Meeting of journalists and other mediamen held
Pyongyang, December 19 (KCNA) -- A meeting of journalists and other mediapersons was held at the People's Palace of Culture yesterday to vow to implement the tasks set forth in the letter "the journalists are the ideological standard-bearers who champion our ideology, our system and our cause" leader Kim Jong Il sent to the participants in the 8th congress of the Korean Journalists Union.
The letter was read out at the meeting.
Saying that Kim Jong Il in the letter clearly indicated the way for the party's media in the era of the army-based policy to follow and put forward the tasks to be carried out by journalists and other mediamen, the speakers noted that the letter was an immortal work the socialist media should hold high in the new century and a highly important guideline in effecting a signal turn in the media activities.
The speakers called upon all the journalists and other mediapersons to bring about another signal turn in the media activities, in hearty response to the historic letter, and thus positively contribute to accelerating the cause of building a powerful nation of Juche and national reunification.
The speakers also appealed to them to become ideological standard-bearers consolidating the socialist ideological position as a bulwark, creditably play the role of buglers dynamically inspiring the whole party and army and all the people to turn out in the drive to build a powerful nation and wield the writing brush of the revolution to decisively frustrate the aggressive moves and reactionary ideological offensives of the imperialists in good time.
The speakers called on the journalists and other mediapersons to uphold the letter as a great programme for building the Juche-oriented media in the 21st century and thoroughly embody it in their activities and thus actively contribute to firmly defending our ideology, our system and our cause.
"Day of DPRK" marked in Russia
Moscow, December 17 (KCNA) -- A function on the subject of "Day of DPRK" was held in Russia on December 14 on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of leader Kim Jong Il's election as supreme commander of the Korean People's Army.
At the function a reporter and speakers said that Kim Jong Il has firmly defended Korean socialism with his army-centered policy despite the complicated international situation.
The KPA commanded by him has become a guarantee for the sovereignty of the DPRK and eternal prosperity of Kim Il Sung's Korea, they said, and went on:
The U.S. dare not provoke the DPRK where the army and people are closely united around him.
We directly witness the DPRK vigorously and confidently advancing to build a powerful nation and build a friendly and cooperative world.
Kim Jong Il opened a new chapter of the traditional Russia-DPRK friendly and cooperative relations through his historic Russia visit.
Screened at the function was the Korean film "The Great Leader Comrade Kim Jong Il Pays an Official Visit to the Russian Federation."
U.S. moves for war of aggression assailed
Pyongyang, December 19 (KCNA) -- Choe Sung Hwan, chairman of the South Korean Federation of University Student Councils (Hanchongryon) which is the south headquarters of the national alliance of youth and students for the country's reunification, reportedly issued an appeal on Dec. 14 calling on all the people to wage a struggle against the united states' moves for a war of aggression.
Noting that the bush administration is keen to bring the south-north relations back to those in the era of the cold war, the appeal said that this clearly shows its true aggressive and predatory aim to seek its interests by keeping the Korean nation divided.
We can not allow the Korean nation to fall victim to the war moves of the U.S., the appeal said, and went on:
The only way to prevent a reckless war of aggression of the U.S. on the Korean peninsula is for the entire Korean nation to come out against its war moves.
A million students of Hanchongryon should lead all other people in the struggle to foil the U.S. moves to provoke a war and force the U.S. forces, the source of war, to withdraw from South Korea at once.
U.S. interceptor missile test under fire
Pyongyang, December 19 (KCNA) -- Another interceptor missile test conducted by the U.S. on Dec. 3 indicates how desperately it is working to establish the Missile Defence system (MD), observes Minju Joson today in a signed commentary.
The U.S. is more undisguisedly interfering in other sovereign countries' efforts to increase their military capabilities which belong to their sovereignty, the commentary says, and goes on:
The U.S. tries to impose "inspection" and "reduction" upon other countries failing to tickle its fancy, under the pretext of "threat of missiles and weapons of mass-destruction." it is, indeed, the height of impudence.
Arms build up in each sovereign state belongs to its sovereignty.
The U.S. is massively testing, producing and deploying new type weapons of mass-destruction including nukes and missiles and threatening global peace and security in a bid to establish domination over the world and invade and plunder other countries as it pleases. Yet, it is impudent enough to interfere in others' arms buildup intended to cope with it.
This glaringly reveals the arrogant and shameless nature of the U.S.
