BomMinRyon Activities
Appeal to All Koreans
Pyongyang, August 13 (KCNA) -- The Central Committee of the Democratic Front for the Reunification of Korea made public an appeal to all the Koreans on Friday on the occasion of the 65th anniversary of Korea's liberation.
The appeal says:
The Koreans have waged a strenuous movement for national reunification for a long period since Korea's liberation on August 15, 1945.
It was against the backdrop of this movement that the three principles of national reunification were published as the July 4 Joint Statement and the way was paved for dialogue for reunification.
The historic publication of the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration that startled the whole world at the watershed of a new century, in particular, marked a great event which instilled into the Korean nation new hope and dawn of reunification.
Dark clouds of confrontation and war are gathering thick over this land which once had blue sky promising reunification thanks to the June 15 joint declaration. South Korea is now going back to the past dark era of ill-famed military fascist dictatorship as the reunification movement is considered as a heretic one and the confrontation with fellow countrymen is pursued as a "national policy" there.
South Korea and the vicinity of the Korean Peninsula are packed with means for a nuclear war of the U.S. imperialist aggressor forces hell-bent on saber-rattling for a war of aggression against the DPRK.
The East, West and South Seas of Korea are disturbed by war exercises and strongly reek of powder smell.
In order to get rid of the present misfortune the Koreans should decisively foil foreign forces' moves for aggression and interference and resolutely defend the sovereignty and dignity of the nation.
All Koreans in the north and the south and overseas should decisively check and frustrate the moves for confrontation and war by the U.S. and the south Korean puppet warmongers keen to bring an unspeakable nuclear disaster to the Korean nation and defend peace on the Korean Peninsula.
The historical lessons till now and the prevailing situation eloquently prove that the road indicated by the June 15 joint declaration and the October 4 declaration is the only way to be followed by the Korean people and there can be peace, reunification and prosperity only when the declarations are implemented.
All the fellow countrymen should bravely frustrate the desperate moves of the anti-reunification forces at home and abroad and achieve national reunification as early as possible in an effort to turn August 15 national liberation into August 15 reunification.
The Central Committee of the Democratic Front for the Reunification of Korea ardently calls on all Koreans in the north and the south and abroad to greet significant 2012 as a historic year of opening the gate to national reunification reflecting their unanimous desire and will.
Should the anti-reunification forces in south Korea persistently opt to ignite a war, backed by foreign forces, we will make a clean sweep of the group of traitors to the nation through a powerful and decisive counteraction and achieve the historic victory of national reunification, declares the appeal.
FM Spokesman on Presidential Statement of UNSC on "Cheonan" Case
Pyongyang, July 10 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the DPRK Foreign Ministry on Saturday gave the following answer to the question raised by KCNA as regards the issue of the presidential statement of the United Nations Security Council on the "Cheonan" case:
The south Korean authorities brought up the case for discussion at the UNSC, but it concluded the discussion on this issue by issuing its presidential statement devoid of any proper judgment and conclusion without adopting any resolution on it.
A particular mention should be made of the fact that the UNSC took heed of the reactions of the countries concerned including the DPRK which clarified that it had nothing to do with the case.
The discussion could not have ended up otherwise as the UNSC hastily tabled and handled the case before the truth of the case has been probed.
This clearly proves what a foolish calculation the U.S. and south Korea made when they were recklessly behaving in so great haste to do harm to the DPRK for no reason.
We take note of the presidential statement saying that "the Security Council encourages the settlement of outstanding issues on the Korean Peninsula by peaceful means to resume direct dialogue and negotiation through appropriate channels."
The "Cheonan" case should have been settled between the north and the south without referring it to the UN.
The DPRK remains unchanged in its stand to probe the truth about the case to the last.
The south Korean authorities should strictly preserve the scene of the incident including the state of seabed as they were till the inspection team of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK reaches there.
The recent development in which the overall situation on the Korean Peninsula reached a point of explosion in a moment due to a conspiratorial farce once again reminds us of the danger of the present cease-fire and the urgency to establish a peace-keeping regime.
The DPRK will make consistent efforts for the conclusion of a peace treaty and the denuclearization through the six-party talks conducted on equal footing.
If the hostile forces persist in such provocations as demonstration of forces and sanctions in contravention of the presidential statement which calls for "avoiding conflicts and averting escalation" on the Korean Peninsula, they will neither be able to escape the DPRK's strong physical retaliation nor will be able to evade the responsibility for the resultant escalation of the conflict.
KCNA Indicts US-S. Korea for Fabricating "Cheonan" Case
Pyongyang, June 22 (KCNA) -- The Korean Central News Agency released Monday the following indictment laying bare the truth about the case of sunk warship:
One month has passed since the U.S. and the Lee Myung Bak group of traitors announced the "results of investigation" into the case of the sunken south Korean puppet navy warship "Cheonan".
The U.S., in conspiracy with the south Korean group of traitors, cooked up the "story about a torpedo attack by the north" in a bid to shuffle off the responsibility for the sinking of the warship upon the DPRK. It referred the case to the UN, getting all the more undisguised in its moves to stifle the DPRK. But their despicable attempt proved futile.
Public is becoming increasingly vocal negating the "results of investigation" and criticizing the real culprits of the case and provocateurs worldwide.
The Korean Central News Agency releases an indictment dismissing the case of the sunken warship "Cheonan" forged by the U.S. and the Lee group of traitors as an unpardonable infringement upon the dignity and sovereignty of the DPRK and laying bare the truth about it:
1
The "story about a torpedo attack by the north" is a sheer fabrication as it is devoid of scientific accuracy.
As for the 1.5 meter-long propelling body, it is what dozens of U.S. and south Korean warships equipped with up-to-date radars failed to find out in more than 50 days of search operations. But they claim it was suddenly netted by a civilian fishing boat, something incredible and not understandable either.
The group of traitors even produced a video showing the propelling body being netted by the fishing boat and helicoptered, and then took it to the UN in a bid to justify it. But it is clear to everybody that such video showing "the retrieval" of this mysterious thing can hardly serve as evidence proving the propelling body of the torpedo.
A screw of propelling axis and an engine, etc. which they alleged were used for breaking "Cheonan" into two were neither bent nor damaged.
Yun Tok Yong who headed the "joint investigation team" said its American and Australians concerned were "surprised" to learn that the propelling body was in very good shape.
There is a rumor in south Korea that the story about the retrieval of the propelling body is just like asserting that "a stone picked up at roadside dates back to the Old Stone Age."
The U.S. and the south Korean puppet forces claimed that the property of the metal used in making the propelling body is just the same as that of "the north's training torpedo" obtained 7 years ago and its design is also same as the design introduced in the "north Korea's torpedo brochure." This is sheer sophism.
Yun, when announcing the results, said that no comparison was made in the metal property between the two torpedoes.
As for the brochure which he said he saw for himself, puppet Minister of Defence Kim Thae Yong later said that "it was recorded on CD", an indication that this "evidence" is also doubtful.
As far as "No.1" written on the propelling body is concerned, there is need to call attention to the fact that the north and the south use the same language. If there is possibility that it was written in the writing style of the north it is similarly possible that it can be written in the style of the south. The puppet authorities, deliberately defying the stark reason, persistently asserted that it was written in the north's style. They have consistently dodged analysis of the felt-tip pen used for writing it.
Kyunghyang Daily News of south Korea dated June 1, referring to the scientific discrepancy of the letter, said:
The boiling points of general-use ink are 138.5¡É, 110.6¡É and 78.4 ¡É. Had the propelling body been heated up to 300¡É it might have been melted away.
If the paint of the hull had burnt away, the letter "No. 1", too, might have done so. This is science.
But high temperature-resistant paint burnt away while low temperature-resistant ink remained.
The group of traitors presented "evidence" proving that absorptive found in the bow, stern, funnel and other parts of the ship is aluminum oxides that was found in the propelling body of the north's torpedo. This is unscientific.
They asserted that this substance is a byproduct of fine aluminum powder that was mixed with the gunpowder in a bid to increase the effect of their propaganda that the warship was broken into pieces by the "north's torpedo attack", adding that this substance turned into non crystalline substance due to intense heat at the time of "explosion" and contact with cold sea water.
A test and analysis of it conducted by a Korean professor at Virginia University of the U.S. at the request of a National Assemblyman from the south Korean Democratic Party proved that not all fine aluminum powder turn to crystalline substance in that case.
The professor made public a paper on this test and sent it to the UN.
Much upset by this, the "joint investigation team" officially admitted its investigation error at a session of the "National Assembly" on June 11.
Survivors of the sunken "Cheonan" said that they smelt no gunpowder at the time of sinking. But the puppet forces insisted on the "story about a torpedo attack by the north", turning down for no reason the public opinion about the possible formation of aluminum oxides in the course of the firing of artillery pieces from the warship.
The "investigation results" are censured by south Koreans and the world public for their contradictions and doubtful points.
The Solidarity for Democratic Society and the People for Achieving Peace and Reunification, the progressive organizations of south Korea, together with a Korean organization in the U.S. sent letters to the member nations of the UN Security Council on June 11 and 14.
The letters totally negated the "story about the north's torpedo attack," saying that had the "north's torpedo" exploded near "Cheonan", its fragments might have embedded in the warship body, leaving some deaf and some with broken bones, etc.
Fluorescent lamps of "Cheonan" remain intact and not a shoal of sand eels was found dead in the waters where the warship sank. Such humors as "magic fluorescent lamps" and "intelligent sand eel shoal in waters off Paekryong Islet" are rampant in south Korea, a refutation and derision of the authorities' "investigation results".
Non-confidence in the "government" grows strong even among government officials.
It is by no means fortuitous that they held even a meeting in the building of the "ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade" on June 7 to "brace themselves up to be ready mentally to cope with rational suspicions" about the "story about north's torpedo attack".
The June 17th issue of Chinese Huan Qiu Shibao carried an article "Was 'Cheonan' sunk by torpedo" contributed by a Chinese expert on military strategic affairs. It said:
It seems to me that it is hard to agree with the conclusion that "Cheonan" sunk by an explosion caused by a torpedo attack in view of "evidence" produced by the south Korean side only at present.
When the ship sank, broken into two, the U.S. and the south Korean navy were staging joint anti-submarine exercises in those waters.
It is hard for a warship to enter the waters where exercises were at their height as lots of underwater sound detectors were at work.
Moreover, the rival and target of search were submarines of the north. The south Korean side claimed that the north's mini-submarine sent the warship to the bottom of the sea but it has not released any record proving that the submarine moved to the waters where "Cheonan" sank, much less explanation about how it remained undetected after making its way to the said waters despite many-fold blockade and quietly left without leaving any trace after firing a torpedo. Only God knows about it.
One of crucial "evidence" produced by the south Korean side so far is the propelling body of the torpedo. Much more evidence is needed to link the propelling body to the above-said case.
The Russian Moskovskii Komsomolets on May 28 said that Russia and China do not believe in the "investigation results" at all. They lack lots of other possible evidence and facts and are full of contradictions.
The "objective investigation" touted by the U.S. and the south Korean authorities is a product of the plots hatched by the U.S. and the Lee group.
U.S. President Obama in his telephone dialogue with traitor Lee on April 1 said that he would actively "cooperate" with south Korea in "investigating the case" and U.S. forces Commander in south Korea Sharp told the puppet ministry of Defence that he would not "spare utmost support".
So, personnel and equipment for the fabrication of the case were flown to south Korea from the U.S. and hardware and even troops of the U.S. forces in south Korea and the U.S. Pacific Fleet were involved there.
The U.S., in fact, took over the work and ruled the roost even interfering in the fields which south Korea could take charge of.
The U.S. and the group of traitors included south Korean civilians and foreigners in the "civilian-army joint investigation team" in a bid to ensure the "objectivity" of the "investigation process" but those civilians were, in fact, excluded from the investigation.
An expert recommended by the Democratic Party of south Korea could not obtain even a single piece of information about the investigation schedule and particulars concerning the participation in the investigation from the military. The information available was that he was told to stay on ship "Tokdo" on Paekryong Islet till the end of the investigation.
The puppet military even kept the details of the formation of the "investigation team" and its line-up in top secrecy.
Commenting on this, An Kyu Baek, National Assemblyman from the Democratic Party, said that it is becoming clear that "civilians" are used as waiting maids to blindfold the civilian members of the investigation team and stop their ears.
Activities of foreigners involved in the "joint investigation team" were nothing but a screen to hoodwink people.
