Friendly Meeting Held
    Pyongyang, December 18 (KCNA) -- Andrei Karlov, Russian ambassador to the DPRK, hosted a friendly meeting at his embassy yesterday on the occasion of the New Year, Juche 93 (2004). Present there on invitation were generals and officers of the Korean People's Army including Colonel General Ri Thae Il.
    Also present there were staff members of the embassy.
    Speeches were made there.
    Its participants deepened the friendship talking about the need to boost the friendly and cooperative relations between the DPRK and Russia which have grown stronger as the days go by under the deep care of leader Kim Jong Il and President V. V. Putin.

Dissolution of GNP Called for
    Pyongyang, December 18 (KCNA) -- The Central Committee of the National Democratic Front of South Korea (NDFSK) issued a manifesto to the people on December 14 appealing to the people from all walks of life to turn out in the struggle for the dissolution of the Grand National Party, the kingpin of corruption and irregularities. Referring to the fact that this party swallowed up 300 billion won of illicit fund in the 16th term "presidential election," the manifesto brands this as an odious crime and monstrous treachery against the people that can be committed only by the GNP, the top-class robbers' party, in view of the amount of money and the brigandish way it used to collect money.
    The manifesto continues:
    Much upset by their fates being put on the stake with the disclosure of their crimes, Choe Pyong Ryol and his group are playing another trick to get off the hook by offering Ri Hoe Chang on the altar, blabbing that they will cooperate the prosecution in its investigation and they will make public the fact when they have a full grasp of it.
    It would be impossible to put right the south Korean society in which injustice judges justice and treachery punishes patriotism nor save the masses from the depth of misery nor realize the south-north reconciliation and cooperation unless the GNP is eliminated.
    The dissolution of the GNP is the paramount task that brooks no further delay, the manifesto says, calling for fighting in unity to dismantle the party at any cost.
    The NDFSK will fight to the last together with all the people desirous of independent and democratic new policy and society free from corruption and scandals and the GNP, the kingpin of corruption and irregularities.

Kim Jong Il's Work Published in Angola

     Pyongyang, December 18 (KCNA) -- Leader Kim Jong Il's famous work "Abuses of Socialism Are Intolerable" was brought out in booklet by the National Publishing House of Angola on Dec. 12. The work, published on March 1, Juche 82 (1993), discloses the reactionary and nonsensical nature of the sophism let loose by imperialists and renegades of socialism who slandered socialism as "totalitarian", "barracks-like" and "administrative and commanding" one.
    It clarifies principled issues arising in defending and accomplishing the socialist cause including the issue of having an unshakable faith in socialism and regarding it as a moral duty to defend it and the issue of giving fullest play to the advantages of socialism.

Ri Hoe Chang's "Apology" Too Late

     Pyongyang, December 18 (KCNA) -- Ri Hoe Chang held a press conference in the head office of the Grand National Party of south Korea on December 15 at which he made an "apology" for the "illicit presidential election funds" all of a sudden. Commenting on this, Rodong Sinmun today in a signed commentary says: Finding no excuse to deny the crimes after the full disclosure of their truth Ri at the conference tried hard to create the impression that he repented of them of his own accord in a bid to elicit sympathy of the public. This was a sheer burlesque.
    It goes on:
    In fact, Ri should have made a "declaration of conscience" over his wrongs long ago. If he is truly in the mood of reflecting on his wrongs and making atonement for them, he should frankly confess how much money he wrested from business groups at the time of the last "presidential election", how much and for what purpose he spent and how much he embezzled for himself.
    His "apology" made at the press conference is not true and came too late as the saying after dinner, mustard goes.
    At the conference he said that he would go to prison, feeling fully responsible for all the wrongs with a "solemn resolution".
    But he did not tell truth. The traitor is bound to go prison for he has done and this is the judgement by the people.
    The GNP raised illicit political funds amounting to astronomical figures, the money collected from the people as taxes, to meet its partisan interests and kicked up dust to conceal the scandal, creating a great political confusion in south Korea. With nothing can it cover up such crimes or get pardoned by the people.
    The only option for the GNP is to immediately dissolve the corrupt party of traitors as demanded by the south Korean people.

