HOLY WAR FOR MAKING CLEAN SWEEP OF NUCLEAR WARMONGERS CALLED FOR

A spokesman for the Religious Believers Council of Korea (RBCK) released a statement on March 10 to lash out at the US and south Korean warmongers for working hard to inflict a horrible nuclear war upon the Korean nation. As reported, the US and south Korean warmongers on March 1 kicked off their nearly two-month long joint military drills targeting the DPRK despite strong protest at home and abroad, the statement said, and went on:

If a nuclear war breaks out on the Korean peninsula, it will immediately spill over into a thermonuclear war not only in Northeast Asia but also in the rest of the world and thus entail catastrophic consequences.

The RBCK vehemently denounces, on behalf of all religious believers in the northern half of the republic, the US and south Korean war mongers’ joint military drills for aggression, terming them a blatant challenge to peace and reunification on the Korean peninsula and the improvement of the north-south relations and a criminal act of threatening global peace and security and existence of humankind.

It is the doctrine of religious belief and mission of religious believers to desire good will and punish evils and defend justice and peace.

Now is the time for all the Korean religious believers in the north and the south and abroad to decisively turn out in the patriotic and sacred struggle for sending to hell the groups of evils keen to throw the space for the nation's existence into disaster of a nuclear war.

The RBCK appeals to all religious believers in the north and the south and abroad to come out in the sacred struggle for punishing the groups of Satan which are making desperate efforts to inflict a horrible nuclear disaster upon the nation, openly challenging all compatriots aspiring after national reconciliation and unity and peace and reunification.

It also expresses hope that all religious believers and organizations of the world who regard love, justice and peace as their ideal would extend full support to the Korean people in their just struggle against the US and puppet war mongers' nuclear war moves and for peace on the Korean peninsula and in the rest of the world.

THAAD Deployment Will Bring Catastrophic Disaster to S. Korea: Spokesman for NPCK

A spokesman for the National Peace Committee of Korea (NPCK) released a statement on Thursday in denunciation of the south Korean puppet group of traitors for persistently enforcing the early deployment of THAAD despite the strong opposition and protest at home and abroad.

The statement said that the puppet group is pressing for the deployment of THAAD, yielding to the gangster-like demand of its U.S. master, adding it is an unpardonable act of reducing south Korea into an permanent nuclear war advanced base for the U.S. in realizing its strategy for dominating Asia-Pacific, war theatre of big powers and a base to kill the fellow countrymen and endangering the peace and security on the Korean peninsula and in the region.

It went on:

The puppet forces claim that THAAD deployment is a "security measure to cope with the north's missile threat" even though they are clearly aware that not only THAAD but any other interception system will be useless in the face of the might of the ultra-modern ballistic rockets of the DPRK. Their rhetoric is just sheer sophism to deceive the public at home and abroad.

The U.S. persistent moves to deploy THAAD in south Korea is a product of planned scenario to inveigle the south Korean puppet forces into the global missile defence system targeting big powers around Korea.

The puppet forces' reckless THAAD deployment farce in utter disregard of the destiny of the nation renders the situation on the Korean peninsula and in the region all the more grave and makes the crisis of a nuclear war a reality with each passing day.

It is quite natural that countries around Korea are expressing deep concern about THAAD deployment and are taking all-round countermeasures in strong protest against it.

The puppet forces will be made to face stern punishment and to pay a dear price as they threaten the security and interests of the DPRK and neighbouring countries in active pursuance of the U.S. ambition for aggression, in defiance of the repeated warnings at home and abroad.

The puppet forces of traitors will face stronger protest and retaliatory measures at home and abroad for their frantic moves for THAAD deployment as war servants of the U.S., and chaos and damage to be entailed by it will all be imposed upon the south Korean people.

Pyongyang, March 8 (KCNA)

A spokesman for the DPRK Foreign Ministry Wednesday gave the following answer to a question raised by KCNA as regards the fact that the U.S. and its vassal forces are moving to take issue with the ballistic rocket launching drill staged by the Korean People's Army (KPA):

The ballistic rocket launching drill conducted by the Hwasong artillery units of the Strategic Force of the KPA this time is a routine one to resolutely frustrate the ever more undisguised nuclear war racket of the U.S. and other hostile forces and honourably defend the security of the country and nation.

The U.S. and south Korean puppet forces kicked off the joint military manoeuvres aimed at a pre-emptive nuclear strike against the DPRK only to push the situation to the brink of a nuclear war.

It is a just self-defensive right of a sovereign state to keep highly alert as required by the grim situation in which an actual war may break out anytime and to consolidate powerful deterrence in every way to mercilessly wipe out the aggressors.

Nevertheless, the U.S. and other hostile forces are openly conducting the drills for a real war aimed at a pre-emptive nuclear strike against the DPRK by mobilizing lots of strategic assets and armed forces. They let the UN Security Council release a press statement, labelling KPA's routine drill as "threat". It is a brigandish act like a thief crying "stop thief!"

