Korea's reunification favored
Pyongyang, May 21 (KCNA) -- The international signature campaign for supporting the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration and demanding the immediate pullout of the U.S. forces from South Korea was held in various countries.
The signature paper was signed by the chairman of the Ostfold county committee of the Communist Party in Norway on behalf of his party on April 17 and by the chairman of the central committee of the Socialist Party of Ecuador, the chairman of the third committee of the constitution of Ecuador, the chairman of the Ecuadorian Committee for Supporting the Independent and Peaceful Reunification of Korea, the chairman of the Ecuadorian Cultural Institute for the Study of the Juche Idea and other personages on behalf of their organizations on April 18.
Meanwhile, the general secretary of the national union of newspaper workers of Malaysia signed the signature paper on behalf of more than 2,600 unionists on April 19.
Anecdotes about Kim Il Sung
Pyongyang, May 21 (KCNA) -- It was one day in January Juche 62 (1973) when a funeral of Jong Jun Thaek, vice-premier of the administration council (at that time), was held.
The deceased received higher education during the Japanese imperialists' rule over Korea (1905-1945) and once served their organ. But, he worked at an important post of the state for many years after the liberation of Korea thanks to particular trust and care of President Kim Il Sung.
He was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the DPRK.
At the funeral service, the president personally pinned on his chest the medal of the DPRK Hero, though it was usual practice to convey such a medal to the bereaved family.
And he frequently wiped away tears in his eyes with a handkerchief, looking at his beloved man.
It was one blizzardly day in February Juche 63 (1974) when the president came across a girl on a rural road in South Phyongan Province while traveling in a car for field guidance.
He told his chauffeur to stop the car. He took her frozen hands in his to warm them, asking where she was going in such cold weather. She said she was going to a town hospital to see her younger brother who had been admitted to it. Taking her in his arms tightly and looking at the blizzardly road, he told the chauffeur to carry her to the hospital and personally opened the door of the car to let her in.
And he remained standing on that blizzard-swept road for a long while.
Scientific and technological development called for
Pyongyang, May 21 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today editorially calls for giving precedence to developing science and technology, regarding them as a foundation of national power and a crucial issue related to the destiny of socialism.
To attach importance and give precedence to science is the unshakable will and resolution of leader Kim Jong Il, the editorial says, and continues:
The speedy development of science and technology would make it possible to accelerate the building of a powerful nation under the banner of army-based policy.
Only when the country's science and technology are developed up to the world's level on the principles of attaching importance and giving precedence to science, will it be possible to further strengthen our armed forces and make our socialist system emerge ever-victorious as the most advantageous socialism full of vitality which has taken root into the hearts of the popular masses.
The imperialists are now stooping to any infamy to monopolize science and technology, the treasure common to humankind, and imposing vicious economic, scientific and technological blockades upon the DPRK. To frustrate the imperialists' blockades and develop science and technology is a serious matter related to the destiny of socialism and the future of the nation.
Only when we develop science and technology quickly with extraordinary determination can we foil the imperialists' blockades and build a powerful country in this land.
Bright is the future of scientific development in the DPRK as long as there are the wise guidance of Kim Jong Il, inexhaustible scientific and technological potentials and a large contingent of intellectuals.
U.S. anti-DPRK smear campaign over religion under fire
Pyongyang, May 21 (KCNA) -- Some Christians in the U.S. groundlessly accused the DPRK of "violating religious freedom".
Rodong Sinmun today in a signed commentary terms this a despicable political charade of dishonest elements in the U.S.
The news analyst goes on:
The U.S. Christians had better thoroughly investigate and call to task the crimes committed by the GIs against the religions in Korea during the past Korean War before talking about someone's "violation of religious freedom."
The U.S. authorities should not merely give lip service to improving the DPRK-U.S. relations but refrain from joining the dishonest elements in their moves to derail the process of "improving the ties" and behave with decorum, properly discriminating between good and bad.