DPRK Stand to Increase Nuclear Deterrent Force Remains Unchanged

     Pyongyang, December 18 (KCNA) -- The DPRK's stand to beef up its nuclear deterrent force will remain unchanged no matter what others may say as long as the United States keeps pursuing a policy to threaten and stifle the DPRK with nukes while turning down its proposal for simultaneous package solution to the nuclear issue, says Rodong Sinmun today in a signed commentary. It goes on:
    The U.S. indiscriminately used weapons of mass destruction including depleted uranium shells and has opted for developing smaller nukes, describing them as conventional weapons. Under this situation the DPRK is left with no option but to cope with this military threat with a military deterrent force.
    The nuclear deterrent force is a decisive means for coping with the U.S. threat of war.
    The U.S. used a huge amount of depleted uranium shells, a type of nuclear weapon, when attacking Iraq, a country with no strategic forces and with very weak military capacity in terms of latest weaponry. It is self-evident that it will use nuclear weapons of higher performance when it invades the DPRK, a country with strong military power. As a matter of fact, the U.S. attempted to use nuclear weapons during the last Korean war and whenever shocking military incidents occurred in the postwar period. During his south Korean junket in November last U.S. Defense Secretary Rumsfeld openly declared that it would use nuclear weapons in case of "emergency" on the Korean peninsula. This proves that the U.S. is increasing threat to the DPRK with nukes as the days go by while watching for a chance to mount a preemptive nuclear attack on it, after officially listing it as a target of nuclear attack. This situation compels the DPRK to keep and steadily increase its nuclear deterrent force.
    But for the U.S. threat to use nukes against the DPRK and its policy to stifle Pyongyang the DPRK would not have troubled itself and exerted so much effort to build up a nuclear deterrent force. It is none other than the U.S. which compelled the DPRK to build up the nuclear deterrent force.

International Solidarity for DPRK in 2003

     Pyongyang, December 18 (KCNA) -- 2003 witnesses stronger support and solidarity of the world progressives for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. This year, more than 1,700 media, leaders of nearly 1,100 states, political parties and organizations, public figures and people of over 100 countries, international and regional organizations were unanimous in denouncing the United States for giving rise to the nuclear issue on the Korean peninsula and resorting to "sanctions" and "pressure" with outcries over someone's "nuclear threat". And they fully supported the fair and aboveboard steps taken by the DPRK to cope with such moves of the U.S.
    No sooner had the DPRK government issued a statement on its withdrawal from NPT on January 10 than a total of 400 or more newspapers, news agencies and radios worldwide reported it.
    The Washington Post, the New York Times and other newspapers of the U.S. viewed the policy of the Bush administration bringing the situation on the Korean peninsula to the extreme pitch of tension as an anachronistic policy, a clumsy policy, a gross blunder and a confused mistake.
    Meanwhile, many public figures and thousands of people in Egypt, Finland, Sweden, Nepal, Ecuador and Bangladesh staged anti-U.S., anti-war demonstrations with placards reading "We denounce the U.S. aggressive moves against the DPRK," chanting "Long live north Korea!" and other slogans.
    The Indonesian president, the Swedish king, the Ugandan president, the Tanzanian president and the secretary general of the Revolutionary Party of Tanzania, the sultan of Brunei Darussalam and other heads of state and leaders of political parties of different countries, when they met with DPRK ambassadors to their countries, hoped that the nuclear issue between the DPRK and the U.S. would be settled peacefully through dialogue, not by a war threat or blockade.
    The International Liaison Committee for Reunification and Peace in Korea and other international and regional organizations in their statements, appeals and information bulletins demanded that the U.S. which caused the nuclear issue respond to the peaceful and affirmative proposal of the DPRK.
    The participants in the meeting of the Executive Committee of the World Peace Council and its Asia-Pacific regional meeting, the 16th Meeting of the Presidential Council of the World Federation of Trade Unions, a seminar of communist and workers' parties in Europe for solidarity with the DPRK, an international meeting of organizations for friendship with the Korean people and meetings of other international and regional organizations in their resolutions, statements, action programs and other official documents urged the U.S. to withdraw its policy of preemptive attack on the DPRK and sign a non-aggression treaty with it. They also opposed all the attempts of the U.S. to internationalize the nuclear issue on the Korean peninsula and demanded it find the way for its settlement by means of dialogue on the principle of simultaneous actions to remove concerns of both sides simultaneously.
    A joint meeting of international democratic organizations and Asian regional organizations for friendship and solidarity with the Korean people held in Sri Lanka published an "appeal to the world progressives, international democratic organizations and organizations for friendship and solidarity with the Korean people wanting a peaceful solution of the issue on the Korean peninsula" and the World Peace Council and other international and regional organizations and figures, peace organizations and trade union figures of different countries signed the appeal.
    The Australian Peace Committee and the Australian Friends of the Earth started a signature campaign in June calling for conclusion of a non-aggression treaty between the DPRK and the U.S. and peaceful settlement of the nuclear issue.
    Participating in it were at least 400 organizations of more than 50 countries and the Dismantlement-2,000 having over 2,000 affiliated organizations and more than 30 other international and regional organizations in three months.

