Greetings to Vietnamese Communist Party
Pyongyang, February 2 (KCNA) -- The Central Committee of the Worker's Party of Korea today sent a congratulatory message to the c.c., the Vietnamese Communist Party on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of its foundation.
It reads:
The Vietnamese Communist Party, founded and strengthened and developed by Ho Chi Minh, organized and led the struggle against the imperialists' colonial rule and the struggle of national salvation against the U.S. to victory and achieved complete liberation of the country and national unity.
Under the leadership of the party led by Le Lha Phieu, the Vietnamese people have made great progress in socialist construction and defense of the country with Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh's idea as guidelines.
Expressing belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two parties and two peoples would be further consolidated and developed, it wished the party and the people of Vietnam greater success in their struggle for the victory of the socialist cause.
Gift to Kim Jong Il
Pyongyang, February 2 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il received a gift from the delegation of the National Assembly of People's Power of Cuba that visited the DPRK.
Jose Luis Toledo, president of the Permanent Commission of Constitutional and Juridical Affairs, who is heading the delegation handed it over to an official concerned.
Preparatory committees formed abroad
Pyongyang, February 2 (KCNA) -- Preparatory committees for celebrating the 58th birthday of General Secretary Kim Jong Il were inaugurated in different countries.
Inaugural meetings were recently held in the Czech Republic, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe.
Speakers at the inaugural meetings said that the preparatory committees were formed to more significantly mark February 16, common holiday of humankind, and called for widely introducing and propagandizing the idea and leadership exploits of Kim Jong Il through colourful functions.
The meetings discussed on the publication of bulletins and colourful functions to be conducted during the celebration period.
Messages of greetings to Kim Jong Il were adopted in the Czech Republic and Zimbabwe.
International Kothongryon preparatory committee formed
Pyongyang, February 2 (KCNA) -- A preparatory committee of the International United Confederation of Koreans (International Kothongryon) for celebrating the 58th birthday of General Secretary Kim Jong Il was inaugurated on January 24.
Sok Myong Son, Honorary Chairman of the International Kothongryon, was elected chairman of the committee.
The committee set a period of celebration from February 3 to 18 and decided on action program.
Korean people's struggle supported by Guinean President
Pyongyang, February 2 (KCNA) -- Guinean President Lansana Conte met with the DPRK ambassador to his country on January 27.
On the occasion the President said that the friendly and cooperative relations between Guinea and Korea are special ones and Guinea will always side with the Korean people.
He went on:
Korea is a united country strong in independence. Korea will surely be a prosperous country because the Korean people are single-heartedly united around Marshal Kim Jong Il and their military power is strong.
Kim Jong Il is now pursuing the policy of attaching importance to the matters of educating people in one ideology, strengthening the army and developing science and technology, which is very important and just.
The reunification of Korea will surely be achieved because the policy set forth by Kim Jong Il for national reunification is just and all the people unanimously support it.
U.S.-S. Korea military maneuvers
Pyongyang, February 2 (KCNA) -- The U.S. and the South Korean authorities kicked off provocative joint military maneuvers in the sea around the Korean peninsula from January 31, according to a foreign press report.
Involved in the maneuvers to be continued until February 3 were seven warships including latest U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Stennis and cruiser Port Royal.
The warmongers announced they would conduct operations for detecting submarines of the "enemy."
It shows that their DPRK-targeted war provocation moves are committed at a practical stage.
Ridiculous argument about "engagement"
Pyongyang, February 2 (KCNA) -- South Korean "Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade" Ri Jong Bin, when meeting foreign representatives in Seoul, said he would steadily promote the "engagement policy toward the north," according to a report.
The utterances of the newly-appointed Foreign Minister indicate that the South Korean authorities will continue the "engagement policy" in diplomatic policy.
This betrays the sinister attempt of the South Korean authorities to continue pursuing the policy of north-south confrontation and lead the situation of the Korean peninsula to escalating tension.
The "engagement policy" is, substantially, the policy of north-south confrontation.
It is because the "engagement policy" is aimed at "changing" the system of the north and inveigling the north into "reform" under the pretext of "security."
The "security" on their lips is the other side of the war policy and a camouflage to destroy the system of the north.
This means that the "engagement policy" is the anti-national and anti-reunification policy of north-south confrontation.
That is why the "engagement policy" has become a target of denunciation from the nation and fellow countrymen and has been rejected within and without and thrown on the rubbish heap of history.
The South Korean authorities are loudly talking about "achievements" of the "engagement policy" whenever opportunity arises, which is a foolish trick to embellish this worn-out policy.
