Damage Caused by Explosion on Steady Increase

     Ryongchon, April 27 (KCNA) -- Results of further investigation into the explosion of wagons that occurred at around 12:15 on April 22 say that the damage is unexpectedly gaining in scope. Horrible is human and material loss within the radius of 4 km including Pukjung Workers' District as well as Ryongchon Township.
    　More than 30 public, industrial and commercial buildings including Ryongchon Primary School with a total floor space of 3,250 square metres, the House of Culture with a total floor space of 2,800 square metres and houses for at least 8,100 families around the railway station were destroyed by an explosion equivalent to the blast of about 100 bombs each weighing one ton in the same place at a moment.
    　All properties were blown away and ceilings and buildings collapsed, reducing everything to ruins in the surrounding area one km from the scene of the explosion.
    　Strong explosion left many inhabitants blind and deaf.
    　The number of those missing is still under investigation.
    　A preliminary estimate of the damage stands at about 48 billion won or 300 million Euros.
    　 The DPRK government is doing its best to recover from damage and put the living of the inhabitants in the afflicted area to normal as early as possible.
    　 More than 20,000 persons are at rescue work everyday.
    　 Emergency relief goods from China, Russia and various other countries and international organizations continue to reach here.

Kim Jong Il Receives Message of Sympathy from Former S. Korean President

     Pyongyang, April 27 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Il, chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK, received a message of sympathy from former south Korean President Kim Dae Jung on April 26 as regards an explosion of wagons at Ryongchon Railway Station. Expressing deep sympathy with Kim Jong Il over the explosion on April 22 that claimed many casualties and huge damage, the message expressed belief that the fellow countrymen in the north side would successfully recover from the disaster and turn the adversity into favorable conditions with their persevering will and efforts for rehabilitation.
    We in the south are pooling sincere efforts to help northerners in rehabilitation with compatriotic feelings, the message said, adding that the international community is willing to assist the north from a humanitarian stand.
    The message hoped that such assistance would be of help to an early relief and rehabilitation.
    I mourn for those who died in the accident and share sorrow with their bereaved families and wish the wounded an earlier recovery, it added.

Message of Sympathy to Kim Jong Il from Seychellois President

     Pyongyang, April 27 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Il, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, chairman of the National Defence Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and supreme commander of the Korean People's Army, received a message of sympathy from James Alix Michel, president of Seychelles, on April 23 as regards the explosion of wagons in the DPRK. The president expressed sincere sympathy and condolences to Kim Jong Il and to the DPRK government and people and the bereaved families of the victims in the name of the government and people of the Republic of Seychelles and affirmed their firm solidarity.

Every Possible Effort Made to Recover from Damage

     Ryongchon, April 27 (KCNA) -- The government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea is exerting its utmost efforts to recover from the damage by the explosion of wagons at Ryongchon Railway Station and bring the living of inhabitants to normal as early as possible. The Central Guidance Headquarters for the Reconstruction of the Afflicted Area in Ryongchon was organized with Ro Tu Chol, vice-premier of the Cabinet, as its chief and able officials of the Cabinet, ministries and national institutions as its members.
    Also operating here is the Provincial Guidance Headquarters made up of senior officials of the province including Pak Kyong Sam, chairman of the North Phyongan Provincial People's Committee.
    They are working hard in the revolutionary soldier spirit to enable the people in the afflicted area to live better than before the accident.
    The provincial committee of the Workers' Party of Korea has a goal to do away with damage in the main within the three months to come and bring the living of inhabitants to normal with all working people in all cities, counties, factories and enterprises in the province involved. Its immediate task is to build new 25 public buildings, new houses for over 800 families and completely renovate houses for 3,600 families. The rehabilitation is going full steam ahead.
    Managing teams for the reconstruction were organized to build 2 to 3 storey apartment houses for 6 or 12 families on the basis of standard housing designs. Necessary workforce and machines including bulldozers, cranes and trucks are already in place.
    The builders have already pitched tents and buckled down to the project.
    As of April 27 the craters were filled and major railways were rebuilt to resume the train service.
    Humanitarian aid from different countries of the world and international organizations greatly encourage the Korean people in rehabilitation.

