Gift to Kim Jong Il
Pyongyang, December 4 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il received a gift from the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations.
The gift was conveyed to the head of the delegation of the International Affairs Institute of the DPRK on a visit to China by the vice-chairman of the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations.
U.S. pop singer Roger Clinton and his party enjoy concert
Pyongyang, December 4 (KCNA) -- U.S. pop singer Roger Clinton and his party enjoyed a concert staged by the state symphony orchestra at the Moranbong Theatre Friday.
Among the audience were Ri Jong Hyok, vice-chairman of the Korean Asia-Pacific Peace Committee, Song Sok Hwan, vice-Minister of Culture, officials concerned and working people in the city.
The artistes of the state symphony orchestra staged the orchestral pieces "Arirang," "Dear Home In My Native Place," "Nostalgia," "Bumper Harvest Has Visited Chongsan Field," a piano concerto "Korea Is One," and so on.
Repatriation of unconverted long-term prisoners called for
Pyongyang, December 4 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the Consultative Council of Former South Korean Politicians In the North For the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification issued a statement on December 3 accusing the South Korean Red Cross of following a policy contrary to humanitarianism pursued by the authorities, paying no heed to the just demand of the DPRK for the repatriation of the unconverted long-term prisoners to the north before the end of the year.
The council strongly denounces the South Korean Red Cross's wrong attitude of blindly following the authorities dead set against the solution of the issue of repatriating the unconverted long-term prisoners as a mockery of and a challenge to all the fellow countrymen and human conscience, the statement said, and continued:
If the South Korean authorities truly value human lives and wish reconciliation and cooperation between the north and south, they should not insist on far-fetched assertions, putting up unjustified conditions and pretexts but unconditionally and promptly repatriate before the end of the year all the unconverted long-term prisoners including Kim In So, Kim Yong Thae and Ham Se Hwan who have their families and relatives in the north.
The statement once again strongly demanded the South Korean Red Cross not remain a waiting maid of the authorities but take a prompt measure, though belatedly, to repatriate the unconverted long-term prisoners to fulfil its mission to alleviate their misfortunes and sufferings.
United States urged to act with discretion
Pyongyang, December 4 (KCNA) -- Papers here today accuse the United States of scheming to ignite a new war of aggression on the Korean peninsula at any cost.
The United States officially announced that it would hurl over 600,000 troops, five flotillas, 200 ships and 1,200 planes into the Korean peninsula if a "crisis" occurs there.
This reveals the ulterior intention of the U.S. bellicose elements to ignite a second war on the Korean peninsula. A signed commentary of Rodong Sinmun says:
The United States, prompted by a foolish design to obtain a sort of concession from the DPRK, is escalating military pressure upon the DPRK when multi-faceted dialogues and negotiations are being held between the DPRK and the United States.
Dialogue is incompatible with military threat.
Independence is the life and soul of the DPRK.
It is our will and consistent principle to return dialogue for dialogue and strength for strength.
If multi-faceted dialogues and negotiations including the DPRK-U.S. talks collapse due to the U.S. moves to stifle the DPRK, the U.S. will have to take full responsibility for this.
A commentary of Minju Joson stresses that it will be beneficial to the U.S. bellicose elements to behave with discretion, properly judging their opponents.
Chicanery to expand power base
Pyongyang, December 4 (KCNA) -- South Korean "Prime Minister" Kim Jong Pil announced that he would return to the "United Liberal Democrats" within this year, according to a radio report from Seoul.
The "United Liberal Democrats", one of the coalition ruling parties in South Korea, taken in by the broad hoax of the present chief executive, put on hold the "constitutional revision of parliamentary cabinet system" originally scheduled to take place within this year, and scandals of its high-ranking officials have been disclosed one after another. It has thus become the target of criticism by all sections of people.
Kim Jong Pil, talking about the "situation of the party," is seeking to wrest again the presidency of the "United Liberal Democrats" and consolidate his power base in a bid to prevail over the "National Assembly election" next year.
Conveying this fact, the report added that Kim Jong Pil's "return to the party" which is coming earlier than scheduled is intended to change the "political climate" through "cabinet shake-up".
Japan is not peace-loving state
Pyongyang, December 4 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today in a signed article deals with the nature of Japan as an aggressor and the catastrophic consequences to be brought by it in the coming century.
It is a manifestation of illusion for some people to term Japan as a mere "economic state" and "peace-loving state," the article says, and goes on:
Japan has emerged as a dangerous militarist entity for aggression, becoming a hotbed of aggression and war to quell the expectation and desire of humankind in the 21st century.
Japan has a history in which it invaded many Asian countries, inflicting unspeakable misfortunes and disasters upon their peoples half a century ago.
The Japanese authorities are not only denying their acts of aggression in the past but are working hard overtly and covertly to embellish them in a bid to evade their responsibility for them.
Japan has made all preparations for overseas aggression in military aspect.
They do not bother to assert that Japan was defeated in the past because of weak forces.
Having rounded off ideological and military arrangements for overseas aggression, the Japanese reactionaries are in the process of reorganizing institutional mechanisms for this.
The article calls for taking strong precautions against Japan, the cancer-like entity in ensuring peace in Asia and the world, and frustrating its militaristic moves.
Basic way of defending independence
Pyongyang, December 4 (KCNA) -- It is the basic way of defending independence to have strong armed forces, says Rodong Sinmun today in a signed article.
If armed forces are strong, the people can defend their independence and if not, they will become slaves, the article notes, and goes on:
The period from the end of the 1980s to the early 1990s witnessed such a tragic crisis in which socialism collapsed in a number of countries' because of its renegades. This was mainly attributable to the fact that the independence, which had been achieved by those countries, was not defended by armed forces.
Independence is guaranteed by self-reliance in national defence. Popular masses' independence would have been unthinkable without work to defend the sovereignty of the country and people from the imperialists' invasion.
The imperialists are outrageous before the weak but mean before the strong. It is, therefore, a must to strengthen the armed forces to prevail over the imperialists in confrontation at any cost.
Yaksandongdae
Pyongyang, December 4 (KCNA) -- Yaksandongdae (eastern hill with mineral spring) is a scenic wonder of antiquity situated in Nyongbyon county, North Phyongan Province. It is a precipitous rock mass of granite gneiss sprawling north-southward.
Its fantastic scenery will take your breath away.
The steep, queer Hakpyo cliff is overhanging the crystal-clear River Kuryong. The Tongdae cliff garbed in refreshing lush thickets. The Jeil peak, the roof of this area, towers to a height of 488 metres. The Hakkwiam waterfall cascades down, spraying into dazzling rainbow patterns.
In spring, all the cliff, rock crevices, valleys and castle sites are carpeted with blooming azaleas whose light-pink reflections add enticing touches to the River Kuryong.
The bank of the River Kuryong in this area is the foremost spot of azaleas in Korea.
Greetings to Tunisian Foreign Minister
Pyongyang, December 4 (KCNA) -- Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun sent a message of greetings to Habib Ben Yahia on his appointment as Foreign Minister of the Republic of Tunisia.
It sincerely congratulated him on his appointment and wished him success in his future work.
Greetings to Thai King
Pyongyang, December 4 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, today sent a message of greetings to Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej on the occasion of his 72nd birthday and the National Day of the Kingdom of Thailand.
The message sincerely wished the Thai King good health and happiness as well as greater success in the work for the promotion of the wellbeing of the Thai people.
Meanwhile, DPRK premier Hong Song Nam sent a message of greetings to his Thai counterpart Chuan Leekai, and DPRK Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun to his Thai counterpart Surin Pitsuwan on the occasion of the Thai National Day.