BomMinRyon Activities
Open Questionnaire of the Policy Department of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK
Pyongyang, February 2 (KCNA) -- The Policy Department of the National Defence Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Thursday issued the following open questionnaire to the south Korean authorities.
The south Korean puppet group is crying out for resuming north-south dialogue and mending ties from the outset of the new year.
Lately it has so gone shameless as to urge the DPRK to come out for contact at an early date, saying it keeps the door of dialogue open.
It went the lengths of warning that the north should not miss the window of opportunity and time has come for it to respond.
Behind the scene, the group has been keen on discussing the schedule for Key Resolve and Foal Eagle joint military exercises targeted against the DPRK and hatching whole gamut of anti-DPRK confrontation plots, claiming that it can not give up the fundamentals of the theory of adherence to the principle.
What should not be overlooked is that it is abetted by its American master who keeps asserting that the improvement of the north-south relations should precede and "sincerity" of the north as for the dismantlement of nuclear program should be confirmed before anything else.
Under the prevailing situation the Policy Department of the DPRK NDC solemnly urges the Lee Myung Bak group of traitors to clearly answer following open questions reflecting the will of the army and people of the DPRK as the group loudly trumpets about resumption of north-south dialogue and improvement of relations.
1. Is the south Korean group ready to deeply repent of its heinous crimes concerning the great loss to the Korean nation and make apologies for them?
Fresh in the memory of the army and people of the DPRK are crimes committed by the Lee group when the nation was grieving over the great loss to it.
The Lee group only took the lead in hurting the people in the DPRK when the nation and other people of the world were sharing the biggest grief.
The DPRK's announcement that it would never deal with the south Korean authorities was attributable to the group's hideous wrongdoings.
Far from drawing a proper lesson from its wrongdoings, the group mocked at the army and people who shed tears of grief and sorrow and dared to fabricate a lie concerning the passing of general secretary Kim Jong Il, thus adding to its crimes in its anti-DPRK smear campaign.
Can the DPRK sit with hooligans intent on sordid acts unimaginable by human brain, betes noires bereft of any intellectual awareness and elementary ethics and morality?
National dialogue and contact can bear expected fruit only when they are based on humanity.
The south Korean authorities should punish traitor Lee and his riff-raffs in the name of the nation if they truly hope for resuming dialogue and contact with the DPRK and improving relations with it. They should admit their crimes and apologize with the feelings of deep remorse and also give assurances that they would never try to hurt the dignity of the supreme leadership of the DPRK and do harm to its sacred system and single-minded unity.
2. Do the authorities have an intention to make public at home and abroad their willingness to implement the historic June 15 joint declaration and the October 4 declaration, its practical program?
The two historic declarations were a patriotic heritage left by Kim Jong Il, matchless patriot and outstanding leader of the nation. They constitute an undying programme for national reunification.
Stand and attitude to the declarations are a touchstone distinguishing patriotism from treachery and reunification from division.
It is exactly the Lee group which marred overnight the historical achievements of national reconciliation, peace and prosperity that were brought about by the declarations, denying their truth.
Even at this moment traitor Lee is thinking about realizing "no nukes, opening and 3 000 dollars", oft-repeating "theory of principle", scenario for confrontation, being holed up in Chongwadae.
We would like to question if they think we can sit with the group of traitors keen on obstructing what nation wants to do and laying stumbling blocks only in the way of reunification while pushing the north-south relations to an uncontrollable catastrophe?
Genuine dialogue and contact are guaranteed by implementation of the two historic declarations, gains common to the nation.
If the south Korean authorities truly stand for holding dialogue and mended ties, they should ostracize the Lee group as it made up its mind to deny and scrap the two declarations. They should push under the carpet the "theory of principle" and "no nukes, opening and 3,000 dollars", a product of confrontation with fellow countrymen, and make public internally and externally their willingness to implement the two declarations under any circumstances.
3. Can Lee group promise the world it can no longer hurt the DPRK over "Cheonan" warship case and Yonphyong Island shelling incident?
The frayed north-south ties are attributable to the Lee group which deliberately linked the "Cheonan" warship sinking case with the DPRK and shifted the blame for Yonphyong Island shelling incident on to the DPRK as part of its escalated campaign for confrontation with the DPRK.
The army and people of the DPRK clarified more than once the truth regarding the case enough to be understandable by the Lee group by means of an open letter worked out by the inspection group of the National Defence Commission.
Not only broad south Koreans but big powers including the U.S. are becoming increasingly assertive in branding the story of "north's involvement" in "Cheonan" case as a sheer fabrication of the Lee group.
Even Donald Gregg, former U.S. ambassador in Seoul, who brags his knowledge of south Korea said in an official appearance that he does not count on the "story of the north's involvement in the warship sinking case."
But Lee group, basing itself on lies, is abusing the "Cheonan" case in hurting the fellow countrymen in the north.
As for Yonphyong Island shelling incident, it occurred as the puppet military warmongers fired into the territorial waters of the DPRK side first in an attempt to maintain the bogus "northern limit line", defying the repeated warnings of its army.
The group should have drawn a due lesson from the cross-fire.
But the Lee group is reviling the DPRK's self-defensive step as a "military provocation", reminding one of a thief crying "Stop the thief!"
It seems to have come to the knowledge of the incoherence between the two incidents touted by it as it now talks about discussing the matters at the dialogue.
Do the army and people of the DPRK really have to sit face to face with these brazen-faced villains, who master in orchestrating the farce?
If the south Korean authorities so much want dialogue and contact, they should apologize to the nation for having kicked up anti-DPRK racket while peddling the "story of the north's involvement" in the warship case and for having branded the DPRK's self-defensive measure as a "military provocation". They should promise before the world they would punish those responsible for the farce and stop the evil habit of groundlessly hurting others.
4. Can the south Korean authorities make a policy decision to stop big joint military exercises targeted against the DPRK?
The big joint military exercises the Lee group has staged in and around south Korea in collusion with the U.S. imperialists are without exception aggression war moves aimed to militarily blackmail and stifle the DPRK.
War and dialogue are incompatible.
