Kim Il Sung's Reminiscences Published in Bulgaria
Pyongyang, May 23 (KCNA) -- Vol. 6 of Part 1 Anti-Japanese Revolution of President Kim Il Sung's reminiscences "With the Century" was published by the Sofia Illinda Publishing and Printing Company, Bulgaria.
The book releasing ceremony was held on the spot on May 17.
The director of the company in his speech at the ceremony said that the reminiscences which comprehensively deals with the great Juche idea and the revolutionary life and exploits of the President serves as a textbook of life and struggle for the world progressive people and the revolutionaries.
Noting that the course of publishing the reminiscences helped him know more keenly about the personality of the President as a great man, his popular traits and noble virtues, he expressed his determination to positively push ahead with the publication of the book in the days ahead.
Present at the ceremony were leading and other members of the Bulgaria-Korea Friendship Association and the Bulgarian Group for the Study of the Juche Idea.
Also present there on invitation were the DPRK ambassador to Bulgaria and staff members of the embassy in Sofia.
Meeting Held to Mark National Day of Sri Lanka
Pyongyang, May 23 (KCNA) -- A meeting was held at the Chollima House of Culture on May 22 to mark the 35th national day of Sri Lanka.
Present there were the chairman and members of the DPRK-Sri Lanka Friendship Association and working people in the city.
The chairman of the association made a speech at the meeting.
At the end of the meeting, the participants looked round the photos introducing Sri Lanka.
Religionists Urged to Lead Reunification Movement in S. Korea
Pyongyang, May 23 (KCNA) -- Religionists of south Korea reportedly held a meeting in Seoul on May 16, at which they called for taking the lead in the movement for peaceful reunification.
Recalling that religionists have contributed to the inter-Korean cooperation and exchange, the speakers at the meeting said that they should keep on making contribution to the achievement of peace on the Korean Peninsula by realizing the national unity irrespective of the differences in ideology.
The meeting was followed by a seminar on the subject of "Role of the religious circles for reconciliation and peace".
Speakers called upon the religionists to become preachers propagating the idea of reconciliation and unity for the peaceful reunification of the nation.
More Anti-U.S. Action Staged in S. Korea
Pyongyang, May 23 (KCNA) -- The 153rd Friday rally against the U.S. and war and for the withdrawal of the U.S. forces reportedly took place in front of the U.S. embassy in Seoul on May 18 with an attendance of members of the south Korean Solidarity for Implementing the South-North Joint Declaration, the south Korean Federation of University Student Councils and other civic and public and students organizations.
Recalling that the U.S. stood behind the military fascist dictatorial forces which drenched Kwangju with blood 27 years ago, the speakers at the rally termed the U.S. the mastermind of the massacre of civilians in Kwangju.
They accused the U.S. of watching for a chance to invade the DPRK while staging ceaseless military exercises on this land according to its war scenarios.
A resolution read out at the rally noted that he that seeks danger perishes therein, warning that if the U.S. persists in its war moves, it will be unable to escape from a stern judgment by the Korean nation.
Truth about Suppression of People by Force of NSL Disclosed in S. Korea
Pyongyang, May 23 (KCNA) -- A rally to disclose the truth about suppression of people by the force of the "National Security Law" (NSL) was reportedly held in Seoul on May 16 under the sponsorship of the South Headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country's Reunification (Pomminryon).
The speakers at the rally charged that the NSL has created a stumbling block in the way of the reunification movement as it obstructs all contacts with the north after labeling it an "enemy."
It is due to this draconic law against reunification that the South Headquarters of Pomminryon is still exposed to crackdown after being branded as an "enemy-benefiting organization," they said, disclosing the injustice of the labeling and the NSL.
They stressed that they would dynamically conduct diverse activities to eliminate the pro-U.S. conservative forces which prolong their remaining days in reliance upon the outsiders and have the NSL abolished and the label of "enemy-benefiting" attached to the organization withdrawn.
Japanese Reactionaries' Moves for Retrogressive Revision of Constitution under Fire
Pyongyang, May 23 (KCNA) -- A "law to set referendum procedures for constitutional revision" was enacted at the session of the House of Councillors on May 14. And this put on the national referendum the issue of the constitutional revision which had been pushed forward by the Japanese ruling quarters.
Rodong Sinmun today observes in a signed commentary carried in this regard:
If the results of the national referendum turned out to be as the Abe regime had wished, this would mean Japan would have a legal condition for scrapping the 60 years-old "Pacifist Constitution" and adopting instead a war constitution. This cannot but be a very dangerous development.
The Japanese militarists have paid lip-service to "peace" under the signboard of the "Pacifist Constitution" since their defeat in World War II, while leaving no means untried to remove the framework of the above-said constitution.
