Floral Baskets Sent to DPRK Embassies

     Pyongyang, August 24 (KCNA) -- Floral baskets were sent to the DPRK embassies in Conakry, Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur by the Party for Unity and Progress of Guinea, the chairman of the Guinea-Korea Friendship Association, the chairman of the Vanguard Party of Indonesia, the managers of the Yangji Travel Agency, the T. T. Latex Company and the M. K. P. Company of Malaysia on Aug. 15 on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of Korea's liberation. They were laid before the portraits of President Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il and full-length portraits of the President and the leader in the DPRK embassies there.

Day of Korea's Liberation Marked in Peru

     Pyongyang, August 24 (KCNA) -- The Peru Group for the Study of Kimilsungism issued a bulletin titled "President Kim Il Sung Is National Liberator" on August 13 on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of Korea's liberation. The Korean people greeted the liberation of the country on August 15, 1945, thanks to the outstanding military idea and stratagem and unremitting brilliant struggle of Kim Il Sung who embarked upon the road of revolution in his teens, the bulletin said, stressing: The feats performed by him who set a good example of the national liberation struggle in colonial countries will shine long in the modern history of Korea as well as in the world's history of national liberation struggles.
    On the same day the Peruvian-Korean Institute of Culture and Friendship issued a commemorative bulletin titled "History of Korean People's Struggle to Defend Sovereignty."

Anniversary of Korea's Liberation Celebrated

     Pyongyang, August 24 (KCNA) -- A meeting was held at the Karachi Art Center of Pakistan, a meeting and a film show on the Koba Farm of Guinea and a friendship meeting and a joint performance in Sihanouk of Cambodia on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Korea. A Korean film "Rivers and Mountains of the Country Changing More Beautifully under the Leadership of the Great General" was screened at the film show.
    Taji Haider, press secretary of the Pakistan People's Party and former senator of Pakistan, in a speech at the meeting, highly praised the undying feats of President Kim Il Sung who embarked upon the road of revolution in his early years, liberated the country, successfully realized the cause of building the Party, the state and the army and turned the DPRK into a powerful socialist industrial country.
    The secretary general of the People's Democratic Party of Pakistan said that Kim Il Sung is the great man and the great master of politics well-known to the world. The DPRK will win victory after victory and be surely reunified as it is led by Kim Jong Il, he stressed.
    The governor of Koba of Guinea noted at the meeting that Kim Il Sung indicated the orientation and ways for achieving national liberation and building a new state in different African countries and gave moral and material assistance to them and, in particular, actively encouraged Guinea to build a new society. The Guinean people are looking up to the DPRK led by Kim Jong Il as the beacon of hope, he noted.
    The secretary general of the Cambodian Wrestling Federation said at the friendship meeting that Kim Il Sung paid special attention to the friendship between Cambodia and the DPRK and gave moral and material assistance to Cambodia. And he expressed thanks to Kim Jong Il and the DPRK government for paying deep attention to the development of the friendly relations between the two countries.
    Meanwhile, a national meeting, a photo and handicraft exhibition and a film show took place in Peru to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Korea's liberation. A Korean film "They Were Always Together on the Road to Bring about the People's Well-being" was screened at the film show.
    Congratulatory messages to Kim Jong Il were adopted at the meetings in Pakistan and Peru.

Settlement of Japan's Past Crimes Urged

     Pyongyang, August 24 (KCNA) -- We will never forget the monstrous massacres of Koreans committed by the Japanese imperialists, including the case of Ukishima-maru sunk down by explosion but settle accounts with Japan for its past crimes at any cost through generations. The Association of Korean Victims of Forcible Drafting and Their Bereaved Families declared this in a statement Tuesday.
    As well known, on August 24, 1945, the Japanese imperialists deliberately exploded Ukishima-maru, a transport ship of the imperial Japanese navy, in the sea off Maizuru Port in Kyoto Prefecture, leaving thousands of innocent Koreans, who were aboard for returning home with a joy at the liberation of the country, drowned.
    The statement said:
    Japan kidnapped and took away millions of Koreans and forced toilsome labor upon them, and even drowned thousands of them at once in retaliation of its defeat in the war. Nevertheless, it has persistently evaded its responsibility for the crimes and, on the contrary, is now hell-bent on the anti-DPRK moves while peddling the issue of the remains of "abducted Japanese" which had been already settled.
    The association, on behalf of all the Korean victims of forcible drafting and their bereaved families, bitterly denounces such shameless behavior of the Japanese authorities, branding it as the most despicable inhumane crime. The Japanese authorities should have a clear understanding of the will of the Korean nation and make a thoroughgoing probe into the truth about all the inhuman crimes committed by Japan against the Korean people in the past. They should promptly take a practical step to make an honest apology and compensation to the victims and their bereaved families.