It does not make sense to sit face to face with enemy carrying a dagger by the belt and talk about peace.
If the group has a true willingness to hold dialogue and improve relations, it should drop the dagger and create favorable atmosphere, to begin with.
This was the reason why the DPRK took the resolute measures of suspending the valuable dialogues and contacts whenever there held war exercises in and around south Korea.
Lately, the Lee group is sending puppet military warmongers to the U.S. to discuss the schedule of Key Resolve and Foal Eagle joint military exercises slated for late February and signing operational plans worked out to cope with "military provocation" from the DPRK, talking about "dialogue''.
The group is paying lip-service to dialogue while whetting a sword to hurt the fellow countrymen behind the scene.
What should not be overlooked is that the group plans staging aggression war exercises at a time when the people in the DPRK still grieve over the greatest loss to the nation.
The smokescreen of dialogue and veil of improved ties are too thin, we think.
The south Korean authorities should clarify their stand at the crossroads of peace or war and dialogue or confrontation.
If they truly stand for dialogue, they should make a decision to stop all war exercises, away from the idea of flunkeyism and dependence on outsiders.
5. Are they ready to drop wrong view on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and practically work for it?
Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula encompasses the whole territory of the north and south of Korea.
The nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula cropped up as the puppet authorities and the U.S. sneaked nuclear weapons into south Korea pursuant to the U.S. clandestine nuclear policy of neither denying nor confirming.
The DPRK has more to say than the puppet authorities and the U.S. as regards the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
Problem is that the Lee group is working fool to destroy the nuclear deterrent which fellow countrymen in the north have built to cope with the outsiders' nuclear threat. The group is siding with its master's call for "the north's dismantlement of nuclear program".
Explicitly speaking, the DPRK's nuclear deterrent is a just and self-defensive one to defend the nation from the U.S. nuclear threat, not a deterrent to hurt the nation.
History proves that the destiny of the country and nation can not be defended unless nukes are responded with nukes and missiles with missiles.
But for the U.S. nuclear threat, the DPRK would not have felt the need to keep even a single nuclear weapon.
However, the Lee group introduced "extended nuclear deterrence" into south Korea while becoming the first in echoing the U.S. talk about "north's dismantlement of nuclear program" and someone' s "sincerity" even though it was not aware of the meaning of the "principle of simultaneous actions."
Does the DPRK have to sit at a negotiating table with the group of traitors who threaten the fellow countrymen with the U.S. nuclear weapons, being accustomed to flunkeyism, submission and dependence on outsiders?
The south Korean authorities should have the common knowledge of the nuclear issue on the peninsula with a proper stand and do what they should do, free from the master's nuclear umbrella, before talking about dialogue.
To this end, it is necessary for them to promise the nation that it would buckle down to dismantling nuclear weapons in the south before impudently crying out for "north's dismantlement of nuclear weapons".
6. Are they going to keep vicious anti-DPRK smear psychological campaign?
Psychological campaign is, in fact, a war action.
Intensified psychological campaign may lead the acute north-south relations to the point of explosion.
The army and people of the DPRK clarified their stand to the matter more than once.
The Lee group, however, is taking lightly the DPRK's patience and countermeasures now in the making.
Since the nation faced the greatest loss, the group has mobilized not only human scum but special agents of the puppet military, escalating different kinds of psychological warfare hurting the dignity of the supreme leadership of the DPRK and slandering its system.
The group even dreams in vain of inducing "contingency" and "regime change".
Can the group become the dialogue partner of the DPRK?
They should stop psychological warfare and punish those involved in it and honor all the north-south military agreements that were reached in the course of implementing the historic June 15 joint declaration if they are true in their willingness for dialogue and improvement of relations.
If the Lee group persists in describing anti-DPRK psychological warfare as "civilian deed" and "people's sentiment", it would deteriorate the north-south relations. The enraged revolutionary armed forces of the DPRK may deluge the psychological centers and strongholds with fire any moment. The group should bear this deep in mind.
7. Does the group have willingness to resume and keep going north-south cooperation and exchange in the direction of promoting nation's peace, prosperity and common interests?
North-south cooperation and exchange are a nationwide undertaking for nation's common interests and prosperity.
They guarantee national reconciliation, unity, peace, prosperity and reunification.
Typical projects were Kaesong Industrial Zone and tour of Mt. Kumgang.
Traitor Lee, however, put a brake on the cooperation regarding the Kaesong Industrial Zone throughout past four years in office, saying it "benefits the north only". As for tour of Mt. Kumgang, Lee suspended it under the pretext of the death of a tourist who met death due to her own mistake.
The Lee group tried to give impression that the north-south cooperation and exchange benefited the army of the DPRK and helped it have access to nuclear deterrent.
"Probe of truth, measures for the prevention of recurrence and provision of personal safety" are pretexts cooked up by the group to drop a bar on cooperation and exchange.
The army and people of the DPRK have so far lived without cooperation and exchange with the puppet group of south Korea and they will be better off in the future without them. The DPRK also has emerged a full-fledged military power possessed of a powerful nuclear deterrent without them.
How can the Lee group ignorant of the value of exchange and cooperation become the dialogue partner of the DPRK?
The DPRK will never be taken in by a small amount of "nutritious food" for children.
The south Korean authorities should repent of having quenched the desire and wishes of the nation for exchange and cooperation, before talking about dialogue. They should voice their willingness to resume exchange and cooperation and keep them going in the direction of promoting national peace, prosperity and common interests.
8. Can the present south Korean authorities meet our principled demand for replacing the present armistice system by a peace-keeping mechanism?
It is long since the situation in Korea has already reached a war phase due to such unstable state of neither peace nor war.
The trend of this situation is attributable to the continuation of the armistice system, a leftover of the Cold War, and the existence of the belligerent relations though half a century has passed since the ceasefire.
The U.S. is entirely to blame for this fact as it has persistently worked to ignite a war of aggression against the north on the basis of its scenario for the permanent presence of its aggressor forces in south Korea in actuality, while paying lip-service to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.
Greater responsibility for this situation rests with the Lee group who has created the above-said phase, clinging to the coattail of its master, while getting hell-bent on sycophancy towards the U.S. and confrontation with compatriots.