The DPRK categorically rejects the press statement of the UNSC as it wantonly violated sovereign state's rights to self-defence.

It is the unanimous view of the fair-minded international community that the largest-ever nuclear war drills launched by the U.S. in league with the south Korean puppet forces are the root cause of pushing the DPRK to take the toughest action.

The DPRK has already clarified several times that the joint military drills are potentially dangerous as they will wreck peace and stability on the Korean peninsula and screw up regional tensions. So, it filed complaint with the UNSC against the war games this time, too.

How to deal with the complaint and the ill-intended manoeuvres of the U.S. and its vassal forces will be a marked occasion for the UNSC to show the international community whether the UNSC regarding it as its mission to preserve global peace and security fulfils its responsibility or not.

As already clarified, the KPA will reduce the bases of aggression and provocations to ashes with its invincible Hwasong rockets tipped with nuclear warheads and reliably defend the security of the country and its people's happiness in case the U.S. and the south Korean puppet forces fire even a single bullet at the territory of the DPRK.

The DPRK will certainly preserve its peace and security with its own efforts and positively contribute to protecting global peace and security. 

Letter of Ri Ryon Gum, daughter of Kim Ryon Hui, to the UN Secretary-General, President of the UN Human Rights Council and High Commissioner for Human Rights

Dear Secretary-General, President of the UN Human Rights Council and High Commissioner for Human Rights

I am Ri Ryon Gum, daughter of Kim Ryon Hui, who has been detained in south Korea for almost 6 years due to a despicable plot of the south Korean authorities.

My mother Kim Ryon Hui went to a neighbouring country to visit a relative in September 2011 before she was taken to south Korea by conspiracy and tricks of the south Korean authorities.

On the first day she was taken, my mother noticed that she had been deceived and strongly demanded her repatriation to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). She is still fighting for her repatriation.

Through different channels, I often heard the news of my mother who is fighting for her return home, saying she is a citizen of the DPRK and calling for sending her back to her native home in Pyongyang.

However, the south Korean authorities kept my mother from going back to her beloved motherland, the hometown where she was born and grew up and the bosom of her dear family, and took her to a prison on the charge of violation of the “National Security Law”. After her release from prison, they induced the police to constantly watch even her slight motion and searched her house all of a sudden, imposing untold sufferings on her. So she made up her mind to cut her artery to kill herself.

My mother wished to return to the motherland so much even in her dream. I am very indignant at the behaviour of the south Korean authorities who put her in such a worst state.

Availing myself of this opportunity, I remind you that I had sent a letter to the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances of the UN Human Rights Council on September 2015, complaining the anti-human rights atrocities of the south Korean authorities detaining my mother, and misfortune and sufferings my family was undergoing due to them. One month later, I was informed that the Working Group had correctly received the letter.

But until today my mother has been detained and put under all sorts of oppression and surveillance of the south Korean authorities.

I cannot understand at all why the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances is ignoring the misfortune and sufferings of my family and taking no measures against the criminal detention of my mother by the south Korean authorities.

Do the heartrending suffering and tragedy my family is undergoing have nothing to do with you at all?

It is 6 years after I was separated from my mother. At that time I was a middle school girl. Now I am studying at the graduating class of a university.

My mother would always say that her wish to see her daughter in university uniform. Just before graduation from the university I have failed to show myself in university uniform to her even once. It is deplorable.

Isn’t it a tragedy that my grandfather and grandmother in their 70s shed tears, saying it is their wish to see my mother, their eldest daughter, before their death?

I want to ask the south Korean authorities forcing such heartrending pains and sufferings; Are you human beings? If yes, how can you commit such a crime of depriving parents of a daughter and mercilessly separating the daughter from her mother?

Clearly speaking, my mother is a victim detained by the south Korean authorities.

Detaining my mother by the south Korean authorities is a gross violation of the international law and a crime against human rights.

The south Korean authorities must send back my mother as soon as possible to her motherland, to her family without delay, as she strongly demands.

I hope that the UN organizations would fairly investigate the criminal acts of the south Korean authorities detaining my mother, in conformity with their mission, and take practical measures to repatriate the allured and kidnapped DPRK citizens including my mother to their motherland and their families as soon as possible.

Stressing once again that such misfortune of my family has been caused along with the tragedy of national division forced by a foreign power, I earnestly appeal that my expectation for the UN organizations would not change into my disappointment.

Ri Ryon Gum (signed)

Daughter of Mrs. Kim Ryon Hui detained by the south Korean authorities

Pyongyang

February 25, Juche 106(2017)

Letter of the 12 Allured and Kidnapped Girls' Families to the UN Secretary-General, President of the UN Human Rights Council and High Commissioner for Human Rights

Dear Secretary-General, President of the UN Human Rights Council and High Commissioner for Human Rights

We are parents of the 12 girls who had been separated overnight by the tremendous atrocities of the south Korean authorities who allured and kidnapped them by mobilizing the gangsters of the “National Intelligence Service”.

