Functions Held Abroad

     Pyongyang, January 30 (KCNA) -- Round-table talks, a joint seminar and a meeting were held in the Czech Republic, Democratic Congo and Poland on Jan. 21 on the occasion of the birthday of leader Kim Jong Il. At the round-table talks Chairman of the Rokycan County Committee of the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia of the Czech Republic Miroslav Vesely referred to the immortal feats performed by President Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il. He noted that it would organize colorful cultural functions to contribute to deepening the friendly relations between the peoples of the Czech Republic and the DPRK and further strengthen solidarity with the Korean people in their struggle to build a great prosperous powerful nation and achieve the reunification of the country.
    At the joint seminar held on the subject of "Ideas and Theories of Comrade Kim Jong Il and His Feats" General Secretary of the People's Rally for Socialism of Democratic Congo Jean Baptiste Nkoy highly praised him as the greatest man of the world, a distinguished political elder and lodestar of the 21st century.
    Vice-Chairman of the Genuine Lumumbist Patriotic Party of Democratic Congo Watula Kisambalua at the joint seminar said that Kim Jong Il has won one victory after another in the confrontation with the United States and triumphantly led the revolutionary cause of Juche by pursuing the Songun policy. Only victory and glory are in store for the Korean People's Army under his supreme commandership, the vice-chairman stressed.
    First Vice-Chairman of the Central Committee of the Poland-Korea Association Tadeusz Bialkowski, speaking at the meeting, wished the Korean people great success in their efforts to achieve prosperity and development of the country and accomplish the cause of national reunification, rallied close around their leader, this year, too. He vowed to make a positive contribution to boosting the friendly relations between the two peoples and give further momentum to the movement for support and solidarity with the Korean people in the future.

14th International Figure Skating Festival for Paektusan Cup to Be Held

     Pyongyang, January 30 (KCNA) -- The 14th International Figure Skating Festival for Paektusan Cup will be held here from February 15 to 17 on the occasion of the auspicious February holiday. The festival will draw excellent figure skaters from the DPRK and other countries who will make exhibition performances.
    It will prove to be a significant sports festival as it will reflect the unanimous aspiration and desire of all people to celebrate the birthday of leader Kim Jong Il, the great sun of the 21st century, as a holiday common to humankind.

Peace and Disarmament Called for in S. Korea

     Pyongyang, January 30 (KCNA) -- The People for Achieving Peace and Reunification in south Korea reportedly held the 42nd rally for peace and disarmament in front of the building of the Ministry of National Defense on January 25. Permanent Representative of the organization Hong Kun Su called for making this a year of peace and disarmament, saying that the "policy of self-reliant defense for cooperation" of the Ministry of National Defense leading to the introduction of U.S. weapons and the drastic increase of defense expenditure should be rolled back. Co-representative of the organization Im Jong Chol charged that the word "cooperation" in the "self-reliant defense for cooperation" means serving the purpose of U.S. hegemony. He urged the government to get awakened for national reconciliation and reunification.
    Head of the Team for U.S. Affairs of the organization O Hye Ran said that there is no justification for the U.S. troops to stay in south Korea any longer and that an attempt to make them play a role as a Northeast Asian force threatens the lives of its people and makes it impossible to achieve peaceful reunification.
    A resolution was read out at the rally.
    The resolution said that the organization would wage a dynamic struggle to check the drastic increase of defense spending and the introduction of U.S. weapons and frustrate the plan to massively bolster the U.S. troops stationed in south Korea and torpedo the meeting of the Council of South Korea-U.S. Alliance Security Policy Initiative.
    At the end of the rally the participants staged a protest demonstration, shouting slogans.

