U.S. attempt to establish "NMD" system rejected
Pyongyang, February 21 (KCNA) -- Leonid Ivashov, head of the International Military Cooperation Board of the Russian Ministry of Defence in a report at the Geneva Security and Political Centre on Feb. 16 repudiated the U.S. attempt to establish the "National Missile Defense" system under the pretext of the "ballistic missile threat" from the DPRK, according to a report of Itar-TASS.
He said that U.S. assertion about a sort of "threat" was a lie and an ulterior design to clamour about this "threat" was to tip the strategic balance in favour of the U.S.
To bar conclusion of DPRK-U.S. peace agreement
Pyongyang, February 21 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today in a signed commentary assails the South Korean authorities' "stand" concerning the issue of concluding a peace agreement to be taken up at the talks and contacts between the DPRK and the U.S.
While clarifying their "stand" the South Korean authorities made a far-fetched assertion that they cannot "accomodate" the conclusion of a peace agreement between the DPRK and the U.S. and the replacement of the armistice agreement with a peace agreement is a "matter to be handled between the north and the south."
They also talked the nonsense that they were "seeking" the "establishment of a system based on a peace agreement" through the "four-party talks" and the position and role of the "U.N. Command" could be firmly maintained only when the armistice agreement is preserved.
The replacement of the old armistice system by a new peace-keeping system is a matter to be handled by the DPRK and the U.S., the signatories to the armistice agreement, not an issue that allows an interference by the South Korean authorities who do not have any real power, including the prerogative of the supreme command over the army, the commentary says, and continues:
The South Korean authorities were not a signatory to the peace agreement and are now keen on provoking a fratricidal war. it is, indeed, ridiculous for them to assert that they cannot "accomodate" the conclusion of the agreement between the DPRK and the U.S.
It is equally impertinent for them to talk about "seeking" the "establishment of a system based on a peace agreement" through the "four-party talks" as they have neither political sovereignty nor independence.
Their talking about the position of the "U.N. Command," adamantly insisting on the armistice agreement, which is only gathering dust, is a revelation of their criminal attempt to maintain the outdated system of confrontation and war and keep the U.S. imperialist aggressor forces in South Korea for an indefinite period in a bid to escalate the moves for a war against the north with their master.
Their assertions are, in a nutshell, intended to disturb and block the conclusion of a peace agreement between the DPRK and the U.S.
They had imprudently behaved several times in the past to lay a hurdle in the way of the talks between the DPRK and the U.S. But every time their efforts went for nothing.
The result cannot be otherwise this time, too.
Kim Yong Nam meets congratulatory group of Koreans in Japan
Pyongyang, February 21 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, met and had a talk in an atmosphere pervaded with compatriotic feelings with the congratulatory group of Koreans in Japan led by Ho Jong Man, chief vice-chairman of the central standing committee of the General Association of Korean residents in Japan (Chongryon), on a visit to the socialist homeland, at the Mansudae Assembly Hall on Feb. 20.
The head of the delegation said that Chongryon officials and compatriots in Japan will struggle in step with the people at home who are making efforts to glorify this year, the WPK's 55th anniversary, with signal victory in the crucible of greatly increased activity of Chollima.
Day of Machine Building in Korea
Pyongyang, February 21 (KCNA) -- February 20 is marked as Day of Machine Building in Korea.
Late President Kim Il Sung visited the Huichon Machine Tool Factory on Feb. 20, Juche 60 (1971) to kindle the torch of new technical innovation and open a great turning phase in developing the nation's machine-building industry and carrying on the technical revolution.
The DPRK instituted this day as Day of Machine Building.
It built modern machine-building industrial centres and completed its technical equipment and production structures in a short span of time, laying firm material and technical foundations in this field.
But in recent years the imperialists' vicious manoeuvres to isolate and stifle socialist Korea and the continued natural disasters inflicted a heavy loss on the whole economy of the country.
Leading machine-building plants and many other units have not conducted normal business activities with the shortage of electricity, raw material and equipment.
The working people in the machine-building industrial sector are enjoying their holiday with high degree of revolutionary enthusiasm and successes in their work even under the difficult conditions that they are pressed for everything.
The workers of the Rakwon Machine Plant made progress in preparations for the serial production of modern and efficient electronic-hydraulic excavators in the revolutionary spirit of self-reliance.
Updated machine tools have been developed and introduced into production at the Kusong Machine Tool Plant.
Plants under the Ryongsong Machine-Building Industry management bureau are effecting innovation in producing ordered equipment and processing large-size accessories for the Pukchang Thermal Power Plant, the Kim Chaek Iron and Steel Works, the Musan Mine and the Komdok Mine.
Scenario to cope with "contingency" on Korean peninsula
Pyongyang, February 21 (KCNA) -- The Japan Defence Agency recently disclosed that a scenario to cope with "emergencies" in areas surrounding Japan, the first of its kind, was to be adopted with a computer simulation exercise staged by the Japan "Self-Defence Forces" and the U.S. Forces present in Japan to cope with those "emergencies" as a momentum.
The scenario to cope with "emergencies" in areas surrounding Japan precisely means one to cope with the "contingency" on the Korean peninsula.
