SPA Session Discusses State Budget

     Pyongyang, March 25 (KCNA) -- The Second Session of the 11th Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK held at the Mansudae Assembly Hall on March 25 discussed the fulfillment of the state budget for Juche 92 (2003) and the state budget for Juche 93 (2004). Finance Minister Mun Il Bong delivered a report on this.
    He said:
    The planned state budgetary revenue for last year was fulfilled at 100.9 per cent.
    Last year all the people bought public bonds for people's life with the high consciousness of being citizens and patriotism. As a result, a large revenue from the public bonds was added to the state budget and not a small amount of funds were donated to the state.
    The planned state budgetary expenditure was fulfilled at 98.2 per cent last year.
    The government spent 15.7 per cent of the total budgetary expenditure for the defence industry and 23.3 per cent for the national economy.
    40.5 per cent of the total budgetary expenditure was spent for carrying out various popular policies for the promotion of the people's welfare.
    This year's state budgetary revenue is expected to increase 5.7 per cent over the previous year. The profits of state enterprises are expected to go up 16.5 per cent over the previous year and those of cooperative organizations and others are envisaged to markedly swell.
    This year's state budgetary expenditure is expected to increase 8.6 per cent over last year to sufficiently meet the financial demands for conducting a general offensive on the three fronts of building a great prosperous powerful nation and implementing the Party's line of economic construction in the Songun era to the letter.
    The government earmarked 15.5 per cent of this year's state budgetary expenditure for the defence industry with a view to completing the combat preparations of the People's Army, increasing the independence of the defence industry, stepping up modernization and informationalization and thus consolidating the country's defences as firm as an iron wall.
    In order to reenergize the nation's economy as a whole this year the government will allocate huge funds for the fields of the national economy so as to keep the production in the mining, machine-building, chemical and building materials industries and forestry going at a steady rate and effect a new productive upswing in the light industry and the rural economy while channeling main efforts into the power, coal and metal industries and the railway transport.
    This year more funds will go to the fields of city management and land and environmental protection than last year. 1.6 times more funds than last year will be earmarked for the development of science and technology including ultra-modern science, basic science and applied science.
    Financial allocations for additional measures in this year's state budget will increase 8.1 percent over last year. Disbursement for education and public health will go up 9.5 per cent and 5.9 per cent respectively in the same period.
    This year, too, a large amount of educational aid fund and stipends will be sent to the children of the Koreans in Japan for the development of the democratic national education of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan.

Letter of Protest Addressed to GNP Released

     Pyongyang, March 25 (KCNA) -- The Central Association of Korean Nationals in Russia on March 20 released a letter addressed to the Grand National Party of south Korea in protest against the passage of the "motion on impeachment against the president" through the "National Assembly." The letter accused the GNP of having recently railroaded all sorts of evil bills and even the "motion on impeachment against the president" through the NA, taking advantage of its majority seats in it.
    The Korean nationals in Russia are not repressing their bitter resentment at such anti-national acts of the GNP, the letter noted, demanding the party immediately revoke the "motion" and repent of its crimes committed against the nation and history as early as possible so that it may not perpetrate more crimes against the nation.

Halt to Joint Military Exercises Urged in S. Korea

     Pyongyang, March 25 (KCNA) -- The Reunification Solidarity sponsored a "meeting demanding a halt to the south Korea-U.S. "Reception, Staging, Onward Movement and Integration" and "Foal Eagle" joint exercises in the university street of Seoul on March 20. The meeting was attended by members of civic and social organizations including the Reunification Solidarity, the South Headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country's Reunification, the Solidarity for Implementing the South-North Joint Declaration and the south Korean Federation of University Student Councils and students, at least 300.
    Speakers at the meeting strongly demanded the U.S. and the south Korean authorities immediately stop the war maneuvers, saying that no one should remain a mere onlooker to the military exercises which may bring the whole nation" to ruin..
    Meanwhile, a joint statement was released on March 18 by the Citizens' Solidarity for Democratic Society, the Centre for Peace and Disarmament, the Reunification Solidarity, the People for Achieving Peace and Reunification and other organizations of the movement for peace. The joint statement strongly urged the south Korean and the U.S. authorities to halt the war maneuvers intended to escalate the military tension on the Korean peninsula and lay obstacles in the way of seeking a peaceful solution to the nuclear issue and withdraw at once the troops and military equipment involved in those drills.

