Geneva DPRK-U.S. Talks Held
Pyongyang, March 18 (KCNA) -- The DPRK-U.S. talks took place in Geneva on March 13 and 14.
The talks had an in-depth discussion on the differences that exist between the two countries as regards the implementation of the October 3 agreement of the six-party talks.
Both sides agreed to sit face to face with each other and continue the discussion to seek ways of solving the problems arising in implementing the above-said agreement in the future, too.
Kim Yong Nam Leaves for Foreign Trips
Pyongyang, March 18 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, left here today by special plane to pay an official goodwill visit to Namibia, Angola and Uganda.
Kim is accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs Pak Ui Chun, Minister of Foreign Trade Ri Ryong Nam, Minister of Public Health Choe Chang Sik and other suite members.
They were seen off at the airport by Yang Hyong Sop, vice-president of the SPA Presidium, Kim Hyong Jun, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs, Ri Myong San, vice-minister of Foreign Trade, Jon Hyon Phung, vice-minister of Public Health, officials concerned and Chinese Ambassador to the DPRK Liu Xiaoming.
Congratulations to Chinese Foreign Minister
Pyongyang, March 18 (KCNA) -- DPRK Foreign Minister Pak Ui Chun sent a congratulatory message to Yang Jiechi upon his reelection as foreign minister of China at the first session of the 11th National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China.
Expressing the belief that the DPRK-China friendly and cooperative relations will steadily develop by the joint efforts of both sides, the message sincerely wished the Chinese foreign minister greater success in his responsible work.
National Basketball Games of Agricultural Workers Held
Pyongyang, March 18 (KCNA) -- The national basketball games of agricultural workers were held in Pyongyang to mark the 80th anniversary of the formation of the Peasants' Union.
The games started on March 12.
Men and women basketball players from 20 organizations which proved successful in the matches held in cities, counties and provinces of the country had knockout games in the wake of league matches.
The men players of the Jasan Co-op Farm in Phyongsong City, South Phyongan Province, and women players of the Yongsan Co-op Farm in Chongdan County, South Hwanghae Province, placed first in the games.
A closing ceremony was held at the Basketball Gymnasium in Chongchun Street on March 17.
Population Researches Intensified
Pyongyang, March 18 (KCNA) -- The Institute of Population of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea is deepening researches to make a scientific analysis of the present population of the country.
It is exerting special efforts to researches for improving women's reproductive health.
As a result, it newly expounded the change in fitness of Parker's model and thus made it possible to further improve researches for the development of a new model and the health administration of pregnant women and women in childbed.
The institute is conducting a work for a scientific estimation of the aging level of the country in face of the worldwide aging of the population, along with researches into the index development for comprehensively assessing the reproductive health according to regions.
It had investigated the old people above the age of 60 and their households in some areas of Pyongyang and South Hamgyong and South Phyongan Provinces in the period from last November to the end of January this year and is now engaged in analyzing the data.
The data analysis will clarify in an all-round way the state of the nation's aged population including the demographic character of the aged population and their education and economic activities.
The research results will contribute to applying to practice the popular policy of socialist Korea where the state takes care of the health and life of the aged with responsibility.
KCNA Blasts Fukuda Regime's Suppression of Chongryon
Pyongyang, March 18 (KCNA) -- Japan has intensified the suppression of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon), a dignified organization of overseas citizens of the DPRK, and Koreans in Japan.
Chongryon has played the role of an overseas mission of the DPRK in the absence of the diplomatic relations between the DPRK and Japan. This status is recognized not only by the international community but by Japanese.
The Japanese authorities, however, have held trials to seize the Central Hall of Chongryon and its premises which have been used as a center for Chongryon's activities. They also confirmed the policy for extending again the unilateral sanctions against the DPRK which call for putting an embargo on the ship "Mangyongbong-92", etc. under the pretext that there is no progress in the settlement of the "abduction issue".
