Anniversary of Newspaper Saenal Observed
Pyongyang, January 14 (KCNA) -- A national meeting was held at the Central Youth Hall Monday to mark the 80th anniversary of the foundation of the Newspaper Saenal by President Kim Il Sung.
Present there were Secretaries of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea Choe Thae Bok and Kim Jung Rin, anti-Japanese revolutionary fighters, leading officials, journalists and editors of media, officials of the Kim Il Sung Socialist Youth League and school youth and children.
The first revolutionary newspaper named Saenal made its appearance in the world on Jan. 15, Juche 17 (1928) thanks to the energetic efforts and guidance of the President.
Kim Jung Rin in a report said that the foundation of the newspaper was a solemn declaration to the world of the birth of a revolutionary newspaper of Juche-type serving the popular masses in their cause for independence, a new-type publication quite different from preceding ones. This provided strong historic roots of revolutionary publications in Korea, he noted, adding:
The President published various Juche-oriented publications including Bolshevik, Nongu, Samil Wolgan, Sogwang, Cholhyol and Jongsori on the basis of a wealth of experience gained in leading the Newspaper Saenal, dynamically promoting the historic cause of national liberation and establishing a brilliant tradition of publications of the WPK.
The noble exploits the President performed by building media of Juche-type are successfully defended thanks to Kim Jong Il.
Kim Jong Il saw to it that the lifeline of the first newspaper published in the crucible of the anti-Japanese revolution has been carried forward generation after generation. He thus made it possible for the media of the WPK to advance along the orbit of Juche with the revolutionary traditions of the anti-Japanese struggle as a lifeline no matter how much water may flow under the bridge and how frequently generations may change.
He called on all mediapersons to produce more articles and programs stirring the reality and encouraging the people to create new things and perform exploits and thus contribute to promoting the general offensive for building an economic power.
Congratulations to President of Guatemala
Pyongyang, January 14 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, Monday sent a congratulatory message to Albaro Colom upon his election as President of Guatemala.
Expressing the belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the DPRK and Guatemala would grow strong in the interests of the peoples of the two countries, Kim in the message sincerely wished the president in his responsible work for the prosperity of the country and the well-being of the people.
Socio-Political Activities of Students Brisk in DPRK
Pyongyang, January 14 (KCNA) -- University and college students across the country have been conducting brisk socio-political activities, availing themselves of their vacation.
Those of Kim Il Sung University, Kim Chaek University of Technology and other universities and colleges in Pyongyang went to the Pyongyang Thermal-power Complex to explain the contents of the joint New Year editorial and the importance of increased production of electric power in building an economic power and help workers busy doing their work. And they have conducted such economic agitation activities as playing of wind instrument music, congratulatory broadcasting and frontline-style agitation on the route of workers coming to work and at working sites, thus helping the complex increase the output of electric power.
Students of Pyongyang University of Railways conducted political and economic agitation activities at different units of railway transport including the Jongju Locomotive Service Brigade and the Kim Jong Thae Electric Locomotive Plant while repairing and improving the roadbeds of railways and thus contributed to railway transportation.
Those of Hamhung University of Chemical Engineering, Nampho University of Medicine, Kim Je Won Haeju University of Agriculture, O Jung Hup Chongjin University of Education No. 1 and other universities and colleges went to the units of vanguard sectors of the national economy and cooperative farm fields busy with preparations for new year's farming in their residential quarters to wage agitation activities in diverse forms and ways. And they offered the aid materials carrying their sincerity, bringing into full play the zeal of working people in the new year's economic drive.
Glow over Kangson Heralded Chollima Era
Pyongyang, January 14 (KCNA) -- "Make the glow over Kangson, the glow of self-reliance, with which our country has been turned into the power of Juche in the spirit of galloping Chollima, spread all over the country". (Chollima means a legendary winged horse that runs 400 kilometers a day.)
This is the unanimous sentiments of the Korean people who have vigorously turned out in a general offensive this year for carrying into practice the grand plan of the Workers' Party of Korea to fling open in 2012 the gate to a great, prosperous and powerful nation without fail.