U.S. Relocation of Its Forces Denounced

     Pyongyang, December 18 (KCNA) -- The projected U.S. relocation of its forces in south Korea compels the army and people of the DPRK to get fully ready to cope with it, says Rodong Sinmun today in a signed article. This plan is aimed at new forward-deployment of its forces and their build-up to meet the military strategic and operational need of the U.S. in the 21st century, the article says, and continues:
    In redeploying its troops stationed overseas the U.S. attaches special importance to increasing the operational capability of its forces in Northeast Asia including the Korean peninsula.
    This is because the U.S. considers it its strategic task to establish control over Northeast Asia in order to contain and overpower China and Russia.
    That is why the U.S. is keen to reorganize and redeploy all its forces in south Korea and increase their maneuverability and modernize them as required by its Northeast Asia strategy in the new century.
    By modernizing the south Korean army the U.S. seeks to let it perform the military mission in place of its troops in south Korea in case they launch a military operation beyond its boundary as a "regional force".
    There is every indication that the relocation of the U.S. troops in south Korea is likely to strain the situation on the Korean peninsula and Northeast Asia to be torn with military confrontation in the future.
    This compels the countries in the region to make military preparations to cope with it.
    Northeast Asia including the Korean peninsula may turn into a very dangerous hot spot in the future.

Agreement on Troop Dispatch to Iraq Protested

     Pyongyang, December 18 (KCNA) -- The People's Action Opposing Troop Dispatch in south Korea reportedly denounced the authorities' scheme to dispatch more troops to Iraq. The organization called a press conference in Seoul on Dec. 14. A press release read out there noted that both ruling and opposition parties approved troop dispatch, the chief executive discussing the issue with the U.S. before consulting the home people and Choe Pyong Ryol demanding the dispatch of more combat troops.
    Speaking at the conference Kim Yong Jin, daughter of a worker killed in Iraq by the resistance force, said she was present there, thinking that there should be no more death like that of his father. "I say no to the troop dispatch which means more deaths," she cried.
    O Jong Ryol and Hong Kun Su, co-representatives of the people's action, Kim Ki Sik, joint secretary general of the Citizens' Solidarity for Democratic Society, Ro Hoe Chan, secretary general of the Democratic Workers' Party, and Ra Chang Sun, chairman of the South Headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country's Reunification, in their speeches reiterated their pledge not to overlook the authorities' plan of troop dispatch but wage a fierce fight to check it.

Celebrations in Various Countries

     Pyongyang, December 18 (KCNA) -- Celebrations were held in different countries 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. A joint seminar was held in Lima, Peru, on Dec. 5 on the subject: "Socialism of Korea and the Juche Idea." The chairman of the Peru National Association for the Juche Idea and other speakers highly praised the ideological and theoretical feats of President Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, saying the Juche idea is the most scientific and revolutionary idea brightly indicating the road of shaping the destiny of the popular masses.
    The Songun revolutionary leadership of Kim Jong Il and the glorious revolutionary life of Kim Jong Suk were lauded by the speakers at a seminar held in the Syrian Centre for the Study of the Juche Idea on December 7. They said the DPRK would always display its fame as a great prosperous powerful nation of Juche under the wise guidance of Kim Jong Il and the august name of Kim Jong Suk who showed wisdom and bravery as a woman general of Mt. Paektu would shine long, deeply engraved in the hearts of the world revolutionaries.
    A seminar, lectures and a meeting took place at the Egyptian Committee for the Study of the Juche Idea, the Genuine Lumumbist Patriotic Party of Democratic Congo and the Peru Group for the Study of Kimilsungism from Dec. 1 to 9.
    The chairman of the Egyptian committee in his speech said the army and people of the friendly DPRK owed their victories to the unique Songun leadership of Kim Jong Il.
    The lecturers at six special lectures in Democratic Congo and speakers at the meeting in Peru highly admired the validity and invincible vitality of the Songun politics of Kim Jong Il fully displayed in the nuclear standoff with the U.S. imperialists and the great revolutionary life and immortal exploits of Kim Jong Suk.

