Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un Visits Kumsusan Palace of Sun

Pyongyang, February 16 (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 Korean People's  Army, visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun to pay homage to  Chairman Kim Jong Il on the occasion of the significant Day of the Shining Star, his birth anniversary.

Kim  Jong  Un entered  the  hall where  the  statues  of  President Kim  Il  Sung  and Chairman Kim Jong Il  stand. Placed at the  statues were a  floral basket in the  name of the Supreme  Leader and a floral basket in the name of the C.C., WPK.

The  Supreme Leader,  together  with the  participants,  paid  a tribute  to  the statues of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il.

Then he entered the hall where Kim Jong Il lies in state. Kim Jong  Un made  a bow  to Kim Jong  Il, who  dedicated his  whole life  for the prosperity   of   the    country,   happiness   of   people    and   accomplishment   of   the revolutionary  cause of  Juche,  in  token  of his  high  respect  and best  wishes  for  the immortality of Kim Jong Il.

He was accompanied by Choe Ryong  Hae, Ri Man Gon, Kim Yo Jong, Ri Yong Sik and other  officials of  the Organizational Leadership  Department and  the Information and Publicity Department of the C.C., WPK.

Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un Orders to Promote Military Ranks of KPA Commanding Officers

Pyongyang,  February  16   (KCNA)  -- Kim  Jong   Un,  chairman  of   the  Central

Military Commission of  the Workers' Party of  Korea, ordered to  promote the military ranks  of  commanding  officers  of  the  Korean   People's  Army  on  Saturday  on  the occasion of the birth anniversary of Chairman Kim Jong Il.

According to  the order, Yang  Tong Won, Choe  Kwang Jun  and Jon Thae  Ho were promoted to  lieutenant general  and 27 others  including Choe  Tong Ju  and Pak Yong Ho to major general.

S. KOREAN GROUP OF TRAITORS UNDER FIRE: KCNA COMMENTARY

Pyongyang, February 8 (KCNA)  -- The group of south Korean  conservative traitors are  keen on  barring  inter-Korean  relations from  developing  onto  the new  stage  by inflaming confrontation with the fellow countrymen from the outset of this year.

The conservative forces  including the "Liberal  Korea Party" dismissed  the DPRK's sincere  efforts as  a  "bogus  peace offensive",  voicing  that  "the work  for  improving inter-Korean relations and cooperating in economy advances too fast".

Meanwhile, they  are whipping  up  confrontation hysterics,  saying that  "the north's action is part of a high strategy to rock the south Korea-U.S. alliance and cause discord in the  south, the north's  denuclearization is never  credible and that  they should focus efforts on substantially tackling the nuclear issue of the north".

The confrontation  moves by  the conservative  forces that come  as a  setback to  the development of inter-Korean  relations against the trend  of the times are  nothing but a hysteric tantrum  thrown by  the most  heinous traitors  who are  doomed, marginalized from the strong trend of national reconciliation, unity, peace and prosperity.

As acknowledged by the international community, last year the north-south  relations underwent  a   dramatic  change   unprecedented  in  the   history  of   national  division spanning over 70 years.

The  adoption  of  the  historic  north-south  declarations  has  reversed  the  relations between them in the utmost extremes of distrust and confrontation to  those of trust and reconciliation and brought a peaceful climate to the 3 000-ri land of Korea.

Just at the time when all the Korean nationals are pooling  their minds and efforts for the better  future of  the nation,  only conservative  forces are unhappy  with the  reality and  go off  into  confrontation  hysterics taking  issue  with  all  the issues  as  to  inter-Korean relations.

Even though  the work  for  cooperation  and exchange  between  the  north  and the south is a patriotic  project for the unified development and  co-prosperity of the nation and,  at the  same  time,  hugely benefits  the  south  Korean economy  and  its  people's living, they dismiss the work as a "drain on resources".

Not content with denying the valuable successes of last year, they viciously belittled them,  remarking that  "last year  was  a miserable  year in  which  10 years  of security posture was  severely hindered at the  cost of enjoying  a brief peacetime  spanning one year".

What's  more,  they  shamelessly uttered  that  "south  Korea  needs  its  own nuclear arms", in spite  of the fact that they  had turned the whole  south Korea into the nuclear arsenal of outside forces.

How  can today's  climate  of  national  concord and  trend  of  peace  on the  Korean peninsula, which  commands admiration from all  the Koreans and  warm support from the international community, be understood as "serious security crisis".

After all, the conservative group’s oft-repeated “peace” means   none other than confrontation and war.

