National championships held

    Pyongyang, November 16 (KCNA) -- National championships took place in Pyongyang and local cities. The participants competed in nearly 50 events including football, basketball, volleyball, table tennis, tennis, track and field , Marathon race, Judo, shooting and Go.
    Players of the April 25 Sports Group, the Amnokgang Sports Group, the Kigwancha Sports Group and the Pyongyang City Sports Group proved successful in various events.
    New national records were set in different events at the championships.

Upholding army-based policy called for

     Pyongyang, November 16 (KCNA) -- The whole nation should defend and uphold the army-based policy in order to glorify the era of independent reunification in which the Koreans are working hard to achieve the reunification of the country by their concerted efforts, said Rodong Sinmun Friday in a signed article. The army-based policy serves as a powerful weapon to defend the security and sovereignty of the whole nation and provides a sure guarantee for upholding the cause of the reunification of the country and promoting the process of national reconciliation and reunification, the article said.
    Noting that it is the most important issue related to the destiny of the whole nation to defend the army-based policy, the article said: the existence and interests of the members of the nation are unthinkable without the army-based policy.
    As all Koreans in the north and the south and overseas have benefited from the DPRK's army-based policy, they should resolutely meet any challenge to the army-based policy related to the destiny of the Korean nation and should never tolerate the U.S. imperialists' moves to downplay its might.
    One's attitude towards the army-based policy is an important touchstone showing whether one is a patriot who truly wants peace in Korea, the security of the nation and the reunification of the country or a traitor who sides with foreign forces opposed to the Korean nation.

Institution of special law for probing truth behind killings of civilians demanded

     Pyongyang, November 16 (KCNA) -- Members of organizations of bereaved families of those killed in various parts of South Korea reportedly met in front of the building of the "National Assembly" (NA) in Seoul on Nov. 7 to demand the institution of a package of special laws on probing the truth behind the killings of civilians. The meeting was held to protest NA's handling of a bill contrary to the demand of the bereaved families.
    A resolution adopted at the meeting demanded an apology for the killings of civilians and the institution of a package of special laws at the NA, recalling when, where, why and how one million civilians were killed.
    On Nov. 5 Ri Hae Dong, permanent representative of the All-People Committee, in a statement charged that over the last one year the NA has worked to drag on the solution of the issue of those killed and hush up the issue, failing to show its will to solve the issue.
    We, together with 5 million members of bereaved families, repeatedly demand the NA institute a package of special laws on probing the truth, the statement noted.

Inauguration of emergency measure committee proposed

     Pyongyang, November 16 (KCNA) -- The solidarity for implementing the south-north joint declaration issued a statement Wednesday to propose inauguration of the emergency measure committee for defending peace against U.S. and war for solution of nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula by implementing the DPRK-U.S. Agreed Framework and establishment of permanent peace system on the Korean Peninsula. The statement said:
    The Bush administration is resorting to the war moves threatening the world peace and security while intensifying its hostile policy towards North Korea. The United States has steadily strengthened pressure on North Korea since it clamored about the "nuclear development" of North Korea.
    The United States is seeking to abrogate agreements with the DPRK and kindle a new war.
    Armed conflict in the Korean Peninsula will lead to a total war and a nuclear clash.
    The U.S. hostile policy towards North Korea and war moves should be checked in advance for the existence of the nation and the peace and security of humankind.
    To conclude a North Korea-U.S. non-aggression treaty and a North Korea-U.S. peace agreement and adopt a south-north peace declaration presupposing disarmament is a decisive guarantee for achieving a durable peace on the Korean Peninsula.
    Let all people who love peace and the nation turn out to the struggle to defend peace against the U.S. and war.

