Solidarity with Palestinian people expressed
Pyongyang, November 29 (KCNA) -- Papers here today observe the "World Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People".
On this occasion the Korean people extend firm solidarity to the Palestinian people in their vigorous struggle for the recovery of their legitimate national right and the full settlement of the Palestinian issue, says Rodong Sinmun in a signed article. it continues:
The Palestinian people are waging a dynamic struggle for forcing the Israeli aggressors to withdraw from their territory and holy land to the last one and building an independent Palestinian state with Kuds as its capital.
The progressive people of the world have positively supported the principled stand and just demands of the Palestinian people, denouncing Israel's brutal murder.
The stand of the Korean people supporting the Palestinian people in their cause of justice still remains unchanged.
The Korean people will as always stand by the Palestinian people and join hands with them in the struggle for the victory in the cause of independence against imperialism.
Minju Joson in an article says that the just cause of the Palestinian people is sure to triumph thanks to the worldwide support.
New poems on torchlight of Ranam
Pyongyang, November 29 (KCNA) - Poets affiliated to the central committee of the Korean writers union have recently written over 20 poems dealing with the torchlight of Ranam lit in the DPRK in the new century.
Among them are poems "a torchlight for the new century," "for bringing earlier spring for a powerful and prosperous nation," "the torchlight of victory" and "may torchlight of Ranam flare up."
These poems praise the greatness and immortal exploits of leader Kim Jong Il who highly appreciated the revolutionary spirit and heroic feats displayed by the officials and workers of the Ranam coal mining machine complex and lit the torchlight for new creation and innovation.
They also include poems "we have also held high the torchlight of Ranam" and "Let's hold high the torchlight of Ranam" dealing with the revolutionary spirit and strong enthusiasm of the workers and farmers across the country all out to raise high the torchlight of Ranam.
Spokesman for DPRK Foreign Ministry assails U.S. evermore hostile attitude
Pyongyang, November 29 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of the DPRK yesterday gave answers to questions raised by KCNA as regards the U.S. evermore undisguised hostile attitude toward the DPRK.
Not content with the ceaseless mud-slinging at the DPRK over issues of "human rights", "religion", "biological and chemical weapons" and the like, the united states has recently linked the DPRK with terrorism and even raised the issue of "verifying the possible development of weapons of mass destruction" in a bid to bring pressure to bear upon it, the spokesman said, and went on:
This goes to prove that some forces in the United States, in fact, do not want the dialogue for the solution of the problems, though they are giving lip-service to the "resumption of dialogue with the DPRK without preconditions."
This compels the DPRK to follow their attitude with particular vigilance.
The DPRK has nothing to do with terrorism and has made every possible effort to combat it. Nevertheless, the U.S. is becoming all the more undisguised in its hostile policy toward the DPRK, keeping it on the list of "sponsors of terrorism".
It is quite nonsensical for the u.s. to talk about cooperation with the DPRK in its anti-terrorism operation after labeling the DPRK as a "sponsor of terrorism".
The building of the light water reactors due to be provided to the DPRK by the U.S. by 2003 under the 1994 agreed framework is being indefinitely delayed. The U.S. is unreasonably demanding the DPRK receive an "inspection" just as a thief turns on the master with a club, instead of feeling responsible for this and complying with the DPRK's just demand for the compensation for the loss of electricity.
All facts indicate that the prospect of the negotiated settlement of the issue has, in fact, become gloomy.
Under this situation the DPRK cannot sit idle but is left with no option but to take necessary counter-measures.
Korean history seen through pictures
Pyongyang, November 29 (KCNA) -- The Korean publications import and export company has recently published "Korean history seen through pictures", a 100-volumes cycle of picture books which has already seen 20 volumes off the press.
The homogeneous Korean nation boasts fine cultural traditions spanning its 5,000 years of history, but for ages the flunkeyist historians distorted or emasculated national history and foreign invaders destroyed or plundered a large stock of historical materials and relics. After Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule, under the wise guidance of the Workers' Party of Korea, Korean history was smoothed out into a proper system and a multitude of distortions or omissions were straightened out.
The pictorial cycle shows the course of history from the reign of Tangun (founder king of Korea's first state in the early 30th century bc) to the early 20th century, through superbly illustrated accounts of state-founding myths, great events, historical figures, the rise and fall of successive dynasties and episodes.
Its vocabulary and plots are so legible and instructive as to give an insight of 5,000-year-long Korean history.
It was compiled by Choe Hong Sik, a writer well versed in history, after years of information gathering and research, and illustrated by such famous merited artists as Cha Hyong Sam and Kim Yong Gwang.
The printing of the pictorial will be completed by April Juche 91 (2002).
Return of U.S. military base in S. Korea demanded
Pyongyang, November 29 (KCNA) -- Over 30 citizens organizations in South Korea including the green federation on Nov. 24 formed a headquarters of the movement for the return of the U.S. military base in Ryongsan and held a citizens' rally in front of the gate of the 8th U.S. army command in Ryongsan, Seoul, demanding the return of the U.S. military base, according to Seoul-based Radio No. 1.
The headquarters denounced the united states for breaking the promise of the return of the base in Ryongsan made in 1990 and excluding the issue of the return even from the agenda of the South Korea-U.S. "annual security consultative meeting," defying the people's demand.
