Kim Jong Il meets those active in assisting army

    Pyongyang, November 20 (KCNA) - General Secretary Kim Jong Il met and congratulated the participants in the national meeting of those active in assisting the army on Nov. 19. The moment he appeared in the photographing site, it shook with rousing cheers of "hurrah" and loud shouts of slogans "single-hearted unity" and "devoted defence".
    He warmly waved to the enthusiastically cheering participants.
    He was accompanied by senior officials of the party and the state and commanding officers of the army. Kim Jong Il warmly congratulated the participants, who have set a good example in sincerely assisting the KPA, the defender of the socialist homeland and the main agent of our revolution, true to the army-based policy of the WPK, and had a photograph taken with them.
    He highly praised those party members and other working people standing in the van of the drive to assist the army as true revolutionary soldiers and patriots in the present times who devote their all to the strengthening of the Korean revolutionary armed forces and to the security and prosperity of the country, upholding the party and the leader with revolutionary faith and the sense of obligation.
    And he expressed the expectation and belief that they would love the servicemen as their kith and kin and sincerely assist them materially and morally and thus make the trait of helping the army pervade the whole country.

Joint U.S.- S. Korea military drill in S. Korea

     Pyongyang, November 20 (KCNA) -- The U.S. Forces and the South Korean army recently staged "2002 Joint Training in Firing" in the central sector of the front, according to KBS of South Korea. This war exercise was reportedly aimed to increase the fire capacity and perfect the system of the joint firing operation of the U.S. Forces and the South Korean army. Involved in it were all the artillery units and combat support units of the second U.S. army division and all the artillery units of battalion level and above under South Korea's third field army command.
    At a time when the situation of the Korean Peninsula has been further strained and inter-Korean relations are challenged by the U.S. reckless anti-DPRK nuclear campaign, those war hawks are getting overheated in the maneuvers to unleash a war at any cost.

Seminar on Juche philosophy held in India

     Pyongyang, November 20 (KCNA) -- The Juche Philosophy Study Committee of India held a seminar on the subject of "Juche philosophy is a revolutionary and popular political philosophy" on Nov. 12. Speakers at the seminar said that the Juche philosophy, which puts forward man as the master of the world, the most powerful being in the world, is the most revolutionary and popular political philosophy as it showed the popular masses the way of shaping their own destinies and clarified the fundamental principles of dynamically advancing the human cause of independence toward victory.
    They noted that Kim Jong Il set forth the army-centered revolutionary line on the basis of the Juche idea and is reliably defending socialism which ensures the happy life of the popular masses.
    It is thanks to the embodiment of the Juche idea that the Workers' Party of Korea has displayed its dignity as an ever-victorious party, the Korean-style socialist system centered on the masses has been cemented and the invincible might of the Korean people's army has been demonstrated, they stressed.
    Present at the seminar were members of the study committee and the Indian youth group for the study of works of comrade Kim Il Sung.

U.S. hindrance to inter-Korean projects under fire

     Pyongyang, November 20 (KCNA) -- The United States should stop such an arrogant behavior as interfering in the internal affairs of the Korean nation, renounce its moves for blocking the projects of reconnecting rail and road links between the south and north of Korea and immediately withdraw its aggression forces and nuclear weapons from South Korea. A spokesman for the National Democratic Front of South Korea said this in a statement on Nov. 18.
    Recalling that the U.S. Forces are putting a brake on the projects of reconnecting the east and west coastal rail and road links which are now under way under the inter-Korean agreement, the statement bitterly condemned the Bush administration's hindrance to the projects as a premeditated provocative act to hamstring the reconciliation and unity between the south and the north and aggravate the tensions on the Korean Peninsula in a bid to ignite a nuclear war at any cost.
    The statement branded the United States as the Koreans' common enemy who divided the homogenous nation which had lived in one territory for thousands of years and has imposed all sorts of misfortune and sufferings upon it, lording it over South Korea for over 50 years.
    The statement said:
    The people from all walks of life should pool their efforts with their brothers and sisters in the north, meet the U.S. challenge and wage a valiant struggle to pave the way for independent reunification by implementing the June 15 joint declaration true to the great preposition "by our nation itself".
    The present military authorities should honestly implement the points of the inter-Korean agreement, properly understanding the steadfast will of all the people to struggle against the U.S.

