KCNA Slams Disturber of National Cooperation

     Pyongyang, January 6 (KCNA) --The joint New Year editorial of the newspapers of the Party, the army and the youth league set forth the slogan for the reunification movement for this year "Let us pave a wide avenue for independent reunification through national cooperation under the banner of our nation-first spirit!" The United States is chiefly to blame for hamstringing national cooperation and wrecking peace and stability on the Korean peninsula.
    The U.S. has left no means untried to drive a wedge between the north and south of Korea, the relations of which have favorably developed since the publication of the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration. It sparked a new nuclear crisis on the Korean peninsula, thus increasing the danger of a war.
    The U.S. has worked hard to internationalize the nuclear issue between the DPRK and the U.S. and use it as a pretext for provoking a new war. It is an unpardonable criminal move to impose the disaster of a nuclear war upon the Korean nation and its land.
    The U.S. has actively pushed ahead with its moves to re-locate its forces and military bases in south Korea, according to its re-deployment plan of its forces. They are aimed to launch another Korean war by the method of a "preemptive attack" and realize its strategy of military supremacy in East Asia with ease.
    It is a daydream to think that it is possible to avert the danger of a war and achieve economic stability only when depending on the U.S., prompted by an illusion about it.
    The aggressive nature of the Iraqi war, which the U.S. unilaterally launched defying the opposition of the international community including the UN, has been proved with added clarity as the days go by. Yielding to the U.S. pressure for troop dispatch is as foolish an act as escalating the danger of a war and deepening the economic instability, and little short of a suicidal act as it means betraying the fundamental interests of the nation.
    The U.S. has persistently stood in the way of the north-south cooperation including tour of Mt. Kumgang and the re-linking of the inter-Korean railways. This clearly proves that the U.S. is, indeed, a disturber of the national cooperation.
    The U.S. does not want the reunification of the Korean peninsula and improved inter-Korean relations. And it does not care whether the Korean nation remains divided into two or suffers a nuclear disaster as it is keen only on its own interests.
    The successive U.S. administrations have fished in troubled waters and justified its military presence in south Korea, its arms build-up and its moves for a war against the north, stoking hostility between the north and the south under the absurd pretext of "threat" from somebody.
    The U.S. has deliberately fanned up the confrontation between the two parts of Korea in a bid to perpetuate its division and use the confrontation as a leverage to realize its Asian strategy, the strategy for world supremacy.
    The publication of the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration, however, provided the Korean nation with a great programme for national reunification reflecting its desire. Through a nation-wide struggle to defend and implement the joint declaration the Koreans could more clearly see through the true colors of the U.S. as the architect of national division.
    The anti-U.S. struggle for independence raging in south Korea in the new century clearly testifies to the historical truth that the U.S. is the root cause of all the misfortunes and sufferings of the Korean nation.
    As clarified in the joint editorial, the north and the south should take practical actions to cope with the nation's confrontation with the U.S. in order to defend the peace of the country and achieve its reunification.

Indian Party Leader on Relations of Friendship and Cooperation with WPK

     Pyongyang, January 6 (KCNA) -- The Communist Party of India will make positive efforts to develop the relations of friendship and cooperation with the Workers' Party of Korea in the future, too. General Secretary of the National Council of the Communist Party of India A. B. Bardhan said this when DPRK Ambassador Jang Kwang Son paid a farewell call on him on December 29.
    The Communist Party of India will extend firm solidarity to the WPK and the Korean people in their struggle to defend the sovereignty of the country and achieve reunification, he stressed.