S. Korean Students Take Actions against "Motion on Impeachment"

     Pyongyang, March 25 (KCNA) -- The south Korean Federation of University Student Councils (Hanchongryon) and ten other student organizations across south Korea held a rally in Seoul on March 21 in protest against the passage of the "motion on impeachment against the president" through the "National Assembly," according to the south Korean KBS. At the rally the organizations declared that they would take actions such as student strike to cope with the political situation created in the wake of the railroading of the "motion" through the NA and judge the old political forces in the "general election" at any cost.
    They formed a special committee for the solution of the problem of the young unemployed and declared they would demand the "government" authorities take measures to settle the job problem of university graduates.
    At the end of the rally at least 200 students affiliated to Hanchongryon entered into a sit-in strike on the situation at Myongdong Cathedral, Seoul, declaring "the motion on impeachment" null and void and demanding the dissolution of the "National Assembly."

Youth and Students in North, South and Overseas Meet

     Pyongyang, March 25 (KCNA) -- A meeting of representatives of youth and student organizations in the north, the south and overseas for implementing the June 15 joint declaration was held in Shenyang, China, on March 21. Participating in the meeting were representatives of youth and student organizations in the north including Choe Yong Gu, secretary of the Central Committee of the Kim Il Sung Socialist Youth League, representatives of youth and student organizations in the south including Jong Sang Ok, chairperson of the south Korean Young Buddhist Association, and representatives of Korean youth and student organizations from China, Japan and the United States.
    The meeting discussed its agenda item on the orientation of the youth and student movement for national reunification for this year. student organizations from China, Japan and the United States.
    Reporters and speakers at the meeting referred to the tasks to further strengthen the solidarity among youth and students in the north, the south and overseas and ways to implement them, noting that the orientation of the movement for national reunification this year is to realize the unity of the 70 million Koreans, avert the danger of a war from outsiders and invariably adhere to and implement the June 15 joint declaration through closer national cooperation under the banner of the Korean nation-first spirit.
    Adopted there was a "declaration of the meeting of representatives of youth and student organizations in the north, the south and overseas for implementing the June 15 joint declaration."
    The declaration noted that they would fully demonstrate the dignity of the nation with pride and self-confidence that the Korean nation is best. They would fulfill their role as the vanguard in the movement to further harden the unity of the whole nation, avert a war threatening the nation's security and right to existence and bring about peace, the declaration stressed. It noted that they would lead the patriotic movement for reunification to thoroughly adhere to and implement the June 15 joint declaration, the milestone of the national reunification.

