Appeal of Joint Meeting of DPRK Government, Parties and Organizations Hailed

     Pyongyang, January 22 (KCNA) -- Papers here today carry commentaries in support of the appeal of the joint meeting of the DPRK government, political parties and organizations. The appeal to the 70 million fellow countrymen, which was adopted at the meeting on Jan. 19, set the slogan "Let us pave a wide avenue for independent reunification through national cooperation under the banner of our nation-first spirit!" as the slogan for the country's reunification to be held high by the Korean nation and put forward 5-point task to implement it.
    Rodong Sinmun in a signed commentary says that the appeal is being supported and welcomed at home and abroad as it reflects the ardent desire and will of all the fellow countrymen to smash the aggression and war moves of the U.S. imperialists, defend the peace of the country and give impetus to the process of reconciliation and reunification.
    The commentary notes:
    The main issue discussed at the joint meeting is that the whole Korean nation should take practical actions to cope with the nation's confrontation with the U.S. under the banner of the Korean nation-first spirit. The time has come to settle a final account with the U.S. trying to bring disasters of nuclear war to the Korean peninsula.
    The five-point task is to fully demonstrate the dignity of the Korean nation on the basis of its superiority, positively realize national cooperation, dynamically wage a sacred anti-U.S. patriotic struggle, thoroughly implement the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration and uphold the great Songun politics. It is the most key and essential issue to win victory in the anti-U.S. patriotic struggle for reunification this year.
    Our nation-first spirit is the banner of victory in the drive to carry out the task.
    Minju Joson says that the 5-point task and the proposal for implementing it is a patriotic initiative to defend the peace of the country and pave a wide avenue for independent reunification.

National Preparatory Committee of Nepal Formed

     Pyongyang, January 22 (KCNA) -- An inaugural ceremony of a Nepalese national preparatory committee for commemorating the Day of the Sun and celebrating February 16, birthday of leader Kim Jong Il, was held in Kathmandu on January 15. At the ceremony Ram Prid Paswan, vice-president of the Nepalese Senate, was elected chairman of the preparatory committee and it was decided to organize colorful political and cultural functions from February to April.
    The chairman of the preparatory committee said that the birthdays of President Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il are global holidays and that they would most grandly commemorate the birthdays of the great leaders of the progressive humankind of the world in all sincerity.
    A letter to Kim Jong Il was adopted at the ceremony.

U.S. Hostile Policy toward DPRK Condemned by Czech Organization

     Pyongyang, January 22 (KCNA) -- The Paektusan Czech-Korean Friendship Association sent a letter to the U.S. president on January 9 in denunciation of the U.S. imperialists' hostile policy toward the DRPK. The letter said that the United States is making much ado about "nuclear threat" from the DPRK, but the nuclear crisis in the Korean peninsula was caused by the U.S.
    The U.S. has illegally deployed nuclear weapons in and around south Korea and frequently staged aggressive military exercises against the DPRK, the letter pointed out, stressing that the U.S. can never evade its responsibility for killing a large number of Koreans in cold blood during the 1950-1953 Korean war.
    Saying that the U.S. troops have no justification for occupying south Korea, the letter strongly demanded that the U.S. unconditionally withdraw its troops from south Korea and accede to the DPRK proposal to settle the nuclear issue between the DPRK and the U.S. in a peaceful way.

Rodong Sinmun on Driving Force of Peace Movement

     Pyongyang, January 22 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today in a signed article says that the master of the movement for defending peace is the popular masses and they have decisive strength to push ahead with it. The popular masses of all the countries are directly in charge of the peace movement, the article says, and continues:
    It is important to enhance the role of the popular masses of all the countries, the driving force of the peace movement, in order to prevent aggression and war and defend peace.
    The popular masses should wage a powerful anti-imperialist and anti-war struggle with the consciousness of being the driving force of the peace movement. The danger of war is increasing in different regions and countries and peace is seriously threatened due to the moves of the U.S. imperialists.
    Imperialists never give up aggression and war. Peace can be provided only when all the peace-loving people of the world who value independence turn out as one to wage a resolute and stubborn struggle against the aggression and war policy of the imperialists.
    It is important for the popular masses of all the countries to allow no aggression and war of the imperialists, halt their arms race and arms build-up and wage a firm struggle to drive their military bases and aggression troops out of other countries.
    The unity of the popular masses of all countries is a decisive guarantee for strengthening their position and enhancing their role as the main force of the peace movement.
    All the progressive forces and peace-loving people of the world should unite under the anti-imperialist and anti-war banner for peace to jointly counter the increasing moves of the U.S.-led imperialists for aggression and war and make a collective counterattack on the imperialists in all regions where their tentacles of aggression have reached.
    For the popular masses of all countries aspiring after independence and peace, to firmly maintain the anti-imperialist stand for independence is the basic demand for the unity of the peace-loving forces and the main guarantee for them to enhance their role as the driving force of the peace movement to more successfully wage the anti-war struggle for peace.
    The Korean people will in the future, too, unite with the popular masses of all the countries under the anti-imperialist and anti-war banner for peace to stage an energetic struggle against the moves of the imperialists for aggression and war in defence of peace in Asia and the rest of the world.