The Japanese reactionaries described the DPRK's satellite launch as a "missile launch." They have escalated their anti-DPRK campaign in a bid to build up public opinion at home and abroad by floating the rumour about its "missile launch" and "missile relaunch" since last year.
Japan took great pain to make the "nuclear and missile threat from North Korea" a fait accompli in the white papers of the foreign ministry and the defence agency issued last year and at the "Tokyo forum on nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament." It also worked hard to galvanize world public opinion over the "nuclear and missile issue of North Korea" at the summit meeting of 8 major industrialized nations, the 32nd meeting of foreign ministers of the ASEAN and the 6th meeting of the ASEAN regional forum.
Not content with this, the chief executive of Japan has gone the length of declaring a "tough military countermeasure" against "missile launch" of the DPRK, and the director general of the defence agency crying out for a preemptive strike at its "missile launching base in North Korea."
Last year the Japanese reactionaries adopted legislations related to the new "Japan-U.S. defence cooperation guidelines", war laws that regard the DPRK as the "first imaginary enemy state," thus legalizing their belligerency with the DPRK.
The projected adoption of the scenario to cope with the "contingency" on the Korean peninsula means that the plan for a war of aggression against Korea has reached the phase of its perfection since the adoption of the "Japan-U.S. defence cooperation guidelines".
The Japanese reactionaries are well advised to stop such a reckless act as jumping into fire with faggot on their backs.
The Korean People's Army and people will never pardon those encroaching upon the security of the country and the dignity of the nation. they are fully ready to deal a merciless blow at them any time.
Popular writer
Pyongyang, February 21 (KCNA) -- There is a very popular song "Road Taken With Deep Love" in the DPRK.
It is based on the theme that the journeys made by the leader Kim Jong Il for on-the-spot guidance, eating rice balls and taking a short and uncomfortable sleep are to bring joy and happiness to the people and glorify socialist Korea.
It was written by Ryu Tong Ho, a writer of the central committee of the Korean Writers Union. He, 45, is one of the famous poets who have distinguished themselves in the creation of poems and songs in Korea in recent years. On the new year's day the central television aired footage of Ryu standing on the peak of Mt. Paektu at the sun-rise and reciting a lyric poem about a rosy future of socialist Korea heading for a powerful nation, thus deeply impressing the viewers. His career as a writer began after graduation from a three-year writer course at Kim Hyong Jik University of Education in 1988. He has created at least 450 poems and songs over the last more than ten years. Typical of them are a lyric poem "supreme commander and guard soldiers" and words of songs "Our Comrade Kim Jong Il", "The Country and I" and "I Love My Hometown."
The songs created by him are very popular among the people for their truthful representation of the needs of the times in Korea today. Particularly the song "Answer of Soldiers" is loved by officers and men of the Korean People's Army as it reflects their confidence of certain victory.
He has grown to be such a popular writer under the particular care of Kim Jong Il. He began to be interested in creative activities when he worked as a lathe operator in a factory, after finishing a senior middle school in Jonchon county, Jagang Province. During 15 years of work at the factory he acquired fundamentals of literary creation and wrote several simple poems and words of songs.
Taking into consideration his uncommon talent for literature, Kim Jong Il made sure that he was given an opportunity to get professional training. Saying that Ryu is a talented poet produced from among workers, he has led him to improve his creative skill with loving care. At least 200 poems and songs out of over 450 pieces of his work have been completed under Kim Jong Il's guidance.
Kim Jong Il saw and guided his works in 1997 alone on more than 40 occasions. Under such loving care he wrote words of five songs this year alone, including "Our Home Is Soldiers' Family" reflecting the idea of the Workers' Party of Korea on attaching great importance to the military.
Kim Yong Nam meets Russian delegation
Pyongyang, February 21 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, politburo member of the central committee of the Workers' Party of Korea and President of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, met and had a talk with the delegation of the Russian Communist Workers' Party led by V. Tyulkin, first secretary of its central committee, in a friendly atmosphere at the Mansudae Assembly Hall today.
Choe Jin Su, vice-director of a department of the central committee of the WPK, was present there.
‚vreath laid before bust of Choe Kwang
Pyongyang, February 21 (KCNA) -- Wreaths were laid before the bust of Choe Kwang, who was a communist revolutionary fighter and minister of the people's armed forces, at the revolutionary martyrs' cemetery on Mt. Taesong today on the occasion of the 3rd anniversary of his death.
Present at the wreath-laying ceremony were Jo Myong Rok, director of the general political department of the Korean People's Army, Kim Il Chol, Minister of the People's Armed Forces, generals, officers and the bereaved family.
Wreaths and bouquets were laid before his bust in the name of the ministry of the people's armed forces and KPA units.
The participants observed a silent tribute to his memory.
Greetings to Prime Minister of Saint Lucia
Pyongyang, February 21 (KCNA) -- Hong Song Nam, premier of the DPRK cabinet, sent a message of greetings to his Saint Lucia counterpart Kenny Anthony on the occasion of the 21st anniversary of the independence of Saint Lucia.
The message extended felicitations to him, the government and people, and wished the people of Saint Lucia progress and prosperity.