Inter-Korean General-Level Talks Open
Pyongyang, December 12 (KCNA) -- The 7th north-south general-level military talks opened in the portion of the south side in Panmunjom on Wednesday.
Present there were a delegation of the north side led by Lieut. General of the Korean People's Army Kim Yong Chol and a delegation of the south side with Ri Hong Gi, chief for Policy Planning of the Ministry of National Defence, as chief delegate.
The talks discussed matters related to taking measures for providing a military guarantee for the north-south cooperation and exchange projects in the "special zone for peace and cooperation in the West Sea" under an agreement reached at the second north-south defence minister-level talks.
Steadfast is the stand of the KPA to provide a firm military guarantee for the implementation of the historic October 4 declaration, the head of the north side delegation said, clarifying its stand to take measures in the direction of increasing the time of passage through the Kaesong Industrial Zone and the Mt. Kumgang tourist zone, ensuring speedy and smooth communications and cutting down the time of customs clearance in those zones.
Touching on the issue of the West Sea next, he called the south side to account for deliberately creating a hurdle in the way of solving the issue while persisting in its old stand, a sharp contrast to the north side's fair proposal and sincere efforts.
He proposed a draft agreement on fixing waters for joint fishing and peaceful waters in the West Sea reflecting the fair and aboveboard stand of the north side.
The draft agreement deals with the issues of setting waters for joint fishing and peaceful waters in the West Sea on the principle of promoting interests and prosperity common to the nation and ensuring peace, taking measures for providing a military guarantee for cooperation in those waters and keeping naval forces of both sides now standing in confrontation in the West Sea away from each other.
He expressed the expectation that the south side would seriously study the north side's proposal and positively respond to it.
The chief delegate of the south side delegation spoke next.
The talks continue.
Iranian Delegation Arrives
Pyongyang, December 12 (KCNA) -- A delegation of the Physical Education Organisation of Iran led by Chairman Mohammad Ali Abadi, who is vice-president of Iran, came here Tuesday.
Chairman of DPRK SPA Meets Delegation of Physical Education Organisation of Iran
Pyongyang, December 12 (KCNA) -- Choe Thae Bok, chairman of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, met the delegation of the Physical Education Organisation of Iran led by Head Mohammad Ali Abadi, vice-president of Iran who paid a courtesy call upon him, and had a friendly talk with the delegation at the Mansudae Assembly Hall on Wednesday.
Iranian Delegation Feted
Pyongyang, December 12 (KCNA) -- The Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK gave a reception for the visiting delegation of the Physical Education Organisation of Iran at the Mansudae Assembly Hall Tuesday.
Present there on invitation were members of the delegation led by Mohammad Ali Abadi, chairman of the organisation who is vice-president of Iran, and Charge d'Affaires a.i. Hamid Reza Sadegh and staff members of the Iranian embassy here.
On hand were Yang Hyong Sop, vice-president of the Presidium of the SPA, Mun Jae Dok, chairman of the Physical Culture and Sports Guidance Commission, and officials concerned.
Speaking at the reception, Yang Hyong Sop stressed that the traditional relations of friendship between the two countries whose foundation was laid by President Kim Il Sung together with Iranian leaders have invariably developed on good terms.
He highly appreciated the great efforts exerted by the Iranian government and people to protect the dignity and sovereignty of the country and achieve regional peace and security.
The head of the delegation said that the friendly relations between Iran and the DPRK provided by the great leaders of the two countries have developed in various fields.
He expressed conviction that the Korean people would emerge victorious in the future, too, in the struggle against imperialism while adhering to independence and principle.
Iran will strive to boost cooperation with the DPRK in the field of sports, he stressed.
Iranian Delegation Pays Floral Tribute to Revolutionary Martyrs
Pyongyang, December 12 (KCNA) -- The delegation of the Physical Education Organisation of Iran led by Chairman Mohammad Ali Abadi, who is vice-president of Iran, laid a wreath at the Revolutionary Martyrs Cemetery on Mt. Taesong on Wednesday.
They paid silent tribute to the revolutionary martyrs who dedicated their lives to the liberation and prosperity of the country.
They placed bouquets before the bust of Kim Jong Suk, anti-Japanese war hero, and paid silent tribute to her.
