DPRK-U.S. talks to be held in Berlin
Pyongyang, August 28 (KCNA) -- Talks between delegations of the DPRK and the USA will open in Berlin on September 7.
The DPRK delegation is to be led by Kim Kye Gwan, vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the U.S. delegation by Kartman, special envoy for the Korean peninsula peace talks.
The DPRK and the United States agreed to have bilateral high-level talks on a regular basis and, accordingly, have held talks, when necessary, to settle the outstanding issues of common concern through negotiations.
The forthcoming Berlin talks will open under an agreement reached at the DPRK-U.S. Geneva talks early in August.
The talks will focus on such outstanding issues of common concern as lifting of U.S. economic sanctions against the DPRK.
Statement of DPRK FM spokesman distributed as UNSC official document
Pyongyang, August 28 (KCNA) -- The August 17 statement issued by a spokesman for the DPRK Foreign Ministry was distributed as the official document of the United Nations Security Council S/1999/892 on August 19.
The statement exposed the reactionary nature of the "sunshine policy," an anti-national, anti-reunification and anti-north confrontation policy persistently pursued by the South Korean authorities.
Friendship gathering at Cuban embassy
Pyongyang, August 28 (KCNA) -- Jose Manuel Inclan Embade, ambassador of the republic of Cuba to the DPRK, yesterday held a friendship gathering at the embassy upon the conclusion of the month for solidarity with the Cuban people.
Invited to the gathering were Kim Jin Bom, vice-chairman of the Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries, who is vice-chairman of the DPRK-Cuba Solidarity Committee, and officials concerned.
Cuban embassy officials were present there.
Speeches were made there.
Then the participants deepened the feelings of friendship, conversing with each other.
Avid reading of novel "Immortality"
Pyongyang, August 28 (KCNA) -- The novel "Immortality" of the series "Immortal History" is avidly read by students and intellectuals of South Korea around August 15, Korea's liberation day, according to information of the Pusan Committee of the National Democratic Front of South Korea quoted by the Seoul-based radio Voice of National Salvation.
The radio said that "Immortality" which had been published by the literary and art press group in the north was reproduced by the Dongbangsa Publishing House.
This, it broadcast, is a catching novel, which truthfully delineates the greatness of the President Kim Il Sung on the basis of facts in 1994, the last year of his life.
This novel is received by people from all walks of life in the south with strong desire for reading, it noted.
Bright future of Korean youth movement
Pyongyang, August 28 (KCNA) -- The members of the delegation of the Young Communist League of Norway and the Indonesian youth delegation in interview with KCNA on Thursday, said that the future of the Korean youth movement led by the great man is glorious and bright.
They said in unison that General Secretary Kim Jong Il set a model of the youth movement for the world.
Bjornar Kjonli, head of the delegation of the Young Communist League of Norway, said that Kim Jong Il instituted August 28 as Youth Day, and put forward the youth as a vanguard of the era and the most vibrant unit of society and is leading them.
Kjell Moen, member of the central committee of the Young Communist League of Norway, said that the youth problem was solved brilliantly in Korea and that the Korean youth are playing their vanguard role in defending the best man-centred socialist system and performing the feats in the revolution and construction.
Agus Haryadi, head of the Indonesian youth delegation, noted that the young Korean people are displaying the self-sacrificing traits for society, collective and socialist construction.
River-crossing contest in Pyongyang
Pyongyang, August 28 (KCNA) -- A Taedong River-crossing contest of school youth and children in Pyongyang took place in Panwol-do swimming pool on Friday to mark Youth Day.
Competing in the contest were at least 1,200 boys and girls selected from primary and senior middle schools in districts and counties of the city.
A demonstration crossing was made by pupils of Pyongyang Namsin Primary School before the contest which was held with a district as a unit.
Prizes were awarded to excellent teams at the end of the contest.
KCNA on useless "solicitation diplomacy" of S. Korea
Pyongyang, August 28 (KCNA) -- Hong Sun Yong, Minister of "Foreign Affairs and Trade" of South Korea, reportedly flew to Japan on August 23 and held "talks" with his Japanese counterpart, at which he said that "Pyongyang was planning ballistic missile test-fire" and that it was reaffirmed that the United States, Japan and South Korea would make a close "policy coordination" against it.
These days the South Korean authorities are busy with "solicitation diplomacy" in different countries under the signboard of "international cooperation." This is illustrated by recent foreign tour by Hong Sun Yong, Jo Song Thae, Minister of "National Defence", and Rim Tong Won, Minister of "National Unification".