Chairman of Hanchongryon sentenced to prison terms

     Pyongyang, November 20 (KCNA) -- The Kwangju local court in South Korea in a trial of Kim Hyong Ju, chairman of the South Korean Federation of University Student Councils (Hanchongryon), held on Nov. 18 sentenced him to 2 years in prison, 3 years of suspension of qualification and a fine, according to a news report. The security authorities arrested him on may 28 on the charge that he took the lead in the struggle for independence, democracy and reunification as chairman of Hanchongryon.
    At the trial the authorities passed such sentence on him on charges of the violation of the draconic "security law", the "law on interference with the government official in the exercise of his special duties", the "law on rally and demonstration", etc.

U.S. blackmail will never work on DPRK

     Pyongyang, November 20 (KCNA) -- The United States tries to pursue the same strong-arm policy toward the DPRK as it has done toward Iraq but Washington's blackmail will never work on the DPRK, says Minju Joson today in a signed commentary. Laying bare the U.S. bellicose circle's intention to deliberately escalate the tensions on the Korean Peninsula and stifle the DPRK by force, the commentary goes on:
    The U.S. is going to settle the issue between the DPRK and the U.S. by force.
    It is the DPRK's consistent stand and principle to respond to dialogue with dialogue and counter force with force.
    The DPRK neither wants confrontation of strength nor avoids it.
    The DPRK has capacity and will enough to retaliate by force against those who infringe upon its sovereignty and right to existence.
    The U.S. bellicose circle's reckless policy of strength will only further complicate the issue between the two countries.

Anecdote about Kim Jong Il

     Pyongyang, November 20 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Il visited a combined unit of the Korean People's Army in the western sector of the front to spend April 25, Juche 85 (1996), the 64th anniversary of the Korean People's Army, with servicemen. That day he was invited to watch a boxing game.
    The boxers, who were happy to play the game in the presence of the leader, fully displayed their strength and skill. The game was very fierce and cheering of servicemen was also enthusiastic.
    But Kim Jong Il, with a smile on his face, told the commander of the unit to stop the game.
    Looking at the commander getting perplexed, Kim Jong Il said the fierce boxing was not suitable to the holiday and the servicemen should be allowed to enjoy the army day, easing their mind.
    The commander was touched by the strong sense of humanity of the leader, who was solicitous about the rest and health of the servicemen.

Tanchon Fishery Station

     Pyongyang, November 20 (KCNA) -- The Tanchon Fishery Station is located in the east coastal area of South Hamgyong Province of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The station has recently made new fishing tackles including ring net and gill net.
    It has installed into fishing boats two-boat-trawling squid tackles suitable to the conditions of the fishing ground and the biological properties of squid. The tackles are effective and convenient for use.
    The station is one of the country's leading fishery bases.
    The total floor space of the station's production facilities is more than 26,300 square meters.
    The state-run fishing industry made its appearance in the Tanchon fishing port in January Juche 44 (1955) by a measure of the state.
    Fishermen of the station were the pioneers of deep-sea fishing in the latter half of the 1960s.
    It has tens of all-purpose fishing boats including several-hundred-ton trawlers, various kinds of fishing tackles and more than ten hectares of sea culture farm. It is now concentrating on winter fishing.

