Bulletin Released in Democratic Congo

     Pyongyang, March 14 (KCNA) -- The Group for the Study of Kim Jong Il-Juche Idea in Democratic Congo published a bulletin titled "Glory of Korea" on March 7 on the occasion of the 12th anniversary of his election as chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission. Noting that the Korean people will greet the 12th anniversary of leader Kim Jong Il's election as chairman of the NDC of the DPRK in April this year, the bulletin says the important duty of the chairman is to command all the armed forces and guide the national defence affairs as a whole.
    The Korean people's unquestioned trust in him is based on their actual experience of his greatness, it says, and elaborates on the voices of the world public praising the undying feats he has performed as an outstanding thinker and theoretician, a preeminent statesman and a rare brilliant commander.
    Only victory and glory will always be in store for the Korean people led by him, the bulletin stresses.

Int'l Meeting for Korea's Reunification

     Pyongyang, March 14 (KCNA) -- A presidium meeting of the International Liaison Committee for Reunification and Peace in Korea (CILRECO) was held in Brussels on March 5. Secretary General of the CILRECO Guy Dupre made a report at the meeting, which was followed by speeches.
    The reporter and speakers referred to the origin of the nuclear issue in the Korean Peninsula and expressed full sympathy and support to the nuclear deterrent of the DPRK for legitimate self-defence and its principled stand in invariably maintaining its ultimate objective of a negotiated solution to the issue and denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
    They also manifested the steadfast will and stand to intensify the solidarity movement supporting the Korean people in their efforts to open up a new phase in the accomplishment of the reunification cause by realizing three forms of cooperation--cooperation for national independence, peace against war, and reunification and patriotism-- this year which will greet such significant events as the 60th anniversary of Korea's liberation and the 5th anniversary of the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration.
    The meeting adopted the 2005 action program of the committee, which said it would wage brisk practical activities to give continued impetus to the international solidarity movement for peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula and for support to the Korean people's cause of independent reunification.
    It also adopted an appeal to the governments, political parties and organizations of all the countries and international bodies and non-governmental organizations.
    The appeal stressed the need to strengthen international support to and solidarity with the June 15 inter-Korean declaration and its implementation and fully support the Korean people in the efforts to open up a new phase of independent reunification.
    It called for conducting on broader scale solidarity activities for the Korean people's cause of national reunification with a world conference for support to Korea's independent and peaceful reunification scheduled in Pyongyang on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of Korea's liberation as a momentum. Strong demand should be made for an immediate demolition of the concrete wall built in the area south of the Military Demarcation Line in Korea, the appeal said.
    It is necessary to build up the world opinion that the U.S. should renounce its hostile policy toward the DPRK by action and opt for co-existence with it and to lift up louder voices worldwide supporting the conversion of the Armistice Agreement into a peace accord, it stressed. A letter to leader Kim Jong Il was adopted at the meeting.
    Attending it were honorary chairmen of the CILRECO, officials of political parties and organizations for friendship and solidarity with the Korean people in different countries and personages of different circles.

Japan's Claim to Tok Islet Slashed by Overseas Koreans

     Pyongyang, March 14 (KCNA) -- A protest was reportedly staged in front of the Japanese Consulate General in Manhattan, New York, on March 7 to denounce the jargon of the Japanese ambassador to south Korea with regard to Tok Islet. It was sponsored by the East American Regional Council for Measures against Reckless Claim to Tok Islet, which comprises overseas Koreans' organizations including the Federation of Korean Residents in the United States. The protesters said they turned out in the protest, unable to repress indignation at Japan's far-fetched claim to Tok Islet which evidently belongs to Korea.
    One hundred years have passed since the fabrication of the "Ulsa Five-point Treaty" by Japan, they noted, and said: However, it has not yet made an honest apology for its past history but is rushing headlong toward the revival of militarism and its conversion into a military giant for overseas aggression.
    They ridiculed Japan for seeking permanent membership of the UN Security Council, though it has not purged itself of the ill-fame as a war criminal state which inflicted calamities of war upon humankind.
    They said a movement for curbing Japan's campaign to grab a seat of UNSC permanent membership should be launched by all the Koreans.

