Japan Urged to Settle Its Crimes Committed against Korean Nation

     Pyongyang, November 17 (KCNA) -- We will always remember the grudge-bearing history in which Japan tried to exterminate all Koreans in the past and surely force Japan to pay for the crimes committed against them for a century. The DPRK Measure Committee for Demanding Compensation to Comfort Women for the Japanese Army and the Victims of Forcible Drafting said this in a statement on Nov. 16 a century since the "1905 Five-Point Treaty" was fabricated by the Japanese imperialists to realize their brigandish ambition to invade Korea.
    The statement went on: This forged treaty reduced the Korean nation to a stateless one. The Koreans were fated either to obey the Japanese law or die under the 40 odd year-long colonial fascist rule of the Japanese imperialists characterized by brutal political and ideological suppression, plunder of properties and moves to exterminate the nation.
    Their colonial rule over Korea was a hideous criminal act to remove Korea from the surface of the earth to realize their wild dream of "Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere".
    It is the widely accepted practice for an assailant to reflect on its crime and compensate to the victim in the light of international relations and the relationship between individuals.
    Already at the time when the "1905 Five-Point Treaty" was concluded under coercion and announced the background against which the treaty was cooked up, its hypocrisy and its violation of international law were undisputably recognized at home and abroad. However, Japan is now talking about "legality" and "legitimacy" in a bid to justify its aggression of Korea and its crimes committed against humanity and teach the younger generation grossly distorted history.
    The DPRK Measure Committee for Demanding Compensation to Comfort Women for the Japanese Army and the Victims of Forcible Drafting will probe all the hideous crimes committed by Japan against the Korean people to the letter and record them in history. It will stage a more dynamic movement demanding Japan liquidate its past until its government admits its crimes perpetrated in the past, apologize and compensate to the Korean people for them.

Candlelight Rally Held in S. Korea

     Pyongyang, November 17 (KCNA) -- The 57th candlelight rally against the expansion of the U.S. military base was held in Phyongthaek on Nov. 11 under the sponsorship of the All-People Measure Committee for Checking the Expansion of the U.S. Military Base in Phyongthaek of south Korea, according to the Internet broadcasting Service "Voice of People". The participants of the rally sang songs on the theme of actions against the U.S. and waved their candlelights, expressing their will to stop the above-said expansion at any cost.
    Speakers at the rally called for protecting the land of Phyongthaek to the last by the efforts of the people.

Anti-U.S. Rally and Demos in Pusan

     Pyongyang, November 17 (KCNA) -- At least 400 people affiliated to the Pusan Citizens' Action against Bush reportedly held a ceremony of declaring an all-out struggle in front of Kyongsong University and staged a demonstration on Nov. 12. The participants of the ceremony declared that the forces of the progressive movement would unite and launch a widespread anti-U.S. struggle with U.S. President Bush's Pusan visit as a momentum.
    At the end of the ceremony they staged demonstrations in different parts of the city.
    They occupied roads and distributed printed materials opposing the U.S., war and neo-liberal "globalization", shouting slogans such as "No Bush." On Nov. 3 an anti-U.S., anti-war joint meeting of the "National People's Solidarity" and the Reunification Solidarity released slogans calling for an anti-U.S., anti-Bush struggle.
    Wherever Bush goes, he makes nuclear war outcries, the slogans noted, calling for checking his visit to south Korea and regaining the sovereignty usurped by the U.S. by the efforts of the popular masses.
    The slogans called on the people to take Bush's junket to south Korea as an opportunity to win back the right to "operational command" and force him to take with him the U.S. forces in south Korea when he goes back.

U.S. Forces' High-handed Practices Assailed

     Pyongyang, November 17 (KCNA) -- The United States is under a legal and moral obligation to own due responsibility for the tragedies that occurred in Maehyang-ri and the miserable fate forced by its forces upon the inhabitants. It is duty-bound to honestly apologize and adequately compensate to them. Rodong Sinmun Thursday demands this in a signed commentary. It says:
    As regards the issue of compensating for the damage done by the U.S. forces in south Korea in a firing range in Maehyang-ri its side claimed that it is not responsible for it and, therefore, it can not pay the indemnity. This once again shows what arrogant and brazen-faced group of robbers they are. The issue of compensation for the damage done by the firing range surfaced because the U.S. imperialist aggression troops inflicted unspeakable misfortune and disaster upon the inhabitants by staging madcap war exercises against the north almost every day for the last decades after building a huge drill ground for their air force. In this regard the Supreme Court of south Korea officially admitted in March last year the damage done to the population of Maehyang-ri by bombing and firing exercises by the U.S. air force and ruled that the authorities should compensate for it and this has already been carried out.
    According to the "south Korea-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement", the south Korean authorities should pay indemnity first and the U.S. forces side should cover 75 percent of it later. The U.S. forces in south Korea, however, have turned down the south Korean authorities' request for sharing the payment of indemnity, blustering that they can not admit the claim and have no responsibility to pay indemnity. This is an intolerable insult and a mockery of the south Koreans as it is an arrogant high-handed practice of the occupation forces.
    The south Koreans are called upon to scrap all humiliating and traitorous treaties and agreements and wage a more dynamic struggle to force the U.S. forces to quit south Korea.