Symposium of Historians Held

     Pyongyang, August 24 (KCNA) -- A symposium of historians was held by the Academy of Social Sciences Tuesday, 60 years since Ukishima-maru was blown up by the Japanese imperialists. Present there were Thae Hyong Chol, president of the Academy of Social Sciences, officials concerned and teachers and researchers in the field of social science and of universities.
    Speakers cited concrete historical facts to prove that the case was an inhuman and national chauvinistic massacre of Koreans committed by the Japanese imperialists. They disclosed what monstrous crimes were committed by the Japanese imperialists against those aboard the ship.
    The Japanese authorities are falsifying truth about the incident which claimed thousands of civilian casualties, while dastardly working to keep the incident buried into oblivion at any cost, understating the number of the victims, the speakers said, and went on:
    Worse still, Japan views the incident from the political view-point of negating its past crimes. Even the legal circle of Japan tends to back the stand of its government. The reality indicates that a proper settlement of the incident presents itself as one of the political and legal issues related to protecting and exercising the dignity and sovereignty of the Korean nation. The speakers strongly charged that the blowing up of the ship was a grave international criminal act of blatantly challenging justice and moral sense of the international community and gravely violating international law as it was perpetrated by the Japanese military authorities in a premeditated and deliberate manner with the approval of the Japanese government. The army and the people of the DPRK will carry on their struggle, true to the Songun leadership of Kim Jong Il, till Japan, the sworn enemy, fully apologizes and compensates for all its past crimes.

Cooperation for Peace against War Called for

     Pyongyang, August 24 (KCNA) -- It is the common cause of the nation to protect peace and security on the Korean Peninsula. All Koreans in the north, the south and overseas should fully realize cooperation for peace against war to deal telling blows at the U.S. imperialists keen to start a new war through their concerted efforts and fulfill their responsibility and role as masters in hewing out the destiny of the nation and achieving national reunification. Rodong Sinmun Wednesday says this in a signed article. It goes on: The "Ulji Focus Lens-05" joint military exercises launched by the U.S. imperialist warmongers again in south Korea are a blatant challenge to the Koreans desirous of reunification and a serious threat to the peace and security on the peninsula. To achieve the above-said cooperation represents a struggle to frustrate the moves of the foreign forces for a war of aggression and preserve the peace and security of the country by the concerted efforts of the Koreans. It is an urgent and essential requirement for hewing out the destiny of the Korean nation to realize the above-said form of cooperation. In the 50s of the last century the United States provoked a war of aggression against the DPRK in order to dominate the whole of Korea, inflicting war disasters upon the Koreans. It has watched for a chance to invade the DPRK for scores of years. It has steadily modified and supplemented its operation plans to mount a preemptive attack on the DPRK and staged such joint military war drills as RSOI, "Foal Eagle" and "Ulji Focus Lens" in an effort to grasp and round off them.
    Cooperation for peace against war that calls on the Koreans to pool their efforts in the struggle against war indicates a right way of providing a peaceful precondition for national reunification and prosperity. The above-said form of cooperation is urgently required by the era and the nation.
    The fellow countrymen living in the June 15 era of reunification wish to achieve the reunification and prosperity of the nation in the spirit of "By our nation itself." War and division are quite contrary to the will of the Korean nation.
    The above-said form of cooperation means the response of the fellow countrymen to the call of the era and nation and a basic way of frustrating the U.S. moves for a war of aggression against the DPRK. The struggle for peace against war is one sure to triumph, the article concludes.

