"Arirang" performance praised

    Pyongyang, July 5 (KCNA) -- Members of the Russian Moiseyev State Academy Folk Dance Troupe headed by director Yelena Shervakova who visited the DPRK were struck with admiration at seeing the mass gymnastic and artistic performance "Arirang." The head of the troupe said that the Korean youth and children possessed of the great idea and high artistic talents have created the world's great masterpiece, noting that thanks to such excellent young people the DPRK will surely build a powerful nation soon.
    All the remarkable successes made in the DPRK are the shining fruition of the wise leadership of Kim Jong Il endowed with gifted wisdom.
    Chief conductor Anatoli Gus said that the performance makes an intensive truthful artistic depiction of the proud history of the Korean people in a short span of time.
    Director of dance Viktor Nikitushkin said that the performance "Arirang" is a perfect extravaganza which no other experts can comment otherwise.
    A dancer Sergei Anikin said he felt as if he were in a dreamlike world, stressing that the Korean people who produced such a great masterpiece representing the century are a great people.

Traitors' provocative remarks under fire

    Pyongyang, July 5 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today in a signed commentary denounces the right-wing conservatives in South Korea including the "Grand National Party" for groundlessly pulling up the north over the armed clash that occurred in the West Sea of Korea on June 29. As already known, the armed clash took place when South Korean naval vessels intruded into our territorial waters and fired first bullets and shells at patrol boats of the navy of the Korean People's Army on a routine coastal guard duty.
    The commentary says:
    The groundless accusations made by them against the north, before knowing which side was wrong, failing to fully understand the nature and truth of the incident only go to prove that they are seeking a sinister aim to incite antipathy and confrontation between the north and the south, check the implementation of the June 15 joint declaration and, furthermore, stifle the DPRK in collision with outside forces.
    The commentary recalls that fishermen on Yonphyong islet testified to the fact that they illegally trespassed on the north side's waters, going beyond their designated fishing zone, and even the soldiers of the South Korean navy who got wounded in the incident admitted that fishing boats went into the north side's waters so deep to catch blue crabs that its warships' intrusion into those waters was unavoidable.
    The "Grand National Party" and other right-wing conservatives of South Korea should first drop their evil habit of blaming others groundlessly.
    They are well advised to cool their heated heads and ask the fishermen on Yonphyong islet and those wounded soldiers of the South Korean navy why the incident was sparked and why it was developed into such a clash.

KCNA on U.S. diatribe against DPRK

    Pyongyang, July 5 (KCNA) -- As already reported, an unexpected exchange of fire between naval vessels of the north and the south occurred in the West Sea of Korea on June 29 owing to the reckless armed provocation on the part of South Korean warships, causing a loss of human lives of both sides and a warship of the south side. In this connection, U.S. secretary of defense Rumsfeld and a spokesman for the U.S. state department Boucher at a press conference on July 2 let loose sheer sophism, describing the incident as a "provocation of the north" and a "breach of the armistice agreement".
    This is oft-repeated remarks made by the united states whenever a incident occurred.
    But we cannot but clarify once again the truth behind the incident as the U.S. is resorting to such a dastardly campaign intended to spread misinformation.
    The incident occurred in the West Sea of Korea as the South Korean warships made preemptive strikes at the patrol boats of the navy of the Korean People's Army under the patronage of the United States.
    The United States and the South Korean military authorities are claiming that the KPA naval patrol boats crossed the "northern boundary line", talking about the "breach of the armistice agreement". The "northern boundary line" advocated by them is not mentioned in the aa. It is a bogus line unilaterally drawn by the U.S. as it pleased in the territorial waters of the DPRK without any agreement with it after the signing of the aa.
    In view of the situation on September 2, 1999 the general staff of the KPA drew the sea demarcation line in the West Sea of Korea and proclaimed it to the world and as a follow-up measure the naval command of the KPA was authorized to fix and proclaim the "order of sailing through five islets" under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Forces' side that are located in the territorial waters of the DPRK side.
    However, the U.S. Forces and the South Korean military have ceaselessly infiltrated warships and fishing boats deep into the territorial waters of the DPRK side under the pretext of this bogus line and such provocations reached an extremely dangerous phase from early June.
    Prompted by the desire to defuse the military tensions on the Korean Peninsula and considerate of the world soccer championships that was under way in South Korea, the DPRK navy has exercised maximum restraint.
    The United States that has the prerogative of supreme command over the South Korean army took this as a golden opportunity to achieve its aim. On June 29 the U.S. instigated the South Korean military to infiltrate warships deep into the territorial waters of the DPRK side and mount a surprise attack on the patrol boats of the KPA navy on routine coastal guard duty, thus causing such tragedy in the long run.
    Such being the case, the U.S. let senior officials pull up the DPRK over "its alleged provocation" before probing the truth of the incident. This proves that the U.S. was deeply involved in the incident.
    In recent years the desire for the independent and peaceful reunification of Korea is mounting higher than ever before on the Korean peninsula and the anti-U.S. Forces are rapidly growing in South Korea. Upset by this, the U.S. has waited for an opportunity to orchestrate a shocking incident intended to chill the atmosphere of inter-Korean reconciliation. It is a well-known fact.
    The U.S. orchestrated this at a time when the world soccer championships was at its height, focusing the attention of the world community on the Korean Peninsula.
    The United States is well advised to admit the illegality of the bogus line so-called "northern boundary line" and make an apology for its backstage manipulation of the incident, instead of letting Rumsfeld and other officials be busy with anti-DPRK diatribe.