The remarks of ri jong bin prove that he is a contemptible follower of the present chief executive of South Korea and a pursuer of anti-north confrontation and a traitor to the nation.
Never should it go unnoticed that he made every effort to sway other countries to carrying on the "engagement policy."
He said he would encourage all countries to engage the north, which is a foolish balderdash to isolate and stifle the north.
The South Korean authorities should stop pursuing the ridiculous "engagement policy" and join in the trend of great national unity, a prerequisite to the reunification of the country.
U.S. urged to make official apology and compensation
Pyongyang, February 2 (KCNA) -- The U.S. aggressors committed mass killings wherever they went in South Korea and the North Korea during the Korean War in wanton violation of the international law and ethics and morality.
Though there is a confirmation of their massacres by the recently declassified military documents and confession of war veterans, the United States is taking such an ambiguous attitude as asserting it is difficult to believe them.
In this regard Rodong Sinmun today in a signed commentary says the unheard-of mass killings by GIs can never be concealed.
The commentary goes on:
The aim sought by the United States is to hush up the mass killings committed in Korea to flee from the responsibility for them and avoid an official apology and compensation for them.
Drawing attention to the fact that the countries and nations that provoked a war and committed massacres in the past have already made a repentance, apology and compensation for their wrongdoings or are doing so, it continues:
The United States is the criminal that provoked the Korean war and, at the same time, a defeated country that went down on its knees before the Korean people. It should, therefore, honestly fulfil its obligation as a defeated nation under the international law.
The U.S. negation of its start of the Korean War and massacres in the '50s is nothing but an intention to repeat such crimes.
The Korean people can never forget the U.S.'s massacres but will fight on till they make an official apology and compensation for them.
KCNA on U.S. anti-DPRK diatribe
Pyongyang, February 2 (KCNA) -- The United States is busy with a ridiculous diatribe against the DPRK in a bid to justify the recent grave provocation committed against it in the demilitarized zone along the Military Demarcation Line.
This is well illustrated by a "press communique" issued by the U.S. command in South Korea on January 25, pretending to be interested in defusing tensions in the DMZ.
In its "communique" the U.S. command was shameless enough to dismiss the DPRK's condemnation of the U.S. recent provocation in the DMZ.
It went the length of claiming that "wrong criticism" made by the DPRK press only reinforced the intention of Pyongyang to deliberately escalate the tensions on the Korean peninsula and it was counter-productive in preserving armistice and reducing the threat of confrontation in the peninsula.
This sheer sophism is just like a thief crying "stop the thief "
It is universally known a fact that in recent years the U.S. massively shipped military equipment into South Korea and worked out operation plans for a new Korean war and, on this basis, is staging adventurous war exercises one after another, while committing ceaseless provocations in areas along the MDL to ignite a war.
The west sea incident sparked by the South Korean authorities last year under the wire-pulling of the U.S. military clearly suggests that the U.S. is chiefly responsible for the systematic violation of the Korean Armistice Agreement and the unpredictable military and political tensions prevailing on the Korean peninsula.
The false propaganda made by the United States through the U.S. command in South Korea is nothing but a ridiculous trick to justify its violations of the Armistice Agreement committed up to this date since the cease-fire and evade its political responsibility for the war to be provoked on the Korean peninsula.
The peace-loving forces of the world and the unbiased press will never be tricked by the shameless smear campaign staged by the U.S., the chieftain of aggression and war, under the cloak of "peace."
Massacres by GIs denounced abroad
Pyongyang, February 2 (KCNA) -- The massacres committed by GIs during the Korean War were condemned in Guyana and Egypt.
Samuel Walker, chairman of the Guyana Labour Union, in a statement issued on January 25 said that mass killings of citizens committed by GIs in Korea, the intentional and premeditated genocide ordered by the superior, are all the anti-ethical crime wantonly violating the recognized international treaty and wartime laws and regulations on banning targeting non-combatants.
The Egypt-Korea Friendship Association in a statement on January 26 said that the truth behind the massacres of civilians by the U.S. in Korea should be probed to the end and those who are responsible for the crime should be punished by law as the Nazi war criminals of Germany were.
The UN should feel just responsible for the atrocities committed by the United States under the name of the "UN forces", take necessary measures and break with its unsavory past by dismantling the "UN command" still remaining in South Korea.
Agitation for increased production brisk
Pyongyang, February 2 (KCNA) -- From the outset of the year artistes' agitation for increased production gets brisk in the DPRK.