It is none other than the Lee group that is busy with diplomacy aimed to get assurances from the U.S. for invariable "military assistance and security guarantee" including the permanent presence of its imperialist aggressor forces as soon as it announced its military strategy which calls for attaching importance to Asia-Pacific.
It is again traitor Lee that is obstructing by hook or by crook the DPRK-U.S. highest military contact which the former has already started for the purpose of defusing the tension on the peninsula and building a peace-keeping mechanism.
It is only Lee who is swimming against the trend of the times at a time when all Koreans are waging a struggle to frustrate reckless military provocations of the bellicose forces at home and abroad and their arms build-up, war exercises, etc. holding loft the slogan of peace against war.
If the Lee group truly stands for dialogue, it should take the lead in driving out of this land the U.S. imperialist aggressor forces, the main hurdle lying in building a peace-keeping mechanism on the peninsula, to begin with, and express the will to unconditionally respond to the DPRK's just stand to replace the present armistice system by a peace-keeping mechanism.
9. Can the south Korean authorities make a decision to abolish at once the "Security Law" and other evil laws against the nation and reunification?
SL is the most draconic law designed to suppress the independent desire of the people in the south and block the improvement of the north-south relations.
By invoking this evil law which should have been scrapped, Lee incriminates those who travel their own country and land and meet with their compatriots.
He is punishing on charge of violation of this law even those fair-minded people who visited the bier of the father of the nation and expressed sorrow over his passing.
As long as such evil laws as SL remain in force, it is impossible for the north and the south to meet for dialogue nor is it possible to achieve a substantial improvement in the relations and succeed in anything helpful to all Koreans.
What matters is that Lee lends a deaf ear to the desire and wishes of the public for the repeal of all these draconic laws.
SL is a product of the Yusin dictatorial system and a poisonous plant which should have been rooted out already long ago with the end of the Cold War.
If the south Korean authorities truly wish dialogue, they should swear before the nation that they will eliminate the Lee group keen to maintain those laws and abrogate those laws to their last vestige.
The Lee group had better stop recklessly talking about inter-Korean dialogue and the improved relations, properly understanding its position, and look back itself on whether it is entitled to be a dialogue partner.
The people of various circles in south Korea have already set this year as a "year for settling accounts" with the present puppet authorities and are becoming increasingly assertive that "they should fully settle accounts with traitor Lee and his gentries through a stern judgment," saying that they should never be allowed to step down of their own accord or "die natural deaths".
It is the demand of people of various circles in south Korea to see the group's "outdated political pattern-outdated system" abolished and "new political pattern-new system" established instead. It is the mind-set in south Korea that there should appear "a government for national reconciliation" without traitor Lee.
The situation has reached such phase that even "Grand National Party" which Lee regarded as his own house posted on Internet even an animation file showing people pulling down the ugly looking statue of the traitor, shouting "Myung Bak, go away".
It is long since his group of traitors has already been reduced to a living dead as it has gone against the trend of the times and the people's desire.
The service personnel and people of the DPRK will never deal with the Lee group forsaken by the people for the above-said crimes.
Proceeding from the stand of national independence and the stance of giving priority to the nation, all of them will achieve national reconciliation and unity and foil every move of the warmongers at home and abroad for war and glorify new 100-year history of Juche era as a history of national reunification.
All-out Advance toward Victory in 2012
This year is the most significant year which marks the centenary of birth of President Kim Il Sung and the 70th birth anniversary of leader Kim Jong Il and the proud year of victory when Kim Jong Il's plan for prosperity will be carried into a brilliant reality.
This year's grand advance to open the gate to a thriving nation is that of loyalty to thoroughly implement the behests of Kim Jong Il.
This year's grand advance to realize Kim Jong Il's plan for prosperity is the victorious advance led by dear respected Kim Jong Un.
To remain true to the idea and leadership of Kim Jong Un is just the guarantee for the prosperity of the country and the happiness of all generations to come.
The entire Party and army and all the people should cherish the steadfast faith to become an iron fortress in devotedly safeguarding Kim Jong Un and eternally follow the guidance of the WPK.
They should become honest persons keeping step with their leader in any adversity and true comrades working hard to translate the leader's intention into a brilliant reality.
The exploits and behests of Kim Jong Il are the eternal treasure of the Korean revolution that we should keep forever.
With noble sense of moral obligation, we should devote all our energy, wisdom and enthusiasm to the struggle for carrying into practice his behests and thus fully discharge our duty as his soldiers and disciples.
We should vigorously launch a nationwide drive, all-people general offensive to open the gate to prosperity, always cherishing the noble will of Kim Jong Il who devoted his whole life to the prosperity of the country and the people's happiness.
Koreans Called on to Make Breakthrough towards Reunification
Pyongyang, January 4 (KCNA) -- All Koreans at home and abroad should turn out in the nationwide movement for national reunification full of fresh confidence and optimism and thus make a breakthrough towards independent reunification this year, urges Rodong Sinmun Wednesday in a by-lined article.
The trend of the situation last year proved once again the truth of history that with nothing can the anti-reunification forces break the Korean nation's will for independent reunification and peace and prosperity and they are bound to face a defeat, the article notes, and goes on:
The joint New Year editorial for this year put up the slogan "Let all the compatriots open the gates of national reunification full of fresh confidence!"
The June 15 joint declaration and the October 4 declaration are the banners to be held high in the struggle for the independent reunification. Whoever wants the peace and reunification of the country should turn out as one in the nationwide drive to support, defend and implement the north-south declarations.
It is necessary to place the interests common to the nation above anything else and subordinate everything to meeting them.
The DPRK remains unchanged in its principled stand to achieve national reconciliation and unity on the basis of the above-said interests.
All the Koreans should frustrate every reckless military provocation, arms buildup and war exercise of the U.S. and the south Korean warmongers against the DPRK, holding high the slogan of peace against war. It is necessary to heighten the vigilance against the military nexus of the U.S., Japan and south Korea and drive the U.S. imperialist aggressor forces, a main obstacle in ensuring peace on the Korean Peninsula, out of south Korea as soon as possible.
