Implementation of north-south joint declaration called for
Pyongyang, January 14 (KCNA) -- An important and principled issue arising in bringing about a decisive advance in the drive to push forward the cause of Korea's reunification this year is to implement the June 15 north-south joint declaration to the letter, says Rodong Sinmun today in a signed article.
It goes on:
The declaration is a proclamation of independence, peaceful reunification and great national unity anchored on the three principles of national reunification and a landmark of reunification in the new century.
Reunification will come only when the Korean nation implements the north-south joint declaration to the letter.
The principle of national independence is a fundamental one for solving the issue of reunification.
No issue related to the reunification of the country can be solved in conformity with the demand and interests of the Korean nation, away from the principle of national independence.
It is the only way of achieving reunification to solve the issue of reunification independently by the Korean nation's efforts the north-south joint declaration can be honoured and the reunification be achieved only when the Korean nation relies on its own efforts, not depending on foreign forces, and steadfastly maintains the stand of cooperating with fellow countrymen, not seeking cooperation with foreign forces.
In order to reunify the country on the principle of national independence, all members of the nation should equip themselves firmly with the consciousness of its independence, reject flunkeyism and dependence on foreign forces and struggle against foreign domination and interference.
If the Korean nation is to achieve its independent reunification it should have common ways and aim for reunification. Only then can the whole nation pool their strength and wisdom.
The north and the south should establish a reunified state by federal formula reflecting the will and demand of all compatriots on the basis of recognizing and tolerating the existing two systems and on the principle of shelving differences and widely accepting the demand and common denominators of the nation, without allowing each other's interests to be infringed.
The thorough implementation of the declaration would guarantee the independent reunification of the nation.
We will make all efforts to implement the declaration to the letter to accelerate the reunification of the country.
Indian President on relations with DPRK
Pyongyang, January 14 (KCNA) -- Indian President K. R. Narayanan, when receiving credentials from new DPRK ambassador to his country Jang Kwang Son on Tuesday, expressed the belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between India and the DPRK would further strengthen and develop.
India and the DPRK have traditional relationship of friendship, he noted, and said:
The two peoples established ties in the common struggle against colonialism and imperialism and are working together for social justice.
Hailing the successful inter-Korean summit held in Pyongyang last year, he said India hopes that Korea's reunification will be realized through peaceful negotiations.
All youth in S. Korea and overseas urged to come out in movement for reunification
Pyongyang, January 14 (KCNA) -- Ri Il Hwan, first secretary of the central committee of the Kim Il Sung Socialist Youth League, in a statement on Jan. 13 expressed full support to the proposals set forth at the 2001 meeting for the independent reunification of the Korean nation, hailing it as a significant meeting to promote reunification as it fully reflected the desire and wishes of the Korean youth and students.
The Korean youth and students will uphold the north-south joint declaration as a reunification programme common to the nation and a patriotic banner and devote all their youthful energies and enthusiasm to the noble work for its implementation, he noted, and continued:
We will firmly join hands with all youth and students in South Korea and overseas who support the north-south joint declaration, irrespective of their affiliation and ism, merge our voice with their movement for reunification and take joint actions with them.
He expressed the firm belief that the Korean youth and students at home and abroad would turn out more vigorously in the patriotic movement for implementing the historic joint declaration by the concerted efforts of the nation.
U.S. forces' occupation of cultivated land protested
Pyongyang, January 14 (KCNA) -- Farmers of over 400 families in Jindong-myon, Phaju, Kyonggi Province, are protesting against U.S. forces' occupation of their farmland, according to the South Korean newspaper Hangyore.
They charged that the U.S. forces have requisitioned 2.15 million phyong of farmland as its firing range for 27 years and put up wire entanglements and a barricade around the area last year to keep peasants off it and make a mess of their farming.
They lodged a protest with the 8th U.S. army firing range controlling office and the U.S. engineering brigade and demanded the wire entanglements and barricade be dismantled and their land returned at once.
Political ability of Kim Jong Il praised
Pyongyang, January 14 (KCNA) -- Vladimir Markov, secretary of the central committee of the All-Russia Communists Union Party, and Yuri Izjumov, editor-in-chief of the Russian newspaper Glasnosti, were interviewed by KCNA in Moscow on Jan. 8 as regards the joint New Year editorial of the DPRK newspapers Rodong Sinmun, Josoninmingun and Chongnyonjonwi.
They said that last year was a proud year for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in which its dignity and honour were demonstrated to the world.
They continued:
The hardline and principled struggle of the DPRK firmly defending the banner of independence foiled the imperialists' moves to isolate and stifle it. And it has become the mainstream of the times to establish and develop goodwill and friendly relations with Korea.
Noting that the political ability of leader Kim Jong Il startled the whole world, they said that the progressive people of the world are highly praising him as a lodestar of the 21st century.
Korea's reunification supported
Pyongyang, January 14 (KCNA) -- I, on behalf of the Guinean women, express firm support and solidarity with all the Korean people, the Korean women in particular, in their just struggle to reunify the country by implementing the historic north-south joint declaration at an early date.
Hadja Kouta Guiralde, chairwoman of the national women's federation of the Guinean Party for Unity and Progress, said this in her statement issued on January 5 in support of principled issues of Korea's reunification dealt with in the joint New Year editorial of the DPRK newspapers Rodong Sinmun, Josoninmingun and Chongnyonjonwi.
On the same day Labiatou Sera Diallo, general secretary of the National Confederation of Guinean workers, in a statement noted it was thanks to the idea of the great national unity and courageous decision of leader Kim Jong Il that the historic north-south summit was arranged and the north-south joint declaration published last year.
Japanese chief executive's remark under fire
Pyongyang, January 14 (KCNA) -- The Japanese prime minister in a recent press interview said that Japan would take a more active part in "world peace-keeping activities" in the 21st century to play "a role befitting it."
In this regard Rodong Sinmun today says in a signed commentary:
Japan saw the 20th century out without shaking off the ill-fame of "enemy state" as it refused to repent of such crimes as disturbing the world peace. it was ridiculous, indeed, for the Japanese chief executive to talk about "world peace-keeping" from the outset of the year.
Through his remark he betrayed Japan's intention to play a military role commensurate with its national potentials as an economic power.
To be more exact, it seeks lifting of restrictions imposed upon the Japanese "Self-Defence Forces" (SDF) participating in the U.N. peace-keeping activities to limit its actions to the present non-military activities in the rear so that it may use weapons and bear the brunt of combat operations.
Lurking behind it is a dangerous attempt to pave the way for the "SDF" to escalate legitimate and aggressive military operations worldwide under the cloak of "peace keeping".
It is a mockery of the world people for Japan to try to cover up this intention under that cloak and pay lip-service to "world peace".
If Japan is really willing to contribute to world peace, it should redeem its past mentally and politically. an urgent task facing Japan now is to redress its past.