Greetings to Kim Jong Il from ITF president
Pyongyang, August 19 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il received a message of greetings from Choe Hong Hui, president of the International Taekwon-do Federation, on August 15 on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the country's liberation.
The message noted that the President Kim Il Sung is not only the savior of the Korean nation but also the benefactor of himself and Taekwon-do.
The north-south summit and the north-south joint declaration, the first of their kinds after the division of the country, were great auspicious events which brought joy and hope to the Korean nation aspiring after the country's reunification and shining fruition of Kim Jong Il's idea of national reunification and his outstanding leadership provided to achieve it in our generation at any cost, it said.
Saying that the overseas Koreans praise Kim Jong Il as the savior of the Korean nation and the lodestar of the country's reunification, the message noted that their hearts are going out to him in Pyongyang.
Abolition of "SL" urged
Pyongyang, August 19 (KCNA) -- The secretariat of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland issued information bulletin no. 808 on Thursday as regards the Seoul city police authorities' arrest of the chairman of the General Student Council of Dankook University in Seoul and other leading members of the student council of a technical college on charges of the violation of the "Security Law."
The police authorities reportedly brought against them charges that they "distributed literature praising the north" during the election of leading members last year and after the election they "encouraged and praised" the north as representatives of the South Korean Federation of University Student Councils.
The bulletin said:
The South Korean police authorities arrested patriotic students, accusing them of what happened last year, under the "SL" which brands the DPRK as an "anti-state organization" at a time when desire for reconciliation, unity and reunification is mounting unprecedentedly in the north and the south. This is a treacherous act contrary to the implementation of the historic north-south joint declaration.
Contacts and visits between the north and the south are becoming frequent to help the people from all walks of life in South Korea know better about the reality of the north.
Their suppression of patriotic students is aimed to bar the people from longing for the north, incite confrontation with the DPRK and put a brake on implementation of the joint declaration, much upset by these developments, the bulletin stressed, and went on:
The South Korean authorities should abolish the "SL", the anti-reunification law, and immediately release the arrested students to meet the need of the new era, if they wish to remain true to the historic north-south joint declaration.
Greetings to Surinam President
Pyongyang, August 19 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, Thursday sent a message of greetings to Ronald Venetiaan upon his inauguration as the President of the Republic of Surinam.
Extending congratulations upon his assumption of his office as the President of Surinam, the message wished him success in his responsible work.
Indian ambassador hosts reception
Pyongyang, August 19 (KCNA) -- Binanda Kumar Gogoi, ambassador of the Republic of India to the DPRK, hosted a reception yesterday on the occasion of the 53rd anniversary of the independence of India.
Invited there were Ryom Sun Gil, chairman of the central committee of the General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea who is chairman of the Korea-India Friendship Association, and Pak Kil Yon, vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs, officials concerned and diplomatic envoys of different countries here.
Speeches were made at the reception.
Japan urged to redress its past
Pyongyang, August 19 (KCNA) -- Minju Joson today runs a signed commentary as regards the forthcoming tenth round of DPRK-Japan intergovernmental full-dress talks.
The world hopes that the talks will come to success so as to enable the two countries, which have long remained sworn enemies, to achieve harmony as close neighbors and open a new phase of peace and stability in northeast Asia, the commentary says, and goes on:
The purpose of the talks is, after all, to warm up the cool relations between the DPRK and Japan. Therefore, it is imperative to give priority to solving the key problem, a obstacle in the way of improving the bilateral relations.
Referring to the long-standing historic roots of the hostile relations between the two countries, the commentary says:
A key to putting an end to these relations is Japan's sincere redress for its past.
The preceding rounds of the talks came to failure as Japan evaded its fundamental responsibility and raised non-existent and nonsensical issues to make the talks complicated.
Japan should not repeat such practices at the soon-to-be-held talks, drawing lessons from the past talks.
DPRK and Japan are to have such important talks in 2000 at the turn of century.
Japan's clear redress for its inglorious past in the century and ushering in a new era of peace, reconciliation and cooperation between the two countries will be decided by the results of the talks.
