Group of Sit-in Strikers Inaugurated

     Pyongyang, November 12 (KCNA) -- The People's Emergency Action against the Additional Troop Dispatch to Iraq in south Korea reportedly held an inaugural ceremony of the group of sit-in strikers in front of Kwanghwamun in Seoul on November 6 to cope with the urgent situation. Kim Ki Sik, co-director of the Secretariat of the Citizen's Solidarity for Democratic Society, said that the reported decision on the dispatch of 3,000 non-combat troops is, in fact, a deceptive plot to put the combat units in different veils.
    The group in letters to the south Korean and U.S. authorities declared that it can never allow even the dispatch of non-combat troops, holding that any form of troop dispatch is an act to disturb peace as it would be helpful to the pursuance of the U.S. policy of war of aggression and occupation.
    The group declared the period till November 15 as a period of people's all-out action for the withdrawal of the decision on troop dispatch and vowed to conduct an all-people intensive information campaign across south Korea and set the period from Nov. 16 to 18 as a period of all-out action against the U.S. pressure for troop dispatch and Rumsfeld's projected visit to south Korea and launch a powerful struggle against them .
    At the end of the ceremony the group attended a candlelight rally.
    The group entered into a sit-in strike with religionists of four religious

Trade Unions in S. Korea Vow to Call General Strike

     Pyongyang, November 12 (KCNA) -- Organizations under the (south) Korean Confederation of Trade Unions decided to call a general strike, according to MBC of south Korea. The National Federation of Public Transport and Service Trade Unions called a press conference on November 7 at which it declared that on Nov. 12 it would respond to the general strike decided on by the KCTU.
    The organization would enter into the general strike in worksites unless the "government" takes practical measures against damages and provisional seizure and for the withdrawal of discrimination against the part-time workers.
    That day the City Railway Workers Union decided to extend the time of train allocation and decrease the operation speed and 11 other trade unions including the National Social Insurance Workers Union to enter into an all-out strike.
    Meanwhile, the Railway Workers Union called a press conference at the Plaza of Seoul Railway Station on Nov. 8 at which it threatened to call a general strike on Nov. 12.
    The organization strongly urged the authorities to lift unreasonable measures, holding that it can not recognize the bill on the railway company aimed to sacrifice the railway workers only.

Reception Hosted by Polish Ambassador

     Pyongyang, November 12 (KCNA) -- Polish Ambassador Wojciech Kaluza hosted a reception at the embassy on Nov. 11 on the occasion of the independence day of Poland. Speeches were made there.
    Present on invitation were Mun Jae Chol, acting chairman of the Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries, Kung Sok Ung, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs, Kim Yong Do, vice-chairman of the Central Committee of the Generation Federation of Trade Unions of Korea who is chairman of the DPRK-Poland Friendship Association, officials concerned and diplomatic envoys of different countries here.

Giving Priority to National Defence Industry Called for

     Pyongyang, November 12 (KCNA) -- The main idea of the line of economic construction in the Songun era is to give priority to developing the national defence industry. This is a scientific line as it most correctly reflects the requirements of the times and revolution, says Rodong Sinmun today in a signed article. It goes on:
    One may live without sweets but would not survive without bullets. This is the present reality in Korea. To struggle to contain and foil the imperialists' policy of strength and aggression and protect the sovereignty of the country and the nation and socialism means protecting the supreme interests of the state and the basic interests of the revolution.
    Leader Kim Jong Il saw to it that primary attention was always paid to the national defence build-up and big efforts were channelled into it, carrying forward President Kim Il Sung's military thought and exploits. Kim Jong Il embodied the Songun political mode and took important measures to further develop the national defence industry.
    The Korean people are now vigorously pushing forward the building of a great prosperous powerful nation despite the imperialists' vicious challenges and moves to isolate and stifle the country as they have a reliable national defence industry built their own way under his leadership.
    Underscoring the need to implement the line of economic construction in the Songun era as a strategic line of building a great prosperous powerful socialist nation and channel all efforts into giving priority to developing the national defence industry, the article calls for putting the modernization of the whole army and the work to put all people under arms on a new higher level.
    Strengthening the independent character of the national defence national industry and putting it on a modern and IT basis is one of the important issues in giving priority to the development of the national defence industry.
    It stands out as the primary strategic task for the revolution and construction in each country to boost the military muscle and develop the national defence industry as long as the imperialists persist in their moves for aggression.