U.S., seed of war

     Pyongyang, November 20 (KCNA) -- An anti-U.S. meeting was reportedly held in Seoul on Nov. 16 to peacefully settle the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula under the sponsorship of the anti-U.S., anti-war and anti-nuke joint council grouping the solidarity for the implementation of the south-north joint declaration, the headquarters of the people's movement for the withdrawal of the U.S. Forces, the Seoul District Federation of University Student Councils, the south headquarters of the National Alliance of Youth and Students for the Country's Reunification and other organizations. Hong Sok Yong, co-chairman of the headquarters of the People's Movement for the Withdrawal of the U.S. Forces, and other speakers called for driving the U.S. troops out of South Korea through a struggle in order to put an end to the reality of this land in which south-north dialogue has to be permitted by the United States and purchase of weapons for a war against the north is forced by the U.S.
    The U.S. is to blame for the breach of the Geneva Agreement, they said, denouncing the U.S. bringing a crisis of a nuclear war to the Korean Peninsula as a "seed of war".
    They stressed the need to firmly unite around the June 15 joint declaration, not being pressed by the U.S. hegemony any longer.
    Meanwhile, the organization exhibited photos exposing GIs' mass killings around the meeting place. It also distributed to citizens copies of literature carrying their assertion related to the recent nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula.

DPRK-proposed non-aggression treaty hailed

     Pyongyang, November 20 (KCNA) -- The DPRK's proposal for concluding a non-aggression treaty between the DPRK and the United States is the most realistic way for saving the grave situation in the Korean Peninsula, political parties and organizations of Democratic Congo said in their joint statement on Nov. 14. They were the Genuine Lumumbist Patriotic Party, the People's Rally for Socialism, the Democratic Congo-Korea Friendship and Solidarity Association and the rally of working citizens.
    In the joint statement they condemned the United States for raising a "nuclear issue" to further strain the situation in Northeast Asia at a time when projects are under way to reconnect rail and road links between the north and south of the Korean Peninsula and new changes are taking place in the relations between the DPRK and Japan, exerting a positive influence on the developments of the peninsula and the region as a whole.
    The nuclear issue in the peninsula was caused by the U.S. and its clear solution has already been provided by the DPRK-U.S. Agreed Framework. However, the U.S. has delayed the construction of light water reactors while asserting that the DPRK should scrap its "nuclear program" before dialogue, ditching the DPRK-U.S. Agreed Framework and refusing to accept the latter's proposal for the conclusion of a non-aggression treaty, the statement said.
    Saying that if the tensions continue in the Korean Peninsula, it will be unfavorable not only to the U.S. but to South Korea and Japan, the statement urged the U.S. to accede to the DPRK's proposal as soon as possible.

Tokyo metropolitan governor's war hysteria blasted

     Pyongyang, November 20 (KCNA) -- Tokyo metropolitan governor Ishihara recently let loose hysterical outbursts that Japan should not rule out a war against the DPRK, raising a hue and cry over the issue of those kidnapped. This reminds one of a puppy knowing no fear of a tiger. Rodong Sinmun today says this in a signed commentary. It continues:
    Ishihara is an ultra rightist and a warmonger steeped in hostility towards Korea and national chauvinism to the marrow of his bones.
    Ishihara is a political imbecile and trash of the times as he is hamstringing the implementation of the DPRK-Japan Pyongyang declaration and crying out for a war against the DPRK.
    The desperate frenzy on the part of such fools as Ishihara will bring nothing good to the Japanese people. If a war breaks out due to the aggravation of the relations between the DPRK and Japan, the Japanese people will suffer from a horrible war disaster again.
    It is a shame and disgrace to Japan that such war hysteric, utterly indifferent to the destiny of the Japanese people, is allowed to remain in the political field as Tokyo metropolitan governor.
    The ultra rightists such as Ishihara are pushing the relations between the DPRK and Japan to the brink of war, thus putting the security of Japan in peril.

