Poster Exhibition Opens

     Pyongyang, January 25 (KCNA) -- There opened an exhibition of posters calling for the implementation of the tasks set forth in the joint New Year editorial. On display are at least 40 posters including "Let's Successfully Carry Forward the Feats and Tradition of the Great Leader Who Dedicated Himself to the Cause of Army Building!" and "Let the Whole Party and Army and All the People Unite as One in Mind and More Strikingly Demonstrate the Might of Songun!" produced by the Mansudae Art Studio, "Let's Effect an Unprecedented Boost in Production Just as We Did in the Period of the Great Chollima Surge in the 1950s!" and "Let's Concentrate All Forces on Doing Farming Well!" by the Central Fine Arts Studio and "Let's Actively Encourage People in Preparing National Food!" by Pyongyang University of Fine Arts.
    An opening ceremony took place at the Pyongyang International Cultural Center on Monday.

Joint Seminar on DPRK's Joint New Year Editorial Held

     Pyongyang, January 25 (KCNA) -- A joint seminar on the joint New Year editorial of the DPRK was held in Dhaka on Jan. 15 under the co-sponsorship of the Bangladesh People's League and the Bangladesh Self-Reliance Research Academy. Displayed in the venue of the seminar were photos showing the Songun leadership feats of Kim Jong Il.
    Garib Newaz, president of the Bangladesh People's League, and others were present there.
    Speakers said that the joint editorial of the DPRK serves as a militant banner to be held aloft by the progressive people struggling for the building of a new independent society. The people of the revolutionary countries should learn from the revolutionary spirit and the fighting spirit of the Korean people who have fully applied the Juche idea to all fields of socialist construction under the banner of Songun, they noted.
    They said that they would always extend invariable support to the just struggle of the Korean people.
    Meanwhile, the Swiss Committee for Supporting Korea's Reunification in a statement in support of the joint editorial on Jan. 10 demanded the U.S. imperialists roll back at once their hostile policy to stifle the DPRK.

Korean People's Cause of Reunification Favored

     Pyongyang, January 25 (KCNA) -- Nepal will invariably support the Korean people's cause of reunification. Prime Minister of Nepal Sher Bahadur Deuba, who is president of the Nepali Congress (Democratic), said this when receiving DPRK Ambassador to his country Hwang Yong Hwan on Jan. 19.
    The Nepalese government hopes that the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula would be settled peacefully through dialogue and the reunification of Korea be achieved by the Korean people themselves, he noted.
    We are pleased to know that the Korean people are working hard to adorn this year which marks the 60th anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea and the 5th anniversary of the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration as a year of the most shining success in history and sincerely wish the DPRK government and people spectacular success in the state building and the development of the north-south relations, he added.

Struggle for Japan's Settlement of Past Conducted in S. Korea

     Pyongyang, January 25 (KCNA) -- The south Korean Council for the Solution of the Issue of the Volunteers Corps reportedly launched a one million-men signature campaign for Japan's settlement of its past under the slogan "Don't allow the issue of comfort women to go beyond the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Korea." The campaign was conducted in accordance with the will and decision to certainly settle the issue of comfort women for the imperial Japanese army in 2005 clarified by the participants of the Second Meeting of the International Solidarity Council demanding the settlement of Japan's past held in Seoul in May 2004.
    The council branded the "comfort women" system enforced by the Japanese imperialists as a war crime through the Women's International War Crimes Tribunal in 2000, which tried the sex slavery for the imperial Japanese army, and others, and has since struggled in demand of the Japanese government's apology and compensation.
    The organization said that through the campaign it would demand the Japanese government's apology and compensation to victims of "comfort women" drafting for the imperial Japanese army and wage a dynamic struggle against Japan's bid for permanent membership of the UN Security Council.
    The signature campaign drew 23,528 people as of January 19.

Creation of Special Investigation Committee Called for

     Pyongyang, January 25 (KCNA) -- The 63 Fellowship Society made up of the former student activists, who took part in the struggle against the signing of the "south Korea-Japan agreement", called a press conference on January 19 and called for organizing a special committee to probe the truth behind the signing of the "agreement" in the "National Assembly", according to south Korean KBS. The organization asserted that the special committee should call those who signed the humiliating "agreement" at that time and probe the truth. The committee should also investigate the fact that mandarins of the government requested Japanese businesses to provide a large amount of political funds to them in the course of the talks, it said.
    The organization stressed that all other documents related to the "south Korea-Japan agreement" should be declassified and the issue of compensation to the victims of the Japanese imperialists' military occupation should be discussed once again.