In April 2016, the south Korean authorities committed such crime against humanity as alluring and kidnapping in broad daylight and taking to south Korea our daughters namely, Ri Un Gyong, Han Haeng Bok, Ri Son Mi, Ri Ji Ye, Ri Bom, Kim Hye Song, Ryu Song Yong, Jon Ok Hwang, Ji Jong Hwa, Pak Ok Byol, Kim Sol Gyong and So Kyong A, who were working as employees of a restaurant in Ninbo, Zhejiang Province of China.

It is nearly one year after we were separated with our beloved daughters. But we are spending every day in bitter tears with uneasiness and worry about our off-springs without knowing whether they are still alive or not.

Even on the New Year’s Day when all people greet with joy and hope, we feel grief and have to shed bitter tears thinking of our daughters. We can find no words that can express our feelings.

Now our hearts are full of ashes and our tears got dry because of our anxiety and worry about our daughters taken to south Korea.

We would like to remind you that we had already sent letters to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and President of the UN Human Rights Council on two occasions, namely on April and November 2016, requesting to make efforts to demand the offender south Korean authorities to send back the abductees to their parents immediately when the tremendous crime against humanity was occurred, and asked about the result several times.

Some time ago, we received a reply from the High Commissioner that runs through with pretexts, which crumbled even the faint hope of the families of the 12 girls.

Therefore, our daughters are still in the hell-like south Korea and the UN mechanism is not making any thorough investigation of the mean and shuddering immoral atrocities of the south Korean authorities.

We are very much disappointed at the fact that the bitter exclamation and appeal of the parents writhing after separation with their daughters are ignored.

However, we send this letter again with a hope that our daughters would come back to their parents one day if the UN human rights organizations make efforts, proceeding from the mission of the United Nations enshrining justice, truth, and promotion and protection of human rights as their lifeline.

As we have made clear on several occasions, it is undeniable stark fact that there is no reason for our daughters to abandon their hometowns as well as their beloved parents, brothers and sisters, and go to south Korea, as they fully developed their talents, learning to their hearts’ content in the bosom of the grateful homeland, the DPRK with nothing to envy in the world.

Nevertheless, the south Korean authorities are turning black into white, talking about the so-called “group defection from the north”, “reflection of yearning” and the like. They are hell-bent on “submission” operation, committing all sorts of unimaginable evil crimes against our daughters.

We, as their parents, have already demanded the south Korean authorities again and again to allow us to meet with our daughters, and sent our credentials in the name of parents to the south Korean civil societies requesting them to confirm instead of us whether the abductees were alive or not.

However, the south Korean authorities have mercilessly trampled down and ignored this most elementary demand and, as a result, we, the parents, do not know the whereabouts of our beloved daughters until today.

Forcing separation between parents and off-springs, they are committing senseless acts against morality without hesitation. Aren’t they a group of barbarians in human shape?

Now the families of the 12 girls are suffering from unimaginable mental and physical pains and damages due to the despicable allurement and abduction of the south Korean authorities. It is proved by the following facts.

Kim Hwa Song, mother of Jon Ok Hyang, caught an incurable disease after mental shock caused by the incident and underwent major surgical operation. Ji Chun Ae, mother of Ri Ji Ye, has been staying in hospital for several months because of heart disease. And in November last year, Ri Ji Ye’s father Ri Kyong Su died of shock at having lost his daughter.

Who on earth are forcing such heart-rending sorrow and suffering on us, the parents, who want to put forward our good children before the country?

They are none other than the south Korean authorities.

If the south Korean authorities had not allured, kidnapped and taken our daughters en masse to south Korea, we would not have undergone such pains, writhing and sufferings.

Now in south Korea it is circulated that some of our daughters have been killed by maltreatment and torture of the gangsters of the “National Intelligence Service” beyond human imagination.

We are greatly surprised and indignant at it. And if it is true, we will never pardon those human butchers who killed our daughters mercilessly.

We make clear in the name of the families of the 12 girls that the group allurement and abduction of our daughters is a product of the south Korean authorities’ policy of confrontation with fellow countrymen and an immoral crime against human rights which grossly violated relevant international laws.

Even now we seem to hear the bitter outcry of our daughters calling for sending them back to their parents, brothers and sisters at an early date as they can’t endure the cruel and inhumane maltreatment of the gangsters of the “National Intelligence Service” in south Korea without kith and kin.

Not content with the pains the fellow countrymen are suffering for more than half a century because of the national division and territorial split by foreign powers, the south Korean authorities have left an wound to be unhealed forever in the hearts of the fellow countrymen. They are a vicious group of devils against reunification.

The atrocities of the south Korean authorities which will even put the animals in the shade deserve denunciation and due punishment of not only the Korean nation and the international community but also all other humanity valuing justice.

We believe that our daughters taken to south Korea are still waiting for help while resolutely fighting against the pressure, appeasement and “submission” operation of the brutal criminals.

We are of the view that the UN organizations should play their due role in enabling our daughters to come back to the motherland which brought them up and to their parents as early as possible.