Greetings to South African President

     Pyongyang, April 27 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, sent a message of greetings to South African President Thabo Mbuyelwa Mbeki on April 24 on the occasion of the national day of the country. The message noted that over the last decade since the proclamation of the first democratic state after the abolition of the age-old apartheid in South Africa, the government and the people of South Africa have made great successes in their efforts for the national unity and economic development of the country.
    Expressing the belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would grow stronger, the message wished the president and the government of South Africa greater success in their work for the stability and prosperity of the country and the peace in the region.

Chongryon Calls for Mass Assistance Movement

     Tokyo, April 27 (KNS-KCNA) -- The Central Standing Committee of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon) appealed to all the officials of Chongryon organizations at all levels and Koreans in Japan to conduct a mass assistance movement with warm compatriotism to help inhabitants in Ryongchon County, North Phyongan Province, recover from the damage caused by an explosion at Ryongchon Railway Station and lead a stable life at an early date. The committee decided to conduct a fund-raising campaign at all branches and headquarters of Chongryon and called upon broad strata of Koreans to participate in the campaign.

Latvian President Refers to Korean Issue

     Pyongyang, April 27 (KCNA) -- New DPRK Ambassador Jon In Chan presented his credentials to Latvian President Vaira Vike Freiberga on April 20. On the occasion the president hoped that the nuclear issue of the Korean peninsula would be settled in a diplomatic and peaceful way and successes achieved in the economic development and external relations of the DPRK.
    Referring to peace and reconciliation process between the north and south of Korea, the president expressed sympathy with it and laid stress on developing relations with the DPRK.

S. Korean Research Worker Calls for Building Structure of Korea-U.S. Confrontation

     Pyongyang, April 27 (KCNA) -- Jang Chang Jun, researcher of the south Korean Civil Rights Institute, reportedly made public an article headlined "The 17th-term National Assembly should be political position of building structure of confrontation between our nation and the U.S. through practical actions". He said:
    In the recent general election the old-time political forces were given a grave judgment and the U.S. moves to poke its nose into the election to create a favorable phase for the coup forces were also fully foiled. The mature consciousness shown by the people will play a greater role in building the structure of confrontation between our nation and the U.S. through practical actions.
    Calling for giving fuller play to the strength of the nation, the strength of the people who want progress and reform and aspire after independence and reunification, he referred to tasks ahead.
    He stressed the need to accelerate the struggle for nullification of the "motion on impeachment" in real earnest, to demand the 17th-term "National Assembly" withdraw the motion on "impeachment" and the Constitutional Court make a decision branding the motion as unconstitutional and to wage the struggle to remove the Cold War forces.
    He called for waging a powerful struggle for the withdrawal of the decision on the troop dispatch to Iraq, meeting the national demand for a peaceful settlement of the nuclear issue in the Korean peninsula and totally denying the negotiations on the redeployment of the U.S. troops stationed in south Korea.

U.S. "New Security Strategy Initiative" under Fire

     Pyongyang, April 27 (KCNA) -- Some days ago, the "Defense Science Board" under the U.S. Department of Defense prepared a "recommendation" on what it called the U.S. "new security strategy initiative" and presented it to Congress. In this regard Minju Joson Tuesday in a signed commentary says:
    The keynote of this "recommendation" is a scenario for mounting a preemptive nuclear attack upon other countries.
    It is by no means fortuitous that in the "recommendation" the U.S. contemplated acquiring capability for nuclear and non-nuclear attack and eliminating enemies' weapons of mass destruction (WMD), while calling for the development of new type smaller nukes and cruise missiles to do so.
    What should not be overlooked is that the U.S. regards the DPRK as the main target of its preemptive nuclear attack. It is clearly evidenced by the fact that the U.S. in the "recommendation" openly branded some countries including the DPRK as "countries posing a nuclear threat" and enumerated specific ways of preemptive nuclear attack upon them.
    The U.S. evermore undisguised moves to mount a preemptive nuclear attack upon the DPRK eloquently prove the justice of the tough measures so far taken by the DPRK against the U.S.
    The U.S. "new security strategy initiative" will only precipitate its self-destruction.

