DPRK-U.S. negotiations based on equality and confidence called for

     Pyongyang, March 18 (KCNA) -- The United States should have a proper stand and approach toward the DPRK-U.S. direct talks, well aware of the importance of the talks and the impact they will have on the efforts to ensure world peace and security and the development of the international situation, says Rodong Sinmun today in a signed commentary. It goes on: If the DPRK and the United States are to sit face to face for negotiations it is necessary to create an atmosphere for them.
    What is most important for this is that the U.S. should drop its hostile policy toward the DPRK.
    The military drill launched by the United States is incompatible with dialogue.
    Such saber-rattling of the U.S. only stokes confrontation between the DPRK and the U.S.
    The nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula is a very acute and crucial matter related to who beats whom. Therefore, there can be no unilateral concession and compromise under anyone's pressure.
    This issue can be settled only through the DPRK-U.S. direct negotiations strictly based on the principle of impartiality, equality and confidence.
    How the U.S. will approach the direct talks with the DPRK is a yardstick telling whether it is willing to settle the nuclear issue or not and showing its stand and attitude toward war and peace.
    There is no change in our principled stand to settle the pending issues between the DPRK and U.S. through direct talks and the DPRK is working hard to that end. The direct talks and the conclusion of a non-aggression treaty between the DPRK and the U.S. serve as the master key to settling the sensitive pending issues between them.
    The ball is in the U.S. court, not in the DPRK's court.

Japan warned not to behave impertinently

     Pyongyang, March 18 (KCNA) -- Japan released a "diplomatic blue paper for 2003," dealing with its diplomatic policy and orientation for this year. In the paper Japan even "advised the DPRK to take concrete action including refreeze of its nuclear facilities and immediate scrapping of the nuclear program." In this regard Minju Joson Tuesday says in a signed commentary:
    Before commenting on the Japanese authorities' stand on the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, we can not but express disgust at the imprudent behavior of Japan which does not know where it stands now.
    The nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula is not an issue which admits of any third party's meddling. In view of its origin and nature, it can be solved only when the U.S., the author of the issue, and the DPRK, the direct party concerned, sit face to face for sincere negotiations.
    Japan's imprudent act pursuant to the U.S. hostile policy towards the DPRK is only intended to peddle in the issue in a bid to improve its image and fish in troubled waters.
    There is no need for Japan to say this or that about the matter as the DPRK and the U.S. are quite capable of handling it. If Japan keeps acting rashly as regards the issue, refusing to face up to the reality, it will have to pay dearly for its misbehaviour.

10 years spent by former unconverted long-term prisoner in DPRK

     Pyongyang, March 18 (KCNA) --10 years have passed since the repatriation of Ri In Mo, incarnation of faith and will, to the DPRK. The moment he was crossing the military demarcation line, some predicted that he would not remain alive for more than 20 days. But he has spent over 3,600 days since then.
    He remained true to his revolutionary principle for 34 years of his prison life. But this fact was not known to the world till Juche 78 (1989) when his memoirs was carried by a publication of South Korea.
    He was repatriated to the socialist homeland on March 19, Juche 82 (1993), 4 years later.
    When he was coming back to the north as a disabled man, he said that he had nothing but faith and respect for President Kim Il Sung and General Secretary Kim Jong Il.
    The strong mainstay that helped Ri survive a 34-year-long life behind bars was his absolute faith and reverence for the leaders.
    The multi-part Korean feature film "the nation and destiny" (parts 11, 12 and 13) truthfully depicts his spiritual world.
    After his return to the north, he wrote such words of songs as "led by you, we will win," "ode to faith and will" and "thought of love".
    These songs reflecting the firm faith and will that we will surely emerge victorious as long as we advance with the absolute worship of Kim Jong Il under his leadership grip the hearts of the servicemen and people of the DPRK.
    Ri In Mo is leading a happy life, adding shine to his honour as a revolutionary under the care of the DPRK.