Will of Pomminryon to Wage Actions in Unity Reiterated
Pyongyang, November 23 (KCNA) -- The South Headquarters of the Pan-national Alliance for Korea's Reunification (Pomminryon) released a statement on November 20 on the 21st anniversary of formation of Pomminryon.
Since its formation Pomminryon has waged unflinching struggle for independence and peaceful reunification standing against the anti-reunification forces, said the statement.
The spirit of Pomminryon has run high since the formulation of the three charters for national reunification and the strong trend to the June 15 era encourages the south Korean people to the actions against the U.S. and dictatorship, it said.
The South Headquarters of Pomminryon would wage actions in unity and pass severe punishment on anti-reunification forces keen on sycophantic treachery, it stressed.
It expressed a will to surely usher in the era of "By our nation itself" in solidarity with all the fellow countrymen at home and abroad.
Appeal of June 15 All-Korean Committee
Pyongyang, October 4 (KCNA) -- The North, South and Overseas Sides Committees for Implementation of June 15 Joint Declaration issued Tuesday the following appeal on the 4th anniversary of the Declaration for Development of North-South Relations and Peace and Prosperity:
All the Koreans inside and outside Korea have greeted the 4th anniversary of the Declaration for Development of North-South Relations and Peace and Prosperity which brought great hope for independent reunification.
The historic October 4 declaration which comprehensively clarifies practical ways for achieving peace, reunification and common prosperity of the country is another gain common to the nation which was made by the Koreans in their efforts to achieve national reunification by pooling their efforts.
But a stumbling block is lying in the way of implementing the declaration and mistrust and confrontation persist between the north and the south at present.
All the Koreans in the north and the south and abroad are looking back on the June 15 era in which they paved a wide avenue for reunification by their joint efforts and are full of determination and will to carry forward and develop it.
All-Korean Committee for Implementation of June 15 Joint Declaration (June 15 All-Korean Committee) declares as follows, reflecting the ardent desire and wishes of the nation for reconciliation, peace and reunification:
We should respect and put into practice the north-south joint declarations.
The adoption and implementation of the north-south joint declarations ushered in the new era of history in which the north and the south had worked for reunification while getting reconciled and cooperating with each other, putting an end to the inglorious past of distrust and confrontation.
The blood ties of the nation that had remained severed for more than half a century were rejoined and brisk visits, contacts and meetings were held in various fields between the north and the south, making the whole land of Korea from Mt. Paektu to Mt. Halla seethe with joy and enthusiasm for reunification.
No one can deny the stirring reality brought about by the north-south joint declarations and their significance in the history of the nation.
It is necessary to resume and promote all the activities for their implementation so as to develop them into a nationwide movement.
It is necessary to deal with all issues arising between the north and the south with the joint declarations as a yardstick and settle them in line with the requirements and interests of the nation.
The denial of the joint declarations and any move to hamstring their implementation should be thoroughly rebuffed.
An end should be put to hostility and confrontation between fellow countrymen.
The differing ideologies and systems in the north and the south can never become a source of discord and hostility.
It is the historical reality proven in the course of implementing the declarations that the north and the south can certainly get reconciled and reunified as one and the same nation despite differing ideologies and systems.
It is necessary to work for reunification on the basis of recognizing and tolerating each other's ideology and system in the spirit of the June 15 joint declaration.
All acts fostering discord and distrust between fellow countrymen and provoking the other side should be repudiated.
Positive efforts should be made to foil all the military exercises and arms buildup that may escalate the military tensions between the north and the south and build a durable and lasting peace mechanism on this land.
Various activities should be conducted to turn the West Sea of Korea fraught with the seed of armed clash between the north and the south into a sea of peace for the present.
All conditions should be provided for free discussion and activities for reunification between the people of all social standings from the north and the south including the June 15 All-Korean Committee.
Today its activities have been deterred and joint national events for reunification have not been held for the past four years even though they had been held every year since the publication of the joint declaration.
Hindrance of its activities is a denial of peace and reunification and an act of swimming against the tide of the times towards national harmony and reunification.
It is essential to resume and invigorate NGO contacts, exchanges and cooperation including the Committee and all other organizations of people of various strata.
All institutional barriers standing in the way of national reconciliation and unity should be pulled down and discussion and various activities for reunification be promoted between organizations comprising people of various social strata in the north and the south and abroad.
The unity of all Koreans in the north and the south and abroad should be encouraged in the spirit of the north-south joint declarations.
This is an important requirement for preserving peace of the country and advancing the June 15 era as well as the unanimous wish of all Koreans for peace and reunification.
It is prerequisite to put the nation's cause above all and keep pace with each other and join hands together irrespective of class, stratum, faction, affiliation, idea and ism.
We should reject division and strengthen alliance and unity and record new chronicle of hope through firm unity of all the forces desirous of peace and reunification.
The great national unity precisely means peace and national reunification.
Let us put an end to discord and confrontation through concord and unity of all Koreans at home and abroad and usher in a new era of peace, independence and reunification!
Let us implement the June 15 joint declaration and the October 4 declaration to build a peaceful and prosperous reunified country!
Talks Held between Top Leaders of DPRK and Russia
Pyongyang, August 24 (KCNA) -- Talks were held between Kim Jong Il, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission, and Dmitri Anatoliyevich Medvedev, president of the Russian Federation, in Ulan-Ude, the capital city of the Republic of Buryatia of Russia, on Wednesday.
Present at the talks from the DPRK side were Kim Yong Chun, member of the Political Bureau of the WPK Central Committee and minister of the People's Armed Forces, Kang Sok Ju, member of the Political Bureau of the WPK Central Committee and vice-premier of the Cabinet, Kim Yang Gon, alternate member of the Political Bureau and secretary of the WPK Central Committee, Kim Kye Gwan, first vice-minister of Foreign Affairs, and Kim Yong Jae, DPRK ambassador to Russia.
