Kim Jong Il visits KPA unit

     Pyongyang, February 2 (KCNA) - General Secretary Kim Jong Il Saturday visited KPA unit 2744 honored with the title of O Jung Hup's 7th regiment and congratulated its servicepersons on the Lunar New Year's Day. He looked back with deep emotion on the glorious path covered by the unit and highly appreciated the heroic feats performed by its servicepersons.
    He watched the training of its servicepersons.
    Greatly satisfied to learn that the officers and men of the unit have made all modern facilities necessary for their training in hearty response to the party's slogan "training is as important as a battle" and steadily intensified their training, bringing about a signal turn in increasing its combat capability, he set forth important tasks which would serve as guidelines in developing the KPA into invincible revolutionary armed forces.
    He took warm care of servicemen's living with paternal love, looking round various places of the unit for a long while. He was greatly satisfied to see that all the entertainment and logistic facilities of the unit are at the best level and called on the whole army to earnestly follow its example.
    Noting that this stirring reality in the unit eloquently proves the validity and vitality of President Kim Il Sung's teaching that supply work precisely means a political work, he earnestly instructed all the commanding officers to pay primary attention to the supply work for the servicemen at all time.
    He found time to see an art performance given by servicepersons of the company under the unit.
    He gave the servicepersons of the unit a pair of binoculars and an automatic rifle as gifts and had a photograph taken with them.
    He was accompanied by Kim Yong Chun, chief of the KPA general staff, Kim Il Chol, Minister of the People's Armed Forces, and KPA generals Ri Myong Su, Hyon Chol Hae and Pak Jae Gyong.

Kim Jong Il sees performance of KPA song and dance ensemble

     Pyongyang, February 2 (KCNA) - General Secretary Kim Jong Il Saturday enjoyed together with servicemen a performance given by the Korean People's Army Song and Dance Ensemble on the occasion of the Lunar New Year's Day. Among the audience were Jo Myong Rok, Director of the General Political Department of the KPA, Kim Yong Chun, Chief of the KPA General Staff, Kim Il Chol, Minister of the People's Armed Forces, and other commanding officers of the army and Kim Kuk Thae, Kim Ki Nam and Kim Yong Sun, secretaries of the C.C., the WPK, and others.
    Put on the stage were women's trio and men's Pangchang "Our general is best," man's solo "General is the son of the guerrillas," woman's solo "Soldiers live near general," mixed chorus "Let us keep pace with footsteps of general" and other colorful numbers.
    Through their performance replete with the revolutionary stamina, the artistes successfully represented the indomitable revolutionary spirit of soldiers of the KPA firmly defending the party and the socialist motherland with arms and the steel-strong conviction and will of the army and people to accomplish the revolutionary cause of Juche under the leadership of Kim Jong Il.
    The performance deeply impressed the audience.
    At the end of the performance he congratulated the artistes on their successful performance, waving back to the enthusiastically cheering performers and audience.
    Expressing great satisfaction with the successful performance given by the ensemble, he extended thanks to it and expressed expectation and belief that all the artistes of the ensemble would energetically conduct its activities and thus fully demonstrate its might as a militant art unit in the rewarding drive in the new year, too.

Increase of self-reliant defence capability called for

     Pyongyang, February 2 (KCNA) -- It is necessary to increase self-reliant defence capability in every way if victory is to be won in the struggle against the evermore undisguised moves of the imperialists, says Rodong Sinmun today in a signed article. It goes on:
    The U.S. imperialists are keen on high-handed and arbitrary practices on the international arena, clinging only to the logic of strength, indifferent to international justice and the United Nations. They are not only forcing the sovereign states to meet their brigandish demands but frequently mounting military attacks on them.
    Today the imperialists do not hesitate to commit military intervention and aggression on sovereign states because they have weak military power.
    There is no country that can help other countries.
    Even those countries that usually claim to be "allies," "neighbours" and the like do not bother to betray them to meet their interests.
    It is foolish to try to settle one's own issues by relying on the international organization. It is evidenced by the U.N. resolution on the inspection of weapons in Iraq.
    One can hew out one's destiny only by oneself and one can emerge victorious in the revolutionary struggle when one relies on one's strength. It is proven by the practical experience of the Korean revolution.

