Kim Jong Il receives letter from Chongryon
Pyongyang, May 25 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il received a letter of thanks today from the central standing committee of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon) on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of the formation of Chongryon.
The letter expressed the humblest reverence for the great leader Kim Il Sung, who is the organizer and leader of Chongryon and the savior of the rebirth of Koreans in Japan, and extended the warmest thanks and greatest glory to Kim Jong Il who is exalting Chongryon as an invincible overseas compatriotic organization of Juche generation after generation and a dignified organization of the DPRK nationals overseas.
The letter went on:
The formation of Chongryon on May 25, Juche 44 was a historic event which paved the way for the movement of Koreans in Japan to develop into a noble patriotic movement of the nation contributing to the prosperity and reunification of the homeland under the banner of the Juche idea and defending the national dignity and rights of Koreans in Japan, brought a radical change in their livelihood and hewed out the road of the overseas compatriotic movement in the era of independence.
You acquainted yourself with the work of Chongryon and led Chongryon to develop into a true patriotic mass organization in the rigorous period when you were defending the destiny of the homeland and the revolution in the van of the "arduous march" and forced march.
You are, indeed, the defender of the destiny of Chongryon and Koreans in Japan and the symbol of victory who is strengthening and encouraging Chongryon as a powerful patriotic organization which braves any adversity, along with the building of a powerful nation in the homeland.
We will firmly defend the national dignity and rights with our warm patriotic enthusiasm and united efforts, and train our younger generation to be more creditable successors to the movement of Koreans in Japan and make tangible contributions to the cause of national reunification and the building of a powerful socialist nation which you are leading to a great change.
Paek Nam Sun greets anniversary of OAU
Pyongyang, May 25 (KCNA) -- DPRK Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun sent a message of greetings to Salim A. Salim, general secretary of the Organization of African Unity, on the occasion of the 37th anniversary of its foundation.
The message extended warm salute to the African people through the general secretary and its organization.
Noting that the African countries are working hard to achieve peace and common prosperity in unity, the message said that the great changes and successes in the struggle to achieve the independent development of Africa are closely associated with the OAU's role.
The government and the people of the DPRK highly appreciate the successes made by the African people in their just cause and will join them in the efforts to build a new independent world in the future too, it added, and sincerely wished the OAU greater success in its work to achieve peace and development of the continent.
Week of Iran-Korea friendship and exhibition open
Pyongyang, May 25 (KCNA) -- An opening ceremony of a week of Iran-Korea friendship and a Korean book, photo and handiwork exhibition was held in Teheran on May 17.
Put on display were famous works of the President Kim Il Sung and General Secretary Kim Jong Il and Korean books, photos and handiwork.
The first vice-president of the Organization of Culture and Islamic Relations of Iran in his speech at the opening ceremony said the Iranian people remember and praise the DPRK's full support for and encouragement to the just cause of Iran.
The Islamic Republic of Iran will spare no efforts to extend solidarity to the Korean people in their struggle for national reunification, he said, and noted:
It is of weighty significance to expand and develop the friendly relations between Iran and Korea.
He prayed for the eternal life of President Kim Il Sung of the Korean people and wished Kim Jong Il greater success in carrying out the noble cause.
Anniversary of Chongryon observed
Pyongyang, May 25 (KCNA) -- Papers here today in editorials dedicated to the 45th anniversary of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon) (May 25, 1955) say that the last 45 years covered by Chongryon is a history in which it has glorified the dignity and honor of being an overseas compatriots organization of Juche Korea, upholding the idea and leadership of the President Kim Il Sung over the overseas compatriots movement, and a history in which it has protected the national rights and interests of the compatriots in Japan and contributed to the prosperity of the homeland and the cause of reunification.
Chongryon established well-regulated organizational and working systems from its central standing committee to its branches and set up a solid leadership system of the great Kim Jong Il in the organizations at all levels, shattering every move of the reactionaries at home and abroad against Chongryon and preserving the legitimate position of the association, Rodong Sinmun says, and goes on:
Having united broad masses of compatriots around itself, Chongryon has firmly protected the national rights of the compatriots and strengthened national education, thus providing continuity to the patriotic movement and registering great achievements in the patriotic work for the prosperity and development of the socialist homeland and national reunification.
Ever since the very day of its formation, Chongryon has powerfully roused the compatriots to the struggle to implement the idea and policy of the Worker's Party of Korea for national reunification and support the South Korean people's movement for independence, democracy and reunification, shattering the anti-reunification moves of the separatists.