A whirlwind of anti-Chongryon campaign is sweeping different parts of Japan including Kyoto and Osaka at the prodding of the Fukuda Cabinet. Actions are taken to search for Korean halls and schools and other Chongryon-related facilities, force sale upon them and write off them from the list of tax exemption and arrest Chongryon officials.
This reveals Japan's very hostile policy toward the DPRK and indicates that the present Japanese authorities are worse than the Abe regime in the wanton violation of the rights of Koreans in Japan.
As well known to the world, the Abe group was ousted from power as it staked its political fate on its hard-line policy towards the DPRK, clean indifferent to the interests of the Japanese people.
Far from drawing a serious lesson from it, the Fukuda Cabinet extended the sanctions against the DPRK, etc. as soon as it came to power, stoking bitterness towards Koreans in the archipelago of Japan.
There is a saying "One devil knows another". "Pressure and dialogue" are just the same as "dialogue and pressure" and the Fukuda regime's anti-DPRK and anti-Chongryon campaign has become craftier than what was conducted during the Abe regime.
The Fukuda Cabinet worked hard to create impression in the international community that it is somewhat different from the preceding cabinet. But its true colors have already been brought to light.
It pricked its own eyes with its own hands.
Japan is the only land of brazen-faced gangsters with the worst human rights record in the world because it has suppressed foreign residents en masse, regarding them as a lever for carrying out its policy of pressure upon their homeland, and has gone the lengths of trying to destroy their organization.
The relations between countries are one thing and the guarantee of legitimate status and national rights to foreign residents is another matter. The Japanese authorities can neither sacrifice the Koreans in Japan and Chongryon nor use them as hostages for achieving their political aims under any circumstances.
The Japanese reactionaries' short-sighted and desperate anti-DPRK and anti-Chongryon moves are, in fact, doing harm to the interests of Japan.
Fukuda Regime's Hostile Policy towards DPRK Flayed
Pyongyang, March 18 (KCNA) -- The Japanese authorities are now becoming evermore undisguised in their moves to seize the Central Hall of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon). This clearly indicates how desperately they are staging the anti-DPRK, anti-Chongryon campaign, says Minju Joson Tuesday in a signed commentary.
The moves to destroy Chongryon that started when Abe was in power have become all the pronounced under the Fukuda regime, the commentary notes, and goes on:
The Fukuda regime is pursuing with increased zeal the anachronistic hostile policy toward the DPRK shaped by its predecessor who went to ruin.
The fact that it is following in the footsteps of its predecessor indicates that Japan's "sanctions" against the DPRK are proving absolutely futile.
Much upset by this, the Fukuda regime seeks to attain its sinister political purpose by suppressing the activities of Chongryon through the escalated anti-Chongryon campaign, inflicting greater pain upon the Koreans in Japan and thus putting pressure on the DPRK.
The Japanese authorities, however, are gravely mistaken if they calculate they can gain something by regarding Koreans in Japan as hostages and employing a sleight of hand. This will only bring into bolder relief their despicable true colors as those responsible for deliberately aggravating the DPRK-Japan relations and entail such consequences as precipitating their domestic and international isolation.
The people in the DPRK will never remain an onlooker to the Japanese reactionaries' anti-DPRK and anti-Chongryon campaign.
The Fukuda regime had better stop at once all its moves against the DPRK and Chongryon if it does not want to suffer what its predecessor did, warns the commentary.
Japan's Distortion of History Assailed
Pyongyang, March 18 (KCNA) -- Japan is censured and denounced worldwide as it has denied and distorted its unprecedented crimes in the past, far from admitting them, seized by its wrong view on its history of aggression, says Rodong Sinmun Tuesday in a signed article.
The ultra-right conservatives' brazen-faced policy for tampering with history and their moves to seize territories of other countries, pursuant to it, have gone beyond the tolerance limit at a time when the modernization of the "Self-Defence Forces" is pushed forward in real earnest and the moves are accelerated to establish a wartime system in Japan through the retrogressive revision of constitution.
