Japanese authorities' suppression of Chongryon condemned abroad
Pyongyang, December 16 (KCNA) -- Organizations of different countries issued statements denouncing the Japanese authorities for their crackdown upon the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon).
The Russian Association for Friendship and Cultural Cooperation with the DPRK and the Eastern Europe Center for Support and Solidarity with the DPRK in a joint statement on Dec. 10 expressed resentment at the Japanese authorities for their search of the central and local headquarters of Chongryon with the mobilization of police, an outrage unprecedented in history.
The Italian Committee for Reunification and Peace of Korea in a statement on Dec. 7 condemned such campaign of search and arrest as an illegal act and urged the Japanese authorities to stop at once their suppression of Chongryon.
The Arab Art, Culture and Information Association of Egypt in a statement on Dec. 9 said that the unwarranted suppression of Chongryon is a concentrated expression of the Japanese authorities' hostile policy toward the DPRK, and urged them to apologize for it and immediately release the unwarrantedly arrested Korean residents.
Chongryon's struggle supported abroad
Pyongyang, December 16 (KCNA) -- Martin Lotscher, chairman of the Swiss Committee for Supporting Korea's Reunification, and Abdi Kedir Mohamed, general director of the Ethiopian International Taekwon-do Body Building Club, on Dec. 8 sent letters of solidarity to the central headquarters of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon), denouncing the Japanese authorities' crackdown on it.
They in their letters condemned the Japanese reactionaries' brutal and fascist outrage against Chongryon with surging indignation and wrath and expressed full support and solidarity with Chongryon in the struggle to protect its democratic national rights.
Rodong Sinmun warns U.S. against reckless provocation
Pyongyang, December 16 (KCNA) - Now that the United States is provoking the DPRK under an unreasonable pretext in pursuance of expansion of the "anti-terror war," the DPRK cannot but make preparations to counter it, says Rodong Sinmun today in a signed commentary.
Some days ago, a spokesman for the U.S. department of state said North Korea's proliferation of missiles is worrisome and the development and export of ballistic missiles as well as nuclear inspection should be discussed in the DPRK-U.S. dialogue, the commentary says, and goes on:
The U.S. is going to use the dialogue with the DPRK as a lever of pressure and an opportunity to find a pretext for military provocation.
There is neither condition nor need for the DPRK to accept the "nuclear inspection."
The U.S. itself already admitted it through "verification."
The same is the case with the "missile issue."
The DPRK development of missiles is for a self-defensive purpose and, accordingly, it leaves no room for doubt and it is out of question.
If the DPRK is called a "rogue state" for production of missiles as defensive means, the U.S., which has stored up different kinds and sizes of missiles and nuclear weapons, should be termed the biggest aggression state and war force of the world.
The U.S. intends to escalate pressure on the DPRK and unleash a war when an opportunity presents itself.
It regards "anti-terrorism" as a good pretext.
The U.S. bellicose forces are hatching up plots and operation plans to attack the DPRK under the pretext of "control over the proliferation of mass-destruction weapons" and "anti-terrorism."
We have nothing to make a concession to the U.S. demand and no place to take a step back.
It is the revolutionary position and principle of the DPRK to oppose war, safeguard peace and defend sovereignty.
Our consciousness of war is the spirit of fighting to win victory and make a short shrift of those who ignite a war against us.
Rodong Sinmun on June 15 north-south joint declaration
Pyongyang, December 16 (KCNA) -- Defending the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration is the only way for our fellow countrymen to survive and achieve national reunification.
Rodong Sinmun today says this in a signed article.
The historic joint declaration is a precious gain attained by our nation in the struggle for independent reunification, the article notes, and goes on:
The joint declaration makes it clear to reunify the country by the concerted efforts of the Korean nation independently without any outside interference, confirm the way of reunification by federal formula, solve humanitarian issues between the north and the south, ensure a fairly balanced development of the national economy and activate cooperation and exchange in various domains. That is why the declaration serves as a milestone of national reunification.
Our fellow countrymen should hold higher the banner of national independence.
The basic spirit of the declaration is national independence.
All the fellow countrymen in the north, south and overseas should resolutely shatter the U.S. imperialists' anti-national, anti-reunification and war provocation moves and check and frustrate the moves of the anti-reunification forces for "cooperation" with foreign forces under the uplifted banner of national independence.
All the Koreans should firmly unite as one under the banner of the joint declaration.
The interests of classes and strata of our nation are different. But this can not be set above the issue of the country's reunification concerning the life and death of the nation.
All the Koreans in the north, south and overseas should firmly unite under the banner of the joint declaration and vigorously struggle to achieve the independent and peaceful reunification of the country.
Anniversary of opening of DPRK-Britain diplomatic ties marked
Pyongyang, December 16 (KCNA) -- Events took place in Pyongyang and London to commemorate the first anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between the DPRK and Britain.
On this occasion, the DPRK Foreign Ministry and the British embassy here hosted receptions respectively on Dec. 11 and 12.
Present there were vice-minister of foreign affairs Kim Yong Il, vice-chairman of the Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries Jon Yong Jin and officials concerned. Also on hand were charge d'affaires James Edward Hoare and officials of the British embassy here, diplomatic envoys of different countries, and british guests staying in the dprk for cooperation with it.
At the receptions, speakers referred to the signal progress made in the relations between the two countries in the last one year after the establishment of their diplomatic ties.
Meanwhile, a ceremony was held at the British museum in London on November 23 to open "Day for the Study of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea."
Attending the ceremony were permanent under-secretary of the British foreign and commonwealth office John Kerr, charge d'affaires of the British embassy in the DPRK James Edward Hoare and other political and public figures of Britain.
Also present were a delegation of the DPRK Ministry of Culture led by Han Chang Gyu, curator of the Korean art gallery, and staff members of the DPRK mission at the international maritime organization in London.
John Kerr in his speech said that the opening of the bilateral diplomatic ties in December last year was an event conducive to the friendship between the two peoples and to peace and security of the Korean peninsula. The British government will continue to strive for the development of the bilateral friendly relations and peace and security of the Korean peninsula, he added.
The participants appreciated modern fine art pieces of the DPRK displayed at its wing of the British museum to mark the anniversary.
U.S. announces withdrawal from ABM treaty
Pyongyang, December 16 (KCNA) -- U.S. President Bush officially announced Thursday that the U.S. will unilaterally withdraw from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty (ABM), according to a report.
Bush in a speech at the white house said "Today I have given formal notice to Russia that the U.S. is withdrawing from the treaty."
Foreign media reported that the U.S. withdrawal of the ABM would enable it to conduct tests outlawed by the pact and accelerate its efforts to deploy missile defense shields.
The U.S. announcement of its unilateral withdrawal from the treaty is arousing great apprehensions from the international community.