The June 6 issue of the Russian newspaper Forum M S K/. ru reported that "more than half of the 'international joint investigation team'" were Americans and the rest were made up of those from Britain and other countries"
Russian Internet News Ruskie Novosti reported on June 1 as follows:
Groundless "evidence" produced by the "investigation team" is sparking off serious criticism.
The first question is why only U.S. allies are included in the "investigation team" and why such countries as Russia and China were not invited to participate in the investigation. Moreover, the proposal for the dispatch of an inspection group of the DPRK was turned down for no clear reason.
What is not understandable is that south Korea, far from proving its arguments and evidence after the announcement of the "investigation results", kicked off hysteria, crying out for "retaliation" and "punishment" and then, stepping back from its earlier stand, gradually began talking about "apology" and "punishment of those responsible".
On June 5 an American Seoul correspondent said that all of the foreigners accounting for more than half of the members of the investigation team were experts from those countries which sent troops to the Korean war in the past, except one Swedish. There is suspicion that they were ordered to keep mum about the case.
Britain still keeps mum even though it received official request for the notification of its experts participating in the "investigation". Canada announced that it would send experts on May 16, four days before the announcement of the "investigation results". But nothing is known if they arrived in south Korea and if they participated in the "investigation" or not.
Sweden was said to have given technical help only, not involving itself in clarifying who is responsible for the case.
The head of the "investigation team" said that "experts" from the U.S. and Australia had no history of surveying sea bottom to look for a torpedo. This arouses strong doubt as to their "expertness".
The U.S. and the Lee group concealed or modified those data unfavorable for the "story about north's torpedo attack".
The waters where the "Defense Ministry" said the incident took place is about 1.6 km away from those recorded in the automatic communications system of the puppet navy and low waves and mild weather in the waters near the scene of the incident were registered by civilian weather stations while high waves and bad weather were registered by the military. Why "Cheonan sailed close to Paekryong Islet, away from his routine course, how it was possible for it to sail about 1 km more if it had been really hit by a torpedo and cut into two pieces, giving rise to a big column of water. Data about this are not mentioned in the "investigation results" at all.
Animation files of TOD showing the warship at the time of sinking, a crucial point in probing the truth, a gas turbine room situated in the place where the warship was broken into two pieces and a diesel engine are all excluded from the "investigation", much less being known to the public.
TOD files taken by puppet army outposts on Paekryong Islet and in areas around it contained photos of the ship before and at the time of its sinking. But those showing it at the moment the incident took place are not available. Only available was a file lasting for only 1 minute and 20 seconds at first. But it was increased to 40 minutes in face of the public criticism. Additional scenes were also made public later under continued stronger pressure. This proves that the animation file showing the warship at the crucial moment is missing.
Ri Jong Hui, National Assemblywoman from the Democratic Labor Party, on May 19 said that the "Defence Ministry" told a whopping lie when it said it had no TODs showing the bow and stern of "Cheonan" at the moment of their split and sinking, mentioning the names of those who watched those files.
The "joint investigation team" made public that a gas turbine room and engine were directly hit by the "north's torpedo". But the gas turbine room, a key factor in investigation," was lifted only on May 19, just before the announcement of the "investigation results."
Asked why a gas turbine room and diesel engine are not included in the "investigation results" with the engine still left under the sea, an official of the "joint investigation team" concerned openly rejected investigation, saying that "investigation has been conducted enough to presume the cause of the incident."
The Special Committee for "Cheonan" of the Democratic Party recently requested the puppet authorities to make public 63 data including records of situation of Cheonan, records of exchange of messages, report, track chart, TOD animation files, analysis of retrieved fragments, etc. This proves that so many data are kept under seal by the group of traitors.
The U.S. and the group of traitors made no scruple of cooking up "evidence" to make the "story about north's torpedo attack" an established fact.
The lifted stern of the ship was transported to the place near Taechong Islet and special warfare brigade and salvage team were hurled there allegedly to "confirm the net" but there is increasing suspicion that they tried to remove evidence and distort information.
The permanent representatives of the People for Achieving Peace and Reunification of south Korea in a joint statement on June 11 said that the military authorities deliberately hid TOD files and the chairman of the "Joint Chiefs of Staff" was not in his commanding and control room, got drunken at the moment of occurrence of the case. This proves that the military said only lies. The statement added that they can not repress astonishment at the military as it hoodwinked and made a mockery of not only the south Korean people but the world by deliberately concealing facts and cooking up lies in a bid to dodge its responsibility.
It is exactly the U.S. and traitor Lee who encouraged to do so.
The U.S. state secretary during her visit to south Korea to express the U.S. support for the "investigation results", said that the "400 page investigation report" was full of objectivity and persuasive facts".
Former U.S. Secretary of State Powell at the UN Security Council blamed Iraq for its access to weapons of mass destruction. This was a whopping lie.
National Assemblymen from opposition parties on June 12 demanded the puppet minister of Defence to present the "400 page report" referred to by the U.S. state secretary. But he only said "such report is not available".
Right after the occurrence of the incident traitor Lee talked about "thorough-going investigation" and "full revelation without shred of doubt". But now he keeps mum about so much date kept under secret. This is a deliberate negligence which proves that he is a chief culprit of the case.
The U.S. and the Lee group of traitors completely ignored and flatly refuted the world criticism of them, when investigating the case.
The broad public of the world have become vocal blaming the U.S. and the south Korean authorities for the case from its outset and demanding the international community punish them.
A reconnaissance source of the Russian Pacific Fleet clarified that it was true the "Cheonan" was sunk by a torpedo but it was not sunk by the "north's torpedo" but by a special torpedo fired by a small diving machine of the latest nuclear-powered submarine of the U.S. forces.
The May 27th issue of Komsomolskaya Pravda quoting a captain of the General Staff of the Russian Navy, said that the recent case is an invention of those who sought to deceive the international community. The U.S. is a "skillful director" in this field. There is the need to recall that the U.S. deceived the UN with false information before launching an Iraqi war. The Cheonan case was also a work of the U.S.
An American journalist said he confirmed that a wrecked German torpedo was found in the waters where the ship sank but Germany said it has never delivered weapons to north Korea, adding that the story about the north's torpedo attack is a classical deceptive operation.
A Swiss newspaper on May 27 reported that some American experts say that the warship sank by a "torpedo fired by the north". This is similar to the assertion made by former U.S. Secretary of State Powell at the UN General Assembly where he blamed Iraq for its access to weapons of mass destruction.
The June 1st issue of Indonesian newspaper Kompas noted that "Cheonan" was likely to be sunk by the U.S. forces' submarine. There is the need to remind that a U.S. nuclear-powered submarine was on a secret combat duty in the waters near Paekryong Islet on the very day the incident took place.
KBS of south Korea on June 7 reported as follows:
AP reported that south Korea and the U.S. were staging large-scale anti-submarine exercises on the very day "Cheonan" sank.
A spokesman for the "U.S. forces in south Korea" was reported to have said that south Korea and the U.S. conducted the exercises from 10 p.m. the day before the sinking of the ship to 9 p.m. the next day in the waters 120 km away from where the warship sank.
U.S. forces' warships including two U.S. destroyers staged mobile exercises regarding a submarine of the south Korean navy as an imaginary target.
A spokesman for the "south Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command" was reported to have confirmed that a sound detector was at work at the time the ship sank.
It is the first time that the anti-submarine exercises staged at the time of the ship's sinking were open to public through briefing. On April 7 KBS reported that the U.S. and south Korea kept in secrecy the fact that a submarine of the U.S. forces sank in waters very close to the waters where "Cheonan" sank, adding they did so because they were afraid of their U.S. submarines' presence in waters around Paekryong Islet for surprise attacks on north Korea in case of emergency from being brought to light and were fearful of touching off anti-Americanism among south Koreans.
The Headquarters of the Movement for the Withdrawal of the U.S. Forces of south Korea said on April 17 that the stern of "Cheonan" was raised, an indication that it was not sunk by an explosion, adding:
The most suspected assailant is a U.S. forces submarine. The U.S. ambassador to south Korea made great haste to tour the waters at issue with the U.S. forces commander in south Korea. This was something unprecedented. And a south Korean diver died while working in waters presumed to be where U.S. forces submarine sank, not where "Cheonan" sank. The U.S. forces' divers were keen on looking for something in those waters, paying no heed to the sunken "Cheonan". All this increases doubts.
This reminds one of saying "Criminal is bound to visit the scene of crime".
All this goes to prove that the above-said case was a farce orchestrated by the U.S. and the south Korean group of traitors in a deliberate and purposeful manner to cover up their crime and lay the blame for it at the door of the DPRK side.
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Lurking behind the assertion about the "torpedo attack by the north" made by the United States and the Lee Myung Bak group of traitors are the sinister political aims sought by them through the case and the sordid inside story about the collusion and nexus for achieving them.
This is clearly evidenced by the fact that the U.S. and the group of traitors have closely cooperated in taking "follow-up measures" in the wake of faking up the "results of investigation."
No sooner had the "results of investigation" been made public on May 20 than U.S. President Obama instructed the U.S. forces to be ready for "deterring future aggressions from north Korea" in a coordinated operation with the south Korean puppet army. He thus created the impression that "threat from north Korea" and the resultant "security unrest" in the region have reached an extreme phase.
As a result, the United States and Japan immediately agreed on the issue of transferring the Futenma U.S. forces airfield in Okinawa.
The U.S. secretary of State toured south Korea and Japan to support the "results of investigation" and referred to the "very dangerous situation" on the Korean Peninsula. A confab among the United States, south Korea and Japan is making progress in real earnest to tighten the military alliance to cope with "a contingency on the Korean Peninsula."
The issue of extending the "transfer of the right to command wartime operations" to south Korea was tabled at U.S. Congress and an open discussion was made between the U.S. and the south Korean puppet group to bring the main force of the U.S. Pacific Fleet to the West Sea of Korea under the pretext of large-scale joint military exercises.
It was in this context that the U.S. Department of Defense openly disclosed its plan to work out an "Asia-Pacific strategy report", new security guidelines centering on East Asia till October this year and further tighten the sphere of domination over this region in the 21st century, the Asia-Pacific era.
The ultra-right conservative forces including the secretary general of the "Grand National Party" have frantically kicked up such "north wind" racket as declaring all-out confrontation with the DPRK, likening the "Cheonan case" to the "Sept. 11 incident" and crying out for learning from the U.S. method of combating terrorism and the like.
When the "north wind" scenario of the U.S. and the puppet group proved totally bankrupt through the "elections to the local self-governing bodies" and their plot to prod the international community into "tightening the sanctions" against the DPRK was scuttled, they raised even the issue of relay telecasting of World Cup games to brand the DPRK as "a criminal state" only to become a laughing stock of the world.
When looking back on history, Hitler did evil deeds after faking up "the Reichstag fire case", Japan embarked upon the road of invading China after fabricating the "Marco Polo Bridge incident" and the U.S. escalated its war of aggression against Vietnam by cooking up the "Gulf of Bac Bo incident".
Foreign figures of various circles and media of the world including U.S. commentators are now comparing the case of "Cheonan" sinking with the "Gulf of Bac Bo incident" in August 1964.
A Canadian figure said the "Cheonan case" was another "Gulf of Bac Bo incident", adding that it reminds one of "an aggressor accusing his victim in a bid to justify his policy of aggression under the pretext of self-defense".
Alexandr Zhevin, chief of the Korean Affairs Study Centre of the Institute of the Far East of the Russian Academy of Sciences, said on June 8 there were many contradictory points in the "Cheonan" case, adding:
There is even an assertion that the case was a politically motivated provocation.
Experts cite the tragic case that happened in the Gulf of Bac Bo in 1964 as an example. At that time the U.S. escalated the Vietnam War, claiming that a U.S. destroyer was attacked.
Then, I would like to cite what happened some years ago as an instance.
Seven years ago, the U.S. president and the U.S. secretary of State deceived their people and allies and, furthermore, the whole world by insisting that there were WMDs in Iraq and invaded it. But no WMDs are to be seen there even today after the lapse of seven years.
Ria-Novosti of Russia reported on May 26 as follows:
At first glance everything on the patrol ship of south Korea looks very simple.
That is the point at issue. East Asian countries remember well how similar cases took place. The same can be said of the KAL case of south Korea. In 1983, a south Korean Boeing with passengers aboard intruded into the territorial air of the USSR 650 km away from its air route for no reason and was shot down.
