New U.S. war maneuvers targeted against DPRK denounced
Pyongyang, March 22 (KCNA) -- Rallies were held at the Chollima Steel Complex, the Kim Jong Thae Electric Locomotive Plant and Kim Il Sung University yesterday to denounce the U.S. imperialist aggressors for launching large joint military exercises.
Read out at the rallies were statements denouncing the maneuvers issued by the spokesman of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland and the central committee of the General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea.
Speakers described the war maneuvers as a replica of the "Team Spirit" joint military exercise and premeditated provocative war maneuvers targeted against the DPRK.
Recalling that the U.S. is paying lip-service to "dialogue" with the DPRK in a bid to mislead public opinion, they dismissed this as a silly attempt to cover up its aggressive nature and stifle the DPRK.
It is the DPRK's resolute stand not to allow anyone to infringe upon the dignity of the DPRK even a bit, they said, urging the U.S. imperialists to properly understand the determination of the Korean people to wipe out the enemy, stop their war exercises against it and quit South Korea at once.
U.S. sale of new type of military equipment to S. Korea suggested
Pyongyang, March 22 (KCNA) -- An official of the U.S. Defense Department addressing the congress on march 18 hinted that it would sell about 1.2 billion U.S. dollars worth military equipment to South Korea for the purpose of increasing its military capacity allegedly to contain the DPRK, Seoul-based Yonhap News reported.
He disclosed that the South Korean authorities are known to have asked for an aegis anti-aircraft defense system to be installed on three destroyers of new type and its related facilities and they would be delivered to South Korea in a few years to come.
All-female brass band
Pyongyang, March 22 (KCNA) -- Among the popular brass bands in Pyongyang that instil vigour and optimism in the public is the all-female band of the Ministry of People's Security.
The band enjoys sweeping popularity for its proficient playing of trumpets, horns and other instruments, perfect ensemble, charmingly rhythmic conducting, and an attractive cast of pretty, graceful girls in gorgeous uniforms.
"It was formerly thought that brass music was the 8preserve of men alone," says the conductress Pak Mi Son. "It's no easy job for our girls. This appears to be the cause of the intense curiosity we arouse."
The 160-women band boasts a prowess that would justify a solo recital of every performer. They are proficient not only at the vigorous, inspiring pieces of music common to wind instruments, but also at soft, mellow, ballad-like music.
The band was formed five years ago and has played grand marches and many other pieces of music at state events of all kinds, including the 2001 grand national reunification festival.
It will again demonstrate its skill at the upcoming mass gymnastic and artistic performance "Arirang".
U.S. plan for preemptive nuclear attack on DPRK blasted
Pyongyang, March 22 (KCNA) -- The United States is the most dangerous nuclear rogue state attempting to destroy humankind, says Rodong Sinmun today in a signed commentary it goes on:
The U.S. is the world's most cursed nuclear criminal as it was the first to produce and use nuclear weapons in war history.
It is the world's biggest nuclear possessor and is now keen on the development and production of new types of weapons of mass destruction while ceaselessly carrying out nuclear tests in a bid to produce new types of nukes.
It is massproducing biological and chemical weapons and frequently staging biological and chemical warfares in a bid to use them in an actual war.
The Soviet Union was the main target of the U.S. nuclear strategy in the Cold War era, but after its demise the U.S. shifted the target of its nuclear weapons to non-nuclear states.
All this goes to eloquently prove that the U.S. is chiefly to blame for the nuclear threat that throws humankind into constant nuclear horror and uneasiness.
Its threat to use nuclear weapons against those countries that go against the grain with it as it pleases is little short of disclosing that it is the world's worst nuclear rogue state and the most dangerous nuclear terrorist country.
The large-scale joint military exercises, a combination of the "reception, staging, onward movement and integration exercise" and the "Foal Eagle," launched by the U.S. in all parts of South Korea are all-out war maneuvers aimed to put into practice the "plan to mount a preemptive nuclear attack" on the DPRK and an extremely dangerous move to ignite a nuclear war.
It is quite foolish of the hawkish bush group to try to contain the DPRK through a nuclear attack.
It is the revolutionary spirit of the army and people of the DPRK to return fire for fire and mercilessly retaliate against the imperialists' moves for aggression. those who invade the inviolable territory of the DPRK will never be able to go scotfree wherever they are in the world.
U.S. dismissed as nuclear rogue state
Pyongyang, March 22 (KCNA) -- The Jongju youth gymnasium in Jongju city, North Phyongan Province of the DPRK, is humming with after-school sport activities of school youth and children.
