Greetings to Malawian Foreign Minister
Pyongyang, March 17 (KCNA) -- DPRK Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun sent a message of greetings to Lilian Patel, newly appointed Foreign Minister of Malawi.
The message expressed the belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would grow stronger and develop and wished him success in his responsible work.
Asian regional meeting held
Pyongyang, March 17 (KCNA) -- An Asian regional meeting for agreement on trade freight transport of the organization of railway cooperation was held here from March 11 to 16.
Present there were delegations of the DPRK, China, Russia, Mongolia, Vietnam and Kazakhstan.
The meeting reviewed the past work and discussed an agreement on the tasks of trade freight transport for 2000, working-level issues to implement them, the place and period of the next meeting and other matters.
A protocol of the meeting was signed on March 16.
Reception given by Russian ambassador
Pyongyang, March 17 (KCNA) -- Russian ambassador to the DPRK Valery Denisov gave a reception at the embassy yesterday on the occasion of the 51st anniversary of the signing of the agreement on economic and cultural cooperation between the DPRK and the Russian Federation.
Present on invitation were Kang Jong Mo, Minister of Foreign Trade, Ri In Gyu, vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs, Song Sok Hwan, vice-Minister of Culture, Ri Song Ho, vice-chairman of the Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries and chairman of the DPRK-Russia Friendship Association, and other officials concerned.
Speeches were made at the reception.
Songs dating back to period of enlightenment discovered and studied
Pyongyang, March 17 (KCNA) -- The DPRK has made many achievements in the in-depth study of songs dating back to the period of enlightenment.
In recent years the central committee of the Korean Musicians Union and the national music research room of Pyongyang University of Music and Dance have discovered and studied hundreds of songs dating back to the period of enlightenment, including new folk songs "Song of Yongchun" and "Korean Tharyong" and children's song "Half Moon."
Those songs appeared in the middle of the 19th century as part of a campaign for new culture. They were disseminated after taking formal shape as a new variety of music in the 1920s-1930s.
These songs were created by Jo Ryong Chul, Ri Myon Sang, An Ki Yong, Ri Kon U and other conscience-minded musicians who strove hard to preserve the soul of the nation. They vividly reflected grief over the sufferings of the nation, burning patriotism and aspiration for the new.
The discovery of these songs has made it possible to fill up a blank in the history of music which has remained unknown for a long time and estimate their value as national treasure and heritage.
Many pamphlets on those songs are being brought out amid the deep attention of the Worker's Party of Korea and the state to the development of the national music.
Recently the literature and art press group published "Collection of Selected Songs Dating Back To Period of Enlightenment", which contains the newly discovered 34 songs dating back to the period of enlightenment, 52 children's songs, 18 lyric songs, 59 new folk songs and 27 popular songs. Edited in the collection are original copies of music of songs as well as the background against which they were created, years in which they appeared, names of creators and relevant historical materials to help the readers clearly understand social conditions, the level of creation and people's taste in those days.
The press group will publish pamphlets, including "Collection of New Folk Songs", "Collection of Lyric Songs and Children's Songs" and "Collection of Popular Songs" which deal with different branches.
Outer Kumgang tortoise habitat
Pyongyang, March 17 (KCNA) -- A pond in Kosong county, Kangwon Province on the east coast of Korea, is a habitat of outer Kumgang tortoises. The pond is about 30 hectares wide and its bottom is layered with mud over sand.
This amphibian tortoise is native to northeast Asia. The specimens occur in Kosong and Thongchon counties of Kangwon Province, Jangphung county in Kaesong city and Paechon, Yonan and Ongjin counties of South Hwanghae Province. Its shell averages 15 to 20 cm in length and it weighs 1.2 to 1.5kg. The shell is divided into top shields, or solid plates and underside shields. Normally found on ponds or riversides, it feeds on fish and frogs but can go without food for several years on end.
