Faith in Socialism and Scientific World Outlook

     Pyongyang, February 27 (KCNA) -- It is the steadfast conviction of the Korean army and people that nothing can block the advance of history to independence and socialism and socialism will surely win victory. Rodong Sinmun Sunday says this in a signed article. The true features of the Korean people forming integrity with socialism are the brilliant fruition of the outstanding ideological and theoretical activities of leader Kim Jong Il and his wise leadership, the article notes, and goes on:
    Socialism is a society in which the independent nature of man, the popular masses, is embodied. This is a Juche-oriented theory on the inevitability of victory which was uniquely clarified by Kim Jong Il.
    Socialist society based on collectivism is the most advanced society conforming with the independent nature of man as it is the way of man's existence to live in the social collective and man's demand for independence can be creditably met through collectivism.
    The scientific accuracy, truth of socialism is fully proved in the practice of our revolution today. The Korean people are now building socialism under more difficult conditions than others. However, the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) has always closely united the popular masses around itself and the leader organizationally and ideologically, strengthened the driving force of the revolution and enhanced its role as demanded by the Juche idea, thus successfully hewing out the way of victory of socialism. The Party has placed the work of remolding man and his idea above all other work, strengthened the political and ideological might of our revolution in every way and firmly consolidated national economic power and self-reliant military power so as to push ahead with the revolution and the construction even under the complicated situation.
    Our army and people are now vigorously advancing toward a high goal of building a great prosperous powerful nation, keeping in mind Korean-style socialism as invariable truth and dauntless faith. Our way is the justest one and our socialist system is the best -- This is the scientific faith the Korean people have always kept in their mind in any storm.
    The Korean army and people will resolutely advance along the socialist way of Juche in any storm and stress, bearing in mind the revolutionary outlook on the world that it is victory to defend socialism and death to give it up.

Special Write-up on Internet Homepage in Russia

     Pyongyang, February 27 (KCNA) -- The Russian Youth Association for the Study of the Juche Idea newly opened the columns of the leadership of the DPRK, news, Juche philosophy, Songun policy, national reunification, national economy, cultural development and association's activities in its Internet homepage "Juche. Ru" on the occasion of leader Kim Jong Il's birthday, Feb.16. Posted on the homepage were a portrait of Kim Jong Il, his brief biography and celebrations of February 16 in the column of the leadership of the DPRK and the Feb. 10 statement of the DPRK Foreign Ministry in the news column.
    An article titled "Juche and Songun are the lifeline of the DPRK" was edited in the column of Juche philosophy, an article titled "Songun policy" explaining the essence and vitality of the policy in the column of Songun policy and articles introducing the proposal for founding the Democratic Federal Republic of Koryo in the column of national reunification.
    The homepage carried photos showing the development of the DPRK under the titles "Days of turning" and "Unity as firm as rock" with explanatory notes and poem "Juche" in columns of the national economy, cultural development and association's activities.

DPRK Foreign Ministry Statement Supported in Britain

     Pyongyang, February 27 (KCNA) -- The British Association for the Study of Songun Policy, the British Group for the Study of the Juche Idea and the British Association for Independence and Unity made public a joint statement on Feb. 20 in support of the Feb. 10 statement of the DPRK Foreign Ministry. The DPRK announcement of suspension of its participation in the six-party talks for an indefinite period is a heavy blow to the U.S. imperialists and their stooges who have resorted to all sorts of machinations to stifle the DPRK, the statement said, adding that the announcement is the result of the Songun revolutionary line and clairvoyant leadership ability of leader Kim Jong Il.
    The statement supported the DPRK in making nuclear weapons by itself in defense of its independence and people-centered socialism. It denounced the U.S. imperialists for terming the DPRK an "outpost of tyranny".
    The statement expressed the belief that the DPRK will certainly emerge victorious in confrontation with the U.S. imperialists thanks to its Songun policy.