Japan Urged to Roll Back Its Hostile Policy toward DPRK

     Pyongyang, January 30 (KCNA) -- We will add the evermore undisguised hostile policy pursued by the Japanese reactionaries towards the DPRK to the crimes committed by Japan against the Korean people till now and force it to dearly pay for them by all means and methods. This is the solemn will of the workers and all other people in the DPRK to settle accounts with Japan, the will that has grown stronger generation after generation incomparable with the "people's sentiment" of Japan which paints a ferocious assailant as a "pitiful victim." A spokesman for the Central Committee of the General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea said this in a statement issued on Jan. 29 denouncing the political circles of Japan for having recently driven the confrontation with the DPRK to an extreme phase, crying out for enacting "the North Korean Human Rights Law" and applying sanctions against the DPRK after faking up the results of the DNA examination of the remains of Japanese woman Megumi Yokota.
    He said:
    After its defeat Japan took a direct part in the U.S. imperialists' war of aggression against the DPRK and their operations to stifle it, blocking its prosperity and development and the reunification of Korea in every way. It has persistently discriminated against and suppressed the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan and Koreans in Japan. These crimes laid bare its despicable nature as the sworn enemy of the Korean people.
    Japan would be well advised to bear in mind that no matter how desperately it may try to cover up its past crimes, it can never conceal them just as a gimlet in the bulging bag is bound to protrude and that employing a sleight of hand to while away time without properly redeeming its past crimes will compel Japan to pay dearly for them.
    The Japanese authorities should stop acting rashly and behave themselves with discretion, clearly facing up to the trend of the times.

Japan's Sacrilege against Korea's Artifact under Fire

     Pyongyang, January 30 (KCNA) -- The Japanese reactionaries' criminal act of desecrating the monument to the great victory won in the northern part of Korea during the Imjin Patriotic War came under fire by a signed commentary of Minju Joson Sunday. Koreans erected the monument in 1708 in high recognition of the feats Jong Mun Bu's volunteers' army performed by beating back the Japanese troops that had intruded into Kilju, North Hamgyong Province of Korea, during the war provoked by Japan, the commentary says, and goes on:
    The Japanese imperialists, however, looted this historic relic in 1905 when the Russo-Japanese war was fought.
    A big cellar stone is now laid upon the monument left alone in one corner of the "Yasukuni Shrine." This is a revelation of the Japanese reactionaries' wild revanchist ambition to recover from the shame they had suffered in face of the Koreans in the past and stage comeback to Korea at any cost.
    The Koreans will never allow the Japanese reactionaries to incite revanchism while desecrating even the historical relic, pride and valuable treasure of the Koreans nation. The army and people in the DPRK will keep themselves fully ready to settle accounts with the Japanese reactionaries over the crimes the Japanese imperialists have committed against the Koreans for over a century now that they are getting evermore undisguised in their stand-off with the DPRK. The Japanese reactionaries are obliged to apologize to the Koreans and take a bold decision to make a switchover in its hostile policy toward the DPRK. They are well advised to stop running amuck and return without delay all the valuable artifacts they had looted in Korea including the above-said monument.

Congratulatory Letter and Gift to Kim Jong Il from China

     Beijing, January 27 (KCNA) -- Leader Kim Jong Il was presented with a congratulatory letter and a gift by the China Association for International Friendly Contact and the Beijing Association for International Friendly Contact in their joint name on the occasion of his birthday (February 16). The congratulatory letter and gift were handed to DPRK Ambassador to China Choe Jin Su by the vice-president of the China Association for International Friendly Contact on Jan. 27.

Latin American and Caribbean Regional Preparatory Committee Formed

     Pyongyang, January 29 (KCNA) -- The Latin American and Caribbean Regional Preparatory Committee for the "meeting praising the great persons of Mt. Paektu" was formed on Jan. 13 through a telephone meeting of progressive figures of regional organizations, organizations for supporting Koreafs reunification and friendly organizations in Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela and Brazil. Chairman of the Latin American and Caribbean Regional Committee to Support the Reunification of Korea Gilberto Zapata Isaza was elected chairman of the preparatory committee, Chairman of the Peruvian-Korean Institute of Culture and Friendship Angel Castro Lavarello vice-chairman of the preparatory committee and Chairman of the Ecuadorian Committee for Supporting Koreafs Independent and Peaceful Reunification Fabian Guerrero secretary general of the preparatory committee at the meeting.
    It discussed the issues of widely introducing the immortal feats of the great persons of Mt. Paektu on various occasions including the Day of the Sun and the February holiday to create a regional atmosphere for the success of the "meeting praising the great persons of Mt. Paektu" and positively support it.

