S. Korean cameramen issue statement

     Pyongyang, December 17 (KCNA) -- 139 South Korean cameramen reportedly called a press conference in front of the U.S. embassy on Dec. 12 at which they released a "statement of 100 cameramen demanding a proper settlement of the case of girl students." The U.S. Forces' probe into the grievous death of the two girl students and their trial of the killers were so shocking that one could not but deplore the incompetence and status of South Koreans, the statement said, and continued:
    The recent trial is invalid.
    The death of the girl students should be reinvestigated from the beginning and those responsible for it should be called to account.
    The only way of preventing the recurrence of such tragedy is to immediately revise the unequal South Korea-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement.
    At the end of the press conference, the cameramen staged a silent demonstration and moved to the venue of a citizens rally to encourage Buddhists in their sit-in hunger strike.

Preventing conservative forces from coming to power called for in S. Korea

     Pyongyang, December 17 (KCNA) -- The south headquarters of the National Alliance of Youth and Students for the Country's Reunification reportedly released an "article to all the people, youth and students" in South Korea on Dec. 12, calling for preventing the conservative forces from coming to power. The article said that the "presidential election" would be the "watershed of life or death" deciding whether to liquidate the old politics or not and whether to implement the June 15 joint declaration or not.
    If the conservative forces are allowed to come to power, they will bring the second economic crisis and the second June 25 Korean War and the movement for independence, democracy and reunification and potential progressive politics will be stifled and the June 15 joint declaration be reduced to a dead document, the article said.
    The article called on all youth and students to take part in the "election" under this rigorous situation to open new politics and a new phase of implementing the joint declaration and counter the U.S. interference in "election" with high vigilance.

Early reconnection of inter-Korean rail and road links called for

     Pyongyang, December 17 (KCNA) -- The mine-clearing in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) along the military demarcation line was completed as of Dec. 14 for the projects of reconnecting rail and road links between the north and the south of Korea. This has made it possible to push ahead with the projects in real earnest. This is a shining fruition of the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration, a landmark of national reunification, and a product of the desire of all the Koreans and efforts exerted by them to rejoin the ties of the nation and reunify the divided land.
    The projects of reconnecting the east and west coastal rail and road links open a bright prospect of boosting the inter-Korean cooperation, exchange, reconciliation and unity.
    When the projects are completed, inter-Korean visits will become more frequent and the South Korean tourists who had to come to Mt. Kumgang only by ships will be able to travel overland. As a result, the number of tourists will sharply increase. This will also open a bright prospect of investing in the Kaesong Industrial Zone where the ground is expected to be broken soon.
    The inter-Korean railway project is of great international significance as it will be linked to the trans-Siberian railroad in Russia in the future.
    The project of connecting Korea-Russia railways will be greatly conducive to boosting economic ties and cooperation not only between the DPRK and Russia but among countries in Northeast Asia and Europe and, furthermore, achieving peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region and the rest of the world and the common prosperity of humankind.
    That is why the whole world is supporting and welcoming these gigantic railway projects.
    But it is only the united states which is getting in the way of the projects. The U.S. has pursued only inter-Korean confrontation, not peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.
    It attempted to derail the reconnection of north-south rail and road links, talking about a "list of verification group" and "permit."
    This put the once brisk mine-clearing project in the DMZ in stalemate for some time when it was at its final phase. But it was resumed and finally completed thanks to the inter-Korean cooperation.
    The north-south rail and road links will be reconnected without fail thanks to the concerted efforts of all the Koreans.

U. S. denounced for its hostile policy toward DPRK

     Pyongyang, December 17 (KCNA) -- Guy Dupre, secretary general of the International Liaison Committee for Reunification and Peace in Korea, released a statement on Dec. 11 denouncing the U.S. for its hostile policy toward the DPRK. He in the statement said that the white paper released by the DPRK National Reunification Institute on Dec. 6 cited the irrefutable evidence to show that the U.S. has historically blocked the process of reconciliation, cooperation, peace and reunification on the Korean Peninsula whenever progress has been made in the process.
    He said:
    Soon after its emergence, the Bush administration declared invalid all the agreements reached between the preceding administration and North Korea, and has been escalating its moves to isolate and stifle North Korea as never before. It is also rendering the situation on the Korean Peninsula strained to attain its aims.
    He called on all the peace-loving and progressive forces of the world to oppose the u.s. hostile policy toward the DPRK and further strengthen the solidarity movement for reunification and peace in Korea.

GIs do violence to South Koreans

     Pyongyang, December 17 (KCNA) -- Soldiers under the 8th U.S. army did violence to innocent South Koreans in Seoul on Dec. 15, according to KBS of South Korea. At dawn three U.S. soldiers drove a car while drunk and beat those passengers who were following and protesting.
    They justified their criminal act, refusing to get their drinking checked even after being arrested by police.