U.S. Aggressors Hit for Environmental Pollution

     Pyongyang, February 27 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the Central Committee of the DPRK Natural Conservation Union in a statement on Feb. 26 bitterly denounced the U.S. imperialist aggressors for their terrible environmental pollution devastating the southern land of Korea in the name of the entire Korean nation. The U.S. built its aggressive military bases, drill grounds, bombing grounds and firing ranges in scenic spots and mountains of south Korea and seriously damaged the ecological environment by discharging all sorts of oil and noxious substances at random, while resorting to frantic moves for a war against the north for the last six decades, the statement said, and went on:
    The U.S. is now planning to build its military bases in other regions of south Korea to expand the environmentally polluted areas under the signboard of "the transfer of the U.S. military base" and "relocation of the U.S. forces".
    The materialization of the U.S. plan would reduce the whole land of south Korea to a living hell where natural and ecological environment would be severely polluted.
    The south Korean people from all walks of life should turn out as one in the just and sacred anti-American struggle for the dismantlement of the U.S. military bases and withdrawal of the U.S. imperialist aggression troops from south Korea, bearing in mind that the issue of the U.S. military bases in south Korea is that relating to their life and death and the future of the Korean nation.
    Availing ourselves of this opportunity, we call on the international organizations for environmental preservation to wage an international drive for dismantling the U.S. military bases in south Korea and forcing the U.S. troops out of south Korea, clearly understanding the truth behind the criminal environmental pollution of south Korea by the U.S. troops.

Japan's Dangerous Attempt at Preemptive Attack under Fire

     Pyongyang, February 27 (KCNA) -- Japan's recent move to purchase Tomahawk cruise missiles and revise the "law of Self-Defense Forces" under the pretext of intercepting ballistic missiles is not for "defence" but for a preemptive attack and it is a dangerous military move which runs counter to the present constitution prohibiting a war. A news analyst of Rodong Sinmun Sunday says this.
    The Japanese militarists are working hard to round off their preparations for military overseas expansion by formulating and legislating it as Japan's military action for self-defense to revise the law of SDF under the pretext of interception and make a preemptive attack on its surrounding countries and massively purchasing and deploying such cruise missiles, latest offensive weapons, the commentary says, and goes on:
    The Japanese reactionaries give top priority to a preemptive attack on the DPRK in its moves for military overseas expansion.
    The SDF's main combat forces are deployed in the areas west of Japan near the Korean Peninsula.
    The Japanese reactionaries have already deeply touched the nerves of the DPRK by making rash remarks that the centre of north Korea should be attacked and Japan is entitled to fight a war against north Korea. They are now intending to put this in practice. The Japanese militarists' claim to Tok Islet is, in actuality, a move for comeback to Korea. They are aggravating the issue of territorial disputes with China and Russia by persistently asserting that Diao Yu Island of China belongs to Japan and they should retake four islands in the Kurils of Russia.
    This can not but be a dangerous move straining the regional situation. It is not difficult to guess what consequences will be entailed in case they take the road of overseas aggression in collusion with the U.S. in the area where powerful military potentials have been amassed.
    The army and people of the DPRK are watching with high vigilance the Japanese militarists' hostility against the DPRK and their moves to reinvade it.

Title of Honorary Citizen, City Medal and Gift Presented to Kim Jong Il

     Pyongyang, February 26 (KCNA) -- Leader Kim Jong Il was presented with the title of honorary citizen, city medal and a gift by Callao City, Peru, on the occasion of his birthday. A ceremony of conveying a certificate and medal of honorary citizen, city medal and gift was held in the city office on Feb. 24.
    Present there were the mayor of the city and other officials of the city office. Present on invitation were the DPRK ambassador e.p. to Peru and staff members of the embassy there.
    Alexander Kouri Boumachar, mayor of Callao, handed them to the DPRK ambassador at the ceremony.
    It is a great honor for us to register Kim Jong Il, chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK, as an honorary citizen of the city on the occasion of his birthday, the mayor said, and continued:
    It is thanks to the wise leadership of Kim Jong Il that the DPRK has gripped the hearts of the world people as a people-centred country with strong independence.
    The title of honorary citizen reflects the citizens' deep respect for him who spares nothing for the people, always placing their interests above anything else.
    We have prepared a gift for him representing the citizens' strong admiration for him. The mayor sincerely wished him good health for the happiness of the Korean people, the reunification of the Korean Peninsula and global peace and progress.