Bachelor's degree awarded to room chief of linguistic institute of China

     Pyongyang, November 16 (KCNA) -- A DPRK Bachelor's degree of linguistics was awarded to Ri Yong Sun, room chief of the Linguistic Institute of the Yanbian Academy of Social Science in China who contributed to preserving the national character and the Juche character of Korean language by making a deep study of the peculiar characteristics and norm of Korean language. An awarding ceremony was held at the Mansudae Assembly Hall yesterday.
    Present there were Jo Chang Dok, vice-Premier who is a chairman of the DPRK State Commission for conferring degrees and titles, officials concerned and Feng Zhiyuan, cultural councilor of the Chinese embassy in Pyongyang.

Gift to Kim Jong Il from WFP executive director

     Pyongyang, November 16 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Il received a gift from visiting executive director of the World Food Program James T. Morris. The executive director handed the gift to Kim Yong Nam, President of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, on Friday.

KCNA assails U.S. for hampering reconnection of railway and road links

     Pyongyang, November 16 (KCNA) -- The United States is reportedly working hard to hamper the projects of reconnecting the Seoul-Sinuiju railways and the east coastal rail and road links. It is totally hindering the mine clearing in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) under the absurd pretexts that the DPRK has not informed the Military Armistice Commission (MAC) of a list of a verification group and that there should be MAC's permit to cross the Military Demarcation Line (MDL).
    As already reported, the Korean People's Army side and the UN Forces side agreed to put MDL and DMZ through which the east and west coastal railways and roads pass under the joint control of the north and the south. And the list of the DPRK side's verification group who is expected to cross the MDL and DMZ has already been sent to an institution concerned of the south side.
    The U.S. talk about "list of verification group" and "permit", therefore, can not be construed otherwise than a blatant challenge to the Korean nation's desire and wish to reconnect the severed blood ties of the nation and its divided land as they are nothing but premeditated and deliberate tricks of the U.S. to hamstring the projects of reconnecting railways and roads between the north and south of Korea.
    The projects of reconnecting the east and west coastal rail and road links are making brisk headway after they were simultaneously kicked off in the relevant areas of the north and the south amidst the great expectation and concern of all the Koreans and the mine clearing is at its final stage.
    It is universally known that not only the north and south of Korea but also the whole world including countries concerned and Europe are welcoming this development, viewing it as the nation's historic event of reconnecting its arteries that have remained cut for more than 50 years and a stride toward national reunification.
    With nothing can the U.S. justify its acts of hampering this important project, swimming against the trend of the times. Its acts, therefore, can not but arouse worldwide criticism.
    As the South Korean media put it, it is not hard to guess the true aim sought by the U.S. in asserting that there is a problem when the mine-clearing is at its final phase although it has kept mum for nearly two months since the work started. Prompted by its strategic purpose to escalate international pressure upon the DPRK, disarm it and force it to surrender while zealously peddling its nuclear issue, the U.S. seeks to totally bar the inter-Korean relations from warming and push the military and political situation on the Korean Peninsula to confrontation.
    The Korean nation will never tolerate the U.S. dog-in-a-manger act of putting a brake on the Korean nation's undertaking of reconnecting its blood ties, much displeased with the process of improving the inter-Korean relations.

U.S. termed violator of peace in Korea

     Pyongyang, November 16 (KCNA) -- Guy Dupre, secretary general of the International Liaison Committee for Reunification and Peace in Korea, on Nov. 9 published an article titled "U.S. loudmouthed 'nuclear threat' from DPRK and the nature of nuclear issue of the Korean Peninsula." In the article he recalled that the special envoy of the U.S. President groundlessly accused the DPRK of having a nuclear weapons program posing a threat to the world while visiting Pyongyang early in October.
    He went on:
    The U.S. has systematically violated its commitments under the 1994 DPRK-U.S. Agreed Framework (AF) which calls for settling the nuclear issue of the Korean Peninsula and normalizing the bilateral relations for durable peace on the peninsula.
    After singling out the DPRK as a target of its preemptive nuclear attack the U.S. has increasingly threatened it with nukes and unilaterally demanded it accept nuclear inspection. By doing so, the U.S. sought to convince the world community of its misinformation that the DPRK is violating the AF.