South Korean "National Assembly," Shelter of Corrupt Statesmen

     Pyongyang, January 6 (KCNA) -- The (south) Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) reportedly made public a statement on December 30, condemning the "National Assembly" for voting down an approval of the arrest of corrupt assemblymen. The approval of the arrest of seven assemblymen including Choe Ton Ung of the "Grand National Party" was rejected at a plenary session of the "National Assembly" on the same day, which shows the "National Assembly" has been degraded to a shelter of corrupt statesmen, the statement said, and went on:
    The seven criminals received political funds of tens of billions of won by trucks from plutocrats or abused their position to plunge the political situation into a confusion at a time when workers and the poor were backbreaking with employment unrest and hard living and killing themselves in ranks.
    Their crime deserves severe punishment.
    The KCTU will take the lead in judging the seven assemblymen as well as all those assemblymen who covered them up in the general election in the name of the people.

KCNA Urges U.S. Not to Shun Core Issue at Six-way Talks

     Pyongyang, January 6 (KCNA) -- The international community is looking forward to fruitful results of the six-way talks, deeply concerned for their resumption. The fair and principled stand of the DPRK should be represented at the talks, first of all, so as to make the forthcoming talks play an important role in furthering the process of the dialogue.
    As already reported, the DPRK admitted the role to be played by the second six-way talks toward the end of last year and expressed its willingness to continue to seek an early negotiated peaceful settlement of the nuclear issue.
    Consistent is our stand toward the six-way talks.
    A package solution based on the principle of a simultaneous action is the core issue to be agreed upon between the DPRK and the U.S., being the key to solving the nuclear issue. This is our consistent claim.
    The DPRK advanced a productive proposal to put into practice measures of the first phase if the U.S. found it hard to accept the package solution all at once. These measures are for the U.S. to delist the DPRK as a sponsor of terrorism, lift political, economic and military sanctions and blockade on it and for the U.S. and neighboring countries of the DPRK to supply heavy oil, power and other energy resources to the DPRK in return for its freeze of nuclear activities. The DPRK is set to refrain from test and production of nuclear weapons and stop even operating nuclear power industry for a peaceful purpose as first-phase measures of the package solution. This can not but be one more bold concession.
    However, the U.S. demands Pyongyang completely scrap the nuclear program, not its freeze, dismissing as a new precondition the bold magnanimous measures proposed by the DPRK. This shows that the U.S. is only keen on disarming the DPRK after forcing it to scrap its nuclear program in utter disregard of its sincere efforts for the resumption of the six-way talks while failing to show any intention to make a switchover in the policy toward the DPRK.
    Such a persistent stand of the U.S. will destroy the foundation of the dialogue and cast a dark shadow on the prospect of the talks.
    We must emphasize that the preparations for the six-way talks should be orientated toward reaching an agreement on the measures of the first-phase action along with "words-for-words" commitments.
    There is no reason for the U.S. to refuse to accept the DPRK-proposed measures, the starting point and the core issue in continuing the six-way talks, if it is truly concerned for solving the nuclear issue on the Korean peninsula.
    Whether the next round of the six-way talks is put on the right track or not entirely depends on the U.S. approach to it.

Rodong Sinmun Calls for Keeping to Path of Juche Hewed by Kim Il Sung

     Pyongyang, January 6 (KCNA) -- The path of Juche hewed by President Kim Il Sung is an ever-victorious one to be invariably followed by the Korean revolution, says Rodong Sinmun today in an editorial. Kim Il Sung in his early years fathered the immortal Juche idea, the great guiding idea in the era of independence, with an insight into the demand of the rapidly changing times and the aspiration of the people, thus providing the popular masses with precious guidelines so that they might take them as the permanent maxim in their life and struggle, the editorial says, and continues:
    We can emerge victorious in any fight against any formidable imperialist enemy, create epoch-making miracles in socialist construction and surely accomplish the cause of national reunification only when we do everything as instructed by the President in his lifetime taking his idea and exploits as an eternal cornerstone. This is a valuable review of the decade-long history in which we greeted a new era of building a great prosperous powerful nation, turning an adversity into favorable conditions and misfortune into blessing under the Songun leadership of Kim Jong Il.
    Our army and people should remain true to the revolutionary idea of the President to strengthen the driving force of our revolution and consolidate the front of politics and ideology as firm as a rock. And we should resolutely defend and eternally glorify the exploits the President performed in building the army to remarkably reinforce the front of anti-imperialism and military affairs with the People's Army as the principal mainstay. We should also do everything as instructed by the President in his lifetime to make a great leaping advance on the front of economy and science.
    The path of Juche hewed by the President and his exploits serve as a lifeline for the permanent victory of the Korean revolution.
    Remaining true to the Songun leadership of Kim Jong Il is a sure guarantee for successfully carrying out the President's intention in his lifetime and accomplishing the cause of socialism along the road of Juche indicated by the President.