The glow over Kangson, the vital power of which is the harmonious whole formed between the leader and the people, opened up the Chollima era in which epoch-making miracles were wrought in socialist construction.
President Kim Il Sung visited the then Kangson Steel Plant in December Juche 45 (1956), when conditions were so harsh at home and abroad. He earnestly told the workers there:
We believe only in the working class, the main force of the revolution. If you produce 10,000 tons more of steel next year, it will greatly help the country. The President's warm love of and deep trust in the working class spread the red glow of creation and innovation over the sky of Kangson.
The workers of Kangson Steel Plant rushed ahead at the speed of Chollima, shattering conservatism and passivism, thus working the miracle of producing 120,000 tons of steel at a bloom rolling mill with a capacity of 60,000 tons. The spark of innovation that flew up in Kangson sent a leaping flame of the grand general march of Chollima spreading all over the country.
In the days of the great revolutionary upswing, the furnacemen of the then Kim Chaek Iron Works turned out 270,000 tons of pig iron at a furnace which had been said to produce no more than 190,000 tons and truck producers built the first trial product in a matter of 40 days.
Meanwhile, builders in Pyongyang erected apartment houses for 20,000 families with materials, fund and manpower for 7,000 families and railway builders laid in two months and a half the railway line between Haeju and Hasong which had been expected to take three or four years. Similar world-startling successes were reported from all the fields of socialist construction.
The great power of the harmonious whole in which the leader believed in his people, and vice versa turned the DPRK, which the U.S. imperialists said would not rise up even in 100 years, into a socialist power independent, self-sustaining and self-reliant in national defense.
The Korean people will glorify this year as a year of historical turn to be chronicled in the history of the country by making the glow over Kangson spread all over the country.
Sports Activities Brisk in DPRK
Pyongyang, January 14 (KCNA) -- Officials and working people from all walks of life in the DPRK conducted dynamic popular sports activities on Sunday, the first day of sports this year.
In Pyongyang there were the collective running of officials from ministries and national institutions and matches in Taekwon-Do, volleyball and other events of officials and workers of industrial establishments including the Pyongyang Thermal-power Complex and the Kim Jong Thae Electric Locomotive Plant.
Forced march, tug of war, defence sports and other sporting events took place in different provinces including Jagang Province, South Phyongan Province and South Hamgyong Province.
All Koreans Called upon to Remain True to Spirit of "By Our Nation Itself"
Pyongyang, January 14 (KCNA) -- The present times call upon all Koreans responsible for the cause of national reunification to turn out as one in the sacred movement for reunification and patriotism.
Rodong Sinmun Monday observes this in a signed article.
It goes on:
The Korean nation has conditions and strength enough to perform its role as a driving force for national reunification.
Korea still remains divided into the north and the south due to outside forces. But the time-honored history, brilliant cultural tradition and noble soul of the nation which have been handed down for five thousand years are cherished by the Koreans as this fact serves as a mainstay of strong mental power for carving out the independent destiny of the nation.
The Korean nation is a dignified nation as it has ushered in a new era of independent reunification despite challenges and vicious obstructions on the part of outside forces. The historic June 15 joint declaration is a banner of independent reunification as it provides the Korean nation with a milestone of national reunification and encourages all the countrymen in the north and the south and abroad to unite as one under the banner of national reunification.
The adoption of the October 4 Declaration for Development of the North-South Relations and Peace and Prosperity, an action program for implementing the June 15 joint declaration, last year marked an event of special mention as it brought about a bright prospect of national reunification.
The reality in which Koreans witness a rosy prospect of the movement for national reunification has provided them with an environment favorable for increasing the role as a driving force for settling national issues. It proves that they can surely make a new history of independent reunification and peace and prosperity by themselves.
The might of unity represents that of the driving force and the unity of all Koreans provides a sure guarantee for achieving independent reunification and peace and prosperity.