The  conservatives' mad  acts  just  lay  bare their  nature  as  a trouble-maker  of  the nation, cancer-like entity, which  has no desire for national reconciliation,  unity, peace, prosperity and reunification.

No Koreans tolerate the group of  traitors who attempt to revive conservatism and  to retake power by keeping national division permanent.

So the south Koreans  spit at the behavior of the  group of traitors who got mad  over their greed  for power, saying that  "their move was  a political bait  to win the favor  of the voters by gathering the supporters for the conservatives".

As long  as  the traitors  including the  LKP which  indulge in  things harmful  to  the compatriots, not for  the good of them,  live and breathe,  our nation's misfortune, pain, damage and disaster will get worse and last long.

The group of  conservative traitors must  be taken to  the grave of  history as soon as possible as they block our nation's efforts for reconciliation, unity and reunification.

KCNA COMMENTARY ON DOUBLE-DEALING OF S. KOREAN MILITARY

Pyongyang, February  8 (KCNA) --  The south  Korean military runs  reckless in the arms buildup to mar the atmosphere of peace and stability.

After  making public  a  "mid-term defense  program"  under the  pretext  of  "coping with military  threat and security  change at  present and those  potential in  the future," the south Korean military authorities  are planning to spend more than 250  billion U.S.

dollars for  military spending  - an  increase of  13.6 per  cent over  the previous  time  -under the program. It constitutes an extremely dangerous act to swim against the desire of all the fellow countrymen for a durable and lasting peace and stability in the Korean peninsula, and an undisguised provocation against the DPRK.

The reckless act is a challenge to the historic north-south declarations that have won full support and welcome from the public at home and abroad and, at the same time, a flagrant violation of those declarations.

Last year, the  north and the  south committed themselves to  leading the termination of military hostility  in the confrontation  area to the removal  of the danger of  war and hostility in  the whole  Korean peninsula  and, in  particular, to  reducing armaments  in proportion to the building of military confidence.

The south Korean authorities are obliged to ban all the acts running counter to the detente as specified in the declarations.

The military, which turned the whole of south Korea into the largest ammunition dump in the Far East under the pretext of non-existent "threat from the north", should have reduced without delay all of the lethal hardware  against the fellow countrymen in the north in the present situation.

However,  while trying  to  give  a  good impression  that  they  are interested  in  the military detente, the south Korean military is seeking  to spend huge military spending than  that  of the  period  of  the  tensions for  arms  buildup  and  the modernization  of military hardware.  They are even planning to purchase many F-35A,  Global Hawk, SM-3 and other foreign military hardware.

The acts make the DPRK doubt the attitude of the south Korean military to value the trend of the  present situation and  to make the  Korean peninsula a durable  and lasting peace zone.

The military forces  are describing their  measures as an  "act to lay  a foundation for the increased self-defense capabilities", but it is nothing but double-dealing.

The military  authorities never cover  up the fact  that their arms  buildup is aimed  at rounding off  the  system of  attack on  the  north called  "triad strike  system" renamed "system of countering nuclear and weapons of mass destruction".

The reality  clearly shows  that the  south Korean  military is  going to  persist in  the confrontation with fellow countrymen by force of arms.

Their reckless military act  after the north-south agreement to  end the fratricidal war incites our vigilance and causes serious concern among the public  at home and abroad, and it adversely affects the development of the present situation.

Such  double-dealing can  never  be pardoned  as they  are  smiling a  "reconciliation smile" before the DPRK but at the same  time sharpening the sword of confrontation to prevent the peace from being ensured in the Korean peninsula and the region.

The south Korean military would be well advised to ponder over their acts as they may result in an undesirable thing beyond expectation.

C.C., AINDF Calls for Ostracizing LKP

Pyongyang, February 14 (KCNA)  -- The Central Committee of  the Anti-Imperialist National Democratic  Front (AINDF) issued  an "Appeal to  all the people"  on Feb. 13 through which  it called for  decisively ostracizing the  "Liberal Korea  Party" (LKP), a cesspit of deep-seated conservative evils.

The appeal  cited facts  that LKP  - the group  of traitors  - is  challenging the  people who  turned  out  in  the   candlelight  struggle  to  a  fight,  reviving   like  a  poisonous mushroom in  a dump though  they got the  impartial public punishment  to rename  the ugly "Saenuri Party" "Liberal Korea Party" and to be discouraged.

The LKP reckless  act enraging all  the people constitutes  an open challenge against the  above-said  people  who  decisively  tried  the  conservative  regime  for  the  worst crimes in  the name  of the  people and  meted  out punishment  to Park  Geun Hye  and other chief criminals who held the monopoly of the administration, the appeal said.