National Blood Center Furnished with Modern Equipment

     Pyongyang January 6 (KCNA) -- The National Blood Center of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea has been furnished with modern blood-depleting facilities. The center has been equipped with up-to-date blood depleting and classifying facilities and a waiting room for blood donors.
    It will serve people with safe blood transfusion and contribute to the protection of their life and improvement of their health.
    The facilities were offered by the humanitarian cooperation office under the European Commission.

Mass Rally of Working People in Pyongyang

     Pyongyang, January 6 (KCNA) -- Over 100,000 working people from all walks of life in Pyongyang held a mass rally at Kim Il Sung Square today to vow to glorify this year of significance with proud successes in building a great prosperous powerful nation, upholding the Songun revolutionary leadership of Kim Jong Il. The joint New Year editorial said that the general task facing the Workers' Party of Korea, the army and youth this year is to conduct a revolutionary offensive on three fronts of politics and ideology, anti-imperialism and military affairs and economy and science to attain a higher goal in all fields of building a great prosperous powerful nation.
    At the rally Ryang Man Gil, chairman of the Pyongyang City People's Committee, made a report, which was followed by speeches of representatives of different strata.
    The reporter and speakers called on all the people to glorify this year as a year of radical significance in accomplishing the revolutionary cause of the Party and beat the drum of victory in the Songun revolution at all units and all posts.
    They said that the capital should take the lead in strengthening the driving force of the revolution in every way and consolidating the politico-ideological position as firm as a rock this year marking the 30th anniversary of the proclamation of the programme for modeling the whole Party and the whole society on the Juche idea.
    They laid stress on holding fast to the development of the national defence industry as the first strategic task, carrying on all work on the principle of giving priority to military affairs and realizing the unity of the army and the people in idea and working way.
    They called for holding fast to the Party's line of economic construction in the Songun era to channel the main efforts into the development of power and coal mining industries and make an effective use of the production foundation of light industrial factories and push ahead with technical modernization.
    And they called for increasing agricultural production to solve the food problem of the Pyongyang citizens.
    Present at the rally were Pak Pong Ju, premier of the DPRK Cabinet, Han Song Ryong, Choe Thae Bok, Jong Ha Chol and Kim Jung Rin, secretaries of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea.

Japanese Chief Executive Hit for Visit to Yasukuni Shrine

     Pyongyang, January 6 (KCNA) -- The visit paid by the Japanese chief executive to the Yasukuni Shrine on the New Year's day showed by practice, not in word, his political intention to whip up the fever of militarist overseas aggression throughout Japan, says Minju Joson in a signed commentary today. Recalling that he visited the shrine on Jan. 1 with a lip-service to "peace" and signed his name and post as prime minister on the list of visitors, the news analyst goes on:
    On the New Year's day state leaders usually lay down in their New Year addresses internal and external policy tasks of their countries for the year. The chief executive of Japan, however, substituted his visit to the shrine for his "New Year address".
    After all, by his practical action he declared at home and abroad what is Japan's general task this year.
    His visit to the shrine on the New Year's day was prompted by a sort of "pluck" and "self-confidence" that there is no need to read anyone's face in realizing Japan's ambition for overseas expansion.
    Now the Japanese reactionaries are itching to step into overseas aggression as early as possible by taking advantage of the favorable chance today when the international situation is getting complicated and abnormal developments are taking place in different regions. To this end, they consider it to be most urgent to fan up militarist hysterics among the Japanese.
    That is why they are working hard to incite militarist consciousness and lead the home people to a drive to realize the old dream of "the Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere" which failed in the past.
    The Japanese chief executive's visit to the shrine is mainly aimed to instill into the hearts of the people the militarist crazy notion that the war criminals were not criminals and what they failed to attain must be achieved at all costs. The militarist moves will bring nothing but destruction and disgrace to Japan.