National Preparatory Committee of India Formed

     Pyongyang, January 25 (KCNA) -- A national preparatory committee of India was formed in New Delhi on Jan. 19 with due ceremony to commemorate the Day of the Sun and the birthday of leader Kim Jong Il (February 16). At the ceremony Chairman of the All India Indo-Korean Friendship Association P. Shiv Shankar was elected chairman of the preparatory committee, Chairman of the Indian Committee for Supporting Korea's Reunification K. S. Rao, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the All-India Forward Bloc Debabrata Biswas, Honorary President of the World Peace Council Romesh Chandra, Director General of the International Institute of the Juche Idea Vishwanath, Member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) Sitaram Yechury, Secretary of the National Council of the Communist Party of India D. Raja, Chairman of the All-India Freedom Fighters Organization Shashi Bushan and Secretary of the Central Committee of the Revolutionary Socialist Party of India Abani Roy vice-chairmen of the preparatory committee and Secretary General of the Asian Regional Committee for Supporting Korea's Reunification Om Prakash Mantri secretary general of the preparatory committee.
    The committee set the period of commemoration from Jan. 20 to April 20 and decided to widely organize colorful functions such as national seminar, meeting, film show, photo exhibition, lecture and round-table talks with a view to giving wide publicity to the revolutionary life of President Kim Il Sung who performed the immortal feats for the human cause of independence and the feats of Kim Jong Il who is glorifying the era of independence with his Songun revolutionary leadership and significantly greeting the Day of the Sun and the February holiday in this period.

Anniversary of Ponghwa General Bureau Observed

     Pyongyang, January 25 (KCNA) -- The Ponghwa General Bureau observed the 30th anniversary of its foundation. Its officials and employees have built various production bases including clothing processing bases and conducted brisk foreign trade over the last three decades, thus contributing to improving the standard of the people's living and accelerating socialist construction.
    The Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea in a congratulatory message sent to the officials and employees of the general bureau on its 30th anniversary highly praised them for building new resource bases for export and installing modern factory equipment despite the difficult situation where they were hard pressed for everything in recent years and thereby making a positive contribution to the prosperity of the country and the improvement of the standard of people's living. It expressed the expectation that they would achieve greater success in carrying out their revolutionary tasks.
    Present at the meeting which was held on Monday to mark the anniversary were Kim Jung Rin, secretary of the WPK Central Committee, and officials concerned.

Japan Is Wholly to Blame

     Pyongyang, January 25 (KCNA) -- In case the anti-Japanese sentiments and will of the army and the people of the DPRK burst into a flame owing to the frantic anti-DPRK racket kicked up by the ultra-right forces of Japan over the abduction issue, it may lead to uncontrollable developments, warns Rodong Sinmun Tuesday in a commentary. Abe and other ultra-right elements of Japan are going into a frenzied epileptic fit, preoccupied with the desire to gratify their political greed, never thinking of the consequences to be entailed by such grave anti-DPRK fanaticism as the adoption of a "north Korean human rights act" and "economic sanctions" which are aimed to "bring down the system" of the DPRK, the news analyst says, and goes on:
    As they are engaged in such harebrained acts, the anti-Japanese sentiments of the army and the people of the DPRK are growing fiercer and this makes them redouble their will to force Japan to pay for all its crimes with a super tough reaction.
    If Japan persists in reckless confrontation with the DPRK, making little account of and paying no heed to the anti-Japanese sentiments and warnings of the Korean people, it will have to bear full responsibility for all the consequences there from.