Great National Unity Called for in S. Korea

     Pyongyang, January 29 (KCNA) -- A meeting for commemorating the Day of the Sun and leader Kim Jong Il's birthday (February 16) and a film show took place in Fribram County of the Czech Republic on Jan. 18. Jiri Jarka, chairman of the Paektusan Czech-Korean Friendship Association, speaking at the meeting, said in detail that President Kim Il Sung led the anti-Japanese war and the Fatherland Liberation War to victory and wisely led the Korean people to demonstrate before the world the invincible might of Juche Korea, socialist Korea in the building of a new country, post-war rehabilitation and socialist construction.
    Referring to the immortal feats of Kim Jong Il, he noted that the movement of political parties and organizations in the Czech Republic including his association to extend positive support and solidarity to the Korean people in their struggle to accomplish the cause of socialism would go on. A meeting for celebrating Kim Jong Il's birthday was held at Kim Il Sung Library in Sofia on the same day.
    Maria Nikiforova, secretary general of the Bulgaria-Korea Friendship Association, said Kim Jong Il is the great leader who has turned the DPRK into the strongest socialist power in the world and the great statesman who is clearly indicating the way to be followed by the world progressive humankind aspiring after independence.
    A congratulatory message to Kim Jong Il was adopted at the meeting.

Functions Held in Czech Republic and Bulgaria

     Pyongyang, January 29 (KCNA) -- The fifth-term conference of the south Korean Reunification Solidarity was reportedly held in Seoul on Jan. 24 at which the organization discussed its action program for achieving great national unity. A special resolution adopted at the conference called for making positive efforts to implement the June 15 joint declaration and taking the lead in the campaign for the withdrawal of the U.S. troops and the abolition of the "National Security Law".
    Honorary representatives, permanent representative chairman and permanent representatives were elected there.

Best Prize Awarded to DPRK's Aerial Stunt

     Pyongyang, January 29 (KCNA) -- An aerial stunt "Diverse Flight" presented by the Pyongyang Circus was highly appreciated as the best performance at the 29th Monte Carlo International Circus Festival held in Monaco to receive the gold prize, the best prize, on Jan. 25. Acrobats of the Pyongyang Circus flawlessly performed high technical movements, thus emerging the only group to get the full mark of 120 points from the festival jury.
    The festival drew at least 150 excellent acrobats from 14 countries including China, Russia, Ukraine, Germany, France and Britain who presented 40 circus pieces.
    The aerial stunt completely enchanted the festival jury and the spectators and created a great sensation in every performance.
    A director of the festival organizing committee said that "Diverse Flight" is a great masterpiece as it represents the acme of aerial acrobatics.
    It is something unbelievable to perform at one time such difficult movements as quadruple pirouette in the air and treble flip-flap with a simultaneous pirouette from a mental and physical point of view, he noted.
    The director of an international circus company in Netherlands said that the aerial stunts of Europe have not yet gotten rid of the old framework but new aerial stunts are being created and performed in the DPRK. Its acrobats are the best ones in the world, he noted.
    The chairman of the European Circus Association who is a member of the festival jury praised the DPRK as a circus power, saying that the more he watches "Diverse Flight" the more it looks fantastic.
    The head of a Chinese circus who is a member of the festival jury said that the DPRK's aerial stunt is something beyond human imagination. It is a pity that I cannot find other word than fascinating, he added.