Japan Urged to Properly Opt for Improved Relations

     Pyongyang, January 6 (KCNA) -Japan should attach importance to the sincere implementation of the DPRK-Japan Pyongyang Declaration from the viewpoint that it is beneficial to Japan, too, and exert substantial efforts for improving the bilateral relations in good faith, urges Rodong Sinmun today in a signed commentary. Last year the DPRK-Japan relations were on the verge of explosion far away from the spirit of the DPRK-Japan Pyongyang Declaration. This was attributable to Japan's perfidy and it's hostile policy toward the DPRK, the commentary says, and goes on:
    In the new century a favorable political atmosphere was created for the DPRK and Japan to normalize the bilateral relations in the wake of the adoption of the DPRK-Japan Pyongyang Declaration. However, Japan pushed the relations to the extremes, desperately toeing the U.S. line and pursuing a hostile policy toward the DPRK in breach of the spirit of the declaration.
    Japan has worked hard to politicize and internationalize the abduction issue, an issue that had, in fact, already been solved after the adoption of the declaration, in a bid to tarnish the dignity and image of the DPRK. It even kicked up an unprecedented anti-DPRK racket, vociferating about nuclear and missile issues.
    It was none other than Japan which took the lead in laying an international siege to the DPRK to support the U.S. It adopted an emergency legislation equivalent to the "general national mobilization order" in the period of the Japanese imperialist rule, decided to introduce the missile defense system and then launched military spy satellites one after another under the pretext of coping with military threat from the DPRK. While escalating such military provocations Japan imposed more stringent sanctions upon the DPRK and intensified the campaigns against the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan.
    The Pyongyang declaration is a landmark of the improved DPRK-Japan relations, the commentary notes, contending that if Japan respects the DPRK-Japan Pyongyang Declaration and acts in good faith the DPRK will also do so.

For Spanish-speaking people

Sala de toma de sangre del Centro Nacional de Sangre

     Pyongyang, 6 de enero (ATCC) ? En estos tiempos, en Corea fue reconstruida modernamente la sala de toma de sangre del Centro Nacional de Sangre. El Centro dispone de la sala de toma de sangre dotada con instalaciones modernas, la de espera para los enfermos urgentes de recibir sangre, la de separacion de composicion sanguinea y de otras condiciones suficientes para asegurar la toma de sangre.
    La sala sirve de transfusion de sangre estable a los trabajadores y contribuye grandemente a proteger la vida y salud de ellos.
    A la reconstruccion de la sala hizo un gran aporte la Oficina de Cooperacion Humanitaria de la Comision de la Union Europea.

