Inter-Korean economic meeting held
Pyongyang, November 9 (KCNA) -- The third meeting of the north-south committee for the promotion of economic cooperation took place here from Nov. 6 to 9.
Present there from the north side were the members of the delegation led by first vice-chairman of the state planning commission Pak Chang Ryon who is north side's chairman of the committee and suite members.
Present from the south side were the members of the delegation led by vice-Minister of Finance and Economy Yun Jin Sik who is south side's chairman of the committee and suite members.
At the meeting both sides exchanged views on immediate issues of further pepping up economic cooperation so as to meet the fellow countrymen's desire for unity, cooperation and reunification in the spirit of the June 15 joint declaration and had an in-depth discussion on the ways to solve them.
An agreement of the third meeting of the committee was adopted there.
The agreement says:
As a measure to rapidly push forward the projects of reconnecting the railway and road links in the east and west coastal areas simultaneously, the north and the south will reconnect the eastern rail and road links in Mt. Kumgang area and the western rail and road links in the Kaesong Industrial Zone as the first phase so that technical measures may be taken to reenergize Mt. Kumgang tourism and push ahead with the building of the zone.
In order to kick off the construction of the zone in the latter half of December in 2002 for its smooth progress, the north side will promulgate the law on the Kaesong Industrial Zone in mid-November and the south side will lay necessary foundations in a commercial way at an early date.
Both sides agreed to make a working contact to adopt an agreement on cooperation in marine transportation, including the passage of the territorial waters of the other side by civilian cargo vessels and their safe voyage, at Mt. Kumgang resort on Nov. 19. They also agreed to have another working contact to discuss the use of part of the fishing ground in the east sea under the control of the north side by south side's fishermen at Mt. Kumgang resort at the earliest possible date.
Both sides agreed to let the four agreements already reached to provide an institutional guarantee for economic cooperation go through necessary legal procedures and simultaneously put them into force as soon as possible.
The north and the south of Korea will make efforts to realise visit to the north side by the south side's economic study group.
The north side hosted a reception for the south side's delegation to the third meeting on Friday evening.
DPRK acrobats receive best prize at international festival
Pyongyang, November 9 (KCNA) -- The "yellow crane prize," the best prize, went to aerial trapeze "fliers" performed by the Pyongyang Circus at the International Acrobatic Festival held in Wuhan, China from November 1 to 4.
The Korean acrobats won the admiration of the spectators for presenting most breath-taking acrobatics such as catching each other's hands after flying 18 metres, treble somersault, treble pirouette.
This acrobatic piece received "gold prize" and "golden lion prize" at the 22nd Monte Carlo International Circus Festival and the 7th Wuqiao International Acrobatic Festival, China.
An excellent prize of the festival went to "rope-dancing etude" performed by DPRK acrobats.
The festival brought together at least 250 acrobats from more than 20 countries and regions including China, Russia, Vietnam, Uzbekistan and Japan.
Slogans for immediate struggle published in S. Korea
Pyongyang, November 9 (KCNA) -- The propaganda department of the c.c., the National Democratic Front of South Korea published slogans on Wednesday calling for a struggle against the U.S. reckless anti-DPRK nuclear racket, according to Seoul-based radio Voice of National Salvation.
The slogans called for checking the U.S. anti-north nuclear campaign, frustrating South Korea-U.S. cooperation and punishing the U.S. for disturbing peace.
They also urged support to the proposal for concluding a non-aggression treaty between the DPRK and the U.S. and the defence of the former's army-based policy.
And they called for driving the Yankee forces, the source of a nuclear war, out of South Korea, putting an immediate end to the U.S. anti-north nuclear campaign, preserving peace on the Korean Peninsula, eliminating Ri Hoe Chang and his group and rejecting the grand national party.
KCNA refutes U.S. defense under-secretary's anti-DPRK remarks
Pyongyang, November 9 (KCNA) -- U.S. under-secretary of defense Feith during his recent junket to South Korea reportedly let loose sophism that the U.S. is deeply concerned about North Korea's "nuclear weapons program" and it poses a grave threat to South Korea.
Such remarks made by Feith, a guy known as a hawkish element of the U.S. administration, are nothing but a broad hoax aimed to divert South Koreans' mindset into a showdown with the north and disarm it at any cost as they reflected the U.S. increased assertion for Pyongyang's scrapping of its "nuclear weapons program."
His remarks merit serious attention as they reveal his sinister political intention to describe the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, an issue to be solved between the DPRK and the U.S. through dialogue, as an inter-Korean issue and drive the inter-Korean relations to confrontation.
What is serious is that he attempted to totally break the inter-Korean relations now turning more favorable than ever before in the basic spirit of the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration under the pretext of the DPRK's nuclear issue.
This is clearly evidenced by his impudent assertion that the south-north exchange is not desirable as long as North Korea's nuclear issue remains unsettled and there is a problem in the mode of south-north exchange.
