Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un Inspects Newly Built Submarine

Pyongyang, July 23 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea, chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and supreme commander of the armed forces of the DPRK, inspected a newly built submarine.

The submarine built under the meticulous guidance and special attention of Supreme Leader of the Party, state and armed forces Kim Jong Un will perform its duty in the operational waters of the East Sea of Korea and its operational deployment is near at hand.

Making a round of the submarine, the Supreme Leader learned in detail about its operational and tactical data and combat weapon systems.

He expressed great satisfaction over the fact that the submarine was designed and built to be capable of fully implementing the military strategic intention of the Party under various circumstances.

Saying that the operational capacity of a submarine is an important component in national defence of our country bounded on its east and west by sea, he stressed the need to steadily and reliably increase the national defence capability by directing big efforts to the development of the naval weapons and equipment such as submarine.

Explaining the Party's strategic plan for the use of submarine and underwater operation, he elaborated on the immediate duty and strategic tasks facing the field of national defence science and submarine industry to carry out the plan.

He said with pride that the successful building of the Korean-style powerful submarine is the fruition of the noble patriotism and loyalty of officials, scientists, technicians and workers in the field of national defence science and munitions factories who have worked hard to boost national defence capability, true to the Party's policy on attaching importance to defence science and technology, and another great demonstration of the might of our defence industry making a leap forward.

He was accompanied by Jo Yong Won, Hong Yong Chil, Yu Jin, Kim Jong Sik, Ri Jong Sik, Choe Myong Chol, Jang Chang Ha and other senior officials of the Party Central Committee and the field of national defence science. Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un Takes Part in Election of Deputies to Provincial, City and County People's Assemblies

Pyongyang, July 22 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea, chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and supreme commander of the armed forces of the DPRK, visited the polling station of Sub-constituency No. 94 of Constituency No. 201 of South Hamgyong Province Sunday to take part in the election of deputies to the provincial, city and county people's assemblies.

Supreme   Leader   of    the    Party,    state    and    armed    forces    Kim Jong Un received ballots from the chairperson of the sub-  constituency committee and voted for Ju Song Ho and Jong Song Sik who are candidates for deputies.

He met the candidates and warmly encouraged them to become the faithful servants of the people by fulfilling their duties so as to live up to the anticipation of the people, being aware of being the representatives of the people.

He was accompanied by Jo Yong Won, Kim Yong Su, Ri Yong Sik, Hyon Song Wol and other senior officials of the Party Central Committee. 

Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un Takes Part in Election of Deputies to Provincial, City and County People's Assemblies

Pyongyang, July 22 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea, chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and supreme commander of the armed forces of the DPRK, visited the polling station of Sub-constituency No. 94 of Constituency No. 201 of South Hamgyong Province Sunday to take part in the election of deputies to the provincial, city and county people's assemblies.

Supreme   Leader   of    the    Party,    state    and    armed    forces    Kim Jong Un received ballots from the chairperson of the sub-  constituency committee and voted for Ju Song Ho and Jong Song Sik who are candidates for deputies.

He met the candidates and warmly encouraged them to become the faithful servants of the people by fulfilling their duties so as to live up to the anticipation of the people, being aware of being the representatives of the people.

He was accompanied by Jo Yong Won, Kim Yong Su, Ri Yong Sik, Hyon Song Wol and other senior officials of the Party Central Committee.

Japan Should Atone for its Past Crimes for Its Future: KCNA Commentary

Pyongyang, July 19 (KCNA) -- The shamelessness of Japan denying its past criminal history has reached the extremes.

As it is known, the Japanese authorities responded to a south Korean court's ruling for reparation to the victims of the forcible drafting with such economic retaliatory measure as restrictions on exports to south Korea.

Japan totally denied the decision that targeted private businesses and responded to it with state retaliatory measure.

This is a clear revelation of Japan's intention not to make any acknowledgement, repentance and reparations for the thrice-cursed crimes committed by the Japanese imperialists against the Korean nation in the past.

So tremendous crimes did Japan commit against history and humanity.