Japan's impudent claim to Tok Islet has lashed not only the Korean people but also the world peace-loving people into great fury as it is a revelation of its ambition to stage a comeback to Korea.
Japan is distributing what it called detailed map of Tok Islet and making a claim to the islet while asserting that it belongs to Japan. This is shameless distortion of history aimed to seize territory of other country.
By deleting from history textbooks the crimes committed by the Japanese imperialists in the past or playing them down the Japanese reactionaries seek to implant a wrong view on history into the younger generations, arm them with revanchism and ultra-nationalism and thus hurl them into overseas aggression.
Such moves to distort history and agitate for overseas aggression are led by such ultra-right elements as Tokyo Metropolitan Governor Ishihara.
Japan's militarization is becoming reality due to the Japanese reactionaries' despicable moves to distort history.
The world peace-loving people including those in Asia should clearly see through the reactionary and dangerous nature of Japan's distortion of history and resolutely frustrate it.
U.S. Scheme to Develop New Type Nukes under Fire
Pyongyang, March 18 (KCNA) -- The U.S. air force strategic commander recently called for developing new type nuclear weapons. This brings to light the U.S. imperialists' criminal scenario to realize their ambition for domination by securing an unchallenged edge in nuclear weaponry, observes Rodong Sinmun Tuesday in a signed commentary.
Accusing the U.S. warlike forces of having stepped up nuclear development in real earnest, considering preemptive nuclear attack as the main objective of their military strategy in the 21st century, the commentary notes that such development convinces other countries of the fact that it is possible to increase their ability for surviving in the stand-off with the U.S. only when they have powerful military deterrents.
The U.S. moves to develop new type nuclear weapons are arousing the vigilance of the Korean people, in particular, it says, and goes on:
The U.S. is busy with preparations for a nuclear war on the Korean Peninsula after making its provocation a fait accompli. The moves escalated by it for the development of new type nuclear weapons against this backdrop assume graver and more dangerous nature. The above-said moves are, to all intents and purposes, prompted by its scheme to mount a surprise attack on the DPRK by taking advantage of its nuclear upper-hand.
The U.S. imperialists' moves for the development of those weapons only compel the Korean people to heighten their revolutionary vigilance and the DPRK to build up more powerful deterrent to cope with those moves.
U.S. Anti-DPRK Smear Campaign under Fire in S. Korea
Pyongyang, March 18 (KCNA) -- The Solidarity for Progress in south Korea made public a statement on March 12 denouncing the U.S. anti-DPRK smear campaign.
Accusing the U.S. Department of State of pulling up the DPRK over the "human rights issue" on March 11 in its "annual report on human rights," the statement noted that the U.S. is, in fact, the worst human rights abuser in the world.
The U.S. released the "report" pulling up the DPRK over its "human rights issue" at a time when the positive efforts are being made for the success of the six-party talks, the statement said, stressing that this is nothing but a despicable plot to scuttle the talks and do harm to the dialogue partner.
If the U.S. is truly concerned about the world human rights, it should improve its own human rights record before talking about "human rights issues" in other countries and immediately stop its anti-DPRK smear campaign, it urged.
Abolition of NSL Urged in S. Korea
Pyongyang, March 18 (KCNA) -- The Family Movement for Realizing Democracy in south Korea held the 700th Thursday rally in Seoul on March 13 demanding the abolition of the evil law and the settlement of the human rights issue.
Advisor Im Ki Ran and Permanent Chairperson Ri Yong of the movement and other speakers at the rally deplored that they have staged Thursday rallies every week over the past 15 years, but the number of cases of human rights abuses and that of prisoners of conscience have been on the steady increase due to the "National Security Law" (NSL) under the present "government."
The human rights issue can hardly be settled without tenacious efforts, they noted, declaring that people from all walks of life would intensify their actions for the abolition of the evil law and the release of the prisoners of conscience in the days ahead.
