Kim Yong Nam receives credentials from new ambassador of Austria
Pyongyang, December 9 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, received credentials from Erich Buttenhauser, new Ambassador E.P. of Austria to the DPRK, at the Mansudae Assembly Hall today.
Present there was Ri In Gyu, vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs.
After receiving it, the president had a talk with him.
Paek Nam Sun meets Indian ambassador
Pyongyang, December 9 (KCNA) -- Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun met and had a talk with Indian ambassador Jagjit Singh Sapra to the DPRK who paid a farewell visit to him today.
Greetings to Malaysian Prime Minister
Pyongyang, December 9 (KCNA) -- Hong Song Nam, premier of the DPRK cabinet, sent a message of greetings to Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Bin Mohamad on his reassumption of heavy responsibility as Prime Minister of Malaysia.
He in the message noted that his reassumption of heavy responsibility as Prime Minister is an expression of the Malaysian people's trust in and support for him and the national front.
In the belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries will continue to grow stronger and develop in the future, he sincerely wished bigger success in his responsible work to build independent and prosperous Malaysia.
Roger Clinton interviewed by KCNA
Pyongyang, December 9 (KCNA) -- American pop singer Roger Clinton was interviewed by KCNA at Pyongyang Airport before his departure from here Wednesday.
Giving his impressions of Pyongyang, he said it looked very positive and very much peaceful.
He continued:
From the artistic viewpoint, the talented Koreans that I saw here can perform any art of the world. They are as talented people as I have ever seen. But more specific is that children here are the most talented children that I have ever seen.
They performed music and dance, just general art work.
Really, the children are brilliant.
If there is something that I like to say to the Koreans freely, one must claim, I'll be back.
I promise to convey all of my feelings, all of my lessons and all the information I have got from brave people to our people and to my brother.
At earlier press interviews he said that he was proud of having performed in Pyongyang, and this was great generosity that the Korean people and the government granted to him.
He thanked Marshal Kim Jong Il for the generosity.
He hoped that his visit would be helpful to the improvement of the U.S.-DPRK relations.
Genuine international cooperation welcomed
Pyongyang, December 9 (KCNA) -- The head of the Korean delegation, speaking at the 8th general conference of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) on Dec. 1, said that he welcomed the genuine international cooperation and that nobody has to force "globalization" upon developing countries.
He noted that the DPRK has undergone economic difficulties due to natural disasters in recent years.
He said that the position and role of the UNIDO was important as never before in steady progress of the developing countries' industries.
The DPRK government will further develop its cooperative relations with the UNIDO and its member countries to promote developing countries' industrialization and steady industrial development, he stressed.
Koryo celadon dinner-sets
Pyongyang, December 9 (KCNA) -- The Koryo celadon dinner-sets inlaid with cloud, pine and crane patterns from the ceramic ware unit of the Mansudae Arts Studio, Korea's fine-arts complex, are highly valued as national treasure and on display at the three-revolution exhibition.
Each set made up of 50 pieces, they were produced by People's Artists U Chi Son and Im Sa Jun who invented this new elegant type of Koryo celadon with well-blending distinctive colors and patterns and innovative forms.
The ceramic ware unit is also credited with numerous national-treasure Koryo celadon and Ri-dynasty white porcelains. Its products bask in popularity at home and abroad.
Year marked by leader's endless on-spot guidance
Pyongyang, December 9 (KCNA) -- The Korean people have achieved great successes in building a powerful nation this year through the vigorous second grand Chollima march.
Over a hundred valuable scientific achievements including iron making by oxygen blowing have been applied to practice and many large and minor power stations made their appearance in different parts of the country.
The underground coal gasification industry was built in the nation's leading Anju coal field and a new salt industry on the shores of the east Korean bay. The December 5 Youth Mine, the November 28 Factory, the wharf of Taehung port and other construction projects have been completed one after another.
Credit for all these achievements goes to General Secretary Kim Jong Il's outstanding wisdom and practical ability and indomitable will.
From the new year's day he has spared no pains giving on-the-spot guidance to every part of the country, saying that it is his idea and firm determination to build a powerful socialist nation in Korea at an early date so that no enemy may encroach upon it and all the people may lead a happy life with nothing to envy.
He went to the National Academy of Sciences on the first leg of his trips for on-the-spot guidance this year to provide a scientific and technological guarantee for the building of a powerful nation. He specified an orientation and ways to put the nation's science and technology on the world's level in the shortest possible time.
Then he visited the Thaechon Hydroelectric General Power Plant where he learned about how the power station was built and how the power production was going on. He gave it important tasks which would serve as a guideline in increasing the nation's power production.
While visiting Taehongdan on the northern tip of the country, he indicated the way of making a signal innovation in potato cultivation, saying that potato is as good as rice and it is also important in building a powerful nation to cultivate potato well.
He gave on-the-spot guidance to all major economic regions including Huichon, Manpho, Tokchon, south and north Hamgyong provinces, Kangwon Province, North Phyongan Province and so on.
His tireless on-the-spot guidance greatly encouraged the working people at all the units of the socialist economic construction to make a victorious advance, overcoming economic difficulties.
The country's economic situation still remains difficult owing to the imperialists' moves to isolate and stifle the DPRK and several years of natural disasters. But, the Korean people are accelerating the second grand Chollima march at a canter, firmly united around the leader with the unshakable confidence that victory is in store for them.