As we wrote in the previous letters, we know that it is a mission and duty of the UN human rights organizations to thoroughly investigate the nefarious immoral crimes of the south Korean authorities and bring the offenders to justice and promote early reunion of parents and their children.

We will never stop fighting until the day when we meet our beloved daughters and when our daughters come back to the motherland.

We appeal to the UN organizations once again to keep, in conformity with their mission, questioning the immoral crimes of the south Korean authorities and demanding the south Korean authorities unconditional and immediate repatriation as we requested, so that the abductees can return to their motherland and to their families as early as possible.

We, the parents of the 12 abductees, believe that the UN organization would not turn aside our earnest appeal.

With best regards,

Families of the 12 girls allured and kidnapped by the south Korean authorities

Pyongyang

February 25, Juche 106(2017)

DPRK Will Deal Merciless Retaliatory Strike at Provokers: Foreign Ministry Spokesman

 A spokesman for the DPRK Foreign Ministry released a statement on Saturday in denunciation of the ongoing U.S.-south Korea joint military drills against the DPRK.

The spokesman branded the Key Resolve and Foal Eagle joint military exercises being staged by the U.S. in south Korea as the most undisguised nuclear war move to throw the Korean Peninsula and the rest of Northeast Asia into nuclear disaster.

Nobody can vouch when the war drills kicked off after introducing a lot of nuclear strike means and huge forces into south Korea and the waters off it may go over to an actual war and, consequently, the situation on the Korean Peninsula is again inching close to the brink of a nuclear war, the statement said, adding:

The U.S. nuclear war drills assume more dangerous nature as they are staged at a time when it is resorting to the worst political and economic sanctions and pressure against the DPRK while finding fault with the latter's measure for bolstering up its nuclear force.

The U.S. seeks to convince the public that the joint military exercises are ascribable to the DPRK's access to nuclear weapons, but this is sophism making profound confusing of right and wrong.

The DPRK will never remain a passive onlooker to the new U.S. administration overtly revealing its intention to put military pressure on the DPRK and invade it while crying out for "peace by dint of strength".

The spokesman stressed that the army and people of the DPRK are unshakable in their will to further bolster up the deterrence for self-defence with the strategic nuclear force as a pivot in order to put a radical end to the danger of a nuclear war being imposed by the U.S. and deal a merciless retaliatory strike at any provocation by the invaders.

H.E. Comrade Kim Jong Un Supervises Ballistic Rocket Launching Drill of Hwasong Artillery Units of KPA Strategic Force

Respected Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea, chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK and supreme commander of the Korean People's Army (KPA), supervised a ballistic rocket launching drill of Hwasong artillery units of the Strategic Force of the KPA on the spot.

Involved in the drill were Hwasong artillery units of the KPA Strategic Force tasked to strike the bases of the U.S. imperialist aggressor forces in Japan in contingency.

Respected Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un learned in detail about the preparations for fire strike while going round the ballistic rocket launching grounds.

At an observation post he was briefed on a launching plan and gave an order to start the drill.

Feasting his eyes on the trails of ballistic rockets, he appreciated that Hwasong artillery units of the Strategic Force are very good at organizing and commanding fire strikes and strictly ensuring rapid and simultaneous fire strikes.

The four ballistic rockets launched simultaneously are so accurate that they look like acrobatic flying corps in formation, he said.

Praising once again the Hwasong artillerymen for successfully concluding the drill for launching ballistic rockets simultaneously, he added that it is a great pride of the Party and state, army and people to have such strongest one as the KPA Strategic Force equipped with Korean-style powerful ballistic rockets and Juche-based fire strike methods.

He gave the officials accompanying him the tasks to be fulfilled to strictly establish a monolithic leadership system and commanding and managing system of the Supreme Commander over the strategic force, further round off the Juche-based rocket striking methods put on an actual, scientific and modern basis, continuously develop Korean-style ultra-precision and intellectually promoted rockets and bolster them in quality and quantity.

He ordered the KPA Strategic Force to keep highly alert as required by the grim situation in which an actual war may break out anytime, and get fully ready to promptly move, take positions and strike so that it can open fire to annihilate the enemies once the Party Central Committee issues an order.

Expressing expectation and belief that the Hwasong artillerymen of the KPA Strategic Force would successfully discharge their sacred mission and duty as creditable nuclear force of the Workers' Party of Korea in the death-defying struggle against the enemies, he had a photo session with them.

Accompanying him were Ri Pyong Chol, Kim Jong Sik and other leading officials of the WPK Central Committee and scientists and technicians in the nuclear weapon and rocket research fields.

KPA General Staff Warns Aggressors of Merciless Nuclear Counter-action of Justice

 A spokesman for the General Staff of the Korean People's Army (KPA) issued the following statement Thursday as the U.S. imperialists and the south Korean puppet warmongers kicked off joint military exercises for aggression against the DPRK on Wednesday:

The largest-ever war drills will reportedly be staged by unprecedentedly huge aggressor forces including the U.S. imperialist forces present in south Korea, reinforced U.S. forces from overseas, south Korean puppet troops and forces of various vassal states. To be involved in this muscle-flexing are various type strategic assets such as striking groups of U.S. nuclear carriers Ronald Reagan and Carl Vinson, nuclear submarines, nuclear strategic bombers, stealth fighters and Aegis destroyers.