U.S., Worst Violator of Human Rights under Fire

     Pyongyang, January 29 (KCNA) -- International criticism was elicited by the disclosure of the fact that U.S. Congress tried to institute a law on eradicating tortures at the end of last year, which was denied by the White House and thus approved the law in which a provision restricting harsh tortures was deleted. In this regard a spokesman for the U.S. White House recently recognized the fact that the provision banning torture of war prisoners was deleted in the bill on reforming the U.S. intelligence agency, while letting loose a string of honeyed words that the president does not allow torture nor permit it.
    This is a trick to give the impression that the U.S. is overtly opposed to torture, while covertly legalizing torture, which fully betrays the U.S. double standards and falsehood of the human rights issue, Rodong Sinmun Saturday says, stressing that the U.S. cannot cover up its criminal nature as the worst violator of human rights.
    Human rights abuses by the U.S. troops the world over are allowed and fostered by the U.S. laws dimming human rights abuses, the news analyst says, and goes on:
    The U.S. is likely to institute a certain "law" in a bid to cover up its true colors as the principal criminal of human rights violation and the heinous enemy of human rights in the international arena, but it is just like going out for wool and coming back shorn. The U.S. should stop unreasonable acts of interfering in the internal affairs of other countries and pressurizing them over the "human rights issue", clearly understanding its plight.
    It had better redeem its crimes against human rights before anything else.

Truth about U.S. Development of Biological and Chemical Weapons Disclosed

     Pyongyang, January 29 (KCNA) -- It was recently disclosed that the United States has conducted in top secrecy researches and experiments to develop deadly biological and chemical weapons, Minju Joson Saturday says in a signed commentary in this regard. The commentary goes on:
    The fact that the U.S. has been hell bent on the development of such weapons, pulling the wool over other's eyes vividly reveals before the world that it is the enemy of humankind and peace as it has unhesitatingly committed monstrous crimes against humanity to attain its unjust purpose of establishing domination defying international law.
    What is ridiculous is the fact that the U.S., the biggest criminal in the world, stoops to infamy in a bid to float the fiction about "threat of weapons of mass destruction" (WMD) and bring the charge against somebody.
    As fully disclosed recently, the U.S. is least concerned for the "non-proliferation of WMD" and has no moral right to talk about the issue.
    The U.S. loudmouthed "danger of spread of WMD" is aimed to neutralize the self-defense capabilities of independent countries and disarm them so as to establish domination over those countries with ease. A more important aim it seeks through this is to cover up its true colors as a country chiefly to blame for the spread of WMD and accelerate the development and production of such weapons to exterminate humankind behind the scene. With no trick can the U.S. hide its wicked nature as a country chiefly responsible for threatening and harassing global peace.

Rodong Sinmun Calls for Materializing Three Forms of Cooperation

     Pyongyang, January 29 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun in a signed article today calls on all the compatriots in the north, south and overseas to push ahead with the worthwhile advance toward reunification in the new year with a view to materializing the three forms of cooperation -- cooperation for national independence, cooperation for peace against war and cooperation for reunification and patriotism -- under the banner of the June 15 joint declaration with their fervent patriotic enthusiasm and will to devote their all to national reconciliation and reunification. It continues: To realize the three forms of cooperation is the main task of the movement for national reunification this year. Only when the Korean nation keeps its Juche-oriented stand to reject "cooperation" with the foreign forces working hard to hamper the reunification of the country and realize national cooperation can it smoothly resolve all the problems including the issue of reconciliation and cooperation and the issue of defending peace in the Korean peninsula and victoriously pushing forward the cause of national reunification.
    Only when the 70 million Koreans purposefully struggle with the will and desire to fully realize the three forms of cooperation can a new phase be opened and an epochal success made in the cause of national reunification this year and by doing so they may fulfill their responsibility and duty for the country and the nation.
    Genuine patriots today are those who combine his destiny with that of the nation and take an active part in the cause of national cooperation for national reunification and independence and national prosperity, putting behind differences in ideology, system and idea.
    It is high time for all the Koreans to turn out in the nation-wide struggle to materialize the three forms of cooperation, giving fullest play to the love of their country and the nation.