Troika delegation of EU Arrives
Pyongyang, December 12 (KCNA) -- A Troika delegation of the European Union led by Pedro Moitinho de Almeida, ambassador of the Portuguese Foreign Ministry came here Tuesday.
Senior Officials of DPRK Meet Troika Delegation of EU
Pyongyang, December 12 (KCNA) -- Yang Hyong Sop, vice-president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, met and conversed with the Troika delegation of the European Union led by Pedro Moitinho de Almeida, ambassador of the Portuguese Foreign Ministry, at the Mansudae Assembly Hall Wednesday.
Pak Ui Chun, minister of Foreign Affairs, met and had a conversation with the delegation there on the same day.
Chinese government delegation Arrives
Pyongyang, December 12 (KCNA) -- A Chinese government delegation of science and technology led by Cheng Jinpei, vice-minister of Science and Technology came here Tuesday.
Many Families Move into New Houses This Year
Pyongyang, December 12 (KCNA) -- An endless stream of reports have come from all parts of the country about the moving of many families into new houses in Juche 96 (2007).
The improvement of the people's living is the supreme principle of the activity of the Workers' Party of Korea. Under its noble plan, an energetic work has been undertaken across the country this year to build many more modern houses for the people.
Officials and working people of North Phyongan Province set a high goal of housing construction and have built houses for 8,000 odd families by launching into bold operations.
Their devoted endeavors have brought 49 splendid new rural villages into shape, completely changed the looks of towns and villages and realized methane gas supply to village houses for 1,400 or more families.
Several hundred houses have made their appearance in the seat village of Samjigang Co-op Farm in Jaeryong County. And houses roofed with Korean-style tiles and houses of other styles have been built in Jangyon, Samchon and Yonan Counties. They made people of South Hwanghae Province overflow with joy at moving into new houses.
An auspicious event of moving into new houses was witnessed on December 3 at the Migok Co-op Farm in Sariwon City, North Hwanghae Province, which is taking the van in turning rural villages into a socialist fairyland.
Working people of the city and co-op farmers around it have built groups of tens of modern houses of Unjong-ri style and terraced houses highly appraised by Kim Jong Il when he visited the Migok Co-op Farm last year, thus creating more new villages around the ri seat.
Many houses each for one family have been built in different hot spring resorts including the Jongdal hot spring in Samchon County, South Hwanghae Province, and the Hwangjin hot spring in Myongchon County, North Hamgyong Province, which have been noted for hot spring cure from long ago.
Besides, many dwellings have been completed in Hoeryong City, North Hamgyong Province, Kangnam County, Pyongyang, and other cities and counties.
According to data available, 1.5 times as many village houses as last year have been built this year, bringing hundreds of new villages into shape, taking the country as a whole.
Book "Issues of Guaranteeing Peace on Korean Peninsular" off Press
Pyongyang, December 12 (KCNA) -- The Pyongyang Publishing House has recently released a book titled "Issues of Guaranteeing Peace on Korean Peninsular."
The book deals with the issues of guaranteeing a durable peace on the Korean peninsular at present, dividing them into six parts. It gives an account of the urgency and obstacles in ensuring peace, war crisis and principled requirements for securing peace, Songun politics guaranteeing peace and correct ways for preserving peace on the peninsula.
Japan Urged to Settle Its Past Crimes
Pyongyang, December 12 (KCNA) -- The more desperately Japan works to evade the settlement of its past war crimes, the crimes related to "comfort women" for the Imperial Japanese army, the bigger its crimes will become and, consequently, it will stand further isolated in the international arena.
Rodong Sinmun today warns this in a signed article.
The sexual slavery for the Imperial Japanese Army committed by Japan in the past is the most hideous crime against humanity as it was perpetrated in utter defiance and violation of the social ethics and morality to be observed in the human life, the article notes, and goes on:
The Japanese imperialists forcibly drafted, lured and abducted hundreds of thousands of women and took them to battle fields, leaving them gang-raped. Not satisfied with this, they killed them in the most brutal manner beyond human imagination. This barbarism committed by the Japanese imperialists in the past is the most monstrous crime which can neither be written off nor concealed no matter how much water may flow under the bridge.
This being hard reality, Japan has not yet admitted the sexual slavery enforced by it in the past, far from repenting of it.