Opened in February Juche 75 (1986), the gymnasium serves as a centre for training reserves of sportspersons.
Its total floor space is 7,450 square metres and it has 3,500 seats.
Sufficient facilities are available for training in various events including volleyball, basketball, table tennis, boxing, judo, wrestling and weightlifting.
Over the last 16 years the members of the hobby groups of the gymnasium bagged over 10 cups and more than 150 gold medals.
It has so far won over 680 medals.
Not a few sportspersons who had cultivated their sports technique there have proved successful in international games.
Among them are Jong Hye Yong, member of the DPRK women's football team which emerged winner at the 13th Asian Women's Football Championships, and Mun Yong Il, who placed first at the 9th world Taekwon-do championships and the 1st Asia-Pacific Taekwon-do championships.
Jongju youth gymnasium
Pyongyang, March 22 (KCNA) -- The south headquarters of the national alliance for the country's reunification reportedly issued a statement titled "Let us remove dark clouds of war hanging above the Korean Peninsula by implementing the June 15 joint declaration" on March 15.
The statement said that the large-scale joint military exercises staged across South Korea from March 21 are very hostile and offensive drills based on the "5027-98" operation plan designed to occupy the whole area of the north.
The preceding South Korea-U.S. joint military exercises regarding the north as the "enemy" had always stood in the way of the progress of the south-north relations, the statement noted:
It demanded an immediate stop to the joint military exercises that threaten peace on the Korean Peninsula and incite a show-down between the fellow countrymen.
The U.S. should honestly implement the agreement with the north and promptly renounce all the hostile policies toward the north and war scenarios, it noted.
It demanded the South Korean authorities honestly implement the June 15 joint declaration, a promise of reconciliation, reunification and peace that was agreed between Koreans.
Signal success in mushroom cultivation
Pyongyang, March 22 (KCNA) -- Ri Son A, 48, well-known expert on the cultivation of mushroom, recently succeeded in the mass-cultivation of phellinus linteus berk proved to have a strong anti-cancer effect, its cancer-resisting rate being 96.7 , and an apparent immunity revitalizing effect.
She works as a room chief of the Rungra science and technology centre of the DPRK.
After graduating from the biology faculty of Kim Il Sung University in Juche 67 (1978) she succeeded in the cultivation of a tobacco somatic hybrid breed by way of cell engineering in 1985, causing a great sensation at home.
She established and put into practice the method of artificial cultivation of at least 50 varieties of mushrooms proved to be good for the health and longevity of people including sweet armillaria, ganoderma mushroom and agaricus bisporus.
She succeeded in developing "spawn of natural material" that overcame the shortcomings of cereal spawn in 1993, thus opening a prospect of mass-producing various edible mushrooms at cheap cost.
The "spawn of natural material" won a gold medal at the 24th geneva international exhibition of inventions, new technologies and products.
Ri is also a pioneer in studying "the science of mushroom cultivation" in the DPRK.
She is an author of books "cultivation of mushroom," "collection of mushrooms" and "production of mushroom spawn and its cultivation" and scores of scientific papers and technical manuals.
She was awarded the degree of doctor of biology in 1995 and the title of merited scientist in 1996.
"Comet" of Women's football
Pyongyang, March 22 (KCNA) -- During the 3rd women's world cup tournament in 1999 the then chief coach of the American team predicted that Jin Pyol Hui, a member of the DPRK women's football team who was known for her remarkable shooting ability, would threaten the goalkeepers of the world's top-seeded teams.
Jin, who started her career in the Wolmido team, was already recognized as a star when she made her debut in the tournament soon after being selected for national team.
She played a key role in the 3-1 victory over Denmark at the group stage and caused serious threats for the Nigerian and American defences in subsequent matches.
A series of international events, including the Asian women's football championships, offered her a good opportunity to learn and improve her skill.
At the 13th Asian tournament held in Chinese Taipei in December 2001, she showed her ability to the full.
During the game against china, the holders of the Asian title since 1986 and a team which had a number of versatile, quality players, she scored three times, stunning spectators and coaches alike.
Her inventiveness combined with bewildering speed and quickness of decision won the admiration of the crowds.
Jin, who is said to have appeared like a "comet" in the women's football world, sets herself apart from ordinary players with her explosive speed, superb dribbling skills and determination, acquired through intensive training.
Introspective and calm by nature, she imposes strict demands on herself in training.
In praise of her ability to read the game, excellent positional sense and incisive attacks, people say: "She's like a wild hawk suddenly flying down to seize a prey. Jin is now 22, and her ambitious target is to lift the world cup and become one of the world's top strikers."