KCNA Slams Japanese Reactionaries' Attempt to Internationalize Abduction Issue

     Pyongyang, January 29 (KCNA) -- The Japanese reactionaries are now getting more undisguised in their moves to internationalize the "abduction issue." Yachi, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan, at talks with a delegation of U.S. congressmen on Jan.18 asserted that it is necessary for the entire international community to put pressure upon north Korea in order to settle the abduction issue. Nakayama, a former mandarin of the Japanese Cabinet, addressing a meeting of the Liberal Democratic Party, uttered that it is important to get U.S. cooperation for the solution to the issue.
    As if it were not enough with the noisy anti-DPRK racket kicked up by the Japanese reactionaries after faking up the story about "false remains", they are becoming so foolish as to work hard to "internationalize the abduction issue". This indicates that they are seeking to tarnish the image of the DPRK in the international arena and use the "abduction issue" as a "card" for attaining their political aim.
    Explicitly speaking once again, Japan's loud-mouthed "abduction issue" occurred in the past against the background of their hostile relationship and it had already been fully settled.
    The DPRK government took a broad-minded and good will measure to meet the request of Japanese side for the settlement of the issue with the Japanese prime minister's two visits to Pyongyang as a momentum. As a result, abductees and all their children went back to Japan.
    At working-level contacts between the governments of the two countries the DPRK side delivered all materials and documents related to the reinvestigation conducted into the Japanese dead as requested by the Japanese side. And it also took such utmost humanitarian step as handing over the remains of a Japanese woman which have been kept by her husband to the Japanese side.
    This being a hard reality, those who claim to be Japanese politicians are seriously desecrating the idea of humanitarianism of the DPRK and complicating the situation over the already-settled "issue" in a bid to dramatize it among the international community. This clearly indicates what deplorable phase their shamelessness and moral vulgarity, trite and inveterate bad habit peculiar to Japan, have reached.
    Just as the justice of the world and progressive mankind declared 60 years ago, Japan is the biggest war criminal and abductor in history. As far as the abduction issue is concerned, Japan is an assailant and the DPRK a victim.
    Early in the 20th century Japan occupied Korea by force of arms and left no means untried in kidnapping and drafting young and middle-aged Koreans and drove them to battle sites and places where mediaeval slave labor was done as it escalated its war of aggression.
    During its occupation of Korea Japan abducted and drafted at least 8.4 million Koreans, taking the lives of more than one million of them and forcing at least 200,000 Korean women into sexual slavery for the imperial Japanese army.
    Japan, which had committed the thrice-cursed crimes by abducting Koreans, should have honestly repented of its crime-woven past and settled it right after its defeat.
    Even after its defeat Japan took direct part in the Korean war of aggression ignited by the U.S. It has since hampered by hook or by crook the development of the DPRK and the reunification of Korea, applying sanctions against the DPRK and putting pressure on it in a bid to isolate and stifle it. Japan has never ceased its national discrimination and suppression of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan and Koreans in Japan, adding to its past crimes.
    Japan's much talk about "internationalizing the abduction issue" is nothing but a foolish attempt to cover up its crimes and completely evade the responsibility to liquidate its past by painting the ferocious assailant as a "pitiful victim."
    Japan's liquidation of the past is not a simple humanitarian issue left to it to decide but a political issue that should be settled without fail, a de facto international issue.
    History can neither be negated nor altered. The statute of limitation is not applicable to the crimes against humanity that remain unredeemed Japan's intention to justify its crime-woven past and evade its responsibility for the settlement of the past is an intolerable insult and challenge to the Korean people and a mockery of human conscience.
    The army and people in the DPRK keep a full tab on Japan's 100-odd-year long history of crimes against Korea and will use every means and method to force it to pay for them to the end.