In the past century, the Japanese imperialists deprived Korea of its sovereignty. They abducted and drafted a lot of Koreans to drive them to the sites of slave labor and wars of aggression, massacred more than one million and enforced the sexual slavery for their imperial army to reduce 200 000 Korean women into "preys" for its lecherous soldiers.

Every page of Japan's crime-woven history is stained with the blood of the Korean nation.

Japan can never compensate fully to the Korean nation for human, material and moral damage, even though it offers its whole territory.

This being a fact, the Japanese reactionaries are doggedly sidestepping the settlement of the past, far from making a thorough apology and reparation to the Korean people, but are justifying the heinous crimes.

What cannot be concealed is the Abe group's sinister intention to create a political climate favorable to the forthcoming election for the House of Councilors and the militarist revival by fleeing from the past crimes forever and diverting elsewhere the domestic criticism focused on it.

Japan is legally and morally obliged to atone for its crime-woven past before the Korean nation and humanity.

The Japanese reactionaries are shamelessly calling for dialogue, though they are keen on committing sins only to anger the Korean nation.

Firm is the stand and will of the DPRK on the issue of Japan's atonement for its past crimes.

Japan has to make a proper apology and reparation for all the damage and suffering it inflicted on the Korean nation and it should clearly understand that without the apology and reparation, it will never get a ticket for Pyongyang.

Japan should atone for its crime-woven past for its future.

KCNA Commentary Slams Japan as Harasser of Regional Peace

Pyongyang, July 23 (KCNA) -- Japan has become desperate in its efforts to incite hostility toward the DPRK.

It has persistently insisted on complete implementation of the anachronistic "sanctions resolutions" against the DPRK in the international arena. Recently it reeled off the rhetoric that "missiles of north Korea can be intercepted by exercising the right to collective self-defence".

This is an indication of its black-hearted intention to stain the DPRK, dutiful guardian of peace, as "a country posing threat" and make the international community believe in it.

As known, the situation on the Korean peninsula and the region is developing favorably thanks to the sincere efforts made by the DPRK on its own initiative.

The world people extend support and encouragement to the DPRK which has brought about the atmosphere of peace.

At this time, Japan, which should make a sigh of relief for it has called for "peace" often, is making a string of groundless rhetoric only to show its displeasure with the changed situation.

What could be its reason?

Historically, Japan has been the enemy of peace which has run amuck for confrontation and war moves under the veil of peace.

In the first half of the last century, it drenched the Asian continent in the sea of blood, clamoring for the "Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere". After its defeat in the war, it justified its past crimes as "just ones to protect itself from the aggression by the European powers", getting keen on the farce of chauvinist reinvasion.

Under the signboard of "active pacifism" the present authorities have gone hell-bent on revamping the constitution into war constitution and augmenting the offensive and aggressive nature of the "Self-defence Forces" with massive military expenditure, thereby stepping up military deployment to different parts of the world.

It's natural that such an island country can not be pleased with detente and the DPRK spearheading the situation as this creates a stumbling block in Japan's militarization moves.

That's why the Japanese government trumpets about "threat from north Korea" even risking diplomatic isolation.

Its aim is to make the "threat" from the DPRK a fait accompli, turn back the regional situation from developing favorably and fish in troubled waters to realize its ambition for reinvasion through the escalation of tensions.

But this is just a daydream.

The more the Japanese reactionaries fault the righteous DPRK, the more they will disclose its nature as a harasser of peace in the eyes of the international community.

Japan had better know who its rival is and what the trend of the times is.

It will face permanent ruin, if it keeps behaving like a puppy knowing no fear of a tiger.

KCNA Commentary Hits Japan for Its Unreasonable Restrictions on Exports to South Korea

Pyongyang, July 19 (KCNA) -- Amid the ever mounting anti-Japanese sentiment in south Korea over the restrictions on exports to south Korea, the chief Cabinet Secretary of Japan said on July 16 that the restrictions were not a retaliatory measure but they were taken for "appropriate control of exports aimed at security".

