pulling direct-firing guns to the height" and "defenders of Height 1211" truthfully depict the brilliant victory of the Juche war methods created in the Fatherland Liberation War and the heroic struggle of the brave soldiers of the people's army who defended the country with their lives.
Matchless self-sacrificing spirit and the mass heroism displayed by the pilots and the seamen of the people's army in humbling the U.S. imperialists' arrogance in the sky and at the sea who boasted of their technical and numerical superiority are reflected in the sculptures "defending the sky of the country", "heroes on Wolmi Islet" and "defending the sea of the country."
Sculptures "support of people in the rear to front" and "struggle of the people's guerrillas behind enemy lines," and so on. Represent the fight of the army and the people in perfect unity during the war.
The monument has drawn over 3.8 million Korean and foreign visitors since its unveiling.
Immortal encyclopedia for national reunification
Pyongyang, August 4 (KCNA) -- Papers here today dedicate articles to the 2nd anniversary of the publication by General Secretary Kim Jong Il of the celebrated work "Let Us Carry Out the Great Leader Comrade Kim Il Sung's Instructions for National Reunification."
Rodong Sinmun in a by-lined article says:
This work is a great political charter and reunification program that gives flawless answers to all theoretical and practical matters arising in the Korean people's movement for national reunification. Its publication marked a great political event that ushered in a new era for bringing a reunified country.
Kim Jong Il defined the three principles of independence, peaceful reunification and great national unity, the ten-point program of great unity of the whole nation for national reunification and the proposal for founding the Democratic Confederal Republic of Koryo, set forth by Kim Il Sung, as the three charters of national reunification after clarifying their importance in the national reunification movement and systematizing and consummating them in an integral way.
In the work Kim Jong Il made an overall review and consummation of the enduring feats Kim Il Sung performed for the cause of national reunification and provided the most just and realistic fighting program to all the Korean people so that they could launch a nationwide struggle for national reunification with a clear-cut target and direction, strong confidence and courage.
This is one of the great feats Kim Jong Il has made for the fatherland and the nation, the times and the history.
In the work he clarified principled matters and fundamental ways of thoroughly carrying out the Juche-based line and policy for national reunification laid down by Kim Il Sung, including the issues of adhering to the principle of national independence, achieving the great unity of the nation, attaining the country's reunification by peaceful means without the use of arms and the issue of converting the north-south relations of distrust and confrontation into those of trust and reconciliation in settling the country's reunification question.
Indeed, the work that represents the unshakable will of Kim Jong Il to realize the cause of national reunification at any cost, true to the noble intention of Kim Il Sung, serves as a motive force that inspires the entire nation to a nationwide struggle for national reunification as well as an immortal encyclopedia for national reunification.
Minju Joson in a by-lined article says that the Korean nation's struggle for national reunification has entered a new stage in the historic onward movement under the leadership of Kim Jong Il, stressing: All the compatriots in the north, south and overseas should thoroughly implement Kim Il Sung's instructions for national reunification, rallied firmly around Kim Jong Il.
Chinese principled stand for peaceful unification favored
Pyongyang, August 4 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea answered a question put by the KCNA today as regards the Taiwan chief executive's insistence on "parity."
Taiwan "President" Lee Teng-hui's remarks on July 9 that relations between Taiwan and China are "special state-to-state ties" are inviting accusation and denunciation from different countries of the world as well as from all the Chinese people, the spokesman said, and continued:
Nevertheless, the Taiwan chief executive is attempting to justify his separatist stand with the assertion that the "Republic of China" is a sovereign state and an independent state.
China is denouncing such attempt of Taiwan as a grave threat to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country, an undisguised challenge to the principle of "one China" on which the two sides of the strait have already agreed and a separatist act going against the desire of the Chinese people for peaceful unification. China is also strongly demanding Taiwan abandon its "logic of two states."
The Taiwan authorities' uninterrupted separatist assertion is attributable to the U.S. manipulation and its ulterior attempt to get a certain concession from China by actively backing Taiwan in political and military aspects and using it as a main card of the U.S. strategy of containing China.
We support the Chinese party and government's principled stand to achieve the peaceful unification of the country by the "one country, two systems" formula on the principle of "one China".