Criminal History Can Never Be Concealed

     Pyongyang, January 25 (KCNA) -- Materials on the truth behind the murder of Queen Myongsong (Queen Min) by Japanese invaders in the Ulmi incident in 1895 and a secret letter of Emperor Kojong informing the international community of the illegality of the "Ulsa Treaty" which had not been well known to the world for a long time were uncovered recently, causing a great sensation. Minju Joson today in a commentary says materials of brutalities committed by the Japanese imperialists against the Korean people have been buried in history, distorted, for a long period because of the distortion of facts and forgery of history by the Japanese imperialists and reactionaries intended to cover up the truth behind their crimes and evade responsibility for them.
    Noting that the criminal barbarities perpetrated by the Japanese imperialists in Korea were all extra-large crimes contravening the international law and human ethics and morality that went beyond human imagination, the commentary says: This was why the Japanese imperialists and reactionaries set about distorting, concealing and downsizing facts.
    It continues:
    This reveals the craftiness and shamelessness peculiar to Japan. This strips the Japanese reactionaries stark naked as a group of depraved guys who do not deserve even a passing note when it comes to human nature.
    Those who are hell bent on distorting, downsizing and concealing their extra-large anti-human crimes are crying themselves hoarse over an already settled matter. This reminds one of the epileptic fit of a wretch seized with mental derangement.
    The truth of history is bound to be disclosed and Japan can never evade its responsibility for the past crimes. Those who are trying to flout with history will certainly face a stern judgment by history.
    There is the only way out for Japan. It is to cleanly settle its past crimes. Mindful of this, Japan should make a bold decision to settle its past crimes at an early date.

Dangerous U.S.-Japan Military Nexus under Fire

     Pyongyang, January 25 (KCNA) -- The joint operation plan "5055" now being pushed forward by the United States and Japan is a new Korean war scenario and a product of a dangerous military nexus of the U.S. and Japanese reactionaries to provoke the second Korean war, observes Rodong Sinmun today in a signed article. What merits attention in this strengthened military tie-up is that they are finally examining and rounding off the second Korean war scenario based on the new "Guidelines for U.S.-Japan Defence Cooperation," the article notes, and goes on:
    The new guidelines published in 1997 is a war doctrine from A to Z as it is aimed to justify and expand the U.S.-Japan joint military actions outside the Japanese territory. The guidelines has entered the phase of its implementation.
    The joint operation plan "5055" worked out by the United States and Japan in the new century on the basis of the guidelines is the finally rounded-off version of the scenario for the second Korean war. The new "national defense program outlines" mapped out and published by the Japanese government on Dec. 10 last year is also aimed to carry out this war scenario.
    Also noteworthy in this strengthened military tie-up is that they are speeding up the joint development of the missile defence system (MD) in real earnest.
    The director general of the Japan Defense Agency and the U.S. ambassador to Japan signed a MOU on jointly developing MD on Dec.17 last year. Timed to coincide with this, the Japanese government decided to reexamine the "three principles of export of weapons" to provide parts necessary for jointly developing MD with the U.S.
    The U.S. and Japanese reactionaries decided to push forward the work under the pretext of the "missile threat" from the DPRK and signed a document related to it. This fact goes to prove that the stepped -up joint development of MD is aimed to target the DPRK.
    What is more serious is that U.S.-Japan madcap joint military exercises are now under way in areas close to the Korean Peninsula, a dangerous move to provoke the second Korean war.

Greetings to Indian Prime Minister

     Pyongyang, January 25 (KCNA) -- Premier of the DPRK Cabinet Pak Pong Ju sent a message of greetings to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the Republic of India. Expressing the belief that friendly and cooperative ties between the two countries would grow stronger in mutual interests, the message wished the Indian people prosperity and well-being as well as the prime minister greater success in his responsible work.
    Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun sent a similar message to his Indian counterpart K. Natwar Singh.

Congratulations to Ukrainian President

     Pyongyang, January 25 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, on Jan. 23 sent a congratulatory message to Viktor Yushchenko upon his election as president of Ukraine. He expressed conviction that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would continue to grow stronger in the future, too.

Kim Yong Nam Greets Indian President

     Pyongyang, January 25 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, on Jan. 25 sent a message of greetings to Indian President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the Republic of India. The message expressed the conviction that the friendly and cooperative ties between the two countries would grow stronger in the idea of independence, peace and friendship.

