Joint New Year Editorial Issued

     Pyongyang, January 1 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun, Joson Inmingun and Chongnyon Jonwi today released a joint editorial under the title "Usher in a Great Heyday of Songun Korea Full of Confidence in Victory" on the occasion of the hope-filled New Year. The DPRK has never seen in the annals of the protracted and arduous Korean revolution such year as 2006 in which the position of the country was justifiably raised to the level of powerful one and the dignity of the Korean nation was vigorously demonstrated, the editorial says, proudly reviewing the epoch-making events and historical victories gained last year.
    The cheers of victory in the Songun idea and Songun politics had prevailed all over the world and the turning phase opened in the building of a great prosperous powerful nation and proud successes demonstrating the wisdom and superiority of the Korean nation had been achieved last year, the editorial notes.
    Noting that the New Year Juche 96 (2007) will be a year of great changes, a year which will usher in a new era of prosperity of Songun Korea, the editorial refers to the tasks for this year.
    We must glorify this year greeting the 95th birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung as a year of great efflorescence of his wish for a prosperous and powerful country, a year of brisk activities across the country and celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Korean People's Army as an all-people event that would demonstrate the invincibility and bright future of the Songun revolution, the editorial says. "Usher in a great heyday of Songun Korea full of confidence in victory!"-this is a slogan we should put up in struggle and advance, it stresses.
    Calling for waging a dynamic offensive campaign to build a socialist economic power and continuously exerting a great effort to strengthening the defence capabilities, holding aloft the banner of Songun, and consolidating in every way the unity of revolutionary ranks in thinking and purpose, so as to demonstrate the might of our country as a political and ideological power, the editorial points to the ways to do so. All the fellow countrymen should hold high the slogan "Add brilliance to the June 15 reunification era by attaching importance to the nation, maintaining peace and achieving unity!" and bring about the greatest success in the cause of independent reunification, it notes.
    We will remain faithful to the last to our historic mission in safeguarding global peace and security and advancing the cause of independence of humanity, and continue to intensify international solidarity with the progressive peoples under the ideals of independence, peace and friendship, the editorial stresses.

Greetings to Fidel Castro

     Pyongyang, December 31 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il and Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, sent a message of greetings to Fidel Castro Ruz, first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, president of the Council of State and president of the Council of Ministers, on Sunday. The message said:
    We in the name of the WPK and the DPRK government and people send warm felicitations to you and through you to the Communist Party of Cuba and the Cuban government and people on the occasion of the 48th anniversary of the victory in the Cuban revolution.
    Over the last 48 years since the victory of the revolution the Cuban people have honorably defended the country, the revolution and the socialist gains by decisively frustrating the vicious sanctions and blockade of the U.S. imperialists and their moves for aggression under the correct leadership of the Communist Party of Cuba headed by you.
    Our people sincerely rejoice over all the achievements made by the fraternal Cuban people in socialist construction and will send full support and encouragement to your people in their just cause of firmly protecting the country's sovereignty and socialism in the future, too.
    Availing ourselves of this opportunity, we would like to express belief that the comradely relations of friendship and cooperation between the two parties, governments and peoples would steadily grow stronger in the common struggle for the victorious advance of the socialist cause and wholeheartedly wish you the earliest possible recovery of your health and your people bigger success in their work.

Greetings to Chief of Palestinian National Authority

     Pyongyang, December 31 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, Sunday sent a message of greetings to Mahmoud Abbas, chief of the Palestinian National Authority, on the occasion of the 42nd anniversary of the start of the Palestinian revolution. Expressing firm solidarity with the chief and people of Palestine in their just cause to regain their legitimate national rights including the right to found an independent state with Kuds as its capital, the message sincerely wished him greater success in his work.

Greetings to Sudanese President

     Pyongyang, December 31 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, sent a message of greetings to Omar Hassan Ahmed Al-Bashir, president of Sudan, on Dec. 31 on the occasion of the 51st anniversary of the independence of the country. In the belief that the bilateral ties of friendship and cooperation would consolidate and develop in the mutual interests, the message wished the president of Sudan greater success in his work for the stability and development of the country.

Floral Basket to DPRK Embassy in Nigeria

     Pyongyang, December 30 (KCNA) -- A floral basket was sent to the DPRK embassy in Nigeria by the chief of Staff of Defence of the Nigerian Armed Forces, on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of General Secretary Kim Jong Il's assumption of office as supreme commander of the Korean People's Army. Written on the ribbon of the floral basket were letters "Congratulations to Supreme Commander HE Kim Jong Il".
    The floral basket was laid before a full-length picture of President Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il.