GNP's Corruption Assailed

     Pyongyang, November 12 (KCNA) -- The Propaganda Department of the Central Committee of the National Democratic Front of South Korea (NDFSK) made public a statement on Nov. 10 denouncing the irregularities and corruption of the Grand National Party of south Korea. It has recently been disclosed that the GNP collected hundreds of billions of won of illegal money including 10 billion won it received from the SK group last year, the statement noted, and said: The GNP is the originator of money-backed "election", a malignant tumor deeply rooted in south Korea, a den of political swindlers and a hotbed of corruption and irregularities.
    The recently disclosed GNP's illegal money dealing is just a tiny tip of its irregularities and corruption.
    Driven to a tight corner by this, the GNP is making despicable last-ditch efforts to find a way out. It is even threatening the prosecution openly, crying that it will never tolerate any pursuit to the GNP's source of fund. It is really a group of hooligans and robbers.
    With no trick or sleight of hand can the GNP rid itself of the noose put around its neck by the illegal money dealing or escape its political ruin.
    It is impossible to expect a clean democratic society free from corruption and reconciliation, cooperation and national reunification desired by the people while leaving alone the GNP, which subsists on pro-U.S. flunkeyism and corruption.
    The south Koreans from all walks of life should turn out in an unflinching fight to destroy the GNP, a group of traitors steeped in corruption and irregularities.

Japan's Human Rights Abuses Assailed

     Pyongyang, November 12 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the Central Committee of the Union of Agricultural Workers of Korea made pubic a statement on November 11 in connection with the recent disclosure of the list of over 420,000 Korean victims of forcible drafting during the Japanese imperialists' military occupation of Korea by the DPRK Measure Committee for Demanding Compensation to Comfort Women for the Japanese Army and Victims of Forcible Drafting. It was obtained by the group for probing the truth about the forcible drafting of Koreans active in Japan on the basis of the survey and discovery made in the north and the south of Korea, Japan and the United States, etc. The statement said:
    The Japanese imperialists bitterly despised, insulted and maltreated the Koreans, blustering "the Koreans must abide by the Japanese law or die." And they did not allow the Koreans to go by the names given by their parents under the pretext of "changing Korean names to Japanese."
    It is due to the aftermath of the crimes committed by the Japanese imperialists that not only the victims of the forcible drafting but their bereaved families consider it hard to find the names of their own and relatives.
    Statute of limitations is not applicable to the war crimes and human rights abuses in view of international law.
    The human rights abuses the Japanese imperialists committed by forcibly drafting and massacring Koreans in the past are war crimes, "crimes against humanitarianism" and human rights abuses, the truth of which should be probed to the end Japan is the worst violator of human rights as it abducted a great number of young and middle aged Koreans for slave labor, forced Korean women into sexual slavery for the imperial Japanese army and disallowed the Koreans to use their spoken and written languages. It should be judged according to international law. It should reinstate the victims of the forcible drafting and make adequate compensation to them and their bereaved families.

Pothonggang Ironware Factory

     Pyongyang, November 12 (KCNA) -- The Pothonggang Ironware Factory, reconstructed on a modern basis, produces quality brass tableware. The products are popular among users as the quality and shapes of the brass vessels which the Korean people have used from old times have been improved to suit the modern aesthetic sense and use.
    In recent years the factory sent thousands of brass trays to Okryu Restaurant and other public catering establishments in the city.
    The factory, which was a gold and silver work cooperative when it started operation, is now well known in the country as a modern brassware producer.
    More than 80 percent of the employees are able technicians and skilled hands.
    The factory has concentrated on the efforts for increasing the production of brass vessels and improving their quality to meet the growing demand of the people for them.
    Brass trays, sinsollo (a cooking stove with a chafing dish having charcoal in a tube in the center and food around it), kettle, spoons, chopsticks and many other kinds of brassware enjoy popularity in foreign markets, too.

Greetings to Tanzanian President

     Pyongyang, November 12 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, on Nov. 7 sent a message of greetings to Tanzanian President Benjamin William Mkapa on his 65th birthday. The message sincerely wished him great success in his responsible work for the independent development and prosperity of the country and regional peace and security as well as good health and happiness.