U.S. bellicose forces urged to stop running amuck

     Pyongyang, November 20 (KCNA) -- The U.S. is well advised to properly understand the strong position and will of the DPRK and stand to reason, urges Rodong Sinmun today in a signed article. It goes on:
    The Bush bellicose forces let loose a spate of outbursts that it is the uppermost task for U.S. "security" at present to check North Korea's nuclear and missile development and production and that they would use every means and method to this end.
    The offensive launched by the U.S. to stifle the DPRK with nuclear weapons after listing it as part of an "axis of evil" is aimed to put the Korean Peninsula under U.S. control and thus create favorable circumstances and conditions for carrying out its strategy to dominate Asia.
    The U.S. bellicose forces' talk about the "nuclear and missile threat" from the DPRK is a sheer fabrication which can be dreamed up only by robbers and a war outcry.
    The DPRK's policy of self-defence is meant not to threaten or attack somebody but to defend the sovereignty and security of the country.
    The U.S. escalated policy to stifle the DPRK by force of arms would only prompt the DPRK to step up its arms buildup to cope with the policy and further increase its army's combat capacity than ever before.
    The U.S. increased pressure and intensified moves to stifle the DPRK with nukes will compel Pyongyang to possess more powerful means for military retaliation.
    If the U.S makes a reckless attack on the DPRK, bereft of reason, it will sustain the bitterest-ever defeat.
    If the U.S. chooses a war, misjudging the DPRK's strength and persistently resorting to military pressure and nuclear threat against it, Pyongyang will be left with no option but to react to Washington with the toughest military measure.

Rodong Sinmun on patriotic cause of Pomminryon

     Pyongyang, November 20 (KCNA) -- Invincible is the cause of the National Alliance for the Country's Reunification (Pomminryon) which advances toward independence and great unity of the Korean nation, supported by the whole nation, says Rodong Sinmun today in a signed article. Since the formation of Pomminryon (November 20, Juche 79 '1990') it has recorded a proud history of the sacred struggle for unity of the nation and reunification of the country, the daily notes, and goes on:
    Pomminryon has strengthened its organization and rallied all the fellow countrymen around the banner of national unity and reunification despite the vicious obstructive moves of the anti-reunification forces.
    It is unthinkable without the positive role and activities of Pomminryon that pan-national rallies and reunification festivals of diverse forms were held, attended by local and overseas compatriots every year to mark the August 15 liberation of the country and tripartite solidarity of reunification movement organizations in the north, south and abroad has been steadily strengthened.
    The Korean nation, come what may, should remove the danger of aggression and war and pave the way for independence and reunification of the nation.
    The great unity of the nation is the might of defending peace of the country and the cause of national independence and reunification against the aggression and war moves.
    The June 15 North-South Joint Declaration serves as the reunification programme common to the nation and cornerstone of independent reunification.
    Now that the aggressive foreign forces are running amuck to stamp out the Korean nation's cause of independent reunification, Pomminryon should hold higher the banner of national independence, the banner of the joint declaration, than ever before.
    It should take the lead in the nationwide struggle to reject cooperation with foreign forces and defend peace of the country and security of the nation by the concerted efforts of the Korean nation.

National day of immunization marked

     Pyongyang, November 20 (KCNA) -- October 20 and November 20 are national day of immunization in the DPRK. Technical workshop, hygienic propaganda and the work of identifying babies to be inoculated against polio and preventive inoculation, etc. are brisk at health care institutions in the capital and in every city and county on these days every year.
    Over 10,000 inoculation teams were organized by the ministry of public health this year. Tens of thousands of medical workers across the country were mobilized to inoculate babies against polio.
    As a result, all children at the age of five and below have received preventive vaccination.
    Medical workers in charge of inoculation at every health care institution are giving preventive inoculation to the inhabitants in their charge according to the yearly inoculation plan provided by the national organ.
    This is clear evidence proving the justice and vitality of the policy of preventive medicine of the Workers' Party of Korea.
    The state is taking positive measures to produce and supply preventive medicines enough to implement the policy though the country's economic conditions still remain difficult.