Working people vow to raise high torchlight of Ranam
Pyongyang, November 29 (KCNA) -- More rallies were held in different parts of the country to vow to bring a new peak to production and construction holding high the torchlight of Ranam.
At the rallies workers of the Pyongyang Rubber Factory and the Pyongyang General Printing Plant and builders of North Hwanghae and South Hamgyong provinces participating in the Kaechon-lake Thaesong waterway project vowed to set high goals in the new century and carry out all work with persevering, enthusiastic and go ahead style and in a scrupulous manner just as the workers of Ranam did.
They said that they would step up the modernization of the equipment, computerize the production and management and put them on an it basis as early as possible.
Agricultural workers of the Jangsan co-op farm in Ryongchon county, North Phyongan Province, and the Mojong co-op Farm in Hyesan, Ryanggang Province, renewed their determination to carry out the party's policies of effecting a signal turn in potato farming and double-cropping by actively introducing high-yielding seeds to suit soil conditions and thus significantly boost the agricultural production.
Suppression of trade unions in S. Korea denounced abroad
Pyongyang, November 29 (KCNA) -- The Oslo Trade Union of Norway on November 20 sent a message of protest to the South Korean "embassy" in Oslo denouncing the South Korean authorities for suppressing trade unions.
Condemning the South Korean police for arresting Tan Pyong Ho, chairman of the South Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, and other unionists and brutally cracking down upon their strike and demonstration, the message noted that such actions are contrary to the international law on strike and demonstration and a serious violation of human rights and trade unions' rights.
It demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all the arrested unionists including Tan Pyong Ho, saying that the South Korean authorities' constant suppression of the trade union movement is a threat to the process of the democratization in South Korea.
Japan's smear campaign refuted
Pyongyang, November 29 (KCNA) -- The Korean Democratic Lawyers Association today released a statement condemning the right-wing reactionary organizations of Japan for holding the so-called "people's rally" in Tokyo some days ago to slander the DPRK over the issue of "suspected kidnapping."
The statement says:
We can not but take a serious view of the fuss about the "suspected kidnapping" kicked up in Japan as it is aimed at keeping the DPRK on the lists of "terrorists and sponsors of terrorism" and "violators of human rights" in a bid to isolate and stifle the dignified DPRK.
At the request of Japan the DPRK has so far made sincere efforts to find out "ordinary missing persons" who may exist in any country from a humanitarian point of view.
But there is no "missing person" meant by Japan. On the contrary, innumerable requests have been made by our people to let them know about the whereabouts of their family members who were kidnapped and taken away during the Japanese imperialists' occupation of Korea.
The reckless campaign in Japan is intended to awaken Japanese to damage allegedly done to them and thus shift the blame for the deadlocked DPRK-Japan talks onto the DPRK and, furthermore, dodge the just judgement to be meted out to Japan for its past crimes and go without apologizing to and compensating the Korean people for them.
If the issue of kidnapping is to be fairly settled, it is necessary to look into the whereabouts of over six million young and middle-aged Koreans Japan kidnapped and took away in broad daylight and nearly 200,000 Korean women it forced into sexual slavery from the "Meiji restoration" of Japan in 1868 to the period of its colonial military occupation of Korea.
Japan should not forget that it is the legitimate right of the DPRK, a victim, to get apology and compensation from it but bear in mind that the DPRK has the will and capability to exercise the right.
Before styling itself a "peaceloving state" Japan should know that it committed war crimes in the 20th century and remains the only enemy state in the world which greeted the 21st century without settling them.
The Korean Democratic Lawyers Association bitterly condemns the recent racket kicked up at the tacit connivance and manipulation of the Japanese authorities as an illegal act of mocking at the dignified DPRK and the world's justice and conscience.
Japan is well advised to face up to the trend of the times and act with discretion.
Greetings to prime minister of Barbados
Pyongyang, November 29 (KCNA) -- Hong Song Nam, premier of the DPRK cabinet, sent a message of greetings to Owen Arthur, prime minister of Barbados, on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of its independence.
The message extended warm congratulations to the prime minister and, through him, to the government and people of the country on this occasion.
Expressing the belief that the friendly and cooperative ties between the two countries would continue to develop on good terms, it wished the prime minister and people of Barbados success in their work for the country's prosperity.
Greetings to Romanian PM
Pyongyang, November 29 (KCNA) -- Hong Song Nam, premier of the DPRK cabinet, sent a message of greetings to Romanian prime minister Adrian Nastase on the occasion of its national day.
The message extended warm congratulations to him on the occasion and wished the Romanian people progress and prosperity.
Foreign minister of the DPRK Paek Nam Sun sent a similar message to his Romanian counterpart Mircea Dan Geoana.
Greetings to Romanian President
Pyongyang, November 29 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, today sent a message of greetings to Ion Iliescu, President of Romania, on the occasion of its national day.
Extending sincere congratulations to him on the occasion, the message wished the people of Romania peace, progress and prosperity.
Paek Nam Sun meets Mongolian ambassador
Pyongyang, November 29 (KCNA) -- DPRK minister of foreign affairs Paek Nam Sun today met and conversed with Janchivdorjyn Lombo, new Mongolian ambassador to the DPRK who paid a courtesy call on him.