Day of Buddha's Nirvana commemorated

     Pyongyang, March 18 (KCNA) -- Buddhist memorial services were held at temples in different parts of the DPRK on March 17 on the day of Buddha's Nirvana of 2547 b. e. The services were attended by office bearers of the central committee of the Korean Buddhist Federation and its provincial, city and county committees and chief priests, monks and Buddhists of temples concerned. Memorial rituals were followed by speeches.
    The speakers called on the Buddhists to actively contribute to the work for the prosperity of the country through various rewarding activities, noting that they are commemorating the day of Buddha's Nirvana when all the people of the country are vigorously accelerating the march to build a powerful nation to significantly celebrate this year, the 55th anniversary of the DPRK.
    The speakers renewed the firm will of all the Buddhists in the north, south and overseas to unite on the basis of Buddha's mercy and conduct practical actions to resolutely smash the U.S. imperialists' evermore undisguised moves to ignite a new war and achieve national reunification by the concerted efforts of the Korean nation.

Socialist system of Korea

     Pyongyang, March 18 (KCNA) --The socialist system of Korea is a man-centered social system. All the lines and policies pursued by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea are shaped on the principle that the popular masses are the masters of everything and everything serves them.
    The government takes care of the people, fully responsible for their living.
    It supplies the people with all conditions for food, clothing and housing.
    They enjoy free and universal medical treatment and free education.
    Rest homes, sanatorium and camps have been built in scenic spots for free recreation and medical care of working people and schoolchildren.
    Such popular policies of the Workers' Party of Korea and the government were invariable even in the 1990s when the country was in hard time due to the imperialists' persistent efforts to isolate and stifle it, and repeated natural disasters.
    The educational work steadily developed under the care of the government and medical services were not uninterrupted in hospitals and clinics in all parts of the country.
    The economic situation was very serious in those days.
    However, the price directly related to the people's living such as the house rent and the price of basic foodstuff and consumer goods remained unchanged.
    In the hard time, the people keenly felt that their socialist system was the best one in the world and they could not live without receiving benefits from the government.
    The facts clearly prove that the socialist system based on popular masses is a social system that is fully responsible for their destiny not only under favorable circumstances but in hard time.
    They, deeply aware of the advantages and valuableness of their socialist system through their experience, are ready to defend it at the cost of their lives, regarding it as their life and soul.

KCNA refutes U.S. senior officials' remarks about DPRK's "possible provocation"

     Pyongyang, March 18 (KCNA) -- Mandarins of the Bush administration and its brasshats have warned that there would be such "provocation by North Korea" as a missile launch during the U.S.-South Korea Rsoi to start on March 19, according to the March 13 issue of the Los Angeles Times. This is nothing but very shameless and deceptive sophism of the U.S. intended to lay at the door of the DPRK the blame for having driven the military situation on the Korean Peninsula to an extreme pitch of tension in a bid to provoke a war against the DPRK.
    The U.S. is mobilizing hundreds of thousands of troops of the U.S. and South Korea and all types of nuclear attack means and equipment of the three services including f-117 stealth fighters and carrier Carl Vinson for the Foal Eagle and Rsoi war exercises and thus increasing the danger of a nuclear war on the Korean Peninsula.
    No wonder, foreign media noted with concern that this is an unprecedented amassing of ultra modern combat forces.
    The U.S. reckless war exercises are an escalation of its aggressive and adventurous military actions against the DPRK to seek a military solution to the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula.
    The gravity and danger of the current military exercises lie in that they are aimed to mount a preemptive attack on the DPRK's nuclear facilities.
    The U.S. is staging the Foal Eagle in combination with Rsoi in a foolish attempt to stifle the DPRK by force at any cost.
    The maneuvers go so far beyond the scale of the team spirit unanimously condemned by the Korean and other peace-loving people of the world for being a test nuclear war, a preliminary war against the DPRK.
    The U.S. is opting for a nuclear war against the DPRK after throwing away its deceptive signboard of a "peaceful settlement" of the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula. Yet, it is talking about someone's possible "provocation". This is no more than the American-style brigandish logic reminiscent of a guilty party filing the suit first.
    The U.S. escalated moves for a new war compel the people and people's army of the DPRK to further heighten the revolutionary vigilance. They are fully ready to go into action to wipe out the aggressors at one stroke by powerful self-defensive means.

