Seminar on Songun Policy Held in Bulgaria

     Pyongyang, March 7 (KCNA) -- A seminar on the theme of "The Songun policy in the DPRK" was held in Sofia on Feb. 24 on the occasion of the birthday of leader Kim Jong Il. On display at the venue of the seminar were photos showing the revolutionary activities of Kim Jong Il on the subjects of "Great footsteps of the long journey of Songun" and "Always finding himself among soldiers and people".
    At the seminar a report was made by the secretary general of the Bulgarian Committee for Supporting Korea's Reunification, which was followed by speeches of public figures under the titles "Political foundation of Songun strategy in the DPRK in the present era", "Ardent desire of the Korean people in the north and the south for the reunification of the country", etc.
    The speakers said Kim Jong Il created the Songun political mode by carrying forward the Songun idea and leadership of President Kim Il Sung and developing them in depth and has led to victory the struggle for defending socialism from imperialism and building a great prosperous powerful nation by placing the People's Army in the foreground.
    Noting that the Songun policy of the DPRK is a policy of attaching importance and giving priority to the military affairs, they said this peculiar political mode has caused a great sensation upon the global public and wrought miracles in converting adversity into favorable conditions, misfortune into blessings.
    They stressed the Songun policy has, indeed, been a treasured sword defending the sovereignty of the country, the dignity of the nation and socialism and a firm guarantee for a spring board of the building of a great prosperous powerful nation in the DPRK.

Results of International Signature Campaign Published

     Pyongyang, March 7 (KCNA) -- The Council for the Solution of the Issue of the Volunteers Corps in south Korea published the first results of the one-million international signature campaign for the settlement of the issue of "comfort women" on Feb. 28, south Korean MBC reported. It stated that as of the end of February, at least 109,000 people had participated in the one-million international signature campaign for demanding an apology and compensation to the victims to the drafting of "comfort women" for the imperial Japanese army and opposing Japan's bid for a permanent membership of the UN Security Council, which began in November last year.
    It declared that it would transfer the materials on the first signature campaign to the International Labor Organization and continue to fight till August in demand of an apology and compensation for the drafting of "comfort women".

Preventive Measures against Bird Flu in DPRK

     Pyongyang, March 7 (KCNA) -- An energetic work to prevent bird flu is going on in the DPRK. It is taking thorough-going preventive measures and setting up a watch system to bar bird flu from infiltrating into the country. A rigorous hygienic and veterinary quarantine has been instituted on the borderline and at harbors and airports.
    The foreign poultry and its products and those who cross the borders are subject to strict control at all the border posts.
    As bird flu is contaminated notably by migrating birds, a close system has been set up to watch the movement of migrating birds and the results are reported everyday.
    Veterinary and anti-epizootic work has been intensified at central and local chicken and poultry farms. Those farms require their employees to strictly keep the hygienic and preventive order and are taking measures for regular disinfection and establishing a system of thorough disinfection of spent water and sewage.
    They are also conducting a brisk work of hygienic information in various forms and ways to draw the masses into this campaign.
    The activities of the State Emergency Anti-epizootic Committee made up of leading officials of the Secretariat of the Cabinet, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Public Health and other ministries and national institutions were regularly conducted on a high level in the past period. The current work for the prevention of bird flu is attaining a greater depth on the basis of already attained successes and experience.

Report from Construction Site of Taean Friendship Glass Factory

     Pyongyang, March 7 (KCNA) -- The builders of the Taean Friendship Glass Factory have finished qualitatively the concrete tamping of the body frames of the settling basin, the circulating water pond and the silica sand pumping station and other setups of the sand screening system and completed the construction of the industrial water purification ground. With the completion of the concrete tamping of the vast sand screening system, a breakthrough has been made for increasing the speed of construction.
    Some time ago, the builders entered into the assembling of the steel structure of the melting shop, one of the basic production processes.