Repeal of Security Law Demanded

     Pyongyang, April 27 (KCNA) -- The "Security Law" in south Korea is a fascist law against democracy and human rights dating back to the old era and an anti-reunification law diametrically running counter to the era after the publication of the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration, says Minju Joson today in a signed commentary. Referring to the strong call made in south Korea for the immediate repeal of the SL, a leftover of the Cold War era, after the advance of progressive reformist forces into the National Assembly in the wake of its election, the commentary goes on:
    The repeal of the unpopular and anti-reunification draconic law does not require any partial amendment or detailed modification and there is no justification to set any order or phase for the abolition of this kind of law.
    Any partial revision of the law would not be enough to scrap the poisonous articles of the law and it would not provide the south Koreans with free discussion and activities for reunification.
    The north-south relations have witnessed dramatic improvement as compared with those in the past and the movement for independent national reunification has made certain progress as a fresh momentum has been given to the process of implementing the joint declaration. However, a big stumbling block still remains in the way of achieving the reunification.
    Pro-reunification movement organizations including the South Korean Federation of University Student Councils are being suppressed on absurd charges of being "enemy-benefiting organizations" and those who had been engaged in righteous activities for independence, democracy and reunification are put behind bars on charges of violating the SL. This is a grim reality today.
    It would be impossible to smoothly implement the joint declaration, vitalize the patriotic movement for reunification and satisfactorily solve the issue of the inter-Korean relations as long as the SL remains in force in south Korea.
    One should not hesitate to repeal such anti-national and anti-reunification legal and institutional mechanism as the SL if one stands for the joint declaration and wishes the reconciliation, unity and reunification of the nation.

Literary Books Published

     Pyongyang, April 27 (KCNA) -- The Pyongyang Publishing House of the Democratic People｡ﾇs Republic of Korea has brought out various books containing literary works created by Koreans during the Japanese imperialists' colonial rule. Among them are "On Songs Created during the Nation's Ruin," "Poems and Songs Seen through Folklore," "On Songs Sung in Our Country in the Medieval Times," "Three-thousand- ri Land And Folk Songs," "Ra Un Gyu and Movies during the Nation's Ruin,"
    "Three-thousand-ri Land of Folk Songs" (two volumes) and "Dramas Created during the Nation's Ruin" (two volumes).
    The books are written in popular way for convenience of readers' understanding.
    The book "On New Folk Songs and Popular Songs Created during the Nation's Ruin" contains songs the Korean people had sung with hatred against the Japanese imperialists and ardent desire for the liberation of the country, deploring the ruined nation.
    Also contained in the book are songs still widely sung among people as they are considered to have implanted patriotism into their mind and new folk songs.
    It explains how the typical songs were created and disseminated in the country. It also gives songs, children's songs and new folk songs along with their notations.
    These books attracted attentions of the literary men and women from the north and south of Korea and overseas who participated in the scientific symposium on the theme "Study of the popular songs of the Korean nation created before the liberation of the country" held in October Juche 92 (2003).
    They are of great significance in having a correct understanding of the music heritage and other cultural wealth of the nation.