All Koreans, whether they live in the north and the south or abroad, have a noble national mission to unite close, putting overriding importance to their great cause irrespective of classes and social strata, in order to accomplish the cause of national reunification.
Only when all Koreans struggle in unity in the spirit of "By our nation itself" can they settle without difficulty any problem arising in achieving national reunification.
Japanese Reactionaries' Reckless Military Moves under Fire
Pyongyang, January 14 (KCNA) -- The Japan Defence Ministry is mulling over the dispatch of a liaison officer to the U.S. air force command in Hawaii. It is the revelation of Japan's criminal scenario to realize its wild ambition for military reinvasion of Korea and Asia in close cooperation with the U.S.
Rodong Sinmun Monday observes this in a signed commentary.
It goes on:
The Japanese reactionaries are bringing to light their reinvasion scenario, raising a hue and cry over someone's "missile threat" from the outset of the new year.
The Aegis destroyer "Kongo" of the Maritime "Self-Defence Force" is now deployed at Sasebo base after conducting the first test of intercepting a ballistic missile in waters off Hawaii on Jan. 4. Timing to coincide with this, the ministry announced a plan to increase the number of Aegis destroyers capable of intercepting missiles to four in the future.
The Japanese military's deployment of the above-said warship in Sasebo base close to the Korean Peninsula is a very disturbing military measure.
The above-said military move is part of the preparations to carry out a military operation for preemptive attack on the DPRK in every sense. This dangerous military move can never be overlooked as the above-said warship has been deployed in the military base for aggression against the DPRK under the pretext of "missile interception".
The Japanese reactionaries have gone beyond the tolerance limit in their moves for reinvasion. Japan is now escalating its moves for reinvasion in a premeditated manner.
The frantic moves of Japan to start a war are as foolish an act as precipitating its own destruction as they gravely threaten and disturb peace and security in Northeast Asia and the rest of the world.
The DPRK will never remain a passive onlooker to the above-said reckless moves of the Japanese reactionaries.
Unity of Progressive Forces Urged in S. Korea
Pyongyang, January 14 (KCNA) -- Representatives of the Solidarity for Progress of south Korea and other civic and public organizations in south Korea reportedly held a meeting in Seoul on Jan. 8 to call for unity of the progressive forces.
Speakers at the meeting noted that last year great progress was made in the struggle for the independent national reunification with the historic south-north summit and the adoption of the October 4 declaration. They stressed the need to conduct vigorous struggle with fresh determination this year to build a new society where popular masses become its masters.
Saying that victory comes from unity, they called upon the progressive camp to unite and make 2008 a year of renovation and big leap.
They declared that they would strengthen the Solidarity for Progress of south Korea and, united around the solidarity, conduct a more vigorous struggle to frustrate the moves of the sycophantic traitorous forces for tightening the "alliance" with the U.S. and their neo-liberalist policy and suppression of the people.
Day of Sun and February 16 to Be Commemorated in Russia
Pyongyang, January 14 (KCNA) -- A preparatory committee of Russian public circles for commemorating the Day of the Sun and February 16 was formed in Moscow on January 9.
Vladimir Tolstikov, chairman of the Russian Association for Friendship and Cultural Cooperation with the DPRK, was elected chairman of the preparatory committee.
The preparatory committee consisted of 17 personages from various circles, including Dmitri Yazov, minister of Defence of the former Soviet Union, Sazhi Umalatova, chairperson of the Party for Peace and Unity of Russia, and Oleg Shenin, chairman of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.
The committee decided to hold such colorful functions as meeting, seminar, photo exhibition and film show on the occasions of the Day of the Sun and February 16.
Joint New Year Editorial of DPRK Disseminated in India
Pyongyang, January 14 (KCNA) -- A reading session and a lecture on the joint New Year editorial of the DPRK were held on January 7 by the Indian Youth Group for the Study of Works of Comrade Kim Il Sung and the Indian Intellectuals' Society for the Study of the Juche Idea.
