Captain of DPRK trading cargo ship interviewed

     Pyongyang, December 20 (KCNA) -- We have never seen such piracy as that committed against a peaceful trading vessel with the involvement of huge troops. This was robbery which could be committed only by the U.S. and its followers keen on isolating and stifling the DPRK. The captain of the DPRK-flagged trading cargo ship Sosan said this at a press conference held aboard the ship on Dec. 17 after entering Mukalla Port in Yemen.
    He continued:
    When the ship was on its voyage in the open sea on Dec. 9, Spanish battleships and planes encircled the ship all of a sudden at the U.S. instigation. They indiscriminately fired guns at equipment of the ship, severely destroying them. Then, two helicopters and a speedboat brought more than 60 commandos on board.
    After occupying an engine room and a steering house, they fired thousands of large and small-caliber bullets, thus seriously threatening the lives of crewmen and putting the ship under their complete control. They even kicked sailors and beat them with butts.
    On that afternoon 18 crewmen of the ship were taken to a Spanish warship and transferred to the U.S. warship later.
    The pirates committed such unimaginable inhuman acts as inhibiting the Koreans from talking and allowing them to go to toilets only under armed pirates' escort.
    They searched the cabins several times and robbed them of valuables and money.
    The U.S. mobilized a destroyer, a cruiser, an escort ship, a carrier and huge troops to carry out the piracy.
    The U.S. must apologize for such brazen-faced piracy, own full responsibility for it and make a compensation for the mental and material damage done to the ship and its crewmen.
    The participants in the press conference looked round the ship to learn about the damage.

U.S. urged to conclude non-aggression treaty

     Pyongyang, December 20 (KCNA) -- The Reunification Solidarity for the Implementation of the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration and Peace on the Korean Peninsula held a press conference in front of the U.S. embassy at Kwanghwamun, Seoul, on Dec. 17 and urged the U.S. to accept the DPRK proposal for concluding a non-aggression treaty, according to Yonhap News of South Korea. The organization said that as long as the U.S. continuously pursues its unilateral hegemony and hostile policy toward North Korea a dark cloud of a war can not be removed from the Korean Peninsula nor can peace be ensured however hard North Korea strives to improve North Korea-U.S. relations through dialogue and negotiations.
    We hope that the agreements already reached between North Korea and the U.S. will be implemented and the system for ensuring a durable peace established in the Korean Peninsula so that independent and peaceful reunification of the nation can be hastened", the organization noted, warning:
    The rage anti-Americanism across the Korean Peninsula will not calm down as long as the U.S. turns down such demand and still pursues its hostile policy toward North Korea.

U.S. interference in inter-Korean economic cooperation assailed

     Pyongyang, December 20 (KCNA) -- If the United States does not quit South Korea of its own accord, the businessmen and other Koreans in the north and south will force it to suffer the disgrace of being driven out of there, warned a spokesman for the north side to the law-making panel for north-south economic cooperation in a statement on Dec. 19. He said:
    The U.S. meddled in the first round of the meeting of the law-making panel for north-south economic cooperation in Seoul from Dec. 11 to 13, unreasonably pressurizing South Korea not to make public any joint press release, to say nothing of an agreement.
    The U.S. hindrance to the inter-Korean contacts aimed at providing an institutional guarantee for economic cooperation and exchange under the pretext of "nuclear suspicion" clearly proves that the U.S. has got more undisguised in its moves to prevent the Korean nation from having dialogue and cooperation.
    Such arrogant acts are a wanton violation of the Korean nation's dignity and sovereignty.
    By interfering in the recent inter-Korean meeting the U.S. laid bare its criminal attempt to perpetuate the division of Korea and keep its forces in South Korea for an indefinite period in a bid to turn the Korean Peninsula into nuclear war shambles.
    The U.S. is the root cause of all the misfortune and sufferings the Koreans are undergoing and the biggest obstacle standing in the way of national reunification. The U.S. should behave with discretion, mindful of Koreans' strong criticism of the U.S. on the Korean Peninsula and in other parts of the world.