Lots of U.S. war operation groups and nuclear strike means deployed in south Korea and in its vicinity have already begun moving to the positions for invasion of the north.

The enemies openly announced that Key Resolve and Foal Eagle this year would involve rehearsals for putting into a more concrete shape the 4D operation for pre-emptive attack on the DPRK and, at the same time, drills under the simulated conditions of deployment of THAAD.

The above-said saber-rattling assumes ever-growing danger as it is under way after the U.S. imperialists secretly introduced at least 6 million tons of ammunition and war hardware into south Korea from the end of last year and took recently even the measure for urgent evacuation of families of U.S. forces in south Korea and those with U.S. citizenship staying there.

In view of the prevailing grave situation the General Staff of the KPA clarifies the following principled stand of the revolutionary armed forces of the DPRK: 1. Now that the U.S. imperialists and the south Korean puppet forces again kicked off the dangerous nuclear war drills against the DPRK at its doorstep, our army will counter them with the toughest counteractions as it had already declared.

This stand of ours clarified before the world is by no means an empty talk.

2. Should the U.S. imperialists and the south Korean puppet forces fire even a single shell into the waters where the sovereignty of our Republic is exercised, the KPA will immediately launch its merciless military counter-actions.

They should not forget that our revolutionary armed forces have everything in place and are always on alert.

3. The forces of vassal countries will be targets of our strikes as they are imprudently involved in the on-going saber-rattling, toeing the U.S. imperialists' hostile policy towards the DPRK.

They have to bear in mind that those lackeys have always met a miserable fate for recklessly running wild, backed by their master. The KPA will mercilessly foil the nuclear war racket of the aggressors with its treasured nuclear sword of justice.

JOINT STATEMENT NIGERIAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE ON THE STUDY OF KIMILSUNGISM-KIMJONGILISM

to   Malaysian High Commission in Abuja, Nigeria

We the adherents of Kimilsungism and Kimjongilism in Nigeria condemn in the strongest term the unfortunate action of the Malaysian authorities in first refusing to hand-over the remains of the deceased citizen of DPR of Korea to the legitimate representative of the government of DPR of Korea in Malaysia-its ambassador. We equally condemn the expulsion of the DPR of Korea ambassador in Malaysia.

The action of the Government of Malaysia amounts to breach of internationally acceptable norms of diplomacy and the bilateral relations between the DPR of Korea and Malaysia. The action of the Malaysian government amounts to being dictated by the powers that be.

The south Korean government has repeatedly stepped up its conspiratorial allegation and campaign of calumny in the media and backed by the imperialist weapon of propaganda- international media.

We appeal to the Government of Malaysia not to dance to the tune of unfounded allegation of south Korea and backed by the imperialist weapon of propaganda- international media but hand over the remains of deceased Korean citizen to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea without further delay.

Lastly, no amount of blackmail, treat, sanctions and/or intimidation by any country no matter how big or small or their surrogate can stifle the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is a peaceful country and peace loving but reserve the right to use whatever means possible to defend itself.

Jointly signed by the following associations:

Nigerian National Committee on the Study of Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism;

Nigeria Study Group on Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism;

Nigeria Study Group on Juche Philosophy;

Nigeria Study Group on Songun Politics; and

 Nigeria Study Group on Self-reliance.

Kim Jong Un Plants Trees with Students of Mangyongdae Revolutionary School

Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea, chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK and supreme commander of the Korean People's Army, visited Mangyongdae Revolutionary School and planted trees with its students on Thursday, the Tree-planting Day.

When respected Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un together with Ri Sol Ju arrived at the school, its students and teachers who were planting trees broke into cheers of "hurrah!"

He met students and kindly asked about their ages, grades and study and organizational life with fatherly love, patting their cheeks.

Saying that today is the significant Tree-planting Day when President Kim Il Sung took the lead in the tree-planting campaign, he added that students of Mangyongdae Revolutionary School came into his mind when he was thinking of where he would plant trees on the significant day and he visited them.

He noted that the students of the school who are growing to be successors and backbone elements of the revolution should duly take the lead in planting trees, too.

He said that the teachers should lead the students to devote their sincerity and enthusiasm to the tree-planting with extraordinary awareness that they should display their clean conscience and ardent patriotism before planting trees and with will to take good care of woodland even if their bodies may serve as roots and base manure.

He noted that only when one has warm love for the country from one's childhood, can one become a true patriot and a genuine official desired by the Party who does any work oneself for the prosperity of the country at any post assigned to one by the Party in the future.

He taught the students in a way easy to understand, saying it is possible to ensure the rate of rooting when trees are planted in line with the scientific and technical requirements and what is important in tree planting is not how many trees are planted but how many trees are rooted.

Then he personally planted trees for a long while, digging a hole, watering and tamping.