Congratulations to Foreign Minister of Latvia

     Pyongyang, November 16 (KCNA) -- Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun sent a congratulatory message to Sandra Kalniete upon his appointment as Foreign Minister of Latvia. Expressing belief that the friendly relations between the two countries would favorably develop, the message wished him success in his new job.

WFP willing to continue food aid to DPRK

     Pyongyang, November 16 (KCNA) -- A press release on the DPRK visit of the executive director of the World Food Program was published. According to it, James T. Morris, executive director of the WFP, and his party visited the DPRK from November 12 to 16.
    During the visit they paid a courtesy call on Kim Yong Nam, President of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, met Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun, Minister of Agriculture Kim Chang Sik and officials of the institutions concerned.
    They also visited an orphanage, a kindergarten, a nutritious cake factory and a children's hospital and different other units to be assisted in North Hamgyong Province to get familiar with the implementation food aid projects of the WFP on the spot.
    While touring those places the executive director expressed his satisfaction over the successful implementation of the WFP food aid projects and noted that the food situation on the DPRK still remains difficult, expressing its will to strive for continued assistance including food aid.

DPRK economic study group back home

     Pyongyang, November 16 (KCNA) -- The DPRK economic study group led by Pak Nam Gi, chairman of the State Planning Commission, came back home today after its visits to South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. They were met at the airport by Kim Yong Sun, secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, Jo Chang Dok, vice-Premier of the Cabinet, An Kyong Ho, director of the secretariat of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland, and Jong Un Op, chairman of the National Economic Cooperation Federation, and other officials concerned.

FM spokesman on DPRK's will to reconsider its moratorium on missile test-fire

     Pyongyang, November 16 (KCNA) -- There is no reason for the DPRK to show any longer magnanimity as regards the issue of missile test-fire as the Japanese side first backpedalled its commitment to redeem its past, a core point of the DPRK-Japan Pyongyang declaration, over the issue of kidnapping, says a spokesman for the DPRK Foreign Ministry in an answer given to a question put by KCNA today as regards the increasing call to reconsider the DPRK's moratorium on its missile launch. The Japanese side created complication in the matter of handling a humanitarian issue, a product of the issue of abduction, by breaking the promise it made to the DPRK from the outset. This has caused the institution concerned and the people of the DPRK to strongly assert that it is necessary to reconsider a moratorium on the missile test-fire.
    The army and the people of the DPRK are expressing bitter indignation at Japan which is hell-bent on the anti-DPRK smear campaign over the issue of a few kidnapped Japanese while refusing to disclose its unprecedented state-sponsored crimes committed against the Korean people in the past including the forcible drafting of millions of Koreans, crimes related to comfort women for the Japanese imperial army, massacres and other crimes aimed to exterminate the Korean nation, and unlimited plunder of cultural treasures and natural resources and to make compensation for them.
    The DPRK expressed its willingness to keep moratorium on missile launch beyond the year 2003 in the DPRK-Japan Pyongyang declaration despite the grave threat posed to its sovereignty and right to existence by the U.S. escalated attempt to stifle the DPRK and Washington's scenario to mount a preemptive attack on it. This was, in fact, a most vivid manifestation of the DPRK's good faith, which took the ardent request of Japan into consideration.
    But the Japanese authorities are breaking faith with the DPRK, quite contrary to the promise made to it. Some elements in Japan do not bother to assert that "Japan may fight a war against North Korea".
    The opinion in Japan over the issue of abduction has gone to such extremes entirely because of the dishonest forces seeking confrontation with the DPRK at the instigation of outside forces, far from trying to find a solution to the issue with it.
    The promise made between the countries should be kept on the basis of reciprocity under any circumstances.
    "People's feelings" do not exist in Japan only.

