Kim Jong Il inspects foodstuff factory

    Pyongyang, July 20 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Il, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and Chairman of the DPRK National Defense Commission, visited the Sakju Foodstuff Factory in North Phyongan Province on Friday. Going round this new factory, leader Kim Jong Il learned in detail about its construction and production.
    He noted that the officials, workers and technicians of the factory have built all its production processes perfectly in keeping with scientific and technological requirements and established the best cultured practice in production through creative brainstorming and persevering efforts. He highly praised them for having built such a modern foodstuff factory which would win the admiration of posterity.
    The factory should keep its production going on a high rate to give a substantial help to the people in Sakju County in their living, he said, advancing highly important tasks that would serve as a guideline in operating the factory.
    Noting that modern basic foodstuff factories built in different parts of the country even under the very difficult conditions in recent years are paying off profusely, he said: a signal change will take place in our people's diet when the planned construction of similar factories is finished while operating the existing factories in full capacity.
    The key to putting the production of basic foodstuff on a normal track is to satisfactorily solve the problem of soya bean and other raw materials, he said, indicating ways to do so.
    He also set forth tasks to be fulfilled to keep the production at the existing foodstuff bases go at the high rate while increasing the production of basic foodstuffs.
    Recalling that president Kim Il Sung, who devoted all his life to the people's happiness, saw to it that many foodstuff production bases such as foodstuff and cornstarch factories were built in every part of the country for them, he earnestly called for providing the people with a better life as soon as possible.
    Accompanying him were secretaries of the WPK Central Committee Kim Kuk Thae and Kim Ki Nam and others.


Apology of U.S. President urged in S. Korea

    Pyongyang, July 20 (KCNA) -- The juvenile measure committee for probe into the killing of schoolgirls by the U.S. armored car held a memorial ceremony of youth and children, urging an open apology of the U.S. president and punishment of those involved in the case. After the ceremony, the participants thronged the main entrance of the second division of the U.S. forces and let a paper plane carrying their demands as regards the recent murder fly into the area of barracks.
    On July 17 the committee held an event for "youth and children's day of action" in the plaza of Uijongbu Railway Station, Kyonggi Province, with the participation of more than 400 persons.
    The committee is made up of juvenile organizations in south Korea.


Brisk international signature campaign

   Pyongyang, July 20 (KCNA) -- A brisk international signature campaign is going on to support the June 15 Inter-Korean Joint Declaration and demand the immediate withdrawal of the U.S. troops from south Korea. In the period from June 12 to 26 the signature paper was inked by the vice-minister of information who is also vice-chairman of Radio Cairo in Egypt, members of the National Leadership of the Union of Jurists on behalf of 12,000 unionists in Cuba, the Chairman of the Romania-DPRK Friendship Association on behalf of over 8,000 members and people from all walks of life, the First Vice-chairman of the Russian Peace Funds' International Association on behalf of 3,820 members, the First Vice-chairman of the Russian Association of Solidarity and Cooperation with Asian and African People and the Secretary General of the Russian Association of Friendship and Cultural Cooperation with the DPRK.
    Meanwhile, in its signature paper on June 24 the National Chairman of the Nigerian Youth Consultative Assembly on behalf of 16 million members expressed full support for the joint declaration and demanded the U.S. troops go out of south Korea at once so that the Korean nation can solve its problem by itself free from interference of outside forces.


Anti-U.S. solidarity rally held in S. Korea

    Pyongyang, July 20 (KCNA) -- Citizens reportedly met in the plaza of Kwanghwamun, Seoul, on July 16 to hold the 34th anti-U.S. solidarity rally. At the rally father Mun Jong Hyon and other personages called for vigorously conducting a campaign for urging the GIs' renunciation of criminal jurisdiction and driving the U.S. forces out of south Korea.
    Protest letters addressed to bush and the U.S. ambassador in Seoul were read out at the rally before they were thrust to the U.S. embassy by the representatives.
    Attending the rally were members of the People's Action for the Revision of the South Korea-U.S. "Status of Forces Agreement", the joint measure committee for retaking the U.S. military bases in our land, the council for national reconciliation and independent reunification, the headquarters of the all-people movement for the withdrawal of the U.S. troops and other organizations and students of the Seoul district federation of university student councils, over 200 all told.


Choe Thae Bok meets Chinese delegation

   Pyongyang, July 20 (KCNA) -- Choe Thae Bok, alternate member of the Political Bureau and Secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, yesterday met the delegation of the International Liaison Department of the C.C., the Communist Party of China led by its deputy head Cai Wu. Noting that the friendship between the two parties, two countries and two peoples was provided by the preceding leaders, the head of the delegation said this China-DPRK friendship is growing stronger under the deep care of Jiang Zemin and General Secretary Kim Jong Il.
    During its stay the delegation could see the achievements made by the Korean people in socialist construction under the leadership of the WPK headed by Kim Jong Il, he said, adding: we believe that the Korean people firmly united around Kim Jong Il will achieve greater success in the efforts to build a powerful nation and reunify the country.


