Preparatory Committee Formed in Mexico

     Pyongyang, January 16 (KCNA) -- A preparatory committee was inaugurated with due ceremony in Mexico on Jan. 8 to commemorate the Day of the Sun and the February holiday, the birthday of leader Kim Jong Il. The ceremony elected Juan Campos Vega who is a chairman of the Mexican Institute for the Study of the Juche Idea chairman of the preparatory committee.
    The preparatory committee set an action period from January to April and decided to introduce the immortal exploits of President Kim Il Sung performed for the human cause of independence and the feats Kim Jong Il has made to glorify the century with his Songun revolutionary leadership through celebration meetings, seminars on their works, film shows, photo exhibitions and other political and cultural functions in the period.

Joint New Year Editorial Supported Abroad

     Pyongyang, January 16 (KCNA) -- A joint New Year editorial of the newspapers of the Party, the army and the youth league of the DPRK is supported by foreigners. Alberto Anaya Gutierrez, (leader) coordinator of the National Executive Committee of the Workers' Party of Mexico, on Jan. 7 said that for the Korean people last year was a year of victory in which they resolutely frustrated the U.S. imperialists' moves for aggression and bravely withstood their challenges.
    We will as ever extend full solidarity to the Workers' Party and people of Korea in their struggle to defend their national sovereignty and dignity and socialism and achieve the reunification of the country, he noted.
    He expressed firm belief that the heroic Korean people under the wise leadership of Kim Jong Il would successfully fulfil the militant tasks set forth in the joint editorial.
    On the same day Jose Naro, coordinator of the National Executive Committee of the WPM, said that his party would make positive efforts to boost the traditional and comradely friendship and solidarity with the WPK in the New Year, too.
    On Jan. 9 the chief of the Polish Group for the Study of the Juche Idea stressed that the general fighting task set forth in the joint editorial is very just.

Campaign for Publishing Biographical Dictionary of Pro-Japanese Persons in S. Korea

     Pyongyang, January 16 (KCNA) -- The Institute for National Studies of south Korea entered into a fund-raising campaign from January 8 in an effort to publish a biographical dictionary of pro-Japanese persons, according to south Korean MBC. That day alone 40 million won of money were contributed by people of different social standings across south Korea.
    The campaign started as the "National Assembly" rejected all the budget for the compilation of the dictionary exposing the past pro-Japanese elements and the compilation itself is likely to be suspended.

Reckless Remarks of Japanese Chief Executive Condemned

     Pyongyang, January 16 (KCNA) ? The Buddhist Human Rights Committee of south Korea reportedly made public a statement on January 10,castigating the Japanese chief executive for his shameless remarks. The statement said that the Japanese chief executive made a reckless utterance that Tok Islet belongs to Japan, which is plainly the intention to invade this land.
    The "government" authorities should take a strong countermeasure to stop the Japanese chief executive from reiterating that Tok Islet belongs to Japan and expel the Japanese ambassador in Seoul, the statement said, stressing: Buddhists will watch the attitude of the "government" regarding the reckless remarks of the Japanese chief executive.
    The Eastern Seoul Federation of University Student Councils in a statement on January 11 charged that the Japanese chief executive 's allegation that Tok Islet belongs to Japan shows that he still has an empty dream of domination over the Korean peninsula.
    The issue of Tok Islet is the issue of our territory and a matter concerning the sovereignty of the nation, the statement pointed out, and emphasized: The whole nation should turn out in the struggle to smash the aggression moves of Japan and defend this land in order that the history of humiliation may not be repeated.

Friendly Meeting with Staff Members of Russian Embassy

     Pyongyang, January 16 (KCNA) -- The DPRK Foreign Ministry arranged a friendly meeting with staff members of the Russian embassy here on Jan. 15 on the occasion of the New Year Juche 93 (2004). Present on invitation were Ambassador Andrei Karlov and staff members of the Russian embassy.
    Kung Sok Ung, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs, and other officials concerned were present there.
    Speeches were made at the meeting.
    They talked about the need to boost the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries favorably developing day by day under the deep care of leader Kim Jong Il and President V. V. Putin.