National Seminar on Juche Idea Held in Thailand

     Pyongyang, February 26 (KCNA) -- A national seminar on the Juche idea took place in Bangkok on Feb. 14 on the occasion of the February fete. It was attended by the members of the Organization for the Study of Juche Idea of Thailand and the Thai preparatory committee for commemorating the Day of the Sun and leader Kim Jong Il's birthday (February 16) and figures of different circles.
    Songchit Pullarp, chairman of the organization, in his opening speech noted that the Juche idea fathered by President Kim Il Sung and being enriched by Kim Jong Il occupies the highest and most dignified position in the human history of thoughts in the present times as a great guiding idea clearly indicating the road for the human cause of independence to follow.
    Noting that Kim Jong Il's Songun politics, the most unique political mode of the present times, is in force in the DPRK, he said that this politics is also based on the Juche idea.
    Thanks to the unique Songun politics of Kim Jong Il the DPRK is demonstrating its dignity to the world as a powerful independent nation even under the present complicated international situation and is sure to register great success in the struggle to build a great prosperous powerful nation and defend the sovereignty of the country in the future, too, he stressed.
    Then a number of figures made speeches on the subjects of "The human cause of independence and the Juche idea", "The Juche idea of Korea and Songun politics", "Sovereignty and Songun idea", etc.

U.S. Forces' Environmental Pollution under Fire

     Pyongyang, February 26 (KCNA) -- The environment of south Korea under the occupation of the U.S. forces has been seriously polluted for the last six decades to reduce it to a wasteland. As for the U.S. military base in Ryongsan due to be returned to south Korea by 2008, 60 percent of 820,000 phyong of land has been polluted so seriously that its restoration to its original state would cost 1.2 billion US dollars.
    It is said that the fund amounting to nearly 84.2 billion U.S. dollars would be required for restoring the seriously polluted land which accounts for 60 percent of the total area of the U.S. military bases in different parts of south Korea due to be returned to it.
    A spokesman for the Ministry of Land and Environment Preservation of the DPRK said in a statement on Feb. 25 in this regard: The filth discharged from the U.S. military bases for the last several decades has polluted the nearby farmland, mountains, rivers and streams and seas. In consequence the land of south Korea is turning into a wasteland and a huge dumping ground where even weeds can not grow.
    Due to this environmental pollution by the U.S. forces present in south Korea its people are suffering from all sorts of diseases and many of them are dying miserable deaths.
    Nevertheless, they are revealing their arrogant and brigandish nature as aggressors and dominators, blustering that they have no responsibility to restore the polluted environment or compensate for it.
    It is an intolerable insult and mockery of the south Korean people and an unpardonable act of trampling down upon the dignity and sovereignty of the Korean nation.
    It is impossible for the people in south Korea to expect any worthy life or a rosy future and prosperity of the Korean nation as long as the U.S. military bases are left there.
    The people from all walks of life in south Korea should force the U.S. imperialist aggressor forces, the root cause of all sorts of misfortune and sufferings, out of south Korea and terminate their colonial rule.

All-People Measure Committee Inaugurated in S. Korea

     Pyongyang, February 26 (KCNA) -- The All-People Measure Committee for Checking the Expansion of the U.S. Military Base in Phyongthaek made up of 115 civic and public organizations in south Korea was reportedly inaugurated on February 22. A report on activities for its inauguration was made to be followed by the introduction of its permanent co-representatives and executive co-chairmen at a press conference held in connection with its inauguration.
    Speeches were made by Kim Ji Thae, chairman of the Phaengsong Town Measure Committee against the Expansion of the U.S. Military Bases who is permanent co-representative of the All-People Measure Committee, Han Sang Ryol, permanent representative and chairman of the Reunification Solidarity, and Yun Yong Bae, executive chairman of the All-People Measure Committee in Phyongthaek, and an inaugural declaration was read out.
    The objective of the transfer of the U.S. military base from Ryongsan to Phyongthaek is to make a preemptive attack on the north, convert the south Korea-U.S. alliance into an aggressive regional alliance and perpetuate the presence of the U.S. troops, the declaration said, adding: If the transfer is materialized, Phyongthaek area would be turned into a permanent advanced base and a supply base of the U.S. for its war of aggression and its residents would be deprived of their cradle.
    We should not permit the relocation of the U.S. troops which will trample upon the residents' vital rights, seriously threaten peace in the Korean Peninsula and increase the military dependence on the U.S., the declaration noted, stressing: We will fight with might and main to block the expansion of the U.S. military base in Phyongthaek.
    The declaration called for positively supporting the struggle of residents in Phyongthaek, uniting with them as one and pooling strength and wisdom so as to check the expansion of the U.S. military base in Phyongthaek, defend peace in the Korean Peninsula and frustrate the attempt to perpetuate the presence of the U.S. troops in south Korea.
    Action plans were made public at the news conference.