Balzor Singh Chauhan, chairman of the group, said at the reading session that the people of the DPRK achieved the great victories and successes in all fields last year, adding that all these are brilliant fruition of Kim Jong Il's outstanding strategy and tactics and his iron will and tireless leadership.
Saying that this year will mark the 60th anniversary of the DPRK, he stressed that the foundation of the DPRK by President Kim Il Sung was a historic event which made the Korean people an independent and mighty revolutionary people and ushered in the building of a socialist state centered on the masses.
In the DPRK the dignity and might of the country has risen to the highest level and a heyday of prosperity and grandeur unprecedented in the national history has been ushered in by dint of Kim Jong Il's Songun politics, he said.
V. K. Chopra, chairman of the society, in the lecture said that the people of the DPRK are launching a dynamic movement for national reunification holding high the slogan "Open up a new era of independent reunification and peace and prosperity by pooling the efforts of our nation!" And he stressed that the reunification of Korea will be realized in the near future without fail.
Cause of Korean People Supported in Congo and India
Pyongyang, January 14 (KCNA) -- The Congolese Socialist Party and the Congolese National Committee for the Study of the Juche Idea held a joint meeting for fully supporting the cause of the Korean people in Brazzaville on January 3 on the occasion of the New Year Juche 97 (2008).
Speeches were made and the general secretary of the party released a statement at the meeting.
The general secretary in the statement wholeheartedly wished that Kim Jong Il would enjoy good health and achieve greater success in his work in the new year.
In the new year, too, the Congolese Socialist Party will render active support to the struggle of the Korean people to accelerate the building of a great prosperous powerful nation, defend the peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and realize national reunification in keeping with the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration, he stressed.
A congratulatory message to Kim Jong Il was adopted at the meeting.
Meanwhile, the Indian Institute for Foreign Policy Studies, and other public organizations made public a joint statement on January 7 in support of the joint New Year editorial of the DPRK.
The statement said that the joint editorial published by leading newspapers of the DPRK on the occasion of the new year carries the determination and will of the Workers' Party of Korea to fling open the door to a great prosperous powerful nation in 2012 marking the 100th birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung without fail by fully demonstrating the political and ideological might, accelerating the building of an economic power and improving the standard of people's living.
Stressing the importance to achieve lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula implement to the letter the October 4 Declaration for Development of North-South Relations and Peace and Prosperity, the statement said: To this end, a stop should be put to the U.S. hostile policy toward the DPRK, the Armistice Agreement be replaced with a peace accord, and the joint military exercises and arms-buildup for aggression be checked and the U.S. military bases dismantled in south Korea.
Rendering full support and solidarity to the Korean people in their efforts to carry out the tasks set forth in the joint New Year editorial, we wish them greater successes in all fields in the new year, too, the statement said.
Meeting of Activists of Chongryon Held
Pyongyang, January 14 (KCNA) -- A meeting of activists of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon) was held at the Korean Cultural Hall in Tokyo on Jan. 11 to vow to bring about a decisive turn in the patriotic work of Chongryon in Juche 97 (2008).
So Man Sul, chairman of the Central Standing Committee of Chongryon, in his report at the meeting stressed the need for Chongryon to bring about a decisive turn in the patriotic work true to the idea and intention of Kim Jong Il to glorify this year as a year of historic turn. This is the goal Chongryon should achieve this year without fail, he said, adding:
It is the top priority task to be fulfilled by Chongryon in its work this year to strengthen its organizations at all levels and consolidate the single-minded unity of its officials by keeping pace with the grand general advance of the people in the homeland.
The movement to invite Koreans to come to the fold of Chongryon called for at the 21st congress of Chongryon is the master key to pushing forward the patriotic movement of Chongryon in the new century. All the officials and activists of Chongryon should wage the above-said movement as an all-compatriots work in sky-high spirit this year.
The Chongryon officials should thoroughly implement the October 4 declaration, an action program for putting the June 15 joint declaration into practice in all fields, and actively join compatriots in the north and the south and abroad in the nationwide struggle for independent reunification, peace and prosperity of the country.
