Friendly meeting with Foreign Ministry delegation of Thailand
Pyongyang, November 21 (KCNA) -- A friendly meeting with members of the Foreign Ministry delegation of Thailand on a visit to the DPRK was held in Pyongyang yesterday on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the DPRK and Thailand.
Present at the meeting were members of the DPRK-Thailand Friendship Association and teachers and students of a friendship school.
Invited were members of the delegation led by Surapong Jayanama, director general for East Asia of the Foreign Ministry.
The participants had a talk in a friendly atmosphere and appreciated an art performance given by schoolchildren.
Japanese militarists' mounting war fever under fire
Pyongyang, November 21 (KCNA) -- Senior officials of the Japanese government and military are openly calling for replacing the "peace constitution" by a war constitution and visited units of the "Self-Defence Forces" (SDF) to talk rubbish that the "SDF's" exercise of the "right to collective defence" is not contrary to the Japanese law and Japan should not be bound to the present law. And the "legislation on emergencies in areas surrounding Japan" is coming into force and its extremely ambitious arms build-up and nuclear plans are being pushed forward.
In this connection Rodong Sinmun today in a signed article says:
All the moves in Japan strongly smack of militarism and are of the nature quite different from the previous ones.
Japan asserts that this is meant to defend Japan's security and prevent "regional disputes" through Japan-U.S. joint military actions.
This means that Japan intends to take a direct part in overseas military operations under the pretext of "coping with the emergencies in areas surrounding Japan".
Being a war criminal state, Japan is not allowed to have aggression armed forces or undertake any collective military action.
But, the Japanese reactionaries contend that they feel no need to read others' faces or to be afraid of them in carrying out their military policy as they did in the past.
In fact they are putting their intention into practice. This is evidenced by the fact that Hatoyama, heavyweight of the Democratic Party of Japan, insisted that Japan is entitled to exercise the "right to collective defence", this should be enshrined in the constitution and the "SDF" renamed "National Army".
In order to justify these moves the Japanese reactionaries are becoming more vociferous about measures to cope with "emergencies in areas surrounding Japan" and kicking up a row to create the impression that something will happen right now to disturb Japan's security.
If Japan, hell-bent on the moves for overseas aggression, follows in the footsteps of the old empire, it will meet an irretrievable disaster just as a tigermoth is bound to perish in flame.
4th National Immunization Day observed
Pyongyang, November 21 (KCNA) -- The 4th National Immunization Day was observed in Pyongyang and other parts of the country yesterday.
Present there were Kim Su Hak, Minister of Public Health, officials concerned and leading officials of all the units where the preventive inoculation was done.
Also present there were Zahitle Karim, acting representative of the office of the United Nations Children's Fund here, Du Yuping, consultant of the expanded programme on immunization of the who, staff members of the office of the UNICEF, staff members of the who, members of the aid delegation of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, members of the embassy of the Kingdom of Sweden and staff members of the southeast Asian regional office of the WHO.
The inoculation of infantile paralysis preventive medicine and vitamin a was done to all the children under the age of five in Pyongyang and all local areas on the "National Immunization Day" in the wake of the previous one held on October 2 .
Anti-restructuring rally and demonstration in S. Korea
Pyongyang, November 21 (KCNA) -- At least 30,000 workers under the "Federation of Korean Trade Unions" (FKTU) held a workers' rally in Seoul on November 19 against the authorities' unilateral restructuring, according to Seoul-based "radio no. 1".
The chairman of the FKTU, addressing the rally, asserted that the authorities are going ahead with the second phase restructuring, forcing sacrifices on the workers only.
Demanding an end to the unilateral restructuring, the organization threatened to call a general strike to be participated in mainly by workers of public enterprises in the future unless that demand is met.
At the end of the rally, the participants staged a street march up to the building of the "national assembly," shouting slogans.
On Nov. 17 the FKTU filed an application calling for the settlement of the dispute to the central labour committee in the name of the 28 trade unions under it including the railway workers' union.
Explaining the reason behind its application, the FKTU charged that the authorities and businesses are forcing unilateral restructuring on public, banking and non-governmental enterprises, threatening the workers' right to existence and worsening the working conditions.
Insam (ginseng) in great demand
Pyongyang, November 21 (KCNA) -- Insam (ginseng), a special herb in the DPRK, is very popular on world market for its high efficacy.
The "roots of Insam" have no specific shape, but usually resemble the form of the human body. According to the methods of cultivation, Insam is grouped into two kinds:
Sansam which grows on mountains and Insam cultivated in fields.
It has been well known to the world as "Koryo Insam" or "Kaesong Insam" as it is widely cultivated in Kaesong area, which was the capital of Koryo, an ancient state of Korea.
Korea has a history of 1,700 year-long cultivation of Insam.
Insam cultivation and processing technique has been developed in Korea to promote people's health.
It is grouped into several kinds according to the methods of processing.
Undried Insam is called Susam while Insam dried in the sunshine is called Paeksam.
Insam processed by certain methods is called Hongsam and its rootlet dried in the sunshine is called Misam.
Insam can be used as a medicine in the shape of slices and a powder.
It increases mental and physical efficiency and is good for relieving mental and physical fatigue, protecting liver function, stopping diarrahoea, stimulating the central nerve system and treating cardiovascular system disorders, arteriosclerosis and other diseases. It is usually used as a peptic and tonic medicine in the Koryo medical treatment.
Several kinds of medicines are made from Insam. Among them are Insam tonic, Koryo Insam tonic, Koryo Insam tablets, Insam Taebo pills, Insam injection, other medicines and wine, tea and cake of Insam.
U.S. urged to stop its moves to stifle DPRK
Pyongyang, November 21 (KCNA) -- The director of the U.S. Institute for Strategic and International Studies, when interviewed by a Japanese newspaper on November 15, disclosed that the U.S. forces' "Win-Win Strategy" to fight wars to settle big disputes on the Korean peninsula and other areas is likely to be included in its defence program (2001-2004) as before.
The commander-in-chief of the U.S. forces in the pacific said on the same day while visiting Australia that it is necessary to keep deterrent forces against the DPRK, raising a hue and cry over the "military situation" on the Korean peninsula.
Minju Joson today in a signed commentary dismisses the "strategy" as a war strategy which makes the U.S. military invasion of the DPRK a fait accompli.
The positive developments on the Korean peninsula are not a result of the U.S. maintenance of deterrent forces. Its theory of "maintaining deterrent force" adversely affects the developments on the peninsula.
The DPRK cannot but take a serious view of this.
While calling for "dialogue" and "improvement of relations" with the DPRK ostensibly, the U.S. has not yet rolled back its policy to militarily stifle the DPRK. This diametrically runs counter to the elementary common sense and diplomatic practice.
If the U.S. persistently pursues this policy, the DPRK is entitled to retaliate against it.
The U.S. conservative hardliners should immediately stop their moves to militarily stifle the DPRK, bearing in mind that military confrontation with the DPRK will only precipitate their destruction.