Young soldiers take oath on Mt. Paektu

Pyongyang, August 26 (KCNA) -- Young soldiers of the Korean People's Army, who are on an excursion march to the Paektusan Secret Camp, climbed the top of Mt. Paektu, a holy mountain of revolution, on August 25. They held a meeting to make an oath of loyalty in front of the monument on Mt. Paektu. They renewed their firm determination to accomplish the revolutionary cause of Juche, always sharing weal and woe with the Supreme Commander Kim Jong Il at the head of the party, the state and the revolutionary armed forces. An anti-Japanese revolutionary fighter, Hwang Sun Hui, said the young servicemen should defend the Supreme Commander at the cost of their lives whatever storm may blow. Herein lies a sure guarantee for the victory of revolution and that is the tradition of faith and will, the revolutionary tradition of Mt. Paektu, she added. The soldiers loudly chanted such slogans as "human bombs" and "young vanguard" and recited poems reflecting the stamina and spirit of Mt. Paektu.

Project for rational use of energy completed

Pyongyang, August 26 (KCNA) -- The project for the rational use of energy with the assistance of the UNDP was completed on August 25. It will help to manage, use and plan local energy much better. Present at a ceremony held on the spot were officials concerned, Cheryl Hairston, assistant resident representative of the UNDP, and its member. Speeches were made before the participants went round the assistance project.

Hanchongryon delegates meet Ri In Mo

Pyongyang, August 26 (KCNA) -- South Korean students Kim Tae Won and Hwang Son On Tuesday met Ri In Mo, who has been known as the incarnation of faith and will. They are visiting the north of Korea as delegates of South Korea's Federation of University Student Councils (Hanchongryon) which represents the south headquarters of the national alliance of youth and students for the country's reunification. Saying they had a mind to meet Ri In Mo from the first day after their arrival, the delegates brought him the news of unconverted long-term prisoners in the south. They said that reading his note, they came to know about what made him fight out for reunification, keeping his principles even under the harsh persecution. On behalf of one million fellow students in the south, they made a vow to fight to the last for national reunification. Then, they left letters "We will live with strong faith."

Symposiums held to mark National Day

Pyongyang, August 26 (KCNA) -- Symposiums of the union of agricultural workers, educationists and pressmen took place here on Tuesday to mark the forthcoming 50th anniversary of the DPRK. The symposiums laid stress on the undying achievements of world-historic significance of President Kim Il Sung, who built a genuine state of people for the first time in human history of state building and developed it into a dignified and powerful, socialist state, independent in politics, self-supporting in economy and self-reliance in defence. Speakers at the symposium of the union of agricultural workers referred to the tireless efforts and leadership achievements the president made for the strengthening and development of the socialist rural communities. Educationists stressed that a new era of human education was opened and that the perfect and unique free education of Korean style has been developed under the flag of the Republic. Now all people are learning in the DPRK, they added. Pressmen elaborated on the historic feats of Kim Jong Il, who has wisely directed the media so that they could make a great contribution to propagandizing the greatness of the leader, realizing the dying of the whole society with one idea and enhancing the superiority and might of Korean socialism in all aspects.

Anniversary of International Friendship Exhibition marked

Pyongyang, August 26 (KCNA) -- Twenty years have passed since the International Friendship Exhibition was opened to the public. Its mission is to preserve and propagandize gifts President Kim Il Sung and Marshal Kim Jong Il received from party and state leaders and prominent personages of different countries. The Workers' Party of Korea Central Committee sent a congratulatory message to the officials and employees of the exhibition on the occasion of its 20th anniversary. The message said that the exhibition has contributed to propagandizing all over the world the immortal revolutionary feats and high international prestige of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il and to strengthening friendship and solidarity between the Korean people and the world's people, it added. On display are over 55,000 items out of gifts from party and state leaders, political and public figures, and revolutionary people of over 170 countries. Since its opening to the public on August 26, Juche 67 (1978) the exhibition has been visited by 1,705,000 Koreans at home and abroad and more than 200,000 foreigners. Kim Il Sung Order was awarded to the exhibition on the occasion of its 20th anniversary. A commemorative meeting was held on Tuesday.

S. Korean authorities urged to make clear their position

Pyongyang, August 26 (KCNA) -- The secretariat of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland recently issued an open questionnaire asking if the South Korean authorities want national reconciliation, unity and reunification. They take an unreasonable stand on the open questionnaire, saying that it was "inappropriate" and that they felt "regrettable" about it. They avoid answering it, says Rodong Sinmun today. The news analyst says: For turning inter-Korean relations into those of reconciliation and unity from those of hostility and confrontation and achieving the unity of the nation for reunification, the South Korean authorities should admit that their practice does not consort with their preaching and should give up anti-reunification stand and, to this end, they should make clear their position on the principled matters raised by us in the open questionnaire. They should not refuse to answer the open questionnaire, with unreasonable utterances, but answer it in any circumstances. It is an unavoidable question put by the whole nation. Whether they give a correct answer to it or not will show whether they truly want improved inter-Korean relations, reconciliation and reunification or not and whether they still seek anti-north, anti-reunification confrontation and war or not. They should get rid of a bad habit of letting out utterances without deliberating on a matter and be discreet. We will wait for their answer with patience.