His remarks are no more than vague explanation made by the guy who was upset by bitter public protest against issues like "suspicions of south Korea's exports of strategic materials to north Korea", all of which Japan described as pretexts for the restrictions after the south Korean court decisions ordering Japanese companies to compensate victims of forced labor during Japan's colonial rule.

Question is, just how the Japanese authorities explained, why they chose the present juncture for the restrictions on exports to south Korea.

Externally Japan finds itself isolated in the international arena, marginalized by the trend of peace in the Korean peninsula and the region,

and faces an important political event, that is, the election of the House of Councilors at home.

It can be said that now is a crucial political moment for the Japanese politicians.

The Japanese reactionaries versed in drawing water to their mill at the sacrifice of others try to sacrifice south Korea, which they consider as an entity easy to deal with in the region, in a bid to get rid of their crisis at home and abroad.

And they are trying to destroy the trend of peace on the Korean Peninsula by putting pressure upon south Korea through the restrictions in a bid to create a political atmosphere favorable for realizing their wild militaristic ambition.

Furthermore, they seek to attain a medium- and long-term goal to deal a blow at the south Korean economy, arouse dissatisfaction at the authorities among south Koreans and thus help the south Korean pro-Japanese traitors, who were driven into a tight corner, come back to power.

On the other hand, they have carefully calculated to make their master undesirous of the aggravated south Korea-Japan ties consider the interests of Japan marginalized over the issue of the Korean peninsula.

They also seek to give a positive impact on the unity of and support for the rightwing forces at home through tightened restrictions on exports to south Korea so as to hold elections of the House of Councilors without difficulties and realize their long-desired aims including the revision of the Constitution.

Doing so will suffice Japan's political and diplomatic interests to help it make up for the loss from the deteriorating south Korea-Japan relations.

South Korean media and civic and public organizations stage a courageous struggle to lay bare the shameless sinister aim of Japan and protest against the unreasonable retaliatory economic measures.

This is the eruption of towering hatred and anger of the south Koreans towards the Japanese reactionaries attempting to wreck the hard-won peace in the Korean peninsula and the region by realizing their sinister political ambition at the sacrifice of south Korea.

All the fellow countrymen should take this opportunity to properly show the sworn enemy the strong spirit and mettle of the Korean people who love justice and never tolerate injustice.

National Memorial Service Held on 25th Anniversary of President Kim Il Sung's Demise

There was a national memorial service at the Pyongyang Indoor Stadium on July 8, the 25th anniversary of the demise of President Kim Il Sung.

Supreme Leader of our Party, state and armed forces Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea, chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK and supreme commander of the armed forces of the DPRK, took the platform of honor.

Present at the service were Choe Ryong Hae, Pak Pong Ju, Kim Jae Ryong and other senior officials of the Party and the government, the chairperson of a friendly party, officials of the Cabinet, working people's organizations, ministries and national institutions, leading officials of the armed forces organs, officials of the Party Central Committee, service personnel of the Korean People's Army and the Korean People's Internal Security Forces, the teaching staff and students of revolutionary schools, officials of institutions and industrial establishments in Pyongyang, persons of merits, bereaved

families of revolutionary martyrs, overseas compatriots, those who are related to the revolutionary activities of the President, the chief of the Pyongyang Mission of the Anti-Imperialist National Democratic Front, diplomatic envoys, representatives of the missions of international bodies and military attaches here and foreign guests.

All the participants observed a moment's silence in memory of President

Kim Il Sung.

Choe Ryong Hae, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the WPK Central Committee, first vice-chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK and president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, made a memorial address.

Recalling  that  25  years have lapsed since the demise of President

Kim Il Sung, Choe Ryong Hae said:

The past 25 years were the sacred days in which the greatness of the revolutionary exploits the President performed for the country and the people, the times and mankind and their significance in world history were highlighted more brightly and the days of noble inheritance and moral sense of obligation during which our Party and people successfully realized the cause of immortalizing the great leaders for the first time in history and registered proud victories and great changes in the socialist construction true to the behests of the great leaders.

