Korea's endemic plant: Rheum coreanum nak
Pyongyang, November 15 (KCNA) -- Rheum coreanum nak is a perennial grass of the smartweed family that grow in the alpine areas at least 2,000 meters above sea level, including Kwanmo and Chail peaks. It is nicknamed "king grass" for its height of two meters (2.5 meters at most) and magnificent appearance.
The reddish hollow stem grows straight, five to six cm in diameter, and the round-shaped root is 15 cm thick and 8- to 150 cm long. The blades are round and broad, sometimes attaining a length of 1.5 meters. It is propagated by seed or root.
Abundant with glucosides and tannin, the grass is used to produce peptic tablets and remedies for jaundice as well as for dyeing and tannin materials. it is sensitive to changes in temperature, and, when it grows in higher than normal temperatures of lower areas, its size and value decrease.
This endemic plant of Korea was first discovered in Juche 9 (1919). The government has designated it as a living monument of economic and academic value and has taken steps to ensure its protection and propagation. Its prime habitat, Chail peak, has been made a plant reserve and it is under artificial cultivation outside its natural environment.
Japan's moves to revive militarism condemned
Pyongyang, November 15 (KCNA) -- The reunification solidarity for the implementation of the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration and peace in the Korean peninsula reportedly made public a statement on October 31, condemning Japan's moves to revive militarism.
Referring to the passage of the "anti-terrorism special bill" through the Japanese diet, the statement said this indicates that Japan justified the war crimes and projected its plan to become a military power.
The statement said:
Claiming that Japan is contributing to world peace and stability, it passed the bill on legalizing military actions through the diet instead of repenting and apologizing for its war crimes.
This is intended to push ahead with its plan to become a military power and threaten peace on the Korean peninsula.
Japan should immediately withdraw the "anti-terrorism special law" and the plan for the dispatch of over 1,000 men of the "Self-Defence Forces" which are aimed to turn it into a military power.
Japan should honestly repent of and apologize to the world people and the Korean nation for its war crimes committed in the past.
Greetings to Syrian President
Pyongyang, November 15 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, today sent a message of greetings to Syrian President Bashar al Assad on the occasion of the 31st anniversary of the corrective movement in Syria.
The message extended warm congratulations to the president, government and people of Syria on the occasion, noting that the corrective movement marked a historic turning point which brought about a radical change in the life of the Syrian people.
The message said that the Syrian Arab people have achieved many successes in the work to build independent and prosperous new Syria under the wise leadership of their outstanding leader President Hafez al Assad over the last 30 odd years since the corrective movement.
Expressing belief that the friendly Syrian Arab people would continue to remain true to the spirit of the corrective movement under the wise leadership of the president, the message wholeheartedly wished him and people of Syria greater success in their work.
Large-scale military exercises in S. Korea
Pyongyang, November 15 (KCNA) -- The U.S. imperialists and the south Korean military authorities staged large-scale coastal landing exercises in the western sector of the front on Monday, according to radio no. 1 from Seoul.
The exercises, participated in by u.s. marines, the "blue dragon" unit of the South Korean marines, the sixth air fleet of the naval force and the river-crossing unit of the army, were watched by the expeditionary force commander of the third U.S. marines, the commander of the South Korean marines and foreign military attaches. They were reportedly aimed to increase the capacity to carry out combined coastal landing operations and the capacity to overcome coastal obstacles in the light of the feature of the operational theatre on the Korean peninsula and to get familiar with procedures to conduct landing operations by armored vehicles.
S. Korean professors vow to launch movement
Pyongyang, November 15 (KCNA) -- The "National Professors Union" started its activities on Nov. 10, according to the South Korean newspaper Hangyore.
The union, in a declaration on the first meeting of deputies at humane studies college of Seoul national university and the start of its activities, called for concentrating its efforts on making professors spearhead the university reform and urged the democratic revision of the "private school law".
The union announced that it would adopt a declaration of 10, 000 professors for checking the neo-liberalist education policy, open a "national rally of professors" and conduct a movement for legalizing the union.
Book "catfish cookery" comes off press
Pyongyang, November 15 (KCNA) -- A book "catfish cookery" has recently been brought out in the DPRK.
It is a photo-illustrated book on national dishes. It deals with hundreds of catfish cooking methods and over 120 dishes.
It has 10 parts dealing with all kinds of ingredients, cooking methods and cooking utensils.