Korean People's Patriotic Zeal

     Pyongyang, January 25 (KCNA) -- The people of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea have turned out in the general onward march for the Songun revolution with a high degree of patriotic zeal from the beginning of the year. Their patriotism proceeds from a strong sense of citizenship to do their bit in the efforts for the prosperity and development of the nation.
    From old times the Korean people have been widely known for their ardent patriotism. In the early 20th century when the country was occupied by the Japanese imperialists, they conducted various forms of activities to liberate the country.
    The movement for compensation of national debts in which all the Koreans participated and the righteous deeds of patriotic martyrs for national rights were a token of their ardent patriotism.
    However, their efforts could not bear due fruit in shaping the destiny of the nation as they had no great leader.
    It is under the leadership of President Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il that the Korean people have given full play to patriotism in the revolution and construction.
    The historic miracles including the liberation of the country, the victory of the Korean people in the war against the U.S. invasion and the building of a socialist industrial state are products of patriotism fully displayed by the Korean people under their leadership.
    In particular, they carried forward the laudable tradition of patriotism by defending the sovereignty and dignity of the country and laying a solid foundation for building a great prosperous powerful nation under the banner of Songun during the "Arduous March" and forced march.
    In response to the joint New Year editorial which calls on the entire people to fully display their patriotic enthusiasm in the general onward march for a great victory, they are resolved to make a world-startling leap this year.

New Oxygen Separator Developed

     Pyongyang, January 25 (KCNA) -- The Rakwon Oxygen Plant of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea is manufacturing two-cubic-meter adsorbent oxygen separators. The new one is simple and convenient to operate because it does not need heat exchanger and separating tower.
    Its electricity consumption is one-fiftieth and the starting time of oxygen production one-tenth as against the deep refrigerating method. It produces two cubic meters of oxygen per hour. It was developed by the technical staff of the factory and scientists of the Academy of Sciences in a short span of time.
    The oxygen separator can be introduced in hospitals and coal and ore mines.
    Leader Kim Jong Il saw and appreciated the separator.
    The demand for the machine is ever increasing.

Equipment Donated to DPRK by China

     Pyongyang, January 25 (KCNA) -- The State Meteorological Bureau of China donated equipment for weather news service and observation to the Hydro-Meteorological Service of the DPRK according to a voluntary cooperation plan of the World Meteorological Organization. A presentation ceremony was held at the service on Tuesday.
    It was attended by Director Ko Il Hun and other officials of the service, Chinese Ambassador to the DPRK Wu Donghe and staff members of the embassy.
    The ambassador expressed hope that the equipment would help develop meteorology in the DPRK.
    He referred to the Sino-DPRK friendly and cooperative relations now favorably developing under the deep care of the top leaders of the two countries.
    The Chinese people are pleased with the great successes the Korean people have achieved in the building of a great prosperous powerful nation in the spirit of self-reliance and fortitude, united close around the Workers' Party of Korea headed by General Secretary Kim Jong Il, he noted.
    He hoped that under the wise leadership of Kim Jong Il the Korean people would successfully carry out the tasks set forth in the joint editorial this year and significantly celebrate the 60th anniversaries of the WPK and the liberation of Korea.
    Ko Sang Bok, vice-director of the service, and Gu Jinsheng, economic and commercial councilor of the Chinese embassy, signed the document related to the handover and acceptance of the equipment.
    The participants looked round the equipment.

S. Korean Army Commits Military Provocation

     Pyongyang, January 25 (KCNA) -- The south Korean army committed a grave military provocation by introducing an artillery piece into an area near the Military Demarcation Line today, according to military sources. At around 13:50 the south Korean army openly brought an artillery piece and a large number of boxes containing shells into an MP post near MDL Marker No. 0532 in the central sector of the front by a military truck.
    This is an open challenge to the north that can never be pardoned in view of the present inter-Korean relations.
    The south Korean military authorities should promptly stop such a reckless military provocation as introducing a heavy weapon into the forefront area and inciting the north-south confrontation.

For Spanish-speaking people

Comite regional de CEI para ejecucion de declaracion conjunta

     Pyongyang, 25 de enero (ATCC) -- En Moscu quedo constituido el Comite Preparatorio de la Region de la Comunidad de Estados Independientes (CEI) para los actos comunes del Norte, el Sur y en Ultramar destinados a ejecutar la Declaracion Conjunta del 15 de Junio. Como presidentes honorarios del citado comite fueron electos Sok Myong Son y Ri Tong Chol, presidente honorario y titular de la Asociacion Internacional de Coreanos (Unidad), respectivamente, y como presidente, Jo Yun Hae, vicepresidente de la misma entidad y presidente de la Direccion Regional de la CEI de la Alianza Pannacional por la Reunificacion de la Patria.

