Pyongyang Declaration signed by 245 political parties
Pyongyang, July 30 (KCNA) -- Pyongyang Declaration "Let us defend and advance the cause of socialism" was signed by the Egyptian National Progressive Unionist Party, the Nasser Arab Democratic Party and the Unified Communist Party of Italy.
This brought the number of those political parties which signed the declaration to 245 on July 28.
48 leaders of 70 political parties and representatives of those political parties which aspire after socialism adopted the declaration in Pyongyang on April 20, Juche 81 (1992) representing a firm will to defend and advance the cause of socialism.
Letter to trade unions of Japan
Pyongyang, July 30 (KCNA) -- The central committee of the General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea and central committees of its affiliated trade unions, including the central committee of the Korean Metal, Machine, Mining and Power Trade Union, sent a letter on July 28 to the central and local trade unions of Japan in connection with the desperate efforts of the Japanese government to avoid honest liquidation of the past.
The Japanese government should show a sincere attitude to liquidate the past crimes clearly before the world people as soon as possible as Germany did, the letter said, and noted:
This is the only way of liquidating the unsavory past between the DPRK and Japan and becoming close to each other, not remaining distant from each other though they are neighbors.
The letter expressed the expectation that the conscientious trade unions of Japan which uphold justice would spare no efforts to urge the Japanese government to give up its impudent hostile policy toward the DPRK and liquidate the crime-woven past honestly.
Indomitable revolutionary fighter Kang Pan Sok
Pyongyang, July 30 (KCNA) -- July 31 is the 67th anniversary of death of indomitable revolutionary fighter Kang Pan Sok.
On this occasion, people from all walks of life and working people are streaming to the Chilgol Revolutionary Site, where she was born and spent her childhood.
She was an ardent revolutionary fighter who devoted herself to the liberation of the country and women's emancipation and an outstanding leader of the Korean women's movement who started the Korean communist women's movement.
She formed the Anti-Japanese Women's Association, the first communist women's political organization in Korea, in 1926 under the guidance and help of the President Kim Il Sung. And she rallied broad masses of women around the organization and led them to the struggle for national independence and social emancipation.
She participated in the secret revolutionary group of communists organized by the President in 1928 and conducted energetic activities.
In particular, she devoted herself to the preparations for the anti-Japanese armed struggle made by young Korean communists under the guidance of the President in the early 1930s.
She passed away in 1932.
There are her grave and bust in Mangyongdae, which is associated with her life and exploits, and her statue was erected and historic relics are preserved at the Chilgol Revolutionary Site.
There are also Kang Pan Sok Revolutionary School and Kang Pan Sok Senior Middle School.
Books and songs representing her revolutionary career and exploits, including book "Kang Pan Sok, Mother of Korea," have been published and disseminated and theatrical pieces and feature films produced.
South Korea's opening markets to Japanese goods condemned
Pyongyang, July 30 (KCNA) - A spokesman of the National Democratic Front of South Korea made public a statement on July 24 denouncing the South Korean ruling quarters for opening markets to Japanese goods, according to Seoul-based radio Voice of National Salvation.
The present "government" of South Korea sold off Tok Islet and rich fishing grounds to Japs and lifted the ban on the import of Japanese goods, leaving the South Korean economy to the tender mercy of Japanese monopoly capital, the statement said, and went on:
The Japanese have not yet made an apology and compensation for their past crimes against the Korean nation and people but are watching for a chance to realise their ambition for the restoration of their colonial rule over the whole of the Korean peninsula.
The successive rulers of South Korea committed pro-American, pro-Japanese treacheries for greed of power, but none of them left the land lock, stock and barrel to the tender mercy of the outside forces as Kim Dae Jung did.
It is a foolish act that the Kim Dae Jung group is fawning upon the outside forces in a bid to tide over the crisis of their rule on the verge of collapse and save the bankrupt colonial contract economy.
As long as such a traitor as Kim Dae Jung remains in power, South Korea cannot get rid of economic bankruptcy and the lot of colonial slavery.
The Kim Dae Jung group should apologize to all the people for its treacheries, immediately withdraw the step for opening markets, South Korea-Japan fisheries accord and all other illegal pacts concluded with the Japanese reactionaries and step down at once.
Japan's transport of plutonium
Pyongyang, July 30 (KCNA) -- The news of the Japanese reactionaries' transport of plutonium through sea off Pusan is stirring up great indignation among people of all walks of life in South Korea.
The secretary general of the Environmental Movement Federation in South Korea demanded that Japan stop at once its attempt to transport plutonium through sea off Pusan warning that the federation will wage a widespread struggle to check the transport if it proceeds.