GNP's Ruse to Get Off Hook Ridiculed

     Pyongyang, January 16 (KCNA) -- The Grand National Party of south Korea, bogged down in bottomless slough for its scandals, has become the target of public accusing fingers by coming out with "a motion on the convocation of an extraordinary session of the National Assembly" in an effort to cover up its crimes. In this regard a news analyst of Minju Joson today says:
    The GNP unreasonably linked the motion with the north. This is one instance of its old game taking issue with the north as a stopgap measure to get out of the crisis whenever it finds itself at the end of its rope.
    What is most detestable is that the GNP connected its motion with the north in a far-fetched manner. But this is as foolish an act as lifting the axe to cut one's own foot. The GNP is resorting to every conceivable trick to save its destiny from the crisis of dissolution, but it does not work with anybody. Suffice it to recall that even the Democratic Party, which had been cooperating with the GNP, is turning its back on the motion, saying it feels no need to call "an extraordinary, National Assembly session", and different social circles of south Korea are lifting louder voices demanding the demolition of the GNP, a corrupt party.
    The south Korean people should never give a favorable chance to the GNP, a group of corrupt traitors pursuing the idea of confrontation and division, in the "National Assembly election," but pass a stern judgement on it in the name of the nation.

U.S. Hit for Interfering in Internal Affairs of Korea

     Pyongyang, January 16 (KCNA) -- It has been brought to light that the United States recently forced the south Korean authorities to adjust the process of improving the inter-Korean relations depending on the progress to be made in the discussion of the nuclear issue. Commenting on this, Rodong Sinmun today says the U.S. intends to block the process of national reconciliation and reunification and impose a disaster of a nuclear war upon it.
    The news analyst goes on:
    The issue of improving the inter-Korean relations and realizing national reconciliation and cooperation is an internal affair of the Korean nation. It, therefore, does not allow the U.S. to interfere in it.
    The U.S. interference in the internal affairs of the Korean nation is a wanton violation of the international convention and international law calling for respecting the sovereignty of each country. This is another form of aggression.
    What should not be overlooked is that the U.S. obstructions were prompted by a plot to bring a disaster of a nuclear war to the Korean nation.
    All facts go to prove that the U.S. pressure on the south Korean authorities to adjust the process of improving the inter-Korean relations is meant to make pre-arrangements to start military actions to invade the DPRK and the Bush bellicose forces are close tolaunching a new war on the Korean peninsula.
    All the Koreans who are concerned about the destiny of the country and the nation should clearly see through the grave consequences to be entailed by the U.S. arrogant moves for intervention and aggression over the nuclear issue and resolutely meet its outrageous challenge through nationwide resistance.
    The Korean nation has the invincible Songun policy and a will to enjoy an independent and dignified life. All the Koreans should give full play to the self-confidence of the nation to carve out their life and the future of the nation with their own efforts,resolutely foil the U.S. moves for a war of aggression against the reunification of Korea and honorably defend the peace of the country and the security of the nation.
    Arms in the era of Songun know no mercy. If the Bush group, being overconfident of its strength, dares to mount a preemptive attack on the DPRK, looking down upon the DPRK, it will suffer a miserable ruin.
    The people in the northern half of Korea will in the future, too, never tolerate the anti-peace, anti-reunification moves of the U.S. but accelerate the onward march for independent reunification together with all other fellow countrymen under the uplifted banner of Songun.

NDFSK Calls for All-People Action for New "National Assembly"

     Pyongyang, January 16 (KCNA) -- The Central Committee of the National Democratic Front of South Korea published an appeal to the entire electorate in Seoul on Wednesday in connection with the 17th "general election" at hand. The appeal called upon all the voters to unite as one and rise up in an all-people campaign for a new "National Assembly" required by the new century and the era of reunification, saying it is the will of the people to eliminate corrupt politicians from the National Assembly" through this "general election" over 80 days off and see a National Assembly representing the people's will.
    The present "National Assembly," dominated by the "Grand National Party", is nothing but a cesspool deceiving the people and betraying their will, it noted, adding if this kind of assembly is allowed to stay, politics will fail, the people suffer hardships and all of them will die.
    It called on everybody to come out in the campaign for the immediate dissolution of the "assembly" and an early "general election."
    Underscoring the need to destroy the corrupt political system and lay a new foundation of independent and democratic politics by the concerted efforts of the people, the appeal urged all political parties, groupings and the people from all walks of life to strengthen the unity and solidarity and take joint actions for the dissolution of the present "National Assembly" and an early "general election".

GI Sentenced to Prison Term

     Pyongyang, January 16 (KCNA) -- A court of south Korea on Jan. 9 passed a six-month prison term on the former deputy chief of the hall for the dead in the U.S. Eighth Army Command, according to south Korean MBC and KBS. An official of the Seoul District Court said the convict ordered his men to let formalin flow into the River Han four years ago, knowing that it was a poisonous material harmful to human body.
    Meanwhile, the Seoul District Prosecution on Jan. 11 issued a ban on his departure from south Korea.
    The prosecution decided to officially demand that the U.S. forces hand over the criminal to the south Korean side when penalty is confirmed and, in case this demand were turned down, to register him on the want list.