Japon debe tomar correcta opcion para la mejora de relaciones con la RPDC

     Pyongyang, 6 de enero (ATCC) ? Desde el punto de vista de que la ejecucion sincera de la Declaracion Corea-Japon de Pyongyang sera util para el mismo Japon, este debe tratarla con prudencia y hacer esfuerzos sinceros por la mejora de sus relaciones con la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea. Asi senala el periodico "Rodong Sinmun" en un comentario individual de hoy y continua:
    En el ano pasado las relaciones Corea-Japon se desviaron del espiritu de ese documento y llegaron a una grave fase del fracaso, lo cual se debe a la accion desleal del segundo y a su politica hostil a la primera.
    En el nuevo siglo, gracias a la aprobacion y publicacion de la declaracion arriba mencionada se preparaba un ambiente politico favorable para la normalizacion de las relaciones entre esos dos paises. Pero, Japon practico obstinadamente la politica de seguir a EE.UU. y hostilizar a Corea en contraste con el espiritu de ese documento llevando asi a la fase extrema las relaciones bilaterales.
    Con el problema de secuestro ya solucionado mediante dicha declaracion maniobro tercamente para desacreditar la dignidad y prestigio de la RPDC al hacerlo politico e internacionalizarlo y armo alborotos contra la RPDC sin precedentes, so pretexto de "problema nuclear y de misiles".
    Tambien, al adherirse a EE.UU. se puso a la cabeza de las maniobras para formar un "cerco internacional" contra la RPDC.
    Bajo el pretexto de enfrentarse con la "amenaza militar" de Corea, aprobo la "ley para el tiempo de emergencia" que es igual a la "orden de movilizacion general del Estado" que se habia dictado en el periodo de su dominacion colonial a Corea, decidio la introduccion del sistema antimisiles, lanzo sucesivamente los satelites de espionaje militar, perpetro freneticas provocaciones militares, y fortalecio mas que nunca la sancion contra la RPDC y las maniobras contra la Asociacion General de Coreanos Residentes en Japon (Chongryon).
    La Declaracion Corea-Japon de Pyongyang es un jalon de la mejora de las relaciones bilaterales.
    Si Japon trata con respeto este documento y actua con buena voluntad, la RPDC actuara, a su vez, conforme a eso.

Pyongyaneses se deciden a lograr este ano exitos orgullosos en la construccion

     Pyongyang, 6 de enero (ATCC) -- Hoy, en la concentracion masiva celebrada en la plaza Kim Il Sung, mas de 100 mil trabajadores de distintos sectores de esta capital se decidieron a lograr este ano significativo los brillantes exitos en la construccion de una gran potencia prospera bajo la orientacion del Dirigente Kim Jong Il sobre la revolucion mediante el Songun (priorizacion militar). El editorial conjunto de los periodicos "Rodong Sinmun", "Joson Inmingun" y "Chongnyon Jonwi" publicado con motivo del Ano Nuevo senala que la tarea de lucha general que se presenta este ano ante el partido, el ejercito y la juventud de Corea es desplegar una ofensiva revolucionaria para ocupar la meta mas alta de la construccion de la gran potencia prospera en los tres frentes: la politica y la ideologia, el antiimperialismo y los asuntos militares y la economia y la ciencia.
    La concentracion escucho el informe de Ryang Man Gil, presidente del Comite Popular de la Ciudad de Pyongyang y los discursos de los representantes de distintos sectores.
    Los oradores subrayaron:
    Es preciso hacer del 2004 un ano de significado de viraje en la realizacion de la causa revolucionaria del partido.
    Todas las unidades y todos los puestos deben tocar fuertemente el tambor del triunfo de la revolucion del Songun.
    Este ano en que se cumple el 30 aniversario de la proclamacion del programa de la transformacion de todo el partido y toda la sociedad segun la idea Juche, la capital debe ponerse a la cabeza de la labor para fortalecer por todos los medios el sujeto de la revolucion y consolidar monoliticamente la base politica e ideologica.
    Se debe tomar como primera tarea estrategica el desarrollo de la industria de defensa nacional, organizar y efectuar todas las labores en el principio de dar prioridad a los asuntos militares y realizar con firmeza la identidad del ejercito y el pueblo en la idea y el estilo de lucha.
    En pleno acato a la linea de construccion economica de la epoca del Songun presentada por el Partido del Trabajo de Corea, debemos dedicar la fuerza principal a los dominios de la electricidad y la industria carbonifera, utilizar eficazmente las bases de produccion de las fabricas de la industria ligera e impulsar con teson la renovacion tecnica.
    Se debe aumentar la produccion agricola para solucionar satisfactoriamente el problema del alimento de los capitalinos.
    En la concentracion participaron el primer ministro Pak Pong Ju y los secretarios del Comite Central del PTC Han Song Ryong, Choe Thae Bok, Jong Ha Chol y Kim Jung Rin.