Repeal of "NSL" called for
Pyongyang, August 8 (KCNA) -- Rev. Kim Tong Wan, director of the South Korean Council of Christian Churches, made public a "declaration of 99 people" at a rally in Seoul on August 5 and strongly demanded for the repeal of the "National Security Law" and the release of all prisoners of conscience.
The "government" that still keeps prisoners of conscience behind bars and maintains the "NSL" cannot be called a "government" which stands for human rights, he said, contending that the present "government" should clinch the issue of them and the revision or repeal of the "NSL."
He insisted that the "government" should have the will to solve without fail human rights issues, including the repeal of the "NSL", release of prisoners of conscience and "law on human rights committee".
Japan's apology and compensation urged
Pyongyang, August 8 (KCNA) -- Members of the delegation of the Liaison Council of the Society for the Study of the Juche Idea of Japanese teachers headed by Keizo Sumiya, president of the Fukushima Prefectural Teacher's Union, were interviewed by KCNA here on August 5.
The head said that the relations between Japan and the DPRK are at the lowest ebb owing to the wrong attitude, stand and behaviors of the Japanese government.
They have waged the struggle against the wrong attitude of the government out of the desire to provide a favourable environment for the establishment of Japan-DPRK friendly relations and Korea's reunification, he said.
Joei Aita, a member of the delegation, said that the Japanese government should sincerely make an apology and compensation for all the crimes Japan committed against the Korean people in the past.
Tadao Oishi, a member of the delegation, noted that it will be wise for the Japanese government to take an independent attitude towards its Korea policy and the liquidation of the past, though belatedly.
2nd meeting of joint preparatory committee
Pyongyang, August 8 (KCNA) -- The north, south and overseas preparatory committees (promotion headquarters) for the '99 Grand Pro-Reunification Festival for Independence and Great Unity of the Nation and the 10th pan-national rally on Friday held the second meeting of the joint preparatory committee in close touch with each other.
The meeting reviewed the preparations made for the grand pan-national reunification festival and discussed future measures, the agenda items which were proposed by the south promotion headquarters.
Referring to a great deal of work done by the north, south and overseas promotion headquarters, the meeting highly praised the south promotion headquarters for actively conducting a reunification movement under the difficult conditions.
The meeting stressed the need to heighten vigilance against the South Korean authorities' moves to scuttle the pan-national pro-reunification festival through the "government"-sponsored organization, "People's Council for National Reconciliation and Cooperation." It also expressed the firm will to vigorously conduct the struggle to decisively checkmate the separatist phoney "festival" of anti-reunification organizations.
The participants in the meeting shared the view that reunification movement organizations of South Korea must further intensify their joint struggle to participate in the August 15 Grand Pan-National Pro-Reunification Festival.
In case their participation is not possible owing to the South Korean authorities' obstruction, those organizations will hold functions to suit their specific conditions and adopt the same document as "pan-national declaration for independence and great unity of the nation" in order to greatly contribute to the development of the reunification movement, they stressed.
Old Japanese army tests A-bomb in sea off Korea
Pyongyang, August 8 (KCNA) -- The Japanese Tokyo Shimbun August 6 disclosed that the old Japanese army tested an A-bomb in the sea off Hungnam on the east coast of Korea just before the end of World War II.
According to a secret document of the U.S. Army quoting the Jiji news from the U.S. National Archives, the U.S. Army was informed of the fact that a test related to the atomic power took place at a chemical factory in Hungnam in 1945 and ordered investigation into it. It also said in an investigation report worked out on January 16, 1947, that the Japanese army made an explosion test with the help of a boat in waters off the east coast of the North Korea, the result of which was like an A-bomb.
The U.S. forces received information from an intelligence officer of the old Japanese army that it tested an A-bomb in waters 30 km away from Hungnam at the dawn of August 12, 1945, and huge mushroom-like clouds rose at that time.
Tokyo Shimbun said that Japan began an A-bomb research in secrecy on the order of the army headquarters from about 1940.
Reception given for S. Korean delegates
Pyongyang, August 8 (KCNA) -- The north preparatory committee for the grand pan-national reunification festival hosted a reception at Okryu Restaurant Saturday for delegates of pro-reunification patriotic organizations from South Korea.
Invited at the reception were delegate Ra Chang sun, advisor to the south headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country's Reunification (Pomminryon), its youth delegate So Won Chol = Ri Song U, Kang Hyong Gu and Pak Ki Su, delegates of the "National Alliance for Democracy and Reunification" = and Hwang Hye Ro, delegate of the South Korean Federation of University Student Councils (Hanchongryon), which represents the south headquarters of the National Alliance of Youth and Students for the Country's Reunification (Pomchonghakryon).
Also present were Kim Yong Dae, chairman of the central committee of the Korean Social Democratic Party, and officials concerned.