Members of the federation held a rally in front of the Japanese embassy, denouncing Japan, the kingdom of plutonium, for transporting nuclear materials.
Meanwhile, the Council of Pusan Civic Movement Organizations and the "National Fishermen Federation" held a protest struggle in front of the Japanese consulate on July 22, of angry with bringing transport ships carrying plutonium.
The organizations vowed to wage a joint struggle not only with the organizations in South Korea but also with the international environmental organizations in order to check Japan's transport of plutonium.
Friendly gathering with Chinese delegation
Pyongyang, July 30 (KCNA) -- A friendly gathering with members of the visiting delegation of Beijing Middle School no. 5 took place at Tongpyongyang Senior Middle School no. 1 on July 29.
Invited there were members of the delegation of Beijing Middle School no. 5 led by its deputy principal Li Yuan and cultural councilor of the Chinese embassy here Feng Zhiyuan.
Present there were Hong Son Ok, vice-chairwoman of the Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries and vice-chairwoman of the central committee of the Korea-China Friendship Association, and officials concerned, teachers and pupils of the school.
Participants looked round the "Mao Zedong Class", "friendship room" and various other laboratories of the school and appreciated the performance given by the art circle of the school.
Then they deepened the friendly feelings, talking with each other.
Cuban embassy officials participate in friendly labour
Pyongyang, July 30 (KCNA) -- Cuban ambassador to Korea Jose Manuel Inclan Embade and embassy officials on Thursday did friendly labour at the Korea-Cuba Friendship Factory in the month of solidarity with the Cuban people.
They deepened the feelings of friendship, working, enjoying sports and amusement games and talking with factory employees.
Over 140 cases of aerial espionage registered
Pyongyang, July 30 (KCNA) -- The U.S. aggressors have committed over 140 cases of aerial espionage against the DPRK with the mobilization of strategic and tactical reconnaissance planes on different missions in July, according to a military source.
This month witnessed more than 40 cases of U.S. aerial espionage through strategic reconnaissance planes, electronic warfare helicopters, anti-submarine patrol planes and AWACS.
On July 20, 21 and 28, seven "RC-12", "RC-7B" and "RF-4C" tactical reconnaissance planes and on July 26 10 planes of the same types repeatedly hovered over the frontline areas along the military demarcation line day and night and spied on major objects of the DPRK.
CPLA's founding anniversary observed
Pyongyang, July 30 (KCNA) -- A meeting of servicemen was held on Thursday at Kim Hyong Jik University of military medicine on the occasion of the 72nd founding anniversary of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (CPLA).
Invited to the meeting were Chinese ambassador to DPRK Wan Yongxiang, military attach Yan Jiangfeng and embassy officials.
Speeches were made there.
After the meeting the participants saw a Chinese documentary film.
Prior to the meeting the Chinese guests laid bouquets and made bows before the statue of Kim Hyong Jik in the university.
KCNA on reckless move to revive Cold War
Pyongyang, July 30 (KCNA) -- The U.S. Defense Department reportedly announced on July 27 that the United States and Japan are jointly pushing ahead with the development of technologies of the "inter-continental missile defense system."
A recent issue of the American defense week, too, reported that the United States and Japan agreed to go ahead with the development of technologies to deter missile strike by launching interceptor missiles from warships.
The facts glaringly reveal that the political and military adventure started by the United States a few years ago for the development and deployment of the "TMD" system has reached an ever more reckless phase of implementation.
This move can never be tolerated, as it is a reckless one intended to spark off a new arms race and expand its scope to revive a Cold War worldwide, including the Asia-pacific region.
Never can it go unnoticed that the United States and Japan have invented such a trite and shameless pretext as the "missile threat from North Korea" in an attempt to conceal such a criminal scheme.
It is preposterous for the United States projecting itself as the world's "sole superpower" and Japan meeting huge military expenditure to become a military power to insist that they are putting spurs to arms buildup amounting to astronomical figures and going to establish the "inter-continental missile defence system" on the plea of the non-existent "threat" from such a small divided country as the DPRK.
Underlying such a move is their ulterior intention to unleash a new anti-north war on the Korean peninsula to build a bridgehead for the execution of the U.S. strategy for world supremacy and, through this, to take a military technological upper-hand to contain and overpower the major powers in the Asia-pacific region the United States and Japan are well advised to stop despicable outcries over the "missile threat" and arms race, mindful that their wild ambition, that poses a big threat to the security of our planet and peace of mankind, will eventually lead to their shameful destruction.