"Cold catfish soup prepared with unsliced potato", "fried catfish prepared with bean curd and bean paste", "catfish-loach tonic soup," "vinegared rice mixed with catfish," "catfish skin salad" and others were highly appreciated at the national folk cookery contest.
This book is instrumental in developing national cookery.
New type of electric motor developed
Pyongyang, November 15 (KCNA) -- Kim Chaek University of Technology has succeeded in developing the latest type of drive system, thus contributing to the Juche-orientation, modernization and scientification of the national economy.
The newly developed 5 phased-motor and drive equipment are on the world's level in terms of high output, speed and low vibration.
The maximum stop moment of the motor is 2nm, the main rotating angle 0.72' and the maximum response frequency 50kpps (3,000 round/mm), while the number of its phases is 5.
It is serially produced at several units. Electric discharge processing lathes whose table feeding mechanism is equipped with this system are now finding their way to foreign markets. Their separate shafts are also expected to be exported in the future.
Paper on capability for self-defence
Pyongyang, November 15 (KCNA) -- One should not beg for genuine peace but win it through a struggle.
The countries and nations desirous of independence and peace should make positive efforts to increase the national defence capability for self-defense and consolidate unity.
Rodong Sinmun today says this in a signed article.
It goes on:
Strong capacity for self-defense is guaranteed by army-based politics. This politics is a great political mode in the era of independence progressive humankind sought, looking back on the history and foreseeing future.
The imperialists are pursuing aggression and war, domination and subjugation. This situation requires the people desirous of independence and peace to tighten their belts and build up the country's defence capability by themselves by use of huge resources though they are not well off.
If they fail to do so, they will not be able to escape from imperialists' aggression and military intervention and the lot of a slave.
It was because of the DPRK's strong capability for self-defence that the enemy suffered a defeat in acute confrontation while the DPRK emerged victorious in it.
Unity is one of the powerful weapons to check the imperialists' war of aggression and defend peace.
Unity leads to victory and disunity means defeat. This is a lesson and truth taught by history.
The DPRK's single-hearted unity is more powerful than a nuclear weapon. This is what the enemy fears most.
Paek Nam Sun meets new Danish ambassador
Pyongyang, November 15 (KCNA) -- DPRK foreign minister Paek Nam Sun met and conversed with Ole Lonsmann Poulsen, new Danish ambassador to the DPRK, who paid a courtesy call on him today.
Credentials presented to Kim Yong Nam
Pyongyang, November 15 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, received credentials from Ole Lonsmann Poulsen, newly appointed ambassador of Denmark to the DPRK, at the Mansudae Assembly Hall today.
Present there was Kim Yong Il, vice-minister of foreign affairs.
After receiving the credentials, the president had a talk with the ambassador.
Detailed report on 6th inter-Korean ministerial talks
Pyongyang, November 15 (KCNA) -- A detailed report on the 6th north-south ministerial talks was released today.
The report says:
As already reported, the 6th north-south ministerial talks were held on Mt. Kumgang from November 9 to 14. The talks, however, were closed without any results.
The whole course of the talks proved which of the two sides of Korea truly respects the June 15 joint declaration, makes every sincere effort for bilateral reconciliation and cooperation and which side puts a brake on them.
At the talks which opened at a time when a tense situation is prevailing on the Korean peninsula and the north-south relations are undergoing ups and downs our side proposed realistic ways of breaking the deadlock and making the talks fruitful and exerted every sincere effort to put them into practice.
The draft joint press release advanced by our side contained the issue of exerting efforts to refrain from laying obstacles in the way of positively developing dialogue, cooperation and exchange between the north and the south, the issue of exchanging the 4th visiting groups of separated families and relatives within November, the issue of opening the second authorities-to-authorities talks on November 20 to pep up tourism of Mt. Kumgang and the second meeting of the north-south committee for the promotion of economic cooperation on Mt. Kumgang early in December, the issue of exchanging Taekwon-do exhibition teams and the issue of opening the 7th north-south ministerial talks in Seoul, etc.
Our side gave the south side two more days and had three rounds of plenary sessions of the talks and two rounds of contacts between the heads of the delegations in the hope of reaching an agreement on the joint press release while strongly urging the south side to take measures at an early date that might convince our people to improve the prevailing situation. It repeatedly proposed flexible ways for the solution of the problems, letting the working-level officials have round-the-clock contacts for some days.