Document on "comfort women for army" discovered

Pyongyang, August 26 (KCNA) -- A document on the Japanese imperialists' criminal relations with the "comfort women for the army" issue was recently discovered in the U.S., the South Korean paper Hangyore August 22 said. The document was made in may 1945. It says that Japanese imperialists took two Korean sisters surnamed Kim to Manila of Philippines to reduce them to sex slaves when they were 28 and 19. Those girls, as well as the Japanese soldiers, were taken prisoner after the U.S. troop landed in Philippines at the end of the Pacific War. The recently-discovered document is said to be made by pow camp authorities under the control of the U.S. Forces.

Japanese government urged to make state reparation

Pyongyang, August 26 (KCNA) -- A report of the 50th session of the UN subcommission on prevention of discrimination and protection of minorities described "comfort house" as "rape centre" and demanded that the Japanese government make a legal state reparation and punish those concerned, said a Japanese newspaper recently. The report noted that the government and army of Japan forced more than 200,000 women to serve as sex slaves at "rape centres" in the battlefields of Asia till the end of World War II and that these "rape centres" were often mentioned in enphemistic terms of "comfort houses." It is the duty of the United Nations to have Japan find out the survivors responsible for the "comfort houses" and prosecute them and to make sure that other countries, too, arrest criminals under their jurisdiction and prosecute them, the report said. It demanded that the Japanese government make a legal state reparation and punish those responsible.

Prelude to second Korean war

Pyongyang, August 26 (KCNA) -- The "Ulji Focus Lens" joint military exercise being staged throughout South Korea is a second "Team Spirit" joint military drill and a prelude to a second Korean War, says Rodong Sinmun today in an article. It is the first aim of the U.S. strategy of strength, its military strategy toward Asia at present, to put into practice the scenario of a second Korean War to stifle DPRK, the article says, and goes on: While giving a lip service to "dialogue," "detente" and "stability", the United States actually intends to launch a war of aggression. It, contrary to the DPRK-U.S. framework agreement, has amassed large task force on the Korean peninsula and mobilised huge operation forces in South Korea and overseas to stage "Ulji Focus Lens" exercise, leading the ceasefire between the DPRK and U.S. to a catastrophic war. If the United States ignites a second Korean War in disregard of lessons from the past Korean War and of our warnings, we will annihilate all the aggressors and successfully achieve the historic cause of national reunification with might and main.

3,270 minor power stations built

Pyongyang, August 26 (KCNA) -- Some 3,270 minor power stations have been built as of mid-August this year, so that tens of thousands of kilowatts of generating capacity has been created. About 20 cities and counties including Songgan and Janggang counties in Jagang Province, Taehongdan, Samjiyon and Pochon counties in Ryanggang Province, Hochon county in South Hamgyong Province and Anju in South Phyongan Province have constructed power stations to meet their demands for electricity by themselves. Songgan county in particular is supplying electricity for heating offices of over 30 organs and enterprises and operating some 20 local industrial factories at full capacity. It is also sending electricity of 4,000-8,000 kw to other counties. Pochon county has increased its generating capacity five times over the need, Taehongdan three times and Samjiyon 1.5 times.

Heavy damage in northern inland area

Pyongyang, August 26 (KCNA) -- The abnormal weather that recently hit Korea caused heavy damage in the northern inland area as well as in the plain area. Crops suffered heavy damage from the off-season large flakes of snow and frost that fell in some Ryanggang provincial areas 900 metres above sea levcl. On June 30 a heavy rain fell in Paekam and Unhung counties and on July 21 it hailed in Kapsan and Samsu counties. As a result, vast traces of arable land were destroyed and seeds of potato, barley and other crops had to be sown again. On July 3 a hail-storm and strong wind hit Jasong county, Jagang Province, causing damage to more than 620 hectares of arable land and destroying many dwelling houses and roads. Worse still, it hailed in the county on July 23. A piece of hail was 15 millimetres in diametre. The harvest of crops is expected to decrease drastically. Heavy damage is also reported from Yonsa and Musan counties of North Hamgyong Province, Pujon county of South Hamgyong Province and other areas. Tens of thousands of hectares of arable land recently suffered damage in the inland area. More than half of the harvest of maize, beans, potatoes, barley and other crops is expected to drop.

Korea-Yugoslavia agreement on investment

Pyongyang, August 26 (KCNA) -- An agreement on encouragement and protection of investment between the governments of the DPRK and Yugoslavia was signed here today. It was signed by Kim Pong Ik, vice-chairman of the external economic affairs commission, and Djukic Ljubomir, Yugoslav ambassador to Korea.