S. Korean Singer Performs in Pyongyang

     Pyongyang, August 24 (KCNA) -- Jo Yong Phil, south Korean singer who is on a visit to Pyongyang at the invitation of the National Reconciliation Council, gave his performance at the Ryugyong Jong Ju Yong Gymnasium Tuesday. It was appreciated by Chairman of the Central Committee of the Korean Social Democratic Party Kim Yong Dae, chairman of the council, An Kyong Ho, chairman of the north side's preparatory committee for joint functions of Koreans in the north and the south and overseas to implement the June 15 joint declaration, Ri Jong Hyok, vice-chairman of the Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee, officials concerned and artistes and working people in the city. Also present there were Yun Se Yong, president of south Korean SBS, and members of the south Korean visiting group including national assemblymen. The performance began with solo "The Eye of the Sun." He put on the stage solos including "Oh, My Friend," "Life" and "Arirang in Dream." He also successfully presented such songs of the north as "We've Met again after Undergoing Bitter Hardship" and "Lullaby" and songs dating back to the period of enlightenment including "Touch-me-not" and "The Ruined Castle" to the acclaim of the audience.
    The performers were presented with bouquets at the end of the performance.

U.S.-S. Korea Joint Military Exercises under Fire

     Pyongyang, August 24 (KCNA) -- The United States and south Korea began Ulji Focus Lens-05 joint military exercises in south Korea on Aug. 22 which will last till Sept. 2. Rodong Sinmun Wednesday observes in a signed commentary: The U.S. is getting itself fully ready for another Korean war while pushing forward the reorganization and relocation of its forces according to the operation plan for the invasion of the DPRK and staging joint military exercises with south Korea and Japan one after another. The on-going saber-rattling is, therefore, a preliminary operation to provoke the Korean war of aggression. It goes on:
    The exercises are aimed to round off the preparations for a preemptive attack on the DPRK, ratchet up the situation on the Korean Peninsula to an extreme pitch of tension, hamstring the favorable process of reconciliation and cooperation between the north and the south and pressurize the DPRK by force of arms to meet the unreasonable demands it raised at the six-party talks. Should the U.S. persistently escalate its military provocations and war moves against the DPRK, showing no change in its policy of stifling it as now, the prospect of confidence building between Pyongyang and Washington will be remote and the situation will turn more complicated.
    The reality compels the army and people of the DPRK to heighten vigilance against the U.S. sophism that it would "neither attack nor invade the DPRK" and reinforce its determination to bolster its military deterrence in every way. The U.S. bellicose forces should ponder over the serious consequences to be entailed by their madcap military exercises against the DPRK and immediately stop the Ulji Focus Lens-05 joint military exercises that go against peace and dialogue.

Gift to Kim Jong Il

     Pyongyang, August 24 (KCNA) -- Leader Kim Jong Il was presented with a gift by the General Union of Syrian Peasants. It was conveyed to an official concerned by its executive member who is heading its delegation on a visit to the DPRK.