Japan Hit for Faking up Brigandish "Treaty"

     Pyongyang, November 17 (KCNA) -- The "1905 Five-point Treaty" which the Japanese imperialists regarded as one of the "legal grounds" for colonizing Korea was nothing but a sheet of paper with no legal binding force as it was an illegal and invalid "treaty" which was fabricated and unilaterally announced in gross breach of the requirements and principle of international law. Rodong Sinmun Thursday says this in a signed article. It goes on: 100 years have passed since the illegal document for aggression was faked up on Nov. 17, 1905. Japan, however, is vociferating about the "lawfulness" and "legitimacy" of the treaty.
    The "treaty" was a false document faked up by the Japanese imperialists by threatening and blackmailing the king, the supreme representative of the feudal government of the Ri Dynasty, and its ministers.
    It was an illegal false document without any form as a treaty.
    The treaty should have a form as a treaty according to the usage under international law and go through procedures such as the authorization given to the representative, the adoption of the treaty according to the free will of the representatives and ratification by the supreme representative. But the "1905 Five-point Treaty" could not be recognized by international law as it completely lacked any form as a treaty; it had no title, signature of the king, state seal and letter of attorney for the representative, important elements for the effectuation of the treaty.
    Korea was put under the military occupation and rule of the Japanese imperialists by the force of the treaty. The Japanese imperialists enforced the colonial rule over Korea, occupying it for over 40 years, and inflicted unspeakable misfortune, sufferings and mental and material damage upon the Korean people by the force of the above-said illegal and invalid treaty.
    The Japanese imperialists fabricated the treaty in such a brigandish manner and forced the Korean nation into colonial slavery for nearly half a century. This crime can never be concealed nor erased no matter how much water may flow under the bridge.

National Cooperation Called for

     Pyongyang, November 17 (KCNA) -- The Korean nation should fully display their enthusiasm for reunification and patriotism and subordinate everything to realizing national cooperation in order to give further spurs to the movement for national reunification, says Rodong Sinmun Thursday in a signed article. National cooperation is a main means for giving full play to the Koreans' elated enthusiasm for reunification and patriotism, the article notes, and goes on: National reunification naturally requires all the Koreans to pool their desire and will for reunification and achieve national cooperation for ensuring united actions in the efforts to attain reunification.
    Nothing can substitute national cooperation in the Koreans' struggle for the reunification of the country and the independent and peaceful reunification of Korea would be unthinkable without it. National cooperation precisely leads to the reunification of Korea.
    National cooperation alone makes it possible to give play to the nation's potential in line with the intrinsic demand of the struggle for carving out its destiny. National cooperation is necessary for giving full play to the patriotic spirit and stamina of the Korean nation so as to put an end to the tragedy of national division and enable it to enjoy a happy life in a reunified country.
    National cooperation provides a sure guarantee for the independent and peaceful reunification of Korea.
    The Korean nation should fully display its enthusiasm for reunification and patriotism and subordinate everything to achieving national cooperation in order to put further spurs to the movement for national reunification.
    The present reality calls upon all Koreans to discard all outdated conceptions of depending on outside forces and cooperate with each other and pool their efforts on the road of reunification and patriotism irrespective of idea and system, political view and religious belief.
    All the Koreans in the north, the south and abroad should realize without fail the three forms of cooperation for national independence, peace against war and for reunification and patriotism in the idea of "By our nation itself" and thus glorify the June 15 era of reunification guaranteeing national reunification and prosperity.