The United States is persistently pulling up the DPRK over "religious freedom" and "human rights" not because it is truly concerned for the religion and human rights in the DPRK but because it is keen to isolate and stifle it under that pretext. In other words, it is intended to escalate its political and military interference in the DPRK under the same pretext. by doing so it seeks to strain the situation on the Korean Peninsula and start a new war of aggression against the DPRK.
This betrays the true nature of the U.S. policy of undisguised interference in the internal affairs of the DPRK.
Oil popular among customers
Pyongyang, May 21 (KCNA) -- More than 250 varieties of "Chonji" oil produced by the Korea Sungri Joint Venture Company are very popular on domestic and foreign markets for their high quality.
Engine oil for cars and lorries has little deposition in high temperature and is advantageous in terms of cleaning dispersion and endurance and good for starting in low temperature and rust-proofing. The change of oil is not required before running 10,000-15, 000 km.
Various kinds of industrial oil for bearings, slideway, commercial gear, hydraulic system, etc. are characterized by their good oxidation stability and lubricity.
The company has an annual production capacity of 60,000 tons.
It has sufficient facilities to store raw materials and finished products and is equipped with the computerized production system.
There are a strong research group and a modern laboratory to develop new products and improve the quality.
"Chonji" oil twice received prizes from OPEC.
S. Korean students' hunger strike supported
Pyongyang, May 21 (KCNA) -- The reunification solidarity for the implementation of the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration and the peace on the Korean Peninsula and the preparatory committee of the youth and students in the northern district for the grand reunification festival of youth and students reportedly issued a statement on May 17 in support of the hunger strike of the students of the South Korean Federation of University Student Councils (Hanchongryon).
Students of Hanchongryon fixed the period from April 19 to May 18 as a period of an anti-U.S., anti-war peace movement. In this period they had been on an anti-U.S., anti-war and anti-nuclear death-defying hunger strike for holding the June 15 grand festival for national reunification and for the legalization of Hanchongryon at Myongdong cathedral and on university campus in Seoul.
The statement accused the U.S. of seeking to bring U.S. carrier Kitty Hawk, a cruiser and other ships from the Yokosuka base of Japan to waters off South Korea and deploy Okinawa-based Awacs and chemical and biological units in South Korea during the world cup under the pretext of combating "terrorism."
The anti-U.S., anti-war and anti-nuclear death-defying hunger strike launched by Hanchongryon is a just one as it is under way against this backdrop, it stressed.
The statement called for uniting close with different organizations and carrying on the vigorous work to ensure an all-people anti-U.S., anti-war peace movement and Hanchongryon's legitimate activities.
U.S. military moves under fire
Pyongyang, May 21 (KCNA) -- The national alliance for democracy and reunification of South Korea reportedly issued a statement on May 15 denouncing the United States for seeking to dispatch an aircraft carrier, cruiser, etc. to waters off South Korea from its military base in Japan and, at the same time, to deploy in South Korea Okinawa-based Awacs and chemical and biological units under the pretext of coping with the "threat of terrorism" during the world football championships.
Are carrier Kitty Hawk and cruiser and Awacs necessary to "combat terrorism?" The statement queried, noting: the threat of terrorism on the Korean Peninsula and the rest of the Asian Pacific region is coming from the United States.
The United States should stop lording it over and immediately drop its plan to deploy huge armed forces.
The United States should clearly know that it will be better for itself to put an end to its reckless provocations, facing up to the trend of the Korean Peninsula and the international community towards reconciliation, cooperation and peace.
Anti-U.S. rally held in S. Korea
Pyongyang, May 21 (KCNA) -- The 32nd anti-U.S. solidarity rally reportedly took place in front of the U.S. embassy in Seoul on May 14.
The rally was co-sponsored by the people's action for the revision of the South Korea-U.S. "status of forces agreement", the headquarters of the movement for the return of the U.S. military base in Ryongsan, the joint measure committee for retaking the land occupied by U.S. troops and the all-people measure committee for the closure of U.S. bombing range in Maehyang-ri.
The secretary general of the people's action, addressing a press conference at the rally, accused the police of cracking down on the rally on charge of violation of a law though it was held in the place over 100 m away the embassy.