Present there from the Russian side were Sergei Prikhodiko, assistant to president for external policy, Viktor Ishayev, presidential envoy to the Far East Region of the Russian Federation, Viktor Tolokonski, presidential envoy to the Siberian Region of the Russian Federation, Anatoly Serzhukov, minister of Defense, Igor Levitin, minister of Transport, Viktor Basargin, minister of Regional Development and chairman of the Russian side to the Governmental Committee between Russia-Korea for the Cooperation of Trade and Economy, Science and Technology, Valery Sukhinin, Russian ambassador to the DPRK, and Aleksei Borodavkin, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs.
Medvedev warmly welcomed Kim Jong Il visiting Russia, noting that his Russia visit is of particularly important significance in promoting the mutual understanding, trust, friendship and cooperation between the two countries and putting the Russia-DPRK friendly relations on a new higher stage.
Saying that Kim Jong Il's appreciation of the changes taking place in the land of Russia during his long trip to the Far East and Siberia regions constitutes a great inspiration and positive support to the struggle of the Russian people, the Russian president highly estimated the contribution made by Kim Jong Il to steadily developing the bilateral friendly relations.
The Russian president extended kind salute to all the Korean people who are dedicating themselves to bringing about a new turn in building a prosperous and powerful nation till 2012, the centenary of the birth of President Kim Il Sung, the great leader of the Korean people.
The Russian president expressed support to the positive measures taken by the DPRK to defend the peace and security of Northeast Asia, develop the economy to suit the specific conditions of the country and improve the standard of the people's living. He expressed the belief that the Korean people would register greater successes in the building of a prosperous and powerful nation under the leadership of Kim Jong Il.
Kim Jong Il thanked the Russian president and other central leading officials and the governments and people of different regions for kindly receiving him wherever he went and according him cordial hospitality and extended his regards to the Russian people.
He said he witnessed the successes achieved by the Russian government and people in the work to modernize the economy, bolster the defense capability and achieve social stability under the leadership of Medvedev and got better knowledge of the history and culture of Russia while touring several cities and units of the vast Far East and Siberian regions. He hoped the Russian people would enjoy prosperity in the future, too.
At the talks the top leaders of the two countries informed each other of the situation in their countries and appreciated with satisfaction the favorably developing bilateral relations. They exchanged their views on developing the bilateral relations and reached a consensus of views on all the issues discussed.
The two top leaders were unanimous in saying that boosting the bilateral friendly and cooperative relations with a long historical tradition is not only in line with the desire of the two peoples and their fundamental interests but is of important significance in developing Northeast Asia and defending world peace and security.
The Russian president reiterated that the Russian side would join the DPRK side in boosting the Russia-DPRK good-neighborly, friendly and cooperative relations and thus making a positive contribution to bringing greater well-being to the two peoples.
Kim Jong Il reiterated the determination of the government and people of the DPRK to make every possible effort to further develop the traditional bilateral friendly and cooperative relations in the future, too.
At the talks the top leaders underlined the need for the two countries to boost the friendship, equality and mutually beneficial cooperative relations in the spirit of the DPRK-Russia Joint Declaration inked in Pyongyang in 2000, the 2001 DPRK-Russia Moscow Declaration and the Treaty of Friendship, Good-neighborliness and Cooperation between the DPRK and Russia.
They expressed firm belief that the cause of building a prosperous and powerful nation in the DPRK and that of building a powerful state in Russia would surely be accomplished thanks to the two peoples' vigorous struggle for social progress and development. They expressed mutual support and solidarity with the cause.
The two top leaders had an in-depth exchange of views on regional and international issues at the talks.
At the talks they shared the view that the six-party talks should be resumed without any precondition at an early date to implement the September 19 joint statement on the principle of simultaneous action and thus accelerate the denuclearization of the whole Korean Peninsula.
Manifested at the talks was the will of the governments of the two countries to reject high-handed and arbitrary practices in the international arena and establish a fair international order in order to actively contribute to the peace and security in the region and the rest of the world.
The talks discussed a series of agenda items on boosting the economic and cooperative relations in various fields including the issue of energy including gas and the issue of linking railways and reached a common understanding of them.
It was decided at the talks to organize and operate working groups to put the above-said issues into practice and the two countries agreed to continue cooperating with each other in this direction.
The two top leaders expressed satisfaction with the results of the talks and further deepened their friendship.
Kim Jong Il invited the Russian president to pay a visit to the DPRK at a convenient time and the invitation was accepted with pleasure.
The talks proceeded in a sincere and friendly atmosphere from start to end.
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Speech Made by Kim Jong Il at Banquet
Pyongyang, August 24 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il made a speech at the banquet given by Dmitri Anatoliyevich Medvedev, president of the Russian Federation, in welcome of his visit to Russia.
Respected Your Excellency President Dmitri Anatoliyevich Medvedev,
Close friends of Russia,
It gives me great pleasure to revisit Siberia and the Far East Region of Russia, a friendly neighbor, after the lapse of a decade and meet with you.
Allow me to express, first of all, my heartfelt thanks to you for traveling thousands of kilometers to come to Ulan-Ude from Moscow, the capital city, warmly greeting us and providing us with such meaningful place today.
It gives us particular pleasure to visit your country for the third time in the new century and see for ourselves the achievements made by your people in building powerful and modern Russia.
The Russian government and people are registering many successes in the work to bolster the defence capability of the country and achieve the modernization of economy and social and political stability and working hard to establish a fair international order against high-handed and arbitrary practices under your leadership.
It is our sincere hope that the efforts of the friendly Russian government and people to defend world peace and security and build rich and powerful Russia will bear good fruits.
The peoples of our two countries have given steady continuity to the history and tradition of friendship along with the placid flow of the River Tuman.
We are glad to see that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries have favorably developed in various fields recently.
To steadily develop in depth the history and tradition of the DPRK-Russia friendship entirely conforms with the interests of the two peoples and is of weighty significance in defending the peace and stability in Northeast Asia.
We are convinced that the summit meeting today will undoubtedly mark an important landmark in boosting the DPRK-Russia relations in line with the aspiration and desire of the two peoples and turning Northeast Asia into the region for peace and cooperation.
We will in the future, too, make every effort to boost the traditional DPRK-Russia friendly and cooperative relations.