Greetings to Foreign Minister of Croatia

     Pyongyang, January 22 (KCNA) -- DPRK Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun sent a message of greetings to Miomir Ziuzul on his appointment as foreign minister of Croatia. Expressing the belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would develop on good terms in the future, too, the message wished him success in implementing his new duty.

Congratulations to Prime Minister of Croatia

     Pyongyang, January 22 (KCNA) -- Pak Pong Ju, premier of the DPRK Cabinet, sent a message of greetings to Ivo Sanader on his appointment as prime minister of Croatia. Expressing the belief that the relations between the two countries would develop in the interests of the two peoples, the message wished him success in his responsible work.

Proposal of Joint Meeting Supported

     Pyongyang, January 22 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Dae, chairman of the Central Committee of the Korean Social Democratic Party (KSDP), in a statement on January 21 said that an important issue to take practical actions to cope with the Korean nation's confrontation with the U.S. was discussed at the joint meeting of the DPRK government, political parties and organizations, and expressed full support to it. The politicians of the north and the south should share intention and keep step with each other with a view to smashing the aggression moves of the U.S., the common enemy of the north and the south, and shaping out the advance road of the Korean nation under the present situation that frontal confrontation between war and peace, division and reunification, is going on between the entire Korean nation and the U.S., he said, and continued:
    The KSDP will energetically materialise solidarity with many political parties and organizations at home and abroad in response to the appeal of the joint meeting.
    It will make all efforts to realize national cooperation through solidarity, and travels and contacts between the political parties and organizations of the north and the south irrespective of ideology, political views and religious belief.
    All the fellow countrymen in the north and the south and overseas should unanimously trust in and uphold the great Songun politics, the genuine patriotic politics, in order to defend the dignity and sovereignty of the Korean nation and achieve peace and reunification of the country under the uplifted banner of our nation-first spirit.
    The entire members of the KSDP will energetically turn out to carry through the slogan for national reunification set forth in the joint New Year editorial in keeping with the growing desire of the fellow countrymen for reunification. He expressed the belief that all the fellow countrymen in the north and the south and overseas would positively respond to the appeal to the 70 million Koreans.

Posters for 8th Kimjongilia Festival

     Pyongyang, January 22 (KCNA) -- New posters were created for the 8th Kimjongilia Festival to be grandly opened on the occasion of the birthday of leader Kim Jong Il (Feb. 16), the greatest holiday of the Korean nation. Written in the upper part of the posters are letters "Celebration February 16." Brought into relief against the background of brilliant rays of light and beautiful firecrackers is Kimjongilia, the immortal flower in full bloom carrying the unanimous desire of the Korean people and the world revolutionary people who are boundlessly praising and following Kim Jong Il, great leader, iron-willed commander and tender-hearted father. Painted in the low part of posters are a flag symbolic of the festival and the Kimilsungia-Kimjongilia Exhibition in which the festival will be held.
    The letters "The 8th Kimjongilia Festival" and a period of the festival are seen in posters.
    The posters encourage all the Korean people and servicemen to harden their faith and will to build a great prosperous powerful nation in this land true to the Songun revolutionary leadership of Kim Jong Il.

KCNA Comments on Japan's Move for "New Defence Program"