The flow of time disclosed that KAL pilots regularly worked for the CIA and photographed the territory of the USSR.
As everybody understands, anyhow, official hypothesis does not give answers to all questions and everything is very similar to a provocation.
Such comments of the world public and history tell that the "Cheonan" case was a farce in which the United States and the Lee Myung Bak group of traitors employed the same trite method to the Korean Peninsula as aggressors did after hatching a plot whenever they found themselves in a pretty fix and unhesitatingly did foolish things under that pretext.
The U.S. and the south Korean clique of traitors sought the following aims in using the case for branding the DPRK as a "criminal state" and hyping the "threat from north Korea" to make it sound real: first, to prove successful in "the elections to the local self-governing bodies" at hand in south Korea and the Congressional mid-term election slated to take place in November for the purpose of ensuring the stability of the regime and stay in power and second, to successfully pursue the policy of "strategic patience" and the policy of confrontation with fellow countrymen to destroy the environment for international investment in the DPRK and stifle it. A particular mention should be made of the fact that the U.S. calculated it could threaten China and Russia and tighten the master-servant relations with its allies in the Asia-Pacific region.
The farce orchestrated by the U.S. and the Lee Myung Bak group is fated to go bust. The public in various parts of the world is becoming vocal critical of their plots.
The Arab Socialist Party of Egypt said in a statement issued on May 29:
The United States and the south Korean authorities forged the case of sunk warship and are staging an anti-DPRK campaign by linking it with the DPRK, pushing the situation on the Korean Peninsula to the brink of war. The "Cheonan" case is a farce, a product of the collusion and tie-up between the present south Korean authorities keen to stifle the DPRK firmly defending its sovereignty and dignity and tone down the angry public opinion of south Korea to tide over their ruling crisis and the U.S. working hard to strengthen its strategic position in Northeast Asia.
Georgi Toloraya, director for Korean Platform of the Institute for Economic Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, said in his interview with ITAR-TASS on May 26: The present worst crisis on the Korean Peninsula in two decades after the end of the Cold War can be characterized by the fact that it was deliberately faked up by the south Korean authorities. This action taken according to a script is obviously of political nature, ie it is aimed to isolate and weaken north Korea.
Alexandr Vorontsov, chief of the Section for Korean Studies of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, said on June 10 in his article titled "The secret of the south Korean Patrol Ship:"
The moves of the United States and the south Korean authorities after the publication of the "results of investigation" into the "Cheonan" case give strong impression that the moves were taken by them according to the carefully prearranged "scenario". South Korea regarded it as its "ideal plan" to use the case for increasing the "pressure on the north" through the UN Security Council and is taking much pain to plug China and Russia into it. There is already the U.S. view that the case created the possibility of better meeting the U.S. military and political interests in the areas close to China.
Fidel Castro, leader of the Cuban revolution, said on June 4 that the U.S. cooked up the "Cheonan" case to hold its hegemony in Northeast Asia and the rest of the world. The U.S. is resorting to such arbitrary practices as posing military threats to the DPRK, Iran and other countries which incur its displeasure, misleading the world public with lies and plots against these countries, he noted.
Russian Internet News Ruskie Novosti said in an article titled "U.S. trace left on 'torpedo of the north'":
The escalated tension on the Korean Peninsula is not beneficial to both the north and the south. Only the U.S. gets benefits from it.
Now that the U.S. is stuck in Iraq and Afghanistan, it seeks to use "other's hand" after making a switchover in its tactics. In other words, it seeks to put the burden of stifling north Korea on the shoulder of south Korea while "preserving its image". Its another calculation was that it could put China in an awkward position and tear north Korea off China.
The June 9th issue of the Hong Kong newspaper Asia Times said that the "Cheonan" case was a revelation of a foolish attempt of the U.S. and south Korea to drive a wedge between north Korea and China whose relations are developing favorably with each passing day.
It continued:
The "Cheonan" case is a campaign targeted against China. The U.S. recent strong support for the south Korean authorities is aimed to isolate China in Asia.
China finally realized that the "Cheonan" campaign was a curtain raiser to Obama's policy for re-intervention in Asia.
The June 8th issue of the Chinese Hong Kong newspaper Ta Kung Pao said:
The "Cheonan" case was more badly required by the U.S. than any other countries.
Now that the U.S. presence and role in Northeast Asia are becoming increasingly questionable, the "Cheonan" case offered Washington a good pretext for beefing up its military presence in the region.
The regime of the Democratic Party of Japan, yielding to the U.S. pressure, was compelled to change its stand and reconsider its relations with Washington. Through the "Cheonan" case the U.S. not only boosted its relations with south Korea but influenced Japan to move, thus hitting two birds with one stone.
Referring to the aims sought by the Lee group through the case, the paper commented: "First, to divert elsewhere the people's attention second, elicit sympathy from broad world public and point an accusing finger at north Korea and third, tighten alliance with the U.S. What is clear is that the Lee regime sought through this case to make south Korea a geo-political partner of the U.S. and a diplomatic mainstay in Northeast Asia and put stronger international pressure upon north Korea."
The director general of the Finnish Commun Forum Information Agency in a statement issued on May 20 said that the Lee regime might have orchestrated the case for its politically-motivated purpose to escalate the tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
The DPRK can never take a military action against its fellow countrymen in the light of its political ideal.
It is a country based on justice and no military plot against this country is workable.
All facts go to clearly prove that the "Cheonan" case was a conspiratorial farce orchestrated by the U.S. and the Lee group of traitors to serve their foolish political and military purposes to tarnish the daily rising prestige of the DPRK and isolate it in the international arena.
The U.S. and the south Korean puppet clique have ceaselessly perpetrated all forms of hostile acts against the DPRK for nearly six decades since the ceasefire in 1953. Typical examples are "Pueblo" incident and EC-121 large spy plane incident. This being a hard reality, they have run the whole gamut of intrigues to flee from the responsibility for these crimes.
But the truth about these cases was brought to light and the criminals faced a stern judgment of justice.
The "Cheonan" case was a conspiratorial farce and charade orchestrated by the U.S. and the Lee Myung Bak group of traitors of south Korea to achieve their political purposes.
It is the lesson taught by history that the U.S. fabrication of cases is bound to be followed by aggression and interference.
It is the U.S. which fishes in troubled waters, taking advantage of the confrontational hysteria kicked up by the south Korean group of traitors who level their guns at innocent fellow countrymen in the wake of the outbreak of the case.
The U.S. and the south Korean warlike forces should not miscalculate.
The DPRK will probe the truth behind the "Cheonan" case to the last and will never tolerate any provocation of the hostile forces but certainly force them to pay for all their crimes.
Lee Myung Bak's War Moves Denounced by Chongryon
Pyongyang, June 1 (KCNA) -- Nam Sung U, vice-chairman of the Central Standing Committee of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon), released a statement on May 29 lashing out at traitor Lee Myung Bak's moves to escalate confrontation with the DPRK.
Absolutely intolerable, the statement said, is the criminal plots of traitor Lee Myung Bak to bring to naught the precious successes made by the concerted efforts of all Koreans since the publication of the June 15 joint declaration and to do harm to the fellow countrymen in cahoots with outside forces.
The frantic racket of confrontation with the DPRK kicked up by the Lee Myung Bak group over the sinking of the warship "Cheonan" is an open declaration of war against the DPRK and a heinous criminal act of pushing the inter-Korean relations to the brink of a war, the statement noted, and went on:
The group is crying out for additional "sanctions" against the DPRK in defiance of the unanimous desire of all Koreans for reunification and peace, but this will only bring it self-destruction.
Neither peace of the nation nor the country's reunification is expected as long as traitor Lee Myung Bak is allowed to stay in power.
The officials of Chongryon and Koreans in Japan will resolutely smash the scheme of traitor Lee Myung Bak, the wicked foe of the nation, to ignite a war by pooling efforts with all other fellow countrymen in the north and the south and abroad.
DPRK Succeeds in Nuclear Fusion
Pyongyang, May 12 (KCNA) -- Scientists of the DPRK succeeded in nuclear fusion reaction on the significant occasion of the Day of the Sun this year, according to Rodong Sinmun Wednesday.
It goes on: The successful nuclear fusion marks a great event that demonstrated the rapidly developing cutting-edge science and technology of the DPRK.
The nuclear fusion technology is called "artificial solar" technology as it represents a field of the latest science and technology for the development of new energy desired by humankind.
The nuclear fusion technology for obtaining safe and environment-friendly new energy the source of which is abundant draws great attention of world science at present.
Scientists of the DPRK have worked hard to develop nuclear fusion technology their own way.
They solved a great many scientific and technological problems entirely by their own efforts without the slightest hesitation and vacillation even under the conditions where everything was in short supply and there were a lot of difficulties, thus succeeding in nuclear fusion reaction at last.
In this course, Korean style thermo-nuclear reaction devices were designed and manufactured, basic researches into nuclear fusion reaction completed and strong scientific and technological forces built to perfect the thermo-nuclear technology by their own efforts.
The successful nuclear fusion in the DPRK made a definite breakthrough toward the development of new energy and opened up a new phase in the nation's development of the latest science and technology.
South Side Assets in Mt. Kumgang to Be Frozen
Pyongyang, April 8 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the General Guidance Bureau for the Development of Scenic Spots of the DPRK issued the following statement Thursday:
The Cabinet and relevant institutions of the DPRK recently conducted an overall survey of real estates of the south side in the Mt. Kumgang Tourist Zone.
The survey was carried out, pursuant to the solemn declaration made internally and externally in a statement of a spokesman for the Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee on March 4 that it would allow the tour of the Kaesong area from March and the tour of Mt. Kumgang from April and take resolute measures in case the south Korean authorities continue obstructing the resumption of the tour.
The south Korean authorities, however, have not taken any sincere approach toward the resumption of the tour while talking about "adherence to their stand" despite our persevering efforts and the unanimous demand of the south Koreans from all walks of life.
It is against this backdrop that we started the survey to freeze the real estates of the south side in the tourist zone as already declared.
By nature, no law stipulates that survey should precede any measure for the freeze of the south side's real estates and no one was entitled to blame us for directly taking the measure for the freeze of those estates in retaliation against the south Korean authorities' undisguised act of blocking the tour.
We, however, showed such magnanimity as allowing those concerned to witness the survey before taking the action to freeze the estates and sufficiently adjusting the period of survey, taking into consideration the feelings of the south Korean businesses which suffered a lot due to the traitorous group's insolent behavior.
The puppet group worked hard to scuttle the above-said survey in defiance of the above-mentioned magnanimity.
The puppet conservative group did not respond to the survey of real estates belonging to the authorities in the zone, blatantly challenging it, and even prevented the relevant businesses of the south side from undergoing the survey. 52 persons concerned belonging to 33 enterprises responded to the survey but only 16 persons belonging to nine enterprises out of them came to Mt. Kumgang within the designated date to undergo the survey.
The group has also got frantic in escalating the confrontation with the DPRK and smear campaign, groundlessly finding fault with the survey conducted by us under such pretexts as "violation of property right" and "breach of south-north agreement and international norms".
As for the "violation of property right" touted by the puppet group, it is nothing but sheer sophism which reminds one of a guilty party filing the suit first, not aware to whom Mt. Kumgang belongs.
Enormous are economic losses suffered by us due to the long suspension of the tour and the confiscation of all real estates and facilities of the south side in the tourist zone would not be enough to compensate for them.
Moreover, how can one assess in cash the military and security value of area of Mt. Kumgang, the south Koreans' wishes to see world famous scenic spots and the joy shown by the Koreans at the tour symbolic of national reconciliation and reunification?
If there be anyone who suffered losses, it is none other than the Korean people, the Korean nation and the south side's businesses, not the puppet group.
A great number of the south side's businesses staking their fates on the tour of Mt. Kumgang demonstrated outside the puppet Ministry of Unification in demand of the resumption of the tour but the puppet group did not even show up. It is disgusting, indeed, for the group to talk about "violation of property right."
It is also preposterous for the group to talk about "breach of south-north agreement and international norms".
Who did unilaterally suspend the tour after totally violating the June 15 joint declaration and the October 4 declaration which are the most important of the north-south agreements and overturning the agreements between us and Hyundai?
It is the universally accepted practice and common sense that if any economic agreement or contract remains unimplemented for a certain period, it is bound to be scrapped and compensation should be made for the resultant loss, even according to international practice.
