Greetings to Guyanese President
Pyongyang, February 22 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, sent a message of greetings to Bharrat Jagdeo, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, on Feb. 19 on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of its proclamation.
The message sincerely wished him great success in his work for the stability and development of the country and expressed the belief that the good friendly relations between the two countries would be boosted in the days ahead.
Greetings to Sultan of Brunei Darussalam
Pyongyang, February 22 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, on Monday sent a message of greetings to Sultan of Brunei Darussalam Haji Hassanal Bolkiah on the occasion of its National Day.
The message sincerely wished him and the Brunei people greater success in their work for progress and prosperity of the country and good health and happiness to him.
Greetings to Serbian party leaders
Pyongyang, February 22 (KCNA) -- The Central Committee of the Worker's Party of Korea on sunday sent a message of greetings to Slobodan Milosevic and Gorica Gajevic on their election as chairman and general secretary of the Socialist Party of Serbia at the 4th congress of the party.
The message expressed the belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two parties and the two peoples would further develop in the future and sincerely wished the chairman and the general secretary great success in their responsible work for implementation of the decisions of the 4th congress of the party.
Gift to Kim Jong Il
Pyongyang, February 22 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il received a gift from the secretariat of the workers world party of the United States on the occasion of his birthday.
Member of the secretariat of the party Brian Becker on a visit to Korea handed it to an official concerned.
Floral basket to Kim Jong Il
Pyongyang, February 22 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il received a floral basket from Sazhi Umalatova, chairperson of the Party for Peace and Unity of Russia, on the occasion of his birthday.
It was handed over to an official concerned.
Thai Prime Minister on Thailand-DPRK relations
Pyongyang, February 22 (KCNA) -- Thai Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai received a DPRK delegation led by Minister of Foreign Trade Kang Jong Mo participating in the 10th meeting of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development on Feb. 12.
Expressing his satisfaction with the favorably developing friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries, the Prime Minister expressed belief that these relations would continue to grow stronger and develop in the interests of the two governments and the two peoples.
He said that the ties between the Democratic Party of Thailand and the Worker's Party of Korea have long given an impetus to the close friendly relations between the two countries.
He hoped the DPRK would overcome temporary difficulties and certainly build a powerful nation as soon as possible.
Korea's reunification supported by Mexican political party
Pyongyang, February 22 (KCNA) -- A special resolution supporting the independent and peaceful reunification of Korea was adopted at the 20th congress of the Socialist People's Party of Mexico on Feb. 12.
The U.S. military presence in South Korea and military assistance to the South Korean authorities are the main obstacle to the peaceful reunification of Korea, the resolution noted, and continued:
Korea's reunification would signify a great advance in easing tensions and preventing arms race in this region and contribute to the improvement of the standard of people's living of reunified Korea, their wellbeing and democratic development.
Proceeding from this stand, the 20th congress of the Socialist People's Party of Mexico decides to extend full support and encouragement to the Korean people in their struggle to achieve the peaceful reunification of the country and put an end to the U.S. military presence in the Korean peninsula and its interference in the internal affairs of Korea.
4th Kimjongilia Show closes
Pyongyang, February 22 (KCNA) -- The 4th Kimjongilia Show which was open on Feb. 14 in the run-up to the auspicious February holiday, the birthday of General Secretary Kim Jong Il, closed yesterday.
The hall where at least 4,500 immortal flowers contributed by Korean people and foreign friends were on display was visited by senior party and state officials, working people from all walks of life, overseas Koreans and foreign diplomatic envoys and embassy officials here and foreign guests.
A closing ceremony took place at the Pyongyang International House of Culture on the same day.
At the ceremony the highest and high prizes and prizes of merit and labour were awarded to the Ministry of the People's Armed Forces, the central committee of the Kim Il Sung Socialist Youth League and other units, working people, servicemen and students that distinguished themselves in the show.
Jang Chol, chairman of the DPRK Kimjongilia Federation, in his closing address said that through the show the Korean people came to cherish higher pride and stronger self-confidence of being blessed with the illustrious leaders generation after generation and firmer conviction that their country will enjoy grandeur and prosperity only when they uphold the leadership of Kim Jong Il with single-hearted loyalty and filial piety.
Korean people's faith and will have grown stronger this winter
Pyongyang, February 22 (KCNA) -- This winter has been a severe test for the Korean people.
It was not attributable to cold weather only, though the period from December to February belongs to the dead of winter in Korea. This hard winter witnessed the most serious shortage of electricity in the history of the DPRK that adversely affected all fields of the national economy and the people's living.
Despite all those difficulties, the Korean people have firmly defended socialism, their life and soul, and further hardened their faith and will to win its victory.