CPRF spokesman refutes false rumor in S. Korea

     Pyongyang, February 2 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland (CPRF) Sunday answered a question put by KCNA as regards a false rumor afloat in South Korea these days over the south side's special envoy's Pyongyang visit. He said:
    As already reported, President Kim Dae Jung's special envoy visited Pyongyang shortly ago at the request of the south side and discussed issues of mutual concern.
    The north side received the special envoy coming to Pyongyang with a view to having with the south side a package discussion on the issues related to the inter-Korean relations to cope with the changed situation. It sincerely accommodated all the south-proposed issues out of its utmost generosity and had a frank exchange of views on the matter related to the nation.
    The President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly representing the state warmly received the special envoy and his party according to protocol and gave satisfactory answers to the questions raised by them.
    However, a false story is being floated by some elements in South Korea these days as regards the "reception."
    It is a universally known practice for the President of the SPA Presidium to receive out of courtesy heads of state or government and their special envoys during their DPRK visit.
    He also receives credentials from diplomatic envoys from various countries on behalf of the state.
    The special envoy of the south side was accorded, in fact, most cordial hospitality ever to be received from compatriots during his Pyongyang visit.
    What some elements in South Korea complained about the "reception" does not stand to reason from viewpoints of morality, practice and etiquette.
    The rumor only betrays their ignorance of the state structure in the north and, furthermore, reveals the sinister aim of the ultra-right conservatives to drive a wedge between the north and the south of Korea and sour the atmosphere of reconciliation and cooperation.
    One should be vigilant against such moves on the part of anti-reunification forces but should not be taken in by such mean smear campaign under any circumstances for the implementation of the historic June 15 Joint Declaration and the sustained improvement of the inter-Korean relations.

KCNA terms Bush's state of union address declaration of aggression

     Pyongyang, February 1 (KCNA) -- On January 29 U.S. President Bush, delivering a "state of union address" to Congress, openly expressed hostility toward the DPRK. In his official speech dealing with the year's national policy he described the system of the DPRK as a lawless regime, an oppressive regime and a regime deceiving the world.
    His recent description of a "lawless regime" is a variant of his listing the DPRK as part of an "axis of evil," a reference made in his "state of union address" last year only to be the target of bitter worldwide criticism. It is not hard to guess the aggressive nature of his description.
    The Korean people are bitterly angered by his provocative remarks encroaching upon the sovereignty and dignity of the DPRK without hesitation and malignantly slandering its system.
    What draws a serious attention is that his remarks mirror the invariable ambition of the U.S. to destroy the social system of the DPRK.
    Even shortly ago the U.S. talked about a "peaceful settlement of the Korean issue" several times. Yet, his policy speech proves that the U.S. seeks to destroy the state and system of the DPRK, still refusing to recognize its political system.
    From the very beginning of its office, the Bush administration designated the DPRK as part of an "axis of evil" out of its undisguised hostility toward the socialist system in the DPRK. It also listed the DPRK as a target of its preemptive nuclear attacks, persistently pursuing the hostile policy toward the DPRK. It was against this backdrop that he made a declaration of aggression against the DPRK.
    The U.S. is chiefly to blame for the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula. However, it is describing the DPRK as a "nuclear criminal," doggedly refusing to sign a non-aggression treaty with the DPRK. It behaves so because it is not interested in peace and stability on the peninsula, but keen to gratify its wild ambition to destroy the system of the DPRK by force.
    The U.S. should think twice over what consequences will be entailed by its groundless mud-slinging at the dignified system of the DPRK which was chosen and built by the people themselves and is regarded by them as their life and soul.
    The DPRK will work hard to increase the defence capabilities to defend its system in view of the U.S. declaration of aggression.

Over 180 cases of U.S. aerial espionage against DPRK in January

     Pyongyang, February 1 (KCNA) -- The U.S. imperialists committed over 180 cases of aerial espionage against the DPRK by mobilizing strategic and tactical reconnaissance planes on different missions in January, according to a military source. Nearly 30 espionage flights were made by strategic reconnaissance planes, electronic reconnaissance planes, patrol planes and commanding planes.
    On Jan. 26 A U-2 high-altitude strategic reconnaissance plane made a shuttle flight in skies above Tokjok islet, Phochon and Sokcho areas to conduct an electronic reconnaissance of the depth of the DPRK. A RC-135 strategic reconnaissance plane repeatedly flew over Taebu islet, Yangphyong and Jumunjin to spy on important objects of the DPRK after making a sortie from an overseas base on Jan. 28.
    Meanwhile, the U.S. imperialists staged aerial war exercises targeted against the DPRK, inciting a war atmosphere.
    Over 1,600 fighters were involved in the exercises in January alone.
    All the aerial espionage flights and aerial war exercises saliently reveal the hypocrisy of the U.S. talk about "non-aggression on North Korea" and "dialogue" allegedly to seek a "peaceful settlement" of the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula.