The present grave situation in the Korean Peninsula where a new war may break out any moment proves that the conclusion of a non-aggression treaty between the DPRK and the U.S. is the best way of reasonably solving all the outstanding issues.
If the U.S. shuns the DPRK's just proposal to conclude a non-aggression treaty and drives the military situation on the Korean Peninsula to the brink of war, persistently insisting on its absurd assertion, it will be held wholly responsible for all the ensuing consequences.
Area of Mt. Paektu changes beyond recognition
Pyongyang, November 9 (KCNA) -- The appearance of the area of Mt. Paektu, the holy land of the revolution, in the DPRK has changed beyond recognition.
There are sites associated with the immortal revolutionary histories of President Kim Il Sung, General Secretary Kim Jong Il and indomitable revolutionary fighter Kim Jong Suk in the area.
Revolutionary battle sites and revolutionary sites have been spruced up as a center for the education in the revolutionary traditions. Over 110 public buildings and modern houses for over 3,000 families have appeared in the township of Samjiyon, Mubong, Rimyongsu, Phothae and other places and roads extending 250 km have been newly built or completed on an expansion basis in a matter of one and half years. The construction of power stations is at its final stage.
The monument to the victorious battle in the Musan area with a statue of Kim Il Sung standing before it was erected in the Taehongdan revolutionary battle site. The monument covers an area of more than 11,000 square meters. The large mosaic depicting Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il standing on Mt. Paektu and other mosaics portraying the three commanders of Mt. Paektu have been erected in the township of Samjiyon and other places.
New monuments to the revolutionary sites have appeared in various places of the area of Mt. Paektu, and modern equipment for preserving revolutionary relics and mementoes on a permanent basis have been installed in the secret camp on Mt. Kanbaek and other battle sites.
The stairs supported by iron pillars have been built by use of thousands of pieces of granite for the visitors to walk down from the summit of Mt. Paektu to the shore of Lake Chon. There appeared the Paektu museum of peculiar architectural style where visitors can find computer animation files on the revolutionary battle sites and the revolutionary sites in the area of Mt. Paektu.
New catering facilities have sprang up for the inhabitants and visitors and new houses, schools, kindergartens and nurseries blend well with the landscape of the alpine land, adding to its beauty.
Projects of newly building or expanding roads from Samjiyon to Mt. Paektu, from Mt. Paektu to the secret camp on Mt. Paektu and Samjiyon and from Samjiyon to Pochonbo extending 250 km are progressing at the last stage. More than 500,000 trees of good species have been planted in different places to add to the scenic beauty of the holy land.
The appearance of these monumental edifices is the result of the devoted efforts made by members of the shock brigades of party propaganda officials from across the country to spruce up the holy land of revolution.
U.S. mean distortion of truth under fire
Pyongyang, November 9 (KCNA) -- The U.S. ruling quarters are now distorting the truth, saying that North Korea's violation of the points it agreed should be dealt with, and talking about measures to cope with North Korea's violation of the agreement and "payment for it."
Rodong Sinmun today in a signed commentary denounces this as a despicable trick to shift the responsibility for failing to implement the DPRK-U.S. Agreed Framework onto the DPRK.
It is brazen-faced and ridiculous for Bush's clan to accuse the DPRK of failing to implement the AF and make incoherent remarks.
It is not the DPRK but the U.S. who should be called to task for violation of the AF.
Smooth implementation of the AF gives a fair solution to the nuclear issue and guarantee of peace in the Korean Peninsula and other outstanding acute issues between the DPRK and the U.S.
Bush's clan is now openly clamouring for a preemptive attack on the DPRK, presupposing the use of nuclear weapons. This is an arbitrary blackmail, declaration of a war and a nuclear war against the DPRK. Thus, the U.S. has unilaterally broken the nuclear agreement with the DPRK.
The U.S. violation of the AF and its arrogant practices are leading the situation of the Korean Peninsula to the dangerous brink of armed conflict between them.
With the brigandish logic the U.S. can neither shun its responsibility as a violator and breaker of the AF nor justify its hostile policy to stifle the DPRK.
The U.S. is well advised to give up its unreasonable logic and sincerely accede to the DPRK's constructive proposal for a non-aggression treaty.
Student measure committee formed in S. Korea
Pyongyang, November 9 (KCNA) -- The student measure committee for settling the case of Sin Hyo Sun and Sim Mi Son killed by a U.S. armored car and achieving peace against war was formed with due ceremony in South Korea on November 2.
The committee comprises 11 organizations including the South Korean Federation of University Student Councils, the National Students Council for Solidarity, the Student Committee of the Democratic Workers' Party and the National Council of Student Associations.
Delegates from different organizations at the ceremony held in Seoul stressed that they would strengthen the unity and solidarity with the student organizations for the settlement of the case of the two slain schoolgirls, the check of U.S. war moves and the achievement of peace against war, centered around the committee.