S. Korean trade unions stage all-night sit-in
Pyongyang, December 9 (KCNA) -- The South Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) staging an all-night sit-in for two days denouncing the business groups for scheming not to pay wages to the trade union cadres, Tuesday pitched temporary tents in front of the "National Bank" and continued the struggle demanding the release of the unionists, according to a radio report from Seoul.
On Monday night the South Korean authorities let loose more than 500 policemen and arrested 17 of unionists who were staging the struggle for pushing their demand in front of the building of the "National Assembly."
The KCTU declared that it would strengthen the struggle after holding a mass rally to be attended by over 40,000 people from all organizations on Dec. 10.
S. Korea's development of long-range ballistic missiles
Pyongyang, December 9 (KCNA) -- The spokesmen for the central committees of the Korean Christian Federation and the Korean Catholics Association issued statements on December 8 separately to denounce the South Korean authorities for frantically pressing ahead with the development of long-range ballistic missiles under the patronage of the U.S.
The statements termed the South Korean authorities' development of long-range ballistic missiles as an outright challenge to the desire and will of the Korean religious believers to see a new society pervaded with love, reconciliation and peace and the reunification of the country.
Noting that the enemies' reckless anti-DPRK moves should not be tolerated, the statements strongly urged the South Korean ruling quarters to clearly judge the grave and serious nature of the situation and stop at once the missile development.
The statements expressed the belief that all the religious organizations and priests in South Korea and the world's progressive religious believers and organizations would lift up their voices of justice to check and frustrate the South Korean authorities' development of long-range ballistic missiles and prevent the United States from conniving at it.
Complete repeal of "security law" demanded
Pyongyang, December 9 (KCNA) -- A few days ago the South Korean chief executive, ballyhooing about the "revision" of some provisions of the "security law", said it was difficult to totally repeal it at present. Rodong Sinmun today in a signed commentary dismisses this as a mockery of and open challenge to the public at home and abroad demanding a total abrogation of the notorious "security law".
It goes on:
As recognized by the world, the "security law" is the worst anti-national, anti-reunification fascist law in the world, the law which bars the South Korean people's righteous struggle for independence, democracy and reunification and incites north-south confrontation and a war atmosphere.
The South Korean authorities' farce of rewriting the "security law" is a broad hoax to cover up their true colors.
As far as one of the typical poisonous articles "charges of praise and encouragement" is concerned, an individual's "praise and encouragement" is to be deleted from the application of the law but it provides for a merciless punishment of those who form or join in an "anti-state organization" and "organizationally praise, encourage and propagandize" its activities.
They are going to stipulate a condition in the "law" that the north may be excluded from the "anti-state organization" depending on "change of its attitude" such as "drop of its plan to achieve reunification by force of arms".
Such farce of rewriting the "security law" is, in essence, intended to render it more fascist and increase its function.
The notorious "security law" should not "be amended," but totally abrogated.
U.S. urged to withdraw aggressive war plan
Pyongyang, December 9 (KCNA) -- Savid Bacchus, chairman of the Guyana Committee for Support of Korea's Reunification, sent a letter of protest to the U.S. congress on Dec. 2 accusing the U.S. of its war confab against the DPRK.
The U.S. openly announced the number of its aggression forces which will be hurled into the Korean peninsula in an emergency and delivered an ultimatum-like outburst that the DPRK should choose between "cooperation" and "confrontation", the letter said, and went on:
This clearly shows that the U.S. aggressive ambition to stifle the DPRK by force of arms will never change although the U.S. has talked about "high-level talks" for "improving relations" with the DPRK at the DPRK-U.S. talks as if it had an interest in "peace" and "stability" of the Korean peninsula.
It should immediately withdraw its plan for war of aggression on the DPRK and bear the legal responsibility for spraying defoliant over areas along the demilitarized zone of Korea, in wanton violation of the international law.
If the U.S. wants peace and reunification on the Korean peninsula, it should take a practical measure helpful to peace and reunification, not war of aggression.
Japanese reactionaries assailed for their craftiness
Pyongyang, December 9 (KCNA) -- Japan has long committed all sorts of vices against other countries, backed by big countries. Being dishonest, Japan is apt to cheat others and resorts to any crafty act to meet its interests. Rodong Sinmun today says this in a signed article laying bare the craftiness of Japan.
The article goes on:
There are too many instances proving this crafty nature of Japan to cite.
The Japanese authorities adamantly denied the crimes related to "comfort women for the army" at the outset, albeit they were aware of them.
As undeniable evidence and testimonies were provided as regards the crimes, they are talking about "compensation" from a "civilian fund" in a bid to evade their governmental responsibility for them.
Underlying their move is a crafty trick to convince the public at home and abroad that Japan's use of "comfort women for the army" was not an organized crime and evade governmental responsibility and compensation for this crime at any cost.
Japan's craftiness finds a vivid expression in working hard to seek permanent membership of the UN Security Council and escalating its moves for nuclear armament and overseas reinvasion.
When the DPRK launched its satellite, Japan got frantic in its anti-DPRK campaign, insisting that it was "ballistic missile launch". This was prompted by its sinister intention to justify its moves for overseas reinvasion under the pretext of "threat from the DPRK" and divert elsewhere vigilance against Tokyo.
This crafty nature of Japan comes out of its short-sighted way of thinking.