DPRK Premier Delivers Report at SPA Session

     Pyongyang, March 25 (KCNA) -- Pak Pong Ju, premier of the Cabinet, made a report on the work of the Cabinet in Juche 92 (2003) and its tasks for Juche 93 (2004) at the second session of the 11th Supreme People's Assembly held at the Mansudae Assembly Hall here Thursday. He said that last year the Cabinet made a huge investment in light industry and agriculture for their development while consolidating heavy industry, a foundation of the national defence industry, true to the line of economic construction set forth by the Workers' Party of Korea in the Songun era. As a result, great progress was made in building strong state economic potential as required by the era, he added, and continued:
    The gross industrial output value increased 10 per cent last year as compared with the year before last and the production of major industrial products recorded a remarkable increase: The production of power went up 21 per cent, that of lead and zinc 76 percent, iron ore 46 percent and cement 27 percent.
    The material and technical foundations of heavy industry and other leading sectors were consolidated and the bases for the production of consumer goods and agricultural production bases grew stronger last year.
    Big efforts were directed to the field of power industry. As a result, technical modernization made brisk headway at the existing power stations and plants, making it possible to increase the operation rate and efficiency of generating equipment. In the field of coal industry the number of coal cutting faces increased as tunneling was kept ahead of coal mining. A variety of advanced coal mining methods were introduced to pave the way for increasing the coal production under a long-term plan.
    Big efforts were channeled into the development of the extractive industry to give face-lifting to the Musan Mining Complex, the Komdok Mining Complex and other leading ore mines and put the production on a steady footing. The Kusong Machine Tool Factory was converted into a modern factory equipped with flexible manufacturing system and various types of numerically controlled machine tools. The Rakwon Machine Complex, the Huichon Machine Tool Factory and other leading machine factories made big progress in their reconstruction and modernization.
    The equipment of textile mills as a whole was reconditioned and reinforced, modern equipment was introduced into shoe and garment production bases and many light industry bases were updated.
    New high-yielding strains, the Taehongdan method of potato farming, various double-cropping methods and other advanced farming methods were introduced to agriculture. A foundation was laid to improve the agricultural structure and put farming processes on a scientific basis and huge land realignment and waterway construction projects were pushed ahead to provide a sure guarantee for drastically boosting the grain production.
    Land administration and city management also improved. Big efforts were directed to the development of ultra-modern science and technology and important scientific and technological achievements were made to draw the attention of world scientists.
    The construction in the revolutionary battle sites and revolutionary sites in the area of Mt. Paektu was successfully stepped up and more solid material and technical foundations were laid at leading universities including Kim Il Sung University and schools at all levels. Big progress was made in implementing the WPK's policy of preventive medicine.
    All the achievements made in the field of building economy and culture last year were a shining fruition of the unique Songun revolutionary leadership of the WPK.
    It is the most important task facing the Cabinet this year to make a leaping advance on the front of economy and science, the reporter said, and continued:
    The major tasks facing the economic field this year are to bolster the power, coal and metal industries and railway transport with a view to making a breakthrough in bringing about a surge in production, while channeling great efforts into the light industrial and agricultural production so as to make leaping progress in the national economy as a whole and bring about a decisive turn in improving the standard of the people's living.
    The production of concentrated iron ore should be increased more than 2.3 times as against last year to provide metallurgical plants with sufficient raw materials. The production of pig iron should be boosted 2.5 times and that of rolled steel 5 times to supply them to the field of national defence industry on a preferential basis. Iron and steel needed for repairing equipment should be provided to such fields as power and coal industries and railway transport as planned under whatever conditions.
    In power industry the construction of large hydraulic power stations and minor power stations should be pushed ahead to create additional generating capacity. It is necessary to dynamically push forward the work for an efficient use of electricity by minimizing the loss of electricity in transmission, establishing a strict centralized discipline over the power supply and widely introducing meters.
    In coal industry tunneling should be kept ahead of coal mining, the number of coal cutting faces should be increased and the production of coal should be boosted through responsible service work to satisfactorily meet the need for coal in munitions industry and key domains of the national economy.
    In railway transport over 20 percent more freight than last year should be hauled this year. In extractive industry the concentrated lead and zinc ore production should be increased, actual smelting rate should be raised and positive measures should be taken to develop precious and rare metal mines under a long-term plan. In chemical industry such chemical industry bases as those for the production of vinyl chloride and sodium carbonate, essential for improving the people's living standard, should be readjusted and reinforced and a vigorous drive should be waged to put production at the chemical factories on a normal track..
    The agricultural field should undertake a dynamic drive to implement the WPK's policies on bringing about a signal turn in seed selection and potato farming and on doing double-cropping and take positive measures to improve the supply of materials needed for farming and the agricultural management and operation.
    Big efforts should be directed to increasing the area of fields under bean and improving cereal processing. Storing and processing bases of various capacities should be built on a large scale in the areas where potato and sweet potato are grown and new type rice-processing equipment and oil refining processes should be introduced to drastically improve people's diet.
    The light industrial field should put production on a normal track at essential foodstuff factories, textile mills and daily necessities factories that underwent reconstruction and modernization and remarkably increase the production of consumer goods. This year the production of fabrics should be increased 73 per cent and that of footwear 53 per cent.
    Efforts should be exerted to develop the science and technology of the country and intensify the scientific and technological exchange with other countries. In this way the work to introduce advanced science and technology of other countries should be purposefully pushed forward in keeping with the specific conditions of the Korean revolution so as to make them serve the nation's interests.
    In order to significantly expand and develop foreign trade it is necessary to concentrate state efforts on such promising fields as extractive, metal and building materials industries to build exports production bases on a large scale based on ultra-modern science and technology. Particularly, the quality of major commodities in great demand which mainly depend on locally available rich raw materials should be raised to the world's level for their high competitive edge on the international market.
    All domains and units of the national economy should wage a mass movement to build their own strong export bases, expand and develop foreign trade in a multifaceted manner and encourage equity and contractual joint ventures on an extensive scale in the direction of introducing advanced science and technology. They should conduct substantial cooperation for economic development with various international organizations in keeping with the changed environment and conditions.
    All the officials in charge of economic guidance should steadily perfect the methods of economic guidance and management and business management on the socialist principle and the principle of ensuring profitability in keeping with the specific conditions to meet the people's desire and modify and supplement laws and regulations on economic management as required by the developing reality.
    Referring to the tasks to be fulfilled by the Cabinet to successfully carry out this year's plan through its increased function and role, Pak called for establishing orderly economic guidance and management system and strictly applying the Songun political mode of the WPK and actively learning from the fighting trait and working method created by the People's Army.