At the end of the ceremony the participants held a rally for "the 4th day of national students action" under the slogans calling for a total opposition to the U.S. hostile policy towards the north and neo-liberalism, transfer of the jurisdiction, a stop to the U.S. army exercises, etc.
Meanwhile, the student measure committee in a press release issued that day as regards its inauguration warned that if the U.S. continues staging the deceptive trial declaring the U.S. killers not guilty and war exercises, sidestepping people's unanimous demand for the U.S. transfer of jurisdiction, it would check them with might and main and achieve broad-based strong unity with all the people without fail with this struggle as a momentum.
Statement of spokesman for DPRK Foreign Ministry on Internet Homepage
Pyongyang, November 9 (KCNA) -- The Information Service of Finland posted the full text of the statement issued by a spokesman for the DPRK Foreign Ministry and its article on its Internet Homepage on October 31.
The article said that under the DPRK-U.S. Agreed Framework the United States is obliged to provide light water reactors to the DPRK by the year 2003 and supply heavy oil to it while their construction is under way in return for the DPRK's freeze of graphite-moderated reactors, its nuclear program. But the United States has implemented none of its commitments.
Dismissing the U.S. talk about the DPRK's "nuclear suspicion" as a sheer lie intended to impair its image and the Bush administration's subterfuge to mount a military attack on it, the article urged the international community to closely follow the moves of the reptile media of the west making much ado about North Korea's groundless "nuclear weapons program."
Rodong Sinmun on DPRK-U.S. non-aggression treaty
Pyongyang, November 9 (KCNA) -- Concluding a non-aggression treaty between the DPRK and the U.S. is the most reasonable and realistic way of saving the grave situation of the Korean Peninsula caused by the U.S. warlike ruling quarters' hostile policy toward the DPRK.
Rodong Sinmun says this today in a signed article.
The article goes on:
The U.S. attitude to the DPRK's proposal for the treaty implies whether the U.S. wants peace in the Korean Peninsula or not and whether it has willingness to solve the nuclear issue or not.
The DPRK's proposal is a realistic one for fundamental solution of the nuclear issue.
The nuclear issue of the Korean Peninsula has come to the fore as the U.S. has stockpiled a large number of nuclear weapons in and around South Korea and threatened the DPRK ceaselessly from nearly half a century ago, pursuing a hostile policy towards the DPRK in accordance with its strategy of world supremacy.
The solution of the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula guarantees peace in this area.
There is no institutional mechanism for realistic guarantee of peace in the Korean Peninsula.
Due to the United States the Korean Armistice Agreement has been reduced to mere scraps of paper unable to control the situation of the Korean Peninsula.
In order to prevent abnormal arms clashes and defuse tension to guarantee peace and security in the Korean Peninsula it is imperative to conclude the non-aggression treaty between the DPRK and the U.S. as proposed by the DPRK.
To conclude the treaty will be favourable to the Korean nation as well as the United States itself.
It will be a legal framework for guaranteeing peace and security in the Korean Peninsula and a main key to removing hostile and belligerent relations between the DPRK and the U.S.
Japanese imperialists' criminal system of forcible drafting laid bare
Pyongyang, November 9 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today in a signed article lays bare the criminal nature of the Japanese imperialists' system of forcible drafting of Koreans.
The article says:
This criminal system of the Japanese imperialists was an important part of their policy of exterminating Koreans as it was aimed at requisitioning them for a military purpose and enslaving the Korean nation.
According to the testimonies of the victims of forcible drafting and the results of the probe into the truth behind the damage, Koreans were drafted in the most intolerable coercive manner in physical and mental aspects as it was a vicious cycle of misanthropy, brutality, ferocity and cruelty such as requisition, arrest, abduction, appeasement, deception, blackmail, fraud, racial discrimination, slave labor, sexual abuse, "human bomb attack," torture, jailing and killing.
The system enforced by the Japanese imperialists was slave labor stipulated in the 1926 "international treaty on slavery."
The system of forcible drafting of Koreans completely comes under the slave system stipulated by the international treaty because the then state of Japan reduced the forcibly drafted Koreans to slaves of the Japanese "Empire" and acted as a slave owner who was entitled to spare or kill Koreans. The system of forcibly drafting Koreans can, therefore, be described as a system of slave labor.
The resolution on the Korean issue of the Cairo Declaration on the post-second world war settlement adopted in November 1943 also described Japan's harsh colonial enslavement of Korea as "slavery forced upon the Korean people".
The forcible drafting of Koreans was enforced at the two phases of unofficial and official drafting.
The official forcible drafting was perpetrated by Japan against all the Koreans throughout the country by use of the judicial, military and police forces of its "government-general" there during its 40-odd-year colonial rule after completely occupying Korea by force of arms.