True to the idea of the foreign policy of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Chongryon has strengthened friendship with peoples of various countries of the world and expanded and developed the relations with international organizations, thus contributing to raising the DPRK's international authority and fully exercising its influence and say in the international arena.
All these successes made in the patriotic activities of Chongryon over the past 45 years represent shining victory of Kim Il Sung's Juche-oriented idea of the overseas compatriots movement and a precious fruition of the wise leadership of Kim Jong Il.
It called for consolidating the ideological and leadership system of Juche in Chongryon and more solidly building up the organization into patriotic ranks which uphold the idea and leadership of Kim Jong Il as its life and soul.
Minju Joson says that Chongryon, holding aloft the banner of Juche idea under the leadership of Kim Jong Il, will victoriously advance along with the socialist homeland.
S. Korean media's attempt to twist essence of developments
Pyongyang, May 25 (KCNA) -- Some media of South Korea recently expressed "deep concern" about the rapidly mounting anti-U.S. sentiment on the atrocities committed by U.S. occupation forces, according to Yonhap News of South Korea.
Choongang Ilbo in an editorial said this anti-U.S. sentiment reached such an extent that the "government" should urgently tone it down, holding "solution to the issue of the anti-U.S. sentiment should be sought in revising the status of forces agreement."
South Korean economic daily asserted the anti-U.S. struggle of the people should not be allowed to recur as it May "threaten the U.S. forces' presence in South Korea," adding "such actions would only support the north's demand for the withdrawal of the U.S. forces."
This is a shameless assertion intended to twist the essence of developments, oblivious of the mission of the media as unbiased mouthpiece of public opinion.
Underlying the anti-u.s. Sentiment in South Korea is the U.S. forces' presence in South Korea. The problem, therefore, cannot be settled by a mere revision of the "status of forces agreement."
This is evidenced by the fact that though the "agreement" has been revised 80 times since its signing in the 1960s, the number of cases of GIs' atrocities have further increased.
Crimes committed in Rogun-ri and Maehyang-ri which have been disclosed recently are the only tip of the iceberg, in the light of tremendous mental and material losses suffered by the Korean nation under the U.S. forces' presence in South Korea that has lasted more than 50 years.
In this period the U.S. has forced South Korea to pay nearly 100 billion dollars for the upkeep of the U.S. forces there. GIs have committed at least 270,000 cases of crimes such as robbery, rape and murder in South Korea since august 15, 1945.
Some South Korean media's misrepresentation of people's anti-U.S. sentiment despite these stark facts is an anachronistic way of thinking and an outright challenge to the DPRK which has consistently demanded the withdrawal of the U.S. forces from South Korea.
This red herring is a direct product of the pro-U.S. flunkeyist policy, the U.S.-toeing policy of the successive South Korean rulers.
The withdrawal of the U.S. forces is an urgent demand of the times and a prerequisite for national prosperity.
The South Korean authorities should not turn aside from the historic task and the South Korean media stop spreading misinformation intended to debase the people's anti-U.S. sentiment and consciousness of national independence.
Withdrawal of U.S. forces from S. Korea demanded
Pyongyang, May 25 (KCNA) -- The Italian Committee for Korea's Reunification and peace made public a press statement on May 18 demanding the withdrawal of the U.S. forces from South Korea.
The statement said:
The U.S. forces brutally massacred innocent civilians during the last Korean War and imposed great sufferings upon a lot of people by staging ceaseless war exercises after the war to create a constant danger of war on the Korean peninsula.
The South Korean people are lifting up voices opposing the U.S. forces' presence in South Korea and demanding their immediate withdrawal.
There is no reason for the U.S. forces to stay in South Korea and they should quit there at once.
The issue of the complete withdrawal of foreign forces from South Korea should be taken up by the north-south summit talks to be held in Pyongyang.
Struggles against the presence of the U.S. forces in South Korea now raging in every part of South Korea should be a common struggle of the peoples of all the countries including Italy and other European countries in particular.
S. Korean authorities' attempt to destroy Hanchongryon
Pyongyang, May 25 (KCNA) -- Minju Joson today in a signed commentary rails against the South Korean authorities for officially announcing that they would totally block the inaugural meeting of the 8th-term South Korean Federation of University Student Councils (Hanchongryon).
They threatened to deploy police force of scores of companies around Pusan University, the venue of the meeting, from May 25 in a bid to bar students from participating in the meeting and arrest leading members of Hanchongryon.
The commentary dismisses this as an outrageous fascist action to destroy Hanchongryon.