U.S. hindrance to inter-Korean projects condemned

     Pyongyang, November 16 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the DPRK Ministry of Railways released a statement today condemning the United States for wantonly violating the DPRK's right to existence and sovereignty and hindering the projects for relinking the severed blood ties of the Korean nation under the pretext of the "nuclear issue". Under the inter-Korean agreement, an undertaking to clear mines in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) is progressing at the final stage to reconnect rail and road links between the north and south of Korea. But, the U.S. Forces are now suddenly raising the issue of "permit by the Armistice Commission" in a bid to check the progress of this work, the statement notes.
    Recalling the fact that since the projects are under way in the area along the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) where both warring parties stand in acute confrontation, the north has already held a sufficient consultation and reached an agreement not only with the south side but also with the U.S. Forces side on all the problems arising in this regard, the statement says:
    However, the U.S., resorting to all forms of high-handed practices to encroach upon the Korean nation's right to existence and sovereignty, is now behaving in a dog-in-a-manger manner to hinder the relinking of the nation's severed blood ties and, furthermore, obstruct the co-prosperity and common interests of the world. Such moves can be justified with nothing.
    Many personages of the north and the south have passed through the area along the MDL, waters along its extension and air above it by vehicles, ships and planes till now. But the UN Forces side has never asked for lists of those passing through the, and the DPRK has never presented such lists to it.
    However, the U.S. is insisting on such unprecedented assertion, while backpedalling the agreement reached between the DPRK and the U.S. and hamstringing even the implementation of the north-south agreement. This is aimed to regain the justification to keep the UN Forces which exist only in name and bar the inter-Korean relations from warming.
    Such behavior of the U.S. is an arrogant and brigandish act of not only opposing the reconciliation and cooperation between the north and the south and peace and reunification of Korea but ruthlessly trampling underfoot even the interests of the countries concerned and European countries as it is a high-handed practice of a colonial occupationist.
    We can never allow the U.S. to obstruct the projects for reconnecting inter-Korean rail and road links.
    If the mine clearing is blocked in the area along the MDL and the reconnection of east coastal temporary roads slated to be completed late in November and an experimental tour of Mt. Kumgang by land transport scheduled to take place early in December, which had been already agreed upon between the north and the south, are delayed and the construction of the Kaesong Industrial Zone is not kicked off as scheduled, the U.S. will be wholly responsible for this.

U.S. Forces' hindrance

     Pyongyang, November 17 (KCNA) -- The solidarity for the implementation of the south-north joint declaration reportedly issued a commentary on Nov. 14 denouncing the U.S. Forces for hindering the projects for reconnecting rail and road links which are being promoted according to the inter-Korean agreement. Recalling that the U.S. Forces are laying an artificial obstacle in the projects, asserting that personages and period should be reported to the military armistice commission because the passage of verification groups of the north and the south through the Military Demarcation Line is an issue to be settled under the armistice agreement, the commentary said:
    The U.S. Forces' hindrance to the projects is the reflection of the U.S. direct intention.
    Recently the Bush administration has worked hard to escalate its hostile offensive against North Korea and backpedal the North Korea-U.S. Agreed Framework. The U.S. has already expressed its strong will to stop supplying heavy oil to North Korea. The U.S. assistant secretary of defense in a press conference during his visit to Seoul forced South Korea to revise its policy towards the north, openly expressing displeasure with it.
    Such being the situation, the U.S Forces' hindrance proves that the U.S. is attempting undisguised intervention in the internal affairs of Korea in a bid to realize its unilateral hegemony.
    The South Korean army should also clarify its stand. The military authorities of the south side should exercise its authority independently according to the inter-Korean agreement, not reading the face of the U.S. Forces press by them.
    The U.S. should stop interfering in the internal affairs of Korea.
    If the U.S. threatens peace on the Korean Peninsula by obstructing even the projects for reconnecting rail and road links, it will cause irrevocable consequences.