Japan Urged to Return Remains of Korean Draftees

     Tokyo, March 12 (KNS-KCNA) -- Representatives of the Saitama Prefectural group for probe into the truth behind the forcible drafting of Koreans and the Saitama Prefectural Headquarters of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon) visited the Cabinet Office, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan on March 9 and strongly demanded Japan send the remains of Korean draftees buried in Tokorozawa City, Saitama Prefecture, to their home towns as soon as possible. Referring to the background against which their remains were buried there, the visitors noted with indignation that those remains have not yet been returned to their home towns though they have not been taken care of for 60 years since the liberation of Korea.
    They urged the Japanese government to take a sincere measure for the settlement of this matter.

Planned Reorganization of U.S. Forces Denounced in S. Korea

     Pyongyang, March 14 (KCNA) -- The People for Achieving Peace and Reunification and the Reunification Solidarity in south Korea reportedly called a press conference in front of the building of the U.S. forces command in south Korea on March 9 in protest against the planned reorganization of the U.S. forces aimed at a preemptive attack on the north. A press release was made public at the press conference, which said: It has been decided to reorganize the second U.S. forces division in south Korea into a "future-oriented division" equipped with "long-range operation capabilities" and "precision strike capabilities" until this summer. This means that the U.S. combat forces will turn into an "Asia-Pacific task force" that can be rapidly deployed in different parts of Northeast Asia.
    Through such reorganization the U.S. seeks to use the Korean Peninsula as an advance base for its war of aggression in the Asia-Pacific region and round off its "capacity to mount a super-precision preemptive attack" on the north, the press release noted, and continued:
    This would jeopardize the peace on the peninsula. The fact that the planned reorganization has been moved up since the north's declaration of its access to nuclear weapons goes to prove that the U.S. has, in fact, entered the phase of making preparations for a preemptive attack on the north after going beyond the phase of putting military pressure on it.
    It strongly urged the U.S. to promptly stop such acts as seriously threatening peace in the peninsula and the rest of Northeast Asia.

Moves of U.S. and Japan to Tighten Their Military Alliance under Fire

     Pyongyang, March 14 (KCNA) -- The U.S. and Japanese reactionaries have systematically supplemented and rounded off the joint military operation plan and the order of action under the pretext of "ensuring security" and "coping with threat" since the demise of the Cold War. They are now working hard to expand their operation worldwide while tightening their military alliance. In this regard Rodong Sinmun Monday says in a signed commentary: A recent meeting of the U.S.-Japan Security Consultative Council attended by their high-ranking officials in charge of diplomatic and military affairs adopted a joint statement which set it as a "joint strategic target" to intensify military activities centering on the Asia-Pacific region.
    Many countries in Asia and the rest of the world view the tightened U.S.-Japan military alliance as a dangerous move to harass peace and bring about a war in the new century.
    Japan and the U.S. have boosted their military alliance and cooperation, talking about the reexamination of "Japan-U.S. Defense Cooperation Guidelines." This is aimed to establish an offensive system targeting the whole Asia including Northeast Asia.
    The U.S.-Japan joint strategic target is, in essence, to strengthen the aggressive and military nexus against the DPRK and China and, at the same time, to build a system for preemptive attack. The U.S. listed the DPRK as part of an "axis of evil" and an "outpost of tyranny" and adopted it as its policy to stifle the DPRK by force of arms. The U.S. is set to use Japan as a shock brigade for implementing it.
    It is the U.S. strategic goal to occupy the Korean Peninsula and then put China under its military control and, moreover, establish military supremacy in the Asia-Pacific region. The boosted military alliance and cooperation are a dangerous move to upset the military equilibrium in Asia and spark a war.
    This move seriously jeopardizes peace and security in the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia.
    It is an exercise of a legitimate right to self-defense for the army and people of the DPRK to make full preparations to counter such move, while closely watching it. The Japanese militarists' moves to reinvade Northeast Asia in collusion with the U.S. while straining the situation there would only precipitate their second defeat.