Brutalities of U.S. Imperialist Aggressor Troops Denounced

     Pyongyang, January 16 (KCNA) -- The Secretariat of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland on Jan. 15 issued　Information Bulletin No. 857 as regards unceasing brutal violence and looting by the U.S. imperialist aggressor troops in south　Korea. The bulletin recalls that some time ago GIs committed gang assaults against civilians in succession in Pusan, south Korea.
    It says:　
    These outrageous acts of the U.S. imperialist aggressor troops vividly reveal the extreme arrogance, arbitrary practices and　predatory nature of the occupationists behaving themselves as rulers and extraterritorial beings in south Korea. And they clearly　prove once more that the U.S. imperialists are the root cause of all the misfortunes and pains suffered by the south Korean people　and the sworn enemy violating the dignity and sovereignty of the Korean nation.
    It is the greatest national shame that the Korean nation with a time-honored history, culture and traditions spanning 5,000 years　are undergoing misfortunes and pains, subject to the domination and interference of the U.S. in a half of the country for more than　half a century.　
    The south Korean people from all walks of life should turn out as one in the anti-U.S. struggle to drive the U.S. imperialist　aggressor troops, the principal criminal in aggression and slaughter, out of south Korea and frustrate the U.S. moves to provoke a　new war under the pretext of the nuclear issue.

KCNA Blasts Japan's Claim to Tok Islet

     Pyongyang, January 16 (KCNA) -- Recently Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi openly asserted that Tok Islet is part of "Japan's territory", while Taro Aso, minister of Public Management, Home Affairs, Post and Telecommunications, made provocative remarks at a ministerial meeting that Japan would "publish a stamp carrying Tok Islet", according to a news report. It is not the first time that the ruling quarters of Japan let loose such outbursts. In 1977, the then Prime Minister Fukuta made a territorial claim to Tok Islet at a meeting of the House of Councillors and the then Prime Minister Mori made the same claim at apress conference in 2000. Their outcries triggered off public furor and were bitterly denounced by the Korean people.
    Koizumi made the same brigandish assertion instead of drawing a lesson from this. This clearly shows how far the Japanese reactionaries have gone in their wild ambition for territorial expansion.
    This, at the same time, clearly indicates that the Japanese reactionaries are steeped in hostility towards Korea and consciousness of confrontation to the marrow of their bones and their aggressive nature still remains unchanged.
    In the last century, Japan carried out unprecedented wars of aggression and plunder to realize its wild ambition for territorial expansion, bringing horrible disasters to humankind.
    History still accuses Japan of its crime-ridden past when it ignited the Russo-Japanese war, invaded Manchuria and provoked the Sino-Japanese war and the Pacific war to massacre innocent people.
    Japan, however, has reappeared on the international arena as a chieftain of aggression with dangerous political and military potentials in a bid to realize its old dream of the "Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere" it failed to do in the last century.
    This can not but touch off the anti-Japanese sentiment of the Korean and other Asian people.
    Emphatically speaking, Tok Islet is part of the inviolable territory of Korea from the historical and geographical point of view and in the light of international law. This is an undeniable hard fact.
    Nevertheless, the Japanese reactionaries have falsified the historical truth, painting Tok Islet as one belonging to Japan for scores of years. They have long looted a large quantity of marine resources there and used it for a military purpose of invading thecontinent.
    Koizumi visited the "Yasukuni Shrine" on the New Year's Day, openly revealing Japan's attempt to restore militarism and made a territorial claim to Tok Islet. This was a revelation of Japan's black-hearted design to actively step up its moves for the reinvasion of Korea and the rest of Asia.
    Reinvasion means destruction and it will lead Japan to a miserable ruin.
    The people and the army of the DPRK will heighten their revolutionary vigilance and foil every move of the Japanese reactionaries for reinvasion with the might of Songun.