Abrogation of "NSL" urged in S. Korea
Pyongyang, July 30 (KCNA) -- The spokesman for the Measure Committee to Abolish the "National Security Law" (NSL) of South Korea made public a statement on Thursday as regards religious, civic and human rights organizations' struggle for the abrogation of the "NSL" in South Korea.
In South Korea the Catholic Priests' Solidarity for Abrogation of the "NSL" was recently formed involving 32 religious organizations, including the South Korean Catholic Priests' Council for Justice, and an across-South Korea pilgrimage group of the "National Alliance for Democracy and Reunification" for abrogation of the "NSL" is conducting signature campaign and propaganda activities for the repeal of the "law."
The statement describes the massive struggle for the repeal of the "law" as righteous and just one for bringing about a turning phase of democratization of South Korean society and national reunification, and expresses full support for it.
With the "NSL" left intact, no one can expect democratization of South Korean society and national reunification, the cherished desire of the fellow countrymen, the statement stresses, adding:
So, the fascist law must not be amended, but be completely abolished.
Anniv. of promulgation of law on sex equality observed
Pyongyang, July 30 (KCNA) -- it is a great joy and pride of the worker's party and people of Korea to have a huge army of excellent women revolutionaries who are powerfully rolling one of the two wheels of revolution, upholding the leadership of the party and the leader with loyalty, stresses Rodong Sinmun today in its editorial dedicated to the 53rd anniversary of the promulgation of the law on sex equality.
The President Kim Il Sung promulgated the law on July 30, Juche 35 (1946).
The daily says:
The promulgation of the law was a great historic event which fundamentally changed social position of the Korean women and their destiny.
The President put forward long ago the idea that women were a force powerful enough to roll one of the two wheels of revolution and worked hard for the development of women's movement.
The movement of the Korean women started and led to victory by the President makes a new great headway under the tested leadership of General Secretary Kim Jong Il.
He has clearly indicated the road ahead of the movement in keeping with the development in depth of the revolution and construction and led the women to remain boundlessly loyal to the leadership of the party.
His leadership was very instrumental in enabling the Korean women to fully carry out their mission of rolling one of the two wheels of revolution.
The Korean women fully displayed their noble ideological and moral traits in hard-fought decades of revolution, the daily says, adding:
The fatherland will always remember their indomitable struggle and unnoticed efforts for building a powerful nation without the slightest vacillation even in face of immeasurable difficulties.
In Korea women are proudly called as flowers of loyalty, flowers of patriotism and flowers of society.
The paper calls upon all the women to display once again their revolutionary spirit and resourcefulness by powerfully accelerating the second grand Chollima march to bring about great changes in the construction of a powerful nation under the leadership of the great party.
Revolutionary operas - eternal treasures of human arts
Pyongyang, July 30 (KCNA) -- The five revolutionary operas of Korea are monumental masterpieces that heralded a new era in the opera art.
Those "Sea of Blood"-style revolutionary operas have evoked lively repercussions not only from the Korean people but the world's progressives, because they represented the need of the times and the aspiration of the popular masses.
At the end of last year, too, the Mansudae Art Troupe of Korea performed the revolutionary opera "the Flower Girl" more than 20 times in China, fully demonstrating its great vitality.
Korea's five revolutionary operas were created under the energetic guidance of General Secretary Kim Jong Il.
In September Juche 58 (1969), he put forward a task to do away with the long-standing obsolete style in operas and create instead modern and popular opera art revolutionary in its content and national in its style.
While guiding the creation of the revolutionary opera "Sea of blood", adapted from the immortal classic masterpiece "Sea of Blood", he personally helped the creators and artistes perfect each part of the opera, including the libretto, directing, acting and stage decor, etc.
The stanzaic songs, wide introduction of Pangchang (off-stage song) and dances, three-dimensional stage decor based on Juche-oriented orchestral music and Korean paintings, an uninterrupted process of opera acts and scenes -- all these methods of representation introduced into the "Sea of Blood" are unique in the creation of operas.
The creation of the revolutionary opera "Sea of Blood" marked a turning point in ushering in a new era of opera art.
The creation of the "Sea of Blood" was followed by that of the "Sea of Blood"-style revolutionary operas "the Flower Girl", "a True Daughter of the Party", "Tell the Story, Forest" and "Song of Mt. Kumgang".
The creation of those five revolutionary operas, quite different from the previous ones in their content and style in less than two years marked an astonishing event unprecedented in the history of the operas.
