Russian Ambassador Hosts Reception

   Pyongyang, February 21 (KCNA) -- Russian Ambassador to the DPRK Valery E. Sukhinin Wednesday hosted a reception at his embassy on the occasion of Kim Jong Il's birthday.
    Present there on invitation were Kim Yong Chun, vice-chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission, Pak Ui Chun, minister of Foreign Affairs, Pak Kyong Son, vice department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, Pak Jae Gyong, vice-minister of the People's Armed Forces, and officials concerned.
    On hand were staff members of the Russian embassy here.
    Valery E. Sukhinin in his speech said that Kim Jong Il is widely known as an outstanding politician, the leader of the Korean Party, army and people and a friend of the Russian people.
    Noting that this year marks the 60th anniversary of the DPRK, he wished the Korean people greater success in building a great prosperous powerful nation and bolstering the defence capability of the country under the wise leadership of Kim Jong Il.
    Kim Yong Chun, addressing the reception, noted that Kim Jong Il has performed great feats on behalf of the era and history.
    He recalled that the DPRK-Russia relations have favorably developed in various fields as required by the spirit of the joint agreements reached at the meetings between Kim Jong Il and President Putin.
    Noting that to set store by the traditional DPRK-Russia friendship and steadily boost it is in line with the desire and interests of the peoples of the two countries and consistent is the DPRK's stand on the DPRK-Russia relations, he wished the Russian people prosperity and well-being.


Japan's Building of Missile Shield under Fire

   Pyongyang, February 21 (KCNA) -- Recently the Japanese military deployed PAC-3s in the area south-west of Tokyo. Earlier, the military deployed missile defence installations made up of launching pad and radar in two bases around Tokyo.
    The criminal scenario of the Japanese militarist forces is being translated into a reality as evidenced by the facts that Aegis destroyer "Kongo" of the Japan Maritime "Self-Defence Force" was deployed at the Sasebo base close to the DPRK to be ready to go into action after conducting its first test-fire of interceptor missile in the waters off Hawaii at the outset of this year and they announced a plan to increase the number of Aegis ships equipped with interceptor missiles to four.
    Rodong Sinmun today observes in a signed commentary carried in this connection: The Japanese reactionaries' moves to build missile shields reveal a very dangerous plan for reinvasion which should not be overlooked.
    It is the scenario of the Japanese reactionaries to cover their islands with a dense network of missiles and use them for making preemptive strikes at the DPRK any time.
    Tokyo Metropolitan governor Ishihara, a militarist fanatic, recently cried out for deploying a PAC-3 in the plaza of the "Imperial Palace" of Japan to make the people feel "danger." This is little short of adding fuel to the fire.
    As for Ishihara, he is an icon of the ultra-right forces and a war maniac as he is steeped in bitterness toward the DPRK and chauvinism to the marrow of his bones.
    His recent remarks represent the Japanese reactionaries' undisguised agitation for staging a comeback to Korea.
    The Japanese reactionaries are pushing the DPRK-Japan hostile relations to the lowest ebb, while stepping up their moves to round off the preparations for launching reinvasion.
    Their extreme hostile policy toward the DPRK is heightening the hatred of the army and the people of the DPRK toward Japan. Should the Japanese reactionaries persist in their moves for reinvasion, accelerating the building of missile shields targeted against the DPRK, this will entail catastrophic consequences.
    The Japanese reactionaries would be well advised to bear this in mind and stop their rash actions.


Stronger Forces for Peaceful Reunification Called for in S. Korea

   Pyongyang, February 21 (KCNA) -- The Citizens' Solidarity for Peaceful Reunification of south Korea reportedly held a general meeting in Seoul on Feb. 15 at which it called for strengthening the forces for peaceful reunification.
    The organization noted that it is the core task before the progressive camp to defend the democratic right gained at the cost of the blood and sweat of the people and successes made by the south and the north in the reunification movement and strengthen the broad forces for peaceful reunification.
    It called on the organizations of the reunification movement from various circles to firmly unite and make positive contributions to achieving the peaceful reunification of the Korean peninsula under the banner of the June 15 joint declaration and the October 4 declaration so as to hand a reunified country down to posterity.