Rodong Sinmun on national tradition

     Pyongyang, March 18 (KCNA) -- To glorify the national tradition is needed to defend and embody the national character on a nation-wide scale, says Rodong Sinmun today in a signed article. It is because the national tradition is based on the national character and embodying it, the paper says, and goes on:
    The U.S. imperialists' moves for "globalization of culture" aiming to stamp out the national character of other countries and infuse the American way of life into them are becoming more undisguised in South Korea. In smashing the vicious moves of the U.S. imperialists and preserving and defending the peculiar beautiful manners, customs and etiquette of the nation, it is very important to preserve and embody the national tradition in all fields of social life in the northern half of Korea. When the Korean people carry forward, encourage and disseminate the national tradition the national character will prevail throughout the country.
    The national tradition is now being well preserved and embodied in all fields of social life amid the public concern under the wise leadership of Kim Jong Il.

Manifestation of firm will for reunification

     Pyongyang, March 18 (KCNA) -- The conference of north and south Korean workers, which was recently held in Pyongyang as the result of the great vitality of the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration, marked a significant occasion in powerfully demonstrating again at home and abroad the firm will of the North and South Korean workers to implement the declaration to the letter and achieve the cause of national reunification. Rodong Sinmun says this today in a signed commentary.
    The conference discussed the fighting tasks of workers and adopted a declaration of the north and South Korean workers for reunification in an effort to implement the joint declaration, the paper notes, and goes on:
    Workers from the north and the south of Korea got together and discussed substantial measures for defending the destiny of the nation and implementing the joint declaration at a time when grave situation is prevailing in the Korean Peninsula. So the labour movement organizations in the north and south expressed their firm will to achieve reunification of the country and the nation by national cooperation, not by "cooperation" with foreign forces.
    The conference was praised and hailed by the fellow countrymen as it declared that it would discharge its class mission and role as the main force of implementing the joint declaration and achieving independent reunification of the nation so as to promote the development of the national reunification movement.
    This proves that the joint declaration has been enshrined in the hearts of the fellow countrymen as a milestone of national reunification and their desire and will to achieve national reunification through national cooperation in the idea of "By Our Nation Itself" are as firm as a rock.

Anniversary of DPRK-Russia Agreement marked

     Pyongyang, March 18 (KCNA) -- Minju Joson today dedicates a signed article to the 54th anniversary of the conclusion of the agreement on economic and cultural cooperation between the DPRK and Russia (march 17, 1949). The conclusion of the agreement between the governments of the DPRK and the former Soviet Union marked a significant event that provided an important legal framework and a historic tradition in the development of friendly relations between the two countries, the article says, and notes:
    Since the conclusion of the agreement economic and cultural cooperation and exchange have steadily developed between the two countries. Cooperation and exchange have been boosted in economy and culture between the DPRK and Russia in recent years in particular.
    Such daily expanding and developing economic and cultural cooperation and exchange between the two countries are a result of a series of meetings and talks between the top leaders of the two countries. The two governments and peoples discussed specific measures to boost the economic and cultural cooperation according to the new milestone provided for the development of the DPRK-Russia relations through visits and contacts of their delegations and are putting them into practice.
    Externally, Russia is developing friendly and cooperative relations with various countries while increasing its say and influence to combat the evermore undisguised high-handed practices and terrorism in the international arena.
    The Korean people set store by the friendly relations with Russia, its close neighbor, and are striving to boost them.
    They wish the Russian people fresh success in their efforts to build a powerful state, believing that the friendly relations between the DPRK and Russia would more favorably develop in the future.

Special envoy of U.N. Secretary General and his party here

     Pyongyang, March 18 (KCNA) -- Moris Strong, special envoy of the U.N. Secretary General and his party arrived here today. They were met at the airport by an official concerned and the U.N. resident coordinator and the resident representative of the UNDP.