The step taken by us this time is, in the final analysis, an exercise of a legitimate right fully in line with international practice and norms.
No matter how vociferous the puppet group may be, it has no right to say anything about our step.
While closely following the attitude of the south Korean authorities towards the survey, we came to finally confirm the fact that the puppet group has neither guilty conscience nor iota of will to improve the inter-Korean relations but is only hell-bent on confrontation, much less intending to resume the tour.
It was brought to daylight that the group's talk about what it called "three conditions" was nothing but a jargon intended to scotch the tour.
We have no idea of having argument any longer, dealing with the puppet clique now that the south Korean authorities are set to stand in confrontation with us to the last, blatantly challenging us.
Under the present situation where the puppet conservative group is free to let loose reckless remarks defiling our dignity and the confrontation of systems has gone beyond the danger line, the issue of tour admits of no argument.
Now that there is no way to save the tour of Mt. Kumgang from a crisis, the General Guidance Bureau for the Development of Scenic Spots of the DPRK is authorized to solemnly declare that it enters the phase of implementing the following steps in the wake of the survey of real estates of the south side in the Mt. Kumgang Tourist Zone as already clarified:
1. We will freeze as the first phase the Mt. Kumgang Reunion Center and the fire brigade belonging to the south Korean authorities and a cultural center, a hot spring resort and tax exemption office belonging to the Tourist Company of south Korea and expel all their management personnel.
2. We will deprive the Hyundai Securities, the Idun Company and the Phyongan Fibre Industrial Co. Ltd of the south side that dodged the survey of their business rights and disallow the entry of those concerned into Mt. Kumgang.
3. Tour of Mt. Kumgang by people at home and abroad will soon start through new business enterprise now that the agreement and contract on the tour made with Hyundai are no longer valid due to the south Korean authorities.
4. In case the south Korean conservative group continues mocking at the sincere efforts of the DPRK and defiling them and escalate confrontation with the DPRK quite contrary to the spirit of the joint declarations and the desire of the nation, we will reexamine the work in the Kaesong Industrial Zone in an all-round way.
With neither sophism nor sleight of hand can the south Korean authorities flee from the responsibility for having blocked the tour of Mt. Kumgang and driven the north-south relations to a catastrophe. They will have to pay dearly for the consequences.
We will never remain a passive onlooker to the puppet conservative group's confrontation with the DPRK and its smear campaign but take resolute countermeasures one after another.
KPA Panmunjom Mission Vows to Buildup Nuclear Deterrent
Pyongyang, March 7 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the Panmunjom Mission of the Korean People's Army issued a statement Sunday in connection with the fact that the U.S. and the south Korean authorities finally set about the DPRK-targeted Key Resolve and Foal Eagle joint military maneuvers.
The maneuvers clearly indicate once again that the U.S. and the south Korean authorities are the harassers of peace and warmongers keen to bring a war to this land.
Under the prevailing situation the Panmunjom Mission of the KPA is authorized to state as follows:
The revolutionary armed forces of the DPRK will no longer be bound to the Armistice Agreement and the north-south agreement on non-aggression.
There is no reason whatsoever for the DPRK to remain bounded to the AA and the non-aggression agreement now that the other belligerent party scrapped the AA and the other dialogue partner reneged on the non-aggression agreement.
The revolutionary armed forces of the DPRK will, therefore, legitimately exercise their force for self-defence, unhindered, just as they had determined to do.
The process for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula will naturally come to a standstill and the DPRK bolster its nuclear deterrent for self-defence given that the saber-rattling is proven to be nuclear war exercises and maneuvers for a war of aggression against the DPRK in its nature.
It is an inviolable right of the revolutionary armed forces of the DPRK for self-defence to counter with powerful nuclear deterrent the U.S. nuclear offensive means threatening the territorial waters and air and land of the DPRK on account of exercises.
The revolutionary armed forces of the DPRK will be left with no option but to exercise merciless physical force as the rival is set to do harm to the DPRK no matter how dear peace, national reconciliation and cooperation are to it.
It is their stand to settle accounts with the rival by actual use of military force if it does not wish neither to conclude a peace treaty nor have reconciliation and cooperation.
All DPRK-U.S. and the inter-Korean military dialogues will be suspended as long as the DPRK-targeted war exercises go on.
It is illogical to sit face to face with the dialogue partner, who brings dark clouds of a nuclear war while leveling its gun at the other party, and discuss "peace" and "cooperation" with him.
The U.S. and the south Korean authorities should bear in mind that their reckless military acts will bring them nothing but bitter disgrace and destruction.
Replacement of AA by Peace Treaty Urged
Pyongyang, February 7 (KCNA) -- The Korean Peninsula has now become an acute hotspot where a war may break out any moment. It is an urgent requirement of the times to replace the outdated Armistice Agreement (AA) by a peace treaty.
This is attributable to the fact that the AA has now become defunct and the Korean Peninsula turned into a theater of acute military stand-off and a dangerous nidus of a war due to the United States.
Rodong Sinmun Sunday says this in a signed article.
The present AA would not make it possible to prevent the eruption of military conflicts by any incidental cause.
An early conclusion of a peace treaty replacing the AA would help turn the relations of acute belligerency into those of peace and confidence.
The long ceasefire on the Korean Peninsula unprecedented in the world history of ceasefire is just like a time-bomb in work that poses constant threat to Northeast Asia and furthermore, Asia-Pacific.
Peace treaty only would bring peaceful environment to the peninsula and the rest of Asia-Pacific.
The urgency for replacing the AA with a peace treaty is also related to the main trend of the present times toward reconciliation, cooperation and development, not war and confrontation.
The issue of concluding a peace treaty would see a smooth solution if the U.S. comes out with the political will to make a bold switchover in its hostile policy toward the DPRK in conformity with its interests and the desire of the world peace-loving people, facing up to the changed situation and trend of the developing history.
Struggle for Independence, Democracy, Reunification Called for
Pyongyang, January 14 (KCNA) -- In order to achieve signal success in the movement for national reunification this year the south Korean people should wage a more dynamic just patriotic struggle for independence, democracy and reunification.
This call is made by Rodong Sinmun Thursday in a signed article.
The present conservative ruling forces of south Korea are desperately pursuing sycophancy toward the U.S., fascist dictatorship and anti-reunification acts and confrontation, while working hard to dampen the daily growing desire of the people for independence, democracy and reunification, the article notes, adding that the reality urgently requires the south Korean people to wage a more courageous mass struggle to realize the above-said desire.
The article goes on:
What is most important is to intensify the struggle for independence against the U.S. in south Korea.
Without forcing the U.S. forces to withdraw from south Korea its people can never achieve sovereignty. It is necessary to dynamically wage diverse forms of the anti-U.S. struggle for driving the U.S. imperialist aggression forces out of south Korea and further intensify the struggle for peace against war, the action condemning the U.S. joint military exercises and arms buildup targeted against the DPRK, factors of sparking the danger of a nuclear war.
The south Korean people should launch a mass struggle under the banner of anti-fascism and democracy and thus decisively foil the repressive moves of the dictatorial forces and bury underground the departed soul of the fascists so that they may never raise their heads again.
It is necessary to steadily advance the movement for national reunification under the banner of the inter-Korean declarations.
The organizations of the reunification movement and people of different strata in south Korea should wage a more dynamic struggle to force the south Korean authorities to roll back their policy of confrontation with the DPRK this year marking the 10th anniversary of the June 15 joint declaration and the 30th anniversary of the proposal for founding the Democratic Federal Republic of Koryo. It is also necessary to intensify the movement for national reunification with emphasis on supporting the process for improving the inter-Korean relations and stirring up the atmosphere of national reconciliation and cooperation, concludes the article.
National Meeting Marks 50th Anniversary of Repatriation of Koreans from Japan
Pyongyang, December 15 (KCNA) -- A national meeting was held at the Central Youth Hall on Tuesday to mark the 50th anniversary of the repatriation of Koreans from Japan.
Present at the meeting were Yang Hyong Sop, vice-president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, Kim Jung Rin, secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, Kwak Pom Gi, vice-premier of the Cabinet, the chairpersons of the friendly parties, leading officials of working people's organizations, officials concerned, returnees to the socialist homeland from Japan and working people in Pyongyang, the group of Koreans in Japan for expressing thanks on the occasion, delegations of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon) and other Koreans in Japan.
Yang Hyong Sop in his report said that it was a historical event which brought about a radical turn in the destiny of overseas compatriots and the history of the Juche-oriented overseas compatriots' movement that the first repatriation ship carrying Koreans from Japan dropped its anchor at Chongjin Port on December 16, Juche 48 (1959).
The repatriation of Koreans from Japan was a precious fruition of President Kim Il Sung and General Secretary Kim Jong Il's idea of the Juche-oriented overseas compatriots' movement and their wise leadership he noted, and went on:
The President put forward the outstanding idea and theory on the overseas compatriots' movement long ago and successfully materialized them, opening a glorious history of the above-said movement.
True to the President's idea and cause, Kim Jong Il wisely led the struggle for the repatriation of Koreans from Japan.
When the repatriation operation came to a temporary halt due to the despicable anti-DPRK moves of the Japanese reactionaries and the south Korean puppets, Kim Jong Il took this to heart more than anyone else and clearly indicated a specific orientation and ways for resuming the repatriation.
Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il took care of the returnees to the socialist homeland from Japan as their real fathers would do and enabled all of them to lead a worthwhile and happy life as masters of the state and society.
By pursuing the benevolent politics, all-embracing politics based on love and trust Kim Jong Il provided not only Korean returnees from Japan but also Japanese spouses who came to the DPRK together with their husbands with the same conditions for a worthwhile socio-political life and let them work at important posts of the revolution so that they might fully enjoy a dignified life free from any national discrimination.
The dignity and might of Songun Korea have reached the highest level and the future of the country and the movement of Koreans in Japan is very bright, the reporter noted, calling upon all the people to single-mindedly unite around Kim Jong Il and wage a more dynamic struggle to build a thriving nation, achieve the independent reunification of the country, develop the movement of Koreans in Japan and accomplish the revolutionary cause of Juche.
S. Korea Will Be Forced to Pay Dearly for Armed Provocation
Pyongyang, November 12 (KCNA) -- The south Korean forces will be forced to pay dearly for the grave armed provocation perpetrated by them in the waters of the north side in the West Sea of Korea on November 10. This warning is served by papers Thursday in signed commentaries.
Rodong Sinmun observes: The south Korean military authorities are now making much fuss in a bid to mislead the public opinion, describing the proper measure for self-defence taken by the north against a group of warships of the south Korean forces as "the third skirmish in the West Sea." This is like a thief crying "Stop the thief!"
The latest armed clash in the West Sea was not a simple accidental incident but a deliberate and premeditated provocation perpetrated by the south Korean military in an effort to escalate the tension on the Korean Peninsula, the daily notes, and goes on:
It is a trite method of the south Korean warmongers to perpetrate a shocking provocation to derail any process for improving the north-south relations.
Nobody can deny the fact that the armed provocation perpetrated by them again in the West Sea is nothing but a deliberate and vicious move for increasing the tension and a dangerous war action of those much upset by the trend of the situation on the peninsula. This is a clear indictment meted out to the south Korean warmongers hell bent on the treacherous acts to disturb the peace on the peninsula and do harm to fellow countrymen by force of arms in collusion with outside forces while hamstringing the efforts to improve the inter-Korean relations.
The artillery pieces of the KPA convinced of justice and afire with hatred are now leveled at the provokers.
The south Korean military had better face up to the trend of the times and behave itself.
Minju Joson urges the south Korean military authorities to stop digging their own graves, make an apology to the nation for the armed provocation and take a responsible measure against the recurrence of the similar case.
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DPRK Demands S. Korea Apologize for Armed Provocation
Pyongyang, November 10 (KCNA) -- The Supreme Command of the Korean People's Army Tuesday issued a report on the grave armed provocation perpetrated by the south Korean forces in the waters of the north side in the West Sea of Korea this day.
According to the report, today the north side let a patrol boat of the Navy of the KPA on routine guard duty promptly go into action to confirm an unidentified object that intruded into the waters of its side.
When the patrol boat was sailing back after confirming the object at about 11: 20 a group of warships of the south Korean forces chased it and perpetrated such a grave provocation as firing at it.
The patrol boat of the north side, which has been always combat-ready, lost no time to deal a prompt retaliatory blow at the provokers.
Much flurried by this, the group of warships of the south Korean forces hastily took to flight to the waters of their side.