They visit major industrial establishments and construction sites in the fields of power and coal industries and other sectors to conduct multifarious performances and visual and other agitation, thus encouraging working people all out to fulfil the tasks set forth in the joint New Year editorial.
Artistes of the Mansudae Art Troupe and the State National Art Troupe went to the Pyongyang Thermal Power Plant, the Thaechon Power Plant and the Kim Jong Thae Electric Locomotive Works to present colourful programs explaining the economic policy of the Worker's Party of Korea and bolstering up workers' zeal for increased production.
Artistes of the Phibada Opera Troupe are conducting the front-line style agitation for increased production by presenting programs strong in militancy and appeal in pits of coal mines in Pukchang area, thus helping the coal miners there overfulfil their daily production plans.
Meanwhile, provincial art propaganda squads are also active in the agitation for increased production.
The art propaganda squad of South Phyongan Province proceeded to the Sungri General Motor Works to powerfully encourage its workers in their high-pitched drive to honor this year's production commitment set higher than last year on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the WPK.
The art propaganda squad of Nampho city is entertaining young builders of the Pyongyang-Nampho Motorway with scores of poems and songs on the theme of the joint editorial.
Every monumental edifice which the Korean people boast is associated with the devoted efforts made by artistes.
They regard it as their duty to visit producers and conduct effective agitation for increased production whenever they are confronted with difficult and vast tasks in the course of the revolution and construction.
Scheme to hold joint military exercise with Britain
Pyongyang, February 2 (KCNA) -- The South Korean authorities are favourably reviewing the proposal of Britain to launch a joint military exercise of the navy and air forces with South Korea for a week in June, a foreign news report said.
The South Korean warhawks openly said that the joint military exercise would verify and intensify military preparations for providing against the north.
Britain is going to mobilize a tornado fighter squadron and antisubmarine planes of the navy.
Minju Joson on struggle against corrupt politics
Pyongyang, February 2 (KCNA) -- Civic organizations' anti-candidate campaign now gaining in scope and strength in South Korea clearly proves the people's bitter resentment at their rulers and the strong aspiration and demand for a new politics, system and life, says Minju Joson today in a signed commentary.
Recalling that many civic organizations are campaigning to prevent the corrupt and incompetent political charlatans from coming forward as candidates for the South Korean "National Assembly election" slated for April, the commentary observes this is a natural outcome of the rotten anti-social misrule and the corrupt politics of the authorities.
The present "national assemblymen" in South Korea are political quacks locked in the scramble for power and swindlers who seek only their own interests.
The South Korean people are determined not to tolerate such scramble for power, corruption and irregularities.
Those forsaken by the people will not be able to escape from a stern judgement, warns the commentary.
DPRK to emerge victorious in confrontation with enemies
Pyongyang, February 2 (KCNA) -- Korea was a scene of the most acute confrontation with imperialism in the 90s and it was the DPRK that won victory there, observes Rodong Sinmun today in a signed article, stressing that the DPRK will emerge victorious in the showdown with the enemies in the future, too.
The imperialists came out against the DPRK only to drink a bitter cup of shame and defeat, misjudging its people's unshakable faith and will to defend socialism and the country to the last.
When the Cold War came to an end the U.S. kicked off a row of "nuclear inspection" in a bid to provoke the second Korean war, considering strength almighty and predicting that North Korea would quickly collapse if it together with its followers put a political and military pressure upon it.
But all this brought them only repeated shame and disgrace.
Finding it impossible to bring us to our knees, the U.S. switched its strategy toward the DPRK to a carrot strategy but it could not poke its nose into the internal affair of the DPRK, the article notes, and goes on:
The imperialists pinned great hope on the ideological and cultural poisoning intended to destabilize the DPRK, but they have failed either to break our single-hearted unity or tear down our socialist ideological and class positions even 0.001 mm.
Their attempt to strangle us through economic sanctions has also come a cropper.
The "carrot" and "stick" strategies of the U.S. and its followers could not work on us.
When the enemies took a tough stance towards us we reacted to it with a toughest stand and answered their carrot strategy with a firm revolutionary principle. The dream of the "world's only superpower" turned out to be a pipe dream.
We have always stood victorious in all showdowns with the enemies. Credit for this goes to the great leader Kim Jong Il who has steered us to triumph. He is a symbol of all the victories.
No matter how desperately the enemies may cling to both the policy of strength and carrot strategy, they can neither destroy the Korean-style socialist system nor break the faith and will of the Korean people.