Citizens' special group for investigation into GIs' crime formed in S. Korea

    Pyongyang, July 20 (KCNA) -- The all-people measure committee for probe into the case of Sin Hyo Sun and Sim Mi Son, schoolgirls, killed by U.S. armored car reportedly called a press conference in front of the U.S. embassy in Seoul on July 16 as regards the all-people signature campaign that involved 100,000 citizens and the inauguration of a "citizens' special investigation group for trying the GI killers at the south Korean court". Mun Jong Hyon, permanent representative of the People's Action for the Revision of the South Korea-U.S. "Status of Forces Agreement", said it is not the first time that GIs committed such crimes as killing schoolgirls. The south Korean people will no longer overlook such crimes but surely wrest an apology from Bush, he declared.
    The formation of the investigation group was declared at the end of the speeches.
    A press release read out at the press conference referred to the desperate efforts of the U.S. forces to gloss over the case and informed its participants that 100,000 citizens joined in the one million-signature campaign in just 20 days after it was launched by the all-people measure committee.
    The press release expressed its determination to continue the vigorous struggle until such demands as probe into the truth about the case, punishment of those responsible for the murder, an official apology of Bush and the transfer of the U.S. forces' criminal jurisdiction are met.
    At the end of the conference, the committee intended to convey the signature paper inked by 100,000 people to the U.S. embassy, but its attempt was blocked by the police.


S. Korean people's struggle for independence against U.S. called for

    Pyongyang, July 20 (KCNA) -- The best option for the south Korean people to have their vital rights guaranteed is to come out in a struggle to put an end to the U.S. imperialist aggressor forces' presence in south Korea. They should turn out as one in the struggle for independence against the U.S. Rodong Sinmun today urges this in a signed article.
    It goes on:
    The deplorable reality of south Korea calls upon the people to turn out in a nation-wide struggle to force the U.S. imperialists to go back home across the ocean so as to give vent to their towering resentment and grudge against the aggressors.
    The south Korean people should never allow the U.S. imperialist aggressors to infringe upon the national dignity and self-respect and make a mockery of and insult to them.
    They should be true to the national principle and firmly stand against the aggressors with high national dignity and self-respect so that they may not look down upon our nation.
    U.S. imperialism is no means a formidable existence and has lived out its days. When the nation gets united, any barbarous aggressors are bound to yield to it. If the south Koreans turn out in the struggle with this faith, they can teach a lesson to the aggressors and bind them hand and foot.
    The south Korean people should turn out in the struggle for independence against the U.S. with the conviction of victory and the will to win back the national dignity and sovereignty and self-respect violated by the aggressors.


KCNA on Japan Defense Agency's report

    Pyongyang, July 20 (KCNA) -- The Japan Defense Agency issued a report on July 12 reflecting its plan to integrate the three services of its "Self-Defense Forces" (SDF). The report disclosed that the plan was aimed to establish a unified control and command over "mobile SDF" including its overseas dispatch to disaster-stricken areas and un peace-keeping operations.
    The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff will exercise supreme rights of command over the armed forces as a military adviser to the prime minister and the director general of the Defense Agency who hold the prerogatives of supreme command over the forces.
    This attempt of Japan only reflects the Japanese bellicose forces' reckless design to reorganize its military system to serve the purpose of its policy and thus develop the SDF into regular armed forces in a bid to emerge a military giant in the new century.
    Japan has already rounded off its war preparations in political, military, economic and legal aspects. What remains to be done is to establish a strict control and command system to realize its ambition to become a military power.
    The SDF's recent plan only goes to prove what a reckless phase Japan's moves to become a military power have reached.
    The SDF is no longer different from regular armed forces in its nature.
    It has all the components of huge and modern armed forces as it is equipped with large-size, sophisticated and long-range military hardware, with its annual defense budget reaching 50 billion us dollars.
    It is an open secret that Japan has the second biggest aggression forces in the western world only next to the U.S. forces.
    If Japan, no more listed as a war criminal state and not bound to the peace constitution, launches military actions anywhere in the world after establishing a new military system, our planet will not escape from a scourge of another war.
    It is a historical lesson that aggression and war will only bring destruction to the war criminal state.
    Japan will never be able to escape self-destruction, if it goes ahead with militarization and launches reinvasion, oblivious of this historical lesson.


Greetings to Colombian president

    Pyongyang, July 20 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, today sent a message of greetings to Colombian President Andres Pastrana Arango on the occasion of its independence day, the national day of Colombia. The message extended warm congratulations to the president, government and people of Colombia on the occasion.
    Expressing belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would grow stronger and develop, the message sincerely wished the president great success in his work for the prosperity of the country.


Congratulations to prime minister and foreign minister of Peru

    Pyongyang, July 20 (KCNA) -- Hong Song Nam, Premier of the DPRK Cabinet, sent a message to Luis Solari de la Fuente warmly congratulating him on his appointment as Prime Minister of Peru. The message wished him great success in his responsible work for the prosperity of the country.
    Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun sent a message to Allan Wagner Tizon congratulating him upon his appointment as Minister of Foreign Affairs of Peru.


KEDO delegation leaves

    Pyongyang, July 20 (KCNA) -- The delegation of the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO) left here today by air after participating in the expert-level negotiations for the implementation of the agreement on the provision of light water reactors between the DPRK and the KEDO.



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