Japan urged to make earliest decision to redress its past
Pyongyang, August 19 (KCNA) -- Japan should do soul-searching and make a proper decision if it really wishes to redress its past, as urged by the times, says Rodong Sinmun today in a signed article.
It is a historic task and an unavoidable obligation for Japan to redress its past.
Saying that a master key to opening diplomatic relations between the DPRK and Japan lies in Japan's redress for its past, the article notes that if Japan truly wishes the improved relations with the DPRK, it should take a sincere approach to the issue of settlement of its past and make the DPRK-Japan talks serve this purpose.
Mistrust is increasing and escalating into confrontation between the two countries because of Japan's failure to settle the issue of redressing its past.
Urging Japan to admit the stark historical fact that it had committed hideous crimes against the Korean people in the past, the article continues:
The Japanese ultra-right reactionaries are tampering with history to serve the purpose of their propaganda that Japan did not invade Asian countries but "liberated" them from "aggression" by big powers.
Japan's negation of its past crimes is little short of its refusal to make any apology and compensation for them.
This attitude on the part of Japan only increases mistrust of it.
The Korean People's Army and people are becoming increasingly assertive that they should fight to the last against the Japanese militarists who seek to evade the redress for its past and launch reinvasion, till they wreak their pent-up grudge against Japan.
The Japanese ruling quarters are bound to be cursed by history if they try to sidestep the solution of pending issues between the DPRK and Japan the core of which is redress for its past.
The Japanese authorities should make a proper decision at an early date, deeply mindful of the consequences to be entailed by their dishonest attitude towards the issue of settlement of its past.
Festival of Korean residents in Japan for national reunification
Tokyo, August 17 (KNS-KCNA) -- A festival of Korean residents in Japan for national reunification was held in Tokyo on August 14 in support of the north-south joint declaration on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of national liberation.
So Man Sul, first vice-chairman of the central standing committee of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon), said in his speech at the festival that the publication of the north-south joint declaration was a great historic event which switched the north-south relations from confrontation, division and foreign forces' interference to reconciliation, unity and independent reunification and a great auspicious event of the nation which marked a new significant milestone in the cause of reunification.
Like the fellow countrymen in the north and the south the Koreans in Japan are responsible for reunification and they should display patriotism for reunification by implementing the joint declaration, he noted.
He called on the compatriots from all walks of life in Japan including those affiliated to Chongryon, the Federation of South Koreans in Japan for Democracy and Unification (Hanthongryon) and the South Korean Residents Association in Japan (Mindan) to achieve their great unity for the implementation of the historic joint declaration under the banner of national independence and great unity of the whole nation irrespective of idea, creed and affiliations.
Kwak Tong Ui, chairman of Hanthongryon, said that since the adoption of the June 15 joint declaration the reunification movement has entered a new era and called for waging a more vigorous struggle under the banner of federal formula and solidarity.
Tajik preparatory committee inaugurated
Pyongyang, August 19 (KCNA) -- The standing committee of the central committee of the Communist Party of Tajikistan on August 14 adopted a decision to inaugurate a preparatory committee to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the Worker's Party of Korea.
Shodi Dablyatovich Shavdolov, chairman of the party, was elected chairman of the preparatory committee and KH. A. Abdulayev, chairman of the Tajikistan-DPRK Friendship Association, its vice-chairman, according to the decision.
The standing committee of the central committee of the Communist Party of Tajikistan instructed all party organizations to organize colorful events including seminars, soirees and meetings together with the youth league, war veterans, women organizations and members of the friendship association on this occasion, the decision said, and continued:
The party publications will carry information about the glorious path covered by the Korean people under the guidance of the great Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il.
Three-point charter of Korea's reunification supported
Pyongyang, August 19 (KCNA) -- The Socialist People's Party of Mexico participated in the international signature campaign supporting the three-point charter of Korea's reunification.
General secretary of the party Manuel Fernandez Flores signed the signature paper on behalf of its 120,000 members and supporters on August 9.