Taking advantage of the change of the international situation after the demise of the Cold War, in particular, the Japanese reactionaries enacted a variety of evil laws for war including the "law on cooperation in UN peace-keeping activities," the "law on emergency in surrounding areas" and the "law on special measures against terrorism" under the pretexts of making "international contributions," "coping with the contingencies in the areas around Japan" and "settling the crisis caused by terrorism." All this has reduced the "Pacifistic Constitution" which bans a war to a dead paper. By carrying out the constitutional revision they seek to annul Article 9 of the Constitution which bans possession of war forces and the involvement in any war actions against other countries and legally pave the way for overseas invasion.
When looking back on history, Japan is the most brutal aggressor state in Asia as it has become rich through acts of aggression against neighboring countries. The Japanese militarists are so emboldened that they are ready to launch a war to conquer the world, making eyes not only at Asia but the rest of our planet. If the Constitution is allowed to be rewritten through the national referendum to produce a war constitution, the Japanese reactionaries will launch full-scale overseas invasion, totally unhindered. Herein lies the reactionary and dangerous nature of their sinister scenario to execute the law on national referendum.
The Abe forces had better halt their criminal moves for the retrogressive revision of the Constitution.
GNP's Seizure of Power Will Revive Dictatorship: Rodong Sinmun
Pyongyang, May 23 (KCNA) -- The Grand National Party of south Korea is now resorting to a whole gamut of shameless ruses in an effort to allure public sentiments, with the object of grabbing power at whatever cost through the forthcoming "presidential elections."
Dismissing this as a folly of fools, Rodong Sinmun in a singed article Wednesday says:
The south Korean people of all social strata are turning out as one man in the anti-GNP struggle, warning that the GNP's seizure of power "will lead to the revival of dictatorship."
The GNP is a traitor party which wholly took over the cursed baton of fascist dictatorship.
Its cohorts are descendents of fascist dictators who suppressed and destroyed at random progressive forces of various strata aspiring after independence, democracy and reunification, flattering to outside forces and relying on their patronage. They are now advertising something like a change in their policy of inter-Korean relations, making free with phrases about "development of south-north relations." This is, however, nothing but a third-rate drama intended to hoodwink the public with the approach of the "presidential elections." Just as a poisonous grass grows out of a poisonous root, no other road but that of fascist dictatorship can be followed by the GNP which took over the baton of successive parties of fascist dictatorship.
That the dictatorship would be revived, if the GNP came to power, is evidenced by the fact that this band has never repented of the fascist vices committed by its forefathers in the past.
It is crystal clear that in case the traitor party which inherited the dirty blood of fascist dictatorship takes power, the flow of the times toward independence, democracy and reunification will be blocked and the past era of fascist dictatorship will be restored as it was. Herein lies the reason why the GNP must never be allowed to take power.
Picture of Peasants' Life
Pyongyang, May 23 (KCNA) -- Korea has fine national cultural heritages. Among them is the "Picture of Peasants' Life" by U Jin Ho (1832-?), a folk painter in the 19th century.
The picture is the most progressive and typical one out of several pictures on peasants' life at that time.
It, ten-fold screen, includes "Welcoming the first full moon", "Ploughing", "Weeding", "Entirely different lives", "Landlord's house", "Thrashing", "Ferryboat", "Hunting" and others.
The fold-screen reflects in a serial form the farming processes according to seasons and working features of industrious peasants from the custom of the lunar January 15, a folk holiday of the Korean people.
The features of the screen depict in an extensive way the life of peasants with an ordinary village common to Korea at that time as a center and to contrastingly show the life of peasants and feudal aristocrats on one screen. The picture, thus, visually shows the then actual social conditions.
All pictures of the fold-screen describe the then life in a truthful, simple and popular way as if the viewers smell the odor of soil and hear mooing.
After watching the fold-screen, President Kim Il Sung said that it reflected the life of peasants well.
"Picture of Peasants' Life" is preserved in the Korean Art Gallery as a precious treasure of the nation showing the talent of the Korean people.
Chondoism, National Religion
Pyongyang, May 23 (KCNA) -- Chondoism is the national religion of Korea. The Chondoists are enjoying their religious life to the full under the protection of the DPRK.
It was founded in 1860 with the idea "Man and God are one" as its principle, for the purpose of building an "earthly paradise" under the banner of "Poguk anmin" (defending the country and providing welfare for the people). From the outset, however, it had to undergo suppression of feudal ruling classes and foreign invaders.
Choe Je U, the founder of the religion who had been called the Most Venerable Suun, and the second leader of the religion were killed by the feudal state of Ri dynasty for their anti-feudal and anti-aggressive spirits. During the Kabo Peasant War (1894 - 1895) and the March First Popular Uprising against the Japanese imperialists, hundreds of thousands of believers were arrested, imprisoned and killed cold-bloodedly.