Rodong Sinmun on Idea of "By Our Nation Itself"

     Pyongyang, December 18 (KCNA) -- It is the only way of reunification and the way out for the Korean nation to carry into practice the idea of "By our nation itself" based on the principle of national independence, says Rodong Sinmun today in an article. The events within the nation and the proud realities this year clearly show that the national movement for independent reunification is turning into a nation-wide movement of all the fellow countrymen involving the authorities and non-governmental organizations, irrespective of idea, ideology, political view and religious belief and it has become the main stream of national history to follow the idea of "By our nation itself", the article says, and continues:
    The idea of "By our nation itself" makes it incumbent upon us to steadfastly uphold and apply the principle of national independence in the movement for national reunification. We must never allow foreign interference in the issue of reunification of the Korean nation and resolutely oppose flunkeyism and dependence on outside forces.
    The great unity of the whole Korean nation is vital to the idea of "By our nation itself". All the Koreans in the north and the south and overseas should put in the foreground the common interests of the nation, shelving differences in idea, ideology and political system, and unite on this basis.

Unity of Korean People Cemented under Songun Politics

     Pyongyang, December 18 (KCNA) -- Juche 92(2003) is a meaningful year when the Democratic People's Republic of Korea has demonstrated its invincible might and the singlehearted unity of the people enjoying Songun politics. This year the servicemen and people of Korea, through various functions and events, have fully showed their absolute trust in leader Kim Jong Il and will to remain true to his leadership.
    The election of deputies to people's power bodies at all levels (August 3) fully demonstrated once again the might of the people united rock-firm around leader Kim Jong Il, who is brilliantly carrying forward the exploits performed by President Kim Il Sung in the building of power.
    The First Session of the 11th Supreme People's Assembly (September 3) reelected Kim Jong Il chairman of the National Defense Commission of the DPRK, reflecting the entire people's boundless respect and reference for their leader, who is glorifying the dignity and honor of the country and the nation.
    The military parade, mammoth demonstration and other events celebrating the 55th anniversary of the DPRK manifested the strong will of all the participants to always share the same destiny with him in any adversity.
    From the outset of the year, he has given on-site guidance to a lot of army units, land-realigning projects in South Phyongan Province, the construction of the Orangchon Power Station, the raw material farm in Kumya County, the Kyenam Stockbreeding Farm, reconstructed and expanded light industrial factories in Pyongyang, etc.
    Deeply moved by his indefatigable efforts to defend the country and provide the people with better living conditions, the Korean people are devoting themselves to making their country prosperous.
    Several meetings including the meeting of activists for the movement for the title of O Jung Hup's Seventh Regiment of the KPA and the meeting of heroes in the Songun era held in Pyongyang in the early March and early September respectively demonstrated the resolution of the servicemen and people to defend the headquarters of the revolution with their lives and remain true to his ideology and leadership.

Credentials from Peruvian Ambassador

     Pyongyang, December 18 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, received credentials from Jorge Bayona Medina, Peruvian ambassador e. p. to the DPRK, at the Mansudae Assembly Hall today. After receiving credentials the president conversed with the ambassador.

Paek Nam Sun Meets New Peruvian Ambassador

     Pyongyang, December 18 (KCNA) -- DPRK Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun met and conversed with newly-appointed Peruvian Ambassador here Jorge Bayona Medina who paid a courtesy call on him today.

For Spanish-speaking people

Angola: obra de Kim Jong Il

     Pyongyang, 18 de diciembre (ATCC) -- La Editora Nacional de Angola dio a luz el dia 12 en folleto la obra clasica del Dirigente Kim Jong Il "La difamacion del socialismo no sera tolerada". La obra, publicada el primero de marzo del 82 (1993) de la Era Juche, pone al desnudo el caracter reaccionario y la absurdidad del sofisma de los imperialistas y los traidores del socialismo que difaman el socialismo tildandole a este del "totalitarismo", "campamento militar" y "sistema de administracion de ucase".
    Ademas dilucida claramente los problemas de principios que se presentan para defender y llevar a buen termino la causa del socialismo, entre otros, el de hacer del socialismo el credo y la moral, el de manifestar plenamente la superioridad del socialismo.