The general secretary said that his party has consistently supported the three-point charter put forward by the great President Kim Il Sung and formulated by the great General Secretary Kim Jong Il.
Warmly welcoming a new turn for the reunification of Korea, he expressed his hope that it would lead to the complete reunification of Korea.
The independent and peaceful reunification is bound to be achieved under the leadership of the Worker's Party of Korea headed by Kim Jong Il, he stressed.
Book on DPRK published in Nepal
Pyongyang, August 19 (KCNA) -- Book "Travel Note on DPRK" written by Naresh Man Shakya, member of the central committee of the Nepal Communist Party (United Marxist-Leninist), was published in Kathmandu.
He wrote in the book that he came to deeply venerate the great leader Kim Il Sung in the course of reading books on leaders of the communist movement for many years.
The author continued:
For me the August name of Kim Il Sung serves as a driving force of the revolution.
He dealt a heavy blow to the imperialists keen on destroying socialism in the world.
He was not just a leader but the greatest man possessed of the most beautiful and noblest traits as a human being.
He was the great leader who was well informed about political, economic, cultural and other fields of social life and enjoyed absolute support and trust from the people.
Kim Jong Il, the supreme leader of Korea, is identical to Kim Il Sung.
The author expressed the conviction that the Korean people would resolutely smash the imperialists' moves and certainly achieve the peaceful reunification of the country under the leadership of Kim Jong Il.
Sheer fiction floated in U.S. refuted
Pyongyang, August 19 (KCNA) -- U.S. conservative hard-liners reportedly let "New York Times" and other media float the fiction that there are in the DPRK "facilities suspected of stockpiling nuclear warheads" in a bid to build up public opinion over it.
Dismissing it as a sheer lie, Minju Joson today in a signed commentary says:
What they seek in this is to make the fiction of the DPRK's "suspected development of nuclear weapons" a fait accompli and shift the responsibility for its non-fulfillment of the DPRK-U.S. agreed framework on to the DPRK.
The commentary continues:
As the world knows, almost six years have passed since the DPRK-U.S. agreed framework was adopted. But, some items of the framework have not been implemented in a desirable way. In other words, such commitments as the construction of light water reactors (LWRs) and shipment of heavy oil which the United States pledged itself to deliver to the DPRK have not been fulfilled smoothly.
Therefore, the construction of two LWRs by the year 2003 as stipulated in the agreed framework has become absolutely impossible.
In consequence, not only the work to ensure peace and stability on the Korean peninsula but the process for the improvement of the DPRK-U.S. relations are not making smooth progress.
Now the international community is much displeased with the U.S. attitude towards the agreed framework.
Hence, U.S. conservative hard-liners are again peddling the fiction of "nuclear suspicion" in an attempt to shift the responsibility for their non-fulfillment of the agreed framework on to the DPRK and annul it, in the worst case.
But, their loudmouthed "nuclear suspicion" only reveals their absurdity.
The U.S. can never evade its responsibility for the non-compliance with the implementation of the agreed framework and it should pay for the ensuing consequences.
DPRK government delegation leaves to attend 10th round of DPRK-Japan talks
Pyongyang, August 19 (KCNA) -- The DPRK government delegation headed by Jong Thae Hwa, roving ambassador of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, left here today by air to participate in the 10th round of the DPRK-Japan governmental full-dress talks slated to be held in Japan.
UNESCO director general and his party here
Pyongyang, August 19 (KCNA) -- Matsuura Koichiro, director general of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and his party arrived here today.
They were met at the airport by Choe Su Hon, chairman of the DPRK national committee of UNESCO and vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs, David Morton, UN resident coordinator and UNDP resident representative, and representatives of international organizations here.
The DPRK government hosted a reception in honor of the director general and his party.
Chairwoman of PPU of Russia and her party here
Pyongyang, August 19 (KCNA) -- Sazhi Umalatova, chairwoman of the Party for Peace and Unity of Russia, and her party arrive here today.
They were met at the airport by Ji Jae Ryong, vice department director of the Central Committee of the Worker's Party of Korea.