Sovereignty Is Defended and Guaranteed by Arms

     Pyongyang, November 27 (KCNA) -- Sovereignty is the life and soul of a country and a nation and it can be defended by arms only, stresses Rodong Sinmun today in a signed article, the gist of which reads: The forces mocking, encroaching and trampling upon sovereignty are the reactionaries of history. They are dominationist and imperialist forces of aggression.
    The imperialists today take issue with the steps taken by independent countries to increase their defence capabilities as "possession of weapons of mass destruction" and fostering of "terrorism". But this is a sort of pressure not to allow those countries to build up military power obstructive to their war of aggression.
    The people who value the sovereignty of the country and love peace should deal with the false propaganda and pressure of the imperialists aimed to disarm them with heightened vigilance and push forward energetically the work of increasing defence capabilities to meet the specific conditions of the countries.
    Especially, those countries that are largely exposed to the imperialists' threat of aggression should concentrate particular efforts on increasing defence potential.
    If defence capabilities are to be increased and sovereignty be defended, it is essential to pursue the Songun policy. Only when one puts it forward as the state affairs of top priority to attach importance to military affairs and dynamically push ahead with the work of increasing defence capabilities can the sovereignty and security of the country be guaranteed so much reliably and the building of economy and improvement of the people's living be carried on with success.
    It is thanks to the Songun politics that the Korean people are now stepping up the construction of a great prosperous powerful nation of Juche, holding invariably high the banner of socialism, despite the ever-more vicious military pressure of the United States. Songun politics is, indeed, the banner of struggle and the treasured sword of victory in revolution which the people of those countries struggling for sovereignty should hold high.
    When all the countries and peoples attach importance to the military affairs and consolidate the defences of the country, the imperialists will not act rashly and a peaceful environment be created.

President of Botswana Supports Korea's Reunification

     Pyongyang, November 27 (KCNA) -- President of Botswana Festus G. Mogae, when receiving credentials from new DPRK Ambassador Pak Kun Gwang on November 18, said he is pleased that relationship between the north and south of Korea is developing on good terms. He hoped that reconciliation and unity between the north and south would lead to reunification. Recalling that he visited the DPRK in company with the first president of his country and was received by President Kim Il Sung, he said that the two countries have developed friendly relations in the idea of the non-aligned movement and on the principle of respect for sovereignty and non-interference in other's internal affairs.

S. Korean Religionists Make Public Declaration on Situation

     Pyongyang, November 27 (KCNA) -- 210 south Korean religionists reportedly made public a declaration on the situation on November 12 to oppose the additional troop dispatch to Iraq. The war in Iraq is a war with no justification and an act of aggression for the U.S. interests, the declaration said, and pointed out: The self-respect of the nation does not allow young people to be dispatched as U.S. mercenaries.
    All the religionists will come out in the struggle to defend independence of the nation, the declaration said, strongly demanding withdrawal of the authorities' decision on troop dispatch.

Two Memorable Days Celebrated Abroad

     Pyongyang, November 27 (KCNA) -- A seminar, round-table talks and lecture were held in Democratic Congo, Mexico and Italy from Nov. 11 to 14 on the occasion of the 12th anniversary of leader Kim Jong Il's assumption of the supreme commandership of the Korean People's Army and the 86th birth anniversary of Kim Jong Suk, an anti-Japanese war hero. The chairman of the Group for the Study of Kim Jong Il Juche Idea of Democratic Congo at the seminar said it was the natural results of the tireless revolutionary activities of the three generals of Mt. Paektu that the Korean revolution has advanced along the road of victory.
    He said that Kim Jong Il created a unique Songun political mode by fully meeting the requirements of the Juche idea and has dynamically pushed forward the national defence buildup and socialist construction with the armed forces acting a driving force of the revolution.
    Introducing in detail the brilliant revolutionary life of Kim Jong Suk he stressed that her immortal exploits would shine forever.
    The chairman of a committee in the Chamber of Deputies of Mexico at round-table talks expressed positive support and solidarity to the Workers' Party of Korea in its efforts to achieve the independent and peaceful reunification of Korea and build a great prosperous powerful nation, after introducing the just stand the WPK and the DPRK government have maintained in the struggle to protect the dignity of the nation and sovereignty of the country under the wise leadership of President Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il.