Rodong Sinmun on Top-Priority to Things for People

     Pyongyang, March 7 (KCNA) -- The Korean socialist system is the most superior one under which everything serves the people and priority is given to everything popular and mass-based, declares Rodong Sinmun in a signed article today. It says: The maxim of the Workers' Party of Korea and the state is "We serve the people!" and the Korean people entrust their destiny and future entirely to the Party and the state that believe in them as in Heaven, give top priority to everything popular and mass-based and open before them a broad avenue of eternal happiness and prosperity. Herein lie the true picture and intrinsic advantage of Korean-style socialism.
    Under the Korean socialist system, priority is given to what is for the popular masses according to the correct line and policy and consistent popular policy of the Party and the state. It is their firm stand that the consummation and systemization of the independent will and demand of the popular masses is immediately the idea and the line and policy.
    This reflects the rock-firm creed of love for the people that calculation must not be given precedence when it comes to the interests of the people and even a star must be plucked from the sky and a flower must be brought into blossom on a stone when the people want them.
    What is for the popular masses is given top priority by the main force of the revolution under the Party's Songun leadership. The Korean people deeply feel the greatness of the Songun leadership of the Party, enjoying the material and cultural wealth created by the Korean People's Army in the Songun era, and find great pride and worth of life in living and making revolution under the Korean socialist system which attaches importance to everything popular and mass-based and carries it out before anything else.
    The greatness of the Party and the state is just the greatness of the leader. President Kim Il Sung is the founder of the people-centered socialism of Korean style and the eternal father of the Korean people, who devoted all his life to the people's happiness and prosperity.
    Leader Kim Jong Il, possessed of iron grit and will, reliably defended Korean style socialism, the cradle of our people's life, with the matchless army in the "Arduous March," the grimmest days, and is dedicating constant thinking and energy for the joy and happiness of the people. His noble idea of love for the people is the source of the light shed by the Korean society as genuine people-centered socialism.

Intolerable Insult to Participants in Anti-U.S. Candlelight Rallies

     Pyongyang, March 7 (KCNA) -- The supreme court of south Korea took a tyrannical action by branding the anti-U.S. candlelight rallies, staged by south Koreans in protest against the murder of the two schoolgirls by an armored car of the U.S. imperialist aggressor forces that occurred three years ago, as illegal and sentencing Kim Chong Il, former co-executive chairman of the All-People Committee for Measures against the Murder of the Two Schoolgirls, to a prison term. This is an intolerable insult to the south Koreans from all walks of life who participated in the rallies and to all the Koreans who fully supported them. Rodong Sinmun today observes this in a signed commentary. It goes on:
    It is the cruel double killing of Hyo Sun and Mi Son who were in their teens and a barbarous act of slapping the faces of their parents and all other south Koreans who resolutely turned out in the struggle to give vent to their towering grudge against the U.S. imperialist murderers.
    The ruling made by the supreme court of south Korea declaring the man who led the rallies guilty is little short of the brigandish action taken by the U.S. imperialist aggression forces to declare those GIs who killed the young schoolgirls by an armored car in broad daylight not guilty.
    Through the recent treacherous ruling, the pro-U.S. conservative forces of the south Korean judicial authorities laid bare their despicable nature of betraying the country and the nation and siding with foreign aggressors.
    The reality goes to prove that the south Korean people can neither terminate the history of tragedy forced upon them by the U.S. imperialist aggression troops nor get their national self-esteem protected as long as the ultra-right conservative forces of south Korea who prolong their dirty remaining days, clinging to the coat-tails of foreign forces, go scot-free.