Remarks of commander of U.S. marines in Japan blasted

     Pyongyang, December 17 (KCNA) - The commander of the U.S. marines in Japan, addressing a press conference, on Dec. 13 let loose extremely provocative war outcries, faulting the independent step taken by the DPRK against the U.S. actual stop of the supply of heavy oil, an abandonment of its commitment under the Geneva Agreed Framework, according to JIJI Press. He hinted that a U.S. carrier may be dispatched to waters off the Korean Peninsula in case the situation gets worse, blustering that it is closely watching the moves of the DPRK in the wake of its decision to restart its nuclear facilities.
    These remarks made by the commander of the U.S. marines in Japan which have played the role of vanguard and shock force in the U.S. overseas war of aggression are little short of hinting the second Korean War as they were timed to coincide with the evermore pronounced hostile policy of the Bush administration toward the DPRK, its increasing threat of "preemptive nuclear attack" and its piracy committed against a trading ship of the DPRK.
    What arouses the DPRK's vigilance is the fact that these outcries came at a time when warhawks of the United States and South Korea held an "annual security consultative meeting" in Washington on Dec. 6 at which they decided to make joint military counteraction against the DPRK.
    "Military counteraction" precisely means a declaration of a war.
    The U.S. intention to dispatch a carrier to waters off the Korean Peninsula means that the "military counteraction" is becoming a reality.
    While paying lip-service to the peaceful solution to the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, the U.S. is taking dangerous military moves, increasing its pressure upon the DPRK to scrap its "nuclear development program through possible verification" after turning aside from the DPRK's proposal for concluding a non-aggression treaty with the U.S. in actuality.
    This goes to clearly prove that the United States has become more undisguised in its moves to disarm the DPRK by force and destroy its system.
    There is no need to explain what the appearance of a U.S. carrier in waters off the Korean Peninsula means at a time when there is a serious crisis due to the nuclear issue brought up by the United States.
    The revolutionary armed forces for self-defence of the DPRK are closely watching the evermore undisguised military moves of the U.S. bellicose forces. They will not allow the enemies to invade territorial waters, air and land of the DPRK but deal telling blows at them.

U.S. urged to stop anti-DPRK burlesque

     Pyongyang, December 17 (KCNA) -- Part 20 of the American film "James Bond-007" and other films to be shown in South Korea at the end of this month is a product of the U.S. administration's policy of despising the Korean nation and its hostile policy toward the DPRK. That is why this is intolerable. Rodong Sinmun today says this in a signed commentary demanding the U.S. stop the anti-DPRK burlesque against the Korean nation.
    From the outset of their production, the films caused trouble because they are based on the theme intended to insult the Korean nation, the commentary notes, and goes on:
    The U.S. is locked in the noisy "nuclear racket" against the DPRK and depriving the people in South Korea of their sovereignty, dignity and right to existence. As if it were not enough with this, the U.S. is misusing even a movie, a product of human civilization, for the purpose of its policy of despising the Korean nation. It is not hard to guess what is the U.S. real intention. The U.S. seeks to bar the Koreans in the north and the south from getting united and perpetuate the division of Korea.
    To this end the U.S. produced and is showing such anti-reunification film against the Korean nation despite protest from all the Koreans.
    The Korean nation is a dignified nation who values self-respect more than its life and soul.
    The U.S. is well advised to stop at once the anti-DPRK burlesque against the Koreans, clearly understanding the will of the Korean nation not to allow any act of infringing upon their dignity but to force the U.S. to pay a high price for it.

Japan warned not to follow U.S. policy

     Pyongyang, December 17 (KCNA) -- Japan stands at the crossroads: whether it will precipitate its isolation and downfall, following the anachronistic U.S. policy toward the DPRK or it will take the road of co-existence and co-prosperity in the spirit of the DPRK-Japan Pyongyang declaration, says Rodong Sinmun today in a signed commentary. A news analyst says:
    The Japanese imperialists committed thrice-cursed crimes against the Korean people in the past.
    The liquidation of the past is at the core of the declaration and it is the master key to the improved bilateral relations. Putting aside the liquidation of the past, however, ultra right-wing conservatives of Japan are projecting the issue of some abducted Japanese and hatching fresh plots for an anti-DPRK campaign.
    The reactionaries of Japan, dancing to the tune of the U.S. in its efforts to isolate and stifle the DPRK, described joint military manoeuvres with the U.S. as "ones to deter attack from North Korea" under the pretext of its nuclear issue. They have gone the length of saying that "Japan may fight a war with North Korea."
    Japan's joining the U.S. in the strategy to invade Korea and Asia is little short of digging its own grave by itself. If Japan dares violate the spirit of the declaration, dancing to the tune of the U.S., it will be held wholly responsible for the ensuing consequences.