Japan Strongly Warned against Its Application of Sanctions against DPRK

     Pyongyang, February 26 (KCNA) -- Acting Secretary General of the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan Abe in a recent lecture blustered that "now is the time for Japan to impose economic sanctions upon north Korea," saying "it should apply them against it even this month". Rodong Sinmun Saturday says in a signed commentary in this regard:
    The DPRK can not but regard the move of Japan to impose economic sanctions upon the DPRK as a serious development as it goes against the trend in the new century in which people are heading for peace, detente and cooperation and the spirit of the DPRK-Japan Pyongyang Declaration.
    This is the escalation of the rash anti-DPRK campaign kicked up by the Japanese ultra-right conservatives, pursuant to the U.S. policy.
    Through the move to "apply economic sanctions against north Korea" they seek a sinister aim to win political clout, the commentary observes, and goes on:
    The undisguised option taken by the Japanese reactionaries to impose economic sanctions upon the DPRK is a deliberate, premeditated and grave provocation as it is intended to further strain the DPRK-Japan relations of confrontation and spark a new war on the Korean Peninsula. This is little short of a formal declaration of political and military showdown with the DPRK.
    The hostile relations between the DPRK and Japan are inching close to a dangerous situation on the eve of a war, after going beyond the tolerance limit. This compels the DPRK to take a decisive counter measure. Its army and people regard sovereignty as their life and soul and do not allow anyone to infringe upon it even a bit. They will strongly react to Japan's action to impose sanctions upon the DPRK with self-defensive retaliatory measures.
    Japan will be wholly to blame for the catastrophic crisis in the bilateral relations.

Rodong Sinmun on Single-Minded Unity

     Pyongyang, February 26 (KCNA) -- Single-minded unity is the basic source of and a decisive guarantee for all our victories, stresses Rodong Sinmun Saturday in a signed article. The more ordeals and hardships are laid in our way, the stronger our single-minded unity grows and today it serves as the invulnerable fortress which is unbreakable by nukes, the article says, and goes on:
    Today the centre of our single-minded unity is Supreme Commander Kim Jong Il and the life of our single-minded unity is to devotedly defend the headquarters of the revolution. The spirit of devotedly defending the headquarters of the revolution is enshrined in the hearts of our People's Army and the maxim of the life and struggle of our people is the death-defying readiness to fight it out to defend the safety of Kim Jong Il.
    Our single-minded unity is an ideological and mental source of the might of Songun.
    Any imperialist aggressor is impotent before the might of the Songun revolutionary unity whose arms are strong and in which the army and people are united as one. The Songun policy of the Workers' Party of Korea is always emerging victorious thanks to the might of the unity of the army and the people who are sharing the intention and destiny with each other in upholding the headquarters of the revolution.
    Our single-minded unity is a powerful motive force which helps effect wonderful miracles and innovations in carrying out the cause of building a great prosperous powerful nation.
    The appearance of land has turned freshly as befitting the land of socialist Korea and modern production bases have been built in different parts of the country to meet requirements of the new century in a short period of a few years. This stirring reality is a proud fruition of the strength of ideology, the strength of unity of the army and the people.
    Our country is great as there is the might of our single-minded unity which makes what is impossible possible and turns adversity into favorable conditions and makes only the history of victory at all times.
    Certain is victory in the present general march of the Songun revolution when the whole Party and army and all the people give full play to the might of single-minded unity.