The reality today when the U.S. has become more undisguised in its moves to establish military domination over the world clearly proves the justness of the DPRK idea of giving priority to the army and its policy of increasing military capability for self-defense.
We will invariably hold fast to the idea of giving importance to the army, significantly increase this capability and accomplish the socialist cause no matter how the situation may change and no matter what others may say.
Release of patriotic youth and students demanded
Pyongyang, December 19 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the north headquarters of the National Alliance of Youth and Students for the Country's Reunification (Pomchonghakryon) issued a statement on Dec. 18 denouncing the South Korean authorities for committing an unending unwarranted arrest and suppression of youth and students in South Korea who have conducted righteous activities for national reconciliation, unity and reunification. This was in contravention of the desire of all the fellow countrymen for national reunification, the statement said, and continued:
According to a news report, the Taegu high court in a trial on an appeal made by Son Jun Hyok, former chairman of the 6th-term South Korean Federation of University Student Councils (Hanchongryon), sentenced him to three years in prison and three years of suspension of qualification on the charge that he spearheaded various rallies and demonstrations of Hanchongryon and printed "literature benefiting the enemy."
In the last few months alone scores of deputies to Hanchongryon and youth and students were thrown behind bars, representatives of the south headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country's Reunification (Pomminryon) including chairman Jon Sang Bong of the council of the youth organizations, who participated in the 2001 grand festival for national reunification held in Pyongyang in August, were arrested on the charge of violation of the "security law" and the chairman of the 10th-term Kwangju and South Jolla Provincial Federation of General Student Councils was walked away to police without any warrant of arrest.
The north headquarters of Pomchonghakryon brands the South Korean public security authorities' fascist suppression of leading members of Hanchongryon as a perfidy to the spirit of the June 15 joint declaration and an anti-reunification criminal act to destroy the patriotic pro-reunification organizations including Hanchongryon, and sternly denounces them on behalf of all the youth and students in the northern half of the country.
The statement urged the South Korean public security authorities to properly understand the daily mounting desire of the compatriots for national reunification, immediately abolish the "SL," a leftover of the old era, and unconditionally release chairman of the 6th-term Hanchongryon and all other unreasonably arrested patriotic youth and students without delay.
National art exhibition opens
Pyongyang, December 19 (KCNA) -- A national art exhibition opened on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of leader Kim Jong Il's election as supreme commander of the Korean People's Army and the 84th birth anniversary of the indomitable anti-Japanese heroine Kim Jong Suk.
Displayed at the exhibition are fine art pieces depicting the immortal leadership exploits performed by the three generals of Mt. Paektu for the development of the Juche-oriented revolutionary armed forces and over 50 pieces showing the invincible might of the heroic KPA.
Among them are Korean paintings "Secret Camp on Mt. Paektu in Spring," "In the Flames of the anti-Japanese Bloody War," "On the Way to Homeland," "First Woman Parachutist," "The Great Brilliant Commander Marshal Kim Jong Il" and an oil painting "Soldiers at Panmunjom are Waiting For Us."
Besides, there are posters encouraging the whole party, the entire army and all the people in the efforts for building a powerful nation.
An opening ceremony was held at the People's Palace of Culture yesterday.
Minister of Culture Kang Nung Su and others were present there.
Medical appliances modernized
Pyongyang, December 19 (KCNA) -- Graduates from Kim Chaek University of Technology in the DPRK have made signal successes in modernizing medical appliances.
The cell displacement measuring system has been computerized and a leukocyte measuring instrument, pulse frequency analyzer, medium and low frequency medical appliance, electric mess, electric shock aspirator, pedal-driven aspirator, etc. have been manufactured.
They have also doubled the service life of the digital roentgen and significantly improved the quality of picture.
While ensuring the normal operation of a large number of medical equipments, they have improved the health care with the help of function-diagnosis equipment including amino acid analyzer.
Several medical appliances including the computerized displacement measuring system and electric mess easy to handle and great in efficiency have been introduced to clinical practices to enjoy popularity.
Efforts are made to introduce other medical equipment to treatment.
Demolition of concrete wall called for
Pyongyang, December 19 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today in a signed article says that whether to demolish the concrete wall or not is a touchstone for distinguishing between the stand of reconciliation and that of confrontation, reunification and division.