Japan's Past Crimes Can Never Be Concealed

     Pyongyang, March 7 (KCNA) -- Materials showing that the Japanese government had kept the lists of the names of Korean victims to forced labor conscription in the period of the Japanese imperialists' rule over Korea were recently opened to the public for the first time. In this regard Rodong Sinmun today describes it as a living testimony to the dastardly efforts of Japan to hide its past crimes behind the dark curtain of history, no matter what the cost, and evade its responsibility.
    The news analyst says:
    Described in the lists are reportedly permits of burial and cremation of Koreans who died after being taken to the Mitsui Shipbuilding Yard of Japan in 1944, which give in detail their Japanese-style names, the dates of their death, their domicile of origin, the places and methods of their burials.
    With no jugglery can Japan cover up or erase its past crimes and still less can evade its obligation to atone for them.
    Japan committed extra large anti-human and anti- historical crimes without precedent in history and the world.
    It should have sincerely reflected on this and apologized to the Korean people after its defeat. But it has not felt a dime its responsibility for its past crimes but strained every nerve to cover them up at whatever cost and go without settling the past.
    Time has changed and a new century begun. But Japan is persisting in such behavior. Such thing can be committed only by Japan which has made craftiness and shamelessness its physical quality.
    Japan should no more cling to the foolish attempt to conceal its past crimes but choose to settle the past without delay. The future of Japan depends on the settlement of the past.

Rodong Sinmun on Independent Reunification

     Pyongyang, March 7 (KCNA) -- All the Koreans in the north, the south and overseas should wage a dynamic struggle against the U.S. domination, interference and moves for a war of aggression with the unshakable will to fight the U.S. The independent reunification of the country can be achieved only through the anti-U.S. struggle. Rodong Sinmun Monday says this in a signed article. The anti-U.S. struggle is to defend the dignity and independence of the nation and it is urgently required by the cause of national reunification itself, the article says, and goes on:
    The Korean nation is subject to the tragedy of division and has not established its sovereignty nationwide owing to the U.S. military occupation of south Korea.
    The U.S. has kept its aggression troops in south Korea and persistently pursued its aggressive Korea policy aimed to foster the north-south confrontation and war for the last six decades in a bid to dominate Korea and, on this basis, put the whole Asia under its control. This will bring the Korean nation nothing but slavery and a war disaster. Therefore, the Korean nation's struggle for national reunification precisely means an anti-U.S. struggle.
    The anti-U.S. struggle is an urgent task raised by the present situation to the Korean nation. The U.S. has gone to extremes in its criminal hostile policy toward the DPRK aimed to isolate and stifle it by force of arms under the pretext of the nuclear issue.
    Having already worked out many war scenarios against the DPRK, the U.S. imperialist warhawks have massively introduced latest weapons of mass destruction into south Korea and its vicinity and become all the more pronounced in their moves to stifle the DPRK by force of arms while staging large-scale war maneuvers one after another. In consequence, the situation on the Korean Peninsula is so dangerous that a war may break out on it any time.
    The anti-U.S. struggle means patriotism and justice and herein lies a rosy future of the nation.

U.S. Ambition for World Domination under Fire

     Pyongyang, March 7 (KCNA) -- The U.S. bellicose elements are persisting in their moves to beef up their military forces for aggression, regarding the strategy of strength as an important means for realizing their ambition for world domination. Rodong Sinmun Sunday said this in a signed article. It went on: This is evidenced by the fact that the United States has staged mock space war exercises and accelerated the development of the missile defence system (MD) and smaller nukes since the outset of this year in a bid to bolster its war capability.
    The commander of the space war centre, who is in charge of the mock space war exercises, disclosed that the main target of the exercises is to maintain the U.S. edge in the space.
    His remarks clearly suggested that in stepping up the preparations for the space war the U.S. persistently seeks the aim of maintaining an unchallenged military edge in space and thereby containing and suppressing other countries in a bid to achieve its goal of domination over them with ease. The U.S. MD is, by nature, aimed at mounting a preemptive missile attack on any country and region of the world.
    The U.S. is talking about "peace" and " elimination of nuclear weapons" but is, in fact, accelerating the preparations for a new war of aggression and nuclear attacks by bolstering the nuclear armed forces behind the curtain.
    It is keen to realize its ambition for world domination by use of military force and a nuclear stick. All facts clearly prove that the U.S. is the heinous enemy of peace.