The President is a peerlessly great man the Korean people greeted and held in high esteem for the first time in the history of the nation spanning thousands of years and the sun of Juche who is always alive in the hearts of all peoples century after century.

The speaker praised the President as the founder of socialist Korea who provided precious assets and firm foundations for the victory of the revolutionary cause of Juche and eternal prosperity, and as the eternal leader of the WPK and the people.

He said it is one of the President's great undying feats for the country and the people, the times and mankind that he provided guidelines for the revolution and construction by founding the Juche idea.

He went on:

The President regained the country and firmly defended the destiny of the country and people from the aggression by the imperialists, a feat worth going down in the national history.

The President built the Party, state and armed forces of Juche type, realized the unity and cohesion of the whole society and thus performed the undying feats of providing a powerful political force for the victory of the socialist cause.

It is the greatest exploit performed by him that he built the socialism centered on the popular masses to provide the foundation for happiness and prosperity of the posterity.

It is the most brilliant exploit performed by the President for the future of the country and nation that he perfectly settled the issue of succession to the revolutionary cause.

Setting it as the supreme patriotic task of the nation to reunify the country, the President advanced the three charters for national reunification and energetically led the nation-wide struggle for implementing it and put his heart and soul into national reunification till the last moments of his life.

The speaker stressed that the revolutionary career and exploits of the President would last forever along with the eternal prosperity of socialist Korea and victorious advance of the popular masses' cause of independence, and that the President will always live in the hearts of the Korean people  and minds of mankind as the sun of Juche.

There took place memorial services in all provinces, cities, counties and industrial complexes on the same day.

Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un Visits Kumsusan Palace of Sun

Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea, chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK and supreme commander of the armed forces of the DPRK, visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun on July 8, the greatest memorial day of the Korean nation.

Accompanying the Supreme Leader of our Party, state and armed forces were senior officials of the Party and the government including Choe Ryong Hae, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the WPK Central Committee, first vice-chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK and president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, Pak Pong

Ju, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the WPK Central Committee, vice-chairman of the SAC and vice-chairman of the WPK Central Committee, and Premier of the Cabinet Kim Jae Ryong, member of the Political Bureau of the WPK Central Committee and member of the SAC, and members of the Party central leadership organ in Pyongyang, officials of the Party Central Committee, ministries and national institutions and leading officials of the armed forces organs.

The  Supreme  Leader  entered the hall where statues of President

Kim Il Sung and Chairman Kim Jong Il are standing.

A floral basket in the name of the Supreme Leader, a floral basket in the joint name of the WPK Central Committee, the WPK Central Military Commission and the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK and a floral basket in the joint name of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK and the Cabinet of the DPRK were laid before the statues.

The Supreme Leader, together with the accompanying officials, made a deep bow before the statues.

At the halls of immortality where President Kim Il Sung and Chairman Kim Jong Il lie in state, the Supreme Leader, together with the accompanying officials, paid homage to the President and the Chairman.

Revelation of Japan’s Unchangeable Ambition for Reinvasion

Shortly ago, Japan allowed the deployment of another RC-135S of the U.S. air force in Kaneda U.S. air force base under the groundless pretext of bolstering surveillance to cope with the DPRK’s “threat”, and thereby the

U.S. air force base came to have two RC-135Ss.

Japan is also trying to independently possess an early warning satellite.

Such moves are the manifestation of the Japanese reactionaries’ persistent and vicious ambition for re-invasion that remains unchanged even today as they were originated in an ill-boding scheme for an active information warfare against the DPRK.

Japan’s information warfare is the prelude to re-invasion and Japan’s addiction to reinforcing the information warfare hints that it works hard to bring earlier the moment of re-invasion.

The successive Japanese reactionary ruling quarters have run a muck for a military giant and re-invasion, talking about “threat from north Korea”.

They have revived the militarism in Japan to encroach on the whole society and turned the “Self-Defense Forces” (SDF) into the best offensive

forces of the capitalist countries, repeating stereo-typed gibberish about “threat from north Korea”.