In closing, I, availing myself of this opportunity overflowing with the friendship, would like to propose a toast to the strengthening and development of the traditional friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries, to the good health of Respected Your Excellency President Dmitri Anatoliyevich Medvedev and to the good health of the dear friends of Russia and all those present here.
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Speech Made by Medvedev at Banquet
Pyongyang, August 24 (KCNA) -- The following is the speech made by Russian President Dmitri Anatoliyevich Medvedev at the banquet given in honor of General Secretary Kim Jong Il visiting Russia:
Respected Your Excellency Kim Jong Il,
Respected friends,
The working-level meeting between me and Your Excellency Kim Jong Il, chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK, is just over.
Allow me to offer my thanks to you for having an effective exchange of views on the urgent bilateral and international issues and welcome all the guests from the DPRK to Russia once again.
The good neighborly relations between our two countries have a solid foundation. This is not merely because of geographical proximity and long-standing bilateral relations.
The cooperation between Russia and the DPRK has great potential.
To realize cooperation between the two countries will bring a lot of benefits including not a few economic fruits to our two peoples.
Today I and Your Excellency Kim Jong Il agreed to further political dialogue and comprehensively develop working cooperation.
There is great possibility of cooperation for us in the educational and cultural fields, too.
The Russian center has already operated in Pyongyang for the last three years and students of the DPRK are studying and having training programs at universities of Russia.
Art groups of Russia made ceaseless performance tours of the DPRK and it has become a tradition for them to participate in the April Spring Friendship Art Festival.
The contacts between the regions of the two countries have become more brisk recently.
Documents on establishing sister relations between various cities of Russia and the DPRK are in the making.
Cooperation among Russia, the DPRK and the Republic of Korea in carrying out the grand plans in the fields of infrastructure and power has a great prospect.
I am convinced that to realize this cooperation would be beneficial to all our three countries and have a positive impact on providing favorable environment for dialogue and confidence-building between the DPRK and the ROK.
It is our common task to put an end to the confrontation between the north and the south that has lasted for more than half a century, I think.
We will in the future, too, contribute to seeking political and economic solutions to turn the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia into regions in which durable peace and security are settled.
Respected friends,
Hoping you will have good impressions during your stay in Russia, let me propose to toast to the good health of respected Your Excellency Kim Jong Il, chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK, and to the good health of all those present here and to the well-being and prosperity of the peoples of the DPRK and Russia.
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Kim Jong Il Visits Amur Region of Russian Federation
Pyongyang, August 21 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Il, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and chairman of the National Defence Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, visited Amur Region in the Far East Region of the Russian Federation on August 21.
He arrived in Amur Region this morning.
Flags of the two countries were seen fluttering at Bureya Railway Station and crowd was present there with pennants of the two countries in their hands.
When the train pulled in the station, a military band played a welcome music and artistes of the Amur region folklore song and dance troupe danced to the tune of folk music. The crowd enthusiastically welcomed him, waving pennants of the two countries.
He exchanged greetings with Oleg Kozhemyako, governor of Amur Region; Aleksandr Bashun, chairman of the Amur Region Legislative Assembly; Pavel Shtein, governor of the Bureya District Administration; and other leading officials of the region, city and district who came to greet him and Viktor Ishayev, presidential envoy to the Far East Region of the Russian Federation; and Valery E. Sukhinin, Russian ambassador to the DPRK; who were conducting him on a visit to the Far East Region.
He was offered bread and salt by Russian women in graceful national costumes according to their customs.
He was accompanied by Kim Yong Chun, member of the Political Bureau of the WPK Central Committee and minister of the People's Armed Forces, Kang Sok Ju, member of the Political Bureau of the WPK Central Committee and vice-premier of the Cabinet, Jang Song Thaek, alternate member of the Political Bureau of the WPK Central Committee and vice-chairman of the NDC, Kim Yang Gon, Pak To Chun and Thae Jong Su, alternate members of the Political Bureau and secretaries of the WPK Central Committee, Ju Kyu Chang, alternate member of the Political Bureau and department director of the WPK Central Committee, Pak Pong Ju, first vice department director of the WPK Central Committee, O Su Yong, chief secretary of the North Hamgyong Provincial Committee of the WPK, Kim Kye Gwan, first vice-minister of Foreign Affairs, Kim Yong Jae, DPRK ambassador to Russia, and Sim Kuk Ryong, consul general of the DPRK Consulate General in Nakhodka of Russia.
He visited the Bureya Hydro-electric Plant, a large power base in the Far East Region of Russia.
He was greeted on the spot by Igori Goluptsov, director of the plant, and its senior officials.
After being briefed on the history of the plant, he acquainted himself in detail with the construction and electricity production, going round the generating room and other places.
Commanding a bird's-eye view of the giant plant from the observation deck, he said it is a great structure to go down in the history of Russia.
Highly praising the brave and talented Russian people for having built the modern large-scale hydro-electric plant by harnessing nature for dozens of years, he expressed expectation that the workers of the plant would keep the electricity production going at a high rate and contribute to the economic development in the Far East Region and its people's wellbeing.
He wrote in the visitor's book: "Inexhaustible is the strength of the Russian people who occupied Bureya nature. Kim Jong Il. August 21, 2011."
The director of the plant presented him with a gift which was prepared with sincerity carrying boundless respect and reverence of all its employees for him.
The governor of the region gave a luncheon in honor of Kim Jong Il on a visit to the region.
Warmly welcoming Kim Jong Il visiting the Far East Region for the strengthening and development of the Russia-DPRK friendship on behalf of the Regional Government and people, the governor expressed the pleasure to receive in their region the leader in good health and full of energy.
The luncheon proceeded in an amicable atmosphere overflowing with friendship.
An art performance prepared by the artistes of the region was given in welcome of him.
He was presented with a gift by the governor on behalf of the officials and people of the region in token of his historic visit to the region.
He left for his next destination amid the warm send-off by senior officials of the region.