Preservation of Useful Animals in DPRK

     Pyongyang, March 7 (KCNA) -- The preservation period from March to July of useful animals has started in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The DPRK Law on the Preservation of Useful Animals was adopted in Juche 87 (1998) and their breeding season was instituted as a period for protecting and propagating them in the country.
    Relevant institutions are bringing home to people the importance of protection and propagation of useful animals and ways for them.
    During the current tree-planting season, a mass campaign has been launched to plant a lot of trees of good species and sow seed of fodder-plants for animals. And primary and middle school students have made bird nests in forests as part of the do-good-things-movement.
    A special attention is being paid to the protection of such animals which are rare and in danger of becoming extinct.
    The government strictly prohibits all projects including developing mines and constructing roads which may destroy environment and restricts hunting in and around the game-reserves during the period.

KCNA Slams Japan's Moves for Constitutional Revision

     Pyongyang, March 7 (KCNA) -- Disclosed recently were the clarified arguing points in the preamble of the new constitution written by the sub-committee for drafting a preamble of the committee for working out a new draft constitution of the Liberal Democratic Party chaired by Yasuhiro Nakasone, former Japanese prime minister. According to the disclosure, it decided to include the phraseology of "positive pacifism" in the preamble which would mean the dispatch of the Self-Defence Forces (SDF) overseas.
    This laid bare Japan's true intention to legalize and escalate its moves to emerge a military power and realize expansion overseas under the pretexts of "world peace" and "international contribution".
    The issue of revising Japan's present constitution has long been controversial.
    It is an aim sought by the Japanese reactionary ruling quarters to legislate on their moves to emerge a military power and realize expansion overseas, not completely bound to the present constitution called a "pacifist constitution".
    It is hard for Japan to find any pretext to arm itself and for its SDF forces to be free from restrictions in their involvement in overseas military operations as long as the present constitution remains in force.
    Therefore, Japan has tried by hook or by crook to render the "pacifist constitution" invalid and enacted and implemented various laws to justify SDF forces' advance into the continent.
    In 1954 it enacted the "law on Self-Defence Forces" and the "law on establishing the Defence Agency" and drastically amended them in the 1990s, thus making it possible for the SDF to dispatch aircraft and warships overseas under the pretext of "rescuing overseas Japanese". In 1992 it adopted the "law on cooperation in UN peace-keeping operations", thus legally paving the way for the active overseas dispatch of the SDF forces.
    In 1999 it adopted the "law on emergency in areas surrounding Japan", thus expanding the scope of the operation of the SDF.
    The Japanese reactionaries' moves to provide a legal guarantee for their overseas aggression have become all the more pronounced in the new century as evidenced by the adoption of the "law on the special measure for combating terrorism" in October, 2001 and the adoption of the "emergency legislation" in May, 2003 which justified the SDF's participation in war of overseas aggression.
    It is, however, the first time that the Japanese reactionaries openly disclosed their ambition for overseas expansion in the preamble of the constitution which can be called the face of the constitution and represents its core.
    Japan's decision to stipulate "positive pacifism" in the preamble clearly testifies to the fact that its moves for overseas aggression have entered a very dangerous stage as it is nothing but a dangerous and crafty trick to cover up its aggressive and predatory nature and launch in real earnest its operations to conquer Asia and other parts of the world.
    "Positive pacifism" much touted by the right-wing conservative forces of Japan is nothing but a version of the motto of "the Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere" put up by the Japanese imperialists in the past to beautify and justify their invasion of Asian countries and rhetoric to cover up their ambition for expansion overseas.
    The Japanese reactionaries seem to work hard to retrogressively revise the constitution at any cost this year, 60 years after the defeat of Japan and 50 years since the formation of the LDP, talking about "peace". This can not be construed otherwise than a rash act as they impudently work, quite unaware of the position of Japan which still remains recorded as the only war criminal state in the world.
    Japan should redeem its crime-ridden past as early as possible before talking about "international contribution" and "positive pacifism."
    That would provide the best way for the Japanese politicians to actively contribute to the world peace and security.