U.S. has no reason to avoid conclusion of non-aggression treaty

     Pyongyang, November 17 (KCNA) -- Permanent co-representatives of the solidarity for the implementation of the south-north joint declaration reportedly issued a statement titled "The U.S. has no reason to avoid the conclusion of a non-aggression treaty" on November 13. Ri Hoe Chang, who has proclivity for power, and other anti-national forces of the Grand National Party are chiming in with the U.S. at a time when the Bush government is escalating anti-DPRK campaign, letting out a string of anti-DPRK outbursts, the statement said, and went on:
    If the U.S. truly wants peace, it has no reason whatsoever to avoid the conclusion of a non-aggression treaty with the DPRK.
    Non-aggression treaty precisely means an official confirmation of the will not to invade each other.
    What the DPRK seeks is to get a promise from the U.S. on non-aggression, not a reward. Why does Bush refuse to make such promise?
    If the U.S. truly wants peaceful solution of the issue and has no will to invade the DPRK, the DPRK-proposed non-aggression treaty will serve as the most realistic proposal to build confidence between the two countries and fundamentally improve the DPRK-U.S. relations. It will also provide a sure guarantee for a permanent peace system on the Korean Peninsula.
    The Bush government's assertion that the DPRK should drop nuclear weapons program first is a unilateral logic out of the common sense of present diplomacy.
    The U.S. should unconditionally keep all the promises made to the DPRK, including the DPRK-U.S. Agreed Framework.
    The conclusion of the non-aggression treaty and peace accord between the DPRK and the U.S. is the most reasonable choice to solve the nuclear issue in a peaceful way and turn instable armistice system into a durable peace system.

Anti-U.S. solidarity meeting held in S. Korea

     Pyongyang, November 17 (KCNA) -- The 38th Anti-U.S. Solidarity Meeting was reportedly held under the sponsorship of the people's action for the revision of South Korea-U.S. "status of forces agreement", the All-People Measure Committee for the Closure of U.S. Fire Range in Maehyang-ri, the Solidarity for the Return of U.S. Military Bases, etc. in Seoul on Nov. 12. Speakers at the meeting said that people from all walks of life in South Korea call for the settlement of the issue of killings of two schoolgirls and Bush's apology for them. To this end, we will go to the White House late in November to show to what extend the resentment and ardent desire of the people has gone, call for the settlement of the issue in front of the UN Headquarters Building and fight in solidarity with anti-U.S. organizations and compatriots, they said.
    A resolution was read out at the meeting.
    The U.S. military, ignoring earnest call of the people, has pushed forward a formal trial in a bid to provide a way-out for the murderers, the resolution said, and continued:
    The deceptive trial now under way will only invite the resentment of the people.
    We hardly repress astonishment at the high-handed practices and double-dealing tactics of the U.S. military seeking self-interests of the U.S. and reiterate strong protests against immoral and shameless acts of the U.S. military hell-bent on protecting its people without any principles.
    We also denounce the Ministry of Justice and the prosecution for their sycophantic and traitorous act such as giving up jurisdiction over GI crimes.
    We will fight alongside all the people for the U.S. military's abandonment of jurisdiction over the killings of two schoolgirls, Bush's open apology and compensation for the damage done to So Kyong Won, former "national assemblyman".

Rodong Sinmun on U.S. violation of international treaty and agreements

     Pyongyang, November 17 (KCNA) -- The United States is spreading a whopping lie that the DPRK violates the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and the DPRK-U.S. Agreed Framework. The lie is aimed to tarnish the international prestige and authority of the DPRK and isolate the DPRK on a worldwide scale. And it is a cunning plot to cover up the criminal nature of the U.S. posing nuclear threats to the DPRK and divert the public attention at home and abroad elsewhere.
    Rodong Sinmun says this in a signed article today.
    Owing to the U.S. deliberate delay of light water reactors project, the DPRK has suffered a great loss of power and undergone grave economic difficulties. And it is seriously threatening the DPRK right to existence.
    The U.S. described the DPRK as part of an "axis of evil" and listed it as a target of preemptive nuclear attack.
    The U.S. warmongers are now clamouring for a preemptive strike on the DPRK, presupposing the use of nuclear weapons.
    This is a declaration of war, a nuclear war against the DPRK.
    Therefore, the U.S. openly violated and destroyed the DPRK-U.S. Agreed Framework and nullified the north-south joint declaration on denuclearization.
    It is the independent right and the peace initiative of the DPRK that it proposed to the U.S. to conclude a non-aggression treaty between the DPRK and the U.S., a reasonable and realistic way for solving the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula.
    For the U.S. to accede to the DPRK's proposal is its legal and moral duty as a nuclear weapon state. It is in full accord with the main spirit and purpose of the NPT and the DPRK-U.S. Agreed Framework.
    The U.S. is well advised to clearly understand the reality and make a right option.