All Koreans Called upon to Implement North-South Declarations
Pyongyang, July 20 (KCNA) -- The June 15 joint declaration and the October 4 declaration, a programme for implementing it, serve as banner for achieving independent reunification to be invariably held aloft at all times as they are the most just reunification programme common to the nation, a full embodiment of the three charters for national reunification. Rodong Sinmun Wednesday says this in a bylined article.
The above-said declarations reflect the idea of national independence and the ways for achieving great national unity and independent and peaceful reunification of the country clarified and indicated by the three charters for national reunification, the article notes, and goes on:
The June 15 joint declaration calls for solving the issue of the country's reunification independently by the concerted efforts of Koreans who are responsible for it while the October 4 declaration reaffirms the main spirit of the joint declaration.
The idea of "By our nation itself" specified in the north-south joint declarations represents the will to reunify the country and open a new history of national prosperity by rallying all Koreans who love the country and nation through reconciliation and unity between the north and the south.
The joint declarations indicate specific ways for boosting cooperation and exchange between the north and the south in all domains including politics, economy and social culture to preserve national character which has been steadily handed down through generations and achieve uniform development of national economy.
They also indicate practical ways for putting an end to military stand-off on the Korean Peninsula and building durable peace mechanism.
DPRK Decides to Set Up Hwanggumphyong and Wihwa Islands Economic Zone
Pyongyang, June 6 (KCNA) -- The DPRK decided to set up the Hwanggumphyong and Wihwa Islands Economic Zone in order to boost the DPRK-China friendship and expand and develop the external economic relations.
A decree of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly was promulgated on June 6 in this regard.
According to it, Hwanggumphyong-ri, Sindo County, Sangdan-ri, Hadan-ri and Taji-ri, Sinuiju City and Soho-ri, Uiju County of North Phyongan Province shall belong to the zone.
The sovereignty of the DPRK shall be exercised in the zone.
The development of the zone shall start from the Hwanggumphyong district.
Special Zone for Int'l Tourism to Be Established
Pyongyang, April 29 (KNA) -- A special zone for international tour of Mt. Kumgang will be established in the DPRK.
A decree on this decision was issued by the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly on Friday.
According to the decree, the special zone is to be set in the area of Mt. Kumgang in Kangwon Province and the zone will include the township and some areas of Onjong-ri in Kosong County, Lagoon Samil, Sea Kumgang area, Inner Kumgang area of Kumgang County and some areas of Thongchon County.
The DPRK sovereignty will be exercised over the zone.
The DPRK will encourage free investment in the development of the special zone by corporate bodies, individuals and other economic bodies and protect by law the invested capital and properties and income and other profits to be gained through business.
The Central Tourist Guidance Agency shall take relevant measures to increase new tourist destinations, depending on the progress made in the SZ development.
The decree of the SPA Presidium on "Setting Up Mt. Kumgang Tourist Zone in the DPRK" issued on Oct. 23, 2002 is no longer valid.
APPEAL TO KOREAN AMERICANS TO SUPPORT KOREANS IN JAPAN
On March 11, this year, an enormous earthquake registering Richter scale at 9.0, hit the northeastern shore of Japanese main island, which was immediately followed by an un-precedently high and strong tsunami, wreaking havocs among the residents of prefectures of Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima and a part of Ibaraki. Within a day following this natural disaster a numerous nuclear power plants existing in the Fukushima area had exploded spewing dangerous plumes of radioactivity, thus compounding the disaster.
It is unbearable burden for Japanese and we express our sincere condolence to the disaster casualties.
Among the unknown thousands of Japanese disaster victims are the residents of Korean ancestry, who are the descendants of Koreans forcibly, moved to Japan during the colonial rule of the peninsula by the Japanese to work in various war efforts. Currently the total number of these Korean residents in Japan is estimated to be about 800,000. They have been living in Japan subject to much direct and indirect discrimination by mainstream society, even though the majority of them are either third or even fourth generation residents in Japan.
Koreans, whether in South, North or overseas, have not forgotten the major earthquake, Kanto Earthquake, on September 1, 1923 in Japan and the massacre of 6,000 Korean residents by Japanese with false rumors that Korean residents have committed arsons, lootings and poisoning of drinking wells. It is the opinion of many Korean Americans, including those in Korean American National Coordinating Council (KANCC) that even in the relief efforts by the Japanese government and its society, Korean residents will not be rendered any priority.
Therefore, the KANCC appeals to members of the Korean American community to respond generously to our relief fund raising effort for the Korean Residents of Japan.
The fund raised will be used for humanitarian assistance only, meeting immediate needs such as food, clothing, blankets, medications, cost of transportation, etc., of the Korean Residents in nursing homes, temporary refugee facilities in the disaster areas including, Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima and Ibaraki prefectures. The aid will be distributed without any consideration of their organizational affiliation in the Korean Japanese Society.
Please, call, write, e-mail your commitment to the following address;
KANCC-Central
2019 Maple Ave. Northbrook, IL 60062
Phone : (630)973-6584, (312-802-4858)
Or Los Angeles including western states and New York plus eastern states:
KANCC (Korean American National Coordinating Council, Inc.)
475 Riverside Dr, #1368
New York, NY 10115
ÀüÈ:212-870-2162
KANCC is a Nonprofit, Tax Exempt organization registered in the State of Illinois.
FM Spokesman on DPRK Ready for Both Dialogue and Confrontation
Pyongyang, March 1 (KCNA) -- The U.S. and the south Korean bellicose forces finally kicked off large-scale war exercises against the DPRK, going against the unanimous aspiration and demand of the people at home and abroad for the peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.
A spokesman for the DPRK Foreign Ministry Tuesday issued the following statement:
Key Resolve and Foal Eagle joint military exercises go to prove once again that the U.S. hostile policy to hinder the peaceful development of the DPRK in every way and stifle it by force of arms remains unchanged.
They are the U.S. exercises for a war of aggression against the DPRK to put pressure upon the East of the Asian Continent and thus put the whole of the Korean Peninsula under its military control. They are exercises for a nuclear war involving huge nuclear offensive means of the U.S. now under way according to an operational plan for making a preemptive nuclear attack on the DPRK.