KCNA Blasts Japanese Heavyweight's Cry for Economic Sanctions against DPRK

     Pyongyang, February 26 (KCNA) -- The cry made by Acting Secretary General of the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan Abe for applying economic sanctions against north Korea is stirring up public furor nowadays. As a politician representing the ultra-right conservative forces of Japan he blustered this year that "3-4 weeks deadline should be set for north Korea over the abduction issue and Japan should start applying economic sanctions against north Korea according to its response and that it would be appropriate to announce the application of sanctions in February".
    Abe must know well that talking about economic sanctions against north Korea would be unbecoming in any case for a politician who has been involved in the settlement of bilateral issues for the past years as a heavyweight of the ruling party.
    While working as deputy chief cabinet secretary and secretary general of the Liberal Democratic Party, he blustered that Japan should not comply with north Korea's request for compensation and that it should apply sanctions against north Korea even single-handedly under the pretext of "abduction issue." Toward the end of last year he even let loose sophism that only pressure will work on north Korea and time has come to apply economic sanctions and that such measure may force north Korea to change its policy, etc.
    He visited Pyongyang as a member of the Japanese side's delegation.
    However, he feigned ignorance of the fact that the abduction issue had already been solved and is now playing a leading part in the scenario to apply sanctions against the DPRK, using the issue as a playing card. This can not be construed otherwise than a mean behavior aimed to deliberately scuttle the implementation of the DPRK-Japan Pyongyang Declaration and an improper act which can be committed only by a militarist steeped in the bitterness towards the DPRK to the marrow of his bone.
    What should not be overlooked is that his malarkey has something in common with the anti-north Korea ruckus kicked up by the government to impose sanctions on north Korea.
    Shortly ago, the chief executive of Japan asserted it is quite natural that the demand for economic sanctions against north Korea is mounting in Japan, saying that "the request for applying sanctions against north Korea has grown strong in Japan to an undeniable extent" and that "we want north Korea to be more sincere."
    The government and the ruling party fabricated the "story about false remains" and have since gone ahead with considering ways for applying sanctions. They are now talking about 5-phase "proposal for the application of economic sanctions against north Korea."
    Economic sanctions are the strategic method conceived by the Japanese reactionaries to stifle the DPRK.
    Now they have gone beyond such limit and reached the phase where to legislate on economic sanctions against north Korea as a state policy and put it into practice.
    Explicitly speaking, the economy in the DPRK is not such an economy that would shake or collapse due to sanctions as it was built in the spirit of self-reliance.
    The Japanese government is working hard to convince the international community of the necessity to apply economic sanctions against north Korea, even seriously desecrating its idea of humanitarianism over the "abduction issue' in defiance of the reality. This clearly shows to what extremes their hostile policy toward the DPRK has gone.
    What is ludicrous is that such guys as Abe who is ignorant of the might and potential of the self-reliant national economy of north Korea and who do not even want to know about it are trying to use the economic sanctions as a means for winning their political clout, talking about its effectiveness, pursuant to the government's policy.
    The above-said behavior of the ultra-right hardliners including Abe is nothing but a political chicanery of political philistines to hold important posts in the next government.
    The army and people in the DPRK can not repress their bitter indignation at Japan as it is going crazy in its moves against the DPRK, talking about sanctions and pressure, far from redressing its crime-woven past even in this new century.
    The Japanese reactionaries' anti-north Korea ruckus to apply sanctions against it and pressurize it only compel its army and people to harden their resolution to certainly settle accounts with Japan, their sworn enemy.