It is because the concrete wall is a symbol of national division and confrontation, a barrier blocking off reunification contrary to the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration and a substantial stumbling block standing in the way of national reconciliation and reunification, the article says, and continues:
Behind the concrete wall tanks, armored vehicles and other military hardware are deployed to advance toward the north any time. Therefore, the concrete wall serves as a barrier of division as well as a military fortress and an attack position to invade the north.
The concrete wall has no reason to exist today, the era of national independent reunification, and it should be demolished at once.
The existence of the concrete wall is abnormal in all aspects provided that through the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration the north and the south solemnly declared independent settlement of the issue of national reunification by the concerted efforts of the Korean nation.
Pulling down the concrete wall or not confirms whether the South Korean authorities have intention to implement the joint declaration or not.
The concrete wall should no longer remain but be demolished at an early date in view of the spirit of the north-south joint declaration and the ardent desire of the nation for independent reunification.
U.S. forces' pullback from S. Korea demanded
Pyongyang, December 19 (KCNA) --Rremains of 59 patriots and other innocent residents were unearthed in the township area of Sinchon county, South Hwanghae Province. They were killed by the U.S. imperialist aggressors in cold blood in the period of the temporary strategic retreat of the Korean People's Army during the Korean War.
The Korean people will not forget even a moment and tolerate the shocking crimes of the Yankees who talk about "human rights," "peace" and "humanitarianism." the news analyst of Rodong Sinmun today says, and goes on:
The Yankees who occupied South Korea by force of arms in the wake of the defeat of the Japanese imperialists in the 1940s and provoked the Korean War were not "liberators," "protectors" and "peace corps."
They were criminals who plunged Korea in the bloodbath and brought all sorts of misfortune, pain and disasters to the Koreans.
After the war they lord it over in South Korea, unhesitatingly committing all kinds of atrocities and crimes.
There is no ground whatsoever for them to stay in South Korea.
The U.S. imperialists, however, are trying to keep its forces in South Korea under the absurd plea of "military threat" from the DPRK.
The U.S. forces should be pulled out of South Korea for the removal of a danger of war and the preservation of lasting peace and stability on the Korean peninsula.
The U.S. should face up to the reality. It should not clamour about the cutdown of "conventional armed forces" of the DPRK, but pull its forces out of South Korea.
That is the core of the DPRK-U.S. relations and the settlement of the Korean issue. It is the top priority of the U.S.
Annual meeting of Nigerian Juche idea study groups held
Pyongyang, December 19 (KCNA) -- An annual meeting of the Nigerian group for the study of Kimjongilism and the group for the study of Juche philosophy was held in Abuja on Dec. 7 under the sponsorship of the Nigerian National Committee for the Study of the Juche Idea.
The meeting reviewed the activities to study and disseminate the Juche idea this year and discussed the issues of raising the function and role of the study groups, making sustained efforts to expand their ranks and intensifying the study and dissemination of the Juche idea in conformity with the inauguration of the national committee for the study of the Juche idea.
It discussed the plan to significantly commemorate the 90th birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung, the birthday of leader Kim Jong Il and the 70th anniversary of the Korean People's Army and conduct a vigorous campaign for solidarity with the Korean people.
Japanese authorities' suppression of Chongryon denounced
Pyongyang, December 19 (KCNA) -- The Socialist Unionist Party of Syria released a statement on Dec. 13 denouncing the Japanese authorities for their crackdown upon the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon).
The statement branded the suppression as a political plot against Chongryon and a wanton infringement upon the sovereignty of the DPRK.
Any suppression of Chongryon is an infringement upon the dignity and sovereignty of people's Korea, the statement said, and continued:
We bitterly denounce the suppression, an insult and a hostility to people's Korea and a source of tensions in the region.
The Japanese authorities should immediately halt their fascist suppression of Chongryon, apologize for it and unconditionally release all the unwarrantedly arrested persons at once.
DPRK ambassador to Bangladesh appointed
Pyongyang, December 19 (KCNA) -- Kang Chang Ryol was appointed as DPRK ambassador to Bangladesh, according to a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly.
Greetings to Sri Lankan prime minister
Pyongyang, December 19 (KCNA) -- Premier Hong Song Nam of the DPRK cabinet sent a message of greetings to Ranil Wickremesinghe upon his appointment as prime minister of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.
The message expresses conviction that the good friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries will grow stronger in the interests of the two peoples and wished him success in his responsible work for the nation's stability and prosperity.