Rodong Sinmun on Sure Victory of Korean Revolution

     Pyongyang, March 14 (KCNA) -- The solidity of the party and the state and the prospect of socialism, the ideal of humankind, depend on the ideological and moral strength of the army and the people, says Rodong Sinmun today in a signed article. It goes on:
    It is the cause of socialism which advances by the strength of idea and wins by the strength of confidence. The Korean revolution is a proud revolutionary cause which has been ever victorious with idea as its only and most powerful weapon.
    Attaching importance to idea has been the main maxim throughout the 60-year long history of the Workers' Party of Korea. It is well known a fact that the WPK, while pursuing Songun politics, has given priority not only to arms as physical means but to idea and spirit of the soldiers holding them in their hands and has advanced the revolution and construction on their pattern. To attach importance to arms in Songun politics has been to attach importance to idea.
    The idea and faith of the army and people of the DPRK who have recorded the sacred history of the Songun revolution as an ever-victorious chronicle are a noble spiritual power representing unity with the headquarters of the revolution in one mind and one will .The might of the ranks tens of millions strong united in one mind and one will is inexhaustible one defying comparison with mathematical sum total.
    The idea and faith of the army and the people of the DPRK are, in their content, those of the headquarters of the revolution.
    The strength of the army and the people who live and fight in the same idea, desire and emotion with their leader can not be vanquished even by nuclear weapons nor can they be frightened or subjugated by psychological warfare. The immense strength of revolutionary spirit displayed by the army and the people of the DPRK lies in its combination with a death-defying stand. This stand is an expression of unshakable trust in their leader and victory of the socialist cause.
    A great ideological power is led by a great master of ideology. Leader Kim Jong Il is the veteran of present-day socialist politics who put forward the Juche-based theory of ideology that idea decides everything and is recording an ever-victorious history by carrying it thoroughly into Korean revolutionary practice.

S. Korea Urged to Take Hands Off Iraq

     Pyongyang, March 14 (KCNA) -- Some time ago south Korean-American Choe Min Su met a miserable death during Iraqi resistance forces' attack after being dispatched to Iraq. Several south Korean civilians have so far met similar deaths there. This is touching off bitter resentment among all Koreans as it is the tragedy caused by the U.S. wrong policy of war of aggression. Rodong Sinmun today says this in a signed commentary. It goes on:
    Choe's death is obviously a miserable one caused by the U.S. war of aggression fought against Iraq.
    Had the U.S. not ignited the Iraqi war, such south Korean young man as Choe would not have met such miserable death as cannon fodder of the U.S.
    It cannot but be shame on the nation and a tragedy triggering off anger among the Koreans that the south Korean young man was forced to die after being taken to Iraq in the U.S. military uniform instead of Americans.
    Nevertheless, the south Korean authorities are contemplating dispatching the second batch of troops to Iraq.
    No one can vouch that more young south Koreans will not meet the same miserable deaths as those of Kim Son Il and Choe Min Su, should the south Korean authorities continue backing the U.S. in its policy of aggression against Iraq.
    Fawning upon the U.S. and blindly following its policy would only invite disgrace and death.
    The south Korean troops dispatched to Iraq should be withdrawn from there without delay not only for the dignity of the nation but for the security of the south Korean people.

Congratulations to Greek President

     Pyongyang, March 14 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, on March 13 sent a congratulatory message to Carlos Papoulias upon his inauguration as Greek president. Expressing the belief that the friendly relations between the DPRK and the Republic of Greece would grow in scope and develop in conformity with the desire and interests of the two peoples, the message sincerely wished him good health and happiness and success in his responsible work for the prosperity and development of the country.

Kaechon-Lake Thaesong Waterway Pays off

     Pyongyang, March 14 (KCNA) -- The Kaechon-Lake Thaesong Waterway, built in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in the era of Songun politics, has paid off over the last two years. The unique waterway was built in a short span of time with the design, technology and strength of Koreans.
    Over the years, a total of 100 million cubic meters of water has flown along the waterway from the River Taedong to over ten towns and counties in South Phyongan Province and Pyongyang to be used as irrigation and industrial water.
    Before the waterway was built, more than 500 water pumps in hundreds of pumping stations had to consume some 60,000 kW of electricity a year to supply needed water to these areas.
    The completion of the waterway has formed a natural-flow irrigation system without using any pump and electricity.
    When the sluice of the Taegak Youth Dam is opened, water flows into 20-odd reservoirs including Lake Thaesong and directly to different areas along the waterway.