U.S. Deployment of "Striker" Unit in S. Korea under Fire

   Pyongyang, February 21 (KCNA) -- The U.S. imperialists reportedly deployed the "Striker" unit, a rapid task force, in Taegu of south Korea on Feb. 15.
    The U.S. forces side in south Korea said that the above-said unit would take part in the joint military exercises codenamed "Key Resolve-Eagle 08" to be staged in south Korea in early March.
    The unit is expected to stage a live shell firing drill prior to the start of the war exercises.
    The unit which the U.S. imperialist warmongers advertised as a "model of the ground forces in the 21st century" took part in a series of war exercises targeted against the DPRK, bringing the situation on the Korean Peninsula to an extreme pitch of tension.
    The U.S. imperialists would be well advised to properly understand the Korean nation's will for independence and peaceful reunification and cancel at once their plan for staging dangerous saber rattling against the DPRK, while talking about dialogue and negotiations.


Kim Jong Il’s Birthday Observed in Foreign Countries

   Pyongyang, February 21 (KCNA) -- Seminars and film shows were held in Romania, Mexico and Guyana during the period from January 29 to February 6 on the occasion of the birthday of Kim Jong Il.
    Present at the events were personages of different social standings, members of the preparatory committees for celebrating February 16, groups for the study of the Juche idea and organizations for friendship and solidarity with the Korean people and other people of the above-said countries.
    The participants of the film shows watched "They Are Together on the Way of Great Songun Leadership" and "The 75th Anniversary of the Heroic Korean People's Army" and other Korean films.
    Daniel Dediu, chairman of the Romanian Workers' Association, in his speech highly praised Kim Jong Il for having victoriously led the Korean revolution holding higher the banner of Songun.
    Ramon Jimenez Lopez, president of the Mexican Committee for the Study of Kimilsungism, in his speech declared the members of the committee would intensify the study and dissemination of the Songun idea and the Songun politics, noting that the Songun idea and the Songun politics are commanding stronger support and sympathy from the world progressives day by day.


Exploits of Kim Jong Il Praised by Foreign Personages

   Pyongyang, February 21 (KCNA) -- Sekou Konate, general secretary of the Party for Unity and Progress of Guinea, and Saber Ballul, department head of the Political Faculty of University of Damascus of Syria, separately released statements praising the exploits of Kim Jong Il on the occasion of his birthday.
    Sekou Konate in his statement on February 13 said that Kim Jong Il, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission, is the great statesman who has victoriously led the Korean revolution with the Songun idea and single-minded unity.
    Kim Jong Il is the matchless great master of politics and the great leader who clearly indicated the way to be followed by the peoples of the developing countries as he has pursued the Songun politics firmly defending the sovereignty of the country and the destiny of the people in any adversity and providing a guarantee for the prosperity of the country and the happy life of the people, he added.
    Saber Ballul in his statement on February 11 noted that Kim Jong Il has successfully carried forward the cause of President Kim Il Sung after his demise, lauding him as a prominent statesman possessed of iron-will and noble personality.
    What is outstanding among his exploits is that he has pursued the Songun politics, the best one meeting requirements of the developing situation, he said, adding that thanks to the Songun politics the DPRK emerged a military power strong enough to wipe out any formidable enemy.


