KCNA Blasts Japan's Arms Buildup

     Pyongyang, August 12 (KCNA) -- The Defense Agency of Japan on Aug. 4 reportedly decided to introduce a "helicopter carrier" and is going to include spending for it in the next year's budget. It also decided to include expenses amounting to 100 billion Yen for the purchase and improvement of "Patriot" missile of a new type in the budget in order to deploy it next year under the pretext of "defending the Capital" as part of the preparations for introducing the "missile defence system."
    The next year's budget of Japan will comprise spending for the improvement of Aegis ships to be equipped with sea-launched interceptor missiles. Japan plans to spend a huge amount of fund for 4 years for improving all the 4 Aegis ships it has in place.
    This fact indicates that having embarked upon the road of overseas troops dispatch in real earnest with the backing of the U.S. in the wake of the September 11 incident Japan is speeding up the arms buildup for a war of aggression.
    Japan's reckless arms buildup and its moves to become a military power not only escalate the tensions on the Korean peninsula but pose a great threat to the peace and security in Northeast Asia and other regions.
    Though Japan has always talked about somebody's "threat," the nature of its frantic arms buildup and its alarming scale go to prove that Japan is, indeed, chiefly to blame for stoking arms race in the Asia-Pacific region.
    Despite its prolonged economic stagnation Japan is rushing into reckless arms buildup. It is clear to everyone that this is intended to re-invade Korea and the rest of Asia.
    The Japanese authorities incited war atmosphere, while adopting a decision to launch more spy satellites for espionage against the DPRK recently. They called for "being on high alert as the international situation remains serious." This clearly indicates how desperately they are working to seize an opportunity and invent a pretext for launching reinvasion.

Rally and Demonstration of S. Korean Students

     Pyongyang, August 12 (KCNA) -- Students under the South Korean Federation of University Student Councils (Hanchongryon) held a rally in front of the U.S. embassy in Seoul on August 9, according to south Korean MBC. They expressed indignation at the fact that the U.S. military and the "government" claimed in reference to the demonstration of Hanchongryon at a shooting range of the U.S. forces on August 7 that students threatened the lives of GIs and south Koreans.
    It is the U.S. troops creating the war crisis in the Korean peninsula that threatens the lives of the Korean nation, they said, strongly demanding that the measure for "severe punishment" of the demonstrators be cancelled at once.
    Meanwhile, more than 80 students of the Hanchongryon reunification vanguard staged a demonstration in front of the Uijongbu Police Station in demand of the release of the fellow students who were taken to the police station during their demonstration condemning the war exercise of the U.S. Striker force.

Meeting of Juche Idea Study Groups in Venezuela

     Pyongyang, August 12 (KCNA) -- A meeting of Juche idea study groups of Venezuela was held in Barquisimeto on August 1. At the meeting the issue of denouncing the U.S. moves for aggression and expressing solidarity with the Korean people was raised as an agenda item and a report and speeches on it were made.
    The reporter and speakers laid stress on laying bare the U.S. hostile policy toward the DPRK to stifle its socialism under the pretext of the "nuclear issue" and its danger and intensifying the movement for solidarity with the Korean people.
    According to a resolution adopted at the meeting, they will make a document expressing solidarity with the Korean people in their struggle against U.S. imperialism, let different institutions and public figures sign it and carry it in the press media of Venezuela.
    They will introduce the reality of the DPRK, open e-mail exposing the danger of the U.S. moves for aggression and print and disseminate explanation books so that workers and peasants may understand the reality of Korea.
    Radio and TV broadcasting and the press will enlist more friends of Korea and bring the Juche idea and the reality of Korea home to them.
    A chair of Korea will be reopened at university institutes for studying the reality of Korea be set up at other universities from October.
    A newspaper will be published to impart the reality, history and culture of Korea and expose the U.S. moves for aggression.

U.S. Urged to Make Switchover in Its Korea Policy

     Pyongyang, August 12 (KCNA) -- A solution to the nuclear issue between the DPRK and the U.S. can hardly be expected unless the United States makes a switchover in its hostile policy toward the DPRK, declares Minju Joson today in a signed commentary as regards the six-party talks for the solution of the issue slated to open in Beijing soon. The commentary says:
    What is important is not the issue of whether the talks are opened or not but the U.S. will to settle the nuclear issue between the DPRK and the U.S.
    What is essential here is whether the United States has a will to make a switchover in its policy toward the DPRK.
    The U.S. has so far insisted only on the "multilateral talks," demanding the DPRK "scrap its nuclear program before dialogue" as regards the nuclear issue between the two countries.
    Now that the U.S.-proposed multilateral talks are expected to open, it should carry out what it should do to solve the nuclear issue.
    It is committed to make a switchover in its anachronistic policy toward the DPRK.
    Its persistent hostile policy toward the DPRK was a basic factor of the emergence of the nuclear issue between them and the present crisis created by its deterioration. The United States should face up to the reality and come out to the Beijing talks with a true will to make its Korea policy switchover.

