Friendship gathering
Pyongyang, December 13 (KCNA) -- A friendship gathering was held by Russian ambassador to the DPRK Andrei Karlov at his embassy yesterday with the approach of the new year, Juche 91 (2002).
Invited were vice marshal of the Korean People's Army Kim Il Chol, minister of the People's Armed Forces, KPA colonel generals Kim Yun Sim and O Kum Chol and generals and officers of the KPA.
Present were members of the Russian embassy.
Speeches were made there.
The participants deepened friendship, underscoring the need to boost friendly relations between the two countries.
Japanese authorities' suppression of Chongryon flailed
Pyongyang, December 13 (KCNA) -- Organizations of Koreans overseas denounced the Japanese authorities for their crackdown upon the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon).
The central association of Korean Nationals in Russia in a statement said that the Japanese authorities' repressive action against Chongryon was an indisputable crime and political suppression and a hostile act against the dignified DPRK.
The association once again warned Japan that if it persists in the suppression of Chongryon despite the repeated demands of the DPRK, Chongryon and all the overseas compatriots, it will have to bear full responsibility for it.
The national association of Koreans in Australia in a statement strongly demanded the Japanese investigation authorities immediately stop the political suppression of Chongryon and the Korean bank and apologize for it and unconditionally release all those arrested.
Adoption of "Law on U.N. PKO" in Japan under fire
Pyongyang, December 13 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today in a signed commentary terms the recent adoption of the "U.N. Peace-Keeping Operation Law" at the session of the Japanese House of Councilors a very dangerous and disturbing development.
The commentary says:
Japan has not yet shaken off the ill-fame of an "enemy state." For the Japanese Self-Defence Forces (SDF) to operate as part of the "U.N. Peace-Keeping Forces" cannot but be an insult to peace and mockery of humankind.
The law allows the SDF to carry out military operation against any war- and conflict-torn part of the world.
Through the adoption of the law Japan seeks to attain two goals.
One is to lay a legal groundwork for militarily guaranteeing Japan's realization of its ambition to become a political power.
The other is to legally launch overseas aggression under the signboard of "U.N. Peace-Keeping Forces."
The DPRK is now being made the next target of the U.S. "anti-terrorism war".
Once an unforeseen situation is created on the Korean peninsula by the U.S., Japan will inevitably join it under the pretext of "supporting its operation."
But it is foolish of Japan keen on overseas aggression to try to deceive the world with the signboard of "peace."
If Japan unleashes a war of aggression against others, it will face a hundred times severer retaliatory blows.
Senior officials of DPRK visit Ranam Coal Mining Machine Complex
Pyongyang, December 13 (KCNA) -- Hong Song Nam, Yang Hyong Sop, Choe Yong Rim and other senior officials of the commissions and ministries of the cabinet, national institutions and industrial complexes visited the Ranam Coal Mining Machine Complex, the nation's leading modern centre for the production of mining equipment, in North Hamgyong Province.
The workers there have manufactured varieties of cutting tools on their own efforts in the spirit of devotedly implementing leader Kim Jong Il's instructions, thus supplying modern mining equipment in good time.
He was greatly satisfied to learn that the officials and workers of the complex successfully manufactured a new type machine in the shortest span of time and encouraged them to perform new exploits.
Looking round the electric hearth in the steel casting shop, and a 2,000 ton press and a 3 ton hammer at work in the forging shop, the visitors expressed belief that a prosperous and powerful nation of Juche is sure to be built.
They resolved to learn from the officials of Ranam and become officials of high caliber and practical ability capable of successfully realizing Kim Jong Il's will and intention.
Return of U.S. military base urged in S. Korea
Pyongyang, December 13 (KCNA) -- The South Korean Council for National Reconciliation, independence and unification reportedly issued a statement on Dec. 10, denouncing the U.S. troops for pushing forward their illegal building of apartment houses in a base in Seoul instead of returning the base.
Building large apartment houses in the Ryongsan base of the U.S. troops is a mockery of and perfidy to all the people as well as the Seoul citizens who have demanded the total return of the base, and it proves that they have no intention to return the base, the statement said, and went on:
It was disclosed that the U.S. had delayed the promised return of the base from day to day, claiming for excessive expenses for transfer of the base in an attempt to evade the return of the base.
The statement urged the U.S. troops' side to make an open apology to the people in the south and immediately stop pushing forward the construction of apartment houses.
Japanese authorities' suppression of Chongryon condemned abroad
Pyongyang, December 13 (KCNA) -- The Japanese authorities' crackdown on the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon) was criticized in different countries.
The Workers' Party of Turkey in a statement on Dec. 7 said the Japanese reactionaries' search of the central and local headquarters of Chongryon is a wanton violation of justice, democracy, human rights and international law.
The statement urged the Japanese reactionaries to face up to the reality, behave with discretion and immediately stop their hostile moves toward the DPRK and Chongryon.
M.M. Verma, director of the Indian Centre for the U.N. Studies, in a statement on dec. 6 said that as the issue of Koreans in Japan is a product of Japanese imperialists' occupation of Korea, the Japanese authorities should ensure their sovereignty and dignity.
In a statement on Dec. 5 Otete Gaston Mboyo, chairman of the Democratic Congo-Korea Friendship Association, urged the Japanese authorities to stop the suppression of Chongryon at once, set free those arrested and halt their hostile action against the DPRK and Chongryon.
Japanese authorities hit for their crime
Pyongyang, December 13 (KCNA) -- The Korean Democratic Lawyers Association (KDLA) today issued a statement.
The statement says:
The search of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon) by Japan, styling itself a "law-abiding state," without any legal ground was an illegal act of ignoring the national rights of Chongryon and compatriots in Japan and legal procedures and a despicable political suppression.
As Chongryon and Koreans in Japan exercise the internationally recognized rights as citizens of the DPRK, the Japanese authorities are under the obligation to respect their status as such and treat them by law.
Calling attention to the fact that the DPRK has already declared that it will protect the national rights and internationally recognized legitimate rights of Koreans in Japan as citizens of the DPRK and determinedly deal with the slightest violation of them, considering it to be an infringement upon the dignity and sovereignty of the DPRK, the statement says:
Bitterly condemning the Japanese authorities for their search as an insult to the dignified DPRK, a violation of the legal rights of Chongryon and the Koreans in Japan and an unethical crime going against the international law and practice, the KDLA in the name of law and justice demands the Japanese authorities admit the illegal search, release all the arrested Koreans and immediately stop their suppression of Chongryon and the Koreans in Japan, make an official apology to Chongryon and the Koreans in Japan for the suppression and compensate for the material loss inflicted upon them and punish those responsible for the crime and take thorough-going measures to prevent the recurrence of such crime.
If the Japanese authorities persist in a plot against the DPRK and Chongryon, ignoring the just demand of ours, they will meet a more stern judgment by the Korean people and the world justice and conscience.