Great National Unity Called for

     Pyongyang, November 27 (KCNA) -- All Koreans, whether they are in the north and the south and overseas, should unite close under the banner of patriotism, the banner of national reunification, irrespective of ideology, religious belief, political view, class and social strata and intensify the patriotic struggle for reunification, keenly aware that the great unity of the Korean nation is the lifeline for national reunification, says Rodong Sinmun today in a signed article. It goes on:
    As the issue of national reunification is the one of achieving the permanent reunion of the divided Korean nation and maintaining its homogeneity, national reunification presupposes the great unity of the Korean nation and this unity would precisely mean the reunification of the country.
    It is none other than the Koreans who have undergone sufferings and pain due to the division of the country and who will enjoy happiness in the reunified country.
    It is, therefore, a decisive guarantee for the independent and peaceful reunification of the country for all the Korean people in the north and the south and overseas to fulfill their responsibility and role as a driving force for national reunification.
    What is essential for achieving national reunification is to achieve the great unity of the Korean nation.
    Despite the persistent challenges of the forces at home and abroad to the movement for reunification in the new century including their moves to stifle the DPRK by force of arms and incite the north-south confrontation, the Korean nation's cause of reunification is making progress and bringing about signal successes. This is because the Korean nation is powerfully driving the engine of reunification by its concerted efforts with the pride and self-confidence of having greeted the era of independent reunification ushered in by the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration. The lesson teaches us that the Korean nation is a main force for accomplishing the cause of national reunification and the great national unity is the best and if the whole nation unites close in the struggle with one mind and will in the spirit of "By our nation itself", it can weather out any difficulties and ordeals to accomplish the cause of national reunification.

KCNA Blasts Discrimination against Unconverted Long-Term Prisoners in S. Korea

     Pyongyang, November 27 (KCNA) -- Unconverted long-term prisoners in south Korea together with those concerned of the Catholic Society for Supporting Reunification applied for their tour of Mt Kumgang in mid-November through the "Committee for the Promotion of the Repatriation of Unconverted Long-term Prisoners". But the south Korean authorities turned down it under the absurd pretext that "the period of protection and observation of them under the Law on Observation for Public Peace is not over" and "there is an enemy-benefiting charge".
    They disallowed the tour of Mt. Kumgang by the above-said people only though they do not put any restriction on any others. This is an action in violation of the spirit of the historic June 15 North-South Joint Declaration and an unpardonable human rights abuse.
    It is the cherished desire of the south Korean people to tour Mt. Kumgang, a world famous mountain.
    Considerate of this desire, the north took an exceptional broad-minded measure to enable any compatriot at home and abroad to tour the mountain and has conducted various undertakings to this end.
    For the last five years since the start of the tour hundreds of thousands of south Koreans from all walks of life who love the country and the nation and desire reunification have visited there. They included politicians, businessmen and government officials.
    The tour of Mt. Kumgang offers a good occasion not only to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the country but get a better understanding of the nation and pool the will of compatriots in the north and the south.
    The unconverted long-term prisoners spent most of their life behind bars with grudge, longing to see the north, awake or asleep. Yet, the south Korean authorities did not allow them even to enjoy the scenic beauty of the mountain by the force of the above-mentioned law, a leftover of the past era of confrontation, going against the desire of the nation. This is really surprising.
    This inhumanitarian action clearly proves that south Korea is a graveyard of freedom and human rights as it savagely violates even the elementary freedom and right of everybody.
    By nature the issue of the repatriation of unconverted long-term prisoners is clearly stipulated in the joint declaration as it is pending an urgent solution between the north and the south. So, they should have already been repatriated to the north as desired by them.
    But the south Korean authorities are still persecuting them under that law, virtually detaining them in invisible prisons.
    They should stop suppressing the free activities of the unconverted long-term prisoners and send them back to the north without delay as demanded by them in the spirit of the joint declaration.

