Preparatory Committee Formed in Bangladesh

     Pyongyang, January 23 (KCNA) -- The Bangladeshi preparatory committee was inaugurated to celebrate Feb. 16 with due ceremony in Dhaka on Jan. 16. Put on display at the venue of the inaugural ceremony were photos showing the Songun leadership exploits of leader Kim Jong Il. At the ceremony Chairman Rashed Khan Menon of the C.C., the Workers' Party of Bangladesh was elected chairman of the preparatory committee and General Secretary Kamal Hyder of the Bangladesh-Korea Friendship Association coordinator of the preparatory committee.
    The ceremony discussed the issues of organizing a meeting, a seminar and other multifarious functions to significantly celebrate the February holiday.

DPRK Holidays to Be Commemorated in Austria

     Pyongyang, January 23 (KCNA) -- The Austrian preparatory committee was formed in Vienna on Jan. 16 to commemorate the Day of the Sun and Feb. 16. Erich Zavadil, general secretary of the Society for the Promotion of Austria-DPRK Relations, was elected chairman of the preparatory committee. The preparatory committee decided to organize colorful political and cultural events including round-table talks, film show and photo exhibition and widely introduce the efforts of the Korean people to build a great prosperous powerful nation and achieve the peaceful reunification of the country on the occasion of the Day of the Sun and Feb. 16.

Suppression of Students Protested in S. Korea

     Pyongyang, January 23 (KCNA) -- Students under the south Korean Federation of University Student Councils reportedly held a rally in front of the Police Office in Seoul on Jan. 19 in protest against the suppression by the security authorities. The participants denounced the security authorities for issuing a letter to the chairman and other core members of the 13th term Federation urging them to appear in security organs and demanded its immediate cancellation.
    They said that they would certainly get the anachronistic law against reunification abolished, adding that patriotic students are being suppressed and the Federation is just.
    At the end of the rally the participants demanded an interview with the chief of the Police Office, shouting such slogans as "Repeal the 'National Security Law' , an obstacle to independent reunification".

U.S. Ambassador Urged to Quit S. Korea

     Pyongyang, January 23 (KCNA) -- The Solidarity for Implementing the South-North Joint Declaration in south Korea reportedly issued a statement on Jan. 18 urging the U.S. ambassador to quit south Korea at once before being disgraced. He invited public criticism last year by slandering the north as a "criminal government", and recently made remarks that south Koreans should be concerned about the government of the north, taking issue with the "nuclear issue" and "counterfeit notes" of the north, the statement said, and went on: He is making a mockery of our people with his arrogant utterances as if he were a governor-general of Korea at a time when evidences are being presented one after another to prove that the alleged "counterfeit note" was fabricated by the U.S.
    Terming his remarks a wanton interference in the internal affairs of the south and a move to separate the north and the south, the statement stressed that he should make a thousand-fold apology to the Korean nation for it. If the ambassador refuses to do this and continues to get on the nerves of the north, the people would conduct a powerful campaign to expel him, it warned.

Unswerving Will of DPRK

     Pyongyang, January 23 (KCNA) -- The Korean history has recorded many days when the people of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea have demonstrated their invincible will in the confrontation with the U.S. imperialists. January 23, Juche 57 (1968) was one of such days.
    That day the heroic Korean People's Army (KPA) captured the U.S. armed spy ship "Pueblo" which infiltrated into the territorial waters of the DPRK to commit espionages.
    Far from admitting their crime, the U.S. imperialists threatened the DPRK militarily, fabricating all kinds of lies.
    But the DPRK stated that it would return retaliation for retaliation and all-out war for all-out war. This compelled the U.S. administration to apologize for the espionage and hostile acts committed by the spy ship and sign a document guaranteeing that its any warships shall not infiltrate into the territorial waters of the DPRK.
    It is the mettle of the DPRK that it does not allow any infringement on the sovereignty of the nation.
    The U.S. imperialists, far from drawing a lesson from the "Pueblo" incident, committed such acts of invading the DPRK as the large-sized spy plane "EC-121" incident in April 1969, "OAH-23G" incident in August 1969 and reconnaissance helicopter incident in December 1994. Each time they could not avoid a telling blow of the Korean People's Army.
    When the U.S. imperialists infringed upon the supreme interest of the sovereign state on the pretext of "nuclear issue" in January 2003, the DPRK made public a government statement declaring that it would quit the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty to defend the sovereignty, right to existence and the dignity of the country and the nation, thus frustrating the enemy's anti-DPRK moves to smithereens.
    In recent years, the U.S. imperialists have been intensifying overall pressure on the DPRK, raising unwarranted issues including "human rights issue" and "counterfeit issue".
    But the DPRK, which has strengthened in every way the single-minded unity stronger than the nuclear weapons and the self-reliant national defence power including nuclear deterrent always sternly stands against any anti-DPRK moves of the enemy.
    If the U.S. imperialists start a war, defying the strong will of the Korean people, they are bound to meet the same destiny with "Pueblo".