Pupils Make 250-mile Journey in DPRK

     Pyongyang, March 14 (KCNA) -- Schoolchildren's "250-mile journey for learning" has continued in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. This year more than 3,500 pupils from over 70 schools have participated in the march. This march has been organized regularly every year from March Juche 63 (1974) when the first march was made by chairmen of the youth league and children's union organizations of middle school and model members of the children's union from throughout the country, over 5,000 in all.
    On March 16, 1923, President Kim Il Sung, at the age of 11, made the journey after his father told him that he should have a good knowledge of Korea. He left Badaogou, China, crossed the River Amnok and walked from Phophyong to Mangyongdae, his native hometown.
    Schoolchildren's march is a token of their willingness to learn from his lofty intention. Each group consists of 50 pupils with school as a unit and the marching period is 21 days. The march continues all the year round except May and October. Every day a group leaves Phophyong and tour Pyongyang for a week after its arrival in Mangyongdae.
    During the march, they conduct colorful political and cultural activities and inspection through which they get a deep knowledge of the President's revolutionary history and exploits.
    More than 12,500 pupils have participated in the march every year over the last three decades since the first march took place.

Projected U.S.-S. Korea Joint Military Drills Assailed

     Pyongyang, March 14 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the Korean National Peace Committee issued a statement Monday and bitterly denounced the U.S. and the south Korean authorities for their plan to stage RSOI and Foal Eagle military exercises from March 19 to 25, branding them as an unpardonable move to ignite a war of aggression and inflict the terrible holocaust of a nuclear war on the Korean nation. It is irrefutable that such military exercises are a nuclear test war, a very dangerous preliminary war for a preemptive attack on the DPRK any time, the spokesman says, and goes on:
    The acute situation prevailing in the Korean Peninsula clearly shows once again that the U.S. talking about the "six-party talks" is no more than a deceptive farce to cover up its aggressive and brigandish nature and that there is no change in its intention to stifle the DPRK by force of arms.
    The U.S. responded with war maneuver to the just demand of public opinion at home and abroad for the renunciation of its hostile policy toward the DPRK, a stumbling block in the way of settling the nuclear issue.
    This is only a deliberate move to hamper a peaceful solution to the nuclear issue and resumption of the six-party talks.
    The reality fully proves that the U.S. is chiefly to blame for escalating the nuclear crisis on the Korean Peninsula and leading the situation to an extreme pitch of confrontation and war.
    It is the spirit and pluck of the army and people of the DPRK under the Songun leadership to respond to a hard line with a super hard line and to a provocation with a merciless fatal blow.
    The U.S. and the south Korean warmongers should not act rashly and stop at once their reckless war maneuvers against the DPRK, clearly understanding the resolute will and invincible spirit of the Korean people.

For Spanish-speaking people

Kim Jong Il envia mensaje de felicitacion al presidente chino

     Pyongyang, 14 de marzo (ATCC) -- El Dirigente Kim Jong Il, Secretario General del Partido del Trabajo de Corea y Presidente del Comite de Defensa Nacional de la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea, envio el dia 13 un mensaje a Hu Jintao, secretario general del CC del Partido Comunista de China y presidente de la Republica Popular China, para felicitarle por su eleccion como presidente de la Comision Militar Central de la RPCh. El mensaje senala:
    Hago llegar a usted mi calurosa congratulacion por su eleccion como presidente de la CMC de la RPCh en la 3a sesion de la X legislatura de la Asamblea Popular Nacional.
    El que usted ocupo este puesto importante constituye una expresion de gran confianza y fe del PCCh, el ejercito y el pueblo de China en Vd.
    Estoy convencido de que las potentes fuerzas armadas revolucionarias del pueblo chino, bajo la direccion del PCCh encabezado por Vd., cumpliran con toda su mision gloriosa en la construccion del socialismo modernizado y en la realizacion de la causa de la prosperidad de las naciones chinas y la reintegracion territorial de la patria.
    Aprovecho esta oportunidad para expresar mi confianza de que la tradicional amistad Corea-China continue fortaleciendose y desarrollandose por los esfuerzos comunes de los partidos, los ejercitos y los pueblos de ambos paises y le deseo de todo corazon a Vd. nuevos exitos en su labor responsable.