An address was made by An Kyong Ho, chairman of the north preparatory committee for the grand pan-national reunification festival and director of the secretariat of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland.
He said the forthcoming festival to be attended by South Korean delegates of pro-reunification movement will record the first chapter in history in which three parties from the north, south and abroad sit at the same table.
The resolute determination of delegates who came to attend the grand pan-national reunification festival will give a strong impetus to the struggle of the people in the North Korea for the building of a powerful nation and the country's reunification, he said, adding that this festival will be a grand political festival, another landmark in the way of national reunification.
In his reply Ra Chang sun said:
The south headquarters of Pomminryon sent delegates to Pyongyang, which derived from an important resolution to make the festival, the tenth of its kind, a more grandiose and significant pro-reunification festival common to the nation in which three parties from the north, south and abroad sit at the same table to demonstrate at home and abroad the Korean nation's will for reunification and develop in depth reunification movement.
He will not throw away the banner of reunification and patriotism though the way of reunification and patriotism is thorny, he said. He expressed the will to lift up louder voices of national independence and great unity reflecting the aspiration of the South Korean patriotic people and Pomminryon after reunification and work hard at festival events for successful festival.
Rim Min Sik and delegation of European regional headquarters here
Pyongyang, August 8 (KCNA) -- Rim Min Sik, secretary general of the joint secretariat of the Pomminryon, and a delegation of the European regional headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country's Reunification led by chairman Kim Sun Hwan arrived here Saturday by plane to attend the '99 Grand Pro-Reunification Festival for Independence and Great Unity of the Nation and the 10th pan-national rally.
S. Korean junta's plot to arrest pro-reunification patriots
Pyongyang, August 8 (KCNA) -- The South Korean ruling quarters are kicking off an arrest whirlwind after issuing Saturday warrants for arrest of Ra Chang sun, adviser to the south headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country's Reunification (Pomminryon), and nine other members of the south side who had attended the grand national seminar for the independence and great unity of the nation in Beijing on August 5, according to a radio report from Seoul.
They are trying to punish them by the "National Security Law" on charges that they met the delegate of our side and discussed the proposal on reunifying the country by the confederal formula.
This whirlwind of arrest of pro-reunification patriots is a challenge to all the fellow countrymen whose hearts are burning with the desire for reunification with the grand pan-national reunification festival near at hand.
This once again clearly proves that the South Korean ruling quarters are a group of traitors seeking to perpetuate the national split, persistently pursuing the anti-reunification policy in contravention of the will of the whole nation for reunification.
Delegates call for opening epochal phase
Pyongyang, August 8 (KCNA) -- Delegates of pro-reunification patriotic organizations in South Korea who arrived here Saturday to participate in the grand pan-national reunification festival called upon the 70 million compatriots to turn out in the struggle for the reunification of the country.
Ra Chang sun, advisor to the south headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country's Reunification (Pomminryon), in an arrival statement issued at the airport said that we are going to have the 10th pan-national rally at the crossroads of war or peaceful reunification. He called for opening an epochal phase of the national reunification by successfully holding the rally.
Noting that this is their first historic participation in the meeting of the north, south and abroad in ten years, he said: "The door of reunification is now open at last." He further said:
We experienced turns and twists for the first meeting. Let us make every possible effort to use it as a springboard for a continued meeting.
Dear 70 million fellow countrymen in the south, the north and abroad, let all of us come out as one to the new road of national reunification, united close around Pomminryon.
Delegate Ri Song U of the "National Alliance for Democracy and Reunification," in an arrival statement said that the 70 million people should open a decisive phase of national reunification through the great national unity and dance a dance of reunification, a dance of liberation, joyously on the day when the wall of division will be pulled down in a storm.
DPRK hard hit by torrential rain and typhoon
Pyongyang, August 8 (KCNA) -- Many parts of the country were hard hit by torrential rain and typhoon from dawn of August 3 to 4.
Downpour and typhoon brought under water more than 90,000 hectares of farmland, washed away or buried under silt over 20,000 hectares of land and did damage to crops in more than 50,000 hectares in north and south Hwanghae provinces, south Hamgyong and Kangwon provinces alone, with the result that the grain harvest is expected to drop sharply. They also destroyed or inundated thousands of dwelling houses and public buildings and severely damaged over 5,500 sections of roads and more than a thousand sections of bridges.
Human losses were also reported.
Hardest hit was south hwanghae province, the nation's food basket, which was pounded by 150-280 mm downpour and typhoon with 15-30 metres per second.
The downpour and typhoon left more than 40,000 hectares of paddy and non-paddy fields completely submerged, washed away or buried under silt over 5,000 hectares and damaged crops in over 30,000 hectares in the province.
Moreover, hundreds of residential houses and public buildings were inundated, more than 160 sections of roads and over 50 sections of bridges destroyed to paralyze the transport and communications network.