Its four thick and short legs are charcoal gray and its webfoot enable it to swim. It lays three to nine white eggs and buries them in the sand. The eggs are hatched in 60 days.
The tortoise is a rare animal whose supplies are swiftly deleted on the planet. It is under special protection in the DPRK.
Ishihara's anti-DPRK diatribe flayed
Pyongyang, March 17 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the Korean National Peace Committee issued a statement yesterday denouncing Tokyo metropolitan governor Shintaro Ishihara for letting loose a very provocative and bellicose diatribe against the DPRK.
The spokesman said:
Ishihara's blast eloquently proves that the world's peaceloving people have to closely follow the movement of the Japanese right-wing reactionaries to revive militarism. Those who like to play with fire are bound to be burnt to death.
We cannot live with such ultra-right elements as Ishihara under the same sky. As long as they are left intact, peace and security in northeast Asia and the world cannot be guaranteed.
We express the belief that the peaceloving people and peace organizations in Japan and the rest of the world would actively rise up in the struggle to oust such lunatics as Ishihara who are overheated with the fever of war from the political circles and achieve world peace and security.
Japan's reinvasion will lead to its self-destruction
Pyongyang, March 17 (KCNA) -- Japan is keen on the moves for overseas military expansion.
The national defence council of the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan at a meeting on March 8 formally approved of the bill on promoting the Defence Agency to the "Ministry of Defence".
A brisk work is now under way in the Japanese diet to rewrite the present constitution bereft of its nature and mission as the "pacifist constitution" as a war constitution following the adoption of the legislation related to the "Japan-U.S. Defence Cooperation Guidelines".
Japan has made a complete switchover in its military strategy from attaching importance to "repelling attack from the north" in the period of the cold war to giving importance to "beating back attack from the west." The "Self-Defence Forces" have been reorganized according to it and they are equipped with modern, long-range and large combat means.
The Ministry of Finance of Japan allotted 4,935.6 billion yen as the draft military budget for the fiscal 2000.
Against the backdrop of ever more undisguised moves to turn Japan into a military giant and its military overseas expansion, Tokyo metropolitan governor Shintaro Ishihara on March 7 let loose a bellicose remark that "Japan will destroy North Korea at a blow".
Japan's target is the Korean peninsula.
The spokesmen for the DPRK Foreign Ministry and the DPRK Committee for Investigation Into the Damage Done by the Japanese Imperialists During Their Occupation of Korea and others declared that the DPRK would deal a decisive blow to any attempt of Japan against the DPRK.
The DPRK will not be trampled underfoot by Japanese sandals.
The DPRK where the leader, the party and the masses are united single-heartedly, has already become a politically and militarily strong country, and the Korean People's Army has become an invincible army whose soldiers are ready to become human bombs.
The Korean people are enraged at Japan keen only on the moves for reinvasion of Korea, instead of making an apology and compensation.
If Japan dares make a preemptive strike at the DPRK, "Hinomaru" and "Kimigayo" will remain forever historic relics only.
Real threat comes from Japan
Pyongyang, March 17 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today in a signed commentary assails the Japanese Defence Agency's recent report titled "Strategic review of 2000 in East Asia" in which it expressed "concern" about the "suspected military orientation of North Korean nuclear research and its increasing guided missile potential."
It has already been known to the world that there is no "nuclear suspicion" in the DPRK, the commentary says, and goes on:
As far as the "missile issue" is concerned, it is rubbish. Japan described the DPRK's launch of its satellite as a "launch of ballistic missile" only to suffer disgrace in the international arena.
The DPRK is exposed to a threat from Japan. The Japanese reactionaries' overseas aggression is imminent and the DPRK is the first target of its attack.
Quite clear is the real aim sought by them in falsifying the truth and clamoring about "threat" from the DPRK.
Their intention is to divert elsewhere the public watchful eyes on them by raising a hue and cry over "threat" from the DPRK.
