TODAY'S NEWS (December.31.2000 Juche 89) [CONTENTS] * Pictures of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il printed by many S. Korean publications * Friendly meeting with Russian diplomats * Unionists of S. Korean power industry call sit-in strike * At least 150 U.S. espionage flights in December * Japan urged to own responsibility for its past crimes * Despicable behaviour of those guilty assailed * Greetings to Cuban President ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Pictures of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il printed by many S. Korean publications ��� Pyongyang, December 31 (KCNA) -- This year South Korean publications unprecedentedly printed many pictures of the great leaders President Kim Il Sung and Marshal Kim Jong Il, according to a news report. Leading newspapers and magazines of South Korea printed at least 1,000 bright pictures of the leaders with courtesy and in a new peculiar style from January to November, focussing on the portrait of Kim Jong Il. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Friendly meeting with Russian diplomats ��� Pyongyang, December 31 (KCNA) -- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a friendly meeting with members of the Russian embassy here at the Mokran House yesterday on the occasion of the New Year Juche 90 (2001). Invited to the meeting were Valery Denisov, ambassador of Russia to the DPRK, staff members of the embassy and Russian guests. ��� Present there were Paek Nam Sun, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ri In Gyu, vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs, and other officials concerned. ��� Speeches were exchanged at the meeting. ��� A performance was given by artistes in Pyongyang at the meeting. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Unionists of S. Korean power industry call sit-in strike ��� Pyongyang, December 31 (KCNA) -- At least 100 officials of the South Korean Power Industrial Workers' Union including chairmen of its branches and executive members of its headquarters have been on a sit-in strike since they occupied the office of the president of the company on December 27 in protest against the unreasonable measure taken by the company side, according to CBS from Seoul. They demanded the company totally withdraw its unilateral plan to divide the company and the management side immediately resign. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ At least 150 U.S. espionage flights in December ��� Pyongyang, December 31 (KCNA) -- The U.S. imperialists made at least 150 espionage flights against the DPRK in December, according to military sources. Involved in them were strategic and tactical reconnaissance planes with various missions. ��� The U-2 and RC-135 high-altitude strategic reconnaissance planes made more than 40 espionage flights in the sky above the areas along the military demarcation line and eh-60 electronic warfare helicopter, P-3 patrol plane and E-3 commanding planes committed at least 10 cases of aerial reconnaissance and survey of underwater targets. ��� Meanwhile, a daily average of three or four RC-12 and RC-7b tactical reconnaissance planes made shuttle flights from the east coast to west coast of South Korea to spy on the northern half of Korea, bringing the total number of cases of espionage by these types of planes to over 10 . ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Japan urged to own responsibility for its past crimes ��� Pyongyang, December 31 (KCNA) -- The South Korean consultative council of measures for the settlement of the issue of the "Volunteer Corps" (Jongdaehyop) on December 27 held a meeting to hear a report on its participation in the 2000 women's international war crimes tribunal on Japan's military sexual slavery held in Tokyo in early December and review its activities over the last one year, according to "Yonhap News" (internet). Professor at Sungshin Women's University Jo Si Hyon who was a member of the South Korean prosecutors group of the tribunal said in the report that "rape, assault and enslavement committed against women in the period of the Japanese rule were crimes that trampled down human dignity and the prosecution, therefore, charged that the Japanese government should be held responsible for this and the tribunal declared it guilty." ��� Jo added that "the tribunal convicted Japanese emperor Hirohito of the crime as he did not prevent, investigate and punish such crimes of the Japanese army and ruled that the Japanese government should take measures such as financial compensation to victims, recovery of their health and their reinstatement." ��� The north and south prosecutors group participating in the international tribunal worked out a joint indictment in which eight war criminals including Hirohito and the Japanese government are accused of responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity, said "Yonhap News." ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Despicable behaviour of those guilty assailed ��� Pyongyang, December 31 (KCNA) -- Japanese media remained indifferent to the women's international war crimes tribunal on Japan's military sexual slavery recently held in Tokyo. Minju Joson today in a signed commentary describes this as a despicable behaviour of those guilty. ��� The commentary says: ��� Japanese media which are apt to make a big fuss about even a trifling case, kept mum about what was going on at the tribunal. They report whatever favorable to them and sidestep issues or fabricate fictions. This is just part of the habitual practices of reptile Japanese media. ��� What is more serious is the Japanese government's crafty and shameless act of zealously patronizing and inciting such sinister actions of Japanese media. ��� The Japanese government instructed the media to ignore the tribunal before its opening for fear that its responsibility for the past crimes might be more clearly proved and it might prove unfavorable to evading responsibility for those wrong doings. ��� This is nothing but a folly which can be committed only by Japan. ��� The Japanese government can never shirk its responsibility for Japan's past wrongdoings. Its attempt to evade its responsibility for the past crimes, far from redressing them, will only add to its crimes. ��� Japan should ponder over the ensuing consequences and its media are well advised to come to their senses. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Greetings to Cuban President ��� Pyongyang, December 31 (KCNA) - General Secretary Kim Jong Il, and Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, on Dec. 24 sent a message of greetings to Fidel Castro Ruz, First Secretary of the central committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, President of the council of state and President of the council of ministers of the Republic of Cuba, on the occasion of the 42nd anniversary of the victory in the Cuban revolution. ��� The message extended warm congratulations and comradely regards to Fidel Castro Ruz and, through him, to the communist party, the government and people of Cuba on behalf of the WPK and the DPRK government and people on the occasion of the anniversary. ��� Since the victory in the revolution the Cuban people have vigorously advanced along the road of socialism chosen by themselves under the correct leadership of the CPC led by Fidel Castro Ruz, courageously frustrating the imperialists' vicious moves to invade, blockade and stifle Cuba, the message said, and went on: ��� The Korean people highly appreciate the shining victories won by the Cuban people in the struggle to defend the country's sovereignty and gains of the revolution and will as ever extend invariable support and solidarity with them in their just cause. ��� Expressing the belief that the fraternal relations of friendship and cooperation between the two countries which were forged in the joint struggle against imperialism and for independence and socialism and stood the stern trials of history will steadily grow strong in the new century, too, the message sincerely wished him and the Cuban people greater success in their struggle for the country's prosperity and victory of the socialist cause. ------------------------------------------------------------------------