Wreath laid before bust of Kim Jong Suk

     Pyongyang, December 20 (KCNA) -- The diplomatic corps here laid a wreath before the bust of Kim Jong Suk, an anti-Japanese war woman hero, at the Revolutionary Martyrs Cemetery on Mt. Taesong on Dec. 19 on the occasion of her 85th birth anniversary. Written on the ribbon hanging from the wreath were letters "The Revolutionary Feats of Kim Jong Suk, An Anti-Japanese War Woman Hero, Will Be Immortal"

Rodong Sinmun on DPRK's legitimate right to self-defence

     Pyongyang, December 20 (KCNA) -- The U.S. imperialists should clearly understand that if the U.S. has a right to use nuclear weapons, the DPRK is entitled to counter it, Rodong Sinmun today says in a signed commentary. A war against Iraq, to be ignited amid the escalating U.S. nuclear threat to the DPRK, may be a preliminary war and a test war for a new Korean War, the commentary says, and goes on:
    The Persian Gulf War in the early 1990s brought a nuclear crisis to the Korean Peninsula.
    The Bush administration has not implemented the DPRK-U.S. Agreed Framework deliberately but breached it systematically. The Bush bellicose forces have led nuclear pressure upon the DPRK to a high pitch, bringing the "nuclear development" of the DPRK to the international arena.
    Meanwhile, they are escalating nuclear threat to the DPRK. The U.S. talking about "biological and chemical attack" by "enemy states" is sophism to justify its moves to start a nuclear war against the DPRK.
    The DPRK has already put forward a proposal for concluding a non-aggression treaty between the DPRK and the U.S. if the U.S. has no willingness to launch a war against the DPRK, there is no reason why the U.S. should not accede to the proposal.
    If the U.S. imperialists ignite a nuclear war on the Korean Peninsula, they themselves will be burnt to death in their flame.

Candle-light demonstrations in U.S.

     Pyongyang, December 20 (KCNA) -- Over 1,500 Korean residents and Americans reportedly staged candle-light demonstrations demanding peace against war and expressing solidarity with the men of conscience in New York, Washington, Los Angeles, Chicago and other main cities of the United States on Dec. 14 when the function "all-people grand peace march condemning the arrogant U.S. and restoring the sovereignty" took place in South Korea. A candle-light demonstration also took place in Hollywood, New York, under the co-sponsorship of the organization of Koreans in the U.S. called "Mindulle," the solidarity for peace against war, a peace movement organization in the U.S., and others.
    The demonstrators collected citizens' signatures on a message containing a three-point request to be sent to Bush while conducting information activities disclosing the inequality of the South Korea-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) with photos of Sin Hyo Sun and Sim Mi Son, killed in cold blood by a U.S. armored car, in their hands.
    Meanwhile, the New York branch of the association for independence, democracy and reunification in Americas together with other organizations staged a candle-light demonstration in Manhattan, New York.
    After holding a memorial service for the girl students killed by the GIs, demonstrators marched the street, with candle-lights, slogan boards, posters and flags in their hands, chanting slogans "Let us punish GI murderers and win national independence", "Bush, apologize" and "Totally revise SOFA".
    They also distributed literature among citizens.
    Members of the Washington Society for Supporting the America-Visiting Group sent by the All-People Measure Committee For Sin Hyo Sun and Sim Mi Son, Schoolgirls Killed By a U.S. Armored Car, Christians and Korean students in the U.S. staged a candle-light demonstration in front of the white house demanding a fair trial of the case of the murder of the schoolgirls, a personal apology from Bush, etc.
    The second candle-light demonstration took place on Dec. 14 in front of the U.S. consulate in Toronto, Canada, with Korean residents in Canada and Canadians attending in the wake of the first one staged on Dec. 1

Iranian military attache gives reception

     Pyongyang, December 20 (KCNA) -- Abdullah Hamidi Benam, military attache of the Iranian embassy here, gave a reception at the embassy on Dec. 19 on the occasion of the 11th anniversary of Kim Jong Il's assumption of the Supreme Commandership of the Korean People's Army. Present at invitation were Kim Yang Jom, Vice-Minister of the People's Armed Forces, generals and officers of the KPA.
    Iranian Ambassador Jalaleddin Namini Mianji was on hand.
    Speeches were made at the reception.

Juche idea study group formed in France

     Pyongyang, December 20 (KCNA) -- The French Group for the Study of the Juche Idea was inaugurated with due ceremony in France on Dec. 14 on the occasion of the 11th anniversary of Kim Jong Il's assumption of the Supreme Commandership of the Korean People's Army and the 85th birth anniversary of Kim Jong Suk, an anti-japanese war woman hero. A letter to Kim Jong Il was adopted at the ceremony.