For their high ideological and artistic value, the operas gripped the hearts of the people.
This is well illustrated by the fact that those operas have been presented in Korea and many other countries of the world 5,300 times over the last 28 years since the revolutionary opera the "Sea of Blood" raised its first curtain.
"The Flower Girl" was performed 280 times in 40 countries including China, Russia, Cuba, Italy and Japan.
These operas are becoming more popular as days go by.
KCNA on S. Korea's planned purchase of "new type" missiles
Pyongyang, July 30 (KCNA) -- The South Korean authorities reportedly decided to purchase over 100 new type missiles from the United States.
The South Korean "Ministry of National Defense" asserted that with this number of missiles it can "attack" the "missile" bases in the north as well as long-range artillery in the area near the Military Demarcation Line in case of emergency.
This is an intolerable and most dangerous military move for confrontation with the DPRK as it should be unanimously denounced by the fellow countrymen.
It is as clear as noonday that the purchase will bring serious consequences of further increasing tensions and creating a touch-and-go situation on the Korean peninsula.
The DPRK's launch of satellite is aimed at scientific research for the peaceful use of space and it, therefore, does not pose any threat to anybody.
Inspire of this the warmongers are contemplating the purchase of new type missiles to "attack" the DPRK's "missile" bases, insisting in a far-fetched manner that the DPRK's launch of satellite is a missile launch. Now how can we remain a passive onlooker to this development?
There are already over 1,000 nuclear weapons and many patriot missiles in South Korea. Not content with this, they are going to purchase highly efficient new type missiles to pose a great threat to the DPRK.
The South Korean warmongers' planned purchase of missiles is nothing but a foolish attempt to make a forestalling attack on the DPRK's "missile bases" and, furthermore, to contain the DPRK by force of arms.
The South Korean warhawks' threat to attack the DPRK's missile bases came at a time when the Japanese reactionaries are attempting to strike at its missile launching base.
This compels the people and People's Army of Korea to vow to take a thousand-fold retaliation against the enemy.
It is the DPRK's will and resolution to return attack for the enemy's attack and to destroy him at a stroke.
The South Korean warmongers are well advised to behave with discretion, clearly mindful of this, and drop at once their reckless plan to purchase missiles.
"Forced March of Great Marshal" published
Pyongyang, July 30 (KCNA) -- The Kum Song Youth Press Group recently brought out the book "Forced March of Great Marshal" authored by Yon Hyong Muk.
The book contains memorable stories about historic on-site guidance of General Secretary Kim Jong Il to Jagang Province from January to October, Juche 87 (1998).
The book consists of 3 parts -- "To give full play to 'Kanggye spirit' across country," "Flame kindled in Huichon" and "Rousing Jagang to action again" -- including 50 reminiscences and of the fixed column carrying anecdotes.
The first part deals with the fact that Kim Jong Il visited Jagang Province in January, Juche 87 (1998) in the teeth of snowstorms in the northern land, highly praised the workers there for their unbounded loyalty for the party and the leader and their revolutionary spirit of self-reliance and fortitude and led so wisely that the "Kanggye spirit" and "work method of Jagang people" pervaded the country.
The second part touches upon his on-site guidance to several factories and enterprises in Huichon city in June last year, making a new breakthrough in developing the machine-building industry, giving the workers there the main key to the final victory and thus providing reliable springboard from which to build a powerful nation.
The third part deals with historical facts that he again visited Jagang Province in October, Juche 87 (1998) and put forward the workers and people of the province as a vanguard in building a powerful nation.
Anecdotes in the book deal like a legend with the warmest love for people and matchless outstanding virtue of Kim Jong Il.
Japan urged to mind its own business
Pyongyang, July 30 (KCNA) -- Minju Joson today in a signed commentary lashes out at the harangue made by Japan at a "forum" on nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament it hosted, urging some countries to respond to nuclear disarmament.
This is no more than a ruse of the Japanese reactionaries to conceal their moves for developing nuclear weapons and diverting elsewhere the world's attention, the commentary observes.
Recalling that the Japanese reactionaries have systematically pushed ahead with the nuclear weaponization under the signboard of the nominal "three non-nuclear principles," the commentary goes on:
It is the unanimous opinion of experts that Japan can emerge a nuclear power any moment it pleases and its nuclear potential is at the world's highest level.
No matter how noisily Japan may call for nuclear disarmament, with a hue and cry over someone's "nuclear issue" and "missile issue", no one will lend an ear to it.
Who will believe "nuclear non-proliferation" on the lips of Japan which is busy shipping nuclear fuel from across oceans?
