TODAY'S NEWS (January.10.2001 Juche 90) [CONTENTS] * Mass rallies held * Preparatory committee in Guyana * Japan urged to own responsibility for its past crimes * Reception given by Indian ambassador * Unionists of S. Korean Academy of Science and Technology on strike * Abolition of SL demanded * Rodong Sinmun on WPK's all-embracing politics * New teeth correction device developed * 2001 meeting for independent reunification of Korean nation held ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Mass rallies held Pyongyang, January 10 (KCNA) -- Mass rallies were held in different parts of the country to carry out the tasks set forth in the joint New Year editorial to the letter. Rallies in north Hwanghae and Ryanggang provinces and Nampho called for turning out as one in an onward march to effect a new upswing in socialist construction under the army-first revolutionary guidance of leader Kim Jong Il. It was noted at the rallies that it serves as a sure guarantee for pushing ahead with socialist advance under the red flag to glorify the revolutionary traditions of Mt. Paektu. The rallies called on people to become performers of exploits in a proud struggle to consolidate national economic potentials commensurate with the 21st century. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Preparatory committee in Guyana Pyongyang, January 10 (KCNA) -- A preparatory committee for celebration of the 59th birthday of leader Kim Jong Il was formed in Guyana. The Minister of Public Service of Guyana said in an inaugural meeting held in Georgetown on Jan. 5 that it has become the trend of the times to significantly celebrate Kim Jong Il's birthday worldwide. He highly praised the feats performed by him on behalf of the Korean people and the world people. At the meeting the minister of public service and the Minister of Amerindian Affairs of Guyana were elected co-chairmen of the preparatory committee, the leader of the good green Guyana first vice-chairman of the committee and the chairman of the Guyana-Korea Friendship Association general secretary of the committee. The committee set the period from Jan. 5 to Feb. 28 as a period of celebrations and decided to hold multifarious political and cultural events. Its participants called upon governments, political parties and public organizations of various countries to commemorate next year the 90th birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung and the birthday of Kim Jong Il as a grand political festival worldwide. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Japan urged to own responsibility for its past crimes Pyongyang, January 10 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today carries an article of Dr. Jong Nam Yong who participated in the "Women's International War Crimes Tribunal on Japan's Military Sexual Slavery" in Tokyo from December 8 to 12, 2000. The tribunal was participated in by at least 1,000 persons. among them were prosecutors groups of nine countries and regions of Asia that fell victim to those crimes and former "Comfort Women for the Army" including the prosecutors group of the "DPRK measure committee for demanding compensation to comfort women for the army and the victims of the Pacific War" and former "Comfort Women for the Army" from the north and the south of Korea, women victims of sexual abuses committed in different countries at present, ex-soldiers of the imperial Japanese army, judges, international prosecutors group, prosecutors, lawyers, famous jurists and human rights experts. The tribunal heard indictments made by prosecutors from different countries on the crimes related to Japan's military sexual slavery and testimonies of former "Comfort Women for the Army" and ex-soldiers of the imperial Japanese army. Lawyers of the Japanese side pleaded and the international prosecutors group made addresses at the tribunal. The article says: The tribunal prosecuted and tried Japanese emperor Hirohito who was not prosecuted at the Tokyo international tribunal in 1946, and convicted him of the crimes. It taught a serious historical lesson that though those involved in the most hideous crimes related to sexual slavery could escape from a legal punishment temporarily by playing a sleight of hand, they are bound to face a fair judgement by humankind even after their deaths unless they are settled. The tribunal ruled that the Japanese government should make a state apology and compensation for its crimes. This once again proved the truth that the unethical crimes committed against other countries and nations can never be concealed no matter how much water flows under the bridge and how many generations are replaced and they are bound to be settled through generations. The north and south Korean prosecutors groups worked out and published a joint indictment in which they clarified the social and historical background against which crimes related to "Comfort Women for the Army" were committed by the former Japanese government and army against Korean women, evidence enough to declare the former Japanese government and military bosses including emperor Hirohito guilty, important information and a legal ground to force the present Japanese government to own state responsibility and issues to be solved by it to fulfil its responsibility. The article strongly urged the Japanese authorities not to forget the lesson of history or depart from requirements and truth of the international law but face up to the trend of the times and make an apology and compensation for the crimes committed against the Korean people, sincerely repentant of them. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Reception given by Indian ambassador Pyongyang, January 10 (KCNA) -- A reception was given by Binanda Kumar Gogoi, Indian ambassador to the DPRK, yesterday on the occasion of the 27th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Republic of India and on the occasion of the New Year. Present on invitation were Ryom Sun Gil, chairman of the central committee of the General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea, who is chairman of the Korea-India Friendship Association, Pak Kil Yon, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs, and other officials concerned. Speeches were made there. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Unionists of S. Korean Academy of Science and Technology on strike Pyongyang, January 10 (KCNA) -- Unionists of the South Korean Academy of Science and Technology, who have been on a total strike against the authorities' unilateral restructuring for about 20 days, went on a sit-in strike on January 5, according to South Korean "Yonhap News" (internet.) The trade union in a statement said that it decided to go on the sit-in strike against the authorities' selection of those to be fired without any agreement with the union and declared it "would continue the strike in defence of employment security and vital rights, ready for being arrested." It was reported that the trade union has been on strike against the authorities' restructuring of institutes, the third since October last year. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Abolition of SL demanded Pyongyang, January 10 (KCNA) -- Over 40 members of the Federation of South Korean Youth in the United States held a demonstration in demand of the abolition of the "Security Law" in front of the South Korean consulate general in Los Angeles and New York and conveyed a letter of protest to it on January 5, according to the South Korean newspaper Hangyore (internet). They in the letter urged the abolition of the SL, release of prisoners of conscience, establishment of human rights committee, probe into the truth behind the doubtful human deaths and halt to the suppression of the workers' strikes for their vital rights. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Rodong Sinmun on WPK's all-embracing politics Pyongyang, January 10 (KCNA) -- Leader Kim Jong Il's patriotic all-embracing politics provides a sure guarantee for accomplishing the cause of great national unity, the cause of national reunification, says Rodong Sinmun today in a signed article. It says: The prosperity of the Korean nation and its reunification can be achieved only when Kim Jong Il's politics of noble humanity, the most generous patriotic politics is upheld. His is the politics of love and trust and all-embracing politics. His all-embracing politics represents the politics of warmest human love and the most generous patriotic politics. Kim Jong Il wisely leads the whole nation to achieve the great unity for national reunification, the cause common to the nation, anchored on patriotism and national identity irrespective of ideology, system, political view, religious belief, given that there exist different classes and social circles within our nation. The politics calls for uniting with all those desirous of national reunification with national conscience and working together in the one and same ranks for national reunification. This politics invites even those who once took a wrong road to turn to patriotism, repentant of their wrongs, calls for leniently treating those who went amiss, betraying the nation in the past, on the principle of not caring about their past, and lets them join the movement for national reunification if they, sincerely remorseful of their wrong doings, are willing to contribute to the cause of national reunification. Kim Jong Il clarified his stand to unite under the banner of the great national unity with even the authorities, ruling and opposition party figures, big capitalists and army generals of South Korea if they value the common interests of the nation and desire the reunification of the country. Kim Jong Il's all-embracing politics is, indeed, the politics of noble love and the most generous patriotic politics which embraces all those desirous of reunification with national conscience and leads them to reunification and patriotism. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ New teeth correction device developed Pyongyang, January 10 (KCNA) -- Dental surgeons at the dental hospital under the Ministry of Public Health have recently developed a teeth correction device and a dental deodorant. The new device is simple to handle compared with the old ones. It is so fixed to the teeth during the correction that it does not bother the users, producing better results. It has the high correction rate, reduces the correction period by two thirds and has no aftereffects. A dental deodorant manufactured by Ra Mi Un now wins popularity. A pill is put into the mouth and it begins to show efficacy in minutes. It lasts more than four hours. It has no side effects. Its main ingredient is so locally available that it can be made by other dental centres. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2001 meeting for independent reunification of Korean nation held Pyongyang, January 10 (KCNA) -- A 2001 meeting for independent reunification of the Korean nation was held here today. It discussed the issue of opening up a turning phase of the independent and peaceful reunification of the country through the implemention of the north-south joint declaration, a landmark of national reunification, by the concerted efforts of the Korean nation. Present there were president Kim Yong Nam of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, secretary Choe Thae Bok of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, vice-president Yang Hyong Sop of the spa presidium of the DPRK, secretary Kim Yong Sun of the Central Committee of the WPK, chairman Kim Yong Dae of the central committee of the Korean Social Democratic Party, chairwoman Ryu Mi Yong of the central committee of the Korean Chondoist Chongu Party, officials of party and power bodies and public organizations, members of the north headquarters of the national alliance for the country's reunification and the national alliance of youth and students for the country's reunification, former unconverted long-term prisoners who are pro-reunification patriotic fighters and working people in the city, at least 3,000 in all. Yang Hyong Sop made a report at the meeting. The Korean nation saw out the 20th century marked with distress of national division and sees in the first year of the 21st century in which a bright prospect for reunification and prosperity is promised, he said, touching on the momentous events made in the history of national reunification last year. This year is a year for the independent reunification of the country, he said. He stressed the need to glorify this year as a significant year to open up a turning phase of the independent reunification of the nation. He said: The key to an epochal turn in national reunification this year is to implement the north-south joint declaration to the letter. The authorities and politicians in the north and the south should discharge their responsibility so as to get rid of the old conception of confrontation, build confidence and pool their efforts through visits, contacts and dialogues. If the whole nation turns out in a nationwide march to implement the declaration under its banner, it will surely open up an epochal phase of the independent reunification of the nation within this year. Then followed speeches. An appeal to the 70 million fellow countrymen was adopted at the meeting. It called for making this year a "year of the independent reunification of the Korean nation", setting the period from June 15, the first anniversary of the publication of the historic declaration, to August 15 Liberation Day as a "June 15-August 15 period of the movement for the promotion of national reunification" and decorating the first liberation day in the 21st century as a nationwide pro-reunification festival. It called upon the whole nation to implement the declaration to the letter, holding it high as the banner common to the nation. It underscored the need to reject cooperation with outside forces, settle the reunification issue in reliance on the efforts of the nation and reunify the country in a peaceful way by realizing the federal formula at an early date. It called for sending unconverted long-term prisoners supposed to be repatriated back to the north, conveying whereabouts of separated families and relatives and resuming the suspended red cross talks as soon as possible. It called for activating multi-faceted cooperation and exchange between the north and the south on the principle of co-prosperity and common interests and positively putting into practice the already agreed timetables of cooperation and exchange. The meeting stressed the need for all the people to bring earlier a bright future of a reunified country by implementing the declaration to the letter. _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki Phone +358-40-7177941 Fax +358-9-7591081 http://www.kominf.pp.fi General class struggle news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe mails to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Geopolitical news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________