Their moves have become so persistent and frantic that the Japanese Tokyo Shimbun August 23 carried an article headlined "S. Korea's 'diplomatic siege' for checking 'north' missile" as regards foreign visit of three ministers of South Korea.
The South Korean authorities are keen on the "solicitation diplomacy" in a bid to form a useless "diplomatic siege" only to reveal their true colors as lunatics of confrontation with the north and sycophantic traitors.
Their "solicitation diplomacy" is a foolish act to put diplomatic pressure and threat on the DPRK with the help of other countries and hurt us.
With no base "solicitation diplomacy" can they break our faith and will.
Impudent remark assailed
Pyongyang, August 28 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today in a signed commentary assails the piffle made by former Japanese prime minister Nakasone in an article contributed to the Los Angeles times that "the U.S. and Japan and other countries should urge north Korea to make economic reforms" in order to find solution to the "issue of North Korea" and that "north and south Korea" should "reaffirm the joint declaration on the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula" and discuss sort of "method of mutual observation."
Nothing good can be uttered by Nakasone who zealously followed the U.S. aggressive hostile policy toward the DPRK and the South Korean authorities' policy of confrontation with the north and took the lead in the anti-DPRK smear campaign during the term of his office, the commentary points out, and goes on:
The DPRK has never been left without reforms and nothing remains to be reformed. And neither somebody's "demand" nor the third party's intervention can be a solution to any issue.
The failure to implement "the joint declaration on the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula" is attributable not to the lack of any "method of observation", but to the U.S.'s nuclear threat to the DPRK and the South Korean authorities' disregard of the "declaration".
Noting that Nakasone's remark cannot be interpreted merely as his personal view, the commentary warns:
The Japanese reactionaries are well advised to think twice before saying anything, deeply mindful of who is their opponent.
Resolution on reparation to "comfort women for army" submitted to UN
Pyongyang, August 28 (KCNA) -- A resolution to the effect that "the issue of reparation to comfort women for the army has not been settled" was reportedly submitted to the 51st session of the UN sub-commission on protection and promotion of human rights now under way in Geneva.
In this regard the Japanese Mainichi Shimbun August 25 said the Japanese government has maintained the stand that the issue related to the "comfort women for the army" had already been solved through the Japan-South Korea 1965 "treaty of basic relations" but the resolution totally negates such stand.
The resolution noted that "though there is a treaty, the state blame for the reparation for damage recognized by the international law continues to exist", the paper reported.
According to the paper, the resolution was jointly proposed by 15 members of China, Belgium, Norway and other countries among 25 members of the sub-commission and is supported by an overwhelming majority of the members and it is, therefore, highly possible to be adopted by an overwhelming majority in one or two days.
Resumption of talks for Japan-DPRK diplomatic relations urged
Pyongyang, August 28 (KCNA) -- Japanese women including representative Sumiko Shimizu and secretary general Rumiko Ogawa of the Japanese Women's Liaison Society for Solidarity with Korean Women, on August 19 met with the chief cabinet secretary of Japan and demanded a resumption of the talks for Japan-DPRK diplomatic relations.
They asked him to cooperate with a Korea visiting group for peace guidelines of women to link Japan and Korea so that it may visit the DPRK under the sponsorship of the Japanese Women's Liaison Society for Solidarity with Korean Women and contribute to realizing Japan-DPRK diplomatic relations.
Referring to the DPRK government statement, Sumiko Shimizu strongly demanded the Japanese government resume the talks for Japan-DPRK diplomatic relations in response to it.
She demanded the chief cabinet secretary that the Japanese government lift the sanctions against the DPRK promptly and resume humanitarian aid to it.
"Ulji focus lens" joint military drill
Pyongyang, August 28 (KCNA) -- Papers here today assail the "Ulji focus lens" joint military drill, which wastage by the U.S. and the South Korean authorities throughout South Korea in nearly two weeks, as a dangerous test and preliminary war aimed at stifling the DPRK by force of arms.
Involved in the drill that ended Friday were some 14,000 U.S. forces in South Korea, 56,000 "ROK" forces, armed forces from Japan, Guam Island and the U.S. mainland, "Blue Ridge", a flagship of the U.S. sventh fleet, and other forces, which are huge enough to fight a war.
This illustrates that the recent joint military drill was intended to examine and determine the scale and composition of armed forces to be hurled into the second Korean war of aggression, says Minju Joson in a commentary.
The drill was a preliminary war aimed to carry the "operation plan 5027-98" into practice as well as a premeditated war rehearsal to make a surprise and preemptive attack on the DPRK, it observes.