KPA servicemen vow to firmly defend their country

     Pyongyang, February 1 (KCNA) -- A gathering of servicemen of the Korean People's Army in Mt. Taedok was held on the spot on January 31 to bring about collective innovations in rounding off their combat preparations under the slogan "a-match-for-a-hundred" put forth by President Kim Il Sung. When Kim Il Sung visited a post on Mt. Taedok in the forefront area on Feb. 6, Juche 52 (1963) he said that a famous general in a war had been called "a-match-for-a-hundred" from the olden times and instructed that this slogan should be upheld by the people's army.
    The reporter and speakers recalled that Kim Il Sung put forth this slogan, providing the people's army with important guidelines to be held fast to by it forever, adding that this is an outstanding exploit performed by him in the cause of building the army of Juche which will always remain shining together with the proud history of the Korean revolutionary armed forces.
    They also pointed out that leader Kim Jong Il clearly taught commanding officers of the people's army the revolutionary essence of the slogan and its requirements on that historical day and has worked heart and soul to strengthen and develop the people's army into revolutionary armed forces, each being a match for a hundred and provided dynamic guidance to the drive to this end for four decades.
    An appeal was adopted there.
    It called on the servicemen of all arms and services to be fully combat-ready so that they may promptly go into decisive actions once they are given an order by Supreme Commander Kim Jong Il.
    If the enemy invades the inviolable land, territorial air and waters of the country even 0.001 mm, the KPA will deal deadly blows at the aggressors and wipe them out to the last man, they warned.

Lunar New Year's Day in DPRK

     Pyongyang, February 1 (KCNA) --The Lunar New Year's Day has been grandly celebrated in Korea from olden times. Flags of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and red banners are fluttering on flagpoles in Pyongyang and local areas.
    Major streets, industrial establishments and offices in the capital are bedecked with such words as "2003", "New Year's Greeting", "Juche Character" and "National Character", big lanterns and electric decorations.
    On the morning of the New Year's Day, people of all social strata including servicemen, youth and students visited the Kumsusan Memorial Palace to pay homage to President Kim Il Sung and laid floral baskets and flowers before his statues on Mansu Hill in Pyongyang and local areas.
    New Year celebrations and art performances were given at theatres and houses of culture across the country by national and local art troupes, working people's organizations, institutions, enterprises and farms.
    Folk games including tug of war, seesaw and yut have been organized in industrial establishments and cooperative farms. An exhibition performance of folk plays was given by schoolchildren from different parts of the country at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang and kite-flying, shuttlecock, sledging and other folk amusements have been held at primary and middle schools in the city.
    Public catering establishments throughout the country are serving Korean foods including rice-cake soup, glutinous rice-cake and pancake.

Experimental overland excursion and tour of Mt. Kumgang to start

     Pyongyang, February 1 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the Korean Asia-Pacific Peace Committee released a statement on January 31. The statement says:
    The recent adoption and effectuation of the interim agreement between the inter-Korean military authorities on providing a military guarantee for the passage through the temporary road opened to traffic the military demarcation line, which has been a symbol of division and confrontation for more than half a century, and the historic cause of reconnecting the divided territory has reached the phase of accomplishment.
    This has made it possible to promote inter-Korean cooperation, including the tour of Mt. Kumgang and the construction of Kaesong Industrial Zone, in full swing.
    This is ascribable to the joint strenuous efforts of the committee and Hyundai Asan.
    We would like to organize an experimental excursion and tour of Mt. Kumgang from Feb. 4 to 14 and suggest that president Jong Mong Hon and managing director Kim Yun Gu of Hyundai Asan who are responsible for the tour and the construction of the industrial zone kindly lead those who will pass through the road.
    It is the consistent stand of the committee to steadily promote inter-Korean cooperation in the spirit of the June 15 Inter-Korean Joint Declaration.

Homage paid to President Kim Il Sung

     Pyongyang, February 1 (KCNA) -- Servicepersons and people from all walks of life paid homage to President Kim Il Sung at the Kumsusan Memorial Palace today, the Lunar New Year's Day, Juche 92 (2003). They paid high tribute toward his statue. In the hall where the president lies in state for perpetuity they bowed to him in humble reverence, looking back with deep emotion on his undying revolutionary exploits.
    They looked round the image of the president with a sunny smile and bronze relives in the mourning hall and a train he used during on-site guidance and foreign tour and his car in the last period of his life.

National speed skating contests for "Jongilbong Cup"

     Pyongyang, January 31 (KCNA) -- The 29th national speed skating contests of school youth and children for "Jongilbong Cup" took place in Hyesan, Ryanggang Province, on the occasion of the birthday of the Kim Il Sung Socialist Youth League. The contests were held from Jan. 26 to 29, divided into primary school and middle school sections.
    The first place was taken respectively by Majon Middle School in Sinuiju, North Phyongan Province (boys and girls) in the middle school section and by Pyongyang Kangan Primary School (boys) and Pyongyang Namsin Primary School (girls) in the primary school section.