The students, encouraged by his guidance, hastened their work.

Looking with attention at the planted trees one by one, he praised all of the students for doing good work. He said they would recollect today, seeing the trees that grew tall when they visit this place as adults.

Enjoying a bird's-eye view of the school clad in thick verdure, he said that the school has a thick woodland and now there may be no space for planting trees.

He told officials to let the students visit the places associated with the immortal leadership exploits of President Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il including the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun and plant trees there, and tour modern Tree Nursery 122 of the Korean People's Army so that they may learn the scientific way of planting trees.

He urged the students who are growing, drinking water and breathing air in Mangyongdae to set an example in the forest restoration campaign.

He set forth tasks which would serve as guidelines for the school's upbringing and education and management and operation.

He had a photo session with the students of the school. Accompanying him were Hwang Pyong So and Kim Yong Su.

Kim Jong Un Inspects Headquarters of Large Combined Unit of KPA

Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK, inspected the Headquarters of Large Combined Unit 966 of the KPA.

He was greeted by the commanding officers of the unit on the spot.

He waved back to the cheers of its service personnel and had a photo session with them.

He went round the monument to the on-the-spot instructions of President Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il, the monument to the autograph of Kim Jong Il, the revolutionary museum and the room devoted to the history of the unit.

Seeing the historical relics and data showing the devoted efforts made by Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il for rounding off the combat readiness of the unit and bolstering up its combat capability, he looked back on the course of victory and glory covered by it.

Looking at photos of successive commanding officers one by one, he said that there were many anti-Japanese revolutionary fighters among the commanding officers of the unit, indeed, and added that this fact alone clearly tells what great importance Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il attached to the unit.

He listened to the report on the defence operation plan from the commander of the unit at the operational command room and went round the military study room, firing hall and various other places to learn in detail about the training and combat readiness.

Noting that the unit has a very important duty to perform, he set forth tasks that would serve as guidelines for increasing the combat readiness and capability of the unit in every way.

He went round a mess hall, swimming pool, bath house and various other places to take warm care of the living of service personnel as their real father would do.

He enjoyed a performance given by the art squad of the unit at the soldiers hall.

He expressed his satisfaction with the successful performance staged by the members of the art squad with numbers sensitively reflecting party policies and gave instructions which would serve as guidelines for their performing activities.

He expressed expectation and conviction that all service personnel of the unit would maintain full combat readiness and thus firmly defend the socialist country with arms.

Accompanying him were KPA Vice Marshal Hwang Pyong So, director of the KPA General Political Bureau, and Army Col. General Ri Yong Gil, first vice-chief of the KPA General Staff and director of the General Operational Bureau.

Kim Jong Un Watches Performance of State Merited Chorus

A performance was given with splendor at the People's Theatre on Wednesday to mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the State Merited Chorus.

Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea, chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK and supreme commander of the Korean People's Army, appeared in the auditorium.

Among the audience were KPA Vice Marshal Hwang Pyong So, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the WPK Central Committee, vice-chairman of the DPRK State Affairs Commission and director of the KPA General Political Bureau; Choe Ryong Hae, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the C.C., WPK, vice-chairman of the DPRK State Affairs Commission and vice-chairman of the C.C., WPK; Kim Ki Nam, member of the Political Bureau of the C.C., WPK, member of the DPRK State Affairs Commission and vice-chairman of the C.C., WPK; and commanding officers of the KPA and officials, creators, journalists and editors in the fields of literature and arts and media of the KPA.

The performance began with the national anthem.

Its numbers included orchestral music and male chorus "Forever with the Leader and the Party" and "Serial Songs of Guerrillas" and female trio and male chorus "Greeting Spring on Jong Il Peak".

Performers made an impressive artistic representation of the majestic appearance of the revolutionary army's art troupe.

The performance, replete with the indomitable revolutionary idea of the WPK, the revolutionary spirit of Mt Paektu and the invincible might of great Kim Il Sung's and Kim Jong Il's Korea, reached the climax when the Chorus presented male chorus "Let's Defend Socialism" and "Our March".

It ended with orchestral music and male chorus "We Will Go along the Road of Loyalty". The performance fully demonstrated the faith and will of the army and people to win the final victory without fail in accomplishing the socialist cause of Juche, united close around respected Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un just as they had dynamically made a long journey of revolution, holding President Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il in high esteem.

The performance was highly acclaimed by the audience as it brought about a fresh phase of music representation through a combination of Korean-style orchestra, chorus and colorful vocal numbers.

Kim Jong Un expressed his great satisfaction over the revolutionary and militant performance staged by the State Merited Chorus and warmly congratulated all the members of the Chorus on its 70th founding anniversary.

Expressing belief that the Chorus would fully discharge its mission and duty as the core unit and engine of the Korean revolution and distinguished guerrilla bugler of the present times, he had a photo session with creators, artistes and leading members of the Chorus.