The Japanese reactionaries are well advised not to waste efforts for no reason but stop shipping plutonium at once and discontinue their moves for nuclear weaponization.
Japan had better mind its own business.
Greetings to Vanuatu President
Pyongyang, July 30 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, today sent a message of greetings to father John Bani, President of the Republic of Vanuatu, on the occasion of the 19th anniversary of its independence.
The message expressed the belief that the friendly relations between the two countries would further expand and develop in the future and sincerely wished the president and people of Vanuatu greater success in their work for the country's prosperity.
Greetings to first deputy prime minister of Kuwait
Pyongyang, July 30 (KCNA) -- Paek Nam Sun, Foreign Minister of the DPRK, sent a message of greetings to Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Jaber upon his reappointment as first deputy prime minister and Foreign Minister of Kuwait.
The message extended warm congratulations to him and wished him success in his responsible work.
Gift to Kim Jong Il from Chinese delegation
Pyongyang, July 30 (KCNA) - General Secretary Kim Jong Il received a gift from a delegation of the Liaoning provincial committee of the Communist Party of China on a visit to Korea.
Wen Shizhen, head of the delegation who is a member of the central committee of the CPC and secretary of its Liaoning provincial committee, handed the gift to an official concerned.
Kim Yong Nam meets Chinese delegation
Pyongyang, July 30 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, member of the political bureau of the Central Committee of the Worker's Party of Korea and President of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, met and had a friendly talk with a delegation of the Liaoning provincial committee of the Communist Party of China led by Wen Shizhen, member of the CPC central committee and secretary of its Liaoning provincial party committee, at the Mansudae Assembly Hall today.
Present there were Choe Jin Su, vice-department director of the WPK Central Committee , and Wan Yongxiang, Chinese ambassador E. P. to the DPRK.
The head of the delegation said at the meeting that the blood-sealed Sino-DPRK friendship was forged by the President Kim Il Sung and chairman Mao Zedong and other veteran leaders of China.
To strengthen and develop this friendship is the desire of the peoples of the two countries as well as the progressives of Asia and the world, he said.
He hoped that the Korean people united close around General Secretary Kim Jong Il would achieve greater success in their struggle to build a powerful socialist nation in the revolutionary spirit of self-reliance and fortitude.
Violation of human rights in "ROK army" disclosed
Pyongyang, July 30 (KCNA) -- The propaganda department of the central committee of the National Democratic Front of South Korea issued an indictment on July 21, disclosing ruthless violation of human rights in the "ROK army," Seoul-based radio Voice of National Salvation said.
The indictment brought to light the facts that the successive dictators of South Korea conscripted a large number of patriotic students and brutally tortured and killed them. It continued:
The forcible conscription of progressive patriotic students began in 1971 under the Park Chung-Hee dictatorship. It became all the more undisguised under the military dictatorial government of the "fifth and sixth republics." Over 20,000 patriotic students were forcibly conscripted in one year of 1981 by Chun Doo Hwan.
The authorities separated them from other conscripts and treated them like criminals, putting them to brutal torture and death. Nearly 2,000 students have been killed since 1980.
Over 1,500 youth and students were brutally punished on charges of the "case of illegal organization".
The present barracks of the "ROK army" are the Oswiecim concentration camp of South Korean version, a medieval slaughter house where progressive and patriotic youth and students were brutally tortured and killed.
It is in the "ROK army" in which human rights violation is licensed.
Human rights violation in the army is becoming all the more undisguised.
A death toll in the army alone by assault and physical torture which are encouraged under the pretext of "establishing military discipline" has stood at over 1,000 every year since 1995, or three cases on a daily average.
The physical torture in "ROK army" includes the "Ppanppara" that forces one in shorts only stand on one foot with arms spread in the midnight of cold winter, "Ongdalsaem torture" that induces one to break ice and jump into stream water, and "frog catch" that makes one lick an ordure box and cesspool, with one's hands behind one's back.
Unable to bear human rights abuses in the army, many soldiers suicide or deserted barracks.
According to an official publication by the "Ministry of National Defence," over 8,900 soldiers, nearly one division strong, were killed in accidents in the army for 16 years from 1980 to 1995. Most of them died because of violence and suicide.
9,339 soldiers deserted barracks from 1993 to august of 1998 and 70 percent of them fell victim to harsh violation of human rights in the army.
The criminal acts of the successive dictatorial groups can never be pardoned. The Kim Dae Jung group should open to the public all the brutal slaughter in the army and stop criminal military violence and human rights violation immediately.