Kim Jong Il Awarded Title of Honorary Citizen

     Pyongyang, August 12 (KCNA) -- Leader Kim Jong Il was awarded the title of honorary citizenship of Chiautempan City, Tlaxcala State, Mexico and presented with a gift from the city.
    The certificate of honorary citizen and the gift were handed to the DPRK ambassador to the country by Mayor of the city Ricardo Montiel Hernandez on Aug. 3.
    The mayor, when conveying them, said that the city office decided to award the title to Kim Jong Il in recognition of his contribution made to the development of the relations of friendship, solidarity and cooperation between Mexico and the DPRK.

U.S. Hit for Nuclear Threat to DPRK

     Pyongyang, August 12 (KCNA) -- Dasar Karadag, vice-chairman of the Turkey-DPRK Friendship Association who visited the DPRK, said one can not tolerate the brigandish logic that the U.S. may threaten any other country with many nukes and it is a crime for the DPRK to have a powerful deterrent force for self-defence. The DPRK has a legitimate right to defend itself as a dignified sovereign country, he noted, and continued:
    A nuclear issue surfaced on the Korean peninsula as the U.S. has deployed nukes in south Korea and threatened the DPRK with them.
    The DPRK withdrew from the NPT to protect its sovereignty and right to existence and solemnly declared its will to build up a powerful military deterrent force to cope with the undisguised nuclear threat of the U.S. This was a very just stance for self-defence.
    It is an empty talk to discuss on the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula under the situation where there is a potential U.S. threat to launch a nuclear attack on the DPRK and there is no guarantee for its security.
    The U.S. should not mock at the international community with the unreasonable brigandish and deceptive logic but withdraw nukes from south Korea and immediately stop its nuclear threat to the DPRK.

Suppression of Students in S. Korea Denounced

     Pyongyang, August 12 (KCNA) -- The Secretariat of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland Monday issued information bulletin No. 843 denouncing the vicious suppression of the students belonging to the South Korean Federation of University Student Councils (Hanchongryon) who broke into a drilling ground of a Striker brigade of the U.S. imperialist aggression forces and staged an anti-U.S. protest demanding the withdrawal of the U.S. forces and opposing war. The bulletin says:
    The commander of the U.S. forces in south Korea forced the south Korean authorities to take measures to prevent the recurrence of such incident by cracking down on the students, incriminating their just action against war exercises. And the Grand National Party chimed in, crying that the enemy-benefiting nature of Hanchongryon remains unchanged and there is a need to reexamine the issue of special pardon for Hanchongryon students on the want list.
    Meanwhile, the authorities, yielding to the U.S. pressure, ordered the arrest of all the protesters and, at "outstanding state policy coordination meeting", labeled the anti-U.S. demonstration of Hanchongryon students as "a serious anti-state act benefiting the enemy" and are raising a row for "tracking down the back-stage force, investigation and punishment," and for "tightened special guard around U.S. establishments."
    The fascist suppression of Hanchongryon students indicate not only the arbitrary and high-handed acts of the U.S. troops who lord it over in south Korea as the de facto master but the servile flunkeyism of the south Korean authorities blindly accepting the U.S. request and fawning on it, the bulletin says, adding:
    The south Korean authorities should stop at once the unjustifiable suppression of Hanchongryon students, lending an ear to the voices of the people asserting that it was just to stage a protest against the U.S. war exercises as they threaten the security of the people and peace of the country.

Japan Urged to Behave Itself

     Pyongyang, August 12 (KCNA) -- The Japanese government recently requested the U.S. to maintain the option to use military force against north Korea. This is little short of openly declaring to the world that it wants neither a peaceful solution to the nuclear issue between the DPRK and the U.S. nor the detente on the Korean peninsula, says Minju Joson today in a signed commentary.
    It goes on:
    The Japanese reactionaries' ambition for reinvasion remains unchanged even today. They regard the present situation on the Korean peninsula inching close to the brink of a war due to the nuclear stand-off between the DPRK and the U.S. as a good opportunity for realizing their ambition for reinvasion.
    If the Japanese reactionaries finally opt for using the DPRK-U.S. nuclear stand-off and the situation on the peninsula for attaining their sinister aim in defiance of the unanimous desire and demand of the world people, they will have to bear full responsibility for the ensuing consequences. In that case they will meet nothing but a miserable doom, much less the realization of their wild ambition for reinvasion.
    The Japanese government should face up to the reality and behave with discretion.
    Japan should not stand in the way of a peaceful settlement of the nuclear issue between the DPRK and the U.S., clearly understanding that it is essential for peace and security of Japan as well as those in the Korean peninsula.

