Preparatory Committee Inaugurated in Denmark

     Pyongyang, May 12 (KCNA) -- An inaugural ceremony of the preparatory committee for the "meeting praising the great persons of Mt. Paektu" was held in Copenhagen on May 4. It was attended by representatives and members of political parties and organizations in Denmark. At the ceremony chairmen of different political parties including the Communist Party of Denmark (Marxist-Leninist) and other personages such as the chairman of the Denmark-DPRK Friendship Association were elected co-chairmen of the committee.
    The committee discussed and decided on the issue of organizing colorful functions in Denmark in the run-up to the meeting.

Letter of Protest to Japanese Chief Executive Conveyed

     Pyongyang, May 12 (KCNA) -- Members of the Tok Islet Fellowship Society of south Korea visited the Japanese embassy in Seoul to convey a letter of protest to the Japanese chief executive to it on May 6, according to south Korean KBS. Denouncing Japan for its brazen-faced moves to grab Tok Islet and distort history, the letter strongly urged him to honestly own the responsibility for them and apologize to the Korean people without delay.
    Earlier, the organization held a rally denouncing Japan and staged a hair-cutting ceremony in token of its protest.

Plasma Cutting and Welding Machine Manufactured

     Pyongyang, May 12 (KCNA) -- Scientists of the Laser Institute under the DPRK Academy of Sciences succeeded in manufacturing a plasma cutting and welding machine that does not require welding rods. This machine was manufactured on the basis of the success made in developing interrupter-style plasma power equipment, taking the world trend of development and actual conditions of the country into consideration.
    The body and weight of the machine is no more than half of the existing resistance-style or magnetic amplification-style welding machines each with the same power and its consumption of electricity is much smaller than any of them. The new machine is capable of cutting any metal materials 40 or 50 mm thick or 80 mm thick at maximum at the speed of 1m per minute..
    It can weld even nonferrous metal materials such as aluminum and copper as well as steel. It can also weld materials about 20mm thick.

Rally Held in S. Korea to Check U.S. Army Base Expansion

     Pyongyang, May 12 (KCNA) -- A "rally against the unilateral land requisition and the relocation of the U.S. forces in south Korea and for checking the expansion of the U.S. army base in Phyongthaek" was reportedly held in front of the Taechu Primary School in Phaengsong town, Phyongthaek City, Kyonggi Province, on May 8. Members of civic and social organizations and regional residents, upwards of 400 all told, took part in the rally which was sponsored by the All-People Measure Committee for Checking the Expansion of the U.S. Army Base in Phyongthaek comprising 115 organizations.
    Speakers at the rally said the U.S. forces arbitrarily used land and demanded a larger amount of fund for their maintenance, far from paying the rent, and the south Korean military authorities were intending to cover the fund by selling off the land.
    Asking who was the master of the land transferred to the U.S. forces, they called upon all the people to turn out to the fight to thwart the expansion of the U.S. army base and achieve peace. After the rally the participants marched up to the U.S. army base, chanting the slogans "We totally reject the U.S. army base in Phyongthaek, a war base on the Korean Peninsula!" and "We denounce the act of depriving us of our land and transferring it to the U.S. forces!"
    They reached the front of the base, fighting police, and threw rotten eggs and stones into it, chanting "U.S. forces, get out of south Korea!" and other slogans.

Rodong Sinmun on Advantages of Socialist Planned Economy

     Pyongyang, May 12 (KCNA) -- The socialist economy is a planned economy and self-supporting economy, Rodong Sinmun Thursday says in a signed article. It calls for firmly abiding by the socialist principle in the economic construction, fully convinced of the advantages of the socialist planned economy, and thereby building a great prosperous powerful country of Juche on this land as early as possible. The article says:
    The planned economy is a method of managing and operating the economy suited to the nature of socialist society and it is incomparably superior to the capitalist market economy. The advantages of the socialist planned economy mean the superiority of collectivism to individualism and the indisputable superiority of the socialist ownership to the private ownership.
    The socialist planned economy calls for setting targets and orientation of economic construction, pursuant to the line and policy of the party, and thoroughly carrying them out. It is an advantageous economic system as it makes it possible to give fullest play to the revolutionary enthusiasm and creative ingenuity of the popular masses. The intrinsic nature and advantages of the socialist economy lie in that the economy serves the people and makes steady progress thanks to the inexhaustible creative energy of the popular masses.
    The planning system in the country ensures planned and balanced development of the national economy because it calls for establishing the system and order whereby to combine the state centralized guidance with the mass line under the leadership of the Workers' Party of Korea in drawing up and implementing a plan. Under the above-said system officials of the state planning organ and higher bodies well informed of the needs of the Party and the state and the overall economic life of the country are required to go down to the lower units and work out any plan through exhaustive discussions with the producer masses and make them regard any adopted plan as their own.
    This process makes it possible to overcome both subjectivism and egoism in planning. This system encourages individual units to properly display their independence so that all the working people can produce more social wealth of better quality for the prosperity of the country and their happiness.
    The socialist planned economy is a profitable economic system as it ensures steady rapid progress of social production. But the market economy for money making or a dependent economy aimed at bringing profits to foreign monopoly capitalists only are diametrically running counter to the interests of the popular masses. It can never match the planned and independent socialist economy in terms of rate of development, too.

