DPRK Condemns Japan for Buying New Warships The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has warned Japan against its decision to buy two large frigates, saying the move will spark an arms race in the Asia-pacific region and seriously disturb the overall stability there. The Japanese maritime self-defense force will reportedly buy two warships of aircraft carrier type in the period of the next arms buildup plan (2001-2005). The purchase will increase Japanese anti-submarine combat capacity and perform the function of commanding a fleet, the Korean Central News Agency said Saturday in an editorial. The planned building of such warships is aimed at render defunct Japan's peace constitution, which bans its overseas expansion, said the article, adding that the new frigates will increase its capacity to carry out military operations in any part of the world. The decision shows that Japan is turning itself into a military power and speeding up militarization for "overseas aggression," it noted. "If Japan escalates its arms buildup and its preparations for overseas aggression, it will not be able to escape deserved punishment," the editorial warned. **** Korean Reunification May Take Decades, Kim Dae-jung Says The winner of the 2000 Nobel Peace Prize, South Korean President Kim Dae-jung, predicted on Saturday that the reunification of the North and South of the Korean Peninsula could take decades to achieve, Swedish media reported. Kim, who is in the Norwegian capital of Oslo for the awards ceremony, was quoted as telling reporters that he doubted the reunification could happen during his term in office, which will end in February 2002. It may take 10 years, or 20 years, perhaps even longer to achieve the reunification, said Kim. But he also pointed out that five decades of division on the Korean peninsula after centuries of unity was "an aberration" and reunification was the "ultimate dream." South Korea will work harder with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to help more separated families get reunions, Kim added. Kim, awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his reconciliation efforts on the Korean peninsula by the Norwegian Nobel Committee in October, will receive 9 million Swedish crowns (929,300 U.S. dollars). **** New Anti-blockade Protest in Cuba More than 50,000 Cubans staged a protest rally on Saturday in the city of Colon, western Cuba, demanding an end of the four-decade U.S. blockade to their country. Students, doctors, feminist leaders, teachers and peasants joined the protest. Some made speeches criticizing El Salvadoran President Francisco Flores and Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar. During the Ibero-American summit held in Panama City last month, Cuban leader Fidel Castro rejected a proposal raised by Flores for condemning Spain's Basque separatist group ETA's use of violence, arguing that the U.S. trade embargo against Cuba should also be condemned as terrorism. The protesters also requested the extradition of Luis Posada Carriles, who had been accused by Castro of plotting to assassinate him and then was arrested with three other complices in Panama City during the regional summit. The Cuban government has accused Carriles of being involved in several terrorist actions, including the 1976 bombing of a Cuban plane, which killed 73 people on board, and the 1997 bomb campaign. At the summit, Castro also criticized Flores for allowing Carriles to reside in his country. Cuban Vice President and Defense Minister Raul Castro also participated in the protest. **** Reports of US Company Entering Shanghai Postal Service Market Untrue A spokesman from the State Post Bureau (SPB) said in Beijing Friday, December 8, that recent reports about a US company being approved access to the postal service market in Shanghai do not tally with facts. Earlier reports on the Internet said that the US company Postnet has entered Shanghai's post service market, with support from Shanghai's post department. The spokesman said that the reports are groundless as Chinese laws stipulate that no companies or individuals are allowed to be involved in the mailing of letters or any similar activities without approval from the SPB. Postnet is a franchise business from Nevada State providing post, communications and commercial services as an alternative to government postal services, but its branch in Shanghai opened a so-called mailbox renting business which is, in fact, a form of mail delivery service. "Such activities are strictly prohibited by Chinese laws, as postal services concern a state's sovereignty, information security and its citizens' privacy," the spokesman said. Therefore, this branch is not in a position to do such business nor can it use the special mark EMS, he said, adding that the Shanghai Municipal Post Bureau has launched an investigation into the case. **** Non-CPC Parties Informed of Anti-Corruption Campaign ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- China has taken effective measures to fight against corruption, but the task will by no means be easy as corruption still runs rampant in some parts of the country, a senior CPC official said. Wei Jianxign, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) told representatives of non-CPC parties and personnel in Beijing on December 9 that the country will enhance efforts in this regard to put corruption in check. Wei, who is also secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the CPC, spoke highly of the active participation in the campaign by non-CPC parties and personnel, saying that he hopes they will continue to provide support and put forward proposals for the campaign to make further progress in the fight against corruption. _______________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi _______________________________________________________ Kominform list for general information. 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