Greetings to Bangladeshi Prime Minister

     Pyongyang, March 25 (KCNA) -- Pak Pong Ju, premier of the DPRK Cabinet, sent a message of greetings to Khaleda Zia, prime minister of Bangladesh, on the occasion of the day of its independence. The message sincerely wished the friendly Bangladeshi people prosperity and welfare, expressing belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would continue to grow stronger in conformity with their mutual interests.
    Paek Nam Sun, foreign minister of the DPRK, also sent a similar message to M. Morshed Khan, foreign minister of Bangladesh.

Global Warming, Hazard to Humankind

     Pyongyang, March 25 (KCNA) -- It is an important issue related to the existence of humankind to prevent global warming. Yellow dust phenomena, which have been raised as a serious ecological and environmental problem in the international community, are frequent occurrences with a strong intensity owing to the desertification quickened by global warming.
    This year the DPRK has suffered severe damages by the yellow sand winds which have come earlier than previous years.
    The strong yellow sand winds have sharply reduced hours of sunshine and solar radiation, which caused a considerable fall of temperature; they have adversely affected the growth of animals and plants, natural environment and operation of precision machines.
    The number of those suffering from respiratory and eye troubles has increased and the yield of crops is likely to be decreased.
    Global warming also causes abnormal weather phenomena including El Nino and La Nina, which incur torrential rainfalls, heavy snowfalls, long-spell droughts, typhoons and whirlwinds, bringing about terrible disasters to people.
    The DPRK has consistently directed great efforts to the land management and environmental protection in order to prevent global warming.

Greetings to President of Bangladesh

     Pyongyang, March 25 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, sent a message of greetings to Iajuddin Ahmed, president of Bangladesh, today on the occasion of the day of independent. The message expressed the belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would continue to expend and develop.

PRC Foreign Minister Leaves

     Pyongyang, March 25 (KCNA) -- Li Zhaoxing, foreign minister of the People's Republic of China, and his party left here for home today. They were seen off in Pyongyang by Kim Yong Il, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs, and other officials concerned and Wu Donghe, PRC ambassador e. p. to the DPRK, and staff members of the Chinese embassy.

DPRK Government Economic Delegation Leaves for Nigeria

     Pyongyang, March 25 (KCNA) -- A DPRK government economic delegation led by Ri Ryong Nam, vice-minister of Foreign Trade, left here today to participate in the second meeting of the DPRK-Nigeria Joint Committee. It was seen off at the airport by an official concerned.

Second Session of 11th SPA of DPRK Held

     Pyongyang, March 25 (KCNA) -- The Second Session of the 11th Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea was held at the Mansudae Assembly Hall today. Present there were deputies to the SPA.
    Officials of the Party, military and power organs, public organizations, ministries and national institutions, and in the fields of science, education, culture and art, public health and the press were also present as observers.
    The platform was taken by senior officials of the Party, the state and the army.
    Chairman of the SPA Choe Thae Bok made an opening address.
    The following agenda items were discussed at the session:
    1. On the review of the work of the DPRK Cabinet in Juche 92 (2003) and its tasks for Juche 93 (2004)
    2. On the results of the fulfillment of the DPRK state budget for Juche 92 (2003) and the state budget for Juche 93 (2004)
    Deputy Pak Pong Ju, premier of the Cabinet, made a report on the first item of the agenda.
    Deputy Mun Il Bong, minister of Finance, delivered a report on the second item of the agenda.
    Speeches were made on the first and second agenda items.
    The speakers said that last year all the servicepersons of the People's Army and people under the leadership of the Workers' Party of Korea consolidated the state political system of Korean style as firm as a rock, resolutely met all the challenges of the imperialists and foiled their moves to isolate and stifle the DPRK with arms in the Songun era, a treasured sword of ideology and the might of the single-hearted unity, powerfully demonstrating the dignity and might of the DPRK.
    They went on:
    Epochal steps for improving the economic management to meet the realistic requirements of the Songun era were taken to reenergize the economy of the country and further improve the standard of the people's living. And many monumental edifices of eternal value have been built and great progress has been made in gigantic nature-harnessing projects to give face-lifting to the land.
    The speakers expressed full support and approval of the reports, noting that the work of the Cabinet last year was correctly reviewed and the results of the fulfillment of the state budget for the same year properly summed up, clear-cut tasks for this year were set forth to increase the state economic potential in every way and improve the material and cultural living standards of the people by thoroughly implementing the line of economic construction in the Songun era and the state budget was drawn up correctly on the socialist principle and on the principle of ensuring profitability.
    They called for glorifying this year as a historic year of epochal significance in accomplishing the revolutionary cause of Juche through a more dynamic drive to attain the high goal of building a great prosperous powerful nation on the three fronts of politics and ideology, anti-imperialism and military affairs and economy and science, rallied close around leader Kim Jong Il, under the slogan "Let's bring about the greatest prosperity of the country, true to the idea and cause of the great Comrade Kim Il Sung!" The decision of the SPA of the DPRK "On approving the report on the work of the Cabinet of the DPRK and the results of the fulfillment of the state budget for Juche 92 (2003)" and the law of the SPA of the DPRK "On the DPRK state budget for Juche 93 (2004)" were adopted with unanimous approval.
    Choe Thae Bok delivered a closing address.

