Symposium held
Pyongyang, January 31 (KCNA) -- A symposium of officials of the union of agricultural workers of Korea was held in Pyongyang yesterday on the occasion of its 55th anniversary.
Present there was Kim Jung Rin, secretary of the c.c., the Workers' Party of Korea.
Mentioned at the symposium were the immortal exploits performed by President Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il in founding and leading the UAWK and issues of intensifying and developing its work in keeping with the requirements of the new era.
It was stressed at the symposium that the Juche-based idea and theory propounded by Kim Jong Il on building the union serve as a highly important guideline which should be certainly taken in further developing it into a permanent organization of the leader.
It discussed the issues of remaining unfailingly loyal to the party's intention laid down in the joint New Year editorial and making a positive contribution to opening up a wide avenue of building a powerful nation.
Japanese defence agency chief's solicitation diplomacy under fire
Pyongyang, January 31 (KCNA) -- Japanese Defence Agency director general Saito, when meeting with the commander-in-chief of the French armed forces during the former's visit to France, said that "there is little change in Pyongyang's missile development program" and wooed France to help set out a proposal drawing "global attention" to check it.
Rodong Sinmun today in a signed commentary dismisses this as a remark revealing Japan's sinister intention to escalate the false propaganda against the DPRK and internationalize its moves to stifle it.
Also lurking behind his remark is Japan's mean attempt to drive a wedge between the DPRK and the EU in the process of warming their relations and isolate Pyongyang, the commentary observes, and continues:
The nature of the DPRK's missile issue will remain unchanged no matter how strongly outsiders demand or pressurize it as this issue belongs to its sovereignty.
The DPRK does not hide its missile development, for it is a self-defensive military measure against the moves of the hostile forces to stifle it.
The DPRK warns again the Japanese reactionaries against frequenting other countries to entreat them to join their moves to isolate and stifle the DPRK in a bid to meet their selfish purpose from the onset of the first year of the 21st century.
Japan is well advised to swim with the trend of the times in the new century towards reconciliation, friendship, peace and development if it does not wish to bite the dust.
Revocation of unjust judgement passed on reunification champion urged
Pyongyang, January 31 (KCNA) -- The north headquarters of the National Alliance of Youth and Students for the Country's Reunification (Pomchonghakryon) released a statement on Jan. 30 denouncing the South Korean prosecution for sentencing Kim Tae Won, delegate of the South Korean Federation of University Student Councils (Hanchongryon), to a prison term on Jan. 26 on a charge of "violation of the Security Law".
Carrying the ardent wishes of South Korean youth and students for reunification Kim visited the north to participate in the joint expedition to historical sites in the north by students at home and abroad, the first of its kind in history, and the August 15 grand festival for reunification which were held in Pyongyang in 1998 and conducted activities to set up the joint secretariat of Pomchonghakryon before going back to South Korea to implement the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration after its publication.
The statement bitterly condemned the action taken by the prosecution as a move throwing a hurdle in the way of implementing the joint declaration and chilling the mounting desire of the 70 million fellow countrymen for reunification from the outset of the first year of the 21st century.
It went on:
The South Korean authorities will be fully accountable to the nation for all the consequences to be entailed by their continued suppression and punishment of pro-reunification patriotic organizations and figures including Hanchongryon and the National Alliance for the Country's Reunification (Pomminryon) on charges of violation of their anti-reunification law going against the trend of the times when the whole nation is out in the grand march to open the door of independent reunification under the banner of the joint declaration.
They should abolish without delay such anti-reunification law as SL detrimental to the implementation of the joint declaration and immediately revoke the unjust judgement passed on Kim.
KCNA on Japan's moves for reinvasion
Pyongyang, January 31 (KCNA) -- The defence facilities administration agency under the Japan Defence Agency requested three domestic air companies to acquire transport qualifications set by the U.S. Defense Department, according to Asahi Shimbun.
The U.S. forces will be able to win transport contracts among Japanese civil air companies if the request is accepted.
In other words, aeroplanes and airports of Japanese civilian air companies will render legitimate services for the operations of the U.S. armed forces in Japan.
This means that not only the bases of the U.S. forces in Japan and the "Self-Defence Forces" but civil airports will be used as logistic bases for the U.S. forces.
Japan chartered an aeroplane of its civil company to transport military supplies to the U.S. marines in its exercise in July 1997, sparking a public furore.
What can not be overlooked is the fact that this measure was taken by the defence facilities administration agency presupposing the civilian cooperation with the U.S. armed forces' transportation in case of "emergencies in areas surrounding Japan" as stipulated in a legislation for the implementation of the updated Japan-U.S. defence cooperation guidelines.
"Emergencies in surrounding areas" touted by Japan precisely mean a contingency on the Korean peninsula, the second Korean war. That is why Japan is stepping up its moves to turn Japan into a logistic base on the premise of the outbreak of the second Korean war in a bid to meet another "golden shower" by offering its land as a logistic base of the U.S. imperialist aggression troops and leaving its industry and manpower at their disposal just as it did during the last Korean war.
Japan's moves are a continuation of its dangerous adventures. They, in fact, clearly indicate Japan's continued pursuance of its anachronistic hostile policy towards the DPRK in the new century.
The Japanese reactionaries should clearly know that the new century is not like the past century when they invaded and plundered Korea and other parts of Asia as they pleased backed by a big country, and stop their adventurous moves for a war of reinvasion.
Graduation ceremony held at Kim Il Sung College of Agriculture
Pyongyang, January 31 (KCNA) -- The 7th graduation ceremony was held at Kim Il Sung College of Agriculture in Havana Province, Cuba, on Jan. 23.