The sexual slavery for the Imperial Japanese Army was one of the grave crimes committed by Japan during its war for continental aggression. Japan's stand and attitude toward the issue is a touchstone showing whether Japan is willing to break with its past to turn over a new leaf or opt for another war of aggression. The Japanese reactionaries' total denial of the crimes related to the "comfort women" for the Imperial Japanese Army was prompted by their sympathy with the past war crimes.
If the Japanese reactionaries are allowed to deny those war crimes any longer, Japan will bring again horrible war disaster to Asia and the rest of the world.
Their behavior is quite contrary to the trend of history as it is an insult to justice and detrimental to social development.
The Japanese reactionaries are sadly mistaken if they calculate that the passage of time and the change of generations would help keep aside the war crimes, the sexual slavery for the Imperial Japanese Army committed by Japan in the past, to be ignored and forgotten by people in history.
Ri Hoe Chang's Anti-Reunification Remarks under Fire
Pyongyang, December 12 (KCNA) -- The Russian Association for Friendship and Cultural Cooperation with the DPRK in a statement on December 6 denounced south Korean traitor Ri Hoe Chang's reckless remarks against national reunification.
Expressing firm solidarity with the Korean people in their cause of national reunification, the statement denounced Ri Hoe Chang for letting loose recently balderdash malignantly slandering the inter-Korean summit and the efforts to develop the inter-Korean relations.
The statement accused Ri of working hard to bring the situation on the Korean Peninsula back to the era of the Cold War and escalate the military stand-off with the DPRK in a bid to perpetuate the national division.
Lurking behind such all sorts of mud-slinging is a black-hearted intention of Ri Hoe Chang and outside reactionary forces in league with him to hold in check the positive development of inter-Korean relations and bar durable peace from settling on the Korean Peninsula, the statement held.
It warned that if Ri Hoe Chang is allowed to come to power in south Korea, the inter-Korean relations will be deteriorated.
DPRK's Significant Days Marked in Different Countries
Pyongyang, December 12 (KCNA) -- Seminars, lectures, photo exhibitions and film shows took place in Egypt, Ethiopia and Russia from November 26 to December 4 on the occasions of the 16th anniversary of Kim Jong Il's assumption of office as supreme commander of the Korean People's Army and the 90th birth anniversary of anti-Japanese war hero Kim Jong Suk.
Displayed in the venues of photo exhibitions were photographs dealing with the Songun revolutionary leadership feats performed by Kim Jong Il and the immortal revolutionary life of Kim Jong Suk.
The participants of the film shows watched Korean films including "Under the Guidance of the Great Brilliant Commander" and "For the Liberation of the Country".
The chairman of the Egyptian Committee for the Study of the Juche Idea said at a seminar that Kim Jong Il has strengthened and developed the KPA into an invincible army and brought about epoch-making changes in the DPRK, holding high the banner of Songun.
It was the greatest feat performed by Kim Jong Suk that she devotedly defended President Kim Il Sung politically and ideologically and at the risk of her life and brought up Kim Jong Il to be a reliable successor to the revolutionary cause of Juche, he stressed.
The chairman of the Ethiopian Youth Study Group of the Juche Idea noted in a lecture that it is the precious truth taught by the Songun politics pursued in the DPRK that strong national defence capability alone can guarantee peace and security.
After watching the Korean film, the general manager of the Russian Technical Glass Research Institute and the president of the Russian Mark Bearing Company noted that thanks to the wise leadership of Kim Jong Il not only present happiness but future prosperity of the DPRK are guaranteed.
For Spanish-speaking people
Presidium de APS ofrece banquete en honor de delegacion irani
Pyongyang, 12 de diciembre (ATCC) -- El Presidium de la Asamblea Popular Suprema de la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea ofrecio el dia 11 en el Palacio de los Congresos Mansudae un banquete en honor de la delegacion del Comite para el Fomento de la Constitucion Fisica de Iran, de visita en Corea.
A la recepcion fueron invitados los miembros de la delegacion irani encabezada por Mohammad Ali Abadi, vicepresidente de la Republica Islamica de Iran y titular de esa entidad, el encargado de negocios a.i., Hamid Reza Sadegh, y otros miembros de la sede diplomatica irani en Corea.