Industrial Medical Institute under Academy of Medical Science

     Pyongyang, April 27 (KCNA) -- The Industrial Medical Institute under the Academy of Medical Science of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea is directing great efforts to the research and prophylactic treatment for protecting and promoting health of workers. It, located in Hamhung City of South Hamgyong Province, was set up in October Juche 36(1947).
    It was in May 1964 that the institute was largely expanded, equipped with basic and clinical laboratories for labor hygienics.
    It has its branches in major industrial zones of the country. Each branch has labor hygienic and clinical laboratories.
    Researchers in the institute have conducted labor hygienic estimation of harmful elements from industrial establishments such as production dust, various kinds of chemical elements, electromagnetic field and harmful light. They have recommended measures to prevent and remove them and achieved many successes in carrying them into practice.
    They, in particular, have found out physiological and biochemical changes within human bodies by the harmful elements and their bad effects and successfully studied measures for preventing and curing industrial diseases.
    They have also developed new medicines by compounding special medicines for industrial diseases with detoxicant to apply it to clinical treatment.
    The institute has published books dealing with its research successes and given scientific and technical guidance and assistance to hygienic and anti-epidemic agencies of all levels and industrial hospitals through scientific seminars, meetings for exchanging experience, technical consultations and short training courses.

Cooperation Plan Signed between DPRK and Vietnam

     Pyongyang, April 27 (KCNA) -- A 2004 plan for cooperation in the field of standardization, measurement and management of quality between the State Bureau for Quality Control of the DPRK and the Directorate for Standards and Quality of Vietnam was signed here today. Present at the ceremony were Kim Hyong Chol, director of the state bureau, and officials concerned from the DPRK side and members of the delegation of the Directorate for Standards and Quality of Vietnam led by Director General Ngo Quy Viet and Vietnamese Ambassador here Phan Trong Thai from the Vietnamese side.

Gift to Kim Jong Il from Vietnam

     Pyongyang, April 27 (KCNA) -- Leader Kim Jong Il received a gift from the Directorate for Standards and Quality of Vietnam. The gift was conveyed to an official concerned today by Ngo Quy Viet, director general of the directorate who is leading the delegation of the directorate on a visit to the DPRK.

For Spanish-speaking people

Kim Jong Il recibe telegrama de condolencia de presidente Michel

     Pyongyang, 27 de abril (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, recibio un telegrama de condolencia que el presidente de la Republica de Seychelles, James Alix Michel, le dirigiera el dia 23 en relacion con el accidente de explosion de tren en Corea. El presidente expreso, en nombre del gobierno y el pueblo de Seychelles, sincera simpatia y condolencia al Dirigente Kim Jong Il, al gobierno y el pueblo de la RPDC asi como a los familiares de los danados y afirmo su firme solidaridad.

Se incrementa dimension de perdidas por explosion en Ryongchon

     Ryongchon, 27 de abril (ATCC) -- A tenor de la escalada de escrutinio sobre perdidas ocasionadas por la explosion de vagones ocurrida a eso de las 12 y 15 del pasado 22 de abril, se incrementa gradualmente la dimension de danos que la prevista anteriormente. Hasta el momento, la dimension de perdidas humanas y materiales en el area circular de 4 kilometros de radiometro que abarca la cabeza distrital de Ryongchon y hasta el barrio obrero de Pukjung es realmente muy terrible.
    Por el impacto de detonacion semejante al estallido simultaneo de mas de 100 bombas de una tonelada cada una dirigidas al mismo punto, fueron destruidos mas de 30 edificios incluyendo la Escuela Primaria de Ryongchon (3 mil 250 metros cuadrados de superficie arquitectonica), la Casa Cultural (2 mil 800 metros cuadrados) y otros establecimientos publicos e instalaciones industriales y comerciales y mas de 8 mil 100 viviendas.
    En el area dentro de un kilometro de radiometro desde el epicentro de la voladura en el recinto de la estacion ferroviaria, se esparcieron todos los articulos domesticos, se desmoronaron techos y de esta manera se arruinaron por completo los edificios que se redujeron a escombros.
    Debido a la detonacion estruendosa y el consiguiente ciclon, muchas personas fueron atacadas por la ceguera y la sordera.
    La labor para descubrir y averiguar a los desaparecidos sigue en pie.
    El monto total de las perdidas, segun datos preliminarmente confirmados, llega a mas de 48 mil millones de wones (cantidad en moneda coreana equivalente a 300 millones de euros).
    En estos tiempos, el gobierno de la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea hace todo lo posible para resarcir cuanto antes los danos por el accidente y estabilizar la vida de los habitantes de la manzana damnificada.
    En estos dias, mas de 20 mil personas se movilizan cada dia para las faenas de socorro.
    Los materiales de socorro de emergencia procedentes de China, Rusia y otros paises del orbe y organizaciones internacionales estan llegando unos tras otros a esta localidad afectada.