Depositada ofrenda floral ante el busto de Kim Jong Suk

     Pyongyang, 18 de diciembre (ATCC) -- Con motivo del 86 aniversario del nacimiento de la heroina de lucha antijaponesa Kim Jong Suk, los funcionarios encargados de asuntos culturales y de amistad de varias embajadas en la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea depositaron el dia 17 una ofrenda floral y guardaron un momento de silencio ante su busto en el Cementerio de Martires Revolucionarios del monte Taesong. Lo hicieron con sentimientos de respeto y veneracion infinitos hacia Kim Jong Suk quien dedico su noble vida a la causa sagrada para la restauracion y la prosperidad de la patria y para la felicidad del pueblo.
    En la cinta de la ofrenda se leia: "!Seran inmortales las hazanas revolucionarias de Kim Jong Suk, heroina de lucha antijaponesa!"

Demostracion de la unidad monolitica entre el lider y el pueblo

     Pyongyang, 18 de diciembre (ATCC) -- El 92 (2003) de la Era Juche fue un ano de gran significado en que se han manifiesto el invencible poderio y el verdadero aspecto de la unidad monolitica de Corea del Songun (priorizacion militar). Este ano, los militares del Ejercito Popular y los habitantes de Corea, en varios actos y eventos importantes, demostraron sin reserva la conviccion y la voluntad de depositar la confianza absoluta en el Dirigente Kim Jong Il y acatar con fidelidad su direccion.
    A traves de las elecciones (3 de agosto) de los diputados a los organos del poder popular a todos los niveles, el pueblo coreano volvio a ostentar a todo el mundo su fuerza compactamente unida en torno al Dirigente Kim Jong Il quien continua brillantemente las hazanas del Presidente Kim Il Sung en la construccion del poder.
    En la Primera Sesion de la Oncena Legislatura de la Asamblea Popular Suprema, efectuada el 3 de septiembre, lo reeligieron como Presidente del Comite de Defensa Nacional de la RPDC traduciendo sus sentimientos de respeto, veneracion y confianza infinitos hacia el quien exalta la dignidad y el honor del pais y la nacion.
    La alegria y la emocion por tenerlo en el cargo supremo de la revolucion se manifestaron plenamente en el desfile militar y la manifestacion masiva por el 55 aniversario de la fundacion de la RPDC y otros eventos.
    Entonces, todos los participantes en estos actos demostraron poderosamente la firme determinacion de compartir hasta el fin la vida y la muerte con el Comandante Supremo en cualesquiera circunstancias adversas.
    La infatigable visita de orientacion del Dirigente realizada desde el inicio de este ano a las incontables unidades del EPC, el lugar de trabajo para el arreglo de la tierra de la provincia de Phyong-an del Sur, el lugar de obra de la Planta Hidroelectrica de Orangchon, la granja agricola de base de materias primas y la granja pecuaria de Kyenam del distrito Kumya, las fabricas de industria ligera remodeladas y ampliadas de la ciudad de Pyongyang, etc. a fin de fortalecer la linea de defensa de la patria y ofrecer las condiciones de vida mas ricas y cultas al pueblo, desplego una gran epopeya de amor al pueblo sobre esta tierra.
    Por eso, el pueblo coreano se entrega en cuerpo y alma a la construccion de la patria prospera sintiendo de corazon la gran abnegacion del Dirigente.
    La Conferencia de Activistas del Movimiento por el Titulo del Septimo Regimiento O Jung Hup y el Congreso de Heroes de la Epoca del Songun, celebrados en Pyongyang a principios de marzo y de septiembre respectivamente, y otros congresos por sectores sirvieron de lugares para demostrar otra vez la decision de defender a ultranza la Direccion de la Revolucion y apoyar con fidelidad hasta las ultimas consecuencias su ideologia y direccion.
    El secretario general del Partido de Unidad Popular de Tunez, Mohamed Bouchina, el secretario general del Comite Regional Africano para el Estudio de la Idea Juche, Mohamed Dioue Fofana, la directora del Conjunto de Danza Folclorica de la Academia Nacional de Moiseyev de Rusia, Elena Sherbacova, quienes presenciaron con sus propios ojos estas escenas sublimes durante su visita a la RPDC, dijeron que se daba clara cuenta de que el pueblo coreano confia y sigue invariablemente al gran Dirigente Kim Jong Il y apuntaron que solo en Corea se puede ver estas emocionantes escenas de la unidad monolitica entre el lider y el pueblo.