Great Banner for Victory of Cause of Independence

     Pyongyang, January 29 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun Saturday dedicates an article to the 2nd anniversary of the publication of leader Kim Jong Il's famous work "The Line of the Songun Revolution Is a Great Revolutionary Line in Our Era and an Ever-Victorious Banner of Our Revolution". The work, brought out on Jan. 29, Juche 92 (2003), clarifies theoretical and practical issues which should be held fast to in accomplishing the socialist cause in the new century, including the essential characters and foundation of revolutionary leadership of Songun and the Songun politics, the requirements of the present times and the issue concerning the main force of revolution, the reason why the Korean People's Army is the main force of revolution and its factor and tasks to apply the Songun politics.
    The immortal exploit performed by Kim Jong Il in the work is that he clarified the fundamental stance and stand which should be taken in enriching the Songun idea of Juche and implementing the Songun politics, the author of the article notes, and goes on:
    In the work he utterly rejected the sophism of imperialist spokesmen and opportunists that the era of detente and peace has come after the "end of the Cold War". He emphasized that the front of anti-imperialism and military affairs is the main front of revolution deciding the destiny of the country, the nation and socialism and that the line of the Songun revolution and the Songun politics are the strategic revolutionary line and political mode that should always be held fast to as long as imperialists remain on the earth and moves of aggression continue. On the basis of his Juche-based view on the main force of revolution, he made it clear that the People's Army which is strong in revolutionary spirit, organization and combat capacity constitutes the main force of revolution at present times.
    Kim Jong Il, in the work, clarified the great exploits performed by President Kim Il Sung in building the Juche-oriented revolutionary armed forces and proudly reviewed that the army has now grown as the creator of revolutionary soldier spirit and the main force of the Songun revolution under the wise leadership of the Party and is demonstrating its invincible might in defending socialism and building a great prosperous powerful nation. The work reflects the firm revolutionary will and stand that the leadership of the Party is the life and soul of the People's Army. The work serves as the guideline and true textbook for our people and army in upholding the Songun idea and the Songun politics with loyalty, regarding it as their first life and soul to devotedly defend the headquarters of the revolution.
    The Songun idea and leadership of Kim Jong Il have become the first lifeline of our society and the basic source which helps strengthen the political and ideological, military and economic might of our revolutionary ranks in every way.

Football Enjoys Public Concern in DPRK

     Pyongyang, January 29 (KCNA) -- Interest in the football of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea is growing at home and abroad with the approach of the final preliminaries of the Asian region for the 2006 World Cup. Follows the interview of Ri Hi Yon, vice-director of a department of the Physical Culture and Sports Guidance Commission of the DPRK, with KCNA:
    Question: Would you elaborate on the prospects of development of football in the country?
    Answer: The government has paid deep attention to developing football in a perspective way.
    In particular, elementary technical education and physical training are being intensified among young people with special interest and talent in football in accordance with the developing trend of football. The main point here is to find and introduce new training methods suitable to the physical conditions of Koreans.
    A systematic football education and training are given to a lot of children and youths through junior sports schools in all provinces and extra-curricular sports education networks.
    The selected footballers are allowed to participate in national and international tournaments to accumulate experience.
    The DPRK junior footballers placed second in the Asian Junior Football Championships (below 17) held in Japan in September last, thus being qualified for the 11th World Junior Football Championships to be held this year.
    Special attention is paid to boosting the technical qualifications of football coaches which are the key to successful matches. Short training courses for football coaches have been held every year in close contact with international organizations including the AFC and FIFA.
    Seven rounds of courses were held in Pyongyang last year.
    Question: How many footballers are there approximately in the country?
    Answer: The number has steadily increased with public interest and enthusiasm in football ever growing.
    There are thousands of adult players and more than 100,000 juniors.
    Question: Can you explain about the titles of national football tournaments and their organization?
    Answer: There are annual national tournaments such as Paektusan Cup Sports Contest, Mangyongdae Cup Sports Contest and DPRK Championships, home-and-home matches and tournaments involving provinces, factories and universities.
    Matches are held in the form of league or group league matches.
    From this year, we are going to introduce yearly match system under which the standing of each team is decided according to its yearly results.
    Question: Can you tell me about the treatment of the players who have distinguished themselves in national and international matches?
    Answer: Various titles including People's Athlete, Merited Athlete and Master of Sports are conferred upon players according to their merits. Even after their retirement, they are provided with the same living conditions as they received during their career. The government gives them a colossal sum of monetary prize, modern dwelling houses and luxurious cars to footballers according to their merits.
    Question: Can you elaborate on overseas tournaments in which the DPRK footballers will take part this year?
    Answer: We plan to send our players to the Second East Asian Football Championship and the Fourth East Asian Games to be held in March and October this year respectively. And the women's football team is to participate in the international football tournament for Varna Cup to be held in Bulgaria in April.
    Question: How do you think about the match with the Japanese team to be held on February 9?
    Answer: Our footballers started training from the first of December last year. They are in high spirits. I believe that our players will certainly win the match.