45th Anniv. of Kim Jong Il's Start of Songun Revolutionary Leadership

     Pyongyang, August 24 (KCNA) -- A meeting of the Ministry of the People's Armed Forces took place at the April 25 House of Culture Wednesday to celebrate the 45th anniversary of Supreme Commander Kim Jong Il's start of Songun revolutionary leadership. On Aug. 25, Juche 49 (1960) he visited the Guard Seoul Ryu Kyong Su 105 tank division and left the first giant footprint of the Songun revolutionary leadership, thus performing noteworthy exploits in the development of the revolutionary armed forces and the accomplishment of the revolutionary cause of Juche.
    Addressing the meeting, Kim Yong Chun, chief of the KPA General Staff, said this. He continued:
    Kim Jong Il had the Party's e leadership system established within the People's Army in the 1960s, set forth the programme of modeling the whole army on the Juche idea and the slogan of loyalty "Let's devote a life to the fight for the great leader!" before the army in the 1970s and thus provided a new landmark of building the Party's army of Juche type. In the 1980s, too, he wisely led the drive for further strengthening and developing the People's Army into a revolutionary army unfailingly loyal to the Party.
    Kim Jong Il developed in depth the Songun politics and Songun leadership to meet the requirements of the developing revolution and trained the army to be vanguard ranks of devotedly demanding the leader, a strong revolutionary army of Mt. Paektu in the 1990s. He is wisely leading the army holding higher the banner of Songun in the new century so that the army may form an integral whole with the supreme commander and fulfill its noble mission in the first line of the Songun revolution.
    The reporter said that all the officials and servicemen should prepare themselves as the first-line fighters, first-line human bombs in defence of the headquarters of the revolution headed by Kim Jong Il and strengthen the ideological might of arms. He underscored the need for serviceman to put spurs to strengthening the combat power of the army and completing preparations for fighting with firm anti-imperialist and working class consciousness and fighting spirit and mercilessly wipe out the enemies and accomplish the historic cause of national reunification if the enemies invade even an inch of sky, land and sea of the sacred country.
    The meeting was attended by KPA Vice Marshals Jo Myong Rok, director of the KPA General Political Department, Kim Yong Chun, chief of the KPA General Staff, and Kim Il Chol, minister of the People's Armed Forces.

Greetings to Ukrainian President

     Pyongyang, August 24 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, sent a message of greetings to Victor Yusenko, president of Ukraine, on August 24 on the occasion of the 14th national day. Expressing the belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the DPRK and Ukraine would develop on good terms, the message wished him greater success in his responsible work for stability and prosperity of the country.

Credentials Presented to Kim Yong Nam

     Pyongyang, August 24 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, was presented with credentials by Leandro Arellano, Mexican ambassador e. p. to the DPRK, at the Mansudae Assembly Hall Wednesday. On hand were Choe Su Hon, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs, and officials concerned.
    The president conversed with the ambassador after receiving his credentials.

New Plastic Material Developed in DPRK

     Pyongyang, August 24 (KCNA) -- The Hamhung Branch Academy under the Academy of Sciences of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has succeeded in developing a new kind of synthetic plastic material with advanced technology. Its mechanical intensity is 120-130Mpa. The material stands against the temperature of 140-150 degrees centigrade and 40 bars. It can replace iron or stainless steel of machines working in condition of excessive erosion, abrasion and high pressure.
    Its resistance to acid is over 10 times those of iron and stainless steel and its quality remains unchanged even after more than 50 years. The weight of the machines made of this material is light to sharply reduce motor load and bearing abrasion.
    The pipeline made of the material for transport of concentrated ore is abraded only 0.1 millimeters annually compared with 1.5 mm-abrasion of the stainless steel one.
    Years of test shows that the valves of this material are no less than the stainless steel ones.
    Scientists of the branch academy have established a technical process so as to easily make the material with raw materials of the country anywhere and thus opened a prospect for widely using this new material in all sectors of the national economy.

Physical Culture and Sports Popularized in DPRK

     Pyongyang, August 24 (KCNA) -- Physical culture and sports activities have become brisk among people in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. In the July-August months of aquatic sports, people including youth and students have taken part in colorful water sports activities at swimming pools on Panwol Islet and at Changgwang Health Complex, the wading pool in Mangyongdae in Pyongyang and bathing resorts in Songdowon, Majon and other scenic spots.
    Many sports events have been held in August in which the 60th anniversary of Korean liberation fell.
    There were sports games and amusements of women in Pyongyang at Mangyongdae Fun Fair on August 11.
    Participating in them were more than 3,000 players selected from Central, Moranbong and other districts and counties of the capital. The women players, divided into "Haebang (Liberation) Team" and "Thongil (Reunification) Team", fully demonstrated their sports technique at 12 events. On August 15, there were a performance of the mass gymnastic display "Under the Banner of Songun" given by 10,000 schoolchildren in Yonan County, South Hwanghae Province and sports games and amusements held by over 2,500 officials of provincial-level institutions in Wonsan City, Kangwon Province. Some days ago residents of neighborhood units of Tongsin-dong No.3 in Tongdaewon District, Pyongyang, met in football, volleyball and yut games, drawing public attention.
    Employees of the industrial establishments throughout the country take morning running and exercises during recesses every day and observe Day of Sports every month.
    Meanwhile, the performers of the grand mass gymnastic and artistic performance "Arirang" are strikingly demonstrating the physical strength and sports technique they have cultivated through their everyday physical culture activities.