Agrarian Reform in the DPRK, 70 Years Ago

March 5 this year marks the 70^th anniversary of the promulgation of the law on agrarian reform in Korea. President Kim Il Sung (1912-1994), founding father of socialist Korea, made public Law on Agrarian Reform in North Korea, on March 5, 1946.

This was an event of historic significance, the first-ever in the East. The law made it possible to liquidate the exploiting class, who rented out land, and realize the centuries-old desire of the peasants to till their own land.

Land ownership occupies a very important place in implementing the cause of the people for their independence and in building a new society in particular. It is only when this problem is solved properly that solid foundations of an independent, sovereign state can be laid and stability of a country and its development be achieved.

As this was an important and urgent problem, Kim Il Sung adopted the measure of enforcing the agrarian reform before any other democratic reforms immediately after Korea’s liberation (August 15, 1945).

It is necessary to go over again the principles and contents of the agrarian reform enforced in Korea 70 years previously.

Korea’s agrarian reform was fundamentally different from that enforced in other countries.

It was a democratic reform that thoroughly embodied the Juche character, an original one unprecedented in human history.

In general, the other countries carried out the agrarian reform in the form of nationalization or confiscation and distribution of land with compensation.

Kim Il Sung, however, paid close attention to the actual situation in Korea and the peasants’ conditions and wishes.

Nearly 80 per cent of Korea’s population was peasants at that time. Their overwhelming majority were poor and hired peasants without any means of production, and the landlords, who accounted only for four per cent of the rural households, occupied 58.2 per cent of all the farmland.

This being the case, it is only when the agrarian reform was enforced on the principle of distributing the land to the peasants instead of nationalization, and confiscating the land and distributing it free of charge instead of doing them with compensation that it would be possible to achieve the true significance and purpose of the agrarian reform, make the peasants true masters of the land by freeing them from all types of exploitation and subjugation, and revitalize the overall economy of the country by developing the agricultural production. It would also remove obstacles to building a new society—the colonial survivals of the Japanese imperialists and the economic foundations of landlords, comprador capitalists, traitors to the nation and other reactionary forces.

Under the slogan “Land to the tillers!” he defined making the peasants masters of the land as the fundamental principle of the agrarian reform, and led the reform to be carried out on the principle of confiscating land and distributing it free of charge.

Those who had possessed more than five hectares of land and rented them out were defined as landlords, and their land, draught animals, farm implements, houses, irrigation facilities and other property were all confiscated. As a result, landlords numbering 44 000 were liquidated, and peasants of 720 000 households were distributed with land free of charge.

The Workers’ Party of Korea pursued the class policy of relying on the hired and poor peasants, allying with the middle peasants and isolating the rich peasants. To make the peasants play the key role in the agrarian reform, it helped them organize rural committees consisting of hired and poor peasants and encouraged them to become direct performers. It had all the Korean people including the working class enlisted to give an active support to the struggle of the peasants, and consolidated united front with all the political parties and other public organizations to ensure that all their members turn out in bringing the agrarian reform to a successful completion.

The agrarian reform was completed successfully in less than one month.

The agrarian reform in Korea had a great historic significance.

With the successful agrarian reform, the land problem in the stage of the anti-imperialist, anti-feudal democratic revolution was brilliantly solved. The agrarian reform in Korea greatly inspired the oppressed peoples in the East in their struggle against the imperialists and the domestic feudal forces and to liberate their countries.

The land problem was resolved more brilliantly by Chairman Kim Jong Il (1942-2011) who inherited the ideology and cause of President Kim Il Sung.

In the latter half of the 1990s he unfolded a plan for realigning all the fields under cultivation into large, standardized ones, and aroused the service personnel and people in the effort to carry it out. Saying that it was a revolution to liquidate once and for all the remnants of the feudal land ownership system by improving the appearance and structure of the land, he led this undertaking energetically.

Started at Kangwon Province on the eastern coast of the country, the project covered several other provinces and cities, with the result that small patches of land were repartitioned into large, standardized fields. It became impossible for the former landowners to identify their fields if they were to come there with their land registers.

The achievements Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il gained in solving the land problem of the country will shine for ever along with the eye-opening realities of the countryside which is being turned into a socialist fairyland under the leadership of the current leader Kim Jong Un. 

Kim Jong Un Visits Samchon Catfish Farm

Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea, chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK and supreme commander of the Korean People's Army, visited the Samchon Catfish Farm.

The farm has successfully turned into a world-level large-scale fish farm put on a Juche, scientific, intensive and industrial basis at the highest level.

Kim Jong Un looked round the newly arranged room for education in the revolutionary history and room dedicated to the history of the farm.

Noting the farm is one of the legacies bequeathed by leader Kim Jong Il for the people and service personnel, he said that its officials and employees should work hard to keep the fish breeding going at a high rate as it is an important work not only to preserve the high prestige of Kim Jong Il but also to translate his lifetime wish into a reality.

Going round various places of the farm including sci-tech room, combined control room, breed-fish ground, hatchery, fattening ground and freezing storage, he learnt in detail about the progress made in fish breeding and modernization.

