U.S. anti-DPRK sophism assailed
Pyongyang, September 18 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today carries a signed commentary as regards a "joint press statement" issued by the U.S., Japan, South Korea at a "tripartite summit meeting" held before the opening of the APEC summit.
Recalling that in the statement the United States said it hoped the comprehensive and integral stand jointly taken by the U.S., Japan and South Korea would provide a precious opportunity of ensuring peace and security on the Korean peninsula and that they are ready to take each a measure to improve relations with the DPRK according to its step for detente and a durable peace, the commentary denounces this as a brigandish logic which reminds one of a thief crying "stop thief."
It goes on:
It is nonsensical for the United States, the chief criminal threatening peace and stability on the Korean peninsula, to talk about "provision of opportunity."
The DPRK, which regards independent judgement and practice as its fundamental principle, has never hoped anyone will "offer an opportunity" to it.
It is foolhardy of the United States to try to shake our independent stand and wrest any concession from us. It is equally foolish of the United States, the assailant, to say that it will provide an "opportunity" to the DPRK, the victim, and the latter should reciprocate it by taking a step for peace.
This arrogant behaviour of the U.S. Will be counter-productive.
If peace and stability on the Korean peninsula are to be ensured, the United States must do what it should do. It should discard its policy of stifling the DPRK, withdraw its troops from South Korea and root out the threat to the DPRK.
Minju Joson says if the United States properly behaves and shows good faith, we will reciprocate it.
Delegation of Japanese women feted
Pyongyang, September 18 (KCNA) -- The Korean Society for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries and the Korean Women's Association for Solidarity with Asian Women cosponsored a reception at Pyongyang Koryo Hotel on Friday in honor of a visiting delegation of the Japanese women's liaison council for solidarity with the Korean women.
Invited to the reception was the delegation headed by Sumiko Shimizu, deputy leader of the Japan Social-Democratic Party, member of the House of Councilors and Representative of the Council.
Acting chairman Mun Jae Chol of the society, chairwoman Ri Chong Il of the association and other officials concerned were present.
Speeches were made there.
Atrocities of S. Korean Army in south Vietnam disclosed
Pyongyang, September 18 (KCNA) -- The South Korean weekly magazine Hangyore 21 carried in its September 2 issue an article on the atrocities committed by "ROK army" in south Vietnam during the period from the 1960s to the 1970s.
The author of the article said that the "ROK army's" atrocities against the Vietnamese people can be seen in the lines of the lullaby sung by Vietnamese women and at the memorial monument set up in front of a crater in Bien Hoa.
Citing testimonies of the witnesses, the article said a woman lost her low jaw and half of tongue when she was hit by a bullet of "ROK army" at that time. She, now aged 85, is bed-ridden and needs somebody's help when she would like to drink and eat, it added.
Jong Song Ok meets men of literature and art
Pyongyang, September 18 (KCNA) -- A meeting was held at the Pyongyang International Cinema House yesterday between Jong Song Ok, the world's queen of marathon, and officials of literature and art, creative workers and artistes.
Jo Chan Gu, vice-Minister of the Ministry of Culture, in his congratulatory address said:
Jong Song Ok defeated the strongest opponents and became a world marathon champion. This is a contribution of significance in national history that could be made only by a true soldier who has grown under the care of the great brilliant commander Marshal Kim Jong Il.
All creative workers and artistes should regard it as the highest honor to have Marshal Kim Jong Il, as marathoner jong has done, and create more famous works and songs of the world level to greatly encourage the struggle of the people running at a canter, he said.
Jong Song Ok expressed her determination to attain better results at sports competitions so as to repay the love of the Marshal who put forward her as a praiseworthy heroine of the nation though she did what she should do.
Men of literature and art in their speeches at the meeting renewed their determination to learn from the fighting spirit of Jong Song Ok and produce more literary and art works reflecting the spirit of Mt. Paektu and the stamina of the nation.
Then a congratulatory performance was given.
NDFSK vows to fight against pro-Japanese elements
Pyongyang, September 18 (KCNA) -- The central committee of the National Democratic Front of South Korea (NDFSK) released a statement on Sept. 14 denouncing the pro-Japanese flunkeyist and treacherous deeds of the present South Korean rulers, according to the Seoul-based radio Voice of National Salvation.