Greetings to Malaysian Prime Minister

     Pyongyang, March 25 (KCNA) -- Premier of the DPRK Cabinet Pak Pong Ju sent a message of greetings to Datuk Sri Abdullah Ahmad@Badawi on his assumption of office as prime minister of Malaysia. The message expressed the belief that the good friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would continue to@develop on good terms.

For Spanish-speaking people

Vocero del MINREX de la RPDC condena a Israel

     Pyongyang, 25 de marzo (ATCC) -- Para preservar la paz y la estabilidad de la region del Medio Oriente, Israel debe poner de inmediato fin a la indiscriminada represion y asesinato a los palestinos y retirarse de todas las tierras arabes ocupadas, y debe ser realizado el derecho nacional del pueblo palestino incluyendo el de fundacion del Estado independiente. Asi respondio el dia 24 el vocero del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea a la pregunta de un reportero de la Agencia Telegrafica Central de Corea en relacion con el asesinato de Ahmed Yassin, lider espiritual del Movimiento Islamica de Resistencia (Hamas) de Palestina, perpetrado el dia 22 en Gaza cuando helicopteros israelies atacaron con cohetes la camioneta en la que salia de una mezquita.
    El portavoz subrayo:
    Tal asesinato de Israel perpetrado bajo el pretexto de "antiterrorismo" no puede ser justificado con nada, siendo un terror estatal premeditado detalladamente desde hace mucho tiempo. Debe ser maldecido y condenado debidamente por parte de la sociedad internacional.
    Tal incidente esta relacionado con la ocupacion de Iraq por EE.UU y demuestra que la guerra "antiterrorista" de esta superpotencia engendra, al contrario, un circulo vicioso del terror.
    No podemos menos que expresar gran preocupacion por el hecho de que con tal asesinato la situacion de la region del Medio Oriente vuelve a caer en un estado de grave crisis.

No se pueden pasar por alto las maniobras de Japon contra la RPDC

     Pyongyang, 25 de marzo (ATCC) -- Si Japon agrede de nuevo a la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea, todos los miembros de la Federacion General de los Sindicatos de Corea (FGSC) le castigaran despiadadamente con el rencor y sentimiento de venganza de hace mucho tiempo. Asi senalo el vocero del Comite Central de la FGSC en una declaracion publicada el dia 24 en relacion con que se cumplen los 40 anos desde cuando estallo la lucha del 24 de marzo contra las "conversaciones" de caracter criminal entre el Sur de Corea y Japon efectuadas bajo la manipulacion trasera de EE.UU. y continuo:
    Aquella lucha antes de 40 anos le hace hasta hoy a toda la nacion coreana tomar una firme voluntad de luchar contra Japon.
    La del 24 de marzo fue una lucha justa por frustrar la ambicion de una nueva agresion del militarismo japones y defender la dignidad e intereses de la nacion coreana.
    Ha transcurrido mas de medio siglo desde la derrota del imperialismo japones, pero los reaccionarios japoneses, en adhesion a la politica hostil a Corea de EE.UU., violan despiadadamente la Declaracion Corea-Japon de Pyongyang, visitan de continuo el "Santuario Yasukuni" que resucita fantasmas militaristas, se obstinan en que es la suya la isla Tok, territorio de Corea y persiguen una sancion y bloqueo economicos contra la RPDC.
    Nunca podemos estar con los brazos cruzados por tales maquinaciones de los reaccionarios japoneses contra la RPDC.

Hungria: Comite preparatorio por Dia del Sol

     Pyongyang, 25 de marzo (ATCC) -- Quedo constituido el dia 19 en Budapest el Comite Preparatorio de Hungria por el Dia del Sol (cumpleanos del Presidente Kim Il Sung). Estuvieron presentes el presidente y el vicepresidente del Partido del Trabajo de Hungria, Gyula Thurmer y Janos Boida, el presidente de la Asociacion de Amistad Hungria-Republica Popular Democratica de Corea, Janos Szabo, y otros funcionarios.
    El Comite decidio organizar variadas actividades en conmemoracion de esa efemeride.