Choe Thae Bok Meets Czech Charge d'Affaires

     Pyongyang, March 7 (KCNA) -- Choe Thae Bok, chairman of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, met with Czech Charge d'Affaires in Pyongyang Miroslav Podhajsky who paid a courtesy call on him at the Mansudae Assembly Hall today. A conversation proceeded in a friendly atmosphere.
    On hand was Deputy to the SPA Hong So Hon, who is chairman of the DPRK-Czech Friendship Parliamentary Group.

Kim Jong Il Watches Performance of State Merited Chorus

     Pyongyang, March 7 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Il, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission and supreme commander of the Korean People's Army, appreciated a performance given by the KPA State Merited Chorus. Watching it together with him were Premier of the Cabinet Pak Pong Ju, Minister of the People's Armed Forces Kim Il Chol who is member of the NDC of the DPRK, secretaries of the WPK Central Committee Kim Kuk Thae and Kim Ki Nam, leading officials of the Party and the army, servicepersons and officials of literary, art and media organizations.
    The merited chorus honored with Kim Il Sung Order put on the stage such chorus pieces as "General of Korea", "The Desire of a Soldier", "The Forest Sways", "Dear General, Where Are You", "Brindled Ox, Go Ahead, Please", "Long Journey for the Songun Revolution", "They Will Tell the Story of a Soldier's Love", "Let's March in Step with the Army Song", "My Native Place", "Road of Victory", "Let's Meet on the Front", "Thunder on Jong Il Peak" and "Let's Continue Our Revolution under the Banner of Songun".
    The performers loudly sang of the proud course of the Songun revolution shining with victory and glory and truthfully represented the rock-firm faith and will of the army and people to accomplish the revolutionary cause of Juche and the cause of building a great prosperous powerful nation under the uplifted banner of Songun despite any ordeals and difficulties.
    As the performance was over, Kim Jong Il waved to the enthusiastically cheering performers and audience and congratulated them on their successful performance.
    He sent thanks to the artistes of the State Merited Chorus, expressing great satisfaction with their excellent performance replete with the faith and will and revolutionary soldier spirit of Korea.
    The State Merited Chorus has reached the highest level through its energetic performing activities over the last decade, he said, adding: It is the great pride of our Party, army and people to have such an excellent chorus listed as a national treasure.
    He expressed great expectation and conviction that all the artistes of the merited chorus would conduct vigorous revolutionary art activities so as to powerfully encourage the servicepersons and people to launch a new struggle and perform feats and give full play to the might of a bugler for the Songun revolution, a militant art unit.

For Spanish-speaking people

MINREX califica de insignificante informe anual de EE.UU. sobre DDHH

     Pyongyang, 7 de marzo (ATCC) -- Recientemente, Estados Unidos volvio a acusar sin fundamentos a la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea del "problema de derechos humanos". Con respecto a esto, un reportero de la Agencia Telegrafica Central de Corea formulo una pregunta al portavoz de la cancilleria de la RPDC quien le dio el dia 5 la siguiente respuesta:
    El pasado 28 de febrero, en su llamado "informe anual sobre la situacion de DDHH", el Departamento de Estado norteamericano volvio a censurar en este tema a mas de un centenar de paises del mundo, inclusive la RPDC.
    Este canto de gallina que entona cada ano EE.UU. no vale la pena de discutir y deviene una "oracion magica" que puede articular solo la banda de Bush integrada por connotados farsantes y estafadores.
    Por esta razon, no prestamos atencion ni oidos al citado informe.
    Solo podremos escuchar tales palabras calumniantes en boca de la administracion Bush porque esta banda esta nutrida al tope del arraigado sentimiento negativo al sistema de la RPDC. Por lo tanto, no queremos ni siquiera tratarnos con EE.UU.

