Plenary meetings of youth and women's organizations
Pyongyang, January 23 (KCNA) -- The 21st plenary meeting of the c.c., the Kim Il Sung Socialist Youth League and the 36th plenary meeting of the c.c., the Korean Democratic Women's Union were held here on Monday.
The meetings discussed the tasks facing the youth league and the women's union to carry through the tasks laid down in the joint New Year editorial of Rodong Sinmun, Josoninmingun and Chongnyonjonwi "Let's open our way through the new century in the spirit of the victorious 'arduous march' "
Kim Jong Il's birthday to be celebrated abroad
Pyongyang, January 23 (KCNA) -- Preparatory committees were formed in India, Bulgaria and Malta to celebrate the birthday of leader Kim Jong Il which will fall on February 16.
It was decided at their inaugural meetings to conduct colorful events to mark the February holiday.
The meeting of inaugurating the Indian national preparatory committee called upon the peaceloving people of the world to significantly celebrate the birthday as a common holiday.
Rodong Sinmun on ever-lasting DPRK-PRC friendship
Pyongyang, January 23 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today editorially hails leader Kim Jong Il's successful visit to the People's Republic of China (PRC).
It says:
Kim Jong Il's historic china visit offered a momentous opportunity of consolidating and developing the friendly DPRK-PRC relations and it will greatly contribute to ensuring peace and security in Asia and the world.
His visit was successful thanks to the special care and cordial hospitality accorded to him by the central committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council of the PRC and President Jiang Zemin.
At the talks, the leaders of the two parties and two countries informed each other of the situation in their countries and exchanged views on the issue of further developing the bilateral relations and on major international issues of common concern and reached a consensus of views on them.
They agreed to make positive efforts to further consolidate and develop the long-standing traditional DPRK-PRC friendship and put the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries onto a higher level.
The peoples of the two countries have long consolidated their friendship and solidarity despite ordeals and difficulties.
It is invariable wishes of the two parties and the two peoples to see the friendship steadily growing strong in the 21st century, too, as in the last century. The two leaders at their meetings and talks reclarified their will to further consolidate the bilateral relations to bring about a bright future through the new century.
The Chinese people are working hard to achieve stability and unity of the society and build socialism with Chinese characteristics under the leadership of the CPC and China's international position is rising ever higher.
We sincerely hope everything will go well in China.
The steady growth of the DPRK-PRC friendship is conducive to pushing forward the revolution and construction in the two countries and achieving their prosperity and progress.
Rodong Sinmun on attitude toward joint declaration
Pyongyang, January 23 (KCNA) -- Attitude toward the June 15 north-south joint declaration adopted last year is a touchstone that distinguishes between reunification and division, stressed Rodong Sinmun on Monday in a signed article.
It is because the joint declaration is a landmark indicating the way of reunification, the article said, and went on:
The declaration explicitly clarified that the reunification of Korea should be realized independently by the united efforts of the nation responsible for it.
It lays a groundwork for the north and the south to work together for the country's reunification with a common way and goal for it for the first time since the division of the nation. It calls for preserving common denominators between the north-proposed low-level federation and the south-proposed confederation and reunifying the country by means of federacy in the future.
In the joint declaration both sides agreed to solve the humanitarian issues as soon as possible and develop cooperation and exchange in the economic, social, cultural, sports, health care, environmental and all other spheres.
This is an essential prerequisite for creating an atmosphere of national harmony and unity and promoting national reunification.
It is also because the joint declaration is demonstrating its great vitality in practice as a declaration on the independent reunification of the nation.
After its publication the relations between the north and the south of Korea are shifting from antagonism and confrontation to a new relationship of reconciliation and cooperation. Under this situation the attitude toward the joint declaration is a touchstone that shows who truly wants reunification or not.
U.S. urged to apologize for mass killings
Pyongyang, January 23 (KCNA) -- The U.S. authorities have made an announcement distorting the truth behind the massacres committed by GIs in Rogun-ri during the last Korean War.
In this regard, the south headquarters of the National Alliance of Youth and Students for the Country's Reunification (Pomchonghakryon) and the South Korean Federation of University Student Councils (Hanchongryon) reportedly released statements on January 12 and 13 blasting this announcement.
The south headquarters of Pomchonghakryon said in a statement that the GIs' killings of civilians were committed in a deliberate and premeditated manner, not by accident.
The United States should make an apology and compensation for the massacres of civilians committed in the Korean peninsula and punish those responsible for them, the statement urged.
Hanchongryon in a statement expressed surging anger at the U.S. announcement. And it demanded that activities be done again from the start for a thoroughgoing probe into the Rogun-ri incident, an apology and reparation for it and punishment of those responsible for it.
We will struggle united around the nationwide special committee for investigation into the truth behind the GIs' mass killings until the thoroughgoing probe into the case is made and the criminals punished at the war crimes tribunal.
U.S. army "report on investigation results" rejected
Pyongyang, January 23 (KCNA) -- A group of American lawyers declared that it would take a legal action against the U.S. government, branding the U.S. Department of the Army's "report on results of investigation" into the mass killings committed by GIs in Rogun-ri as "quite unacceptable," Seoul-based Yonhap News said.
Based on news releases, the group charged that the U.S. Department of the Army in its report shifts the blame for the mass killings onto soldiers and junior officers.
Urging the U.S. Department of the Army to make an official apology and urgent compensation for the massacres, it declared that those survivors would fight against the U.S. army until their demands are met.
Power station built in Pakistan with DPRK aid
Pyongyang, January 23 (KCNA) -- A power station was built in Kashmir Province, Pakistan with the aid of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
Present at a commissioning ceremony held on Jan. 12 were Sultan Mahumud Chowddhry, prime minister of the Kashmir provincial government, and people of different social standings, the Korean ambassador to Pakistan and Korean technicians.
Speakers at the ceremony said that the power station would greatly promote the development of the regional economy and culture and be a symbol of Pakistan-Korea friendship.
The provincial people will always remember the sincere aid of the Korean people, they noted.
Kim Yong Nam meets Cuban ambassador
Pyongyang, January 23 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, met and had a talk with Jose Manuel Inclan Embade, Cuban ambassador to the DPRK, who paid a farewell visit to him at the Mansudae Assembly Hall today.
Present there was vice-minister of foreign affairs Kung Sok Ung.