Kim Yong Nam Meets S. Korean Singer and Members of Visiting Group

     Pyongyang, August 24 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, met and had a talk with Jo Yong Phil, south Korean singer, and Yun Se Yong, president of the SBS, and other leading members of the visiting group of south Korea in a compatriotic atmosphere at the Mansudae Assembly Hall today. On hand were Ri Jong Hyok, vice-chairman of the Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee, and Pak Kyong Chol, vice-chairman of the National Reconciliation Council.

Talks Held between Yang Hyong Sop and Zambian Vice-President

    Pyongyang, August 24 (KCNA) -- Talks between Yang Hyong Sop, vice-president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, and Lupando Mwape, vice-president of the Republic of Zambia, took place at the Mansudae Assembly Hall Wednesday. At the talks two sides exchanged views on the issue of positively boosting the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries in various fields and a series of issues of bilateral interest.
    The talks proceeded in a friendly atmosphere.
    Present there from the DPRK side were Kim Hyong Jun, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs, Ri Myong San, vice-minister of Foreign Trade, Kim Yong Suk, vice-minister of Agriculture, and others and from the Zambian side Davison Mulela, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs, Mbita Chitala, vice-minister of Finance and National Planning, James Kaiuka, vice-minister of Agriculture and Cooperation, Peter Harry Filamba, vice-minister of Tourism, Environment and National Resources, David Clifford Saviye, Zambian ambassador e.p. to the DPRK, and other members of the delegation.

Spokesman for DPRK FM. Denounces Ulji Focus Lens-05 Joint Military Exercises

     Pyongyang, August 24 (KCNA) -- We have shown utmost magnanimity and flexibility as regards the issue of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula but will never do such a thing as yielding to anyone's pressure and abandoning our sovereign right. A spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea stated this in an answer given to a question put by KCNA Wednesday in connection with the Ulji Focus Lens-05 joint military exercises launched by the United States in south Korea.
    Recalling that the U.S.-south Korea "Combined Forces Command" launched the joint military exercises on August 22 despite the repeated warnings of the DPRK, the spokesman said:
    We cannot but take a serious view of such perfidious act of the U.S. as staging the provocative war maneuvers targeted against the dialogue partner after expressing its will not to invade the DPRK.
    The U.S. undisguised military hostility towards the DPRK only compels it to explicitly interpret the U.S. expression of its will for a peaceful solution to the nuclear issue as no more than hypocrisy.
    Dialogue and confrontation can never go together.
    If the U.S. persistently incites confrontation and pursues dialogue as a smokescreen to cover up it, this will also compel the DPRK to change its stand toward dialogue.
    The fact that the U.S. launched the above-said military exercises on the eve of the resumption of the six-party talks that had gone into temporary recess cannot be construed otherwise than an attempt to force the DPRK to accept its unjust demand.
    The U.S. is sadly mistaken if it calculates it can get any concession from the DPRK by military pressure or high-handed practice.
    All the facts go to prove what just step the DPRK has taken to bolster all the deterrent forces under the banner of Songun.
    The DPRK is closely following all the developments.