Performance "Arirang" praised
Pyongyang, March 22 (KCNA) -- Foreigners were deeply impressed to watch the all-round rehearsal of the mass gymnastic and artistic performance "Arirang".
Nigel Baker, director of content of the London bureau of the Associated Press Television News, said that all scenes of the performance were wonderful, adding that it is hard to enjoy such show elsewhere.
It is something unbelievable that human beings can provide such huge and beautiful background scenes, he noted, calling on the people of all countries to come and see the performance.
Greg o'connor, head of an Australian group to study "Arirang," said that he has seen not a few gymnastic displays but this is the first time for him to see such a mass gymnastic and artistic performance and he would make positive efforts to let many people of Britain, France, Australia and other countries watch the performance "Arirang".
Sosnovskaya Irina, general manager of the Shambhala Travel Agency of Russia, said that the performance "Arirang" would prove to be peculiar and wonderful and her agency would make positive efforts to help more people enjoy the performance.
Large-scale joint military exercises start
Pyongyang, March 22 (KCNA) -- The U.S. imperialists and the South Korean military authorities yesterday started the large-scale joint military exercises, a combination of "Reception, Staging, Onward movement and Integration Exercise" (RSOI) and "foal eagle" drills, targeted against the north, according to Seoul-based Radio No. 1.
The exercises include rapid movement and deployment and joint field maneuvers of the U.S. reinforcements from outside under the simulated conditions of "emergency" on the Korean Peninsula. The exercises are participated in by more than 43,000 U.S. imperialist aggressor troops based in South Korea, the U.S. mainland, Japan, Guam and other areas and over 500,000 South Korean army soldiers under the South Korea-U.S. "combined forces command."
The U.S. imperialists, who declared this year as a "year of war" and designated the DPRK as a target of nuclear attacks, clamouring for "preemptive strikes," have launched the largest-scale joint military exercises, thus placing the Korean Peninsula under a touch-and-go-situation.
Youth league conference closes
Pyongyang, March 22 (KCNA) -- The conference of the Kim Il Sung Socialist Youth League closed today after successfully winding up its work.
At the second-day session Kim Kyong Ho, first secretary of the central committee of the league, made a report on the second agenda item "On adopting rules of the Kim Il Sung Socialist Youth League."
It is stipulated in the new rules that the Kim Il Sung Socialist Youth League is the youth league of President Kim Il Sung, the founder of the Korean youth movement, and its mission is to carry forward the revolutionary cause of Juche generation after generation and accomplish it, guided by the Juche idea, the president's revolutionary idea.
It also defines the youth league as a political reserve force of the Workers' Party of Korea and the young vanguard which takes the lead in devotedly safeguarding the leader of revolution, upholding the WPK's army-based revolutionary leadership with loyalty.
The reporter called for thoroughly abiding by the new rules in the building and activities of the league.
Speeches were made on the second agenda item.
The rules of the league were adopted with a unanimous approval at the conference.
Led by Kim Kyong Ho, all the participants in the conference took an oath of loyalty to leader Kim Jong Il.
The conference demonstrated the young vanguard's unshakable faith and revolutionary enthusiasm to hold Kim Il Sung in high esteem as the sun of Juche for all ages and carry to completion the revolutionary cause of Juche generation after generation under the army-based leadership of Kim Jong Il.
Meanwhile, a march of the participants in the conference and youth and students in Pyongyang took place at Kim Il Sung Square this day to renew their pledge.
Kim Yong Nam receives credentials from new Mexican ambassador
Pyongyang, March 22 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, received credentials from new Mexican ambassador to the DPRK Rogelio Granguillhome Morfin at the Mansudae Assembly Hall today.
Vice-minister of foreign affairs Kung Sok Ung was on hand.
Kim Yong Nam conversed with the ambassador after receiving the credentials.
DPRK ready to hold talks with Japan Red Cross Society
Pyongyang, March 22 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the central committee of the Red Cross Society of the DPRK issued a statement on March 22 as regards much fuss made in Japan over the issue of "kidnapping".
The statement said:
There is much fuss in Japan these days after a "testimony" was made that a woman called Keiko Arimoto was "kidnapped" in 1983. But the DPRK has neither "allured" nor "kidnapped" her.
Nevertheless, the DPRK decided to continue the investigation into "those missing".
The central committee of the DPRK Red Cross Society clarifies the stand that it is ready to hold talks with the Japan Red Cross Society on the issue of mutual concern at a convenient time.