Tambien participaron el vicepresidente del Presidium de la APS, Yang Hyong Sop, el presidente del Comite de Direccion de Deportes, Mun Jae Dok, y otros funcionarios coreanos.
Yang Hyong Sop, en su discurso, subrayo que se desarrollan invariable y positivamente las tradicionales relaciones de amistad entre los dos paises, cuya base fue sentada por el Presidente Kim Il Sung junto con los lideres iranies.
Evaluo altamente los ingentes esfuerzos del gobierno y el pueblo del pais arabe por defender la dignidad y la soberania del pais y preservar la paz y la seguridad de la region.
A su vez, Mohammad Ali Abadi senalo que las relaciones de amistad entre Iran y Corea preparadas por los grandes lideres de los dos paises vinieron desarrollandose en varios sectores.
Expreso su conviccion de que el pueblo coreano saldra victorioso tambien en lo adelante en la lucha contra los imperialistas defendiendo la independencia y los principios.
Destaco que Iran se esforzara por ampliar la cooperacion con Corea en el sector del deporte.
Ofrenda floral de delegacion irani ante Cementerio de Martires
Pyongyang, 12 de diciembre (ATCC) -- La delegacion del Comite de Organizacion de Educacion Fisica de Iran presidida por su presidente Mohammad Ali Abadi, vicepresidente de la Republica Islamica de Iran, deposito este miercoles una ofrenda floral ante el Cementerio de Martires Revolucionario en el Monte Taesong.
@Tras depositarla, los huespedes iranies guardaron un momento de silencio en memoria de los martires revolucionarios quienes lucharon dedicando toda su vida por la liberacion y la prosperidad de la patria.
@Acto seguido, ellos depositaron ramos de flores ante el busto de bronce de la heroina de lucha antijaponesa Kim Jong Suk y guardaron un momento de silencio en memoria de ella.
Cuadros coreanos se reunen con delegacion de Union Europea
Pyongyang, 12 de diciembre (ATCC) -- El vicepresidente del Presidium de la Asamblea Popular Suprema de la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea, Yang Hyong Sop, departio el dia 12 en el Palacio de los Congresos Mansudae con la delegacion Troika de la Union Europea encabezada por el embajador del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de la Republica de Portugal, Pedro Moitinho de Almeida.
@El mismo dia, el canciller coreano Pak Ui Chun converso con dicha delegacion en el mismo lugar.
Rodong Sinmun critica a Japon por sus crimenes del pasado
Pyongyang, 12 de diciembre (ATCC) -- Los crimenes de guerra y de "consoladoras" cometidos por el antiguo ejercito japones se abultaran a medida que pasa el tiempo, por lo cual este pais se vera aislado y repudiado por la sociedad internacional.
Senala el rotativo Rodong Sinmun en un articulo individual de este miercoles y prosigue:
El caso de "consoladoras" para el ejercito japones es un crimen antietico de ultragran tamano que pisoteo las virtudes morales de la sociedad humana.
Cientos de miles de coreanas fueron arrestadas, secuestradas y plagiadas para ser llevadas a los campos de guerra, donde luego de ser violadas por turno fueron asesinadas cruelmente.
Este crimen monstruoso no podra ser olvidado aunque pasen miles y miles de anos.
Sin embargo, este pais isleno no hace reconocimiento ni reflexion de ello.
El caso de "consoladoras" es uno de los gravisimos crimenes que cometio Japon en el proceso de la guerra de agresion al continente.
La actitud de Japon sobre este crimen sirve de un cartabon para distinguir si quiere separarse del pasado para hacer una partida nueva o volver a precipitarse por el camino de la guerra de agresion.
Los reaccionarios japoneses niegan completamente su crimen en cuanto a "consoladoras", porque estan de conformidad con sus crimenes de guerra del pasado.
@De tolerar la negacion de Japon sobre los crimenes belicos es posible que este vuelva a acarrear una horrorosa catastrofe belica a Asia y el resto del mundo.
La negacion sobre dicho crimen antietico es un acto antihistorico que insulta la justicia e impide el desarrollo social.
Japon se equivoca al creer que con el transcurso del tiempo y con la sustitucion de las generaciones sus crimenes del pasado, en particular, el de "consoladoras", se pondran en el olvido de la historia y fuera de la memoria de la gente.