Anti-U.S. posters produced

     Pyongyang, January 31 (KCNA) -- Newly produced posters are seen in the streets and villages of the DPRK. These posters of high ideological and artistic value were created by artists of the Mansudae Art Studio and the Central Fine Art Studio shortly after the DPRK Government issued a statement on withdrawing from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
    The works encourage the people's army and people of the DPRK in the confrontation with the U.S.
    Most of them call for a sacred struggle to smash the U.S. imperialists' moves to isolate and stifle the DPRK and defend the dignity of the DPRK and the nation's right to existence.
    Among them are posters titled "The Withdrawal from NPT is the DPRK's Legitimate Self-Defence Measure" and "Let Us Defend the Sovereignty, Right to Existence and Dignity of the Country and the Nation in a Do-or-Die Spirit".
    Attracting the visitors' attention are posters depicting the fighting spirit and will of the people's army and people of the DPRK to wipe out the U.S. imperialists under the ever-victorious banner of the army-based policy.
    Typical of them are posters captioned "severe punishment to the U.S. imperialists" and "react to pressure with a heavy blow and to military strikes with merciless punishment".
    Also on display are posters warning the U.S. imperialists that they would be sternly judged by history for persistently pursuing a hostile policy toward the DPRK.
    Posters reflect the revolutionary determination of the Korean people to drive the U.S. imperialists out of South Korea and achieve the historic cause of national reunification.

U.S high-handed practice

     Pyongyang, January 31 (KCNA) -- The United States is not only the wrecker and violator of the world peace and security but a high-handed country. It has used to threaten the world with dollar and nuclear weapons.
    It is the United States that used nuclear bombs and has the largest nuclear arsenal in the world.
    After gaining colossal profits from World War II, it pursued a policy of "aid" to use military and economic potentials of European capitalist countries for its preparations of a new aggression war.
    From that time, it has engaged in high-handed practice and arbitrariness, fancying itself to be a superpower.
    It has resorted to economic sanctions and military attacks against sovereign states out of its favor, under the "name" of the United Nations.
    It has also interfered in internal affairs of other countries under various pretexts, misleading world public opinions. When it invades other countries, it inveigles other nations into the war to avoid its own human and financial losses.
    It is also the United States that sets other nations, races and states at odds, causing disputes and wars in different regions of the world.
    For the sake of its interests, it did not hesitate to reject the Tokyo protocol and the establishment of an international criminal tribunal, unilaterally withdrew from the anti-ballistic missile treaty and is going ahead with a missile defence system.
    But the days have already gone when the United States could have the world under its thumb.
    Not only the world progressive people but also U.S. allies object to the U.S. unilateral military policy and war preparations for world supremacy.
    At this juncture, the statement issued by the government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea on the country's withdrawal from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty was a bomb-like declaration pungently accusing the United States of its arrogant, brazen-faced and high-handed practice.
    It is due to the U.S. Korea policy that the DPRK has suffered from national division, economic sanctions, isolation and blockade for more than half a century.
    The U.S. high-handed practice and arbitrariness, however, cannot work on the Korean army and people who value independence more than anything else.
    The United States should renounce the anachronistic anti-DPRK policy and truly seek world peace and security.

Anecdote about Kim Jong Il

     Pyongyang, January 31 (KCNA) -- In mid-march Juche 70 (1981), Kim Jong Il saw a design for dwelling houses to be built in place of old ones in a street of the capital. He asked officials when the project would start.
    They answered that it was planned to complete the ground work in dry days of spring.
    He said the demolition of old houses in the dry season would raise dust and it would be harmful to many passers-by because the new residential quarters were located in a big street.
    He then said it would be good for the sake of people's health to pull down the old buildings in a rainy season though it would affect the period of the project.

More details of Japan's forcible drafting of Koreans disclosed

     Pyongyang, January 31 (KCNA) -- It was recently disclosed by the reinvestigation into the military documents of the Japanese imperialists that they forcibly drafted over 8.4 million young and middle-aged Koreans to meet the need for the military and labor forces to carry out their war to invade the continent. Before the disclosure the number of those was known to be over 6 million.
    After occupying Korea, the Japanese imperialists forcibly drafted young and middle-aged Koreans to force them to work like slaves as part of the preparations to invade the continent and the Pacific War and used them as cannon fodder in battlefields and brutally killed them. Moreover, they took away Korean women as "comfort women for the army" to force them into sexual slavery, violating their chastity and murdering them in cold blood.
    All sorts of monstrous crimes committed by the Japanese imperialists against humanity after forcibly drafting so many Koreans are the biggest crimes in human history. Japan should, therefore, redeem those wrongdoings without fail.
    The Korean people will never forget their bitter grudge against the Japanese imperialists but force Japan to pay for its crimes come what may.