The U.S. is talking about "provocations" from someone but the on-going joint military exercises cannot but be viewed as provocations. Given the fact that the international community unanimously expresses serious concern over the tense situation on the Korean Peninsula, this saber-rattling is itself a blatant provocation. The exercises whose purpose is to cope with the "contingency" of somebody and their nature suggests that they are the most serious provocation.
It was expected that south Korea would work hard to torpedo dialogue through all kinds of provocations to keep the confrontation prevailing between the north and the south.
As soon as the present south Korean authorities took power, they denied the reconciliation and cooperation between the north and the south. They are, therefore, under the political burden to justify their policy for escalating the confrontation at any cost till the next elections.
What merits a serious attention is a selfish aim of the U.S. to meet its strategic interests by taking advantage of such intention of the south Korean authorities. The U.S. is contemplating egging the south Korean authorities on to screw up the tension on the Korean Peninsula in a bid to round off the U.S.-Japan-south Korea triangular military alliance and establish military domination over this whole region.
The U.S. responded with its vicious military provocation to the DPRK's proposal for avoiding actions which can be considered by each other as provocations and building confidence through dialogue and negotiations. It is nonsensical and hypocritical for the U.S. to talk about "sincere" dialogue, while kissing the south Korean authorities.
The DPRK has done what it can to make necessary dialogues successful as far as possible without any precondition, not webbed to modality of dialogue, prompted by the single desire to defuse the tension on the Korean Peninsula and ensure peace and stability there. The international community as a whole concerned about the escalating tension in the peninsula and the region is expressing positive support for the peace-loving efforts of the DPRK for dialogue.
The army and people of the DPRK are expressing irrepressible resentment at the U.S. for its high-handed act of staging the large-scale war maneuvers against the DPRK again quite contrary to the trend of the times.
Inevitable is the physical counter-action on the part of the army of the DPRK for self-defence. The hard-won opportunity of dialogue and detente is fading away.
The U.S. should be wholly accountable for all the consequences to be entailed by its military provocations.
The DPRK is ready for both dialogue and confrontation.
The U.S. would be well advised to know well that it would lose more than what it would gain by escalating the military tension on the peninsula.
DPRK Stand on Denuclearization of Korea Remains Unchanged
Pyongyang, January 26 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of the DPRK released following statement Wednesday:
Thanks to the sincere efforts of the DPRK there are now a series of possibilities on the Korean Peninsula for defusing the tense situation, which was inching close to the brink of war, and restarting the process for its denuclearization. Efforts are being exerted by countries around it to promote them.
It is the common aspiration of the international community and the urgent need of the times to ensure peace and stability of the peninsula through dialogues and negotiations and push ahead with its denuclearization.
However, the forces keen to pursue their selfish goals through increased tension and confrontation are becoming craftier step by step in their efforts to obstruct dialogues.
The peninsula is the region where hostile relations are intertwined doubly and triply due to the state of instable ceasefire that has lasted for more than half a century. It is important, therefore, not to miss the hard-won opportunity but keep alive the atmosphere of dialogue in order to avoid vicious cycle of growing tension.
It is necessary to guard against the assertions intended to unilaterally put up preconditions or deliberately set the order of various dialogues.
It is the genuine stand for dialogue to make sure that multi-faceted dialogues have their proper agendas and untie knots one by one on the principle of finding common denominators while putting aside differences.
The nuclear issue on the peninsula surfaced due to the U.S. threat of a nuclear war and its hostile policy towards the DPRK and it is, therefore, essential to find a modality of dialogue for eliminating its root cause.
The DPRK remains unchanged in its stand to denuclearize the whole peninsula.
Invariable is the DPRK's will to comprehensively implement the September 19 Joint Statement in the spirit of equality and according to the principle of simultaneous action.
One party's action is bound to be interpreted by the other as a provocation as long as hostile relations between the DPRK and the U.S. and between the north and the south go on in the peninsula.
It is the DPRK's stand to stop actions regarded by each other as provocations by building confidence through dialogues and negotiations. It is willing to make concerted efforts to put this into practice.
The present situation of the peninsula standing at the crossroads of detente and the vicious cycle of increasing tension requires the countries concerned to make a courageous decision to use the opportunity of dialogue from a broad perspective and with the awareness of the mission they assumed before the times.
KCNA Blasts American Lawmakers' Outbursts
Pyongyang, December 22 (KCNA) -- Ros-Lehtinen, member of the U.S. House of Representatives, called for taking "strong counteraction" and relisting the DPRK as a "sponsor of terrorism," while terming it a "rogue regime".
This is intolerable as it is malignant vituperation against the dignified DPRK and its system.
Ros, man representing the U.S. conservative hard-liners, is human scum as he earned ill-fame as an anti-communist fanatic.
He is a political illiterate ignorant of the background against which the nuclear issue cropped up on the Korean Peninsula and the processes to settle it.
It is natural to hear such rubbish from him.
What should not go unnoticed, however, is that he let loose vituperation against the DPRK soon after he became chairman of the House International Relations Committee.
It is quite clear that he would escalate the anti-DPRK campaign in Congress and political arena.
In fact, such moves have come to the fore.
Senator John McCain said that he would make new Congress commencing its work next year immediately relist the DPRK as a "state sponsor of terrorism" and apply financial and other sanctions against it.
The U.S. State Department, echoing the outpourings of conservative forces, clarified that it would tighten sanctions against illegal financial activities of the DPRK in a recent four-year diplomatic progress review report.
The above-said reckless remarks made by the U.S. against the DPRK, raising a hue and cry over the military clash on Yonphyong Island and its nuclear activities for peaceful purposes are despicable conspiratorial acts which can be committed only by those who stoop to any infamy to meet their political and military purposes.
It was not "a sort of reward" granted to the DPRK that the preceding U.S. administration delisted the DPRK as a "sponsor of terrorism." It was done on the principle of "action for action" stipulated in the September 19 joint statement on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
No one has a ground to say this or that about it.
The U.S. conservative hardliners, however, are crying out for relisting the DPRK as a "state sponsor of terrorism". This is a despicable bid to check the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
The army and people of the DPRK will never pardon Ros and his group.