The south Korean military authorities should make an apology to the north side for the armed provocation and take a responsible measure against the recurrence of the similar provocation.
Overseas Compatriots Call for Implementation of Inter-Korean Declarations
Pyongyang, October 19 (KCNA) -- A meeting of overseas Koreans was held in Tokyo on Oct. 16 to vow to defend and implement the June 15 joint declaration and the October 4 declaration.
Attending it were representatives of the Japan Regional Committee under the Overseas Side Committee for Implementing the June 15 Joint Declaration and overseas compatriots' organizations in the United States, Europe, Canada and other parts of the world and Korean residents of different strata in Japan.
Introduced at the meeting were congratulatory messages from the North and South Side Committees for Implementing the June 15 Joint Declaration, the Pan-national Alliance for Korea's Reunification and organizations of overseas compatriots in different countries.
Ho Jong Man, chief vice-chairman of the Central Standing Committee of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon), made a congratulatory speech there.
He said that it has been proven by history that the June 15 joint declaration is a great programme for national reunification and the October 4 declaration is an action programme for developing the north-south relations and achieving peace and co-prosperity of the nation.
Noting that the north-south relations have witnessed a new turning phase recently thanks to General Secretary Kim Jong Il's bold decision and wise guidance, he stressed that Chongryon and Korean residents in Japan together with all other overseas compatriots in the world would as ever creditably discharge their duty in the struggle for national reunification under the banner of "By our nation itself" full of indomitable fighting spirit and confidence that remaining faithful to Kim Jong Il's leadership guarantees the national dignity and happiness of the compatriots and posterity.
Kwak Tong Ui, co-chairman of the Overseas Side Committee for Implementing the June 15 Joint Declaration, made a report at the meeting.
Saying that next year will mark the 10th anniversary of the June 15 joint declaration, the reporter called upon the overseas Koreans to do their utmost for the independent reunification of the country and the eternal prosperity of the nation, mindful that genuine patriotism is manifested in devoting oneself to national reunification.
The floor was taken by Yang Un Sik, permanent chairman of the U.S. Regional Committee, Ri Hui Se, permanent representative of the European Regional Committee, and Jong Hwak Phil, chairman of the Canadian Regional Committee.
Then the attendants listened to a solidarity letter to the meeting from Haruki Wata, honorary professor at Tokyo University.
Read out at the meeting was a resolution titled "Let us open the gate to national reunification by defending and implementing the June 15 joint declaration and the October 4 declaration!"
Adopted at the meeting was a special statement "The Japanese authorities should sincerely apologize to the Korean nation for Japan's past crimes and redeem them".
At the end of the meeting, there was a cultural and art evening of overseas Koreans.
That day the participants of the meeting visited the Korean Hall of Chongryon.
Independent Reunification of Korea Called for
Pyongyang, September 23 (KCNA) -- It is the most urgent and important national task for the Koreans to reunify the divided country at present. Rodong Sinmun today says this in a signed article.
The struggle of the Koreans for national reunification is a sacred struggle to reunify the divided nation and achieve unity and thus recover its former appearance as a homogeneous nation, the article notes, and goes on:
For the Korean nation divided by outside forces to get reunified as one nation is a natural trend and a law-governed requirement for the development of the nation's history. The outside forces for aggression are making desperate efforts to keep Korea divided into two parts indefinitely but they will get them nowhere.
The progressive organizations and people from all walks of life in south Korea are now waging a dynamic movement for national reunification under the banner of the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration and the October 4 declaration. This is a manifestation of the firm will and faith of the south Korean people to shatter the anti-reunification moves of the separatist forces at home and abroad and achieve the independent reunification through an alliance with the north without fail. It is, at the same time, an expression of the Koreans' indomitable spirit of independence and their fixed will.
No force on earth can keep the homogeneous Korean nation divided indefinitely as it was formed and has developed through a long history or stamp out the national character peculiar to the Koreans. Steadfast are the will and faith of the Koreans to put an end to outside forces' domination and interference and build a reunified thriving nation on this land.
Korea will always remain one. If all the Koreans struggle, united close under the banner of "By our nation itself", they will certainly achieve independent reunification, pulling through all difficulties and obstacles lying in the way of national reunification.
Spokesman for Foreign Ministry Clarifies Stand on S. Korea's Projected Satellite Launch
Pyongyang, August 10 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea on Monday gave the following answer to the question raised by KCNA as regards foreign press reports that south Korea would launch a satellite soon:
It was reported that south Korea would launch a satellite soon with the technical cooperation from Russia.
Four months ago parties to the six-party talks brought up the DPRK's satellite launch for a scientific purpose to the United Nations Security Council for discussion and "denounced" it and applied "sanctions" against it.
This resulted in violating the principle of respect for sovereignty and equality, the life and soul and basis of the talks, and bringing them to an end.
We will closely watch if the above-said parties will also refer south Korea's satellite launch to the UNSC.
Their reaction and attitude towards south Korea's satellite launch will once again clearly prove whether the principle of equality exists or has collapsed.
National Memorial Service Held
Pyongyang, July 8 (KCNA) -- A national memorial service was solemnly held here Wednesday to commemorate the 15th anniversary of demise of President Kim Il Sung.
General Secretary Kim Jong Il was present there.
Also present there were senior officials of the party, the army and the state, officials of the party and armed forces organs, ministries and national institutions, servicepersons of the Korean People's Army, officials in the fields of science, education, culture and arts, public health and media, anti-Japanese revolutionary fighters, bereaved families of revolutionary martyrs, those who had the honor of being received by the President, those related to his revolutionary activities, heroes, persons of merits and working people in Pyongyang, overseas Koreans and the chief of the Pyongyang mission of the Anti-imperialist National Democratic Front.
The participants in the service observed a moment's silence in memory of the President.
Kim Yong Nam, member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, made a memorial address.
In his memorial address he said that Kim Il Sung was a peerlessly great man whom the Korean people greeted and held in high esteem for the first time in the history spanning five thousand years, the founder of socialist Korea, the father of the nation and the eternal sun of Juche.
He went on: The President was an outstanding thinker and theoretician who founded the immortal Juche idea and clearly indicated the way to be followed by the times and revolution, a legendary hero who started the Songun revolutionary cause of Juche and saved the destiny of the country and the nation with arms of revolution and an invincible and iron-willed commander who ushered in a new era of the anti-imperialist struggle.
The President was a distinguished statesman who built the socialist state centred on the popular masses for the first time in history and laid a solid foundation for the eternal prosperity of the country and the nation, a lodestar of national reunification who showed the most correct way of national reunification and worked his heart and soul to achieve it till the last moments of his life and a universally recognized political elder who made a great contribution to accomplishing the cause of global independence.
His revolutionary life was a great life of the genuine leader of the people and tender-hearted father who made a history of the warmest love and dedication to the people, guided by his noble idea of believing in people as in Heaven.
His brilliant life and feats will last forever along with the eternal prosperity of the country and the nation and the victorious advance of the cause of human liberation and he will always be alive in the hearts of the army and people of the DPRK and humankind.
His revolutionary idea and cause are being successfully carried forward and accomplished by Kim Jong Il in all fields, the speaker noted, underscoring the need to wage a dynamic struggle to build a great prosperous and powerful socialist nation and thus translate the desire of the President into a brilliant reality, make a hundred-year history of Kim Il Sung's Korea a history of prosperity to be always recorded in the history of the country and bring earlier the reunification of the country and the final victory of the revolutionary cause of Juche.
The WPK and the army and people of the DPRK will take firm hold on the revolutionary idea of the President as the eternal guiding idea and embody it in all fields, preserve and develop the undying revolutionary traditions established by him and his feats as the treasures of eternal value of the country and the nation generation after generation and thus eternally glorify the history of the Korean revolution as his glorious revolutionary history and the history of the victory of the Juche idea, the Songun idea, the speaker declared, underlining the need to decisively shatter the anti-reunification moves of the U.S. imperialists and the south Korean puppet clique, successfully materialize the three charters for national reunification and thereby surely achieve the historic cause of national reunification.
He called for developing the foreign relations in the idea of independence, peace and friendship and making a positive contribution to building an independent and peaceful new world.
Memorial services were solemnly held in provinces, cities, counties and complexes today on the same occasion.
KCNA Slams U.S. Administration's Invariable Hostile Policy towards DPRK
Pyongyang, June 1 (KCNA) -- U.S. President Obama was reported to have markedly increased the spending for overseas broadcasting in the budget for the fiscal 2010 submitted to Congress the bulk of which is to go to those broadcasting services that specialize in the anti-DPRK propaganda.
This indicates that the present U.S. administration remains unchanged in its hostile policy towards the DPRK.
"The Voice of Free Asia" operated by the U.S. started its Korean language programs in March 1997. The U.S. has since increased the time for broadcasting by steadily boosting its financial disbursement for the reptile broadcasting services.
It allotted 2 million U.S. dollars for its anti-DPRK operation in the fiscal 1998. A huge financial allocation was made for this purpose until 2008 according to the "North Korean Human Rights Act."
The Obama administration's huge spending for smear broadcasting against the DPRK indicates that it is little different from the preceding regimes in the hostile policy towards it.
What should not be overlooked is that the U.S. rulers asserted that the important role of the broadcasting services for overseas listeners to meet U.S. interests is reflected in the new budget.
It is, indeed, a base and mean act to deceive the world.
The main objective of "the Voice of Free Asia" and the Voice of America is to disseminate the American-style "freedom" and "democracy" and corrupt bourgeois way of living to the DPRK and other Asian countries.
Most of the contents of their broadcasting programs are a whole string of vituperation against the top leaders of those countries, stories finding fault with their policies, interference in their internal affairs and reactionary propaganda.
It is needless to say that the activities of the above-mentioned broadcasting services are designed to bring down the DPRK and other countries which do not meekly follow the instructions of the U.S. or incur its displeasure.
The U.S. is sadly mistaken if it calculates the above-said media's spread of "freedom" and "democracy" would help eliminate the ideology and system chosen by the people of the DPRK themselves.
They cherished the ideology in the DPRK as their faith in the course of a protracted and arduous struggle and regard the most advantageous Korean-style socialism centered on the popular masses as more important than their own lives.
The U.S. is keen to bring down the dignified and inviolable system in the DPRK and looks forward to any "change" there. This is nothing but a day-dream of those who know nothing of the single-minded unity of the leader, the party and the masses.
Intolerable is the U.S. attempt to do harm to the DPRK by increasing the funds for the reptile broadcasting services and enlarging their broadcasting hours.
The new U.S. administration has run the whole gamut of accusations against the DPRK over its satellite launch for peaceful ends and put the sanctions against the DPRK into force.
And it succeeded in plugging the south Korean puppets into the PSI.
The reality goes to clearly prove that the U.S. hostile policy towards the DPRK will remain unchanged no matter who takes presidential office in the U.S.
The DPRK will bolster up its nuclear deterrent to protect its ideology and system as already clarified.
Great Unity of Progressive Forces in S. Korea Called for
Pyongyang, May 17 (KCNA) -- All political parties, organizations and people from all walks of life in south Korea desirous of independence, democracy and reunification should form a great alliance of progressive forces as early as possible irrespective of idea and ism in order to foil the fascist clique's unprecedented repressive offensive and intensify the anti-"government" struggle by dint of unity.
Rodong Sinmun Sunday observes this in a signed article.
The unity serves as a fundamental guarantee for the south Korean people in winning a victory in the struggle for independence, democracy and reunification, the article notes, and goes on:
A key to ensuring the unchallenged superiority of the progressives in the acute confrontation with the reactionary conservatives standing in the way of advance of the history is to achieve the unity of the people of different circles.
No unity would be thinkable without a great alliance of the progressive forces.
To form the said alliance means that all patriotic organizations, personages and people aspiring after independence, democracy and reunification get united organizationally for the common purpose and take united actions, firmly solidarizing with one another.
Only when individual progressive organizations subordinate everything to achieving the common goals of independence, democracy and reunification and form a great alliance on this basis, is it possible to achieve strong unity and meet any challenge to reunification.
The grave situation in which the south Korean conservative ruling forces have intensified as never before the repressive offensive against the pro-reunification democratic forces urgently requires the progressive forces from different circles to unite close as one and form the great alliance as early as possible.
The south Koreans' desire for independence, democracy and reunification is absolutely just and no force on earth can bar them from forming the great alliance of progressives for realizing it.