Young Vanguard of Songun Meet

     Pyongyang, February 26 (KCNA) -- A meeting of the young vanguard of Songun was held here Saturday. The meeting discussed the tasks and ways for firmly preparing the youth as vanguard fighters and human bullets and bombs devotedly defending the headquarters of the revolution and vanguard standard-bearers and shock brigade members in the general march of the Songun revolution.
    Present at the meeting were Vice-President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly Yang Hyong Sop, Secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea Kim Jung Rin and officials concerned.
    Kim Jung Rin conveyed a congratulatory message of the Central Committee of the WPK to the participants in the meeting.
    The meeting is a significant one as it provides an important occasion in demonstrating the unshakable faith and will of the young vanguard to take the lead in devotedly defending the headquarters of the revolution and increasing the role of the young people as pace-setters in the general march of the Songun revolution, true to the Songun idea, the Songun policy of the WPK, the message said.
    It highly praised the participants in the meeting and all the young people across the country for giving full pay to the resourcefulness and courage of the youth and performing heroic feats in the drive to implement the Songun revolutionary line of the WPK.
    The WPK Central Committee firmly believes that the participants in the meeting and all other young people of the country will single-mindedly unite around leader Kim Jong Il and fully demonstrate the honor of being the young vanguard in the general march of the Songun revolution to achieve a decisive victory in the Korean revolution, the message noted.
    Kim Kyong Ho, first secretary of the Central Committee of the Kim Il Sung Socialist Youth League, said in his report:
    The Korean youth have made a dynamic advance along the road of the Songun revolution, holding high the banner of devotedly defending the leader without the slightest vacillation in the unprecedented adversity. This is a brilliant fruition of Kim Jong Il's unique Songun policy and his invariable policy of attaching importance to the youth, he added.
    He stressed the need for all the young people across the country to single-heartedly unite around Kim Jong Il to demonstrate the honor of the youth in the drive to make a breakthrough in the general march of the Songun revolution so as to make active contributions to effecting a decisive turn in the building of a great prosperous powerful socialist nation and accelerating the final victory of the revolutionary cause of Juche.
    The report was followed by speeches. The speakers said that the general march of the Songun revolution calls upon the youth to make new leap forward and innovations, adding that the passionate members of the young vanguard will give full play to the patriotic enthusiasm, inexhaustible strength and courage of youth and play a vanguard role in the dynamic drive to demonstrate the might of the sun's Korea.
    A poem of the congratulatory group of the Korean Children's Union was recited at the meeting.
    The participants in the meeting, led by Kim Kyong Ho, took an oath of loyalty to Kim Jong Il.

Message of Greetings to Emir of Kuwait

     Pyongyang, February 26 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, Thursday sent a message of greetings to Jaber Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, emir of Kuwait, on the occasion of the 44th national day and the 14th anniversary of the liberation of the State of Kuwait. Expressing the belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would continue to develop on good terms, the message wished the friendly Kuwaiti people continued progress and prosperity.

Greetings to Kuwaiti Prime Minister

     Pyongyang, February 26 (KCNA) -- Pak Pong Ju, premier of the DPRK Cabinet, sent a message of greetings to Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on the occasion of the 44th anniversary of the national day of Kuwait and the 14th anniversary of its liberation. The message sincerely wished the friendly Kuwaiti people progress, prosperity and welfare as well as him a greater success in his responsible work.
    DPRK Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun also sent a message of greetings to the Kuwaiti foreign minister.

DPRK Ambassador to Republic of Uzbekistan Appointed

     Pyongyang, February 26 (KCNA) -- Ri Tong Phal was appointed as DPRK ambassador e.p. to the Republic of Uzbekistan according to a decree of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly.

IRNA Delegation Here

     Pyongyang, February 26 (KCNA) -- An IRNA delegation headed by its President Abdollah Naseri Taheri arrived here today. The delegation was met at the airport by KCNA Deputy Director General Kim Pyong Ho and Iranian Ambassador to the DPRK Jalaleddin Namini Mianji.

