Kim Jong Il inspects KPA unit no. 194 honored with title of Kum Song lifeguard
Pyongyang, September 16 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Il, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, Chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission and supreme commander of the Korean People's Army, inspected KPA unit no. 194 honored with the title of Kum Song lifeguard.
He learned about the unit's performance of its duty before watching the training of its soldiers. He put forward highly important tasks which would serve as a guideline in increasing the combat capability of the unit in every way.
Then he took warm care of the servicemen's living, looking round entertainment and logistic facilities of the unit.
He said that the servicemen of the unit have prepared themselves to be a matchless combat unit and created a fine model in the management of the unit by embodying the fighting spirit and traits of the anti-Japanese guerrillas in their work and life. He repeatedly praised them for their proud feats and called on the whole army to earnestly follow the example set by the unit.
He set forth tasks for further improving the supply service.
After looking round the unit, he enjoyed an art performance given by soldiers of a company under the unit.
He was greatly satisfied to see that the soldiers of the company are conducting drills, studying and living in a revolutionary and optimistic manner as the anti-Japanese guerrillas did.
He gave an automatic rifle to soldiers of the unit as a gift and had a picture taken with them.
Korea's independent and peaceful reunification supported
Pyongyang, September 16 (KCNA) -- The Chilean government hopes that the north and south of Korea will reunify the country independently and peacefully, reconciling themselves and cooperating with each other as agreed last year.
Chilean President Ricardo Lagos Escobar said this when receiving credentials from the newly appointed DPRK ambassador e.p. to his country.
Expressing pleasure at the recently favorably developing friendly relations between Chile and the DPRK, he said that he would make positive efforts to boost the relations in the future.
Chairman of Yongnam District Committee of NDRP sentenced to penal servitude
Pyongyang, September 16 (KCNA) -- The South Korean "supreme court" on September 13 confirmed the original sentence of 2 years and 6 months in prison passed on Choe Jin Su, chairman of the Yongnam District Committee of the National Democratic Revolutionary Party, according to Seoul-based Yonhap News.
The "court" ruled that the "defendant" is charged with the violation of the "security law" as the party is an "anti-state organization" and he has played a leading role in the organization.
In February the Seoul district court sentenced him to imprisonment, but he appealed to the "supreme court" in protest against the unjust decision.
Reception for IIJI director general
Pyongyang, September 16 (KCNA) -- The Korean Social Scientists Society yesterday hosted a reception in honour of Vishwanath, director general of the International Institute of the Juche Idea (IIJI), on the occasion of his 75th birthday.
Yang Hyong Sop, vice-president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly who is also chairman of the society, made a speech at the reception.
The director general is well known to the Korean and the world people as an enthusiastic disseminator of the immortal Juche idea which was founded by President Kim Il Sung and is being developed and enriched by leader Kim Jong Il, he said, and went on:
After beginning his activities to study and disseminate the Juche idea as early as the middle of the 1970s, Vishwanath established the Asian Regional Institute of the Juche Idea and successfully organized regional and international seminars on the Juche idea several times.
He wrote many works praising the greatness of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. After instituting "International Kim Il Sung Prize" on his own initiative he took upon himself the responsibility as secretary general of its council. Holding the post of director general of the IIJI from last year at his advanced age, he is working more energetically to study and disseminate the Juche idea with his single determination to devote the remainder of his life to the cause.
Vishwanath in his speech said that Kim Jong Il, the great leader in the present era, showed great care of him on his birthday though he is just an ordinary follower of the Juche idea.
He said that Kim Il Sung, the founder of the Juche idea and eternal teacher of the world progressives, is always with them and his care for them is being carried forward by Kim Jong Il who is identical to him.
He expressed the confidence that under the leadership of Kim Jong Il the Korean people would surely build a powerful socialist nation and achieve the reunification of the country by embodying the Juche idea.
Japan's moves to evade compensation under fire
Pyongyang, September 16 (KCNA) -- Japan could see the 20th century out without settling its past but it will not be able to evade its responsibility in the new century and the United States, its patron, will have to pay a very high price.
Rodong Sinmun today says this in a signed commentary.
It goes on:
The Japanese foreign minister said at a joint press conference held on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the "separate peace treaty with Japan" that all the issues related to the post-war compensation were settled with the conclusion of the "treaty" and the U.S. secretary of state chimed in with her remark.
These reckless remarks made by the top diplomats of Japan and the U.S. are little short of looking down upon the Asian countries and peoples and totally ignoring their demands.
Her outburst represents Japan's official stand not to settle its past.
In view of the background against which the "treaty" was fabricated and its illegality and partiality, the assertions of the top Japanese and U.S. diplomats do not stand to reason at all and lack propriety.
The government of the DPRK in a statement of its Foreign Ministry issued in September 1951 dismissed the "separate peace treaty with Japan" as illegal and null and void and declared that it did not recognize it.
The DPRK makes it clear that none of the issues related to Japan's post-war compensation was solved with the conclusion of the "treaty."
They are well advised to face up to the reality and tell truth if they are willing to think with reason, properly judge things and phenomena and deal with the issue rightly.
International Day of Ozone Layer Protection observed
Pyongyang, September 16 (KCNA) -- Minju Joson today in a signed article observes the International Day of Ozone Layer Protection.