Achievements in Forestry

     Pyongyang, August 12 (KCNA) -- Forestry workers of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea have made great achievements in the efforts to make a comprehensive and effective use of the country's rich forest resources and increase the timber production, encouraged by "On Further Developing Forestry", a historic letter of leader Kim Jong Il published in August Juche 81 (1992). Some time ago, the Ministry of Forestry established some 40 forestry stations and timber stations to provide a timber production capacity of hundreds of thousands of cubic metres.
    It has also employed various kinds of transport methods and means including rafting, cableway and logging railroad so as to consolidate the material and technical foundations for the simplification of the production processes and the comprehensive mechanization and modernization of the forest railway transport.
    Priority has been given to surveys of forest resources to find out new woodlands.
    According to data available at the ministry, more than 1,685,367,000 trees have been planted in 581,280 hectares of forests over the past ten years. And trees in 105,720 hectares of forests have been replaced with those of economic value. Computers have been introduced in management activities and more than 3,000 scientific and technical inventions made for increased timber production.
    The Kanggye and Jonchon wood processing factories, the Musan and Hamju forestry machine factories, the Unsan Forest Power Saw Factory and other factories in the forestry sector have been modernized.

Pyongyang Cosmetics Factory Reconstructed

     Pyongyang, August 12 (KCNA) -- The Pyongyang Cosmetics Factory has begun to run at full capacity after its reconstruction on an expansion basis. Various kinds of Unhasu-branded cosmetics produced by it are popular among Pyongyang citizens for their good quality. Leader Kim Jong Il gave field guidance to this factory last week. Making the rounds of its modern production processes, he expressed satisfaction with the quality cosmetics.
    It, located in Phyongchon District, Pyongyang, covers 19,000 square meters. It has cosmetics, toothpaste, soap and other workshops.
    The skin cream, beauty wash, toothpaste and other articles the main ingredient of which is Kaesong Koryo insam (ginseng) are in great demand. Technicians or experts of the factory account for one fourth of the employees.

Korean People's Anti-U.S. Struggle Supported

     Pyongyang, August 12 (KCNA) -- Miguel Madeira, president of the World Federation of Democratic Youth, who visited the DPRK said that the Korean people are winning shining victory in their anti-U.S. struggle. Saying it is quite natural for the Korean people to build up a powerful military deterrent force to cope with the U.S. threat of invasion, he noted that the world peace-loving people were deeply impressed by the Korean people's efforts to achieve the peace and reunification of the country by the concerted efforts of the nation.
    Referring to the unique Songun policy pursued by leader Kim Jong Il, he said that the world public are well aware that thanks to the Songun policy peace could be preserved on the Korean peninsula and it greatly contributes to the world peace and security.
    He expressed firm belief that under the Songun revolutionary leadership of Kim Jong Il the Korean people would smash the U.S. imperialists' moves to provoke a new war and certainly reunify the country.

August 15 National Rally

     Pyongyang, August 12 (KCNA) -- The Korean nation's fervor for reunification is warmer than the sunshine in August. The Koreans in the north, south and abroad are showing deep interests in the "August 15 National Rally for Peace and Reunification" to be held with splendor in Pyongyang on the occasion of the August 15 liberation of the country.
    The rally to be held on the subject "On preventing a war and defending peace by adhering to and implementing the June 15 joint declaration with the concerted efforts of the nation" from August 14 to 17 will include colorful functions such as meetings, sports and amusement games and stage performances beside the main rally.
    It will be a significant occasion in demonstrating the united strength of the Korean nation to smash the U.S. imperialists' moves for nuclear war against the DPRK and certainly achieve the country's reunification, its historic desire. The festivals of national reunification have left clear marks on the history of the national reunification movement by displaying the rock-firm patriotic will of the 70 million fellow countrymen.
    The First Pan-National Rally for peace and reunification of the country took place in Pyongyang in August 13 years ago on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of the country's liberation.
    Since then joint reunification rallies of the nation were held in August every year. Notably, the 10th Pan-National Rally of Grand Reunification Festival in 1999 was the first political festival for the independence and great unity of the nation that realized the tripartite solidarity of Koreans in the north, south and overseas in the history of the nation's division.
    After the historic Pyongyang summit meeting and the publication of the June 15 joint declaration, the movement for national independence and reunification has covered the road of its development under the banner of "By our nation itself".
    Heated voices calling upon all the compatriots to pool their efforts and open a new history of the nation for independent reunification on this land rang out of the grand festivals of August 15 for reunification held in Pyongyang and Seoul in recent years.
    The venues of functions overflowing with confidence in hastening the advance toward independent reunification are an epitome of a reunified country.
    Delegates are coming to Pyongyang with the expectation that the August 15 national rally this year will be a significant and peculiar grand reunification festival to be conducive to accelerating national reunification.