It will be possible to accelerate the development of the country's catfish breeding if websites are set up in computers at the sci-tech room to help employees browse and grasp advanced catfish-breeding methods and catfish farms exchange successes and experience each other, he said.

Scrutinizing the performance of an automatic feeding machine manufactured by scientists and technicians of the State Academy of Sciences with their concerted efforts, he said it was well made and he likes it as it was modernly made with recourse to indigenous brain power, technology and equipment.

Being pleased to see only two employees of the farm manage 16 big ponds housing more than 10 000 catfishes, he praised it as a manpower-saving farm wanted by the Party.

He was satisfied to see swarms of big catfishes in each pond and frozen catfishes piled up at the freezing storage.

It is a great success that the Samchon Catfish Farm was modernly built in the country's famous hot spring area suitable for breeding warm water catfish to make it possible to annually breed more than 3 000 tons of catfish, he said.

He gave important instructions for managing and operating the farm, saying its officials and employees should set a higher goal and work hard to attain it as the farm has been transformed into an icon catfish farm.

And he gave special thanks in the name of the KPA Supreme Commander to the soldier-builders who turned the farm into a model and standard in pisciculture and a proud edifice in the era of Songun, as intended by the Party, and thus realized the desire of Kim Jong Il and enhanced his prestige.

Noting the Party reposes high expectations on the farm, he expressed belief that its officials and employees would take the lead in implementing the Party policies.

Accompanying him were Hwang Pyong So, So Hong Chan, Kim Yong Su and Jo Yong Won.

National Meeting Observes Birth Anniversary of Kim Jong Il

A national meeting took place at the Pyongyang Indoor Stadium on Wednesday to celebrate the 75th birth anniversary of leader Kim Jong Il.

Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea, chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK and supreme commander of the Korean People's Army, was present at the meeting.

Present there were Kim Yong Nam, Hwang Pyong So, Pak Pong Ju and other senior officials of the party, state and army, the chairman of the Central Committee of the Korean Social Democratic Party, officials of the party and armed forces organs, ministries and national institutions, service personnel of the Korean People's Army and the Korean People's Internal Security Forces, officials of institutions and industrial establishments in the city, those who had the honor of being received by
Kim Jong Il, persons of merit, bereaved families of revolutionary martyrs and working people, congratulatory groups and delegations of overseas compatriots and other overseas Koreans and the chief of the Pyongyang mission of the Anti-Imperialist National Democratic Front.

Present on invitation were foreign diplomatic envoys, representatives of international organizations and military attaches here and foreign guests.

Kim Yong Nam, member of the Presidium 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 of the DPRK, made a report.

The reporter said February 16 is shining as the day of great fortune when the Korean people and other progressive peoples in the world greeted a peerlessly great man who would lead the cause of independence along the path of victory for all ages.

He went on:

The history of Kim Jong Il's revolutionary leadership is an epic of the most devoted and heroic struggle of an outstanding revolutionary who glorified the history of modern Korea as annals of victory of socialism with his unique ideology and leadership. It is also the history of a prominent leader who left marks in the history of the world socialist movement and powerfully accelerated the cause of human independence.

Kim Jong Il developed in depth the Juche idea by adding new principles and contents to it as required by the times and the developing revolution and comprehensively formulated and systemized the socialist theory on the basis of it.

He strictly adhered to the firm anti-imperialist independent stand and socialist principle in the whole course of revolutionary leadership, foiled the enemy's offensive against revolution through a revolutionary offensive, advanced the revolution and construction in the Korean style and thus consolidated and developed socialism of Juche and strikingly demonstrated its invincibility.

He, regarding it as his lifetime political faith to believe in the people as in Heaven, put forward the people as the most precious beings in the world, settled all matters on the principle of absolutely prioritizing their interests, let the party, state and army serve them only and made sure that all the wealth of society contributed to promoting their wellbeing.

He developed the WPK into a strong guiding force for carrying out the cause of socialism and consolidated the unity and cohesion of the party and the revolutionary ranks as firm as a rock, opening up a new path of building a socialist ruling party for over half a century.

He developed the Korean People's Army into a powerful revolutionary Paektusan army capable of annihilating any imperialist aggressor forces at a single strike, putting the defence industry on a fresh Juche and modern basis and put all the people under arms and turned the whole country into an impregnable fortress.

When the world socialist movement was sustaining serious setbacks, he held higher the banner of Juche-based socialism, set an epochal example in the drive for realizing the independence of the popular masses, instilled confidence in victory into the progressive people and powerfully accelerated the advance of the socialist movement.

The revolutionary career and immortal feats of Kim Jong Il who provided a firm foundation for the victory of the cause of the people for independence and the socialist cause and opened a bright prospect in the glorious era of Kim Jong Un will shine for all ages.

The reporter called for accomplishing the socialist cause of Juche with Kim Jong Il's idea and feats as the eternal cornerstone.

He also called for dynamically advancing toward the final victory of the socialist cause of Juche, rallied close around

Kim Jong Un. Similar meetings were held in each province, city and county and at industrial complexes on the same day.