Anniv. of June Popular Resistance to Be Commemorated in S. Korea

     Pyongyang, December 30 (KCNA) -- The Committee for Promoting the Work for Commemorating the 20th Anniversary of the June Popular Resistance was reportedly inaugurated with due ceremony in Seoul on Dec. 26. The ceremony was attended by at least 200 personages of different social standings including Paek Ki Wan, director of the Institute for Reunification Studies. The June popular resistance that flared up in 1987 was a mass anti-U.S., anti-fascist struggle of the south Korean people to drive out the U.S. imperialists, put an end to the military fascist dictatorship and achieve democracy and independence in their socio-political life.
    Noting that the resistance marked a turning point in the movement for democracy in south Korea, the committee decided to conduct activities for setting June 10 next year which would mark the 20th anniversary of the resistance as a commemoration day. It also decided to organize diverse seminars, open hearing and other events related to the democratic resistance from January 14 to late June next year, 20 years after Pak Jong Chol died due to the police brutal torture.
    The ceremony elected permanent co-representatives of the committee.

At Least 2,200 Cases of U.S. Aerial Espionage Committed against DPRK in 2006

     Pyongyang, December 30 (KCNA) -- The U.S. imperialist aggression forces committed more than 2,200 cases of aerial espionage against the DPRK this year by mobilizing strategic and tactical reconnaissance planes with different missions based overseas and in south Korea, according to a military source. This means six reconnaissance planes were involved in the espionage on a daily average. The number of cases of espionage perpetrated by U-2 reached at least 300 cases. The U.S. imperialists periodically infiltrated overseas-based RC-135 into the air above south Korea to commit more than a hundred cases of aerial espionage. Overseas-based E-3 and EP-3 flew into the air above south Korea respectively in the period from Dec. 11 to 14 and in the period from Dec. 14 to 21 to commit over 60 cases of espionage this year.
    The U.S. imperialists sent at least 120 planes with various missions including RC-7B and RC-12 into the sky over the area along the Military Demarcation Line day and night in December to frantically spy on the front area and the Eastern and Western coastal areas of the DPRK.

Kim Jong Il Sends Floral Basket to Cuban Embassy

     Pyongyang, December 30 (KCNA) ? General Secretary Kim Jong Il sent a basket of flowers to the Cuban embassy here on the occasion of the 48th anniversary of the victory of the Cuban revolution. It was conveyed to Ruben Perez Valdes, Cuban ambassador to the DPRK, on Dec. 3

New Stamps Issued in DPRK

     Pyongyang, December 30 (KCNA) -- The Korea Stamp Corporation has issued stamps on the occasion of the New Year Juche 96 (2007). The stamps print the famous Pyongyang Bell which was used to be stricken to signal New Year's Eve and important events in the period of the Ri Dynasty, and animals. Reflected in the Pyongyang Bell stamp is the bell with the Taedong Gate, a historical relic, at its background under the letters "A Happy New Year" and "Juche 96 (2007)". The animal stamps include a sheetlet, a souvenir sheet and two kinds of individual stamps.
    Their face value is 3 won, 45 won, 70 won and 130 won respectively.

For Spanish-speaking people

Kim Jong Il envia cesto de flores a la embajada cubana

    .@Pyongyang, 30 de diciembre (ATCC) -- En ocasion del 48o aniversario del triunfo de la Revolucion Cubana, el Dirigente Kim Jong Il envio un cesto de flores a la Embajada de la Republica de Cuba acreditada en Corea. B El cesto fue entregado este sabado al embajador extraordinario y plenipotenciario cubano Ruben Perez Valdes.

Cestos de flores a la embajada cubana

    @Pyongyang, 30 de diciembre (ATCC) -- En ocasion del 48o aniversario del triunfo de la Revolucion Cubana, los ministerios de Relaciones Exteriores y de Comercio Exterior y el Comite de Relaciones Culturales con el Extranjero enviaron sendos cestos de flores a la Embajada de la Republica de Cuba en Corea. Los cestos de flores fueron entregados este sabado por separado al embajador extraordinario y plenipotenciario cubano Ruben Perez Valdes.

Sobrepasan 2,200 casos de espionaje de EE.UU. contra RPDC en 2006

 .    @Pyongyang, 30 de diciembre (ATCC) -- Segun fuentes militares, se totalizan en mas de 2 mil 200 los vuelos de espionaje contra la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea realizados este ano por las fuerzas agresoras de Estados Unidos movilizando a un gran numero de aviones de diferentes misiones, desplegados en sus bases en ultramar y el territorio surcoreano, lo cual significa que fueron movilizados casi 6 aparatos como promedio. En particular, superan 300 los vuelos realizados este ano por un "U-2" en la misma mision.
    En tanto, llega a mas de 100 veces el espionaje por parte del avion "RC-135", proveniente de una base norteamericana en ultramar, que irrumpio periodicamente en el cielo surcoreano.
    Entre el 11 y el 14 de diciembre, un "E-3", despegado de una base ultramarina, sobrevolo en igual mision varias zonas surcoreanas y entre el 14 y el 21, hizo lo mismo un "EP-3" tambien proveniente del extranjero.
    Asi ascienden a mas de 60 ocasiones las misiones de espionaje cumplidas por dos aeronaves.
    De otro lado, los imperialistas norteamericanos perpetraron en diciembre el espionaje continuo sobre las zonas del frente y las costas oriental y occidental de la RPDC mandando de dia a noche a mas de 120 aeroplanos de tipos "RC-7B", "RC-12", etc., al espacio aereo sobre la Linea de Demarcacion Militar.