Iraqi Public against South Korean Troop Dispatch

     Pyongyang, November 27 (KCNA) -- The opinion poll taken by Baghdad National University of Iraq on the south Korean troop dispatch at the request of the south Korean paper Hangyore some time ago found that 80 percent of the Iraqi population were against it and 100 percent of the residents of the area where the troops are expected to be sent were opposed to it, saying that the troop dispatch itself was an act helping the U.S. In this regard Rodong Sinmun today in a signed commentary says:
    Now the Iraqi people are unanimous in rejecting south Korean troop dispatch and it is illogical to send troops to Iraq despite the opposition of the Iraqi people.
    As the poll return suggests, the Iraqi people hate south Korea, which is going to send troops to Iraq to help the U.S., as they do the U.S. and they would not forgive it. If south Korea sent troops to Iraq under this condition, they would get it in the neck as the "inspection group of the National Assembly" did.
    The members of the inspection group could save their lives as the Iraqi resistance force only fired a warning shot at them, sounding an alarm bell to south Korean troop dispatch. But if cannon fodder for the U.S. were practically carried to Iraq they would suffer wholesale deaths.
    The conclusion drawn from these facts is that south Korean troops must never be sent to Iraq.
    Now that the grave consequences to be entailed by additional troop dispatch to Iraq have loomed with added clarity, there is no need for the south Korean authorities to agonize over the matter or read somebody's face. They should unconditionally drop the anti-national troop dispatch to Iraq that would sacrifice young people submitting to the pressure of the U.S.

National Scientific and Technological Presentation on Geological Survey Held

     Pyongyang, November 27 (KCNA) -- A national scientific and technological presentation on geological survey took place in Pyongyang from November 24 to 26, divided into four discussion groups including mineral deposits, geophysical exploration and geological information, prospecting engineering and surveying. The participants made public over 200 items of scientific and technological results made in developing geological prospecting such as geological structure of Korea and formation of mineral deposits and characteristics of their distribution.
    The participants were deeply interested in the research data and scientific and technological proposals of great significance in putting geological survey on to a new scientific and technological foundation to suit the conditions of Korea and the requirements of the developing realities.
    Certificates and prizes were awarded to participants who were highly praised at the presentation.

Resolution on Peaceful Settlement of Korean Issue Adopted

     Pyongyang, November 27 (KCNA) -- The congress of the U.S. National Lawyers Union held in Minneapolis from October 22 to 26 adopted a resolution. It urged the Bush administration to go along the provisions of the agreed framework signed with the DPRK in 1994 and to conclude a peace agreement with the latter.
    The Bush administration should encourage the inter-Korean dialogue aimed to achieve the reunification and peace of the country without outsiders' interference, the resolution said.

Consumer Goods Output Sees Growth in DPRK

     Pyongyang, November 27 (KCNA) -- Many light industry factories and enterprises overfulfilled their production plans for this year by the end of October, according to data available in the Ministry of Light Industry. In particular, shoes factories and enterprises considerably increased the production and improved the quality of products.
    The Kangso Shoes Factory overfulfilled its yearly production plan as of September 9, while the Sinuiju Shoes Factory raised the production 1.8 times in the first eight months as compared with the same period of last year.
    As of late October tens of thousands of pairs were produced more throughout the country than the same period of last year.
    In the first ten months the textile output is 1.6 times that in the corresponding period of last year.
    Consumer goods producers including cosmetics, daily necessities and basic foodstuff factories also increased the production remarkably by accelerating technical modernization.

Credentials to Kim Yong Nam

     Pyongyang, November 27 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, received credentials from new Ambassador of Netherlands to the DPRK Radinck Jan Van Vollenhoven at the Mansudae Assembly Hall today. Present there was Kung Sok Ung, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs.
    After receiving credentials, the president conversed with the ambassador.