Gift to Kim Jong Il

     Pyongyang, November 12 (KCNA) -- Leader Kim Jong Il received a gift from the delegation of the Chinese People's Daily on a visit to the DPRK. The gift was conveyed to an official concerned by Deputy Editor-in-Chief Li Demin who is heading the delegation.

Agreements Signed Between DPRK and Indonesia

     Pyongyang, November 12 (KCNA) -- A memorandum of understanding on the establishment of bilateral consultation and an agreement on visa-exemption for carriers of diplomatic and service passports were separately signed between the DPRK and Indonesian governments in Pyongyang on Wednesday. Present at the signing ceremony from the DPRK side were Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Kim Yong Il and other officials concerned and from the Indonesian side members of the delegation of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs headed by Makarim Wibisono, director general for Asia-Pacific and Africa, and Indonesian Ambassador to the DPRK Hendrati Sukendar Munthe.
    They were separately signed by Kim Yong Il and Makarim Wibisono.

For Spanish-speaking people

Patrimonios culturales arquitectonicos a estilo coreano

     Pyongyang, 12 de noviembre (ATCC) -- Las obras arquitectonicas de Corea entranan excelentes tradiciones y patrimonios de la nacion. En Pyongyang hay muchas obras arquitectonicas construidas a estilo coreano en armonia con las tematicas contemporaneas.
    El majestuoso Palacio de Estudio del Pueblo, construido a estilo coreano en la colina Namsan detras de la Plaza Kim Il Sung, pone de relieve el matiz nacional de la capital.
    Teniendo por eje este edificio, se encuentran el Palacio Cultural del Pueblo, el Gran Teatro de Pyongyang, el Restaurante Okryu y otras obras monumentales de estilo coreano en lugares centricos para la formacion arquitectonica de la capital, despidiendo aroma nacional en areas perifericas de los rios Taedong y Pothong.
    Se destaca el patrimonio arquitectonico nacional de la ciudad de Kaesong, que se jacta de su larga historia de cultura nacional.
    En esta ciudad se ven el instituto universitario Songgyungwan Coryo, el hotel folklorico y otros edificios y viviendas con el tipico tejado coreano de cuatro aguas, el cerco de piedra con aire solemne y la puerta con techo empinado.
    Hace poco, fue remodelada la Fabrica de Bordados Taesong de Kaesong que ocupaba el edificio antiguo edificado a estilo coreano.
    En los ultimos anos, en Corea se han construido por doquier muchas viviendas que mantienen vivo el patrimonio cultural de la nacion, entre otras, las casas de la aldea rural de la comuna de Yombun del distrito de Kyongsong de la provincia de Hamgyong del Norte y otras especificas por su tejado de cuatro aguas con alas levantadas un poco hacia el cielo y con calefaccion electrica.
    En Corea se libra mas energicamente la labor para renovar y desarrollar los valiosos patrimonios nacionales de arquitectura conforme a la demanda de la epoca de Songun (priorizacion militar) y la exigencia de la vida de las masas populares.

CC de UTAC denuncia crimen de violacion a derechos humanos de Japon

     Pyongyang, 12 de noviembre (ATCC) -- El vocero del Comite Central de la Union de Trabajadores Agricolas de Corea (UTAC) publico el dia 11 una declaracion en relacion con que recientemente el Comite Coreano de Medidas por la Indemnizacion a las "Consoladoras" de las Tropas Japonesas y Victimas del Arresto Forzoso recibio del Grupo de Averiguacion de Verdaderos Aspectos del Arresto Forzoso a Coreanos, que desarrolla actividades en Japon, la lista de mas de 420 mil victimas coreanas del arresto forzoso durante el periodo de ocupacion militar de Corea por los imperialistas japoneses. Este documento historico fue investigado y descubierto despues del ano 1972 en el Norte y el Sur de Corea, Japon, EE.UU., etc.
    Los imperialistas japoneses despreciaban, humillaban y maltrataban a nuestro pueblo como animales segun la doctrina de "el coreano debe obedecer a la ley japonesa o morir" y prohibian a los coreanos llamar los nombres en coreano, que bautizaron sus padres, imponiendoles el "cambio de apellidos y nombres de coreanos por los japoneses", senala el documento y continua:
    Debido a la consecuencia de tales crimenes las victimas del arresto forzoso y sus parientes no podian buscar facilmente los nombres de si mismos y sus familiares en la lista recien descubierta.
    Segun el derecho internacional, para los crimenes de la guerra y los de violacion a los derechos humanos no se aplica el periodo de validez.
    Estos crimenes cometidos por Japon en el pasado son los crimenes de guerra y los de violacion a los derechos humanos, que deben ser solucionados hasta el fin aunque transcurran cien o mil anos.
    Japon, Estado criminal de violacion a los derechos humanos de tipo ultragrande, debe ser castigado severamente por la ley internacional, y debe recuperar el honor de las victimas del arresto forzoso e indemnizar debidamente a estas y sus familiares.