For Spanish-speaking people

Kim Jong Il recibe titulo de ciudadano honorario de Peru

     Pyongyang, 26 de febrero (ATCC) -- Al Dirigente Kim Jong Il le fueron otorgados el titulo de ciudadano honorario junto con las medallas y presente de la ciudad de Callao del Peru, con motivo de su cumpleanos (16 de febrero). Tuvo lugar el dia 24 la ceremonia de entrega en la municipalidad de Callao.
    Estuvieron presentes el alcalde y otros funcionarios del ayuntamiento e invitados el embajador extraordinario y plenipotenciario y otros miembros de la sede diplomatica de Corea en Peru.
    En el acto, el alcalde Alexander Couri Bumachar, entrego el diploma y la medalla de ciudadano honorario y la otra y presente de la ciudad al embajador de Corea en su pais. En la ocasion, el alcalde dijo que tiene gran honor de registrar a Su Excelencia Kim Jong Il, Presidente del Comite de Defensa Nacional de la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea, como ciudadano honorario de la ciudad de Callao, con motivo de su cumpleanos y subrayo en el siguiente sentido:
    Corea se aduena del corazon de la gente del mundo como un pais humanocentrico en que se asegura firmemente la independencia, lo cual se debe a la sabia direccion de Su Excelencia Kim Jong Il.
    Este diploma refleja el alto respeto de nuestros ciudadanos a Su Excelencia el Dirigente Kim Jong Il, quien pone siempre en el primer orden los intereses del pueblo y no escatima nada para este.
    Nosotros preparamos un presente imbuido de sinceridad de nuestros ciudadanos, quienes elogian altamente a Su Excelencia el Dirigente Kim Jong Il.
    Deseamos de todo corazon buena salud a Su Excelencia Kim Jong Il, gran Dirigente del pueblo coreano para la felicidad del pueblo coreano, la reunificacion de la Peninsula Coreana, la paz y el progreso del mundo.

MPTMA denuncia destruccion medioambiental de tropas yanquis

     Pyongyang, 26 de febrero (ATCC) -- Debido a la ocupacion de 60 anos de las tropas yanquis, el medio ambiente del Sur de Corea fue destruido gravemente y su territorio quedo devastado. Citamos por ejemplo la base militar norteamericana en Ryongsan. Estados Unidos prometio devolver esta base que abarca la superficie de 820 mil phyong (un phyong equivale a 3.3 metros cuadrados) hasta el ano 2008 al Sur de Corea. Pero, el 60 por ciento de esta superficie se ha contaminado gravemente y se requieren mil 200 millones de US$ para recuperarla en estado original.
    Y para recuperar el 60 por ciento equivalente a la superficie devastada de entre las bases militares estadounidenses a ser devueltas al Sur de Corea se necesitan mas de 84 mil 200 millones de US$.
    Con respecto a este hecho, el vocero del Ministerio de Proteccion Territorial y del Medio Ambiente (MPTMA) de la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea hizo publica el dia 25 una declaracion.
    Las basuras arrojadas durante varias decadas en las bases militares yanquis contaminaron el area cultivable, montanas, rios y el mar, debido a lo cual, la tierra surcoreana se ha convertido en un desierto de donde no se puede brotar ni hierbas malas, senala el documento y prosigue:
    Debido a la destruccion medioambiental por las tropas yanquis, los surcoreanos padecen de enfermedades de toda indole y perecen tragicamente. Sin embargo, los uniformados norteamericanos ocupantes del Sur de Corea dicen sin escrupulo que "no tienen la obligacion de recuperar al estado original el medio ambiente destruido, ni la responsabilidad de hacer indemnizacion por ello", poniendo asi al desnudo su naturaleza arrogante y bandolera de agresores y dominantes.
    Esto es un intolerable insulto y humillacion a los surcoreanos y un pisoteo a la dignidad y la soberania de nuestra nacion.
    Mientras quedan las bases estadounidenses en el suelo surcoreano, nunca podemos esperar la vida autentica de los surcoreanos ni el radiante futuro y prosperidad de la nacion coreana.
    La poblacion de distintos sectores del Sur de Corea deben expulsar a las tropas agresoras yanquis que son fuente raigal de todas las desgracias y sufrimientos y acabar con la dominacion colonial.

Designado embajador coreano en Uzbekistan

     Pyongyang, 26 de febrero (ATCC) -- Segun un decreto del Presidium de la Asamblea Popular Suprema de la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea, Ri Tong Phal fue nombrado como embajador extraordinario y plenipotenciario de Corea a acreditarse en la Republica de Uzbekistan.