For Spanish-speaking people

Futbol de Corea se desarrolla bajo la atencion social

     Pyongyang, 29 de enero (ATCC) -- Crece el interes nacional e internacional en el futbol coreano cuando faltan algunos dias por entablarse la ultima etapa de la eliminatoria de los paises asiaticos a la Copa Mundial 2006. Con respecto a esto, un reportero de la Agencia Telegrafica Central de Corea se entrevisto con Ri Hi Yon, subjefe de departamento del Comite de Direccion de Deportes de Corea.
    Reportero: Quisiera saber el rumbo principal y la perspectiva de desarrollo del deporte rey de nuestro pais.
    Ri: Ultimamente, nuestro pais presta gran atencion a la labor para desarrollarlo con vistas al futuro.
    En particular, en sintonia con la tendencia del desarrollo del futbol moderno, intensifica la educacion de tecnica basica y el entrenamiento para fomentar la fuerza fisica de los jovenes y ninos con mucha vocacion y talentos en esta disciplina. Lo mas fundamental de esta labor es explorar y aplicar activamente metodos de entrenamiento convenientes a las caracteristicas fisicas de los coreanos.
    En estos tiempos, numerosos jovenes y ninos reciben sistematicamente la educacion sobre el futbol y lo practican en las escuelas de educacion fisica para esta generacion y la red de instalaciones deportivas extraescolares de todas las provincias.
    Los futbolistas seleccionados tendran el privilegio de jugar en los partidos nacionales e internacionales para adquirir experiencias.
    Como resultado de los constantes esfuerzos por el desarrollo de la tecnica futbolistica, en septiembre del ano pasado, los jugadores coreanos ocuparon el segundo lugar en el Campeonato Asiatico de Futbol de Juniores (menores de 17 anos) efectuado en Japon y asi fueron calificados para la oncena edicion del Campeonato Mundial de Futbol de Juniores (tambien menores de 17 anos) que tendra lugar este ano.
    Por otra parte, se canalizan grandes fuerzas a la elevacion del nivel tecnico de los entrenadores de futbol.
    El nivel y papel de los entrenadores son la clave de la victoria en las competencias.
    En los ultimos anos, en estrecha cooperacion con las organizaciones internacionales, particularmente con la Confederacion Asiatica de Futbol (AFC) y la Federacion Internacional de las Asociaciones de Futbol (FIFA), se organizan a menudo cursillos para los entrenadores.
    El ano pasado, tuvieron lugar en Pyongyang 7 cursillos.
    R: ?Cuantos futbolistas hay en nuestro pais aproximadamente?
    Ri: Va en aumento el numero de los futbolistas a la par de la crecida de la atencion social a esta disciplina.
    Actualmente, hay miles de adultos y crecen mas de 100 mil relevos juniores.
    R: ?Que tipo y en que forma se entablan los torneos nacionales?
    Ri: Todos los anos, se desarrollan competencias nacionales, entre otras, los Torneos por los "Premios Paektusan y Mangyongdae" y el Campeonato de la Republica, aparte de los encuentros de ida y vuelta y por sectores (por provincias, fabricas e institutos superiores).
    Estos juegos se desarrollan en forma de uno contra todos por llaves.
    R: ?Que privilegios reciben los deportistas que acumularon meritos en los partidos nacionales e internacionales?
    Ri: Segun el grado de meritos, se otorgan titulos honorarios como el deportista del pueblo, el benemerito y el maestro del deporte. Aun cuando se retiraran reciben los mismos privilegios que antes.
    Ademas, segun las notas obtenidas en las competencias, el Estado les concede premios en efectivo, viviendas y carros superfinos.
    R: ?Cuales son las competencias en el extranjero programadas para el ano en curso?
    Ri: Tenemos previsto participar en el II Campeonato Mundial de Futbol de Asia Oriental a iniciarse en marzo y en los IV Juegos de Asia Oriental que tendran lugar en octubre.
    Ademas, las muchachas del balompie jugaran en el Campeonato Internacional de Futbol por la "Copa Varna" que se desarrollara en abril en Bulgaria.
    R: ?Con que ojos ve el resultado de la disputa del proximo 9 de febrero con Japon?
    Ri: Para este encuentro, nuestros jugadores iniciaron intensos ejercicios desde el dia primero de diciembre pasado.
    Son muy elevados los animos de ellos. Estoy convencido de que nuestros muchachos ganaran sin falta este partido.