U.S. President's phone "apology" under fire

     Pyongyang, December 17 (KCNA) -- The headquarters of the People's Movement for the Withdrawal of the U.S. Troops From South Korea and the "presidential election" struggle headquarters of the Seoul District Federation of University Student Councils reportedly denounced the U.S. President for his deceptive "apology" over the phone. The headquarters of the people's movement for the withdrawal of the U.S. troops from South Korea issued a commentary headlined "Bush's apology is no more than playing with semantics" on Dec. 14.
    The commentary said that Bush's "apology" should have referred to the issue of the withdrawal of the U.S. troops. His attitude trying to gloss over the murder case, by way of excuse, not mentioning such core articles, is not a sincere apology.
    If the U.S. is to make a real apology for the case of killing Hyo Sun and Mi Son, it should send the GI murderers again to the court of South Korea, immediately revise the Status of Forces Agreement and put forward the timetable for the withdrawal of the U.S. troops before the people.
    The struggle headquarters of students in a commentary on Dec. 13 said that Bush's "apology" is essentially intended to calm down the ever-mounting anti-U.S. sentiments and control a spate of demonstrations.

Second inter-Korean Red Cross working contact held

     Kumgangsan, December 17 (KCNA) -- The second north-south Red Cross working contact was held at Mt. Kumgang Resort from Dec. 15 to 17. According to a joint release published at the contact, both sides expressed the same view on the issue of a site for a meeting house at Mt. Kumgang, the issue of its designing and the issue of forming a "working group for its construction" and agreed in principle upon and the issue of arranging the 6th reunion of separated families and relatives on the occasion of the lunar New Year in Juche 92 (2003).
    They agreed to continue the discussion on the scale of the house, the whereabouts of separated families and relatives and their correspondence, the whereabouts of those missing during the Korean War, etc. at the next contact.
    They also agreed to continue the discussion at the third north-south Red Cross contact in January Juche 92 (2003) on the basis of the issues discussed at this contact.

Inter-Korean working-level contact held

     Kumgangsan, December 17 (KCNA) -- The 3rd working-level contact of the panel for the reconnection of rail and road links between the north and the south was held from Dec. 15 to 17 at Mt. Kumgang Resort. According to a joint release published at the contact, the north and the south agreed to make positive efforts to ensure that the projects of reconnecting inter-Korean rail and roads links are completed in accordance with the agreed schedule and cooperate with each other in the efforts to make sure the equipment and materials needed for the projects are supplied according to its schedule.
    Both sides agreed to open to traffic a temporary road for the transport of equipment and materials needed for the projects and personnel and equipment necessary for the construction of Kaesong Industrial Zone before the ground is broken for its construction. In this regard they agreed to recommend to their military authorities to have discussions on the opening of the temporary road on the west coast and the passage through temporary roads on the east and west coasts.
    They agreed to effectuate at an early date a basic agreement on the transit vehicles on the road through he exchange of necessary signed documents and adopt a basic agreement on the operation of trains as soon as possible through the exchange of documents.
    They agreed to hold the second meeting of the panel for the reconnection of rail and road links between the north and the south in Pyongyang in mid-January, Juche 92 (2003).

For Spanish-speaking people

denuncia intervencion de ee.uu. en cooperacion economica norte-sur

     pyongyang, 17 de diciembre (atcc) -- el vocero de la parte norte de la seccion de construccion de la zona industrial de kaesong norte-sur denuncio a estados unidos que para realizar su proposito dominacionista y agresivo pisotea flagrantemente la dignidad y la soberania de la nacion coreana e impide por la fuerza la cooperacion economica y el intercambio entre el norte y el sur de corea. el vocero, en su declaracion fechada 16, senalo que la cooperacion economica de ambas partes que se ha promovido con vigor afronta al grave desafio debido a las intencionales y abiertas maquinaciones obstructoras de ee.uu. y continuo:
    la conclusion infructifera de la primera reunion de la seccion institucional por la cooperacion economica norte-sur efectuada hace unos dias en seul se debio enteramente a la vil intervencion de ee.uu..
    el aseguramiento de la garantia institucional de la cooperacion economica es la labor para echar una base destinada a desarrollar de manera equilibrada la economia nacional y activar la cooperacion economica y el intercambio norte-sur, y como tal, no es el problema en que intervengan las fuerzas extranjeras.
    ee.uu. no tiene ningun derecho a impedirla.
    ee.uu., ayer, estorbo la labor de union de ferrovias y carreteras entre el norte y el sur bajo el rotulo de las "fuerzas de naciones unidas" y hoy, recurre a las maquinaciones para aplastar a la rpdc so pretexto del "problema nuclear" y pone freno a consultar el problema institucional por la cooperacion economica.
    no les importan ni interes comun norte-sur ni la aspiracion de la nacion coreana.
    ee.uu. luego de anular unilateralmente el acuerdo basico firmado con la rpdc, estorba las relaciones norte-sur de corea, mete la cuna entre la cooperacion y la union y persigue el enfrentamiento entre ambas partes de corea.
    pero ee.uu. debe saber claramente que con nada puede detener la firme voluntad de la nacion coreana dispuesta a abrir el camino de la reconciliacion, la unidad y la reunificacion con las fuerzas unidas.
    todos los coreanos, al librar la sagrada lucha antiyanqui, frustraran rotundamente las maquinaciones de intervencion agresiva de ee.uu..