In the statement the NDFSK central committee expressed full support for the movement for liquidation of the pro-Japanese elements now being waged in different circles of South Korea, appreciating it as a very righteous activity to set the history of the nation right, revive the national spirit and establish sovereignty.
The pro-Japanese elements should have been liquidated with August 15 national liberation as a momentum, but under the patronage of the U.S., they have turned into pro-American elements and disguised themselves as "patriots" to hold important posts, it noted, and said:
The political history of South Korea is characterized by pro-American and pro-Japanese treachery from its beginning.
Pro-Japanese treachery has been brought to its height by the Kim Dae Jung-Kim Jong Pil "government for the people".
They called Akihito "Emperor", a symbol of the Japanese militarism, offered fishing grounds to Japan and flung the door open to the Japanese culture to obliterate the peculiar culture of the Korean nation.
The NDFSK and patriotic people of different circles in South Korea will register traitors Kim Dae Jung and Kim Jong Pil, the special class pro-Japanese lackeys of modern brand, as well as the pro-Japanese traitors in the period of the Japanese imperialists' colonial rule, in the "pro-Japanese biographical dictionary" and wage a powerful struggle for liquidating such pro-Japanese elements.
Korean players return home
Pyongyang, September 18 (KCNA) -- Taekwon-do players returned home yesterday.
They demonstrated the honor of Juche Korea in the 11th Taekwon-do World Championship in Argentina.
They obtained 15 gold medals, 3 silver medals, 4 bronze medals and 4 trophies to place first in the total standings.
Many Pyongyangites warmly welcomed them at Pyongyang railway station, raising cheers and waving bunches of flowers.
The players were greeted by minister of physical culture and sports Pak Myong Chol and officials concerned.
The players laid a floral basket and bouquets before the statue of the President Kim Il Sung on Mansu Hill and paid a homage to him.
Friendship meeting with Chinese youth league
Pyongyang, September 18 (KCNA) -- Officials of Korean Youth League had a friendship meeting with members of a delegation of the Communist Youth League of China at the Youth Central Hall on Sept. 17.
Present at the meeting were secretary Choe Hwi of the central committee of the Kim Il Sung Socialist Youth League and other officials of the youth league.
The delegation led by Huang Danhua, member of the secretariat of the central committee of the Communist Youth League of China, was on hand.
The participants appreciated a performance given by the Youth Central Art Propaganda Squad and deepened a friendly feeling, talking with each other and singing songs.
Library of immortal exploits of Kim Il Sung published
Pyongyang, September 18 (KCNA) -- The Worker's Party of Korea Publishing House recently brought out vol. 14 "Solution to the Socialist Rural Question," a continuous edition of the library "Immortal Revolutionary Exploits of the Great Leader Comrade Kim Il Sung."
The volume consists of 3 parts, 7 chapters and 14sections.
Part one deeply explains and proves the uniqueness and the justness of the ideas and theories given in the famous work "Theses on the Socialist Rural Question in Our Country" which were clarified and systematized by President Kim Il Sung in an integral way for the first time in history.
Part two explains and proves the outstanding and seasoned leadership of the President who opened a new history of building a modern and civilized socialist countryside, breaking through all the difficulties and ordeals in the way of the revolution and energetically leading the projects for settling the Juche-oriented socialist rural question chosen by the Korean people themselves.
Part three explains the historical change the President brought by wisely leading the struggle of the Worker's Party of Korea and the Korean people for resolving the socialist rural question and its historic significance in developing the revolution and accomplishing the human cause of independence.
Kim Jong Il sends autograph to Jong Song Ok
Pyongyang, September 18 (KCNA) - General Secretary Kim Jong Il sent an autograph to Jong Song Ok, a marathoner of the Amnokgang Sports Group of the Ministry of Public Security, in reply to her letter.
The autograph says:
"you are a fine daughter of our Korea.
September 10, 1999.
Kim Jong Il."
Jong Song Ok came first at the women's marathon race of the 7th World Athletics Championships and demonstrated the honor of Juche Korea to the whole world. DPRK Hero and People's Sportswoman Jong, enjoying the greatest happiness, said in her letter that the love of the fatherly Marshal Kim Jong Il was so deep that she felt a lump in her throat and her heart throbbing with excitement.