Kim Jong Il recibe carta y presente de entidades chinas

     Beijing, 27 de enero (ATCC) -- Al Dirigente Kim Jong Il le dirigieron a nombre comun una carta de felicitacion y presente la Asociacion China de Enlace para la Amistad Internacional y la homologa asociacion de Beijing. El vicepresidente de la primera entidad los entrego el dia 27 al embajador extraordinario y plenipotenciario de Corea en China Choe Jin Su.

Portavoz del CC de la UJS denuncia a Japon

     Pyongyang, 29 de enero (ATCC) -- El grito unanime de indignacion de los jovenes coreanos es que no pueden celebrar el 60 aniversario de la restauracion de la patria dejando intacto a Japon que no pide disculpa por su criminalidad durante 60 anos posteriores a la derrota, sino sigue aplicando solo la politica de hostilidad a la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea. Senalo asi el portavoz del Comite Central de la Union de la Juventud Socialista Kim Il Sung en su declaracion fechada 28 y continuo:
    Hasta el ano en curso en que se cumplen los 60 anos de su derrota, Japon se aferra a toda clase de astucias para ocultar su historia criminal de mas de cien anos. No pide sincera disculpa ni tampoco hace indemnizacion por tal criminalidad.
    Los reaccionarios japoneses no deben recurrir a las maniobras anti-RPDC adulando a otros con el problema del secuestro ya solucionado y "falsos restos mortales", sino pedir sincera disculpa y hacer recompensacion por sus crimenes cometidos en el pasado. Solo de esta manera sera reconocido por todos.
    Ellos deben darse clara cuenta del temperamento y la firme posicion de los jovenes y otros habitantes coreanos sobre Japon y tomar de inmediato la determinacion y las medidas practicas para liquidar su vergonzosa historia criminal de mas de cien anos.

Comite preparatorio de A.L. y del Caribe para encuentro de elogio

     Pyongyang, 29 de enero (ATCC) -- Nacio el dia 13 el Comite Preparatorio de la Region de America Latina y del Caribe para el "Encuentro de elogio a los grandes hombres del monte Paektu" en una reunion telefonica entre las personalidades progresistas de los organismos de esta region y de las entidades de amistad y de apoyo a la reunificacion de Corea del Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela y Brasil. En esta ocasion, fue electo como presidente del comite Gilberto Zapata Isaza, secretario general del Comite de la Region de America Latina y del Caribe de Apoyo a la Reunificacion de Corea y la vicepresidencia correspondio a Angel Castro Lavarello, presidente del Instituto Cultural y de Amistad Peruano-Coreano. Ademas, el presidente del Comite Ecuatoriano de Apoyo a la Reunificacion Independiente y Pacifica de Corea, Fabian Guerrero, fue designado como secretario general del comite. En esta reunion fueron debatidos varios problemas, entre otros, el de propagar ampliamente las inmortales hazanas de los grandes hombres del monte Paektu en varias ocasiones como el Dia del Sol (15 de abril, cumpleanos del Presidente Kim Il Sung) y el 16 de febrero (cumpleanos del Dirigente Kim Jong Il) para favorecer en esta region un clima que posibilite la marcha exitosa de dicho "encuentro de elogio" y el de activar la ayuda a esta labor.