They conducted a joint military exercise in the East Sea of Korea with SDF and foreign naval forces involved under the allegation of “threat” from the DPRK.

Now they are trying to have an aircraft carrier and the SDF advances into the Indian Ocean.

They are building up public opinion about Japan’s “dominion” over Tok Island in a bid to create a pretext for landing the SDF in the Korean peninsula.

The present reality proves once again that the Japanese militarist aggressive nature still remains unchanged and will never change in the future, too.

Director-General of Department of American Affairs of DPRK Foreign Ministry Issues Statement

Kwon Jong Gun, Director-General of the Department of American Affairs of the DPRK Foreign Ministry, released the following press statement on Thursday:

The United States is now talking much about the DPRK-U.S. dialogue, but in reality, it is becoming more and more desperate in its hostile acts against the DPRK.

The DPRK-U.S. dialogue would not open by itself though the U.S. repeatedly talks about resumption of dialogue like a parrot without considering any realistic proposal that would fully conform with the interests of both sides.

As Comrade Chairman of the State Affairs Commission has already declared in his historic Policy Speech, the U.S. should come out to the table for the DPRK-U.S. dialogue with a correct method of calculation and the  time limit is until the end of this year.

Even though we are to think of holding a dialogue with the U.S., we need first to see a proper approach towards the negotiation on the part of the U.S. Negotiation should be conducted with a counterpart who has a good sense of communication, and it could also be possible only when the U.S. comes  up with a proper counterproposal.

In case the U.S. intends to sit with folded arms like today, time might be enough. However, if the U.S. is to move towards producing a result, time will not be enough.

The U.S. would be well advised to bear in mind that our repeated warning is not merely an empty word.

I would also take this opportunity to say a word to the south Korean authorities who are trying to refurbish their image by giving a publicity as if they are “mediating” the DPRK-U.S. relations.

The south Korean authorities are now stirring up public opinion as if a sort of dialogue is being held between the north and the south, in order to find

their own place to stand while affecting to make their presence felt by taking a share in the process.

In the true sense of the word, parties to the DPRK-U.S. dialogue are none other than the DPRK and the U.S., and in view of the origin of the DPRK-U.S. hostility,  the  south  Korean  authorities  have  nothing to meddle in the dialogue.

As is globally known, the DPRK-U.S. relations are moving forward on the basis of the personal relations between Comrade Chairman of the State Affairs Commission and the U.S. President.

If we have anything to liaise with the U.S., it will be simply done through the liaison channel already under operation between the DPRK and the U.S., and the negotiation, if any, will be held face to face between the DPRK and the U.S. Therefore, there will be no such a happening where anything will go through the south Korean authorities.

The south Korean authorities are now giving a wide publicity as if the north and the south are having various forms of exchanges and closed-door meetings, but the reality is the contrary.

The south Korean authorities would better mind their own internal business.

Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un Receives Personal Letter from U.S. President Donald Trump

Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea, chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and supreme commander of the armed forces of the DPRK, received a personal letter from President of the United States of America Donald Trump.

After reading the letter, the Supreme Leader of the Party, the state and the armed forces said with satisfaction that the letter is of excellent content.

Appreciating the political judging faculty and extraordinary courage of President Trump, Kim Jong Un said that he would seriously contemplate the interesting content.

Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un Has Historic Meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at Panmunjom

Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea, chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and supreme commander of the armed forces of the DPRK, had a historic meeting with President of the United States of America Donald Trump at Panmunjom on Sunday afternoon at the suggestion of Trump.

The Supreme Leader of the Party, the state and the armed forces of the DPRK accepted the opinion of President Trump that he would like to meet Chairman of the State Affairs Commission Kim Jong Un in the Demilitarized

Zone during his June 29-30 visit to south Korea and went to the south side portion of Panmunjom to have a surprise meeting with him.

Kim Jong Un stepped out of the Phanmun Pavilion on Sunday afternoon and had a historic meeting with Donald Trump just before the demarcation line at Panmunjom amid the worldwide attention.

