Kim Yong Nam greets President of Bangladesh
Pyongyang, November 18 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, on November 16 sent a message of greetings to A. Q. M. Badruddoza Chowdury on his election as President of the People's Republic of Bangladesh.
His election is an expression of deep trust and great expectation of the people of Bangladesh for him, the message said.
Expressing the belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would grow stronger, it wished the president great success in his responsible work.
Korean people's cause of reunification supported
Pyongyang, November 18 (KCNA) -- The reporters and speakers at the third Asia-Pacific regional lawyers' meeting held in Hanoi on Oct. 19 and 20 called for making joint efforts to ensure peace and security in the Asia-Pacific region including the Korean peninsula and achieve the dignity and sustainable development of humankind.
The "Hanoi appeal for peace and development" made public at the meeting said as regards the Korean issue:
We participants in the meeting strongly oppose the u.s. forces' continued presence in South Korea and Okinawa and the permanent existence of military bases in East Asia.
We express strong hope that the peaceful reunification of the Korean peninsula will be surely realized in accordance with the spirit of the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration signed by the heads of the north and south of Korea.
Meanwhile, speakers at a "meeting of solidarity with the Korean people" held on Oct. 24 with the attendance of leading officials of the International Association of Democratic Lawyers and delegates of lawyers' organizations from various countries said that international court should remain open to try the U.S. crimes because the U.S. crimes still continue in Korea.
Greetings to sultan of Oman
Pyongyang, November 18 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, on Nov. 16 sent a message of greetings to Sultan of Oman Qaboos bin said al said on the occasion of its national day.
Extending warm congratulations to him, government and people of Oman on the occasion, he wished the Sultan and people of Oman bigger success in their work for the prosperity of the country.
S. Korean unionists call for 'abolishing "security law"
Pyongyang, November 18 (KCNA) -- Unionists of the metal industrial federation under the (south) Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) reportedly called for abolishing the "security law" and withdrawing the U.S. hard-line policy toward the north.
The federation conducted an opinion poll among unionists in 61 workplaces in 9 areas on the abolition of the "security law," the U.S. hard-line policy toward the north, the missile issue and the KCTU work for reunification.
87.9 percent of the respondents answered that the "security law" is an obstacle to reunification and the abuse of this law for suppression is oppression of human rights.
The respondents welcomed the June 15 joint declaration. 8 of 10 workers supported the joint declaration calling for independently settling the reunification issue of the Korean nation and demanded the withdrawal of the U.S. troops from South Korea.
Japan emerges dangerous war force
Pyongyang, November 18 (KCNA) -- The Japanese reactionary ruling quarters are hell-bent on establishing a wartime system as evidenced by the legalization of the overseas dispatch of the "Self-Defense Forces" (SDF), the preparations stepped up by them for actions of aggression troops, taking the U.S. war against terrorism as a good chance, and the fascistization of the domestic policy. In this regard Rodong Sinmun today says in a signed article:
The article of Japan's constitution banning a war is now defunct.
The Japanese government and the ruling party passed through the diet the bill on the dispatch of "SDF" abroad, a bill on the revision of the "law on the SDF" and a bill allowing the SDF to open fire at "unidentified ships," the three bills for a war of reinvasion included in "the anti-terrorism special law," under the pretext of "supporting the u.s. forces.
The legalization of the dispatch of Japan's troops abroad made the article of the constitution banning Japan's possession of the army and a war defunct.
The exercise of "collective right of self-defense" has also been legalized to enable Japan to dispatch the SDF abroad to participate in combat operations under the pretext of "supporting" the U.S. forces though it is not threatened by any outside attack.
Japan, the world's second largest state in military spending, is hastening its preparations for the dispatch of its aggression forces abroad.
The Japanese government decided to send an additional fleet of warships including ultra-modern "aegis" to the Indian Ocean by late November to join the U.S. in its war against terrorism.
Three warships of Japan have already been dispatched there recently. The maritime "Self-Defense Force" is scheduled to conduct a joint exercise with southeast Asian countries in December.
The air SDF is getting ready to send transport planes to Pakistan while the ground SDF decided to send troops to East Timor.
Referring to the spurs put by Japan to establishing a wartime system including the stepped-up militarization and fascistization of the country and moves to revise the "law on emergency," the article notes:
Japan has emerged the most dangerous aggressor and war force threatening the peace in Asia and the rest of the world.
History clearly proves that a war of aggression leads Japan only to destruction.
This reality signifies a prelude to Japan's tragedy.