Their another aim is to foster anti-DPRK feelings among Japanese people.
Their anti-DPRK false propaganda is aimed to cover up such black-hearted intention of Japan.
But there can be no confusing of right and wrong. It is well known to the world that the real threat comes from Japan.
Moves to calm down anti-American sentiment
Pyongyang, March 17 (KCNA) -- The South Korean ruling quarters said that they were pushing ahead with the work to revise the "status of forces agreement" with the United States with recent GI's murder of a Korean woman as an impetus, according to a news report.
They said that they were examining a bill which allows them to detain gi criminals when they are caught red-handed.
This is a crafty trick to calm down the anti-U.S. sentiment growing among the people who are harboring national resentment against the criminal acts of the GIs.
The South Korean rulers are seeking to smooth down the protest of the people against the "status of forces agreement" by revising some articles of the "agreement."
However, the arrogant yankees are shrugging off the revision.
S. Korean women workers meet
Pyongyang, March 17 (KCNA) -- The South Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) held a "national meeting of women workers" in Seoul on March 11 calling for equal employment and maternity protection, a South Korean newspaper said.
The participants demanded improved treatment of women who are given only odd jobs, women's participation in decision-making bodies of organizations at all levels and guarantee of maternity leave and opposed the discrimination against women which has become a social trend.
Then they staged a street demonstration.
The KCTU said that the confederation and its affiliated unions would spearhead a sustained struggle to push for the women's demands. It also vowed to hold rallies calling for the right of women workers in different areas.
"Intelligence Service" hit for trying to meddle in inter-Korean dialogue
Pyongyang, March 17 (KCNA) -- The secretariat of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland issued information bulletin no. 805 yesterday as regards the recent ill-boding attempt of the "Intelligence Service", a fascist plot-breeding body in South Korea, to meddle in the north-south dialogue.
The information bulletin said:
Last year the DPRK government proposed to hold talks between the authorities of the north and the south and suggested three priorities to the south side's authorities to make the talks fruitful. But no practical step has been taken so far in South Korea though one year has passed since then.
The recent undesirable attempt of the "Intelligence Service" of South Korea to imprudently meddle in the north-south dialogue revealed its black-hearted intention to use it again as a lever for anti-north operations.
The "Intelligence Service" is headquarters for its anti-communist operations as it specializes in fostering distrust and discord among compatriots, while running wild to escalate confrontation with the north.
With the "Intelligence Service" left intact, it is impossible to expect any improvement of inter-Korean relations.
If the "Intelligence Service" is allowed to shamelessly poke its nose into the dialogue, we will consider it to be an intentional and premeditated move to torpedo the dialogue and take a corresponding step.
GIs hit for slaying of another S. Korean woman
Pyongyang, March 17 (KCNA) -- The spokesman for the central committee of the Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland today released a statement denouncing the U.S. aggression forces for murdering a South Korean woman in her sixties.
The spokesman said the Korean nation could hardly repress a surging indignation at the GIs who kill innocent South Korean women one after another at a time when all the Koreans in the north, south and abroad bitterly condemn yankees' murders of fellow countrymen and the world public is critical of their criminal acts.
No one should talk to such gang of man-hunters who have not an iota of conscience and reason or expect something from consultation with them, he said.
It is a bitter lesson drawn by the Koreans from the realities of South Korea that the wolves hungry for the blood deserve a stick, he said, and highlighted the need to finish off the GIs in the do-or-die spirit.
Repatriation of unconverted long-term prisoners called for
Pyongyang, March 17 (KCNA) -- South Korea is seething with a drive for the repatriation of unconverted long-term prisoners to the North Korea.
The Citizens' Solidarity for Democratic Society, the Catholic Human Rights Committee and 28 other human rights, religious and public organizations formed the Committee for Promoting the Repatriation of Unconverted Long-Term Prisoners in Seoul on December 27 last year and decided to arrange visit to the North Korea and seminars and conduct international solidarity activities for their repatriation, a task which should be settled without fail.