For Spanish-speaking people

toda la nacion coreana debe apoyar la politica de priorizacion militar

     pyongyang, 16 de noviembre (atcc) -- el diario "rodong sinmun" en un articulo individual de hoy senala: para allanar la epoca de la reunificacion independiente de nuestra nacion es preciso que esta apoye y siga la politica de priorizacion militar.
    la gran politica de priorizacion militar es una poderosa arma para defender la seguridad y la soberania de toda la nacion y, al mismo tiempo, una firme garantia para defender la causa de reunificacion de la patria y para impulsar el proceso de la reconciliacion y la reunificacion de la nacion.
    el apoyo a esa politica es la tarea importante de hoy de que depende el destino de la nacion y al margen de esa politica no se puede pensar en la existencia y los intereses de los miembros de la nacion.
    todos los coreanos tanto del sur como del ultramar que se benefician de la politica de priorizacion militar deben frustrar todo el desafio a esta politica vinculada con el destino de la nacion y no tolerar jamas las maquinaciones de los imperialistas norteamericanos encaminadas a debilitar su poderio.
    la actitud con respecto a dicha politica sirve de una pauta para distinguir al patriota que de veras aspira a la paz, la seguridad y la reunificacion del pais del traidor que se aferra a las fuerzas extranjeras que se oponen a nuestra nacion.

argumento injusto de ee.uu.

     pyongyang, 16 de noviembre (atcc) -- genaro ledesma izquieta, presidente del frente obrero, campesino, estudiantil y popular del peru denuncio el dia 4 en lima a la administracion bush que vuelve a cometer una provocacion contra la republica popular democratica de corea acusando a esta del "problema nuclear". el revelo que ee.uu. pretende desarmar a corea con argumento injusto: "renunica nuclear, primero y dialogo despues".
    senalo que todas las provocaciones de ee.uu. fracasadas por la destreza genial del gran dirigente camarada kim jong il y destaco que ee.uu. habla ruidosamente de sus armas nucleares y otras cosas, pero debe conocer que corea tiene lo mas poderoso que la bomba atomica.
    preciso que ee.uu. debe aceptar sin demora la propuesta de concertar el tratado de no agresion.
    anadio que el heroico pueblo coreano unido firmemente en torno al gran dirigente camarada kim jong il saldra victorioso frustrando el temerario "alboroto nuclear" de los imperialistas norteamericanos.

informacion sobre visita del director ejecutivo de pma

     pyongyang, 16 de noviembre (atcc) -- quedo publicada la informacion sobre la visita del director ejecutivo del programa mundial de alimentos. segun la informacion, el director ejecutivo james. t. morris y su comitiva visitaron a corea del 12 al 16 del mes en curso.
    durante su permanencia realizaron una visita de cortesia a kim yong nam, presidente del presidium de la asamblea popular suprema y se reunieron con el canciller paek nam sun, el ministro de agricultura kim chang sik y otros funcionarios, y , al recorrer por la casa de huerfanos, el jardin de la infancia, la fabrica de galletas nutritivas, el hospital pediatrico y otras unidades de la provincia de hamgyong del norte, se enteraron del estado de ejecucion de asistencia alimentaria.
    a traves de la visita sobre el terreno el director ejecutivo se mostro satisfecho de que la asistencia del pma se ejecuta satisfactoriamente y al referirse a que es dificil como antes la situacion alimentaria de la rpdc expuso la disposicion de esforzarse por seguir brindandole alimentos, etc.