It was the early winter in Juche 25 (1936) that the religion met its true guardian.
President Kim Il Sung appreciated the patriotic nature of Chondoism and met Tojong (a title of a local leader of Chondoist religion) Pak In Jin. He called for firmly uniting under the banner of the national liberation, transcending differences in ideology, religious faith and political view and led a great number of believers to the sacred war against the Japanese imperialists. After national liberation, he aroused them to building of a new country.
Moved by the noble benevolence of the President who embraced and warmly looked after all the people of the country, the wife of Pak In Jin called him as "Heaven" when she was honored with his audience in 1992.
The Chondoists are also enjoying a happy life under the care of Kim Jong Il.
They are leading a free religious life with the building on a beautiful bank of the River Taedong. Chondoists who were elected deputies to the Supreme People's Assembly are taking part in the political affairs of the country and are doing a lot of good things for the DPRK.
Pak In Jin, Kang Je Ha, Pak U Chon, Ryo Pung Gu and others who contributed to the liberation, prosperity and development of the country were laid to rest in the Patriotic Martyrs' Cemetery.
Rodong Sinmun on Songun Politics Propelling Reunification Movement
Pyongyang, May 23 (KCNA) -- It is entirely thanks to the great Songun politics of patriotism that all the Koreans in the north and the south of Korea and overseas have been able to successfully blaze the path of the era of independent reunification under the banner of "By our nation itself" over the past seven years of the implementation of the June 15 joint declaration since its adoption, states Rodong Sinmun in an article Wednesday.
The author of the article says:
The Songun politics is mighty patriotic politics which firmly defends the sovereignty of the nation and the security of the country and guarantees the advance of the movement for independent reunification with the armed forces of justice.
The sovereignty of the nation is guaranteed by mighty national power, which is immediately the might of the armed forces of justice. Now the hegemonic forces are openly seeking interference and domination, aggression and war against other countries and nations in the international arena, taking no notice of the United Nations and international law. This reality proves with hard facts that if a nation wants to defend its destiny, it must have powerful armed forces needed for this.
The Songun politics is a treasured sword which has placed the DPRK in a position of a powerful state possessed of inexhaustible national power mighty enough to fight any formidable enemy in the world and enables it to firmly defend the dignity and sovereignty of the nation.
The Songun politics is patriotic one to defend the dignity and interests of the Koreans not only in the north and the south but overseas and peace of the Korean Peninsula. It is only too clear that once a war breaks out in this land with one and the same vein the north and the south will suffer from it and a nuclear war would endanger the existence of the whole nation itself. But the security of the nation and peace of the country are safeguarded by matchless self-defensive military power of the DPRK built up with Songun and the Songun politics which deals a devastating blow to the aggressors infringing upon its dignity and sovereignty.
All the fellow countrymen in the north and the south and overseas will turn out confidently with redoubled vigor in the noble struggle for the reunification of the country and the prosperity of the nation under the great banner of Songun, the article concludes.
Kim Yong Nam Receives Credentials from Lebanese Ambassador
Pyongyang, May 23 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, received credentials from Lebanese Ambassador to the DPRK Sleiman Rassi at the Mansudae Assembly Hall today.
Present on the occasion was Choe Su Hon, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs.
After receiving the credentials, Kim had a conversation with the ambassador.
For Spanish-speaking people
Rodong Sinmun condena intento de Japon de enmendar constitucion
Pyongyang, 23 de mayo (ATCC) -- Al aprobarse el dia 14 en la camara de consejeros de la dieta japonesa el "proyecto de ley del plebiscito" (proyecto de ley de procedimientos para la enmienda constitucional) se concreto oficialmente en una ley. Por lo tanto, se puso a la consulta popular el problema de la reforma constitucional que vinieron impulsando los gobernantes de ese pais.
Si ese sufragio arroja un resultado esperado por el gabinete de Abe, se daran las condiciones legitimas para cancelar la "constitucion pacifista" existente durante 60 anos pasados e inventar la otra de guerra. Esto es una evolucion de la situacion sumamente peligrosa.
Asi senala el periodico Rodong Sinmun en un comentario individual de este miercoles y continua:
Despues de ser derrotados en la Segunda Guerra Mundial, los militaristas japoneses abogaron fingidamente por la "paz" escudandose detras de la "constitucion pacifista". Pero, en realidad se valieron de todos los medios y metodos para romper el marco de esa carta magna.