FDNSC condena ilicitud y corrupcion del "Partido Hannara"

     Pyongyang, 12 de noviembre (ATCC) -- El Departamento de Propaganda del Comite Central del Frente Democratico Nacional del Sur de Corea (FDNSC) publico el dia 10 una declaracion de condena a la ilicitud y corrupcion del "Partido Hannara". La declaracion senala que fue revelado el hecho de que el "Partido Hannara" recibio el ano pasado los 10 mil millones de wones de dinero ilegal del grupo SK y otros dineros negros por valor de centenares de miles de millones de wones y continua:
    El "Partido Hannara" es el progenitor original de las "elecciones" de poder monetario que se arraigo en esta tierra como un tumor maligno y es una madriguera de los estafadores politicos y de la ilicitud y la corrupcion.
    El caso de fondo ilicito del grupo SK que se puso al desnudo esta vez no pasa de ser una parte del acto ilicito del "Partido Hannara".
    Este, que se halla en aprieto por el presente caso del grupo SK, hace viles esfuerzos desesperados para buscar la salida.
    E incluso estos bandidos, hablando de que "no pueden tolerar jamas la persecucion a las relaciones de fondos del Partido Hannara", ejercen la amenaza abierta sobre la fiscalia.
    Con ninguna intriga ni maquiavelismo pueden escaparse de la trampa del fondo ilicito para las "elecciones presidenciales" ni eludir la ruina politica.
    Al dejar intacto el "Partido Hannara" que vive con el servilismo a los EE.UU., la confrontacion con connacionales, la ilicitud y corrupcion, no se puede esperar ni una sociedad democratica limpia y libre de la corrupcion a que aspiran nuestros habitantes, ni la reconciliacion ni la cooperacion ni tampoco la reunificacion de la Patria a que anhela toda la nacion.
    Los habitantes de distintos sectores deben levantarse valientemente en la lucha por extirpar el "partido Hannara", banda de traidores y de la ilicitud y corrupcion, que vuelve espaldas al pais y el pueblo.

Sur de Corea: entidades sindicales se deciden a declarar huelga general

     Pyongyang, 12 de noviembre (ATCC) -- Segun la radio "MBC" del Sur de Corea, las organizaciones gremiales pertenecientes a la Confederacion de Sindicatos Surcoreanos se decidieron a emprender la huelga general. La Federacion Publica ofrecio el dia 7 una entrevista de prensa en la que expuso la decision de participar el dia 12 en la huelga general anunciada por la CSS.
    Esta entidad insistio en que si el "gobierno" no toma las medidas practicas por la indemnizacion y la abolicion de discriminacion sobre los obreros irregulares, entrara en la huelga general por sectores.
    El mismo dia, el sindicato de ferrocarril urbano decidio aumentar el horario de distribucion de trenes o moderar la velocidad de circulacion y 11 gremios incluyendo el "Sindicato Nacional de Seguro Social" decidieron entrar en la huelga general.
    El sindicato de ferrocarril, en una rueda de prensa sostenida el dia 8 en la plaza frente a la estacion de Seul, declaro que entrara en la huelga general a partir del dia 12.
    Esta entidad senalo que no puede reconocer el proyecto de ley de obra de ferrocarril que sacrifica a los obreros ferroviarios y demando energicamente a las autoridades la retirada de las medidas injustas.