This promotion committee held a conference on January 18 this year and announced they would conduct a broad signature campaign for unconditional repatriation of the unconverted long-term prisoners.
The Chungju regional council of human rights organizations, the Citizens' Solidarity for Human Rights and other human rights organizations charged that the authorities are forcibly keeping in South Korea unconverted long-term prisoners and using them for a sinister purpose, which is a crime against humanity.
At least 50 unconverted long-term prisoners are now wanting to be repatriated to the North Korea.
Their repatriation is an issue which should be settled in view of the international law, humanitarianism and inter-Korean relations.
The South Korean authorities should stop their unethical and anti-reunification persecution and suppression of the unconverted long-term prisoners and send them back to the North Korea as soon as possible.
Joint meeting proposed
Pyongyang, March 17 (KCNA) -- The Korean Measure Committee for Rescuing Unconverted Long-Term Prisoners in South Korea yesterday sent a letter to the organizations related to the Promotion of the Repatriation of Unconverted Long-Term Prisoners in South Korea and abroad proposing to hold a joint meeting of compatriots in the north, south and overseas in a third country in April to take a joint action.
The letter expressed thanks to these organizations for their positive activities and sincere efforts to send the unconverted long-term prisoners detained in South Korea back to the northern half of Korea as soon as possible where their families and relatives are waiting for them.
Noting that the South Korean rulers are using this issue for a political bargaining under an absurd pretext, the letter said that the issue can be smoothly settled only through a joint struggle of all the fellow countrymen in the north, south and overseas.
It further said:
The Korean Measure Committee for Rescuing Unconverted Long-Term Prisoners in South Korea expresses the belief that your organizations which are waging a righteous struggle in South Korea and overseas for the repatriation of the unconverted long-term prisoners will positively support and respond to our proposal from a patriotic and humanitarian stand.
Anti-DPRK campaign in Japan denounced
Pyongyang, March 17 (KCNA) -- The spokesman for the central committee of the DPRK Red Cross Society today issued a statement denouncing the Japanese right-wing reactionary forces for their recent anti-DPRK campaign over what they called "kidnapping issue".
The statement says:
At a time when the Red Cross societies of the DPRK and Japan are working in real earnest to search for "missing persons" under their agreement, ultra right forces of Japan are mobilizing the organizations allegedly to save those "kidnapped" and their families and supporters for ceaseless anti-DPRK campaigns over the "kidnapping issue."
Drawing attention to this happening, the statement notes:
This row was kicked up at a time when there is a climate for improved relations between the DPRK and Japan as evidenced by holding of the DPRK-Japan Red Cross talks and others. We cannot construe this otherwise than an intentional move to bar the talks and a premeditated action to prevent the inter-governmental talks for the improvement of relations between the two countries from opening.
Japan should bear in mind that the Japanese right-wing reactionaries' anti-DPRK campaign will bring them to nowhere.
They are well advised to face up to reality, do soul searching and behave themselves. This is good for Japan, too.
Bulgarian preparatory committee formed
Pyongyang, March 17 (KCNA) -- A Bulgarian preparatory committee was formed on March 10 to commemorate Sun's Day, the birth anniversary of the President Kim Il Sung.
Prof. and Dr. Georgi Stoyanov, chairman of the Bulgaria-DPRK Friendship Association, was elected chairman of the preparatory committee, and Boris Petkov, president of the executive council of the central committee of the Bulgarian Communist Party (Marxists), and Simeon Ignatov, chairman of the Sofia City Anti-fascist Fighters Committee, vice-chairmen.
The chairman of the preparatory committee in his speech at the inaugural meeting said that the august name of Kim Il Sung will continue to shine brightly with the century. Bulgaria will make it traditional to commemorate Sun's Day as a holiday common to humankind, he added.
The meeting decided to organize multifarious events on the occasion of Sun's Day.