Tailandia: comite preparatorio para Dia del Sol y 16 de febrero

     Pyongyang, 25 de enero (ATCC) -- Quedo constituido el dia 20 en Bangkok el Comite Preparatorio de Tailandia para el Dia del Sol (el 15 de abril, cumpleanos del Presidente Kim Il Sung) y el 16 de febrero (cumpleanos del Dirigente Kim Jong Il). Como presidente honorario y presidente del Comite fueron electos respectivamente Nifon Kantasewi, presidente del Centro de Coordinacion para el Desarrollo Social de Tailandia, y Songchit Pullarp, presidente de la Organizacion Tailandesa de Estudio de la Idea Juche.
    El Comite decidio fijar de febrero a abril como un periodo de festejo y organizar variadas actividades.

India: comite preparatorio para Dia del Sol y 16 de febrero

     Pyongyang, 25 de enero (ATCC) -- Quedo constituido el dia 19 en Nueva Delhi el Comite Preparatorio Nacional de la India para el Dia del Sol (el 15 de abril, cumpleanos del Presidente Kim Il Sung) y el 16 de febrero (cumpleanos del Dirigente Kim Jong Il). Como presidente del comite fue electo P. Shiv Shankar, presidente de la Asociacion de Amistad India-Corea de Toda la India; como vicepresidentes, K. S. Rao, presidente del Comite Indio de Apoyo a la Reunificacion de Corea, Debabrata Biswas, secretario general del Comite Central del Frente Progresista de Toda la India, Romesh Chandra, presidente honorario del Consejo Mundial de la Paz, Vishwanath, director general del Instituto Internacional de la Idea Juche, Sitaram Yechury, miembro del Buro Politico del CC del Partido Comunista (Marxista) de la India, D. Raja, secretario del Consejo Nacional del Partido Comunista de la India, Shashi Bushan, presidente de la Organizacion de Combatientes Liberadores de Toda la India, Abani Roy, secretario del CC del Partido Socialista Revolucionario de la India; y como secretario general, Om Prakash Mantri, secretario general del Comite de la Region Asiatica de Apoyo a la Reunificacion de Corea.
    El Comite decidio fijar del 20 de enero al 20 de abril como un periodo de festejo y organizar simposio nacional, mitin, proyeccion filmica, exhibicion de fotos, conferencia, platica y otras diversas actividades para dar a conocer ampliamente la vida revolucionaria del Presidente Kim Il Sung quien acumulo inmortales proezas ante la causa de la independencia de la humanidad y las proezas del Dirigente Kim Jong Il quien lleva adelante la epoca de la independencia con la direccion sobre la revolucion mediante el Songun (priorizacion militar) y celebrar con significacion las citadas efemerides coreanas.

Rodong Sinmun denuncia maniobras anti-RPDC de ultraderecha de Japon

     Pyongyang, 25 de enero (ATCC) -- En caso de estallar el sentimiento de odio a Japon del ejercito y el pueblo de Corea por la frenetica campana lanzada por la ultraderecha de este pais bajo un pretexto del problema del secuestro, se creara una situacion irremediable, advierte asi el diario Rodong Sinmun en un comentario individual del dia 25 y prosigue: En estos dias, Abe y otros ultraderechistas histericos de Japon se obsesionan por satisfacer su ambicion politica sin tomar en cuenta las nefastas consecuencias que emanen de sus locuras como la aprobacion del "proyecto de ley de derechos humanos del Norte de Corea" y la aplicacion de "sanciones economicas", dirigidas a "derrocar el sistema" de la RPDC.
    El comportamiento de estos tipejos que va de mal en peor agrandara el sentimiento de odio al pais-isla del ejercito y el pueblo de Corea y redoblara la voluntad de estos de ajustar cabal cuenta de todas las fechorias de Japon con una reaccion de sobredureza.
    Si el archipielago japones sigue mostrandose conflictivo con la RPDC menospreciando y desoyendo la advertencia del pueblo coreano, debera asumir la entera responsabilidad de todas las consecuencias que emanen de ello.