The South Korean authorities are branding Hanchongryon as an "enemy-benefiting organization" in a bid to justify their fascist crackdown, the commentary notes, and goes on:
Hanchongryon, the legitimate organization of the South Korean students, has waged a strenuous struggle for independence, democracy and reunification, carrying forward the glorious tradition of the National Council of Student Representatives (Jondaehyop).
Hanchongryon's activities are positively supported by people from all walks of life as they are aimed to regain the trampled-down dignity and sovereignty of the nation, democratize the South Korean society and reunify the country.
An example of this was that 53 civic organizations in Pusan and South Kyongsang Province formed a joint measure committee on May 12, demanding the authorities sanction the inaugural meeting of Hanchongryon.
It is a mockery and challenge to Hanchongryon and people for the authorities to brand Hanchongryon as an "enemy-benefiting organization."
This is a clear indication that the South Korean authorities are going mad to destroy Hanchongryon just as their predecessors did.
If the South Korean authorities truly want reconciliation and cooperation with the DPRK, they should stop linking Hanchongryon with the DPRK to suppress it, clamoring about "enemy-benefiting organization," and thus prove their honesty by taking practical steps to permit its inaugural meeting and its just patriotic activities.
Monument by Chongryon will shine long
Pyongyang, May 25 (KCNA) -- Han Tok Su, chairman of the central standing committee of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon), made public an article on the occasion of its 45th anniversary, which stressed that the monument put up by Chongryon will shine long.
The article said:
A model of the overseas compatriots movement in the world, this is the greatest monument put up by Chongryon in history with great advance.
The birth of Chongryon on May 25, 1955, was the fruition of the Juche-oriented idea on overseas compatriots of the great leader Kim Il Sung who had always thought of the destiny of Koreans in Japan and minded the future of the movement of Koreans in Japan.
With the formation of Chongryon Koreans in Japan have come to have a true compatriotic organization which is representing and defending their national rights and interests and independently carve out their destiny.
It is thanks to the leadership of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il that Chongryon has exalted its dignity as a model of the overseas compatriot movement in the world by making vigorous progress, breaking through all difficulties in the complicated and hard time.
Absolute worship for them is the cardinal spirit of Chongryon and the banner of the Juche idea is the only flag of Chongryon.
Chongryon has set up institutions of national education ranging from kindergartens to junior middle and high schools and university in different parts of Japan to give systematic democratic national education to children of compatriots and bring them up as reliable successors to the patriotic cause and good national cadres.
We are convinced of a bright future of Chongryon because Chongryon is led by the great leader Kim Jong Il, the sun of the 21st century, and the powerful hardcore forces of the rising generations have grown up so as to exalt Chongryon down through generations under his leadership.
U.S. urged to make apology and compensation
Pyongyang, May 25 (KCNA) -- Ahmad Hassanin, editor-in-chief of the Egyptian paper Al Shabab Al Arab, made public a statement on May 20 in support of the memorandum of the DPRK Foreign Ministry disclosing GIs' mass killings of civilians during the last Korean War.
The statement said:
U.S. planes made more than 1,050,000 sorties against the DPRK during the Korean war and used even germ and chemical weapons to kill peaceable civilians.
However, the U.S. has neither officially admitted its crimes nor apologized for them. Keeping huge forces in South Korea, it has staged ceaseless war exercises against the DPRK in collusion with the South Korean authorities.
These shameless actions of the U.S. are an intolerable challenge to the world progressives who value peace and conscience.
Before it is too late, the U.S. should punish the criminals responsible for massacres during the Korean war, make an official apology to the DPRK government and people and fully compensate for them.
Fish farms mushroom
Pyongyang, May 25 (KCNA) -- Fish farms are mushrooming in different parts of the DPRK.
Fish farms covering at least 3,250 hectares were newly built or reconstructed in the last nearly five months of the year, according to data available from the fish farm management bureau of the Ministry of Fisheries.
This has created an additional capacity to breed fishes.
Every city and county aims to build fish farms covering 20-30 hectares.
Fish farms with an area of some 20 hectares were built in Sijung county, Jagang Province, to suit the features of the mountain area around lake Sijung.
Fish farms covering 20-30 hectares made their appearance in Haeju city, Ongjin, Unchon and Anak counties and other cities and counties of South Hwanghae Province.
Breed-fish grounds for tropical catfish were built in Samchon, Songhwa and Pongchon counties, where hot springs are available, to open up a good prospect for raising tropical catfish.
The construction of fish farms is now under way in cities and counties in north hwanghae province, where spring water can be harnessed to breed rainbow trout.
Nampho and cities and counties in North Phyongan Province, north and south Hamgyong provinces and Kangwon Province are successfully pushing forward new fish farm projects, while making an effective use of the existing fish farms.