Rodong Sinmun on April 19 Popular Uprising
Pyongyang, April 19 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today carries a signed article with the lapse of 49 years since the April 19 Popular Uprising in south Korea.
The April 19 Popular Uprising was not only the eruption of the south Koreans' pent-up anger against the cruel policy of colonial domination of the U.S. imperialists and the harsh fascist rule of their followers but a popular resistance against the U.S. and fascism for bringing about a new world, independent and democratic.
The uprising clearly proved that nothing can dampen the heroic stamina and indomitable will of the popular masses and that if the south Koreans rise up united as one, they can surely beat any ferocious despot and win a victory, the article says, and goes on:
It is nearly half a century since the heroic April 19 Popular Uprising. However the south Koreans' desire for independence, democracy and reunification has not yet come true.
Struggle staged by south Koreans from all walks of life has faced grave challenge due to the conservative ruling forces' wicked moves.
The Lee Myung Bak group, which came to power crying out for the "lost decade", has put outside forces above the nation. It sold off the dignity and interests of the nation lock, stock and barrel, while begging its master U.S. to keep the aggressor troops in south Korea for an indefinite period and tighten "alliance" with it.
The reckless action taken by the Lee Myung Bak regime against the country's reunification completely destroyed the foundation of the inter-Korean relations and rendered the situation prevailing in the Korean Peninsula so grave that a nuclear war may break out there any moment.
After the appearance of the above-said regime south Korea is going back to the dark era of fascist dictatorship.
The mechanism and system of fascist oppression were fully restored and the freedom of speech has been crudely violated.
Without do-or-die struggle the south Koreans can neither retake the sovereignty and democratic rights which were trampled down nor do away with their old misery and disgrace.
All the fellow countrymen at home and abroad should wage unflinching struggle to resolutely reject the anti-reunification "policy toward the north" pursued by the Lee group and implement the historic north-south joint declarations, united firmly under the banner of "By our nation itself" and thus bring earlier the independent reunification, peace and prosperity.
If all the patriotic people who value justice and aspire after the reunification of the country pool their will and efforts, irrespective of ideology, ism and the partisan interests and strategy, and firmly unite there will be nothing impossible.
Spokesman for DPRK Foreign Ministry Slams Anti-DPRK Campaign over Its Projected Satellite Launch
Pyongyang, March 24 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the DPRK Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Tuesday slamming the campaign of the U.S. and some of its allied forces to hold in check the DPRK's projected launch of experimental communications satellite "Kwangmyongsong 2" for peaceful purposes.
It said: It is a legitimate right equally enjoyed by all countries of the earth to explore outer space and use it for peaceful purposes.
However, they claim that it is necessary for the UN Security Council to take issue with the above-said matter, asserting that the DPRK's satellite launch poses a threat to them because the technology used for the rocket for carrying the satellite is not distinguishable from that involved in a long-range missile.
Japan which has committed the biggest crimes against the DPRK is taking the lead in this anti-DPRK racket.
This cannot be interpreted otherwise than the height of the behaviors of those bereft of elementary reason and discreet as it reminds one of a thief crying "Stop the thief!"
The countries which find fault with the DPRK's satellite launch including the U.S. and Japan launched satellites before it.
The claim of these countries that the technology involved in the satellite launch is just the same as that used for a long-range missile bespeaks that they developed missile technology before any others and stockpiled more missiles than any others.
The brigandish logic that they may launch as many satellites as they please but the DPRK should not be allowed to do so is a revelation of hostility towards it.
Their assertion is that those countries hostile to them should not have access to even means for self-defence nor develop anything for peaceful purposes.
They are sadly mistaken if they think these brazen-faced high-handed and arbitrary practices will work on the DPRK.
There are not a few countries in the world that launched satellites but the UNSC has never dealt with nor taken issue with the satellite launch by other individual countries. Because it has no mandate to interfere in the independent rights of the sovereign states to the development and use of outer space for peaceful purposes.
The above-said assertion made by those countries is just the same far-fetched assertion that both kitchen knives and bayonets should be targets of disarmament as both are similar to each other.
The attempts of Japan and the U.S., the parties to the six-party talks, to deny the DPRK's right to use space for peaceful purposes and infringe upon its sovereignty as a discriminatory measure diametrically run counter to the "spirit of mutual respect and equality" enshrined in the September 19 joint statement on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
If such hostile act is perpetrated in the name of the UNSC, this will precisely mean its denial of the said statement.
The abrogation of the said statement would deprive the six-party talks of any ground to exist or their meaning.
The six-party talks are now on the verge of collapse due to Japan's non-fulfillment of its commitment, an intention to delay the denuclearization of the peninsula in a bid to find a pretext for going nuclear.
The reality today when the said talks are in the danger of collapse due to the hostile acts of some participating countries once again testifies to the truth of the DPRK's stand that it cannot abandon its nuclear weapons even in 100 years unless the hostile relations are terminated.
The responsibility for the deadlocked talks will rest entirely with Japan, to begin with, and other countries which rejected the "spirit of mutual respect and equality" enshrined in the Sep. 19 joint statement.
If it is impossible to put an end to the hostile relations through dialogue, then there is no other option but to bolster up the muscle to deter the hostile acts.
Preparations for Launch of Experimental Communications Satellite in Full Gear
Pyongyang, February 24 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the Korean Committee of Space Technology issued the following statement on Feb. 24:
Outer space is an asset common to mankind and its use for peaceful purposes has become a global trend.
The DPRK has steadily pushed ahead with researches and development for putting satellites into orbit by its own efforts and technology since the 1980s, pursuant to its government's policy for the development of space and its peaceful use.
In this course, scientists and technicians of the DPRK registered such great success as putting its first experimental satellite Kwangmyongsong-1 into orbit at one try in August 1998.
Over the past decade since then a dynamic struggle has been waged to put the nation's space science and technology on a higher level, bringing about signal progress in the field of satellite launch.
The DPRK envisages launching practical satellites for communications, prospecting of natural resources and weather forecast, etc. essential for the economic development of the country in a few years to come and putting their operation on a normal footing at the first phase of the state long-term plan for space development.
The preparations for launching experimental communications satellite Kwangmyongsong-2 by means of delivery rocket Unha-2 are now making brisk headway at Tonghae Satellite Launching Ground in Hwadae County, North Hamgyong Province.
When this satellite launch proves successful, the nation's space science and technology will make another giant stride forward in building an economic power.
DPRK Reiterates Its Will to Contribute to Cause of Global Independence
Pyongyang, January 7 (KCNA) -- It is the consistent stand and will of the DPRK to strive hard to achieve global independence.
Rodong Sinmun Wednesday says this in signed article. It goes on:
The Workers' Party of Korea and the DPRK government have pursued their foreign policy the idea of which is independence, peace and friendship, thus developing the friendly and cooperative relations with various countries of the world, raising its international prestige of the country, boosting the international solidarity with the Korean revolution and greatly contributing to the cause of global independence.
The DPRK has maintained the revolutionary stand of approaching and settling everything its own way from the steadfast stand of Juche and on the principle of independence despite whatever difficulties and ordeals in the way of the Korean revolution for a long period.
The DPRK has developed the relations with other countries in its field of external activities on the principle of complete equality, mutual respect and non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries. It has always independently solved all issues arising in external relations in line with its own judgment and decision, proceeding from the interests of the Korean revolution.
The article recalls that the DPRK has greatly contributed to defending the peace and security of the world and the Korean people fully supported the world progressive people in their struggle to defend their sovereignty from domination and subjugation.
The imperialist aggression forces' policy of war and their moves for domination are the greatest obstacle lying in the way of achieving global independence in the present century, the article says, and goes on:
The reality requires progressive mankind to intensify the struggle for achieving the cause of global independence.
The WPK and the DPRK government will dynamically advance to achieve the cause of global independence under the uplifted banner of Songun, keenly aware of their historic missions and responsibilities in the future, too.
First 3G Mobile Network Kicked Off
Pyongyang, December 15 (KCNA) -- The First 3G Mobile Network was kicked off with due ceremony in Pyongyang on Monday.
Present there were Ro Tu Chol, vice-premier of the DPRK Cabinet, Ryu Yong Sop, minister of Post and Telecommunication, and officials concerned and members of the delegation of the Orascom Telecom Holding of Egypt headed by its Chairman and CEO Naguib Sawiris and Ismail Abdelrahman Ghoneim Hussein, Egyptian ambassador to the DPRK.
Present there on invitation were diplomatic envoys of different countries and representatives of international organizations here.
Pak Myong Chol, director of the DPRK Post and Telecommunication Company, noted in a speech at the ceremony that the start of the above-said network provided an important occasion in developing the post and telecommunication of the country as required by the age of information industry.
He noted that the credit for the realization of the above-mentioned network goes to the positive efforts made by Naguib Sawiris to boost the friendly and cooperative relations between the DPRK and Egypt.
He expressed the belief that cooperative relations between the DPRK Post and Telecommunication Company and the Orascom Telecom Holding of Egypt would grow stronger.
Naguib Sawiris in his congratulatory speech said that the Egyptian and Korean peoples have friendly and cooperative tradition.
Under the wise guidance of General Secretary Kim Jong Il the Korean people have achieved great successes despite difficulties, he said.
He expressed the belief that the Korean people would surely build a great prosperous powerful nation upholding the Songun leadership of Kim Jong Il.
At the end of the event the participants went round the Center for Serving Subscribers. the Hand Phone Service Centre, etc.
Meanwhile, a press conference was held at the People's Palace of Culture on the same day in connection with the start of the above-said network.
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Holds Some Forces Accountable for Delayed Implementation of Agreement
Pyongyang, November 12 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the DPRK Foreign Ministry issued the following statement on Wednesday accusing some forces of recently working hard to create impression that the DPRK is to blame for the delayed implementation of the October 3 agreement adopted at the six-party talks in a bid to mislead the public opinion:
The implementation of the October 3 agreement adopted at the six-party talks is now being delayed and there are forces floating misinformation that the DPRK is to blame for this.
They assert the need for the talks to adopt a verification document to which the collection of samples, etc. is added, claiming that the DPRK-U.S. Pyongyang agreement on the verification issue is insufficient.
Some media assert that the opening of the talks of heads of delegations to the six-party talks is delayed and the tempo of economic compensation by five parties is affected by it because the DPRK has not responded to the above-mentioned proposal.
This is a product of the ill-boding moves to put psychological pressure upon the DPRK and wrest concession as regards the verification issue while ignoring the essence of the situation.
The DPRK is, therefore, compelled to clarify the points agreed upon by the DPRK and the U.S. as regards the verification issue during the Pyongyang visit by the U.S. assistant secretary of State early in October.
The DPRK and the U.S. shared the view on the peculiar situation the DPRK is facing as regards the verification issue, to begin with.
The DPRK pulled out of the NPT and the IAEA and conducted a nuclear test outside the NPT, declaring its access to nukes. The six-party talks are at the second phase for the implementation of the September 19 joint statement.
This is the peculiar situation defining the way and scope of verification concerning the nuclear declaration at the phase of disablement.
A written agreement was thus reached on the verification measures to be taken on the premise that the October 3 agreement will be fully implemented to ensure the accuracy of the nuclear declaration.
It is the keynote of the agreement that objects of verification would be confined to the Nyongbyon nuclear facilities to be finally dismantled under the February 13 agreement and the October 3 agreement, both reached in 2007, the method of verification would be also confined to field visit, confirmation of documents and interview with technicians and the verification be conducted after the economic compensation is completely wound up under the October 3 agreement.
This was utmost magnanimity the DPRK could show under the present situation where the deep-rooted mistrust and hostile relations exist between the DPRK and the U.S.
It is an act of infringing upon sovereignty little short of seeking a house-search for the above-said forces to insist on adding even a word except the written agreement reached between the DPRK and the U.S. with much effort, persistently calling for the application of so-called "international standard" without taking the present level of confidence in the relations between the two countries still technically at war into consideration. This infringement upon the sovereignty would inevitably lead to a war.
Some forces are calling for employing a coercive manner such as house-search as regards the verification issue at the present phase although they are well aware that they can never succeed in it. An ulterior aim sought by them through such act is to evade their commitment to make economic compensation and justify the delayed fulfillment of their commitments by dragging on the six-party talks.
The DPRK already agreed with the proposal made by the Chinese side to resume the talks of the heads of delegations to the six-party talks on Oct. 18.