Chongryon will carry on their strenuous actions to force the Japanese authorities to lift sanctions against the DPRK including the embargo on the ship "Mangyonbong-92" and denounce the Japanese right-wing reactionaries' suppression of Chongryon and compatriots and firmly defend Chongryon.
Speeches were made there.
A letter to Kim Jong Il was adopted at the meeting.
Joint New Year Editorial Hailed by Chongryon Officials
Pyongyang, January 14 (KCNA) -- Leading officials of central organizations of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon) separately released statements in support of the joint New Year editorial on Jan. 10.
O Jae Se, managing director of the Permanent Council of the Korean Federation of Workers in Commerce in Japan, said that all the officials and workers of Korean commerce organizations will make a peculiar contribution to the drive now under way in the homeland to build a great prosperous powerful nation and regard it as the goal of a genuine life to work hard for the reunification and prosperity of the country as overseas citizens of the DPRK.
Kang Chu Ryon, chairwoman of the Central Standing Committee of the Korean Democratic Women's Union in Japan, said that every paragraph of the joint New Year editorial fully reflects the firm faith and will of Kim Jong Il to add luster to the exploits of President Kim Il Sung who worked his heart and soul for the prosperity of the country and the nation and people's happiness only all his life.
Ku Tae Sok, chairman of the Central Standing Committee of the Union of Korean Teachers and School Clerks in Japan, stressed that the educational officials will steadily conduct the work to defend national education and further develop it with the honor of being directly responsible for education this year marking the 60th anniversary of the April 24 struggle for education and thus successfully train students into pillars for building a reunified country.
Kim Jong Su, chairman of the Central Standing Committee of the Union of Korean Writers and Artists in Japan, declared that the members of the union would conduct peculiar activities for creating literary works on the theme of reunification calling upon all the compatriots in Japan to turn out in the nationwide struggle for independent reunification, peace and prosperity of the homeland holding aloft the banner of "By our nation itself."
For Spanish-speaking people
Kim Yong Nam felicita a Alvaro Colom
Pyongyang, 14 de enero (ATCC) -- El presidente del Presidium de la Asamblea Popular Suprema de la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea, Kim Yong Nam, envio el dia 14 un mensaje de felicitacion al electo presidente de la Republica de Guatemala, Alvaro Colom.
El remitente expresa su conviccion de que las relaciones de amistad y cooperacion entre Corea y Guatemala se ampliaran y se desarrollaran conforme a los intereses de los pueblos de ambos paises y desea de todo corazon al destinatario los exitos en su labor responsable para la prosperidad del pais y el bienestar del pueblo.
Rodong Sinmun comenta nuevas medidas militares de Japon
Pyongyang, 14 de enero (ATCC) -- Partiendo de su intento criminal de pasar a la nueva agresion militar contra Corea y el resto de Asia en estrecha cooperacion con Estados Unidos, el Ministerio de Defensa de Japon planea tener un oficial de enlace en la comandancia de las fuerzas aereas norteamericanas en Hawai.
Asi comienza el diario Rodong Sinmun en un comentario individual divulgado este lunes y continua:
Desde el comienzo del ano nuevo, los reaccionarios japoneses exhiben abiertamente tal intento hablando con bombo y platillo de la supuesta "amenaza de misiles" de alguna parte.
El pasado dia 4, la cupula militar de Japon emplazo en la base de Sasebo el buque de guerra "Kongo" de tipo "Aegis" de sus "fuerzas navales de autodefensa", que ha realizado la primera prueba de interceptacion de misiles balisticos en el mar frente a Hawai. Al mismo tiempo, se publico el plan del Ministerio de Defensa de aumentar a cuatro en lo adelante el numero de las naves tipo Aegis dotadas de misiles interceptores.
Resulta una medida militar muy sospechosa el emplazamiento de dicho buque en la base de Sasebo, desde donde se divisa la Peninsula Coreana, bajo el pretexto de la "interceptacion de misiles".