Japan's Robber-like Document to Grab Tok Islet Flailed

     Pyongyang, May 12 (KCNA) -- The Japanese government at a ministerial meeting some time ago approved the "2005 diplomatic blue book" designating the Tok Islet, an inviolable part of the Korean territory, as one belonging to Japan. In this regard, Rodong Sinmun in a commentary today says:
    This is another proof that the Japanese reactionaries' moves to grab the islet have so far been stepped up with the premeditated and organized support of the government.
    The news analyst continues:
    The Japanese government claims in the "diplomatic blue book" that the islet "is explicitly Japan's inviolable territory in view of historical facts and international law." This is an entirely unjustifiable act intended to make the seizure of Tok Islet its policy and indoctrinate the Japanese people with the idea of Japan's "dominium" over it in an effort to rouse public sentiments in its realization.
    That Tok Islet has been an inseparable part of the territory of the Korean nation handed down by its ancestor from one thousand and several hundred years ago is unequivocally stated in many state documents and historical materials of Korea and Japanese historical materials which fully prove this by history and law. This was also made clear in the 1945 Potsdam Declaration, an international legal document published by the allied nations with regard to Japan defeated in World War II.
    The far-fetched claim of Japan that the islet is "an inviolable part" of Japan, which totally negates and distorts this stark fact backed by history and international law, is a wanton encroachment upon Korea's sovereignty and an agitation of reinvasion.
    The "diplomatic blue book" approved by the Japanese government is a green light for grabbing the islet. It suggests that the Japanese government has confirmed the seizure of the islet as its immediate goal. However, Japan's wild ambition for seizing the islet is like a midsummer dream of a dog.
    The Japanese government would be well advised to revoke the robber-like document at once.

Commemorative Stamp Released

     Pyongyang, May 12 (KCNA) -- The Korea Stamp Corporation has issued a stamp (souvenir sheet) in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon). Printed in the stamp is a photograph of President Kim Il Sung receiving Han Tok Su, former chairman of the Central Standing Committee of Chongryon, beneath the words "May 25 Juche 44 (1955)-May 25 Juche 94(2005)" and "50th anniversary". Also seen in the stamp are pictures of the Korean Hall in Tokyo, the Joson Sinbo Office and Korean residents in Japan who are in a festive mood, holding pennants bearing the words "In celebration of the Chongryon anniversary", "Twice-model chapter", "Model chapter", "Model branch" and balloons against the background of a large national flag of the DPRK.
    The face value of the stamp is 130 won.
    Meanwhile, the corporation has issued stamps (a sheetlet and a souvenir sheet) showing panda under protection in the world.
    The face values of the stamps are 15, 45, 70, 120 and 140 won respectively. (Fax:850-2-3814626. http://www.dprk-stamp.com. e-mail:stamp@co.chesin.com)

EBA Starts to Work in Pyongyang

     Pyongyang, May 12 (KCNA) -- The European Business Association (EBA) has started to work in Pyongyang. It, jointly founded by all of the foreign business people who are resident in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and who represent European enterprises, will contribute to encouraging European businesses to invest and do more business in the country. According to its press release, it sees itself as a bridge builder between Europe and the DPRK to substantially increase trade between the two.
    Its founding ceremony took place at Koryo Hotel in Pyongyang on April 28.
    During the event the members of EBA expressed their hope that it will grow quickly in numbers over the coming years as a consequence of its work aimed at enhancing economic cooperation between Europe and the DPRK.

For Spanish-speaking people

Dinamarca: comite preparatorio de "encuentro de elogio"

     Pyongyang, 12 de mayo (ATCC) -- Quedo constituido el dia 4 en Copenhague el Comite Preparatorio para el "Encuentro de Elogio a los Grandes Hombres del Monte Paektu". En el acto participaron representantes y miembros de los partidos politicos y entidades de Dinamarca.
    En la ocasion, como copresidentes del comite naciente fueron elegidos los presidentes de varios partidos politicos como el del Partido Comunista de Dinamarca (marxista-leninista), el presidente de la Asociacion de Amistad Dinamarca-Republica Popular Democratica de Corea y otras personalidades.
    El comite preparatorio decidio organizar diversas actividades en su pais en visperas del "encuentro de elogio".

Nuevos sellos en Corea

     Pyongyang, 12 de mayo (ATCC) -- La Editora de Sellos de Corea edito un sello dedicado al 50 aniversario de la fundacion de la Asociacion General de Coreanos Residentes en Japon (Chongryon). Este sello en forma de papel enterizo de pequena dimension conlleva una foto alusiva al encuentro entre el Presidente Kim Il Sung y el ex presidente del Presidium del Comite Central de la Chongryon Han Tok Su y las letras "25 de mayo del 44 (1955) - 25 de mayo del 94 (2005), de la Era Juche" y "50 aniversario".
    En su trasfondo figuran la Casa de Coreanos Residentes en Japon, la Editora del periodico Joson Simbo y una gran bandera de la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea. Ademas, se destacan los coreanos residentes en Japon sumergidos en un clima festivo con globos de goma y banderines en que se podian leer "En homenaje al aniversario de la fundacion de la Chongryon", las "Filiales calificadas una o dos veces de ejemplares" y las "Sucursales ejemplares".
    Su valor nominal es de 130 wones.
    Por otra parte, entraron en circulacion sellos en dos formas (una coleccion de sellos postales en papel enterizo y un papel enterizo de pequeno tamano) alusivos al panda, animal protegido internacionalmente.
    Estos sellos reflejan una parte de la vida cotidiana de este animal.
    El valor nominal de estos oscilan entre 15, 45, 70, 120 y 140 wones.