En particular, al aprovechar el cambio de la situacion internacional creado por el fin de la guerra fria, los reaccionarios japoneses inventaron diversas leyes belicas, entre otras, la "ley de cooperacion con las actividades de la ONU para el mantenimiento de la paz", la "ley para la emergencia del contorno" y la "ley de medidas especiales contra el terrorismo" pretextando la supuesta "contribucion internacional", "tiempos de emergencia en las periferias" y "hacer frente a la crisis a causa del terrorismo". Esto dejo practicamente sin efecto la constitucion arriba mencionada que estipula la prohibicion de la guerra. Mediante la reforma constitucional, ellos tratan de iniciar de manera legitima la agresion a ultramar tras eliminar su articulo 9 que define que Japon no posee las fuerzas armadas de guerra ni participa en las acciones belicas contra otros paises.
Este pais isleno es el peor Estado agresivo en Asia que se enriquecio historicamente de la agresion a los paises vecinos. Ahora, los militaristas japoneses, que ya se tornaron demasiado voraces, quieren emprender el camino de la conquista del mundo mas alla del continente asiatico.
Si se inventa la constitucion de guerra por la consulta popular, ellos pasaran a la agresion a ultramar sin ser restringidos por nada. He aqui el caracter reaccionario y peligroso del sinistro intento de ellos de fraguar y ejecutar la "ley del plebiscito".
Las fuerzas de Abe deben abandonar sus criminales maniobras para modificar de mal en peor la carta magna.
Bulgaria: memorias de Kim Il Sung
Pyongyang, 23 de mayo (ATCC) -- El tomo 6 de la primera parte "La revolucion antijaponesa" de las memorias del Presidente Kim Il Sung "En el Transcurso del Siglo" se dio a luz en la Compania Editorial y de Imprenta "Illinda" de Sofia, Bulgaria.
Una ceremonia de edicion tuvo lugar el dia 17 en esta institucion.
Al hacer uso de la palabra en la ocasion, el gerente de la compania dijo que las memorias, que sintetizan la gran idea Juche, la vida y hazanas revolucionarias del Presidente Kim Il Sung, constituyen un manual de la vida y lucha para los pueblos progresistas y los revolucionarios del mundo.
Ademas menciono que pudo conocer mejor de la noble personalidad del Presidente como gran hombre, sus rasgos populares y virtudes a traves del proceso de impresion de las memorias y se decidio a desplegar esta labor activamente en lo adelante.
En el acto participaron las personalidades y miembros de la Asociacion de Amistad Bulgaria-Corea y del Grupo de Estudio de la Idea Juche de Bulgaria y, en calidad de invitados, el embajador extraordinario y plenipotenciario coreano y otros miembros de la embajada coreana en este pais.
La politica de Songun estimula el movimiento de reunificacion
Pyongyang, 23 de mayo (ATCC) -- Durante estos 7 anos que datan de la aprobacion de la Declaracion Conjunta del 15 de Junio todos los coreanos del Norte, el Sur y ultramar pudieron allanar brillantemente la epoca de reunificacion independiente con la bandera de "Entre nosotros, los connacionales" en alto. Esto se debe enteramente a la gran politica patriotica de Songun (priorizacion militar).
Asi senala el diario Rodong Sinmun en un articulo individual de este miercoles y continua:
La politica de Songun es la poderosa politica patriotica para defender firmemente la soberania nacional y la seguridad del pais y asegurar el avance del movimiento por la reunificacion independiente con las fuerzas armadas de la justicia.
La soberania de la nacion se asegura por el gran poderio nacional que es precisamente el poderio de las fuerzas armadas de la justicia. Las fuerzas hegemonistas se ocupan de los actos de intervencion, dominacion, agresion y guerra contra otros paises y naciones en desacato a la autoridad de la ONU y el derecho internacional en la escena internacional. Esto prueba nitidamente que el destino de cada pais se defiende solo por las poderosas fuerzas armadas.
La politica de Songun es un remedio de justicia que coloca a la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea en la posicion de la potencia capaz de vencer a cualesquier enemigos potentes del mundo y que defiende firmemente la dignidad y la soberania de la nacion.
La politica de Songun es la politica patriotica para defender la dignidad y los intereses de la nacion entera del Norte y el Sur y preservar la paz de la Peninsula Coreana. Es obvio que la guerra nuclear que se desate pondra en peligro la existencia de toda la nacion del Norte y el Sur que son de un filon territorial.
Se preservan la paz y la seguridad de la nacion gracias a la politica de Songun que posibilita disponer de las invencibles fuerzas armadas autodefensivas capaces de infligir despiadado castigo a los agresores que tratan de atentar la dignidad y la soberania de la RPDC.
Todos los coreanos del Norte, el Sur y ultramar con la gran bandera del Songun en alto deben incorporarse unanimemente a la sagrada lucha por la reunificacion y la prosperidad de la nacion con la confianza.