The DPRK can never tolerate the criminal moves of the U.S. and the South Korean authorities, who have driven the country's situation to an extremely dangerous phase, thrown a wet blanket over the fellow countrymen's zeal for reunification and worsened the inter-Korean relations through these provocative north-targeted war exercises.
S. Korean authorities accused of repression
Pyongyang, August 28 (KCNA) -- The South Korean authorities are persisting in their harsh suppression of non-governmental reunification movement organizations.
Commenting on it, Rodong Sinmun today says:
They ransacked the office of the south headquarters of Pomminryon (National Alliance for the Country's Reunification) and confiscated office articles. And they arrested and are persecuting Jin Kwan, head of the reunification vanguard of the south promotion headquarters for the pan-national rally, on charges of "violations of the 'security law.'"
They are also kicking up a campaign for arrest of chiefs of regional promotion headquarters for PNR and personages who participated in the pro-reunification festival.
Such fascist repression is a mockery and challenge to the nation so ardently desirous of the reunification of the country.
The facts clearly show that the South Korean authorities have no interest in the reunification of the country vital to the nation but harbor an insidious intention to block it at any cost.
It is not pro-reunification patriots but the separatist maniacs, the authorities who should be punished, the commentary says, demanding an immediate stop to the repression of reunification patriotic forces.
Japan urged to drop hostile policy toward DPRK
Pyongyang, August 28 (KCNA) -- Mamoru Kitahara, head of a delegation of the Fukuoka Prefectural Assembly for Japan-Korea Friendship, in an interview with KCNA in Pyongyang on August 26, said that Japan must drop the hostile policy toward the DPRK.
The ever worsening relations between Japan and the DPRK are attributable to the hostile policy of the Japanese government toward the DPRK, he said, adding that the Japanese government is putting the brake on improving relations while peddling "issue of abduction" and "missile issue".
He continued:
The recently released statement of the DPRK government set forth a prerequisite for improving Japan-DPRK relations.
Japan must abandon the hostile policy toward the DPRK and repent of and review it.
Japan must make a sincere apology and compensation for all the crimes it committed against the Korean people in the past and only then can Japan-DPRK relations improve in conformity with the desire of the two peoples.
Great sage of benevolent politics
Pyongyang, August 28 (KCNA) -- Kang Nam, a South Korean professor of politics, published an article headlined "Great sage of benevolent politics" in praise of the great leader Kim Jong Il, according to the Seoul-based radio Voice of National Salvation.
The true history of benevolent politics created by President Kim Il Sung for the people for the first time now enjoys its best time thanks to Kim Jong Il, the article said, and noted:
Proceeding from the exposition that the relations among the members of a society free from exploiting class are formed on the basis of love and trust, and unity and cooperation based on love and trust are the motive force propelling social development, Kim Jong Il defined the essence of socialist politics as benevolent politics.
His politics of love finds its expression in his devoted service to the people.
His politics of love is based on his transparent human love and idea of love for the people. As production is for the people, he is strongly opposed to production-first, goods-first economic management which does harm to the life and health of the people.
His politics of love and trust is recorded as all-embracing politics in the north.
His all-embracing politics is proven by the patriotic martyrs cemetery in the suburbs of Pyongyang. Lying buried there are "ministers", "National Assemblymen", "party leaders" and other prominent persons from the south who became patriots after their defection to the north thanks to the policy for great national unity whereby one's past is not questioned.
His benevolent politics has brought about the broadest and most single-hearted unity.
The single-hearted unity of the whole society which has been realized for the first time in history is a great foundation for all victories and leap. no formidable enemy can overpower this might of the single-hearted unity of the leader and the people.
Kim Jong Il who has built a country under the benevolent political system, an invincible strong country of single-hearted unity in the north is, indeed, the great sage of benevolent politics who is acclaimed by history for the first time.
DPRK government statement favored
Pyongyang, August 28 (KCNA) -- The statement of the DPRK government was supported by the general secretary of the central committee of the Worker's Party of Bangladesh, the chairman of the central committee of the Socialist Party of Bangladesh and other officials of Bangladeshi political parties and organizations and the Tanzanian National Coordinating Committee of the Juche Idea Study Groups.
The officials of political parties and organizations of Bangladesh in a joint statement on August 20 said that they subscribed to the view expressed in the statement of the DPRK government that the Japanese imperialists are dreaming of staging a comeback to Korea while pursuing the hostile policy toward the DPRK still now.