Anti-U.S. civic organization formed in S. Korea

Pyongyang, July 5 (KCNA) -- 23 organizations of South Korea including the citizens federation for economic justice, the council for national reconciliation and independent reunification and the South Korean youth federation reportedly held a meeting of all representatives and chief executive members on June 19 and formed the "civic association against the projected building of the U.S. embassy and its apartment houses in the site of the Deogsu palace." The organizations have waged a campaign to frustrate the building since they held a press conference in late may. Since June 29 they have held a demonstration everyday in front of the site and staged a cyber signature campaign through internet homepage. At least 10,000 citizens have joined the campaign.
Their demonstrations and signature campaign are aimed to designate Jongdong area as a "cultural area" and nullify the plan to build the U.S. embassy and its apartment houses.

Kanggye feudal office building in Korea

    Pyongyang, July 5 (KCNA) -- The Kanggye feudal office building was built in 1663. It is situated in Pukmun-dong, Kanggye city. It consists of an office house used by a vice-envoy, the house where he lived and a pavilion with a hexagonal roof where officials and military officers practiced archery.
    The office house has a total floor space of 213.6 square meters.
    The building is a precious cultural heritage which shows the composition of the local office building during the Ri dynasty and a high architectural level of the ancestors of Korea.

Straw handicrafts in Korea

    Pyongyang, July 5 (KCNA) -- Straw handicrafts have the longest history among the folk handicrafts in Korea. Straw handicrafts which date back to the primitive age have developed in close connection with the people's economic and cultural life.
    This workmanship has been very popular among broad masses of people as straw is found in abundance in Korea and it does not require any special equipment or tool.
    Useful and nice straw handicrafts are mass-produced in every part of Korea with locally available raw materials.
    Diverse varieties of handicrafts made of sedge plant, bush clover, reed, corn-shuck and others are very popular among customers.
    Straw handicrafts produced in Kaesong area are light, durable and diverse in color and pattern.
    Among them, rush mat, sack of straw netting, cushion, and basket and fan draw interest of people.

U.S. Forces' germ war crimes denounced

    Pyongyang, July 5 (KCNA) -- The monstrous germ war crimes committed by the U.S. imperialists during the Korean War (June 1950-july 1953) are still touching off bitter indignation of the world people. They used weapons of mass destruction including biological and chemical weapons in the Korean War in violation of the international law.
    They began to spread smallpox virus in the winter of 1950. Germ bombs and varieties of things containing deadly germs were dropped over at least 400 places in the northern half of Korea more than 700 times in the period from January to March 1952. By April 1951 the number of smallpox cases caused by germ bombs reached over 3,500 and 10 percent of them were reported dead.
    An investigation group of the international association of democratic lawyers in its "Report on U.S. crimes in Korea" on march 31, 1952, said that various kinds of insects including fly, mosquito, spider and flea carrying epidemic diseases such as cholera, pest, typhoid, etc. were found in 169 regions in the northern half of Korea.
    In 1953, the U.S. imperialists scattered 12 kinds of germ-containing insects including spiders and ants over more than 30 regions in South Hamgyong Province. They dropped more than 10 kinds of germ-containing insects over Kangwon Province 17 times for 16 days.
    Beside this, they dropped germ bombs in north Phyongan and Hwanghae provinces more than 20 times, contaminating nearly all parts of the northern half of Korea and killing many people.
    The germ war crimes committed by the U.S. imperialists have been strongly denounced by the world people for their brutality, inhumanity and immorality.