U.S. Invariable Ambition for Nuclear War

     Pyongyang, January 16 (KCNA) -- The United States has brought high-tech weapons of mass destruction tested in Iraq and Afghanistan to areas south of the Demilitarized Zone in Korea, rendering the situation of the peninsula very acute. The fact goes to prove clearly that the U.S. call for "six-way talks" and a "negotiated solution to the nuclear issue" is nothing but a ploy to veil its bellicose nature and that its ambition for a nuclear war against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea has remained unchanged.
    During the Korean war the United States brought a large amount of sophisticated combat equipment and more than 73 million tons of war materials to the peninsula and after the war it has continued introducing military hardware including weapons of massdestruction into south Korea. In the early 1990s it replaced all combat equipment of U.S. troops in south Korea with sophisticated weapons used in the Gulf War, and formed a new helicopter attack brigade there. It also brought more than 10,000 pieces of equipment including latest-type tanksand armoured cars to south Korea and stockpiled some 700,000 tons of ammunition as of 1997.
    The United States already deployed some 1,000 pieces of nuclear weaponry in south Korea, turning a half of the peninsula into the world's largest arsenal and an advanced base for a nuclear war.
    Kim Yong Chun, chief of the General Staff of the Korean People's Army, told KCNA that all the Korean servicemen were keeping a close eye on the U.S. arms buildup in south Korea, while fully preparing themselves to cope with it.
    It is the unswerving position of the Korean army and people to answer the enemy's rifle with gun and meet the enemy's hardline policy with tougher measures, he added.

Ten Best Athletes of DPRK Selected

     Pyongyang, January 16 (KCNA) -- The list of ten best athletes for Juche 92 (2003) was made public in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The ten girls are judoists Kye Sun Hui and Hong Ok Song; weightlifter Ri Song Hui; footballers Ri Kum Suk and Jin Pyol Hui; boxers Ri Jong Hyang, Pak Kyong Ok and Kim Kwang Ok; and gymnasts Kang Yun Mi and Kim Yong Sil.
    Kye Sun Hui came first in the 57 kg category at the World Judo Championships held in Osaka, Japan in 2003, and Hong Ok Song won gold medals in the 57 kg category at the 3rd World Military Games and the 22nd Universiad respectively.
    Ri Song Hui came first in 53 kg jerk and won a silver medal in the total at the 16th World Women's Weightlifting Championships.
    Footballers Ri Kum Suk and Jin Pyol Hui and boxers Ri Jong Hyang, Pak Kyong Ok and Kim Kwang Ok distinguished themselves in making the DPRK teams ranking first at the 14th Asian Women's Football Championships and the Second World Women's Boxing Championships respectively.
    Kang Yun Mi proved successful at the 37th World Gymnastics Championships and Kim Yong Sil at the 22nd Universiad.

For Spanish-speaking people

Kim Jong Il inspecciona la Unidad No 943 del EPC

     Pyongyang, 16 de enero (ATCC) -- El Dirigente Kim Jong Il, Secretario General del Partido del Trabajo de Corea, Presidente del Comite de Defensa Nacional de la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea y Comandante Supremo del Ejercito Popular de Corea inspecciono la Unidad No 943 del EPC. Tras escuchar la historia de la Unidad, en la sala de mando operacional se entero en detalles del estado de cumplimiento del deber de la Unidad por parte del jefe de esta.
    Se mostro muy satisfecho de que todos los miembros directivos y soldados cumplen con mucha responsabilidad la guardia avanzada manteniendo alta vigilancia, y se prepararon firmemente como valientes combatientes capaces de aniquilar uno contra cien enemigos al materializar cabalmente la orientacion del PTC en materia de dar prioridad a los ejercicios militares, y presento las tareas programaticas que sirven de guia para fortalecer por todos los medios la combatividad de la Unidad.
    Acto seguido, el Comandante Supremo recorrio la Casa de Militares, sala de educacion, dormitorio, comedor, bano, almacen de alimentos subsidiarios, lugar de descanso al aire libre y otros lugares de la Unidad, presencio personalmente las obras caligraficas de los soldados y presto esmerada atencion a la vida de los militares.
    Al ver tipicos instrumentos musicales hechos en el frente y datos de educacion, exhibidos en la sala de educacion expreso una gran satisfaccion de que la Unidad desarrolla la labor cultural y educacional a la manera de la Guerrilla Antijaponesa, y enseno uno a uno los medios para desplegar mas vivida y sustancialmente la educacion politico-ideologica y la cultural conforme a las caracteristicas de los militares jovenes.
    En la cocina, al ver los platos de diversos generos, que un miembro dirigente de la Unidad y su esposa prepararon para los soldados, evaluo altamente sus esfuerzos diciendo que es grande la sinceridad de este matrimonio para los militares.
    El Comandante Supremo dijo que hoy, en todas las unidades del EPC se ofrece a frecuencia el "Dia para los soldados", que se extiende energicamente como un movimiento, y apunto que esto es la bella costumbre autoctona del EPC en que se establecio firmemente la unidad entre oficiales y soldados y entre superiores e inferiores, basada en la camaraderia revolucionaria. El Dirigente Kim Jong Il se fotografio junto a los militares de la Unidad.
    Le acompanaron los generales de ejercito del EPC Ri Myong Su, Hyon Chol Hae y Pak Jae Gyong y el primer subjefe de departamento del Comite Central del PTC Ri Yong Chol.