Torrential rain also hit South Hamgyong Province, leaving more than 32,000 hectares of farmland submerged and washing away or burying under silt hundreds of hectares. Typhoon played havoc with crops in more than 18,000 hectares of farmland and destroyed many sections of roads and dikes.
Thongchon and Chonnae counties and many other parts of Kangwon Province and North Hwanghae Province were hard hit by downpour and typhoon.
As already reported, Kaesong city, north and south Phyongan provinces and Pyongyang and many other areas of the country suffered a lot from the torrential rain and strong wind that hit them for several consecutive days since the end of July.
The national and local committees for measures against flood damage are now taking prompt steps for the recovery from damage.
Anniversary of ASEAN observed
Pyongyang, August 8 (KCNA) -- Papers here today dedicate articles to the 32nd anniversary of the foundation of ASEAN.
A signed article of Rodong Sinmun says:
In the past ASEAN has played a positive role in the work to achieve the common prosperity and development and ensure regional peace and stability through political and economic cooperation among its member nations.
In particular, ASEAN has resolutely rejected the hegemonism and strong-arm policy of outside forces to control ASEAN politically and economically, and dynamically struggled to defend the sovereignty of the member nations.
It proposed an idea of converting Southeast Asia into a nuclear-free zone and has strenuously struggled for its realization, repulsing the persistent obstructions of the west. As a result, the committee for converting Southeast Asia into a nuclear-free zone was set up in July.
It has also exerted every possible effort to put economic relations and cooperation among the member nations onto a higher stage.
The friendly relations between the DPRK and ASEAN are developing on good terms as days go by.
The just aim put up by ASEAN is sure to come true.
U.S. hit for new war moves
Pyongyang, August 8 (KCNA) -- The U.S. hawks attempt to unleash a new war in the Korean peninsula at any cost.
The attempt comes in for a great deal of criticism in a Rodong Sinmun article today.
The recent air raids on Yugoslavia prove that the U.S. hawks consider the DPRK the next target, the author of the article says, and goes on:
In the Balkan war the U.S. tested such a Korean war scenario as the "operation plan 5027-98." the U.S. Sought in this to examine the feasibility and effectiveness of the scenario, look into and confirm the operational capacity and practicality of the armed forces to be called out for the scenario, overcome its shortcomings, replenish and improve and perfect the scenario so as to put it into practice when a convenient pretext and opportunity come.
The U.S. is now hell-bent on deploying aggression forces in the peninsula and its surrounding areas. Typical of this is that after the armed conflict in the West Sea of Korea, a product of the backstage maneuvers of the U.S. hawks, the U.S. task force whose theatre is the peninsula is worming its way into northeast Asia on the plea of "swift reaction" and "deterrent."
The frantic U.S. maneuvers going on in the far east go to prove that the next war may break out in the peninsula.
The remarks of the U.S. Defense Secretary, Cohen, during his recent trip to Japan and South Korea, must not go unnoticed. He threatened to call all military means of the U.S., Japan and South Korea out to "punish" the DPRK in case it launches another satellite, a declaration that the U.S. will provoke a war against the DPRK on the pretext of the launch.
All this shows that no doubt, the next war will break out in the peninsula. The outbreak of war is a matter of time.
2nd DPRK-targeted "nuclear suspicion" racket
Pyongyang, August 8 (KCNA) -- The U.S. bellicose elements persist in making much fuss about the "missile threat of the north", insisting that the satellite launch of the DPRK for the space research is a "missile launch."
Minju Joson today in a signed commentary terms this row as a crafty intrigue to justify and escalate their moves to start a war against the DPRK.
The commentary says:
The U.S. warmongers described the DPRK's satellite launch as a "missile launch" right after its launch last year only to be mocked by world public. Nevertheless, they do not cease to cry over the DPRK's "missile threat". They have gone the length of giving further spurs to the development and deployment of the "Theatre Missile Defense" system on the pretext of coping with the "north's missile threat" and, at the same time, inveigling their junior allies including Japan and South Korea into their moves.
It was against this backdrop that U.S. Defense Secretary Cohen during his recent visit to South Korea repeated the assertion that the DPRK's satellite launch was a "missile launch" and said in order to "deter it", it was necessary to "react to it with the mobilization of all military means". This clearly shows that the U.S. is about to ignite a war against the DPRK by faulting it in a far-fetched manner.
We bitterly denounce the U.S.'s much ado about "missile threat" intended to create a war-like situation on the Korean peninsula as a second racket over "nuclear suspicion."
The U.S. attempt to unleash a war against the DPRK compels us to further increase the self-reliant defence capabilities.
We will go ahead with satellite and missile launch whoever may say this or that. If the United States ignites a war on that pretext, we will mete out a thousand-fold punishment to the U.S. this is our steadfast determination and will.