Lao Delegation Here

     Pyongyang, August 12 (KCNA) -- A delegation of the Central Committee of the National Construction Front of Laos led by Sisavath Keobounphanh, member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and chairman of the C.C., the National Construction Front of Laos, arrived here today. It was met at the airport by Jo Kyu Il, director of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland, officials concerned and Lao Ambassador to the DPRK Chanpheng Sihaphom.

Greetings to General-Governor of Australia

     Pyongyang, August 12 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, yesterday sent a message of greetings to Michael Jeffery upon his appointment as general-governor of Australia. In the belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would grow stronger in the interests of the two peoples, the message wished him success in his work.

S. Korean Army Commits Military Provocation

     Pyongyang, August 12 (KCNA) -- The south Korean army today committed such a military provocation as bringing tanks to the verge of the Military Demarcation Line to take a firing posture at the north side, military sources said. At about 11:40. it brought two tanks from the in-depth area to the verge of Marker Nos. 1190 and 1195 of the MDL to uncover the tarpaulin and take a firing posture. And from about 12:25 to about 13:55 it brought two tanks to the verge of Marker No. 1180 of the MDL.
    Such an act cannot be construed otherwise than a premeditated provocation of the south Korean military to escalate the inter-Korean military tensions.
    The south Korean military authorities had better ponder over the dangerous consequences from their bringing tanks and other heavy weapons to the verge of the MDL.

For Spanish-speaking people

Kim Jong Il envia palabra de consuelo

     Pyongyang, 12 de agosto (ATCC) -- Con motivo del fallecimiento del senor Jong Mong Hon, presidente de la Firma Hyundai y Asan de Sudcorea, el dia 11, el Dirigente Kim Jong Il hizo que el Comite Coreano por la Paz de Asia y el Pacifico transmitiera sus cordiales palabras de consuelo a la esposa de Jong y al director de la firma Hyundai y Asan que vinieron al monte Kumgang para participar en el acto de condolencia. El Dirigente dijo que al enterarse del inesperado fallecimiento del senor Jong, sentia gran pena por haber perdido un hombre valioso, expreso su profundo pesame al respecto y envio palabras de consuelo a la esposa de Jong y al director Kim Yun Gyu.
    Al recibir estas palabras del Dirigente la esposa y el director le rindieron sus sinceros agradecimientos.

Kim Jong Il recibe titulo de ciudadano honorario y presente de Mexico

     Pyongyang, 12 de agosto (ATCC) -- La ciudad de Chiautempan del estado de Tlaxcala de Mexico otorgo al Dirigente Kim Jong Il el titulo de ciudadano honorario y le dirigio presente. Ricardo Montiel Hernandez, alcalde de Chiautempan entrego el dia 3 el certificado de ciudadano honorario y presente al embajador coreano en su pais.
    En la ocasion el alcalde subrayo que el ayuntamiento decidio otorgar el titulo de ciudadano honorario al camarada Kim Jong Il, gran Dirigente del pueblo coreano quien hizo aporte al desarrollo de las relaciones de amistad, solidaridad y cooperacion entre Mexico y Corea.