In 66 years since the Armistice Agreement in 1953 there happened such an amazing event of the top leaders of the DPRK and the U.S. exchanging historic handshakes at Panmunjom, place that had been known as the symbol of division.

Kim Jong Un exchanged compliments with Trump about meeting him after about 120 days and guided him toward the north side portion of Panmunjom.

The two leaders stepped toward just before the Phanmun Pavilion in the north side portion of Panmunjom where they held their hands again, leaving the historic moment of the sitting U.S. President setting his foot on the soil of the DPRK across the Military Demarcation Line for the first time in history.

They headed for the "House of Freedom" in the south side portion of Panmunjom, the venue of the talks, exchanging a pleasant chat.

President Moon Jae In greeted Kim Jong Un outside the House.

Kim Jong Un exchanged warm greetings with Moon Jae In.

Then there were a one-on-one chat and talks between the top leaders of the DPRK and the U.S.

They explained issues of easing tensions on the Korean peninsula, ending the inglorious relations between the two countries and making a dramatic turn and also issues of mutual concern and interest which become a stumbling block in solving those issues, and voiced full understanding and sympathy.

The top leaders of the two countries agreed to keep in close touch in the future, too, and resume and push forward productive dialogues for making a new breakthrough in the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and in the bilateral relations.

Kim Jong Un said that it was the good personal relations with President Trump that made such a dramatic meeting possible at just a one day's notice, noting that the relations would continue to produce good results unpredictable by others and work as a mysterious force overcoming manifold difficulties and obstacles in the future, too.

Present at the talks from the DPRK side was Ri Yong Ho, member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea,

member of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK and foreign minister, and from the opposite side U.S. State Secretary Mike Pompeo.

The top leaders of the two countries expressed great satisfaction over the results of the talks.

DPRK Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Condemns U.S. Hostile Acts

A spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea released the following statement on Wednesday:

We now see an unusual move of the United States whereby it gets ever more undisguised in its hostility towards us.

Recently, the U.S. viciously slandered the DPRK in its “Trafficking in Persons Report” and “International Religious Freedom Report”, both of which are based on all kinds of falsehoods and fabrications, and it also decided to continue for another one year the “National Emergency” that calls for defining us as its enemy and imposing further sanctions.

The U.S. State Secretary Pompeo especially made reckless remarks when asked in a press conference about a possibility of the DPRK-U.S. working- level talks that it is important for everyone to remember that today some 80-plus percent of the North Korean economy is sanctioned, and he let  loose a sophistry as if the sanctions are rendering the bilateral talks possible.

If the U.S. sanctions are affecting 80-plus percent of our economy, as Pompeo mentioned, the question is whether the U.S. target is to raise it up to 100 percent.

This is an outright challenge to the DPRK-U.S. Joint Statement adopted at the DPRK-U.S. summit talks held in Singapore and a manifestation of the most extreme hostile acts by the United States towards the DPRK.

All these speak clearly to the fact that the wild dream of the U.S. to bring us to our knees by means of sanctions and pressure has not changed at all but grows even more undisguised.

As for the “National Emergency” strongly advocated by the U.S., it is nothing less than the product of the heinous policy hostile to us, because it was designed to persist with the anti-DPRK sanctions by continuously terming us as an enemy when the U.S. administration had to remove us from the targets of the “Trading With The Enemy Act” in June 2008.

Even though the supreme leaders devote their all for establishing new DPRK-U.S. relations, it would be difficult to look forward to the improvement of the bilateral relations and denuclearization of the Korean peninsula as long as the American politics are dominated by the policy-makers who have an inveterate antagonism towards the DPRK.

The United States should not be mistaken.

As Comrade Chairman of the State Affairs Commission said, we would not thirst for a lifting of sanctions.

Our state is not a country that will surrender to the U.S. sanctions, nor are we a country which the U.S. could attack whenever it desires to do so.

If anyone dares to trample over our sovereignty and the right to existence, we will not hesitate to pull a muscle-flexing trigger in order to defend ourselves.