Diplomatic relations established between DPRK and Kingdom of Netherlands

    Pyongyang, January 16 (KCNA) -- Diplomatic relations were established between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Kingdom of the Netherlands. A joint statement on it was released on Jan. 15.
    The statement reads:
    Representatives from the ministries of foreign affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Kingdom of the Netherlands held talks in Hague on 20 December 2000 and 15 January 2001.
    These talks were conducted following an exchange of letters between the ministers of foreign affairs of both countries on the establishment of diplomatic relations.
    During the talks, the two sides agreed to establish diplomatic relations at the level of ambassadors on the basis of the Vienna convention on diplomatic relations and the Vienna convention of consular relations.
    They expressed the hope that the establishment of diplomatic relations would enable both countries to develop their bilateral links more effectively and would provide greater opportunities for exchange on issues of mutual interests and concern.

Spokesman for DPRK FDRC on letter from German "Cap Anamur" Committee

    Pyongyang, January 16 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the DPRK Flood Damage Rehabilitation Committee yesterday answered a question put by KCNA as regards a letter sent by the Cap Anamur Committee, a non-governmental aid organization of Germany, apologizing for the irresponsible remarks made by the former representative of its Pyongyang office. As already known, the Cap Anamur Committee recalled former representative of its Pyongyang office Norbert Vollertsen after dismissing what he did nothing in common with the aid work as a violation of the principle of humanitarian aid.
    This notwithstanding, he in an interview on the way home did not bother to let loose a spate of jargons absurdly asserting that aid materials are being diverted to other purposes in the DPRK and even slandering its socialist system.
    This was nothing but a silly act to improve through red herring his poor position in which he found himself after being forced to leave Pyongyang for his wrongs done there.
    In this regard the Cap Anamur Committee recently sent the FDRC of the DPRK a letter to the effect that what the former representative said did not represent the stand of the committee, it expressed sincere apology to the Korean people for it and it would respect the DPRK's system, strictly observe its law and order and positively contribute to the development of the relations between the two countries through aid activities.
    The DPRK would never pardon anybody infringing upon its sovereignty.

KCNA on new policy of Japan Defence Agency

    Pyongyang, January 16 (KCNA) -- The Japan Defence Agency recently mapped out a policy to hand over right to patent on consigned military research to civilian institutes, according to the Japanese Yomiuri Shimbun. Lurking behind this policy is the sinister intention of the Japanese reactionaries to tone down the public criticism at home and abroad of Japan's armaments which have swollen even since the demise of the cold war and turn the civilian industry into a producer and supplier of military materiel in case of emergency.
    As already known, Japan has become the world's second largest in military spending.
    This year Japan announced an arms buildup plan which calls for spending 4,930 billion yen, a sharp increase over last year's.
    Japan's increasing armaments, an inevitable product of its evermore undisguised moves to turn itself into a military power and launch its overseas expansion, are sparking deep anxiety and strong opposition among the public at home and abroad to be the focus of attention of the international community.
    This cannot but be a big trouble for Japan as it is making a bid for the permanent membership of the U.N. Security Council, professing to be an "honest state".
    Through this policy the Japanese Defence Agency sought to calm down the Japanese public criticism of the increasing military burden upon them and divert the attention of the international community by creating the impression that the military spending is made to "contribute to the improvement of the people's living".
    The crafty nature of the Japanese reactionaries is clearly proved by their intention to militarize the civilian industry.
    Their assertion that the application of military technology to the civilian industry can "serve the purpose of improving the people's living and meeting the interests of economic circles" is, in essence, nothing but a smokescreen to cover up their true intention to militarize all industries of Japan under a strategic plan and thus build an ecomomic system commensurate with militarization.
    This is clearly evidenced by the fact that the defence agency plans to let civilian institutions use the technologies and materials now in use in the "Self-Defence Forces" (SDF) such as the guided missile system, missile integrated circuit, main bodies of portable equipment for its units, etc.
    It is clear that its moves will lead to the expansion of Japan's munition industry and military aggrandizement.
    Japan should drop its crafty evil practices to escalate the moves for its conversion into a military power, while making a mockery of the world people with sheer sophism, and put a definite end to the dangerous actions for militarization.

Japanese ambassador's begging for tightened "Japan-U.S. alliance" under fire

    Pyongyang, January 16 (KCNA) -- The Japanese ambassador to the United States recently visited the U.S. State Secretary-designate and urged him to pay attention to tightening the "Japan-U.S. alliance," asserting that this alliance serves as a foundation of peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region. In this regard Minju Joson says in a signed commentary:
    It is a sheer lie to argue that the "Japan-U.S. alliance" is necessary for peace and stability in the region.
    Japan's diplomacy to woo the U.S. to tighten the "Japan-U.S. alliance" and the like is aimed to save the system of cooperation with the U.S. from its total bankruptcy in a bid to stifle the DPRK at all costs.
    This cooperation system is, in essence, designed to stifle the DPRK by force of arms through their alliance.
    Japan's persistent call for the tightened "Japan-U.S. alliance" goes to prove that Japan still harbours an ambition to participate in the U.S.-led war of aggression against the DPRK.
    The Japanese reactionaries' call for closer "Japan-U.S. alliance" precisely means a move to step up preparations for that war.
    Any attempt to stifle the DPRK is as foolish as trying to sweep the sea with a broom.
    They are well advised to face up to the reality and drop such a delusion at once.