For Spanish-speaking people



Embajador ruso ofrece banquete

   Pyongyang, 21 de febrero (ATCC) -- En la ocasion del dia de nacimiento del Dirigente Kim Jong Il (16 de febrero), el embajador extraordinario y plenipotenciario de la Federacion Rusa acreditado en Corea, Valery E. Sukhinin, ofrecio la vispera en su sede diplomatica un banquete.
     A la recepcion, fueron invitados el vicepresidente del Comite de Defensa Nacional de la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea, Kim Yong Chun, el canciller coreano Pak Ui Chun, el subjefe de departamento del Comite Central del Partido del Trabajo de Corea, Pak Kyong Son, el viceministro de las Fuerzas Armadas Populares, Pak Jae Gyong y otros funcionarios pertinentes asi como los miembros de la embajada rusa en Corea.
     El embajador, al hacer uso de la palabra, senalo que el Dirigente Kim Jong Il, esta conocido ampliamente entre el pueblo ruso como destacado politico, dirigente del Partido, el Ejercito y el pueblo de Corea y amigo del pueblo ruso.
     Al decir que en el presente ano se acogera el 60o aniversario de la fundacion de la RPDC, deseo al pueblo coreano que bajo la probada direccion del camarada Kim Jong Il logre mayores exitos en la construccion de una gran potencia prospera y el fortalecimiento del poderio defensivo del pais.
     Kim Yong Chun, en su discurso, se refirio a que el Dirigente Kim Jong Il acumulo grandes hazanas ante la epoca y la historia.
     Las relaciones entre estos dos paises desarrollan favorablemente en varias ramas, conforme al espiritu de los documentos comunes acordados en los encuentros entre los dirigentes de ambos paises, recalco Kim.
     Anadio que consolidar y desarrollar sin cesar las tradicionales relaciones entre Corea y Rusia apreciandolas es conveniente a la aspiracion y el interes de los pueblos de dos paises, y es invariable la posicion de la RPDC sobre estas relaciones entre los dos paises.
     Subrayo que deseaba al pueblo ruso la prosperidad y el bienestar.


Rodong Sinmun condena maniobras de Japon para el sistema antimisil

   Pyongyang, 21 de febrero (ATCC) -- Hace poco, el circulo militar de Japon emplazo el misil de interceptacion "PAC-3" en la parte suroeste de Tokio. Con anterioridad, ubico las instalaciones de defensa antimisil compuestas de lanzaderas y radares en dos bases en los alrededores de esa ciudad metropolitana.
    Tambien, el buque Aegis "Kongo" de las "fuerzas maritimas de autodefensa" de Japon, que a principios de este ano ejecutaron la primera prueba de interceptacion del misil balistico en el mar frente a Hawai, arribo a la base de Sasebo cercana a la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea.
     A esto se suma el anuncio del plan de incrementar a 4 los buques "Aegis" cargados de misiles interceptores.
     En un comentario individual publicado este jueves, el periodico Rodong Sinmun alerto que todas esas medidas para implantar el sistema antimisiles corroboran que se va llevando a la realidad el intento criminal de las fuerzas militaristas de Japon de retomar el camino de agresion.
    Estos reaccionarios tratan de cubrir con la red de misiles todo el territorio japones para atacar preventivamente a la RPDC, revela el comentarista y prosigue:
    Para colmo, el maniaco militarista Ishihara, gobernador de la metropoli de Tokio, abogo por emplazar los "PAC-3" en la plaza delante del "palacio real" de Japon para que los japoneses sepan que se hallan bajo una supuesta "amenaza".
    Ese tipejo es el abanderado de las fuerzas ultraderechistas y maniaco de guerra, quien esta colmado hasta en sus tuetanos de la hostilidad y el chovinismo a Corea.
    Tal disparate de Ishihara deviene una abierta agitacion a la nueva agresion a Corea.
    Los reaccionarios japoneses llevan al extremo las relaciones antagonicas entre ambos paises dando acicate a los trabajos para ultimar los preparativos para la nueva agresion.
     Debido a la extremada politica hostil de ellos a Corea, se agranda mas la enemistad del ejercito y pueblo coreano a Japon.
     Si esos reaccionarios aceleran el establecimiento del sistema antimisil contra la RPDC y siguen recurriendo a los alborotos de nueva guerra, se produciran consecuencias catastroficas.
     Ellos deben tenerlo en cuenta y actuar con prudencia.