Greetings to President of Mauritania

     Pyongyang, November 27 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, on Nov. 27 sent a message of greetings to Maaouiya Ould Sid Ahmed Taya, president of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, on the occasion of the 43rd anniversary of the independence of Mauritania. The message extended warm congratulations and wishes to the president, the government and the people of Mauritania on the occasion of the 43rd anniversary of its independence and wished the president and the people of Mauritania greater success in the work for the stability of the country and its independent development and prosperity

DPRK Foreign Minister Meets New Ambassadors of Austria and Netherlands

     Pyongyang, November 27 (KCNA) -- Paek Nam Sun, minister of Foreign Affairs of the DPRK, today separately met and conversed with new Ambassador of Austria to the DPRK Hans Dietmar Schweisgut and new Ambassador of Netherlands to the DPRK Radinck Jan Van Vollenhoven who paid courtesy calls on him.

For Spanish-speaking people

Produccion de articulos de consumo popular

     Pyongyang, 27 de noviembre (ATCC) -- Segun estadisticas recogidas por el Ministerio de la Industria Ligera de Corea, numerosas fabricas y empresas de esta rama sobrecumplieron planes anuales hasta finales de octubre. Particularmente, las fabricas y empresas del sector de la industria de calzados aumentan mucho la productividad elevando la calidad del producto.
    Los obreros de la Fabrica de Calzados de Kangso sobrecumplieron hasta el 9 de septiembre su plan anual y los de la fabrica de calzados de Sinuiju elevaron 1.8 veces la produccion de enero a fines de agosto en comparacion con el mismo periodo del ano pasado.
    La cantidad de produccion de calzados en escala nacional aumento hasta fines de octubre en decenas de miles de pares mas que la del mismo periodo del ano pasado.
    En el mismo periodo se aumento en 1.6 veces la cantidad de produccion de tejidos.
    Tambien, las bases de produccion de articulos de consumo popular de toda clase, entre otros, cosmeticos, articulos de uso diario y alimentos basicos, aumentaron considerablemente la produccion al realizar el plan de la renovacion tecnica y la modernizacion.

Cenaculo de publicacion cientifico-tecnica del dominio de prospeccion geologica

     Pyongyang, 27 de noviembre (ATCC) -- Tuvo lugar en esta capital del 24 al 26 del mes en curso el cenaculo nacional de publicacion cientifico-tecnica del dominio de la prospeccion geologica, dividido en cuatro secciones, entre otras, la de deposito mineral, prospeccion geofisica e informatica geologica, tecnologia de prospeccion y medicion. Los participantes publicaron mas de 200 proyectos de datos cientifico-tecnicos logrados en el desarrollo de prospeccion geologica como la estructura geologica de Corea, la caracteristica de la formacion y distribucion del deposito mineral.
    Los datos de investigacion y los proyectos cientifico - tecnicos, que tienen una gran significacion para poner la labor de prospeccion geologica sobre la nueva base cientifico-tecnica conforme a las condiciones de Corea y la demanda de la realidad en desarrollo, llamaron una profunda atencion de los participantes.
    En la ocasion fueron otorgados diplomas a los participantes calificados y hubo la premiacion correspondiente.

Presidente de Botswana apoya la reunificacion de Corea

     Pyongyang, 27 de noviembre (ATCC) -- El presidente de la Republica de Botswana, Festus G. Mogae, en la ceremonia de recibir el dia 18 las cartas credenciales del nuevo embajador extraordinario y plenipotenciario de la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea Pak Kun Gwang, dijo que estaba contento de que las relaciones entre el Norte y el Sur de Corea se desarrollan favorablemente y expreso su deseo que la reconciliacion y la unidad entre ambas partes de Corea contribuyan a la reunificacion del pais. El recordo con gran emocion que fue recibido en audiencia por el Presidente Kim Il Sung durante la visita a la RPDC del primer presidente de su pais, a quien acompano el mismo, y senalo que ambos paises han venido desarrollando las relaciones amistosas a base del ideal del Movimiento No Alineado, el respeto a la soberania y el principio de no-intervencion en los asuntos internos.