Friendly gathering arranged by Russian ambassador

    Pyongyang, January 16 (KCNA) -- Valery Denisov, Russian ambassador to the DPRK, arranged a friendly gathering at the embassy yesterday on the occasion of the New Year Juche 90 (2001). Present on invitation were Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun and officials concerned. Embassy officials were present there.
    Speeches were exchanged at the gathering.
    The participants conversed with each other about further developing the good relations of friendship between the two countries, deepening the feelings of friendship.

Seminar of youth league officials held

    Pyongyang, January 16 (KCNA) -- A seminar of youth league officials was held yesterday at the Youth League Hall on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the Kim Il Sung Socialist Youth League. The speakers said that President Kim Il Sung set forth a line of building a mass and unified youth organization and energetically led the struggle to put it into practice, so that the youth league was founded.
    Kim Il Sung trained young men and women as successor to the revolution and vanguard and shock brigade of socialist construction, they said, and went on:
    Under the energetic leadership of the Workers' Party of Korea, the youth league has grown to be reliable political reserves of the party and youth vanguard.
    Leader Kim Jong Il developed the Korean youth movement into the youth movement active under the leader and brought up the young people as a reliable successor to Juche revolution. That is his pre-eminent contribution to the development of the youth movement of Juche.
    Kim Jong Il trained the Korean youth as the good youth of the times with boundless loyalty to the party and the leader, the spirit of devoted service to the country and people and strong sense of organization and discipline. His great feat will shine forever in the history of the youth movement of Juche.

Solidarity with S. Korean farmers called for

Pyongyang, January 16 (KCNA) -- Sung Sang Sop, chairman of the central committee of the Union of Agricultural Workers of Korea, in a statement on January 15 expressed full support to the proposals set forth at the 2001 meeting for the independent reunification of the Korean nation, convinced that the proposals are very just and practical measures that enable the Korean nation to achieve its reunification smoothly by its own efforts at an early date in the spirit of the historic north-south joint declaration. He said that anyone who has the blood and soul of the Korean nation should unite firm under the banner of national independence and patriotism and turn out as one in a nationwide drive to implement the north-south joint declaration, irrespective of job, ideology and political view.
He laid stress on keeping pace with the South Korean farmers in firm solidarity with them in implementing the joint declaration to the letter.

Independent politics of WPK

    Pyongyang, January 16 (KCNA) -- The Workers' Party of Korea has pursued strictly independent politics. The joint New Year editorial on Jan. 1 called for upholding the WPK politics of independence in stepping up the socialist advance under the Red Flag in the 21st century.
    The independent politics calls for solving all the problems in carving out the destiny of a country and nation in the interests of its people and in conformity with the specific conditions of its country according to its view and faith.
    The WPK has consistently maintained its independent stand in each period and at each stage of the developing revolution since its foundation on October 10, 1945. It put forward the slogan "Let us live our own way " as its main strategic slogan long time ago and worked out line and policies and established diplomatic relations with other countries guided by its idea and in concordance with its own political system and revolutionary mode, resolutely rejecting flunkeyism and dogmatism. The WPK, guided by the Juche idea founded by President Kim Il Sung, put forward the single-hearted unity of the leader, the party and the masses as a key link in its efforts for the victory of revolution. it is carrying out the economic construction, pursuant to the line of building an independent national economy, building national defences in accordance with the line of self-reliance and conducting the movement for the country's reunification on the three principles of independence, peaceful reunification and great national unity.
    The vitality and validity of the independent politics of the WPK were clearly proved by the reality of Korea in the 1990s.
    In this period, temporary trials and difficulties lay in the way of its economic construction and, at the same time, political pressure, economic blockade and military threat of the imperialist allied forces reached a highest pitch. The WPK overcame all of them by carrying through the unique line of the army-first revolution set forth by leader Kim Jong Il. The stronger pressure of the imperialists and the dominationists was, the more firmly the WPK maintained its line and policies in defending the sovereignty of the country and national dignity and openning up a new signal phase in the development of external relations.
    Thanks to the independent politics of the wpk the whole nation is optimistic about a bright future of a prosperous nation.