Koreans to Certainly Force Japan to Pay for Crimes Committed by It for Century

     Pyongyang, November 17 (KCNA) -- The preparatory committee for joint functions of Koreans in the north, the south and abroad for the implementation of the June 15 joint declaration issued a joint statement Thursday in Pyongyang, Seoul and in different regions overseas a century since the Japanese imperialists usurped the sovereignty of Korea and fabricated the "1905 Five-point Treaty" by the force of which they enforced a colonial rule over Korea. The joint statement vehemently denounced in the name of all Koreans the Japanese reactionaries for challenging justice and conscience by refusing even in this new century to redress those crimes committed by Japan against history and humanity such as thrice-cursed crimes related to aggression, massacre and plunder, while occupying Korea for more than four decades after the fabrication of the brigandish treaty.
    Japan is justifying and embellishing its history of aggression even falsifying the historical truth, far from apologizing, repenting of and compensating for its crime-woven past, the statement notes, and goes on:
    Japan is repeating in this century what the Japanese imperialists perpetrated in the 20th century by refusing to fully redress their sinful past. This is a challenge to the history and an intolerable mockery of the Korean nation who was forced to undergo sufferings due to Japan. We will certainly force Japan to apologize and compensate for the damage it did to the Koreans for the past more than four decades and will never overlook its moves to emerge a military power, obsessed by the ambition for world domination.
    Still fresh in our memory is the secret Taft-Katsura agreement signed on July 29, 1905 that served as a basis for the fabrication of the "1905 Five-point Treaty."
    The disgraceful history in which the Korean nation's fate was ruthlessly decided by the agreement signed at the confab among powers seeking supremacy should never be allowed to repeat itself.
    Koreans should foil all sorts of ceaseless high-handed practices and meet all challenges by those states and carve out their destiny by themselves. All the Koreans will wage a dynamic nationwide movement to force Japan to pay for its shameful past by their concerted efforts and wrest apology and compensation from it.
    We will unite closer in the spirit of the June 15 joint declaration, escalate the nationwide movement for national reconciliation, unity and reunification and take resolute joint actions to make Japan settle its wrongs perpetrated in the past and at present and foil its moves to revive militarism.

Choe Thae Bok Meets New Swedish and Polish Ambassadors to DPRK

     Pyongyang, November 17 (KCNA) -- Choe Thae Bok, chairman of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, separately met and conversed with new Swedish Ambassador to the DPRK Mats Foyer and new Polish Ambassador to the DPRK Roman Iwaszkiewicz who paid courtesy calls on him at the Mansudae Assembly Hall Thursday.

Gift to Kim Jong Il from Bangladeshi Delegation

     Pyongyang, November 17 (KCNA) -- Leader Kim Jong Il was presented with a gift by a delegation of the Bangladeshi organization for the study of the Juche idea on a visit to the DPRK. It was conveyed to an official concerned by M. Jahangir Khan, leader of the Barisal Comrade Kim Il Sung Works Study Group, who is leading the delegation.

Indelible Crime of Japanese Imperialists

     Pyongyang, November 17 (KCNA) -- A hundred years have elapsed since the Japanese imperialists fabricated the "Ulsa Five-Point Treaty". The Korean people can hardly repress indignation at the crime committed by the Japanese imperialists, who fabricated the "treaty" by swindle and gangster-like method and imposed immeasurable misfortunes, sufferings and mental and material losses upon them for 40 years. The "Ulsa Five-Point Treaty", which served as a legal ground in converting Korea into colony, was an entirely illegal and forged document. A secret message which the then King Kojong wrote in order to expose the illegality of the "Ulsa Five-Point Treaty" before the international community was disclosed this year, thus laying bare the falsity of the document in all nakedness.
    The message sealed by the king is mirroring his call that he had not signed the treaty and would not hand over the sovereignty of the nation to Japan. In the light of the ordinance of the feudal government of the then Ri Dynasty that a treaty could come into force only under the approval of the supreme ruler of the state and international usage, the document, which was devoid of the signature of the king and the print of the Royal Seal, was no more than an empty paper without any binding force.
    The Japanese imperialists, however, forced five traitors including Ri Wan Yong to consent the "treaty" and made public the conclusion of the "treaty". After the fabrication of the "treaty", the Japanese imperialists concocted the "Korea-Japan Annexation Treaty" to "legalize" it. They let the "Iljin Association", a pro-Japanese organization, submit their made "petition for annexation" to the Japanese and Korean governments in December 1909.
    On August 22, 1910, they, raving that "power was needed for annexation", threatened and blackmailed Korean ministers into concluding the "treaty" and thus dissolved the nominal state of the Ri Dynasty.
    With the illegal treaty, the Japanese imperialists put Korea under their colonial domination.
    Even today when the illegality and falsity of the "treaties" have been brought to light, Japan persists in distorting history and intensifying anti-DPRK moves, far from sincerely reflecting on their crime-woven past.
    The Korean army and people will never forget the indelible crimes of the Japanese imperialists but make them pay for them.

New Stamp Issued

     Pyongyang, November 17 (KCNA) -- The Korea Stamp Corporation has recently issued a new stamp to disclose the fact that the Japanese imperialists fabricated "Ulsa Five-Point Treaty" 100 years ago. The "Ulsa Five-Point Treaty" was concocted by the Japanese imperialists in 1905 to realize their colonial domination over Korea. The stamp, beneath the words "100th year since the fabrication of 'Ulsa Five-Point Treaty' by Japanese Imperialists (1905-2005)", reflects the fabricated treaty minus the signature of the then King Kojong and the print of the royal seal. By making the mark "X" on the document, the stamp declares it illegal and null.
    The face-value of the stamp is 12 won.