Immortal historic relics

     Pyongyang, December 20 (KCNA) -- A large number of people are visiting the Korean Revolution Museum with the approach of the birth anniversary (December 24) of Kim Jong Suk, a great anti-Japanese war fighter. Exhibited in the museum are historic relics of Kim Jong Suk such as pocket pistol, enamelware pierced by two bullets, kettle, wristwatch, etc.
    She received the pocket pistol from President Kim Il Sung as a commendation during the anti-Japanese armed struggle.
    With this pistol she defended the revolutionary headquarters at the risk of her life and devotedly fought for the liberation of the country.
    The enamelware was pierced by the enemy's bullets in a battle in March Juche 29 (1940) when she lured the enemy away from the headquarters of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army.
    The kettle was used by her to provide food to the president during days of the anti-Japanese war. She valued it in all days of marches and combats until the country was liberated.
    The wristwatch was a gift the president gave her in celebration of the country's liberation.
    Among other relics are a muffler she used in days of underground revolutionary activities in the area of Sinpha in Juche 26 (1937), a blanket she used from the summer of 1940 to the spring of 1941 and Chima and Jogori (Korean skirt and jacket) and a handbag she wore and used in the period of the democratic revolution.

U.S.-S. Korea joint military confab blasted

     Pyongyang, December 20 (KCNA) -- The bellicose military forces of the United States and South Korea recently held an "annual security consultative meeting" in Washington at which they discussed "ways of taking military sanctions" against the DPRK, vociferating about "strong deterrent force" allegedly to deal with its "nuclear issue". In this regard Rodong Sinmun today says:
    This is little short of the U.S. imperialists' declaration of a war against the DPRK as they listed it as part of an "axis of evil" and target of their preemptive nuclear attack on it and are ready to put their scenario into practice.
    It is an unchangeable aggressive ambition of the U.S. imperialists to dominate the Korean nation, keeping it divided into the north and the south forever, stifle the DPRK by force and thus seize the whole of Korea.
    Their moves to invade Korea and start a war against it reached their height after the emergence of the Bush administration.
    The Korean nation can never allow such criminal aggressive design of the U.S. imperialists.
    The Koreans in the north and the south and overseas should vigorously turn out in the struggle against the U.S. and war and deal telling blows at the U.S. imperialists pursuing a policy of aggression towards the DPRK.
    The DPRK's army-based policy is a patriotic one aimed to protect the dignity, security and interests of the whole nation including the compatriots in South Korea and serves as a treasured sword to deal telling blows at the aggressors.
    It is a vital and fundamental need of the entire Korean nation to defend and uphold this policy under the prevailing grave situation.
    If the U.S. imperialist bellicose elements and their followers ignite a war in this land, the Korean army and people will not miss the chance but deal thousand-fold retaliatory blows at the aggressors and achieve the historic cause of national reunification without fail.

Congratulations to President of Equatorial Guinea

     Pyongyang, December 20 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, sent a congratulatory message to Obiang Nguema Mbasogo on his reelection as president of Equatorial Guinea on Dec. 19. Expressing belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would grow stronger and develop in the future. The message wholeheartedly wished him greater success in his responsible work for the stability and prosperity of the country.