Invariable ambicion de guerra nuclear

     Pyongyang, 16 de enero (ATCC) -- En estos dias, los Estados Unidos introducen en la porcion al Sur de la zona desmilitarizada armamentos sofisticados de exterminio masivo, ya probados en las contiendas belicas de Iraq y Afganistan, exacerbando asi al extremo la situacion de la Peninsula Coreana. Tal hecho demuestra claramente que los alegatos de EE.UU. sobre las "conversaciones de 6 partes" y la "solucion del problema nuclear mediante el dialogo", no pasan de ser una sutil artimana para encubrir su naturaleza belicosa, y es invariable su ambicion de aplastar con armas nucleares a la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea.
    En la pasada Guerra Coreana, los imperialistas yanquis introdujeron en el Sur de Corea una enorme cantidad de equipos tecnicos de combate de tipo ultramoderno y los materiales belicos de mas de 73 millones de toneladas que equivalen a la cifra de 11 veces mayor que los gastados en la Guerra Pacifica, y aun despues de la guerra, no cesaron de trasladar los equipamientos belicos y las armas de exterminio masivo a esta parte de la Peninsula Coreana.
    En particular, al entrar en la decada de 1990, sustituyeron los pertrechos militares de las tropas norteamericanas ocupantes del Sur de Corea por los equipamientos ultramodernos ya usados en la Guerra Persica, y seguidamente, introdujeron adicionalmente helicopteros de ultimo modelo para organizar una brigada de ataque de estas aeronaves. Ademas, trasladaron al Sur de Corea mas de 10 mil tanques y carros blindados de nuevo tipo, y acumularon como materiales de reserva para la guerra mas de 700 mil toneladas de municiones hasta 1997.
    La cantidad de los armamentos y pertrechos belicos de todo tipo ya llega a una cifra astronomica y el numero de armas nucleares es de mil y pico. De esta forma, EE.UU. convirtio el Sur de Corea en un polvorin mas peligroso del mundo, en una base avanzada para la guerra nuclear.
    El jefe del Estado Mayor General del Ejercito Popular de Corea Kim Yong Chun senalo que hoy, todos los oficiales y soldados del EPC agudizan la vigilancia sobre las freneticas maniobras de los enemigos encaminadas al aumento de armas sofisticadas, y hacen perfectos los preparativos para hacerle frente, y continuo:
    Nuestro ejercito y pueblo mantienen la invariable posicion de responder a los fusiles enemigos con los canones y a la dureza con la sobredureza.
    Si los imperialistas yanquis se atreven a desatar la guerra nuclear sin hacer caso de las reiteradas advertencias de la RPDC, nuestro ejercito y pueblo destruiran con el despiadado golpe demoledor el baluarte de los enemigos movilizando para este fin todo el poderio politico-ideologico y la potencialidad militar preparados durante largo tiempo.

Corea: 10 mejores jugadoras

     Pyongyang, 16 de enero (ATCC) -- En Corea fueron seleccionadas como 10 mejores jugadoras para el ano 92 (2003) de la Era Juche las judocas Kye Sun Hui y Hong Ok Song, la pesista Ri Song Hui, las futbolistas Ri Kum Suk y Jin Pyol Hui, las boxeadoras Ri Jong Hyang, Pak Kyong Ok y Kim Kwang Ok y las gimnastas Kang Yun Mi y Kim Yong Sil. Kye Sun Hui obtuvo el primer lugar en la categoria de 57 kilos (f) del Campeonato Mundial de Judo - 2003 efectuado en Osaka y Hong Ok Song se clasifico la primera en la misma categoria de los III Juegos Militares Mundiales y la XXII universiada.
    Ri Song Hui ocupo el primer lugar en el envion de categoria de 53 kilos del XVI Campeonato Mundial de Levantamiento de Pesas Femenino y el segundo lugar en la clasificacion general.
    Ri Kum Suk y Jin Pyol Hui hicieron un gran aporte a lograr el primer lugar en el XIV Campeonato Asiatico de Futbol Femenino; Ri Jong Hyang, Pak Kyong Ok y Kim Kwang Ok, al primer lugar en la clasificacion general por paises en el II Campeonato Asiatico de Boxeo Femenino.
    Kang Yun Mi y Kim Yong Sil obtuvieron buenas notas en el 37 Campeonato Mundial de Gimnasia y en la 22 Universiada, respectivamente.