For Spanish-speaking people

Alboroto belico contra la paz y el dialogo

    　Pyongyang, 24 de agosto (ATCC) -- Estados Unidos junto con el Sur de Corea desarrolla del 22 de agosto al 2 de septiembre el ejercicio militar conjunto "Ulji Focus Lens 05" en el suelo surcoreano. Este simulacro es una operacion previa para provocar una guerra de agresion a Corea. EE.UU. acelera la reorganizacion y reubicacion de sus fuerzas armadas segun el plan de operacion de agresion a Corea y no cesa de librar los ejercicios militares con el Sur de Corea y Japon para dar toque final a sus preparativos de guerra coreana.
    Asi senala el diario Rodong Sinmun en un comentario individual del dia 24 y continua:
    Con el presente ejercicio el imperio pretende dar conclusion a los preparativos de ataque preventivo a la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea y hacer extremadamente tirante la situacion de la Peninsula Coreana para impedir el proceso de reconciliacion y cooperacion que se desarrolla favorablemente entre el Norte y el Sur de Corea, ejercer presion sobre la RPDC y realizar su injusto objetivo en las conversaciones a 6 partes.
    Si EE.UU. se obstina en su politica de aplastamiento a Corea y se recurre de continuo a la provocacion militar y las maniobras belicas contra la RPDC, sera imposible crear la confianza entre Corea y EE.UU. y la situacion se tornara mas compleja.
    La realidad exige que nuestro ejercito y pueblo tengan precaucion de las "palabras pacificas" de EE.UU. de "no atacar ni agredir" a la RPDC y fortalezca por todos los medios la fuerza de detencion militar. La capa belica norteamericana debe reflexionar de la consecuencia negativa que emane de su alboroto de ejercicio militar contra la RPDC y poner inmediatamente fin al "Ulji Focus Lens 05".

Cenaculo nacional de ciencias y tecnicas por 60 aniversario de PTC

    　Pyongyang, 24 de agosto (ATCC) -- Quedo inaugurada el dia 23 en la Exposicion Permanente de Tres Revoluciones el cenaculo nacional de ciencias y tecnicas en homenaje al 60 aniversario de la fundacion del Partido del Trabajo de Corea. 　Tendra lugar dividido en tres partes: la de logros cientifico-tecnicos, la de hipotesis y sugestiones y la de exhibicion de los inventos y exitos de innovacion tecnica.
    　En el acto estuvieron presentes Choe Thae Bok, secretario del Comite Central del PTC, Ro Tu Chol, vicepremier del Consejo de Ministros de la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea y otros funcionarios.
    　El presidente de la Academia de Ciencias, Pyon Yong Rip, en su discurso de apertura, senalo que en pleno acato al proposito del Dirigente Kim Jong Il de construir una gran potencia prospera, todos los funcionarios, cientificos, tecnicos y trabajadores deben levantarse activamente en la creacion de nuevas tecnicas para registrar un gran auge en el desarrollo de ciencias y tecnicas del pais.

Saldaremos cuenta de crimenes de Japon

    　Pyongyang, 24 de agosto (ATCC) -- Nunca olvidaremos el incidente de explosion y hundimiento del barco "Ukishima maru" y otras masacres cometidas por los imperialistas japoneses contra los coreanos y saldaremos cuenta de esos crimenes de generacion en generacion. 　Senalo asi la Asociacion Coreana de Victimas de Arresto Forzoso y sus Familiares (ACVAFF) en su declaracion fechada 23 y continuo: 　Como es conocido ampliamente por el mundo, el 24 de agosto de 1945, los imperialistas japoneses hicieron hundir intencionalmente en el mar frente al puerto Maizuru de la prefectura de Kyoto el "Ukishima maru", buque de transporte de las fuerzas navales de antiguo Japon, para sepultar en el agua a miles de coreanos inocentes que volvian a la patria con la alegria de la liberacion.
    　Ellos secuestraron y arrestaron a millones de coreanos para someterlos a los trabajos duros y, no bastandoles con eso, sepultaron de una vez en el agua a miles de estos en un arrebato de su colera originada de su derrota. Sin embargo, las autoridades japonesas evaden la responsabilidad por el respecto y recurren con rabia a las maquinaciones contra la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea acusandola del ya solucionado problema de restos mortales de "victima del secuestro". La ACVAFF lo califica del monstruoso crimen anti-etico y lo condena severamente a nombre de todas las victimas coreanas del arresto forzoso y sus familiares.
    　Las autoridades japonesas deben evaluar justamente la voluntad de nuestra nacion, esclarecer los verdaderos aspectos de sus crimenes anti-eticos y tomar cuanto antes las medidas practicas para pedir disculpa sincera e indemnizar a las victimas y sus familiares.