Working contact for rail and road relinks held

     Kosong, November 20 (KCNA) -- A working contact for the reconnection of the rail and road links between the north and the south took place at the Mt. Kumgang resort from Nov. 18 to 20 under an agreement reached at the 3rd meeting of the north-south committee for the promotion of economic cooperation. At the contact, both sides examined the delivery of equipment and materials needed for the projects of reconnecting the east and west coastal rail and road links, had an exhaustive discussion on the issue of giving precedence to providing them and reached an agreement on a series of issues.
    Both sides determined the procedures and methods of a joint survey for choosing the points from which railways and roads should be reconnected despite of the U.S. obstruction.
    A discussion was also made on a basic agreement on the transit of vehicles on the road between the north and the south and it was agreed to adopt the agreement by way of exchanging documents thereafter.

Working contact for adopting agreement on inter-Korean marine transport held

     Kosong, November 20 (KCNA) -- A working contact for adopting an agreement on north-south marine transport was held at the Mt. Kumgang resort from November 18 to 20 under an agreement reached at the 3rd meeting of the north-south committee for the promotion of economic cooperation. Both sides published a joint press release after agreeing to pave the way for practical cooperation in the field of marine transport between the north and the south at the contact.
    It is pointed out in the press release that both sides shared understanding that it is necessary for the north and the south to cooperate in the field of marine transport and they had an exchange of views and a sincere discussion on the issues of passage of each other's territorial waters by civilian ships, opening of sea routes, their safe sailing, etc.
    It was decided to continue the discussion on the issues raised of the contact at the next round of contact and hold the second contact at the Mt. Kumgang resort in December this year.

Notice from Korea News Service

     Korea News Service opened web site service of English News of the Korean Central News Agency with fresh home page from 18. November. We have been receiving e-mails from many countries of the world.
    We extend our thanks to you for sending them.
    Our new e-mail address : eng-info@kcna.co.jp

For Spanish-speaking people

kim jong il felicita a los participantes en un congreso

     noviembre (atcc) -- el dirigente kim jong il, secretario general del partido del trabajo de corea, presidente del comite de defensa nacional de la republica popular democratica de corea y comandante supremo del ejercito popular de corea se encontro el dia 19 con los participantes en el congreso nacional de activistas en apoyo al ejercito. el dirigente hizo su aparicion en el lugar de fotografia. entonces los participantes lanzaron efusivas aclamaciones de "viva" y gritaron con vigor las consignas "unidad monolitica" y "defensa de vida o muerte".
    el respondio a las aclamaciones de los participantes en el congreso quienes le dan cordial bienvenida y les envio cordial saludo.
    le acompanaron los cuadros directivos del partido, el estado y el ejercito: kim yong nam, jo myong rok, hong song nam, kim il chol, ri ul sol, jon pyong ho, yon hyong muk, kim chol man, choe thae bok, jong ha chol, kim jung rin, ri yong mu y ri ha il.
    el dirigente felicito calurosamente a los participantes en el congreso quienes en pleno acato a la politica de priorizacion militar de nuestro partido crearon excelente ejemplo en el sincero apoyo al ejercito popular, defensor de la patria socialista y grueso de nuestra revolucion y se fotografio junto a ellos.
    evaluo altamente a los miembros del partido y otros trabajadores quienes se ponen en la delantera del apoyo al ejercito como verdaderos soldados revolucionarios y patriotas de nuestra epoca quienes dedican todo lo suyo para el fortalecimiento de nuestras fuerzas armadas revolucionarias, para la seguridad y la prosperidad del pais apoyando con la fe revolucionaria y la obligacion al partido y el lider y expreso conviccion de que en todo el pais reinara un gran ambiente de apoyo al ejercito al amarlo como hijos carnales y apoyarlo en lo material y espiritual.