For Spanish-speaking people

Rodong Sinmun denuncia acto bandidesco de EE.UU.

    @Pyongyang, 17 de noviembre (ATCC) -- Estados Unidos tiene la obligacion legal y moral de responsabilizarse de la situacion horrorosa de la comuna de Maehyang y el destino tragico de los moradores de esta zona y debe pedir disculpa y hacer indemnizacion suficiente por el respecto. Senala asi el diario Rodong Sinmun en un comentario individual insertado en su edicion del dia 17 y continua:
    La parte de las tropas estadounidenses ocupantes del Sur de Corea niega su responsabilidad de hacer indemnizacion por los danos causados por el campo de tiro de la citada comuna volviendo a revelar que desvergonzada, descarada y bandidesca es esa horda de uniformados gringos. El problema de la indemnizacion por los danos de susodicho campo de tiro lo ocasionaron las tropas agresoras yanquis. Estas durante varias decadas acarrearon indecibles desgracias y sufrimientos a los moradores de la comuna al librar casi a diario freneticos ejercicios de guerra de agresion al Norte de Corea en este campo de tiro de la fuerza aerea.
    Con respecto a esto, en marzo pasado la "Corte Suprema" del Sur de Corea reconocio oficialmente los danos que sufrieron los habitantes de dicha comuna por los bombardeos y los ejercicios de tiro de la fuerza aerea estadounidense y dio el fallo de que las autoridades surcoreanas deben hacer indemnizacion por el respecto. Y ya se ejecuto esta decision judicial.
    Segun el "convenio de administracion" surcoreano-estadounidense, en tal caso las autoridades surcoreanas deben pagar primero la indemnizacion y despues la parte de las tropas norteamericanas, sufragar el 75 por ciento de ella. Sin embargo, las tropas estadounidenses ocupantes del Sur de Corea desatienden la demanda de las autoridades surcoreanas por la cuota de indemnizacion diciendo con descaro que "no reconocen la reclamacion" ni tienen la "responsabilidad de indemnizar".
    @Este acto insolente y arbitrario constituye una intolerable humillacion a los habitantes surcoreanos.
    Hay que avivar las llamas de la lucha por anular los tratados y convenios humillantes y antinacionales y expulsar a las tropas estadounidenses del Sur de Corea.

Saldaremos cuenta final de la historia vergonzosa de Japon

    @Pyongyang, 17 de noviembre (ATCC) -- El Comite Preparatorio para los actos comunes entre el Norte y el Sur de Corea y ultramar a fin de llevar a la practica la Declaracion Conjunta del 15 de Junio hizo publica el dia 17 en Pyongyang, Seul y ultramar una declaracion conjunta en relacion con que se cumple el centenario desde cuando el imperialismo japones falsifico el "tratado de 5 puntos de Ulsa" para usurpar el poder de Corea y oficializar su dominacion colonial en este territorio. El documento denuncia categoricamente a nombre de toda la nacion los crimenes antihistoricos y anti-eticos de Japon, que durante mas de 40 anos mantuvo su ocupacion a Corea y cometio matanzas y saqueos intolerables, y a los reaccionarios japoneses que desafian a la justicia y la conciencia sin liquidar hasta en el nuevo siglo la historia criminal del pasado.
    El pais-isla, en vez de pedir disculpa y hacer indemnizacion por su historia criminal, niega la verdad historica, justifica y embellece su historia de agresion, senala el documento y continua:
    Tal comportamiento es un desafio a la historia e intolerable vejamen a nuestra nacion que se vio obligada a sufrir desgracias. Cobraremos sin falta la disculpa y la indemnizacion de Japon por los danos causados a la nacion coreana durante mas de 40 anos y no observaremos con los brazos cruzados el que este pais isleno, desasosegado de ambicion de hegemonia mundial, se desespera de nuevo para hacerse potencia militar. Recordamos claramente el tratado secreto Taft-Katsura del 29 de julio de 1905 que sirvio de base de la falsificacion del "tratado de 5 puntos de Ulsa". Nunca puede ser repetida por mas tiempo la pasada historia vergonzosa en que el destino de la nacion coreana fue pisoteado despiadadamente por tal convenio secreto de los estados de supremacia.
    Debemos detener toda indole de despotismo y desafio de los paises hegemonicos y forjar con dignidad el destino de la nacion. Desplegaremos dinamicamente con las fuerzas unidas de toda la nacion el movimiento pannacional por saldar cuenta final de la historia vergonzosa de Japon y cobrar disculpa e indemnizacion por el respecto.
    Nos uniremos mas y mas conforme al espiritu de la Declaracion Conjunta del 15 de Junio para ampliar el movimiento pannacional por la reconciliacion, la unidad y la reunificacion del pais, saldaremos, con la solida accion comun, cuenta cabal del pasado y del presente de Japon y frustraremos con energia el resurgimiento del militarismo.