Sexta Exposicion Internacional de Mercancias de Pyongyang

     Pyongyang, 12 de agosto (ATCC) -- Se inauguro la Sexta Exposicion Internacional de Mercancias de Pyongyang. En la exposicion estan exhibidos los productos electronicos, aparatos de comunicaciones, maquinas de ruedas, equipos de avicultura, maquinas herramientas, articulos de industria ligera y de uso cultural, etc. de mas de 100 empresas de Corea y otros diversos paises y regiones del mundo
    El dia 11 tuvo lugar el acto de apertura en la Exposicion Permanente de las Tres Revoluciones.
    Participaron delegaciones de la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea, China, Alemania, Tailandia, Malaysia y Taipei China.
    Estuvieron presentes representantes diplomaticos y miembros de las embajadas de varios paises en la RPDC.
    Kim Jong Gi, presidente del Comite por la Promocion de Comercio Internacional de la RPDC pronuncio un discurso de felicitacion y Ri Su Dok, presidente de la Agencia Coreana de Exposicion Internacional, un discurso de apertura.
    Los oradores expresaron que la exposicion servira de una importante oportunidad para promover el progreso y la prosperidad comunes conforme a la aspiracion y demanda de la humanidad en la actualidad, profundizar las relaciones de amistad y cooperacion entre los paises y regiones y estrechar el intercambio, la cooperacion y la transaccion comercial multifaceticos.
    Expresaron la esperanza de que las delegaciones de diversos paises y regiones participantes en la Exposicion Internacional de Mercancias de Pyongyang obtengan mayores exitos en los amplios contactos y diversas actividades de transaccion comercial.

"Minju Joson" se refiere a factor principal para solucion de problema nuclear

     Pyongyang, 12 de agosto (ATCC) -- El periodico "Minju Joson" inserto el dia 12 un comentario individual en relacion con que se entablaran pronto en Beijing de China las conversaciones de 6 partes. El comentario senala:
    No habra jamas la solucion del problema nuclear entre Corea y EE.UU., mientras este pais no cambia de su politica de hostilidad a aquella.
    El quid depende de que EE.UU. tiene o no la voluntad para resolver el problema nuclear.
    Lo principal de eso es que EE.UU. tiene la voluntad de cambiar de su politica con respecto a la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea.
    En relacion con el problema nuclear entre la RPDC y EE.UU., este ha insistido hasta ahora en la "renuncia nuclear, primero" y las "conversaciones multipartitas". Por lo tanto, en las condiciones de que se entablaran dichas conversaciones en que insistia EE.UU., este debe hacer lo que hacer para la solucion del problema nuclear entre ambos paises; Eso es justamente el cambio de su anacronica politica sobre Corea.
    La invariable politica de hostilidad de EE.UU. a Corea constituye un factor principal que causo el problema nuclear entre los dos paises y lo empeoro aun mas. EE.UU. debe darse clara cuenta de la realidad y salir con la evidente voluntad de cambio de su politica sobre Corea al lugar de las conversaciones de Beijing.
    El mundo sigue la actitud de EE.UU..

Acto de recordacion al difunto Jong Mong Hon en el monte Kumgang

     Kumgangsan, 11 de agosto (ATCC) -- Tuvo lugar el dia 11 el acto de recordacion al difunto Jong Mong Hon, presidente de la Firma Hyundai y Asan de Corea del Sur en el famoso monte Kumgang, simbolo de la cooperacion Norte-Sur de Corea, con la presencia de los familiares y parientes del difunto, los empleados de la Firma y otras personalidades interesadas de Corea del Sur. Participaron por la parte Norte los funcionarios del Comite Coreano por la Paz de Asia y el Pacifico (CCPAP) la Agencia General de Turismo Internacional del Monte Kumgang, el Consejo de la Reconciliacion Nacional y otros organismos interesados.
    En el acto pronunciaron las palabras de recordacion varias personalidades surcoreanas.
    Acto seguido, al pronunciar las palabras de recordacion Song Ho Gyong, vicepresidente del CCPAP, dijo que bajo la benevolencia especial del Dirigente Kim Jong Il, el senor Jong Mong Hon hizo excelentes trabajos ante la nacion como allanador de la primera ruta de la cooperacion economica Norte-Sur incluyendo el turismo del monte Kumgang y la construccion de la Zona Industrial de Kaesong luego de perforar la muralla de division y subrayo que sus meritos se transmitiran eternamente en la historia del movimiento por la reunificacion de la patria.
    Condeno severamente, a nombre de toda la nacion, el colectivo de opositores a la reunificacion en particular el "Partido Hannara" que al obstaculizar las justas actividades del presidente Jong esgrimio la "ley de inspeccion especial" llevando a este por fin al destino tragico.
    En el acto hubo el descubrimiento de la lapida de recordacion al difunto y otras ceremonias.
    Los participantes en el acto expresaron la voluntad de unir las fuerzas de la nacion bajo la bandera de la Declaracion Conjunta del 15 de Junio para frustrar las maniobras obstructoras de las fuerzas internas y externas opuestas a la reunificacion, llevar a una etapa mas alta la labor de cooperacion economica Norte-Sur y asi acelerar con mas energia la gran marcha de la reconciliacion y la unidad de la nacion y la reintegracion de la patria, como lo deseaba el difunto.