A written protest addressed to the "government" was read out at the rally. Pointing out that the NSL still remains in force to bring pain to the people, the protest demanded the "government" repeal the NSL, release all prisoners of conscience and opt for settling the human rights issue as soon as possible.
DPRK's Important Days Marked in Foreign Countries
Pyongyang, March 18 (KCNA) -- A seminar on the Juche idea was held in Ethiopia and a show of Korean film "The 75th Anniversary of the Heroic Korean People's Army" in Uzbekistan on March 3 and 5 on the occasions of the Day of the Sun, the 15th anniversary of the election of General Secretary Kim Jong Il as chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission and the 76th anniversary of the heroic KPA.
Speeches were made there.
The chairman of the Ethiopian Youth Study Group of the Juche Idea said that the Juche idea made a most scientific clarification of the position and role of man in the world, adding that it is a new guiding idea representing the era of independence and a great philosophy for training people into independent human beings.
The chairman of the National Fund of Uzbekistan for Those Wounded in the Afghan War praised the Korean people for having achieved great successes in the efforts to build an economic power and accomplish the cause of national reunification while increasing the defence capability of their country in every way true to the Songun revolutionary leadership of Kim Jong Il.
For Spanish-speaking people
Conversaciones RPDC-EE.UU. en Ginebra
Pyongyang, 18 de marzo (ATCC) -- Tuvieron lugar los dias 13 y 14 en Ginebra, Suiza las conversaciones entre la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea y los Estados Unidos.
En la ocasion se realizo una discusion detallada sobre las diferencias de opiniones entre ambos paises sobre la ejecucion del Acuerdo del 3 de Octubre aprobado en las conversaciones a 6 bandas.
Ambas partes decidieron sentarse cara a cara tambien en el futuro para seguir discutiendo los medios de solucion sobre los problemas que se presentan en la practica del citado Acuerdo.
Kim Yong Nam parte de Pyongyang hacia Namibia, Angola y Uganda
Pyongyang, 18 de marzo (ATCC) -- El presidente del Presidium de la Asamblea Popular Suprema de la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea, Kim Yong Nam, partio este martes de esta capital por avion especial para realizar una visita oficial y de amistad a la Republica de Namibia, la Republica de Angola y la Republica de Uganda.
Le acompanan el canciller Pak Ui Chun, el ministro de Comercio Exterior Ri Ryong Nam, el ministro de Salud Publica Choe Chang Sik y otros acompanantes.
En el aeropuerto Kim y su comitiva fueron despedidos por el vicepresidente del Presidium de la APS, Yang Hyong Sop, el vicecanciller Kim Hyong Jun, el viceministro de Comercio Exterior Ri Myong San, el viceministro de Salud Publica Jon Hyon Phung y otros funcionarios coreanos y por el embajador extraordinario y plenipotenciario de la Republica Popular China acreditado en Corea, Liu Xiaoming.
ATCC condena represion anti- Chongryon de gabinete japones
Pyongyang, 18 de marzo (ATCC) -- En estos momentos se recrudece en Japon la campana represiva contra la Chongryon (Asociacion General de Coreanos Residentes en Japon), digna entidad de ciudadanos de la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea en ultramar, y a los compatriotas residentes en ese pais isleno.
Dado que la RPDC y Japon no tienen relaciones diplomaticas, la Chongryon vino funcionando como la representacion de la primera en el segundo. Esta realidad es reconocida por la sociedad internacional y por el mismo pueblo japones.
Sin embargo, las autoridades japonesas realizan en estos dias un turbio proceso judicial para arrebatar el predio y el edificio de la Casa Central de la Chongryon, centro de actividades de esta entidad.
Al mismo tiempo, pretextando el estancamiento del "problema de secuestro", ellas tomaron la decision de volver a dar prorroga a las medidas de sancion contra la RPDC, inclusive la prohibicion de la entrada del barco "Mangyongbong- no. 92" en los puertos japoneses.