The letter said that she, an unknown girl in a local area, could become a queen of marathon because the Marshal has fed, dressed and trained her.
Noting that she became the world marathon champion as she has always kept the image of the dear Marshal in her mind, she said the moment she was looking at the finish line she felt as if he was calling her to run faster and the moment she crossed the line was the happy moment she was finding herself in his arms.
Yearning for him, I will in the future, too, run the race of my life with loyalty and filial piety so as to do my bit as a DPRK heroine without fail, she noted.
Only when guided by him, we can hold the marathon championship and Korea will always win, she said, sincerely wishing him a long life in good health.
Kim Jong Il's work published in book form in Cuba
Pyongyang, September 18 (KCNA) -- The immortal famous work of General Secretary Kim Jong Il "Let Us Reunify the Country Independently and Peacefully through the Great Unity of the Entire Nation" was published in book form by the Academia Publishing House of Cuba on September 7.
It is a letter sent to the national seminar held on April 18, Juche 87 (1998) in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the historic joint conference of representatives of political parties and public organizations in north and south Korea.
The historic 5-point policy of the great national unity is enshrined in the work as an important guideline in achieving the unity of the whole nation.
S. Korea in grip of worst destitution
Pyongyang, September 18 (KCNA) -- The National Reunification Institute on Friday released a white paper on the conversion of South Korea into an area in the grip of the worst destitution in history.
The paper disclosed a record high unemployment rate in South Korea.
The number of its jobless people has reached eight million, far surpassing the danger level of two million.
This means that after the appearance of the present "government" it has increased several times that under the previous regime.
According to the recent official statistics on unemployment, of a total of 12,350,000 wage workers in South Korea as of late April this year, full-time workers are 5,952,000 or 48.2 percent and part-time workers 6,399,000.
After all, two-third of the South Korean workers are jobless, including those who stay at home to help family members without any job.
As of March, the number of those who sleep in the open the figure at the end of 1997.
Those who are hardly maintaining their jobs, too, suffer untold hardship in their daily life due to the spiraling tax and price, the paper noted, and said:
According to the low estimate made by the "Ministry of Labour" of South Korea, workers' average monthly wage in the third quarter of last year decreased 8.1 percent and real wage 14.2 percent as against those in the corresponding period of the previous year.
At the end of last year income of a farmer's family dwindled 12.7 percent while its debt increased 30.7 percent as against in the previous year.
With income of workers and farmers decreasing, the number of the absolutely poor last year increased nearly three times that in the previous year, or 30 percent of them.
This means that over 13 million of the South Korean population are below the poverty line.
Last year the wholesale price jumped up 7.5 percent as against the previous year. Prices of daily necessities including foodstuff shot up 11.1 percent.
Divided families are on the increase and such all kinds of social evils as murder, bribery and suicide caused by hard living are gripping South Korea due to the IMF trusteeship.
According to data released by the "statistical office", families that lost either fathers or mothers numbered more than 941,900 as of October last year.
Wanderers and cripples who were deserted by families number more than 84,000 in Seoul alone.
Such utter destitution resulted in 1.59 million cases of crimes in South Korea last year, up 6.3 percent over the previous year, with 4,356 cases on a daily average.
In the first quarter of last year alone, the number of deaths by family suicide, group suicide, self-immolation and suicide by jumping from tall building was more than 2,300, an increase of 3.6 percent over that in the previous year.
The worst destitution in South Korea is not a temporary phenomena caused by natural disaster or economic depression but is an inevitable outcome of the U.S.'s colonial rule and the South Korean authorities' flunkeyist and treacherous anti-national policy.
Greetings to Saharan President
Pyongyang, September 18 (KCNA) -- President Kim Yong Nam of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK on September 15 sent a message of greetings to Mohamed Abdelaziz upon his reelection as President of the Saharan Arab Democratic Republic and secretary general of the Polisario Front at the 10th congress of the front.
The message wishes the President greater success in his future work.
Greetings to Chilean President
Pyongyang, September 18 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, sent a message of greetings today to Chilean President Eduardo Frei Ruiz Tagle on the occasion of its Independence Day.
Expressing the belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would continue to develop on good terms, the message wished the Chilean president success in his work for the wellbeing of the Chilean people.