The DPRK is reacting to the delayed fulfillment of the economic compensation by five parties with the measure of cutting down half the tempo of unloading the spent fuel rods on the principle of "action for action."
In case the economic compensation continues to be delayed, the tempo of the disablement will be decreased accordingly, making it hard to predict the prospect of the six-party talks.
STATEMENT by H.E. Ambassador Sin Son Ho at UN
Permanent Representative of the Democratic People¡¯s Republic of Korea to the United Nations at the General Debate of the First Committee of of the 63rd Session of UNGA.
Mr. Chairman,
Allow me, first of all, to congratulate you on your election as Chair of the First Committee. I also extend my congratulations to the other members of the Bureau.
Mr. Chairman,
The long-cherished desire of humankind to build a peaceful and prosperous world is still confronted with serious challenges.
In particular, the regional situation of Northeast Asia surrounding the Korean peninsula remains strained, and regretfully, grave situations are occurring one after another in this region.
Behind the scenes of dialogue, large-scale joint military exercises envisaging preemptive nuclear strikes at the Democratic People¡¯s Republic of Korea (DPRK) are staged in a more undisguised manner in parallel with a move to integrate the US-Japan and the US-south Korea bilateral military alliances on the other hand.
Mr. Chairman,
The DPRK is a country exposed to constant threats of the superpower. Our choice to possess a nuclear deterrent is due to the deep-rooted US hostile policy and nuclear threats, which continue for more than half a century.
The DPRK remains consistent in its position to resolve the nuclear issue of the Korean peninsula peacefully through dialogue and negotiations.
Until recently, the nuclear facilities were being disabled at the final stage, a nuclear declaration submitted and even those measures scheduled for the dismantlement phase implemented in advance.
This is a clear expression of our sincere will for the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.
We will continue endeavoring to realize the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula by firmly adhering to the principle of ¡°action for action.¡±
The denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, in its essence, is directly linked with the elimination of the US hostile policy and nuclear threat on the DPRK.
It is therefore that the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula requires the US to terminate its nuclear threat and hostile policy aimed at ¡°overthrowing our system.¡±
The DPRK has put forward, on numerous occasions, a proposal to replace the present unstable armistice with a durable peace mechanism on the Korean peninsula, with a view to liquidating the remnant of the Cold War, the last of its kind.
Replacing the armistice with a peace mechanism is essential for peace and reunification of the Korean peninsula, and peace and security of Northeast Asia and beyond.
Mr. Chairman,
In order to ensure world peace and security in a sustainable way, all nuclear weapons, among others, should be eliminated on the globe.
As long as there continue the attempts to monopolize nuclear weapons and threaten other countries with them, no progress can be expected from deliberations of overall disarmament issues, needless to say about nuclear disarmament.
The nuclear power politics based on double standards is a major factor rendering the NPT and other disarmament treaties ineffective and inciting a nuclear arms race worldwide.
These days, a number of countries are strengthening their own military capabilities for self defense because the existing arms control treaties such as the NPT provide no shield for the security of non-nuclear weapons states
It is entirely thanks to the independent politics, the Songun politics of the DPRK that we are now able to prevent a war danger and maintain peace on the Korean peninsula and in the region.
The DPRK will continue to make every possible effort for ensuring peace and security on the Korean peninsula and beyond.
Thank you.
New York, 13 October, 2008
Performance "Arirang" Given to Celebrate 60th Birthday of DPRK
Pyongyang, September 10 (KCNA) -- The Grand Gymnastic and Artistic Performance "Arirang", a Kim Il Sung Prize winner, was given at the May Day Stadium today in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the DPRK.
It was enjoyed by senior party, army and state officials, chairpersons of friendly parties, deputies to the Supreme People's Assembly, officials of party, armed forces and power bodies, working people's organizations, public organizations, ministries and national institutions, anti-Japanese revolutionary fighters, officers and men of the Korean People's Army, officials in the fields of science, education, culture and arts, public health and the press, bereaved families of revolutionary martyrs, persons of merit and working people in Pyongyang.
Present on invitation to appreciate it were the chief of the Pyongyang mission of the Anti-Imperialist National Democratic Front, congratulatory groups and delegations of overseas Koreans, including the congratulatory group of Koreans in Japan, and overseas compatriots who are staying in the socialist homeland to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the DPRK, representatives and staff members of foreign embassies and representatives of international organizations here, delegations of different countries, delegations of Juche idea study organizations and friendship and solidarity organizations and other foreign guests.
"Arirang" is a monumental masterpiece impressively depicting the history of sacred struggle of the Korean people who hewed out their destiny independently after having the great leader for the first time in the nation's history spanning 5,000 years and the army and people of the DPRK who are dynamically advancing toward the eminence of a great prosperous powerful nation with their enormous mental power and inexhaustible creative ingenuity, rallied as one in mind around the headquarters of the revolution. The performance began amid the playing of lilting melodies of song "Pyongyang Is Best".
The performers made an impressive grand epic representation of the undying feats of President Kim Il Sung who built a genuine people's country in Korea and leader Kim Jong Il who has raised the dignity and power of Kim Il Sung's Korea to the highest level with his unique Songun policy.
The performance was acclaimed by the audiences.
KPA Panmunjom Mission Issues Detailed Report
Pyongyang, August 8 (KCNA) -- The Panmunjom Mission of the Korean People's Army released the following detailed report Friday dismissing the sophism let loose by the United States that the already demised Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission (NNSC) still exists:
The U.S. put out of existence the NNSC, a mechanism tasked to oversee the implementation of the Armistice Agreement (AA), which it regarded as a hurdle in the way of turning south Korea into the world's biggest nuclear base and making preparations for launching a new war, and the Neutral Nations Inspection Teams affiliated to it long ago.
But it still keeps Swiss and Swedish members of the former NNSC at Panmunjom in a bid to make the world public believe that it still exists, a poor charade.
The U.S. forces side is busy manipulating those members to meet at Panmunjom almost everyday although it met once every Tuesday. It is also egging them on to conduct "diplomacy for eliciting sympathy" from tourists coming to Panmunjom, asking them to receive texts of the so-called "letter" near the Military Demarcation Line for several hours though it was flatly rejected by the KPA side.
The U.S. forces side went the lengths of letting them guide tourists in Panmunjom and watch the take-off and landing exercises of the U.S. forces copters in the area of the conference hall and participate in a "memorial service" for the U.S. soldier, etc. in a clumsy bid to convince the public that the commission still exists and is active.
Even in Europe personnel of the member nations of the former NNSC met as an annual event at which they talked rubbish that they would continue to fulfill their commitments under the AA at the prodding of the U.S.
The NNSC was an international mechanism set up at Panmunjom on August 1, 1953 according to Paragraph 36 of the AA. Its basic mission was to oversee the implementation of Paragraph 13 d of the AA which bans two belligerent parties from introducing armed forces from outside Korea in order to prevent the recurrence of fresh armed conflict in Korea after ceasefire.
As long as the NNSC was left intact, it was quite impossible for the U.S. to rapidly modernize the equipment of its forces in south Korea nor was it possible for it to introduce nuclear weapons the shipment of which was
stepped up according to its "big-scale retaliation" strategy.
Hence, the U.S. forces side obstructed the supervision and watch by the NNSC and the Neutral Nations Inspection Teams in every way.
As the build-up of its forces and violations of the AA were brought to light, the U.S. forces side forcibly expelled the Neutral Nations Inspection Teams from the area of its side on June 9, 1956 and officially declared that it unilaterally abandoned the implementation of Paragraph 13 d of the AA at the 75th meeting of the Military Armistice Commission (MAC) on June 21, 1957.
As a result, the NNSC existed only in name.
The U.S. forces side appointed a general of the south Korean puppet army which was not a signatory to the AA and which had neither qualification nor mandate to handle issues related to the AA as senior member of its side to the MAC in gross violation of the Paragraph 20 of Article 2 of the AA on March 25, 1991, thus compelling the MAC to suspend its activities and depriving the NNSC of the mechanism to work with.
In the meantime, the Czechoslovak and Polish members of the NNSC pulled out of Panmunjom and their countries joined the U.S.-led NATO, thus losing neutrality. This caused the NNSC which existed only in name to completely collapse. This being a hard reality, the U.S. is working hard to create the impression that the NNSC still exists. This is intended to achieve its sinister aims to justify the existence of the "UN Command" as a signatory to the AA in a bid to secure a legal ground for rapidly and automatically hurling multinational forces a Korean war in contingency on the Korean Peninsula and shift the blame for the collapse of the mechanism to oversee the implementation of the AA onto the DPRK by using Swiss and Swedish personnel as "witnesses."
With no crafty machinations, however can the U.S. evade the responsibility for destroying the NNSC and sparking off the nuclear crisis on the peninsula.
The U.S. has not only systematically disturbed the work of the NNSC but turned south Korea into its nuclear arsenal and forward logistic base in the true sense of the word by massively introducing all types of operational equipment and nuclear weapons. It has ceaselessly staged exercises for a nuclear war against the DPRK.
This sparked off a nuclear crisis on the Korean Peninsula and forced the Korean people to live, being exposed to the constant nuclear threat of the U.S.
The U.S. and its satellite forces are escalating sanctions and pressure upon the DPRK, claiming in unison that the nuclear issue was spawned on the peninsula because the DPRK built a nuclear power base and war deterrent for self-defence to cope with the threat of nuclear attack from the U.S. This is nonsensical, indeed.
The Korean People's Army is now standing in confrontation with the U.S. forces which have massively stockpiled various types of nuclear weapons in south Korea.
The Korean people are not the spiritless people who sit idle, waiting for a lucky chance and mercy after being deterred by the U.S. nuclear blackmail.
The U.S. is seriously mistaken if it thinks that it can bring the Korean people to their knees with threat, arbitrary practices, sanctions and pressure.
The sanctions and pressure of the U.S. and its satellite states can never work on the army and people of the DPRK who regard sovereignty as their life and soul and no one can encroach upon the system and sovereign dignity of the DPRK under any circumstances.
The reality proves that the DPRK was entirely right when it built the self-defensive military power at a required level to cope with the U.S. nuclear threat.
The U.S. should drop its pipedream to achieve its sinister aim by using the ghost-like "NNSC".
It is the only right way of promoting lasting peace and stability on the peninsula at present to replace the AA by a peace accord and build a new peace-keeping mechanism.
DPRK FM Spokesman on Implementation of Agreement Adopted by Six-Party Talks
Pyongyang, July 4 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the DPRK Foreign Ministry released the following statement Friday as regards the implementation of the October 3 agreement adopted by the six-party talks:
The October 3 agreement has entered a new phase in its implementation thanks to the DPRK's sincere efforts.
The disablement of the nuclear facilities in the DPRK has been done more than 80 percent as of now and it implemented the agreed point that calls for presenting an accurate and complete nuclear declaration.
The DPRK took the measure of completely blowing up the cooling tower of the pilot atomic power plant, in particular, going beyond the phase of disablement.
This constitutes a step taken out of good will, a proof of the DPRK's will for the denuclearization, as it means that it has taken in advance the action to be done at the phase following the dismantlement of the nuclear facilities.
The other participating parties of the six-way talks should join the DPRK in its efforts by honestly fulfilling their commitments.
The U.S. published the measure for political compensation according to the October 3 agreement, but the measure for taking the DPRK off the list of "state sponsors of terrorism" has not yet taken effect due to its procedural factor and the measure for putting an end to applying the "Trading with the Enemy Act" against the DPRK has not been implemented to the full in the light of its substance, though the U.S. claims it came into force.
The commitments of the five parties to make economic compensation have been fulfilled just 40 per cent as of now.
A party whose chief delegate had seconded the above-said agreement by raising his hand at the six-party talks is refusing to participate in the undertaking to implement it, but it is still connived at.
The DPRK is ready to cooperate in verifying the nuclear declaration but is maintaining the basic principle that the principle of "action for action" should be observed.
By origin, the denuclearization of the whole Korean Peninsula in line with the September 19 joint statement presupposes its verification. The fulfillment of the commitments by all participating parties including the U.S. should be verified without exception.
Only when all the participating countries accurately wind up the fulfillment of their commitments, is it possible to see the full implementation of the October 3 agreement and only then can the discussion of the issues at the next phase make smooth progress.
This is the basic requirement of the principle of "action for action" and the consistent stand of the DPRK.