For Spanish-speaking people

kim jong il recorre canal y granja cooperativa

     pyongyang, 20 de diciembre (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 dirigio sobre terreno el canal kaechon-lago thaesong cuya obra es terminada y la granja cooperativa de naenam de la region ungok, cuya tierra es arreglada. le acompanaron kye ung thae, kim kuk thae, jong ha chol y kim ki nam, secretarios del cc del ptc, ri yong chol y jang song thaek, primeros subjefes de departamento del cc del ptc y los generales de ejercito del epc ri myong su, hyon chol hae y pak jae gyong.
    le acogieron sobre el terreno el vicemariscal del epc ri yong mu, vicepresidente del cdn de la rpdc, pak yong sok, presidente de la comision de control central del ptc, ri kil song, secretario responsable del comite del ptc en la provincia de phyong-an del sur y otros cuadros.
    el dirigente kim jong il en el canal kaechon-lago thaesong escucho la explicacion frente al grafico de panorama del canal y se entero de los detalles de la construccion al recorrer la presa taegak de enorme tamano y el canal extendido infinitamente.
    el dirigente expreso su gran satisfaccion porque los militares y otros constructores terminaron magnificamente la gran obra de geotransformacion y estimo altamente sus grandes hazanas.
    dijo que ellos quienes trasladan montanas y rellenan hasta el mar de una sola vez si lo exige el ptc prepararon una nueva riqueza de eterna duracion para la construccion de potencia prospera dando pruebas de su heroismo colectivo y noble espiritu de sacrificio y acoto que la patria no se olvidara para siempre de sus meritos acumulados ante la patria y el pueblo.
    el dirigente destaco que el canal que es una gigantesca creacion asegurada cualitativamente en el proyecto y la construccion es la gran transformacion de que podemos enorgullecernos al mundo y anadio que este evento milagroso que merece registrarse especialmente en la historia de cinco mil anos es un orgulloso fruto dado por las inagotables fuerzas de nuestro ejercito y pueblo ardientes en la pasion patriotica.
    el presento las tareas programaticas que sirven de guia para la administracion y gestion del canal y subrayo que en lo adelante se debe desplegar con gran ambicion la obra de canal de las provincias de phyong-an del norte y de hwanghae del norte y todas las demas regiones para completar el sistema de irrigacion de todo el pais conforme a la demanda del nuevo siglo.
    el dirigente kim jong il, en la granja cooperativa de naenam de la region ungok de la provincia de phyong-an del sur cuya tierra es arreglada recientemente, expreso su gran satisfaccion porque los militares y los miembros de brigada de choque renovaron la fisonomia de la granja en unos meses y dijo que nuestra causa de construccion de potencia prospera se realizara brillantemente porque el partido y la patria estan sostenidos firmemente por el ejercito y el pueblo tan magnificos que dedican todo lo suyo sobreponiendose a todas las dificultades en bien del partido y la revolucion, la patria y el pueblo.
    el dirigente apunto que el importante proposito del acondicionamiento de la tierra es para aumentar la produccion cerealista, realizar la mecanizacion combinada y liberar completamente a los campesinos de los trabajos duros y enseno que hay que terminar cualitativamente en un corto tiempo la tarea de arreglo de la tierra asumida.
    al observar las maquinas agricolas de todo genero en el mismo terreno presento la tarea de completar la mecanizacion combinada de la economia rural.

kim jong il recorre centro genetico de vaca cebada de la zona de ungok

     pyongyang, 20 de diciembre (atcc) -- el dirigente kim jong il, secretario general del partido del trabajo de corea y presidente del comite de defensa nacional de la republica popular democratica de corea dirigio sobre terreno el recien construido centro genetico de vaca cebada de la granja pecuaria combinada de la zona de ungok. le acompanaron los secretarios del comite central del ptc kye ung thae, kim kuk thae, jong ha chol y kim ki nam, el vicemariscal del epc ri yong mu, vicepresidente del cdn de la rpdc, los primeros subjefes de departamento del cc del ptc ri yong chol y jang song thaek, y los generales de ejercito del epc ri myong su, hyon chol hae y pak jae gyong.
    el centro genetico construido en un ano y pico en un area de mas de 100 mil metros cuadrados es una riqueza del pais preparada por la politica popular de nuestro partido que toma por principio supremo el fomento del bienestar del pueblo.
    el dirigente kim jong il, al recorrer el interior y el exterior del centro bien arreglado y especifico, se entero en detalle del estado de construccion y de cria y cuidado y se mostro muy satisfecho de que los constructores dedicaron su inteligencia y entusiasmo para acondicionarlo mejor en un corto espacio de tiempo.
    el dirigente dijo que el centro genetico de la granja pecuaria combinada de la zona de ungok es una importante base ganadera que se ocupa de reproducir terneros de raza buena y enviarlos a las granjas bovinas y de producir, al mismo tiempo, la carne y leche de alto valor nutritivo y presento las tareas programaticas que sirven de guia en la administracion y gestion del centro genetico.
    y senalo la necesidad de prestar la primordial atencion a obtener mejores variedades que consumiendo menos pienso crecen con rapidez y tomar estrictas medidas de elaboracion de la carne y leche que se produciran en grandes cantidades en lo adelante.