Peligroso "proyecto" para ofensiva nuclear preventiva

     Pyongyang, 27 de abril (ATCC) -- Hace algunos dias, un organo subordinado al Departamento de Defensa norteamericano "Defense Science Board" trazo una "mocion" que contiene el "nuevo proyecto estrategico de seguridad" y lo sometio a la consideracion del congreso. En relacion con esto el periodico Minju Joson inserto en su edicion del dia 27 un comentario individual que va como sigue:
    El contenido esencial de esta "mocion" es asestar primer golpe nuclear a otros paises.
    No es casual que en dicha "mocion" EE.UU. aboga por desarrollar nuevos mini-artefactos nucleares y misiles cruceros hablando de la posesion de si mismo de la capacidad ofensiva de armas nucleares y no nucleares y la eliminacion de armas de destruccion masiva de "enemigos".
    Lo que mas llama la atencion es que esta superpotencia toma a la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea por el blanco principal de su primer ataque nuclear. La prueba mas contundente de ello es que en dicha "mocion", EE.UU. tilda a la RPDC y otros determinados paises de "amenaza nuclear" y enumera en detalles hasta los metodos de aplicacion de la primera ofensiva nuclear para hacer frente a dicha amenaza.
    La realidad de hoy, en que las maniobras de la superpotencia de asestar primer golpe nuclear a la RPDC se hacen cada vez mas abiertas, testimonia elocuentemente la justeza de nuestras medidas intransigentes adoptadas hasta la fecha con respecto a este pais norteamericano.
    Ese "nuevo proyecto estrategico de seguridad" es una ilusion vana que llevara a EE.UU. a la precipitada auto-destruccion.

Perdidas por el accidente ferroviario en Ryongchon

     Pyongyang, 27 de abril (ATCC) -- Como trascendidos, el pasado 22 de abril, en la estacion ferroviaria de Ryongchon de la provincia de Phyong-an del Norte en el noroeste de Corea ocurrio una macabra explosion que se debio a la negligencia que dio origen al contacto electrico durante la maniobra de cambio de via de vagones cargados de hidrocarburos y otros de abono enriquecido con nitrato de amonio. Las perdidas ocasionadas por el accidente son tremendas.
    Segun datos investigados hasta el momento por un organo correspondiente, la explosion azoto el area circular de 2 kilometros de radiometro y la manzana mas damnificada es de 1,5 kilometros de radiometro.
    La profundidad del foso surgido en el epicentro de la voladura de vagones alcanza 15 metros.
    Mas de 30 establecimientos publicos e instalaciones industriales y comerciales fueron destruidos e igual fenomeno sucedio en mas de 8,100 viviendas. De estas, mas de 1 850 totalmente y mas de 6 250 parcialmente.
    Por consecuencia de la fuerte detonacion y el incendio los edificios parcialmente danados estan en condiciones de recibir la restauracion completa.
    Mas de 150 resultaron muertos, mas de 1 300 heridos y la cifra de los desaparecidos esta sometida en estos momentos a la averiguacion rigurosa.
    El gobierno de la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea tomo medidas de emergencia para resarcir los danos y hace en todo lo posible para adoptar todas las demas medidas.
    La asistencia humanitaria de numerosos paises del mundo y organizaciones internacionales estimula grandemente al pueblo coreano enfrascado en el resarcimiento de los danos.