The principal of the college said in his speech that the youth who have graduated from the college bearing the august name of Kim Il Sung, the great leader of the Korean people, should always cherish that honour and pride and become genuine fighters defending socialist Cuba with arms and contributing to the socialist construction at the posts for national defence, schools at higher level and in society.
Present there were the secretary general of the Cuban Committee for Supporting Korea's Reunification and others.
Invited were the Korean ambassador to Cuba and officials of the embassy.
New college of literature established
Pyongyang, January 31 (KCNA) -- A college of literature was established at Kim Il Sung University recently.
The faculty of language which was mainly aimed to train scholars in the past has been reorganized into the college of literature to meet the requirements of the developing situation.
The college has a specialized educational system for training poets, novelists, creators of dramatic literature and juvenile literature, media journalists and commentators and theoreticians.
It retains the mission to train linguists and experts on national classics and book information.
It has various research rooms for the education in linguistics.
Famous writers, journalists and commentators are invited to lecture at the college to improve the quality of education in creative activities.
New students are selected from among promising correspondents of literature and newspapers and senior middle school graduates gifted in creative work.
At present Kim Il Sung University has college of literature, college of computer science and college of law.
Implementation of north-south joint declaration called for
Pyongyang, January 31 (KCNA) -- The chairman of the American Federation for Independent and Democratic Reunification and the chairman of the American regional headquarters of the "Federation of South Koreans for Democracy and National Reunification" called for implementing the historic June 15 North-South Joint Declaration to achieve the country's reunification, according to Minjok Sibo, overseas Koreans' newspaper published in Japan.
It is possible to achieve the country's reunification in the near future if the Korean nation implements the north-south joint declaration, they said, and continued:
The South Korean people and overseas compatriots should wage a vigorous struggle for the withdrawal of the U.S. forces from South Korea and the repeal of the "Security Law."
The compatriots will do all they can till the country is reunified by federal formula through the implementation of the north-south joint declaration.
National memorial service for Kim Chaek held
Pyongyang, January 31 (KCNA) -- A national memorial service was held at the 6,000-seat theatre of the April 25 house of culture today to commemorate the half centenary of the death of Kim Chaek, a communist revolutionary fighter (Jan. 31, 1951).
Kim Chaek skillfully commanded military and political activities to implement General Kim Il Sung's line of armed struggle in the period of the anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle, thus making a great contribution to the liberation of the country.
After liberation he rendered devoted services for successfully carrying out Kim Il Sung's policy of building a new country, holding such important posts as the first principal of the Pyongyang Institute and vice-chairman of the North Korean People's Committee. After the foundation of the DPRK he was vice-premier of the cabinet and concurrently minister of industry.
During the fatherland liberation war, he greatly contributed to the victory in the war, working as a member of the military commission and the commander of the front.
Among those present at the service were Kim Yong Nam, Jo Myong Rok and other senior party and state officials.
Minister of the People's Armed Forces Kim Il Chol who is also vice-chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK, in a memorial address said that Kim Chaek was most loyal to Kim Il Sung all his life from the sincerest and most transparent viewpoint and stand toward the leader of the revolution.
He respected and followed the leader from the bottom of his heart till the last moments of his life and gave top priority to the work to protect his prestige and safety.
He was a genuine revolutionary who implemented Kim Il Sung's instructions and orders to the letter in the spirit of absoluteness and unconditionality and an indomitable communist revolutionary fighter who displayed to the full his loyalty to the leader through his dedication to the revolutionary cause.
Kim Il Chol called on all the party members, officers and men of the people's army and people to learn from the noble example set by Kim Chaek and consolidate as firm as a rock the single-hearted unity of the Korean revolutionary ranks around leader Kim Jong Il on the basis of transparent view on the leader and revolutionary comradeship.
Rodong Sinmun today devotes one whole page to an article introducing Kim Chaek's life and exploits.
Congratulations to President of Democratic Congo
Pyongyang, January 31 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, on January 26 sent a congratulatory message to Joseph Kabila on his assumption of office as President of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
He in the message sincerely wished the president great success in his responsible work for defending the sovereignty of the country and achieving its territorial integrity, convinced that the excellent friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would continue to develop on good terms in the future, too.
Credentials presented to Kim Yong Nam
Pyongyang, January 31 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, received credentials from Manuel Moto Tomo, new equatorial Guinean ambassador e.p. to Korea, at the Mansudae Assembly Hall today.
After receiving the credentials, Kim Yong Nam had a talk with the ambassador.
Third round of inter-Korean Red Cross talks ends
Pyongyang, January 31 (KCNA) -- The third round of inter-Korean Red Cross talks, which open held on Mt. Kumgang, ended today.
At the talks the two sides had a discussion on the program for the implementation of the already agreed humanitarian issues, including the exchange of the third visiting groups of separated families and relatives, confirmation of their whereabout and addresses and the exchange of correspondence, and issues of installing and operating meeting places and repatriating the remaining unconverted long-term prisoners who wish to come to the north.
After the discussion they released a joint press statement on the talks.
According to the statement, the exchange of the third visiting groups (100 members each) is to be made simultaneously in Pyongyang and Seoul from February 26 to 28.
And the exchange of correspondence between separated families and relatives (300 persons each) whose whereabouts and addresses have been confirmed will be made through the red cross liaison office on march 15.
Both sides agreed to exchange lists of those involved in the project to confirm whereabouts and addresses (100 persons each) on a trial basis on Ffeb. 9 and inform each side of its results on Ffeb. 23.
It was also agreed to discuss and decide at the fourth round of the talks the matter of expanding the scope of confirming whereabouts and addresses and exchanging of correspondence and issues related to the installation and operation of meeting places.
The two sides agreed to hold the fourth round of the talks from Aapril 3 to 5 and choose its venue through future consultation.