It Japan continues pursuing this policy, it will face more fatal destruction, they said, and went on:
The rising generation of Japan should see the present world situation and relations with Korea from a new viewpoint. At the historic crossroads of whether Japan liquidates the crime-woven past within the present century or passes it on to a new century, Japan should ponder over it and make clear its will and determination before the conscience of humankind.
The Tanzanian National Coordinating Committee of the Juche Idea Study Groups in a statement on August 21 positively supported the statement of the DPRK government which clarified its stand that if Japan turns to showdown of strength finally in a bid to find a pretext to realize its wild ambition for reinvasion, the DPRK will have no option but to take a corresponding countermeasure.
Public sector trade union formed in S. Korea
Pyongyang, August 28 (KCNA) -- A trade union of public service workers was formed in Changwon region of South Kyongsang Province, according to a radio report from Seoul.
In case this legal trade union spreads to all regions of South Korea, it will become an industrial trade union with over 700,000 members.
KCNA on twisting "special lecture" in South Korea
Pyongyang, August 28 (KCNA) -- Ryang Yong Sik, vice-Minister of "National Unification" of South Korea, in a recent "special lecture" on the theme of the "present state of the policy pursued by the 'people's government' toward the north", let loose a string of balderdash that the "essence of the engagement policy toward the north is to defend and ensure peace", according to a report.
As everyone knows, the "engagement policy toward the north" on the lips of the South Korean ruling quarters is a criminal policy to "induce" the north to "reform" and "opening", destabilize it and, furthermore, swallow it up.
This policy is just rubbish as it is nothing helpful to the security of the nation and the reunification of the country.
Still peddling the "engagement policy" which has been already torn to shreds, the political charlatans of South Korea are describing the "engagement policy and comprehensive approach of the 'government' as the two wheels steering its the policy toward the north." This jargon is nothing but a foolish trick to mislead public opinion, beautify and embellish their bankrupt policy toward the north and, moreover, invade the north at any cost.
What must not be overlooked is the fact that Ryang Yong Sik, describing the north's satellite launch as a "missile launch", asserted it was important to create conditions and circumstances to deter it."
Not content with many nuclear weapons and missiles deployed in South Korea at present, they are trying to ship into South Korea "Popeye" missiles from the United States and to introduce military hardware from Europe including Russia. It is preposterous, indeed, for them to cry out for "creating circumstances" to deter the north's "missile launch."
The South Korean authorities must discard at once the criminal policy such as the "engagement policy toward the north," the policy of confrontation and war against the north.
Protest rally in S. Korea
Pyongyang, August 28 (KCNA) -- At least 8,000 members affiliated with the South Korean "fellowship society of victims to defoliant" held a protest rally on August 25 in demand of compensation to victims, a Seoul-based radio said.
The authorities mobilized more than 10,000-strong police to block a highway to Seoul and the vicinity of a subway station and stop and search passers-by in a bid to foil the rally.
Despite the repression, the members came to Seoul by some 50 buses from various parts of South Korea and staged a protest.
Young people urged to be pacesetter in 2nd grand Chollima march
Pyongyang, August 28 (KCNA) -- The young people should vigorously push ahead with the second grand Chollima march for building a powerful socialist nation so as to carry out with credit their honorable mission as young vanguard.
Rodong Sinmun today stresses this in an editorial dedicated to the Youth Day (August 28).
The daily says:
The young men and women of Korea have always exalted the honor of being a shock brigade in the most difficult socialist construction. They firmly defended the party and the leader and took the lead in upholding and carrying out what the party intended and planned.
Their revolutionary spirit of devotedly carrying out what the party desires and the fighting spirit of absoluteness and unconditionality have been brought into fuller display in a hard time of "arduous march" and "forced march."
Today the young Korean people work new miracles and innovations in socialist economic construction as a shock brigade in the efforts for the building of a powerful nation.
They devotedly work to defend Korean socialism, foiling the imperialists in their vicious scheming.
The fortress of Korean socialism has been further consolidated thanks to the efforts of millions of young people who are determined to share the destiny with socialism to the end.
The young Korean people are exalting the honor of being a shock brigade and vanguard in socialist construction. The credit for it goes to the high-priority youth idea and policy of the great leader Kim Il Sung and the respected Kim Jong Il.
The high-priority youth policy pursued by Kim Il Sung throughout his life is brilliantly carried forward by Kim Jong Il.
The daily calls for giving full display to the noble traits of the Korean youth who are sharing the life and death with the leader, rallied close around him in one mind and purpose, and becoming heroes and heroines of creation and construction in the second grand Chollima march.