The appeal also said that it is the demand of the public and the intention of  the times to prevent the conservatives from getting united again  and frustrate the reckless acts of LKP.

The situation urges the  people of different social standings  valuing justice and truth to turn out in the nation-wide struggle to eliminate  LKP - a cesspool of injustice, deep-seated evils and traitorous acts, the appeal said.

So long  as the LKP remains  existent, no one  can expect peace  in this land  and the improvement of the south-north relations, the appeal said.

It is  our people who  are in  charge of uprooting  deep-seated conservative evils  and should play the main role in eliminating the LKP, it noted.

The  appeal called  upon  all the  people  to  pool their  efforts  and wage  a  vigorous struggle so  as to  decisively ostracize  LKP, greet the  new society  of justice  and truth and make the history of national reconciliation, peace and prosperity.

“Delicate Message” of Kim Jong Un’s China Visit

Chairman Kim Jong Un of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea paid a visit to China on January 7-10, 2019, drawing the attention of the world for its remarkable significance. 

Last year, while orchestrating such landmark events as inter-Korean and DPRK-US summit meetings, the DPRK leader visited China three times. 

Given the fact that this year the two countries will mark the 70^th anniversary of their diplomatic relationship, Kim Jong Un’s recent tour is of weighty importance–strengthening the bilateral ties and deepening strategic communication between the leaderships of the two countries.

Over the past nine months the DPRK leader has visited China four times, which is an illustration of his approach towards the relations with the neighbouring country.

Through repeated meetings and talks, the top leaders of the two countries expressed active support and encouragement for each other’s cause and achievements, exchanged their views on major international and regional issues, and reached a consensus of opinion. Promoting Sino-DPRK cooperation in the present political situation is effective in ensuring strategic balance in the international arena and coping reasonably with sensitive issues.

Kim Jong Un’s fourth visit to China has paved the way for properly managing the situation on the Korean peninsula and steering the negotiation for its denuclearization.

In his New Year Address he reaffirmed that the DPRK will strive to build a lasting and durable peace regime on the peninsula and advance towards complete denuclearization. Ensuring peace on the peninsula is not merely a concern for the DPRK and the US; this issue assumes an international and regional character.

Through close communication with the Chinese leadership, Kim Jong Un has created an international environment favourable for finding a peaceful solution to the Korean peninsula nuclear issue in cooperation with major neighbouring countries and the world community at large.

His first foreign tour in the New Year is sending a “delicate message” to the US.

The Singapore summit meeting held in June last year was a watershed in the DPRK-US relations, but a divergence of opinion hindered substantial progress in the bilateral ties. The US did not abandon its policy of hostility towards the DPRK, putting unacceptable proposals on the table. It did not adopt a positive attitude towards establishing a peaceful relationship with the latter. Despite the absurdity of the requests from its dialogue partner, the DPRK maintained its stand of tolerance and patience while prioritizing the relations with the US. In October last year discussions were made on the possibility of holding another summit meeting.

In his New Year Address, Kim Jong Un said that it is his firm will to establish a new bilateral relationship as clarified in the June 12 DPRK-US Joint Statement but if the US attempts to unilaterally enforce something upon the DPRK, he may be compelled to find a new way.

His recent visit to China may be construed as a warning that the US must respect the DPRK’s stand and pay careful attention to it. 

Indeed, Kim Jong Un’s first foreign tour in the new year is a world-startling event that has given rise to a new current in the international and regional situation around the Korean peninsula.

New Year Address made by Supreme Leader KIM JONG UN

Chairman of the Workers’ Party of Korea, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

Comrades,

Last year was a stirring year which witnessed a dramatic change unprecedented in the history of national division spanning over 70 years.

With a determination to usher in an era of national reconciliation, peace and prosperity by putting an end to the abnormal state on the Korean peninsula which had suffered a constant war crisis, we took proactive and bold measures to effect a great turn in north-south relations from the outset of last year.

It is unprecedented that three rounds of inter-Korean summit meetings and talks were held in a year amid great expectations and interest of peoples at home and abroad, and this clearly showed that north-south relations entered a completely new stage.

The Panmunjom Declaration, the September Pyongyang Joint Declaration and the north-south agreement in the military field, which were adopted by reflecting the firm resolve and will to usher in an era of peace in which war exists no longer on the Korean peninsula, are of great significance as a virtual nonaggression declaration in which north and south have committed themselves to terminating fratricidal war based on force of arms.