Joint meeting of DPRK Government, political parties and organizations held

     Pyongyang, March 18 (KCNA) -- A joint meeting of the government, political parties and organizations of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea took place at the People's Palace of Culture on Tuesday. The meeting discussed immediate measures to protect the sovereignty of the nation and peace through national cooperation.
    Present there were Yang Hyong Sop, vice-President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, Kim Yong Sun, Secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, Jo Chang Dok, vice-Premier of the Cabinet, Kim Yong Dae, chairman of the Central Committee of the Korean Social Democratic Party, Ryu Mi Yong, chairwoman of the Central Committee of the Chondoist Chongu Party, and others.
    Yang Hyong Sop in a report said that the situation on the Korean Peninsula is the worst since the cease-fire in Korea due to the U.S. moves. The danger of a nuclear war increasing hourly on the Korean Peninsula requires all the Koreans at home and abroad to carry out an urgent national task for shattering the U.S. war moves and protecting the sovereignty of the nation and the peace of the country through national cooperation, he noted.
    Saying that the danger of war comes from the U.S., not from the north and the south, he went on:
    Now that there exists on the Korean Peninsula the confrontation between the whole Korean nation and the united states, all Koreans should unite and turn out as one to get the U.S. troops and their nuclear weapons and all other lethal weapons withdrawn from South Korea.
    As an immediate action all the fellow countrymen should launch a vigorous struggle to check the DPRK-targeted military exercises being staged by the U.S. and the South Korean belligerent forces after amassing their aggression armed forces in and around the Korean Peninsula under the pretext of the "nuclear issue".
    The fellow countrymen in the north, the south and abroad should let this year provide a decisive occasion of boosting national cooperation.
    We should implement the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration to the letter from the firm independent stand that the Korean nation goes its own way no matter how the situation may change.
    Pro-reunification patriotic organizations are still labeled as "enemy-benefiting" ones and excluded from the nation's common functions in South Korea though it will be three years since the publication of the joint declaration. This reality is souring the atmosphere of national reconciliation and unity and laying big obstacles in the way of national cooperation.
    Activities of pro-reunification patriotic organizations and figures should no longer be called into question or become a target of suppression for the mere reason that they have differing ideology and religious belief in the era of national cooperation.
    Noting that the army-based policy of the DPRK provides the surest guarantee for protecting the dignity and sovereignty of the whole nation, averting a war and defending peace, the reporter stressed that all the Koreans should positively support, defend and uphold the great army-based policy with ardent patriotism.
    The report was followed by speeches.
    Then an appeal to the 70 million Koreans was adopted at the meeting.
    The appeal called for upholding the joint declaration as the only signpost for hewing out the destiny and positively contribute to its implementation no matter how undisguised outside forces become in their interference and how complicated the situation gets.
    It called upon the South Korean people to keep burning the anti-U.S. candles already held high and more valiantly turn out in the decisive anti-U.S. resistance to retake the trampled-down dignity and sovereignty.
    Noting that signing a non-aggression treaty between the DPRK and the U.S. provides a substantial guarantee for preventing a war on the Korean Peninsula and ensuring its peace, the appeal called upon all the Koreans to come out in the nationwide struggle to get the treaty concluded.
    Calling for fully realizing national cooperation in the idea of "By Our Nation Itself", the appeal said:
    We propose to hold a grand national pro-reunification festival to be participated in by representatives from all walks of life in the north and the south and abroad in time-honored Pyongyang on the occasion of the third anniversary of the publication of the historic joint declaration.
    And we earnestly suggest that functions for national reunification be briskly held to promote harmony and solidarity between workers, peasants, youth and students, women, intellectuals, media persons, religionists and other compatriots of all other social standings in the north and the south on the occasion of the August 15 liberation day, the foundation day of Korea and other anniversaries common to the nation.

Spokesman for DPRK Foreign Ministry on rumor about its possible missile launch

     Pyongyang, March 18 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the DPRK Foreign Ministry answered a question put by KCNA on Tuesday as regards rumors about the DPRK's possible missile launch afloat in the United States and Japan: There are rumors in the U.S. and Japan that North Korea may launch a ballistic missile again.
    The Japanese authorities and some political circles even asserted that if North Korea launches a ballistic missile, it should be "intercepted" or "sanctions" should be applied against North Korea.
    It was reported that military hardware has been actually deployed in waters off the DPRK to monitor and intercept missile to be launched.
    Lurking behind this is a sinister attempt.
    Japan will reportedly launch for the first time a spy satellite by use of its indigenously developed large delivery rocket H-2a on March 28.
    It also intends to introduce the Missile Defense System (MD) being pushed by the U.S. in a bid to establish it throughout Japan in real earnest.
    The DPRK is the only country to which Japan is hostile among its neighbors.
    Therefore, Japan's sending a spy satellite into space and establishing the MD is a hostile act against the DPRK and poses a grave threat to it.
    The DPRK-Japan Pyongyang Declaration calls on both sides to refrain from threatening each other.
    If Japan pulls up the DPRK over its missile issue to justify Japan's use of the spy satellite and introduction of the MD, this cannot be interpreted as a sincere attitude toward the Pyongyang declaration.
    The declaration remains valid only when it is respected by both sides.
    There is no law allowing Japan to send a satellite into space and banning the DPRK from doing so.