The annals of the arduous Korean revolution is recorded with the tradition in which a breakthrough was made towards victory in rigorous winter on which the destiny of the Korean revolution hinged.
This tradition was established by President Kim Il Sung and General Secretary Kim Jong Il, the great leaders of the Korean people.
It was in January 75 years ago when Kim Il Sung set out on a "250-mile journey for national liberation" with a noble aim to win it. And he carried out the arduous march to overcome the difficulties before the Korean revolution in the winter from Juche 27 to 28 (1938-1939) in the period of the anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle.
He turned the adversity during the temporary strategic retreat of the Korean People's Army in the days of the Fatherland Liberation War into favourable conditions in the blizzards of winter of Juche 39 (1950), thus bringing in a final victory in the war.
In December of Juche 45 (1956), when the political situation inside and outside the country was difficult, he called on the workers of the Kangson Steel Works to rouse them to the grand Chollima advance, believing in their strength.
It is the firm will of Kim Jong Il to weather out manifold difficulties and ordeals, no matter how hard they may be to overcome.
It was in January three years ago when the area of Pyongyang was hit by the severest snowstorm.
At that time he said he regarded that as the "snowstorm of Mangyongdae" which instilled the faith in sure victory into all of us and heralded a signal victory.
It was again in winter when he visited Jagang Province to break through manifold difficulties and effect a fresh turn in the revolutionary development in recent years.
He gave on-site guidance to the land leveling and rezoning and economic fields in North Phyongan Province at the end of last January, the dead of winter, thus lighting a torch to be held aloft by the workers of the Rakwon Machine Factory. This torch is giving a strong impetus to the second grand Chollima advance like the Kanggye spirit and the torch lit at the Songjin Steel Complex.
The Korean people have a lot of work to do this year and the economic situation still remains difficult. But they are accelerating the building of a powerful nation with the faith and will which the great leaders instilled.
DPRK ice hockey players win international game
Pyongyang, February 22 (KCNA) -- DPRK players placed first at the 2000 IIHF Asian Oceanic Junior U18 Championships (division I) held in Changchun, China, from Feb. 17 to 20.
Participating in the championships were the DPRK, China, Australia and South Korea, first-class teams in Asia and Oceania.
The DPRK team defeated the Chinese, South Korean and Australian teams 5-1, 3-2 and 8-0.
It was qualified for participation in the IIHF World Junior U18 Championships to be held next year.
Impressions of Korea given by foreign party figures
Pyongyang, February 22 (KCNA) -- Several figures of foreign parties who visited Korea to celebrate the birthday of General Secretary Kim Jong Il had interviews separately with KCNA.
Secretary of the central committee of the Party of Communists of the Moldovan Republic Borgula Lyudmila Viktorovna who is also the head of its delegation said that she participated in the celebrations during the visit to Korea and keenly felt how ardently the Korean people and foreigners expressed respect and reverence for Kim Jong Il.
Possessed of the perfect traits and leadership qualities of socialist political leader, Kim Jong Il has performed immortal exploits, leading the party, the state and the army, she noted, expressing belief that the Korean people and army having him as their leader would always achieve only victory.
Member of the leadership of the Unified Communist Party of Italy Pasqufale Felice who is also the head of its delegation said that during his visit to Korea he was more firmly convinced that the just cause of the Korean people will emerge victorious without fail.
He continued:
The difficulties lying in the struggle of the Korean people for realizing the socialist cause are owing to the vicious obstructive maneuvers of the U.S.-led imperialist allied forces.
The issue of Korea's reunification has not been settled owing to the presence of the U.S. troops in South Korea under the signboard of "defence of peace" and persistent anti-reunification moves of the separatists at home and abroad.
He expressed belief that socialism of Korea will be ever-victorious under the wise leadership of Kim Jong Il.
Japan keen on reorganizing "SDF"
Pyongyang, February 22 (KCNA) -- The Japanese reactionaries are reportedly keen on the moves to reorganize the system of the ground "Self-Defence Force" designed to reinvade the Korean peninsula.
The Japan Defence Agency decided to replace the previous system of "13 divisions and two mixed corps" by the system of "nine divisions and six brigades" in 1995. It also decided to cut down the strength of two divisions in Hokkaido in the northern part to a brigade-level and, at the same time, expand mixed corps in Okinawa and Shikoku near the Korean peninsula into brigades from 2001.
Pursuant to the plan to reorganize the ground "SDF" system till Feb. 19, the Japan Defence Agency is going to make some divisions and brigades units capable of disturbing the rear and conducting special operations and organize "strategic mobile divisions and brigades" and "mobile strike divisions" under the pretext of "defending" the coastal areas of Japan in a bid to concentrate armed forces for reinvasion of Korea on the coastal areas near the Korean peninsula.