CRPP condena insistencia de Japon en "derecho de posesion de isla Tok"

     Pyongyang, 7 de marzo (ATCC) -- En estos dias, los reaccionarios japoneses maniobran para fijar el "Dia de la isla Tok", mientras el embajador japones acreditado en el Sur de Corea insistio en que la "isla Tok pertenece al territorio japones". Con respecto a esto, el portavoz del Comite por la Reunificacion Pacifica de la Patria (CRPP) hizo publica el dia 5 una declaracion que va como sigue:
    Denunciamos categoricamente tal procedimiento de los reaccionarios japoneses calificandolo de una accion bandolera sumamente peligrosa, que puso a flote la naturaleza gangsteril y la apetencia de los impudicos islenos por la expansion territorial, y de un crimen inescrupuloso cometido con la meta de arrebatar una parte legitima del territorio coreano.
    Estas maniobras de los reaccionarios japoneses que abogan descaradamente por el "derecho de posesion de la Tok" insistiendo en que "esta pertenece a Japon" solo les pueden ocurrir a los bandoleros y bribones politicos que no toman en consideracion los hechos historicos ni leyes internacionales.
    Nunca se puede tolerar estas maniobras que ofenden a la nacion coreana.
    Por lo tanto, toda la nacion debe frustrarlas tajantemente y luchar audazmente por la disculpa y debida compensacion de Japon por el pasado criminal en detrimento de la nacion coreana.
    Los japoneses deben darse clara cuenta del cada dia mas elevado sentimiento antijapones y gran indignacion de los coreanos hacia el pais-isla y abstenerse ahora mismo de sus maniobras bandoleras enderezadas a arrancar la isla Tok en lugar de cometer otras acciones imprudentes.

FDRP denuncia acto criminal de autoridades judiciales surcoreanas

     Pyongyang, 7 de marzo (ATCC) -- Hace algunos dias, la Corte Suprema del Sur de Corea juzgo de "ilegal" la multitudinaria demostracion antiyanqui con velas encendidas que hicieron los habitants surcoreanas indignados al tope por el incidente de 2 alumnas de la secundaria atropelladas por un carro blindado de las tropas norteamericanas en 2002. Para colmo, los magistrados surcoreanos condenaron a penas injustas a Kim Chong Il, presidente del "Comite Pannacional de Medidas para el Incidente de Asesinato a Dos Alumnas Secundarias Atropelladas" quien habia dirigido la citada huelga con parafinas. Con respecto a esto, el vocero del secretariado del Comite Central del Frente Democratico para la Reunificacion de la Patria (FDRP) emitio el dia 5 la siguiente declaracion:
    Este fallo de las autoridades judiciales del Sur de Corea deviene un intolerable insulto a varios millones de huelguistas surcoreanos de distintos sectores y a toda la nacion coreana que expreso total apoyo a la demostracion. Ademas, es un crimen escalofriante equivalente a rematar a las alumnas Sim Mi Son y Sin Hyo Sun, quienes fueron asesinadas tragicamente por las tropas agresoras yanquis ocupantes del Sur de Corea.
    Por lo tanto, denunciamos categoricamente tal comportamiento calificandolo de insoportable violacion de la dignidad y la soberania de la nacion coreana e imperdonable acto contra la nacion coreana que desafia frontalmente a la aspiracion de los surcoreanos a vivir en un nuevo mundo independiente y libre de las fuerzas foraneas.
    La situacion dada hoy en el Sur de Corea demuestra fehacientemente que las fuerzas vendepatrias y serviles a EE.UU. representan grandes escollos para la independencia y la democratizacion de la sociedad surcoreana y al dejarlas intactas, nunca se llevara a la realidad el deseo de los habitantes surcoreanos sobre una politica nueva e independiente y una vida nueva.
    Los magistrados surcoreanos deben justipreciar la corriente actual y revocar ahora mismo el injusto calificativo sobre la citada huelga y las condenas impuestas a quienes luchan por la justicia.