All the proposals made by our side were in full line with the aspiration of the fellow countrymen as they were most just in view of the obtaining situation and the present strained inter-Korean relations.
The south side is entirely to blame for preventing the talks from yielding any results for the nation.
The chief delegate of the south side made poor excuses at the talks, asserting that the "emergency alert" was a "preventive" measure to cope with international terrorism and this was necessary for "the safety of the travelers between the south and the north." and he blatantly challenged the just demand of the north side for lifting the "emergency alert" targeted against the north, arguing that the "emergency alert" was its "internal affair."
The chief delegate known to look after the issue of reunification talked nonsense that the tensions between the north and the south are not attributable to the conception of the "principal enemy" and it is unavoidable under the present conditions where the state of armistice persists and there is no confidence building, even defending the statement made by the "minister of national defence" before the opening of the talks that he considered compatriots as the "principal enemy."
What was more serious was the fact that he grossly defiled and described the words "by the concerted efforts of our nation," the core of the north-south joint declaration, as a "breakdown of relations with the international community" and "isolation" and did not bother to let loose flunkeyist and traitorous remarks that our nation should "cooperate with the international community and depend on foreign forces."
The wrong attitude of the south side found a more concentrated manifestation in the discussion on the issue of exchanging the 4th visiting groups of separated families and relatives.
The south side adamantly refused to accept the proposal of the north side on exchanging them within November after its lifting of the "emergency alert," taking into consideration the fact that the separated families and relatives are very old and their reunion should not be delayed any longer.
As the north side took a serious view of the wrong stand and attitude of the south side and called them into question, the latter proposed to let the separated families and relatives meet on Mt. Kumgang where security is guaranteed.
The north side expressed understanding and consent to the south side's proposal for organizing the exchange of visiting groups even on Mt. Kumgang and made a realistic proposal for organizing the reunions of separated families and relatives for two nights and three days at the interval of a week before and after December 10.
Therefore, working-level officials of the two sides agreed on the date of exchanging the visiting groups in Mt. Kumgang area.
The south side's chief delegate, thinking of his position first, opposed the proposal to let separated families and relatives reunite on Mt. Kumgang.
The south side's unreasonable attitude was clearly manifested when discussing the venue of the second meeting of the north-south committee for the promotion of economic cooperation and the date of the 7th ministerial talks.
The south side admitted that dialogue and travel are impossible in its area where tensions prevail. But it laid an artificial obstacle to the talks by incoherently insisting on holding the second meeting of the committee in Seoul, not on Mt Kumgang.
The north side made a concession to this for the success of the talks and put forth a reasonable proposal to choose Seoul as the venue of the 7th ministerial talks and fix a date the two sides see convenient.
Thanks to the perfect logic and tolerant concession of the north side the working-level contact reaffirmed the will for the implementation of the north-south joint declaration and worked out a draft joint press release on the issues of organizing the reunions of separated families and relatives on Mt Kumgang before and after dec. 10, holding the second authorities-to-authorities talks to pep up Mt Kumgang tourism and the second meeting of the committee for the promotion of economic cooperation on Mt. Kumgang in November and December and holding the seventh ministerial talks in Seoul at a convenient time.
A few hours before the plenary session, Hong Sun Yong, chief delegate of the south side to the north-south ministerial talks, made no scruple of scuppering all the already agreed points all of a sudden, saying that if he goes back to the south, he may be questioned by someone, he does not want to bring burdens to someone, he did not know the north-south relations are so difficult to deal with because he only worked as a diplomat and he does not mind going back without any agreement on the joint press release.
Therefore, the sixth ministerial talks decisive of the implementation of the north-south joint declaration and the fate of the north-south authorities-to-authorities talks turned into a theatre of unnecessary argument and eventually ended without results.
When briefly commenting on the standpoint and attitude of the south side at the talks, the point at issue is that it sidestepped the core of the joint declaration and went far away from its basic spirit.
It is to be regretted that we held six rounds of the ministerial talks after the publication of the joint declaration, but we had fruitless talks this time owing to the south side while spending more time than at any other previous talks.
The south side should drop such wrong standpoint and attitude as denying the basic spirit of the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration.
With no pretext the south side will evade the responsibility for making the sixth ministerial talks close without fruits and throwing a stumbling block in the way of implementing the joint declaration and achieving the reconciliation, unity and reunification of the nation.