For Spanish-speaking people

actos por dia de nirvana de buda

     pyongyang, 18 de marzo (atcc) -- los actos por el dia de nirvana de buda, 2547 e b (era budista) tuvieron lugar el dia 17 en todas las iglesias de la republica popular democratica de corea. participaron los clerigos del comite central y los comites provincial, ciudadano y distrital de la federacion de budistas de corea, los sacerdotes superiores, monjes y creyentes de las iglesias correspondientes.
    los oradores dijeron que conmemoran el dia de nirvana de la buda cuando todos los habitantes del pais aceleran con vigor la construccion de la gran potencia prospera para festejar significativamente este ano el 55 aniversario de la fundacion de la rpdc y anadieron que tambien los budistas deben desplegar diversas actividades utiles que contribuyen activamente al fortalecimiento y la prosperidad de la patria.
    manifestaron la firme decision de los budistas del norte y el sur y en ultramar de unirse y levantarse en las acciones practicas para frustrar tajantemente las recrudescentes maniobras de provocacion de una nueva guerra de los imperialistas norteamericanos y lograr la reunificacion del pais con las fuerzas unidas de la nacion coreana.

estamos enteramente listos para el combate - comentario de atcc -

     pyongyang, 18 de marzo (atcc) -- segun el periodico norteamericano "los angeles times" del dia 13 los altos funcionarios de la administracion bush y del circulo militar hicieron una "advertencia" de que habra la "provocacion de norcorea" incluyendo el lanzamiento de misil durante el "ejercicio conjunto de refuerzo para el tiempo de guerra" ee.uu.-sudcorea que se iniciara el dia 19. esto es un sofisma descarado y enganoso para imputar de antemano a la republica popular democratica de corea la responsabilidad de su pais que lleva la situacion militar de la peninsula coreana al borde de la guerra tratando de provocar la guerra de agresion a ella.
    ahora, bajo el pretexto del simulacro "aguilucho" y el ejercicio arriba mencionado ee.uu. agrava mas la crisis de guerra nuclear de la peninsula coreana movilizando cientos de miles de efectivos norteamericanos y sudcoreanos, diversos medios y equipos de ataque nuclear de las fuerzas terrestres, maritimas y aereas, en particular los cazas stealth "f-117" y el portaaviones "carl vinson".
    no es casual jamas la preocupacion de los cables extranjeros por "la movilizacion extraordinaria de las fuerzas militares de punta".
    todos los temerarios ejercicios belicos de ee.uu. son una escalada de su accion militar agresiva y aventurera contra la rpdc, tendente a solucionar de manera militar el problema nuclear de la peninsula.
    en particular, la gravedad y la peligrosidad de los presentes ejercicios militares residen en que ee.uu. acecha una oportunidad de dar golpe anticipado a las instalaciones nucleares de la rpdc.
    la efectuacion simultanea del simulacro "aguilucho" y el "ejercicio conjunto de refuerzo para el tiempo de guerra" es la revelacion de la intencion operacional de aplastar por la fuerza la rpdc al desplegarlos en un tamano mucho mas grande que "team spirit", guerra preliminar y de ensayo nuclear para la agresion al norte, que en el pasado fue objeto de la unanime condenacion del pueblo de corea y los demas paises del mundo amantes de la paz.
    ee.uu. se quito hasta la mascara de la "solucion pacifica" del problema nuclear de la peninsula coreana y tomo sin vacilacion el camino de la provocacion de guerra nuclear de agresion al norte, pero descaradamente habla de la posibilidad de la "provocacion de alguien". esto no pasa de ser una logica gangsteril de ee.uu. que se desganita gritando "fuego".
    en las condiciones en que ee.uu. actua rabiosamente para la provocacion de una nueva guerra, el pueblo y el ejercito de corea elevan mas la vigilancia revolucionaria y apoyandose en la poderosa capacidad autodefensiva hacen todos los preparativos para aniquilar de un solo golpe a los agresores.