     Pyongyang, January 22 (KCNA) -- The Japanese government decided to introduce the MD system and has planned to fundamentally examine the readjustment of defence power and the existence mode of the "Self-Defence Forces" and map out a "new defence program" this summer. The "guidelines on re-examination of defence power" decided at a recent security council meeting and a ministerial meeting of the Japanese government set forth the policy to counter the "new threat" of terrorism and missiles and further strengthen defence power for "peace and security of the international community."
    It is said that the "SDF" will change into an organization for multi-purpose operations including the "activities for international cooperation" besides the defence of Japan.
    Such movement clearly shows the political reality of Japan putting spur to the moves to become a military power and set out on overseas aggression.
    Japan is now actively pushing ahead with the moves to become a military power, pursuant to the U.S. move to establish the MD system.
    Japan's Defence Agency is about to get a budget of 800 billion ~ 1 trillion yen for the maintenance of interceptor missiles Patriot-3 and Aegis missiles to establish the MD network.
    Japan keeps dispatching the "SDF" overseas under the pretext of war against terrorism and, in particular, sending heavily armed troops of the "SDF" to the Iraqi war field under the signboard of assistance to post-war reconstruction of Iraq.
    Japan's move to work out the "new defence program" this year is intended to fix by law the present political reality, in which Japan is setting out on the road of overseas expansion with the backing of the U.S. indulged in hegemonic high-handed practices after the September 11 incident and lay a foundation to erase the article banning war in the "peace constitution" and change it into a war constitution.
    Phrases "coping with the new threat" and "activities for international cooperation" are nothing but a camouflage to legalize the arms buildup of Japan and overseas aggression of the "SDF."
    This is proved by the fact that Japan has escalated the position and mission of the "SDF" for "international cooperation" while intending to deploy a long-distance transport plane and large transport ship for overseas dispatch.
    All the facts indicate that the final target of the "new defence program" is to convert the "SDF" equipped with latest military hardware into the elite aggression force capable of performing overseas mobile military operations worldwide.
    Asian countries and the international community are standing guard over Japan's move to officially change its defence policy.
    If Japan hastens the move to become a military power and the way of reinvasion, overheated by its ambition for militaristic overseas expansion in the new century instead of liquidating its blood-stained history of aggression on Korea and other Asian countries, it would precipitate its final destruction.

Floral Baskets Laid before Statues of Kim Il Sung

     Pyongyang, January 22 (KCNA) -- Floral baskets were laid before the statues of President Kim Il Sung in different parts of the country today, the lunar New Year's Day of Juche 93 (2004). Pyongyangites, servicepersons, school youth and children visited the statue of the President on Mansu Hill.
    Seen standing before the statue was a floral basket sent by Kim Jong Il, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission and supreme commander of the Korean People's Army.
    Floral baskets and bouquets were placed in the name of the Party, armed forces and power organs, public organizations, ministries, national institutions, KPA units, institutions of science, education, culture and art, public health and the press and industrial establishments, farms and schools.
    Floral baskets were also laid in the name of the former unconverted long-term prisoners and overseas compatriots.
    Written on the ribbons of the floral baskets were letters "The Great Leader Comrade Kim Il Sung Is Immortal", "The Great Leader Comrade Kim Il Sung Will Always Be with Us" and "The Great Revolutionary Exploits of the Respected Leader Generalissimo Kim Il Sung Will Be Everlasting."
    Floral baskets were placed before the statues of the President in various parts of Pyongyang including Kim Il Sung University, Kim Il Sung Military University, the Ministry of People's Security and the Pyongyang Schoolchildren's Palace.
    Working people and school youth and children across the country laid floral baskets, bouquets and flowers before statues of the President in their residential quarters.

For Spanish-speaking people

Periodicos apoyan llamamiento de Conferencia Conjunta

     Pyongyang, 22 de enero (ATCC) -- Los periodicos capitalinos del dia 22 insertaron comentarios en apoyo al llamamiento de la Conferencia Conjunta del Gobierno, los Partidos Politicos y las Organizaciones de la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea efectuada el pasado 19. El llamamiento a los 70 millones de coreanos, aprobado en la citada conferencia, presenta "!Abramos el ancho camino de la reunificacion independiente con la cooperacion nacional bajo la bandera de dar prioridad a la nacion coreana!" como la consigna que la nacion coreana debe enarbolar este ano para la runificacion de la patira, y las tareas de cinco puntos para su efecto.
    El periodico Rodong Sinmun, en un comentario individual, senala que el llamamiento de la Conferencia Conjunta refleja la ferviente aspiracion y voluntad de los coreanos dispuestos a frustrar las maniobras de agresion y guerra del imperialismo norteamericano, preservar la paz del pais e impulsar el proceso de la reconciliacion y la reunificacion y apunta que este llamamiento disfruta de apoyo y aplausos tanto en el interior como en el exterior del pais, y continua:
    El problema principal discutido en dicha conferencia es que todos los coreanos deben lograr en lo practico la estructura de enfrentamiento de toda la nacion coreana vs. EE.UU. bajo la bandera de dar prioridad a la nacion coreana. Ha llegado la hora de hacer el balance general con EE.UU. que trata de acarrear calamidades de la guerra nuclear a la Peninsula Coreana.
    Las tareas de cinco puntos, formuladas en la Conferencia Conjunta, de que los 70 millones de coreanos deben exaltar plenamente la dignidad de la nacion coreana basandose en la superioridad de esta, desarrollar activamente la cooperacion nacional, librar audazmente la sagrada lucha patriotica antiyanqui, ejecutar estrictamente la Declaracion Conjunta Norte-Sur del 15 de Junio y apoyar activamente la gran politica de Songun (priorizacion militar), son problemas mas claves e indispensables para lograr la victoria en la lucha de este ano contra los yanquis y por la reunificacion.
    En la lucha por llevar a cabo dichas tareas, la bandera de la victoria es el principio de dar prioridad a la nacion coreana.
    Por otra parte, el periodico Minju Joson, en un comentario individual, subraya que las tareas de cinco puntos y la proposicion de realizarlas, presentadas en la Conferencia Conjunta, constituyen una iniciativa patriotica para preservar la paz del pais y abrir el ancho camino para la reunificacion independiente.