Especificamente, forma parte de los preparativos de la operacion militar para atacar preventivamente a la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea.
Las maniobras para la nueva agresion de los reaccionarios japoneses ya sobrepasan su limite y se impulsan premeditadamente con tendencia a la intensificacion gradual.
Esa locura militar de Japon que acarrea el nubarron de guerra es un acto criminal que amenaza y perturba gravemente la paz y seguridad del Nordeste Asiatico y el resto del mundo, siendo una estupidez que busca su autodestruccion.
La RPDC nunca estara con brazos cruzados ante esas frivolas acciones de los reaccionarios japoneses.
Esplendido futuro llama a coreanos a la unidad y reunificacion
Pyongyang, 14 de enero (ATCC) -- La epoca actual llama a la nacion coreana, que es sujeto de la causa de reunificacion de la patria, a la sagrada lucha patriotica por la reunificacion.
Asi senala el diario Rodong Sinmun en un articulo individual del dia 14 y continua:
La nacion coreana tiene la condicion y fuerza para jugar satisfactoriamente el rol de sujeto de la reunificacion de la patria.
Corea esta dividida en el Norte y el Sur por las fuerzas extranjeras, pero tiene la larga historia y tradicion de cultura excelente de cinco milenios y el noble espiritu nacional, que sirven de base de la fuerte capacidad espiritual para forjar el destino independiente de la nacion.
La coreana es la digna nacion que ha abierto la nueva epoca de reunificacion independiente rechazando los desafios y las siniestras maniobras obstructoras de las fuerzas extranjeras. La historica Declaracion Conjunta del 15 de Junio marco un jalon de reunificacion de la patria para la nacion coreana y es la bandera de la reunificacion independiente que aglutino en un haz a los coreanos del Norte, el Sur y en ultramar.
En el ano pasado se aprobo la Declaracion del 4 de Octubre para el Desarrollo de las Relaciones Norte-Sur, la Paz y la Prosperidad que es el programa practico para materializar la Declaracion Conjunta del 15 de Junio. Esto es un evento de particular importancia que hace mas halaguena la perspectiva de la reunificacion de la patria.
La realidad de hoy en que se abre el vasto horizonte del movimiento por la reunificacion de la patria ofrece la circunstancia favorable para que la nacion coreana cumpla con mas satisfaccion el papel de sujeto de la solucion del problema nacional y da prueba de que la nacion coreana puede crear con toda seguridad y por cuenta propia la nueva historia de la reunificacion independiente, la paz y la prosperidad.
El poderio del sujeto es el poderio de la unidad, y en la unidad de toda la nacion reside la firme garantia para lograr la reunificacion independiente, la paz y la prosperidad.
Los coreanos, no importa donde residen en el Norte o el Sur de Corea o ultramar y a que clases o estratos pertenezcan, deben unirse compactamente a favor de la gran obra nacional para cumplir el noble deber de la reunificacion de la patria.
Cuando toda la nacion luche unida segun el espiritu de "Entre nosotros, los connacionales", no habra problema insoluble ni obstaculo insuperable en la solucion del problema de la reunificacion.
Actividades deportivas masivas dedicadas al "Dia de Deportes"
Pyongyang, 14 de enero (ATCC) -- Con motivo del primer "Dia de Deportes" del ano nuevo, los funcionarios y trabajadores de distintos estratos de todo el pais desarrollaron el dia 13 las actividades deportivas masivas.
@En Pyongyang tuvieron lugar una carrera colectiva de funcionarios de los ministerios y organos centrales y las competencias de diversas disciplinas como taekwon-do y voleibol de los funcionarios y trabajadores del Complejo Termoelectrico de Pyongyang, la Fabrica de Locomotoras Electricas Kim Jong Thae y otras fabricas y empresas.
@En las provincias de Jagang, de Phyong-an del Sur, de Hamgyong del Sur, etc., se desarrollaron la competencia de marcha forzada en grupo, la lucha de la cuerda, los juegos de defensa nacional y otros torneos deportivos.