Vigorous anti-U.S., anti-war and anti-Ri Hoe Chang struggle called for

    Pyongyang, July 5 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the National Democratic Front of South Korea (NDFSK) released a statement on July 3 on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the July 4 joint statement, according to radio Voice of National Salvation from Seoul. The joint statement is an unquenchable torch which instils hope and confidence of reunification into the whole nation and a landmark for peace and independent reunification, he said, adding that the exploit President Kim Il Sung performed by advancing the three principles of national reunification, basic principles which should be held fast to by the south and the north for independent reunification and seeing to it that they were solemnly declared at home and abroad in the July 4 Joint Statement is the greatest one which will shine forever. The cause of national reunification started and led by him is being successfully carried forward and making successful progress under Kim Jong Il's wise leadership, he said, and continued:
    Kim Jong Il formulated the three principles of national reunification, the proposal for founding the Democratic Federal Republic of Koryo and the 10-point programme of the great unity of the entire nation as the three charters of national reunification and advanced the 5-point policy of the great national unity, thus providing the Korean nation with the strong mainstay for independent national reunification.
    Kim Jong Il arranged the historic Pyongyang meeting which resulted in the publication of the June 15 joint declaration, a declaration of independence, peaceful reunification and the great national unity based on the three principles and a great charter for reunification in the 21st century, and performed immortal feats in the history of the movement for national reunification.
    The NDFSK will wage a more vigorous anti-U.S., anti-war and anti-Ri Hoe Chang struggle to force the U.S. aggressors to pull out of South Korea and eliminate the despicable pro-U.S. group of sycophantic traitors, he stressed.

U.S. moves for arms buildup under fire

    Pyongyang, July 5 (KCNA) -- The U.S. Senate was reported to finally have approved a bill on allocating 393 billion dollars as military spending for the fiscal 2003. In this regard, Rodong Sinmun today in a signed commentary says:
    It is as clear as noonday that this huge military spending of the bush administration is aimed to have a strategic nuclear edge and increase preemptive striking power.
    Its main purpose is to establish the Missile Defence System (MD). By spending a colossal amount of fund for the MD the U.S. seeks to cover the earth with a dense network of missiles and put the world under its complete control.
    The snowballing U.S. military spending means stepping up its war preparations. This is clearly evidenced by the U.S. imperialists' strategy targeted against the DPRK.
    With nothing can the U.S. justify its policy of arms buildup and moves for a war of aggression. If the U.S. persistently steps up arms buildup and rushes headlong towards a war of aggression, swimming against the trend of the times and defying the call of humankind for disarmament and peace, it will not escape international isolation and destruction.

Greetings to President of Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

Pyongyang, July 5 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, today sent a message of greetings to president Hugo Chavez Frias on the occasion of the independence day, the national day of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela . The message sincerely hoped that the president and people of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela would achieve greater success in the work for the progress and prosperity of the country by successfully carrying out the Bolivarian revolution, expressing belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would grow stronger, in the future, too.

Greetings to Comoran President

Pyongyang, July 5 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, on July 3 sent a message of greetings to president of Comoros Azali Assumani on the occasion of the 27th anniversary of its National Day. In the belief that the friendly relations between the two countries would develop on good terms in the interests of the two peoples in the future, too, the message wished the president new success in the work for the unity of the nation and the prosperity of the country.

Greetings to President of Malawi

Pyongyang, July 5 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, on July 1 sent a message of greetings to Malawi President Bakili Muluzi on the occasion of the 38th anniversary of its independence and the 36th anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic. In the belief that the friendly relations between the two countries would develop on good terms, the message wished the president and people of Malawi greater success in the independent development and the prosperity of the country.