Reporting this, Yomiuri Shimbun on Feb. 20 said that Japan massively deployed heavily equipped armed forces in Hokkaido to confront the former Soviet Army during the Cold War but is reorganizing and re-deploying armed forces in areas close to the Korean peninsula after the cold war and, at the same time, improving their quality.
GI kills S. Korean woman
Pyongyang, February 22 (KCNA) -- A U.S. soldier stationed in South Korea killed a Korean woman, 33, at a bar for exclusive use of foreigners in Rithaewon-dong, Seoul, on the night of Feb. 19, according to a news report.
The woman was found bloody on a bed with a serious bruise on her face and her neck strangled. Underwear supplied to GIs was seen on the scene.
A surnamed Ri, who worked with her at the night, said that he saw the GI, who drank wine with her, fleeing without wearing clothes at the time when the incident took place.
This fully exposed the criminal act of the murderer who mercilessly beat the Korean woman, bloodstained and strangled her neck to death while committing despicable act against her.
Though the GI proved to be a criminal, the South Korean ruling quarters handed the key of the bar, the spot of the incident, to its master and shunned investigation only to reveal the ugly colors as a colonial stooge.
U.S. ambition for world domination assailed
Pyongyang, February 22 (KCNA) -- 305.4 billion dollar-military spending U.S. President Clinton proposed in the budget of the U.S. administration for fiscal 2001 submitted to the U.S. congress is a revelation of the U.S. aggressive design to establish military control and domination over the world, says Rodong Sinmun today in a signed commentary.
The commentary goes on:
This clearly shows that the "peace," to which the U.S. is paying lip-service, does not mean building a peaceful world free from war but establishing a global order whereby the U.S. dominates the world by aggression and war and military intervention.
The main thrust in the U.S. arms buildup is to establish a new "missile defense system."
The U.S. plans to spend 1.9 billion dollars for the development of the "National Missile Defense" system and 2.6 billion dollars for the execution of other plans to develop missiles.
In a word, the U.S. seeks to cover the world with its missile network and completely take hold of it.
The U.S. call for the establishment of the "missile defense" system allegedly to "protect" its "security" and the allies from the "nuclear and missile attack" of the DPRK is nothing but a sheer sophism to justify its aggressive policy.
It is not the U.S., but the DPRK that is exposed to the nuclear and missile threat.
The U.S. is not a peace champion but the enemy of peace and chieftain of war of aggression.
If the U.S. persistently keeps to the road of a war of aggression, disregarding the trend of the times and the demand of the humankind aspiring after disarmament and peace, it will not escape from isolation and destruction.
Japan moves to intensify information-gathering capacity against DPRK
Pyongyang, February 22 (KCNA) -- The Japanese Nihon Keizai Shimbun Feb. 20 said that the Japan Maritime "Self-Defence Force" plans to build in Iwakuni base in Yamaguchi Prefecture an up-to-date plane "OP3C" unit capable of collecting visual information about "mysterious ships," etc.
"OP3C" plane which is capable of photographing coastal state in a broad scale and instantly sending visual data to ground base will reportedly make a test flight and be deployed for action in a short span of time in place of the present anti-submarine patrol plane "P3C".
This shows well that the Japanese reactionaries are getting overheated in the moves to collect information about the DPRK in a bid to reinvade the Korean peninsula under the pretext of the dramatic case of "pursuit of mysterious ship".
Fascist action of anti-reunification elements
Pyongyang, February 22 (KCNA) -- The South Korean rulers have come in for strong criticism by a signed commentary of Rodong Sinmun today for sentencing to prison terms those who visited the North Korea last year to participate in the grand pan-national festival for reunification as representatives of South Korean pro-reunification organizations.
Their suppression of pro-reunification champions is an anti-national and anti-reunification fascist action to dampen the aspiration and desire of the fellow countrymen for reunification and an unpardonable criminal act of going against the trend of the nation for great unity and reunification, the commentary notes, and goes on:
Those pro-reunification personages who have been sentenced to jail terms by the South Korean rulers are patriots who have done praiseworthy things for national unity and reunification and their visit to the North Korea was a patriotic deed prompted by their desire for reunification.
They participated in the grand pan-national festival for reunification held in Pyongyang and Panmunjom on the occasion of the August 15 liberation day, thus contributing to realising the three-party unity of compatriots in the north, south and abroad for the first time in the history.
The South Korean rulers took this legal action against pro-reunification patriots, while protecting such vicious criminals as Jong Hyong Gun, who tortured and killed many pro-reunification champions, as the director of the anti-communist investigation bureau of the "Agency for National Security Planning" during the last fascist dictatorial regime.
They will certainly be judged by the nation, the commentary warns.