All Koreans Called upon to Remain True to Idea of "By Our Nation Itself"
Pyongyang, June 6 (KCNA) -- Nothing is more powerful than the spirit of "By our nation itself" for the Koreans. For them to pool their strength is the only way of achieving independent reunification and peace and prosperity. Rodong Sinmun today says this in a signed article.
It goes on: Only when all the fellow countrymen who love the country and nation struggle in firm unity under the uplifted banner of independence, guided by the idea of "By our nation itself" is it possible for them to achieve peace and prosperity and national reunification.
The past 8 years since the above-said idea was enunciated witnessed landmark successes unprecedented in the history of the inter-Korean relations and the movement for reunification.
In the course of holding aloft the banner of "By our nation itself" all the Koreans keenly realized that the Koreans in the north and the south belong to the same nation and came to have stronger conviction that nothing is impossible for them if they pool their strength and they can surely achieve national reunification, long-cherished desire of the nation.
To advance under the banner of "By our nation itself" is by no means a smooth sailing.
The situation on the Korean Peninsula is rapidly deteriorating due to the blatant challenge of the U.S. imperialists and the south Korean puppets to the trend of the times towards national independence and great unity and a big hurdle is lying in the way of developing the inter-Korean relations and advancing the movement for independent reunification.
All Koreans should wage the above-said movement and the struggle against the U.S. and war by their concerted efforts, guided by the above-said idea, the banner of patriotism.
They should not tolerate any slightest element that runs counter to the idea of "By our nation itself." It is necessary to decisively foil the moves of the outsiders and the Lee Myung Bak group to chill the atmosphere of national reconciliation and unity by their concerted efforts.
Rodong Sinmun Calls for Maintaining Korean Way of Life
Pyongyang, May 7 (KCNA) -- All party members and other working people should more thoroughly apply the Workers' Party of Korea's slogan "Let us live our own way!" in all fields of the revolution and construction today when the Korean revolution has entered a new historic turning point. Rodong Sinmun today stresses this in an editorial.
The slogan reflects General Secretary Kim Jong Il's unshakable faith and will to accomplish the Korean revolution under the banner of the Juche idea no matter which way the wind may blow and how the situation may change.
Its validity and inexhaustible vitality have been fully manifested in the Korean revolution and construction over the past decades, the editorial says, and goes on: The DPRK and its people are now demonstrating their dignity as an independent power which any enemy cannot dare to provoke and as the revolutionary people with a strong sense of national pride and indomitable mental power.
The tragic reality in many countries which are undergoing sufferings after falling a victim to the imperialists' arbitrary and high-handed practices and their scheme for "globalization" clearly shows that the road chosen and followed by the Korean people themselves is quite right.
No matter how the world may change and what way others may choose we should advance the revolution and construction our own way in our own right mind.
More thoroughly applying the said slogan is a very important work to advance the Korean revolution started in Mt. Paektu along the road of Juche forever, and upholding the slogan is an important requirement of the struggle to bring earlier the final victory in the building of a great prosperous powerful nation.
All party members and other working people should hold higher and thoroughly apply this slogan and thus demonstrate the independent dignity and the revolutionary stamina of Songun Korea advancing under the banner of the Juche idea.
Military Commentator Blasts Outbursts of Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korean Forces
Pyongyang, March 30 (KCNA) -- The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the south Korean Forces at a "confirmation hearing at the National Assembly" on March 26 pulled up the north over what he called "nuclear threat" and went the lengths of threatening that they would make a "preemptive strike" at its nuclear bases with precision guided weapons when necessary. This is little short of a declaration of a war against the DPRK.
A military commentator declared this in his article entitled "South Korean military authorities should behave with discretion".
We do not interpret the above-said outbursts as an accidental slip of tongue, the article noted, adding that what he cried out for fully represents the new policy of the present south Korean authorities towards the north.
The article continued: The threat that the south Korean forces will make a "preemptive strike" at the nuclear bases of the compatriots is a manifestation of the political immaturity and military ignorance as he does not know how our nuclear weapons were manufactured and at what they are targeted. What he uttered is nothing but a servile attitude betraying the sycophancy and submission towards his master as the guy echoed his brigandish assertion in a bid to put it into practice.
In the light of the position of the south Korean military authorities the above-said outbursts are nothing but sheer nonsense and nothing surprising to us but the Korean People's Army cannot but clarify its principled stand as regards them as they represent the present south Korean authorities' new policy of the confrontation towards the DPRK.
As we have clarified more than once, a preemptive strike is by no means a monopoly of the one party on the Korean Peninsula where there goes on the state of neither war nor peace.
Our revolutionary armed forces always keep themselves battle ready as they have followed all military moves of the south Korean forces with vigilance.
They will counter any slightest move for "preemptive strikes" at their nuclear bases with more rapid and more powerful preemptive strikes of their own mode.
It is the traditional method of counteraction and militant mettle peculiar to our revolutionary armed forces to return fire for fire and counter any hard-line step with the toughest measure.
The Korean People's Army whose mission is to defend the socialist country under the banner of Songun will not remain an onlooker till the warmongers make a "preemptive strike".
They should bear in mind that once the more powerful preemptive strike of our own mode be launched, it will not merely plunge everything into flames but reduce it to ashes.
All the expected north-south dialogues will be totally suspended unless the south Korean military authorities clarify their stand to retract the outbursts calling for "preemptive strike" and apologize for them.
It is our consistent avowed stand that dialogue and war cannot go together.
It is illogical to sit at the negotiating table with the party which unhesitatingly called for preemptive strikes after beefing up its aggressor forces for the provocation of a war and staging large- scale joint military exercises with outside forces.
The prevailing grave situation compels our revolutionary armed forces to take such a strong measure as strictly banning the passage of the south Korean authorities including military personnel through the Military Demarcation Line as an immediate step.
The KPA has so far allowed the passage through the MDL which has remained tightly closed for the last more than half a century irrespective of persons from the stand to promote reconciliation and unity between compatriots and prosperity and interests common to the nation.
But there is a limit to our tolerance.
Nothing is more foolish than to continue allowing those trigger-happy elements to enter our territory as they threaten to make no scruple of mounting a preemptive attack on us.
The south Korean military authorities will be held wholly accountable for the serious impact the above-mentioned outbursts will have on the development of the north-south relations.
History howed more than once what a miserable end those who defied the demand of the times and the desire of the nation met.
The south Korean military authorities had better face up to the situation and behave with discretion.
DPRK Foreign Ministry Spokesman Blasts Anti-DPRK "Resolution"
Pyongyang, March 29 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the DPRK Foreign Ministry gave the following answer to a question raised by KCNA Saturday as regards the adoption of an anti-DPRK "resolution" at the 7th session of the UN Human Rights Council:
The session held on March 27 criticized the DPRK's "human rights situation" and adopted a "resolution" on extending the tenure of office of a ghost-like special rapporteur one year.
The "resolution" was bulldozed past the session with the help of some dishonest forces, the EU and Japan being main players, pursuant to the U.S. moves against the DPRK. This is a politically-motivated document as it is full of sheer lies and fabrications.
The adoption of the anti-DPRK "resolution", the most vivid manifestation of the act of politicizing human rights, selectivity and double-standards, is to serve the political purpose of tarnishing the image of the dignified DPRK and eliminating its ideology and system.
The "resolution" is little short of paralyzing the universally accepted deliberation function of the council to handle the human rights situation in all countries on an equal footing as it calls for retaining the post of special rapporteur for an individual country, a leftover of the already defunct UN Human Rights Commission.
25 countries out of the 47 member nations of the council said no to the "resolution." This fact goes to prove that the "resolution" lacks both impartiality and objectivity and its objective is also questionable.
As far as the human rights are concerned, blame should be laid on the U.S., the worst human rights abuser, as it has unhesitatingly committed aggression against sovereign states and massacred civilians there, on Japan which has evaded its responsibility for the past hideous crimes against humanity and on other Western countries plagued with all kinds of human rights abuses.
Human rights precisely represent sovereignty.
Human rights are firmly guaranteed legally and institutionally in the Korean-style socialist society centered on popular masses, and its people fully enjoy genuine freedom and rights in all fabrics of social life.
The DPRK sternly refutes the "resolution" as it is a product of the anti-DPRK political plot hatched by the EU and Japan at the prodding of the U.S.
The "resolution" will only result in scuttling the cooperation between the UN Human Rights Council and the DPRK and aggravating their mistrust and confrontation and the U.S., the EU and Japan will be held fully accountable for all the unpredictable consequences.
DPRK Foreign Ministry's Spokesman Blasts U.S. Delaying Tactics in Solution of Nuclear Issue
Pyongyang, March 28 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the DPRK Ministry of Foreign Affairs released the following statement Friday blaming the U.S. for the deadlocked implementation of the October 3 agreement of the six-party talks:
The implementation of the October 3 agreement of the six-party talks is at a deadlock due to the behavior of the U.S.
The U.S. has not fulfilled its commitments as regards the lifting of the sanctions within the agreed period but insisted on its unreasonable demands concerning the nuclear declaration, thus throwing hurdles in the way of settling the issue.
As clarified in the statement issued by the spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on January 4, the DPRK worked out a report on the nuclear declaration and informed the U.S. side of this in November last year. And when the U.S. proposed to have a further discussion on the content of the report with the DPRK, the latter has shown so far such magnanimity as responding to such negotiations.
Simple is the reason why the DPRK responded to the negotiations on the issue of the nuclear declaration.
The Bush administration was so absurd as to raise the issue of "suspected uranium enrichment" in 2002, scuttling the DPRK-U.S. dialogue and straining the situation to an extreme pitch of tension. This pushed the DPRK to its access to nuclear weapons in the end.
The DPRK rendered necessary sincere help in clarifying the issue raised by the U.S. side, taking into consideration the face of the Bush administration which was to blame for the former's access to nuclear weapons.
When the U.S. side claimed that the issue of "suspected uranium enrichment" can be solved if the DPRK tells about whereabouts of the imported aluminum tubes, the DPRK took such a measure as an exception as allowing U.S. experts to see even sensitive military objects and providing them with samples.
And when the U.S. side was the first to raise the issue of the "suspected nuclear cooperation with Syria," it asked the DPRK to reconfirm its commitment not to proliferate the nuclear technology as the relevant object of Syria was destroyed by the bombing of Israel, making it unnecessary to clarify it any longer.
This "suspicion", too, had nothing to do with the DPRK. But it was so broadminded as to meet this request as a part of its sincere efforts to help implement the October 3 agreement.
The DPRK has sincerely taken part in the negotiations taking the face of the U.S. side into consideration.
However, the further the negotiations went on, the greater disappointment the attitude of the Bush administration brought to the DPRK.
The U.S. side is playing a poor trick to brand the DPRK as a criminal at any cost in order to save its face.
The DPRK can never fall victim to the Bush administration's move to justify its wrong assertion.
Explicitly speaking, the DPRK has never enriched uranium nor rendered nuclear cooperation to any other country. It has never dreamed of such things.
Such things will not happen in the future, too.
Should the U.S. delay the settlement of the nuclear issue, persistently trying to cook up fictions, it will seriously affect the disabling of nuclear facilities which has been under way so far with a great deal of effort.
Rodong Sinmun Calls for Holding Higher Banner of "By Our Nation Itself"
Pyongyang, February 25 (KCNA) -- "By our nation itself" serves as a powerful mental weapon for achieving independent reunification, peace and prosperity, says Rodong Sinmun Monday in a signed article.
It is the only just way of attaining the full sovereignty of the country and the nation, exalting the dignity and honor of the nation and achieving peace and prosperity of the country and the nation to achieve the reunification of the country by the concerted efforts of the Korean nation on the principle of national independence, the article notes, and goes on:
Only when the principle of national independence is maintained can the rights and interests of the nation be defended, the destiny of the nation be carved out independently in line with the will and wishes of the nation, the sovereignty be fully exercised in the international arena and external relations be developed on the principle of full equality and mutual benefit.
The Korean nation is the driving force in the struggle to hew out the destiny of the nation and its might lies in great national unity.
Only when the great unity of the whole nation is achieved on the principle of national independence can the Korean nation become a genuine master responsible for carving out its destiny and dynamically push forward independent reunification, peace and prosperity.
All the fellow countrymen came to deeply realize that "By our nation itself," indeed, provides a basic guarantee for independent reunification, peace and prosperity and a lifeline, while grasping the validity and vitality of the idea of "By our nation itself." That is why "By our nation itself" serves as a banner powerfully encouraging all Koreans in their struggle for independent reunification, peace and prosperity.