Kim Jong Il recibe mensaje de solidaridad proveniente de Mexico

     Pyongyang, 14 de marzo (ATCC) -- Fue aprobado el dia 6 un mensaje de solidaridad al Dirigente Kim Jong Il en el "IX Simposio de los partidos politicos del mundo sobre la construccion de nueva sociedad" que tuvo lugar en Mexico. El mensaje senala que en representacion de los partidos politicos y entidades sociales de los 5 continentes, los participantes en el simposio envian el saludo fraternal y la solidaridad combativa al camarada Kim Jong Il, Secretario General del Partido del Trabajo de Corea.
    Subraya que estan convencidos de que los imperialistas seran derrotados ciertamente por el firmemente unido pueblo coreano que lucha energicamente por defender la soberania y la independencia de la nacion y reunificar el pais.
    Destaca que la atencion de la humanidad progresista se enfoca ahora a Corea, patria del Generalisimo Kim Il Sung, que canaliza grandes fuerzas al fortalecimiento de la capacidad de defensa nacional y al desarrollo economico frustrando la amenaza de las fuerzas conservadoras e intransigentes de EE.UU.

Japon no tiene calificacion de ser miembro permanente del CS

     Pyongyang, 14 de marzo (ATCC) -- Tanto desde el punto de vista del expediente de los crimenes cometidos en el pasado por los imperialistas japoneses como a la luz de la reaparicion del militarismo en Japon que representa seria amenaza para Asia y otros paises circunvecinos, la conversion de este pais en el miembro permanente del Consejo de Seguridad de las Naciones Unidas es contraria a la mision fundamental de esta entidad internacional, por lo tanto nunca podemos aceptarlo. Asi insistio el representante permanente de la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea ante la ONU, Pak Kil Yon, en su carta dirigida el dia 7 al secretario general Kofi Annan, en relacion con el intento de Japon de hacerse miembro permanente del CS de la ONU.
    Es muy preocupante que Japon hablara de su derecho a la membresia permanente del Consejo de Seguridad argumentandolo con la contribucion monetaria a la ONU y otros paises se inclinaran a apoyar a este pais seducidos por su bolsa de billetes, senala la misiva y prosigue:
    La ONU no es una compania financiera, donde el derecho al voto se corresponde segun cantidad del capital invertido, sino una organizacion politica que se basa en el principio de igualdad independiente y persigue la paz y la seguridad, razon por la cual, la bancada del pais miembro permanente no puede ser comprada ni vendida.
    Si Japon quiere de veras contribuir a la prosperidad de la humanidad del mundo, debe reflexionar sinceramente sus crimenes cometidos en el pasado, compensarlos debidamente y comprometerse a no repetir su pasado criminal de manera convincente para la comunidad internacional.
    Si se otorga la membresia permanente haciendo vista gorda del pasado criminal de Japon, catalogado hasta la fecha de "pais enemigo" en la ONU, la historia del mundo, especificamente, la del Nordeste Asiatico sera detenida y la humanidad experimentara otro flagelo.
    Por lo tanto, la RPDC se mantiene en su firme posicion de que Japon, que amenaza la estabilidad regional del Nordeste Asiatico sin reflexionar ni compensar sinceramente su pasado criminal, en ningun caso puede ser el pais miembro permanente del Consejo de Seguridad de la ONU, que se encarga de los asuntos de la paz y la seguridad del mundo. Por ultimo, el diplomatico coreano pidio al secretario general de la ONU que circule esta carta como documento oficial en la reunion sobre la agenda 53 del 59o periodo de sesiones de la Asamblea General de la ONU "El problema sobre la representatividad equitativa y la ampliacion de los paises miembros en el Consejo de Seguridad y otros concernientes" y en el mismo Consejo de Seguridad.