Book "Korean Folk Customs According to Four Seasons" Published

     Pyongyang, January 23 (KCNA) -- The Pyongyang Publishing House of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea has recently published "Korean Folk Customs According to Four Seasons" dealing with time-honored culture and fine customs of the Korean nation. The book edits the folk holidays and games peculiar to the Korean people, divided into spring, summer, autumn and winter.
    Conspicuous in the book is the formal bow of respect to elders, holiday food, yut-game, seesaw, kite-flying, sliding and other folk games on the lunar New Year's Day, the first folk holiday of the year.
    It introduces in detail folk holidays and relevant old habits. For instance, on the lunar January 15th holiday people enjoy the first full moon-rise and torchlight game, on Ryudu holiday (lunar June 15th) they share food with each other after washing the hair and body with clear stream water, on lunar July 7th holiday they spend pleasant time, chatting about two love-stars and on Chusok holiday (lunar August 15th) they celebrate a bumper crop prior to harvesting.
    Given in the book are other names of the seasons called by the people from olden times, relevant seasonal divisions, traditional national games including Korean wrestling and archery, folk dishes including a cake made of rice flour and wormwood paste, rice cake mixed with marsh plant leaves, glutinous rice-cake, half-moon shaped rice stuffed with beans and flavored with pine needles, taffy and cake made from wheat-flour, oil and honey and labor-customs according to seasons.
    The book features the common knowledge, anecdotes, legends, old poems, paraphrases and illustrations.

CIA Secret Report on Its Operation against DPRK under Fire

     Pyongyang, January 23 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland issued a statement Monday in connection with the disclosure of the fact that the CIA of the United States had a secret confab and staged "an exercise" under the simulated conditions of a dramatic change in the situation on the Korean Peninsula in January 1998 after making the "collapse of the north" an established fact. The secret report which a press corps of the south Korean KBS claimed to have obtained from the NSA of the U.S. elaborated on the fact that the CIA staged the exercise under the simulated conditions of coping with the above-said situation allegedly created by a coup or a civil war on the premise that the "north's collapse" was imminent in 1997. The report also dealt with the conclusion that the U.S. would take charge of security in Northeast Asia whether the south and the north of Korea stand in confrontation or get reconciled and the U.S. forces' presence in south Korea and the U.S. influence would go on even after the Korean Peninsula is reunified.
    The recently declassified report goes to clearly prove that the U.S. has long desperately pursued its scenario to bring down the DPRK after making its "collapse" an established fact, the spokesman noted, and went on:
    The report also betrayed the U.S. aggressive design to maintain its forces' presence, domination and interference in the affairs of south Korea under the signboard of "regional security" and "preservation of influence" regardless of whether the north and the south get reconciled or the Korean Peninsula get reunified.
    The U.S. has reneged on the statement adopted at the six-party talks, to say nothing of the bilateral agreement. It has gone so frantic as to kick up a racket against the DPRK, terming it a "criminal state" and a "dangerous state" over "human rights" and "counterfeit notes" issues in the wake of the nuclear issue. This is, however, nothing but a desperate effort to realize its ambition for aggression at any cost.
    The U.S. should clearly know that there can never be such a thing as the "collapse" of the DPRK although the earth may break apart and it is a pipe dream. The present reality goes to clearly prove that the DPRK not only remains unfettered but has grown stronger than ever before despite stern trials and difficulties and it is making a long drive as the days go by. The U.S. had better give up a foolish dream and reckless racket and honestly admit its criminal plan and apologize for it.

For Spanish-speaking people

SECC denuncia maniobras de fuerzas neoconservadoras surcoreanas

    　Pyongyang, 23 de enero (ATCC) -- El vocero del Comite Central del Sindicato de Educacion y Cultura de Corea (SECC) hizo publica el dia 21 una declaracion denunciando a las fuerzas neoconservadoras surcoreanas que planean organizar el supuesto "sindicato liberal de ensenantes" para erguir la barrera de division nacional con la discordia y la confrontacion, castrar la conciencia independiente nacional de los integrantes de la nueva generacion y ponerlos al servicio de las fuerzas foraneas. 　La declaracion senala:
    　En estos dias el partido "Hannara" y otras fuerzas conservadoras del Sur de Corea maniobran para organizar el "sindicato liberal de ensenantes" con las gentuzas colmadas de la idea servil a Estados Unidos en contraposicion con el "Sindicato Nacional de los Ensenantes" que libra entre los estudiantes las actividades de educacion progresista y patriotica para la reunificacion independiente.
    　El "sindicato liberal de ensenantes" es una "invencion" de los Estados Unidos para castrar la conciencia de los habitantes surcoreanos para la reunificacion independiente e inculcar entre los integrantes de la nueva generacion la conciencia proyanqui y de confrontacion con la RPDC y de esta manera convertir el Sur de Corea en una eterna colonia suya y de las fuerzas neoconservadoras que viven al amparo de este imperio. 　Tal seudo sindicato opuesto a la nacion y la reunificacion en la epoca del 15 de junio no tiene sitio para colocarse dentro del movimiento obrero. El complot de las fuerzas neoconservadoras, tendente a inculcar entre los centros docentes la conciencia proyanqui y de confrontacion con la RPDC con la etiqueta del sindicato y a suprimir las fuerzas progresistas por la reunificacion, deviene una intolerable burla a los sindicatos y un grave reto peligroso a la justicia y la verdad.
    　Al dejar intactos el "partido Hannara" y otras fuerzas neoconservadoras, no se podra realizar la reunificacion de la patria, anhelo de la nacion, ni esperar la verificacion de la independencia y la democracia de la sociedad surcoreana ni el desarrollo de la sana educacion nacional.
    　Todas las organizaciones del movimiento por la reunificacion, el "Sindicato Nacional de los Ensenantes" y otras entidades del movimiento obrero del Sur de Corea deben calar a fondo la maligna intencion de las fuerzas neoconservadoras manipuladas por los Estados Unidos y frustrar categoricamente las maniobras para organizar el "sindicato liberal de ensenantes"