Insensato "programa de defensa" de Japon - Comentario de ATCC -

     Pyongyang, 22 de enero (ATCC) -- El gobierno japones decidio introducir el sistema antimisiles y planea revisar radicalmente el arreglo de las fuerzas de defensa y el modo de existencia de las "Fuerzas de Autodefensa" y aprobar en lo posible en el verano que viene un "nuevo programa de defensa". La "Guia de reexaminacion de las fuerzas de defensa", aprobada recientemente en la reunion de seguridad y la sesion ministerial del gobierno, presenta la orientacion de fortalecer mas las fuerzas de defensa para hacer frente a la "nueva amenaza" terrorista y de misiles y preservar la "paz y la estabilidad de la sociedad internacional".
    Dicen que las "Fuerzas de Autodefensa" se convertiran en una organizacion que realiza las "actividades de cooperacion internacional y otras misiones, para no hablar de la defensa de Japon".
    Tales movimientos demuestran bien la realidad politica de ese pais isleno que da acicate a las maniobras para la conversion de su pais en una potencia militar y la agresion a otros paises.
    Ahora, Japon acelera activamente la labor para esta potencia adhiriendose a las maquinaciones de EE.UU. destinadas a establecer el sistema de defensa antimisiles.
    La Agencia de Defensa de Japon trata de recibir el presupuesto de 800 mil millones - un billon de yenes como gastos de arreglo de misiles "Patriot-3" y cohetes para el buque "Eais" necesarios para la red antimisiles.
    Ese pais no cesa de enviar a otros paises los efectivos de las "Fuerzas de Autodefensa" bajo el pretexto de la batalla contra el terror y, en particular, despacha a los efectivos pertrechados con armas pesadas a Irak bajo el rotulo de apoyo a la rehabilitacion posbelica de este pais persico.
    Todos los hechos arriba mencionados demuestran que el objeto general del "nuevo programa de defensa" reside en convertir las "Fuerzas de Autodefensa" dispuestas de armamentos belicos ultramodernos en las fuerzas armadas regulares de agresion que cumplan las moviles operaciones militares en el extranjero.
    Si Japon, cautivado de la ambicion militarista de expansion a ultramar, toma tambien en el nuevo siglo el camino para la conversion de su pais en una potencia militar y nueva agresion sin liquidar su historia de invasion a Corea y otros paises asiaticos, acelerara solo la destruccion final de si mismo.

Nepal: comite preparatorio nacional por el Dia del Sol y 16 de febrero

     Pyongyang, 22 de enero (ATCC) -- Tuvo lugar el dia 15 en Katmandu el acto constitutivo del Comite Preparatorio Nacional de Nepal por el Dia del Sol (cumpleanos del Presidente Kim Il Sung) y el 16 de febrero (cumpleanos del Dirigente Kim Jong Il). Como presidente del Comite fue electo Lam Prid Paswan, vicepresidente del Consejo Nacional de Nepal. El Comite decidio organizar significativamente diversos actos politicos y culturales durante el periodo de febrero a abril. El presidente del Comite dijo que los cumpleanos de Su Excelencia el gran Presidente Kim Il Sung y de Su Excelencia el gran Dirigente Kim Jong Il son fiestas mundiales y destaco que conmemoraran mas solemnemente y con toda sinceridad los dias de nacimiento de los grandes lideres de la humanidad progresista del mundo.
    En la ocasion fue aprobada una carta dirigida al Dirigente.