deben ser unidas pronto ferrovias y carreteras norte-sur de corea

     pyongyang, 17 de diciembre (atcc) -- el dia 14 termino la limpieza del campo minado de la zona desmilitarizada de la linea de demarcacion militar para la obra de reunir las ferrovias y carreteras norte-sur de corea. asi ha entrado en la etapa decisiva la labor de reunirlas. esto es evidentemente un brillante fruto de la declaracion conjunta norte-sur del 15 de junio que es un jalon de la reunificacion de la patria y un producto de los esfuerzos y aspiracion unanime de nuestros connacionales a unir el vaso consanguineo y el territorio nacional cortados en dos partes.
    la labor de union de las ferrovias y las carreteras de las costas oriental y occidental abre una segura perspectiva para consolidar, ampliar y desarrollar la cooperacion, el intercambio, la reconciliacion y la unidad entre el norte y el sur de corea.
    cuando termine esta obra se frecuentara mas el viaje entre el norte y el sur y tambien el turismo al monte kumgang que se realiza hasta la fecha solo por via maritima se hara por via terrestre, asi se aumentara considerablemente el numero de turistas en comparacion con el tiempo pasado. y se ensanchara mas la via de inversion a la zona industrial de kaesong cuya obra se iniciara pronto.
    la ferrovia norte-sur reviste un gran significado internacional porque se unira en lo adelante con la ferrovia transiberiana de rusia.
    la labor de union de ferrovias corea-rusia hara un gran aporte a ampliar y desarrollar en gran medida el vinculo y cooperacion economicos entre los paises del nordeste asiatico y la region europea para no hablar de corea y rusia, a la larga, a lograr la paz y la estabilidad de la region de asia-pacifico y el resto del mundo y la prosperidad comun de la humanidad. por lo tanto todo el mundo aplaude esta magna e importante labor.
    pero, solo ee.uu. la estorba porque no desea la paz y la estabilidad en la peninsula coreana sino persigue solo el enfrentamiento entre el norte y el sur de corea, intento frenar la labor de unir las ferrovias y carreteras norte-sur al exigir la "lista del grupo de verificadores", "licencia", asi por el estilo.
    debido a lo cual se suspendio algun tiempo en la etapa final la limpieza del campo minado de la zona desmilitarizada que se impulsaba activamente, pero se reanudo y culmino por la cooperacion nacional.
    las ferrovias y las carreteras entre el norte y el sur de corea se uniran sin falta por las fuerzas unidas de nuestra nacion.

japon debe actuar con prudencia

     pyongyang, 17 de diciembre (atcc) -- el diario "rodong sinmun", en un comentario individual de hoy, senala: ahora ante japon se presenta el problema serio:
    adelantar el aislamiento y la destruccion al adherirse a la anacronica politica hostil de ee.uu. a la republica popular democratica de corea o tomar el camino de coexistencia y coprosperidad con esta segun el espiritu de la declaracion corea-japon de pyongyang.
    en el pasado, el imperialismo japones perpetro tremendos crimenes antieticos nunca perdonables ante el pueblo coreano.
    la liquidacion del pasado es el articulo nucleo de la declaracion corea-japon de pyongyang y la llave principal de la realizacion de la normalizacion de las relaciones entre ambos paises.
    pero las fuerzas conservadoras ultraderechistas de japon presentan el problema de unos secuestrados al dejar en la trasera el problema de liquidacion del pasado y trazan nuevas intrigas para utilizarlas en sus maquinaciones contra la rpdc.
    adhiriendose a las maquinaciones de aislamiento y aplastamiento de ee.uu. contra la rpdc, las fuerzas reaccionarias derechistas de japon al acusar a la rpdc del "problema nuclear" describen ejercicios militares conjuntos ee.uu.- japon como "las fuerzas de disuasion a norcorea" e incluso hablan de que "es bueno hacer la guerra con norcorea".
    la adhesion de japon a la agresiva estrategia de ee.uu. con respecto a la rpdc y asia es un acto de suicidio igual que cavar su tumba.
    si japon sigue pisoteando el espiritu de la declaracion corea-japon de pyongyang y baila al compas de ee.uu., asumira la entera responsabilidad de las consecuencias que emanen de eso.