On the same day, the authorities rushed policemen to the venue of a memorial service for martyr Jo Song Man to walk away 19 persons and break up the rally.
This repressive move scuttled the plan to hold a memorial service and rallies to oppose the purchase of "F-15K" and "South Korea-U.S. joint land management plan."
Those arrested chained themselves with each other in protest against the crackdown and participants entered into a sit-in strike demanding an immediate release of those arrested.
Anti-U.S., anti-war and anti-nuke struggle mounts in S. Korea
Pyongyang, May 21 (KCNA) -- The anti-U.S., anti-war and anti-nuke struggle of the South Korean people is now developing into a struggle involving broad strata of people and all areas of South Korea and an organized joint solidarity struggle, says Rodong Sinmun today in a signed article.
The anti-U.S. advance that had mounted in South Korea in the wake of Bush's remarks about the "axis of evil" and his visit to Seoul is escalating into an anti-U.S., anti-war and anti-nuke struggle to foil the U.S. imperialists' moves to ignite a nuclear war, the article observes, and goes on:
This struggle of the South Korean people is a patriotic struggle to protect the dignity, vital rights and sovereignty of the Korean nation.
There should be no distinction between the north and the south in the struggle to defend the nation's dignity, vital rights and sovereignty from the U.S. imperialists' aggression and moves to unleash a nuclear war.
Military threat and nuclear blackmail against the DPRK precisely mean a declaration of war to the South Korean people and an attempt to mount a nuclear attack on the DPRK is nothing but a move to bring a nuclear holocaust to the whole Korean Peninsula in a bid to exterminate the Korean nation.
The anti-U.S., anti-war and anti-nuke struggle of the South Korean people is not confined to anti-U.S. resistance but developing into a struggle to realize the unity and cooperation between the compatriots under the banner of national independence, the basic spirit of the June 15 joint declaration.
The South Korean people today are no longer infected with the idea of worshipping and fearing the U.S. But they are awakened and aspiring after national independence, holding high the banner of anti-U.S., anti-war and anti-nuke struggle.
The U.S. is well advised to examine the situation squarely and behave with discretion.
International Taekwon-do instructor Kim Yong Hun
Pyongyang, May 21 (KCNA) -- International Taekwon-do instructor Kim Yong Hun is the 7th grade player.
He was born in May Juche 50 (1961) and began to learn Taekwon-do at the age of 12.
He became an international Taekwon-do instructor in 1984.
He is 177 cm tall and weighs 73 kg.
He performed demonstrations in China, Poland and Germany between 1986 and 1988.
He trained many Taekwon-do practitioners while working as an instructor in Russia between 1989 and 1999.
North-south Buddhist mass for Korea's reunification
Pyongyang, May 21 (KCNA) -- Simultaneous mass of north and south Korean Buddhists praying for national reunification was held at temples in the DPRK on Sunday to celebrate the sacred birthday of Buddha (2546 b.e.)
Attending were office-bearers of provincial, city and county committees under the c.c., the Korean Buddhist Federation, heads of temples, monks and believers.
Following the ceremony, a joint statement was read out and a message of greetings from the chief of the South Korean council of Buddhist orders conveyed before speeches were made.
The speakers held that all the Koreans should firmly defend the June 15 joint declaration and sincerely implement it through great unity based on patriotism and the spirit of national independence. This is the only way for smashing the anti-DPRK, anti-reunification moves of the U.S. imperialists and the ultra-rightist bellicose elements of South Korea and opening a decisive phase of national reunification, they added.
They unanimously called upon all the Buddhists in the north and south of Korea and abroad to turn out in the practical actions for earnestly implementing the joint declaration.
Greetings to President of Cameroon
Pyongyang, May 21 (KCNA) -- President Kim Yong Nam of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly sent a message of greetings to Paul Biya, President of the Republic of Cameroon, on May 16 on the occasion of its 30th national day.
In the belief that the friendly and cooperative ties between the two countries would continue to develop on good terms, the message sincerely wished the Cameroonian President greater success in his responsible work for the national unity and the development of the country.