Kim Jong Il recibe carta de presidente de entidad rusa de caridad

    　Pyongyang, 23 de enero (ATCC) -- El comite organizador del Fondo Internacional de Caridad de Rusia "Protectores del Arte del Siglo", el comite permanente de la "Academia de Proteccion Artistica Internacional" y el comite permanente del Movimiento por la Caridad Social "Personas honestas del mundo" decidieron otorgar el premio social internacional: el titulo honorario del "Protector y filantropo del Arte Mundial de 2005" y el titulo honorario de academico de la "Academia de Proteccion Artistica Internacional" al Dirigente 　 Kim Jong Il, Secretario General del Partido del Trabajo de Corea, Presidente del Comite de Defensa Nacional de la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea y Comandante Supremo del Ejercito Popular de Corea, en alta evaluacion a sus extraordinarias hazanas acumuladas para la ampliacion y el desarrollo de la cooperacion entre los pueblos de Rusia y Corea en las ramas de la educacion, la ciencia y la cultura, para la conservacion de las tradiciones de la cultura nacional, y para el fortalecimiento de la base ideo-moral de la educacion para los jovenes, y a su contribucion a la conservacion de la tradicion mundial de la proteccion del arte y la caridad.
    　Al respecto, le dirigio el dia 13 una carta O. V. Oleinik, presidente del Fondo Internacional de Caridad de Rusia "Protectores del Arte del Siglo". La misiva senala que la profunda atencion del camarada Kim Jong Il a la ampliacion y desarrollo del intercambio cultural de los dos paises, su noble y autentico sentimiento y su fuerza espiritual y moral aseguran las estrechas y fructiferas relaciones para la paz, la prosperidad, el bienestar y la felicidad de los pueblos de todos los paises del planeta.
    Le da a conocer que la ceremonia de otorgamiento del Premio Social Internacional "Protector y Filantropo del Arte Mundial de 2005" tendra lugar el 16 de febrero de 2006 en el Palacio de Kremlin, corazon de Moscu y simbolo de Rusia.
    La carta le da calurosa felicitacion por tales titulos honorarios que se le otorgan y expresa sincero deseo de que tambien en lo adelante se mantenga la cooperacion entre ambos pueblos para el bienestar de todos demas pueblos del mundo.

Kim Jong Il recibe carta de presidente de entidad rusa

    　Pyongyang, 23 de enero (ATCC) -- El consejo de apoyo al Fondo Internacional de Caridad de Rusia "Protectores del Arte del Siglo" (FICR) decidio otorgar la orden de estrella dorada "Protectora del Arte", maxima condecoracion social de Rusia a Kim Il Sung, Presidente eterno de la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea en alta estimacion a su fidelidad al ideal de caridad y justicia y a sus proezas acumuladas en la causa de la paz de la humanidad, en la proteccion y el desarrollo de los bienes espiritual-morales y las tradiciones nacionales y en el desarrollo de las relaciones de cooperacion cultural entre la RPDC y Rusia y en traduccion de nuestra veneracion al gran hombre insigne de la epoca. 　Por el respecto, al Dirigente Kim Jong Il, Secretario General del Partido del Trabajo de Corea, Presidente del Comite de Defensa Nacional de la RPDC y Comandante Supremo del Ejercito Popular de Corea le dirigio el dia 13 una carta el presidente del FICR, O. V. Oleinik.
    　La misiva senala que merced a la invencible idea Juche creada por el camarada Kim Il Sung, gran Lider y maestro, el noble patriotismo y el infinito amor a su patria del pueblo de la RPDC no se agotaran para siempre y se arraigaran profundamente en los corazones de los integrantes de nuevas generaciones. 　La carta expresa esperanza de que el camarada Kim Jong Il, heredero fiel y autentico del camarada Kim Il Sung, gran Lider y maestro, reciba la orden de estrella dorada "Protectora del Arte", simbolo de la eterna amistad ente el pueblo coreano y el ruso y maxima condecoracion social de Rusia.