ee.uu. debe actuar con prudencia

     pyongyang, 20 de noviembre (atcc) -- el diario "rodong sinmun", en un articulo individual de hoy, senala que ee.uu. debe distinguir justamente la firme posicion y la voluntad de la republica popular democratica de corea y actuar con prudencia. el articulo continua:
    las fuerzas belicistas de bush, dicen que detener el "desarrollo y la produccion de armas nucleares y misiles" de la rpdc es la tarea suprema que se presenta para garantizar la "seguridad" de ee.uu. en la actualidad y agregan que se valdran de todos los medios y metodos para este fin.
    ee.uu. dirige la ofensiva de aplastamiento nuclear a la rpdc definiendo a esta como "eje del mal" con la verdadera intencion de apoderarse de la peninsula coreana y preparar las circunstancias y condiciones favorables a la realizacion de su estrategia de dominio a asia.
    la teoria de "amenaza de armas nucleares y misiles" de la rpdc, de que hablan las fuerzas belicosas norteamericanas es una logica bandidesca del todo tergiversada e inventada y una trompeta de guerra.
    la politica de autodefensa de la rpdc no es para amenazar y atacar a otro pais sino para defender la soberania y la seguridad del pais.
    cuanto mas ee.uu. arrecia su politica de aplastamiento militar a la rpdc tanto mas se aumentaran las armas de esta apuntadas a aquel y se fortalecera incomparablemente tambien su poderio.
    la rpdc dotara de medios de disposicion militar mas poderosos para hacer frente a las recrudescentes maquinaciones de presion y aplastamiento de amenaza nuclear de ee.uu.
    si ee.uu. se nos arroja temerariamente para tragarnos, sufrira una gran derrota ignominiosa no vista hasta la fecha.
    si ee.uu. se precipita por el camino de la guerra ejerciendo presion militar y amenaza nuclear sobre la rpdc en menosprecio a esta, le responderemos tambien nosotros con las medidas militares de sobredureza.

no surtira efecto el chantaje para la rpdc

     pyongyang, 20 de noviembre (atcc) -- el periodico "minju joson" en el numero de hoy inserto un comentario senalando que ee.uu. pretende aplicar la politica de despotismo impuesta a irak tambien en la republica popular democratica de corea, pero el chantaje de fuerza de ee.uu. no surtira efecto para la rpdc. el comentarista puso al desnudo que el proposito de las capas belicistas de ee.uu. es hacer tensa intencionalmente la situacion de la peninsula coreana y aplastar con la fuerza a norcorea y continuo:
    ee.uu. se propone resolver con la fuerza el problema entre ambos paises.
    la rpdc mantiene la posicion y el principio invariables de responder con dialogo al dialogo y con la fuerza a la fuerza.
    no deseamos la confrontacion de la fuerza, pero no lo tememos. tenemos la suficiente capacidad y voluntad con que podemos hacer la confrontacion de la fuerza con quienes pretenden violar nuestra soberania y el derecho a la existencia.
    tal temeraria posicion de las capas belicistas de ee.uu. causara solo el resultado de hacer mas compleja la solucion del problema entre ambos paises.

"dia nacional de la inmunidad"

     pyongyang, 20 de noviembre (atcc) -- el 20 de octubre y de noviembre es el "dia nacional de la inmunidad" en corea. con motivo de estos dias de cada ano los organos de salud publica del centro y todas las ciudades y distritos del pais realizan animadamente el cursillo tecnico, la propaganda higienica, la inoculacion preventiva de la paralisis infantil y la determinacion de los ninos por vacunar y otros.
    este ano el ministerio de salud publica, luego de organizar mas de 10 mil grupos de inoculacion, movilizo a la vez decenas de miles de trabajadores medicos para realizar a escala nacional la inoculacion preventiva de la poliomielitis.
    como resultado, termino totalmente la inoculacion de los ninos menores de 5 anos de edad.
    por otra parte los doctores de inoculacion de todos los organos de curacion realizan las labores para los habitantes asumidos segun el calendario para la inoculacion anual ofrecido por el centro.
    esta es una clara prueba de la justedad y la vitalidad de la orientacion medica preventiva del partido del trabajo de corea.
    aunque la situacion economica del pais es dificil, el estado toma todas las medidas para producir y suministrar suficientemente las vacunas necesarias.