The DPRK government ratified two major international conventions on the protection of the ozone layer on January 27, 1995. in 1996 when international activities for the protection of the ozone layer were still lukewarm the DPRK, regarding the protection as an important issue, took a decisive measure of removing some industrial production processes to this end and thus greatly contributed to the prosperity and well-being of humankind.
The DPRK government will implement to the letter plans for the reduction of substance depleting the ozone layer including the "Montreal Protocol" and faithfully fulfil its national and international commitments to environmental protection to ensure the independent and creative life of humankind.
Inter-Korean ministerial talks open
Seoul, September 16 (KCNA correspondent) -- The 5th north-south ministerial talks opened in Seoul today.
Present at the talks from the north side were members of the delegation headed by Kim Ryong Song, senior councillor of the DPRK cabinet, and its suite members.
Present at the talks from the south side were members of the delegation led by chief delegate hong sun yong, minister of national unification, and its suite members.
The head of the north delegation made a keynote speech at the talks.
He said that the 5th north-south ministerial talks opened at a momentous juncture when fresh energy should be injected into the implementation of the historic June 15 North-South Joint Declaration. He noted with pleasure that the inter-Korean ministerial talks have come to resume to provide both sides with an opportunity to take practical measures for implementing the joint declaration after the 4th ministerial talks held in December last year.
Recalling that the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration, a product of the historic meeting of the heads of the north and the south in Pyongyang, is a historic document indicating the road for the Korean nation to follow in the new century and a short-cut to the national reunification, he said that a work has been vigorously pushed forward to implement the joint declaration thanks to the positive support of the whole nation.
He went on to say:
The north side, regarding the north-south joint declaration as the most just landmark for the country's reunification which fully reflects the desire and aspiration of the nation, has done all it can to implement it to the letter and develop the north-south relations to be ties of reconciliation and cooperation and open an epochal phase of national reunification.
Ever since the first round of the talks the north side has exchanged views with the south side after proposing the agenda of the talks on the principle of solving the issue of north-south relations and the issue of the country's reunification independently by the concerted efforts of the Korean nation.
It set out a new modelity of dialogue, away from the practice in the past, and has worked hard to solve the issue in the spirit of trust and cooperation.
At the previous four rounds of the ministerial talks the north side advanced a series of constructive and practical proposals on realizing wide contacts, visits and cooperation between the north and the south and made every sincere effort to reach an agreement between both sides. It successfully waged a number of unprecedentedly large reunification functions attended by compatriots in the north and south and overseas such as events held on the occasion of august 15 liberation day and the first anniversary of the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration.
The north side favoured the south side's proposals and responded to the discussion on them to meet the common interests of the nation in the spirit of the north-south joint declaration. Even after the talks between the authorities of the two sides stalled in march last it has briskly conducted non-governmental visits, contacts and cooperation from a patriotic stand.
After the start of the north-south ministerial talks for the implementation of the joint declaration the spirit of national independence mounted higher than ever before, the relations between the authorities of the north and the south are shifting to those of reconciliation and cooperation from those of confrontation, solidarity and unity between people from all walks of life in the north and south are coming true and the cooperation between the two sides in different fields is actively promoted in favour of reconciliation, unity and the reunification of the country.
Recalling that such abnormal thing as the suspension of the inter-Korean authorities-to-authorities talks took place owing to moves of foreign forces and conservative elements, he stressed:
The lesson drawn from this clearly suggests that in order to improve the north-south relations and solve the issue of national reunification at an early date it is necessary to shatter the obstructive moves of the anti-reunification forces and dynamically push ahead with all work by the efforts of broad masses of people who support the north-south joint declaration.
It is the sincere expectation of all the fellow countrymen that the current talks will give momentum to the implementation of the declaration and mark a new turning-point in improving the once abnormal north-south relations, he noted and continued:
It is the kernel of the north-south joint declaration and the supreme interests of the nation, which allows no concession, to solve the national issue by the concerted efforts of the Korean nation. only by doing so is it possible to have a key to achieving reconciliation, unity, peace and reunification of the north and the south and overcoming difficulties and obstacles lying in the way of implementing the declaration.
Underscoring the need for both sides to solve problems raised as they had committed themselves to make the ministerial talks fruitful ones for the nation at their outset, he referred to the north side's proposals. They include the issues of relinking the Sinuiju-Seoul railways and the Kaesong-Munsan motorway, setting up an industrial zone in Kaesong, protecting flood damage in areas along the River Rimjin, supplying electricity, using a fishing ground in the east sea of the north, exchanging Taekwon-do exhibition teams, repatriating unconverted long-term prisoners in South Korea, solving the matter related to the separated families and relatives in line with the desire of the fellow countrymen and the country's specific conditions, connecting the railways between the two parts of Korea and Russia, letting gas pipeline pass through the north, the passage of cargo ships through other side's territorial waters and taking measures to pep up Mt. Kumgang tourism.
Saying that the results of the 5th north-south ministerial talks would have a strong impact on the development of inter-Korean relations, he called on the delegates of the two sides to make every sincere effort to make the talks yield good results, fully aware of their importance and the heavy responsibility they have assumed before the nation.
The south side's chief delegate made a keynote speech at the talks.
The talks continue.