Kim Jong Il praised in S. Korea

    Pyongyang, January 16 (KCNA) -- South Korean people are highly praising leader Kim Jong Il. Ri Chol Min, a student of Yonsei University, in an internet-distributed New Year's postcard said that the 21st century when the nation's dignity will shine long is kim jong il century and a century of national reunification and great prosperity.
    The chairman of the Paektu Society at a meeting held in Kwangju stressed that Kim Jong Il is a distinguished leader of the nation and the lodestar of national reunification who has led the cause of national independence to victory with his 30-odd-year-long leadership.
    The sol computer society of South Korea published and distributed computer postcards highly praising Kim Jong Il as the sun of the 21st century and the February 16 Fellowship Society and the Thaeyang Society New Year's cards and postcards eulogizing him.
    Ho Jin Song, professor of international politics of South Korea, in his article noted that a new great hopeful century is Kim Jong Il century, a century of reunification and prosperity.
    Independence, prosperity and a powerful reunified nation are in store only when Kim Jong Il, the sun of the 21st century, is held in high esteem, he added.

Struggle against imperialists' high-handed and arbitrary practices called for

    Pyongyang, January 16 (KCNA) -- The international community should never allow the imperialists' high-handed and arbitrary practices and their moves for domination, says Rodong Sinmun today in a signed article. It says:
    The modern imperialists have resorted to high-handed and arbitrary practices as a principal means for executing their policy of aggression.
    The U.S. high-handed and arbitrary practices reached their height in the international arena today. Through these practices the U.S. ruling circles seek to rule over the world and make all the countries, big or small, serve it. The U.S. is escalating aggression and interference by fanning up various forms of disputes including territorial, ethnic and religious ones in different parts of the world and using its forces as principal means of settling the disputes.
    The imperialists' high-handed and arbitrary practices are a principal factor of harassing the global peace and security and causing humankind's apprehension.
    Noting that the high-handed policy pursued by the imperialists is an oppressive policy going against the trend of the era of independence, the article calls for resolutely checking the imperialists' impudent high-handed and arbitrary practices to violate the sovereignty and dignity of other countries and nations and international laws and norms.
    Such practices of the imperialists can bring the danger of a thermo-nuclear war as they are aimed at world hegemony.
    These practices and moves for domination should be foiled for the sake of the global peace and the existence of humankind.
    Such practices are no more than a bombast of the weak, far from a demonstration of the mightiness.
    The U.S. high-handed and arbitrary practices have met a strong rebuff from its allies and are flatly rejected by majority countries in the world.
    It is inevitable that the imperialists' high-handed and arbitrary practices will completely fail in the international arena in face of the strong trend towards independence.

National independence, harmony and unity called for

    Pyongyang, January 16 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today in a signed article calls for accomplishing the historic cause of national reunification at an early date with the harmony and unity of the whole nation under the banner of national independence and open up a new era of national prosperity. Stressing that national harmony and unity based on national independence is essential for national reunification, the article says:
    The Korean nation is a homogeneous one of the same blood who has lived in one territory with the same language and excellent national traditions down through generations for five thousand years.
    It is just the harmony and unity of the nation to make a clean sweep of the conception of hostility and the consciousnes of confrontation which were caused by misunderstanding and distrust forced by the foreign forces and retake the original features of the homogeneous nation.
    Only when the north and the south remove misunderstanding and distrust and achieve unity can they reject the dominationist moves of foreign forces and solve the issue of reunification, placing the common interests of the nation above anything else and transcending differences between them.
    It is the firm stand and will of the Workers' Party of Korea to achieve the independent and peaceful reunification of the country as early as possible with national harmony and unity.
    The WPK's idea of great natinal unity requires that all classes and strata should firmly unite as one, giving priority to the common demonds and interests of the nation in defence of national independence.
    The politics of the wpk is that of independence and unity.
    The WPK politics of independence for realizing the cause of national independence is demonstrating its might as the politics of national unity for shattering the anti-reunification moves of separatist forces at home and abroad with the concerted efforts of the nation and for opening up a broad road of national reunification.
    The politics of the WPK is the genuine politics of patriotism which is consistent with fervent love of the country and the nation.
    The genuine policy of patriotism which defends the will and interests of the Korean nation and orients all its activities toward the noble cause of reunification is pursued by the WPK.
    The WPK politics is the great all-embracing politics which makes a new history of national concord and unity with great generocity and magnanimity.
    The WPK pursues the policy of harmony and unity, regarding patriotism and the spirit of national independence as the foundation of national harmony and unity and placing the common interests of the nation above differences in thought, idea and system.
    The main key to bringing about a radical turn in achieving national reunification by means of national harmony and unity is to implement the north-south joint declaration to the letter.
    The north-south joint declaration laid stress on achieving concord and unity between the north and the south through national independence.
    The basic way of national harmony and unity is to put the common interests of the nation above differences in thought, idea and system.
    Now that different ideologies and systems exist in the north and the south, it is imperative to deal with the issue of reunification, proceeding from patriotism, a common ideology of the nation, not from thought and idea.
    The driving force of the movement for national reunification is the whole Korean nation, and all the fellow countrymen at home and abroad should unite in solidarity in the patriotic road of reunification, transcending differences in classes and strata, affiliation and status.