Lunar New Year's Day celebrated

     Pyongyang, January 31 (KCNA) -- School youth and children met in the Central Youth Hall on Jan. 31 to celebrate the Lunar New Year's Day. The meeting was titled "Our New Year's Day will last forever amid spring scenery of February." Presented at the meeting were chorus "Our General is the Best", tale and chorus "General and Children", dances "Dance of Korean Wrestling" and "Dance with Decorative Tassels", a Janggo solo "Hoeyang Nilliri" and other colorful numbers. The performers successfully represented the blossoming talents and happy life of the youngsters in the era of the army-based policy.
    Children's folk games added festivity to the celebration.
    There was also a cheerful dancing party.
    Present at the celebration were senior officials of the party, state and army, leading officials of ministries of the DPRK Cabinet and national institutions, working people's organizations, labor innovators, officials and members of the Kim Il Sung Socialist Youth League and schoolchildren in the city.

Kim Jong Il inspects KPA unit

     Pyongyang, January 31 (KCNA) - General Secretary Kim Jong Il Friday inspected KPA unit 243. He was accompanied by KPA generals Ri Myong Su, Hyon Chol Hae and Pak Jae Gyong.
    He was greeted on the spot by the commanding officers of the unit.
    After acquainting himself with the performance of the unit's duty, he was guided by the commander of the unit to see the room for the education in the revolutionary history and watch the training of servicemen of the unit.
    He set forth important tasks which would serve as guidelines in further increasing the combat capability of the unit, greatly satisfied to see all the servicemen trained as indomitable fighters capable of wiping out the aggressors by resolute and merciless blows.
    Then he took warm care of the living of the servicemen, looking round an education room, bedroom, mess, washroom, store, outdoor resting place and other entertainment and logistic facilities of its sub-unit.
    The next leg of his inspection was the sub-unit honored with the title of O Jung Hup's 7th regiment under the unit.
    Looking round several places of the unit, he got familiar with details of servicemen's work and life.
    He dropped in at an education room where he showed profound loving care for servicemen, asking about their age, birthplaces and their life in the army and personally examining their uniforms.
    He gave a pair of binoculars and an automatic rifle to them as gifts and had a photograph taken with them.
    At the end of the inspection he enjoyed a performance given by an art squad of the unit together with its servicemen and families of its officers.

For Spanish-speaking people

kim jong il inspecciona la unidad no. 243 del epc

     pyongyang, el primero de febrero (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 inspecciono el 31 de enero la unidad no. 243 del epc. los miembros directivos de la unidad le acogieron en el mismo lugar.
    el comandante supremo se entero del estado del cumplimiento de mision de la unidad y guiado por el jefe de esta, recorrio la sala de educacion de reliquias historicas de la revolucion.
    vio un ejercicio de manejo de canones de los militares de la unidad. se mostro muy satisfecho de que todos los militares han crecido como invencibles combatientes capaces de aniquilar de un solo golpe a los agresores y presento las tareas programaticas que sirven de guia para fortalecer mas la combatividad de la unidad.
    acto seguido, recorrio la sala de educacion, el dormitorio, el comedor, el bano, el almacen, el lugar de descanso al aire libre y otras instalaciones de cultura, educacion e intendencia de la subunidad subordinada directamente a la unidad y presto gran atencion a la vida de los militares.
    el dirigente dejo como recuerdo binoculos y un fusil automatico a los militares de la subunidad y se fotografio junto a oficiales y soldados de la unidad.
    luego, el comandante supremo inspecciono una unidad ganadora del titulo de septimo regimiento de o jung hup de la unidad.
    al recorrer varios lugares de la unidad se entero en detalle de la labor y la vida de los militares.
    se reunio con los militares de la unidad, pregunto sus edades, tierras natales y vida militar y les dispenso inmenso amor y benevolencia viendo el estado de sus vestidos.
    dejo como recuerdo binoculos y un fusil automatico a los militares de la unidad y se fotografio junto a estos.
    luego de terminar la inspeccion el comandante supremo presencio una funcion de propaganda artistica de la unidad junto con los militares y sus familiares.
    le acompanaron los generales de ejercito del epc ri myong su, hyon chol hae y pak jae gyong.