Bajo la instigacion del gabinete de Fukuda, en Kyoto, Osaka y otras localidades de Japon se levanta ahora un oleaje de violencia como el registro forzado y la venta de casas culturales, escuelas y otras facilidades de la Chongryon, la exclusion de estas de la lista de los establecimientos eximidos de impuestos y el arresto a los funcionarios de la misma entidad.
Esta expresion de la brutal politica hostil a la RPDC corrobora que los casos de violacion de DDHH de los coreanos radicados en Japon por parte de las actuales autoridades japonesas superan los registrados en el regimen del anterior gabinete liderado por Abe por su gravedad.
Como es conocido por todo el mundo, la banda de Abe fue destronada mientras se jugaba su vida politica por las medidas intransigentes sobre Corea sin tomar en consideracion los intereses de los habitantes japoneses.
El gabinete de Fukuda, en vez de sacar debida leccion de ello, tan pronto como tomo el poder, hace reinar mas temerosamente el sentimiento de chovinismo contra los coreanos en el archipielago japones, mientras prolongo la sancion contra la RPDC.
Como reza el refran "cada oveja con su pareja", son iguales la "presion y el dialogo" y viceversa. Las maniobras del gobierno de Fukuda contra la RPDC y la Chongryon se perpetran de modo mas astuto y siniestro que en el periodo del gabinete de Abe.
El gabinete de Fukuda trato de dar a la sociedad internacional alguna impresion diferente al gobierno antecedente, pero ya es tarde.
Ellos denigraron su imagen por si mismo.
Japon es el unico pais de descarados gangsteres y el lugar privado de derechos humanos donde se consideran los extranjeros residentes en su pais como medio de realizacion de la politica de presion contra la patria de estos, los acosan colectivamente e incluso se eliminan sus organizaciones.
El problema entre estados es diferente del asunto de aseguramiento de posicion legal y de derechos nacionales de los extranjeros, y los coreanos residentes en Japon y la Chongryon no pueden ser en todo el caso el objeto de sacrificio politico y el rehen de las autoridades japonesas.
Lo que se sacrifica realmente por las maniobras miopes y brutales de los reaccionarios japoneses contra la RPDC y la Chongryon es solo el interes estatal de Japon.
Minju Joson revela politica hostil a Corea de poder de Fukuda
Pyongyang, 18 de marzo (ATCC) -- En estos dias, las autoridades japonesas hacen mas abierta su intencion de apropiarse de la Casa Central de la Chongryon (Asociacion General de Coreanos Residentes en Japon). Esto evidencia que las autoridades japonesas se apelan obstinadamente a las maniobras contra la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea y la Chongryon.
Los tejemanejes de supresion a la Chongryon iniciadas en la epoca de Abe se tornan mas abiertos en la de Fukuda.
Asi senala el periodico Minju Joson en un comentario individual del dia 18 y continua:
El gobierno de Fukuda ejecuta obstinadamente la anacronica politica hostil a Corea de su antecesor retirado.
Lo hace porque las medidas de "sancion" de Japon contra la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea no surten efectos algunos.
Por eso, el gobierno de Fukuda se propone arreciar su represion contra la Chongryon a fin de paralizar las actividades de esta y agrandar el sufrimiento de los coreanos residentes en Japon, con lo cual trata de ejercer presion sobre la RPDC y satisfacer su malsano proposito politico.
Las autoridades japonesas se equivocan al tratar de lograr su finalidad con el metodo sutil de tomar por rehen a los coreanos residentes en su pais. Con tal artimana pondran mas al desnudo su verdadera intencion de empeorar las relaciones Corea-Japon y traeran solo el resultado de acelerar su aislamiento interno y externo.
El pueblo coreano no estara jamas con brazos cruzados ante las maniobras anti-RPDC y anti- Chongryon de los reaccionarios japoneses.
Si el gobierno de Fukuda no quiere repetir la suerte de su antecesor, debe poner de inmediato fin a tales maniobras.