While sportspersons of north and south displayed the wisdom and strength of the nation by jointly entering international competitions, artistes came and went to Pyongyang and Seoul to fire the enthusiasm for national reconciliation and reunification.

We took the significant first step towards common prosperity of the nation by promoting cooperation projects in various fields including railways, road, forestry and public health while resolutely overcoming manifold obstacles and difficulties.

The surprising changes which took place in inter-Korean relations last year convinced all the fellow countrymen that when they join minds and efforts, they can turn the Korean peninsula into the true home of the nation, which is the most peaceful and will prosper forever.

Though it was the initial step, north and south pooled intentions and wisdom to surely reverse inter-Korean relations in the utmost extremes of distrust and confrontation to those of trust and reconciliation and make in a short time eye-opening achievements which were unimaginable in the past. I am very satisfied with that.

In the New Year 2019 we should make greater strides in our efforts to boost inter-Korean relations, achieve peace and prosperity and reunify the country on the basis of the priceless achievements we made last year which was wonderfully adorned with unprecedented events.

All the nationals should hold high the slogan "Let us usher in a heyday of peace, prosperity and reunification of the Korean peninsula by thoroughly implementing the historic north-south declarations!"

It is our steadfast will to eradicate military hostility between north and south and make the Korean peninsula a durable and lasting peace zone.

North and south, as they agreed, should take practical measures proactively to remove military hostility on the whole of the Korean peninsula, including the ground, airspace and sea, as a follow-up to its ending in the areas of confrontation.

Given that north and south committed themselves to advancing along the road of peace and prosperity, we maintain that the joint military exercises with foreign forces, which constitute the source of aggravating the situation on the Korean peninsula, should no longer be permitted and the introduction of war equipment including strategic assets from outside should completely be suspended.

It is also needed to actively promote multi-party negotiations for replacing the current ceasefire on the Korean peninsula with a peace mechanism in close contact with the signatories to the armistice agreement so as to lay a lasting and substantial peace-keeping foundation.

All the fellow countrymen should unite as one, being conscious that the master of peace on the peninsula is our nation, in order to wage a powerful struggle to check and frustrate all the moves that wreck peace and incite military tension on this land.

Inter-Korean cooperation and exchanges should be expanded and developed in an all-round way so that national reconciliation and unity can be consolidated and all the fellow countrymen can practically benefit from improved north-south relations.

For the present, we are willing to resume the Kaesong Industrial Park and Mt Kumgang tourism without any precondition and in return for nothing, in consideration of the hard conditions of businesspersons of the south side who had advanced into the Kaesong Industrial Park and the desire of southern compatriots who are eager to visit the nation's celebrated mountain.

When north and south join hands firmly and rely on the united strength of the fellow countrymen, no external sanctions and pressure, challenges and trials will be able to hinder us in our efforts to open a broad avenue to national prosperity.

We will never tolerate the interference and intervention of outside forces that stand in the way of national reconciliation, unity and reunification with the design to subordinate inter-Korean relations to their tastes and interests.

North and south should not pass up the favourable atmosphere of today when all the nationals' interest in and aspiration for reunification are growing unprecedentedly, but actively try to find a peaceful reunification plan based on nationwide agreement and direct sincere efforts to this end.

All the fellow countrymen in north, south and abroad should further accelerate in high spirits the nationwide advance for implementing the north-south declarations, and thus glorify this year as a historic one when another radical change is brought about in the development of inter-Korean relations and implementation of the cause of national reunification.

Comrades,

Last year, our Party and the government of our Republic exerted responsible efforts to safeguard the peace and security of the world and expand and strengthen friendship with different countries.

The three rounds of our visit to the People's Republic of China and the Cuban delegation's visit to our country were remarkable events in boosting strategic communication and traditional ties of friendship and cooperation among the socialist countries.

Last year, frequent visits and exchanges were made on Party, state and government levels between the DPRK and many countries of the world, with the result that they deepened mutual understanding and confirmed the stand and will to promote sound development of the international community.

The historic, first-ever DPRK-US summit meeting and talks brought about a dramatic turn in the bilateral relationship which was the most hostile on the earth and made a great contribution to ensuring peace and security of the Korean peninsula and the region.

It is the invariable stand of our Party and the government of our Republic and my firm will to establish a new bilateral relationship that meets the demand of the new era as clarified in the June 12 DPRK-US Joint Statement, build a lasting and durable peace regime and advance towards complete denuclearization.

Accordingly, we declared at home and abroad that we would neither make and test nuclear weapons any longer nor use and proliferate them, and we have taken various practical measures.

If the US responds to our proactive, prior efforts with trustworthy measures and corresponding practical actions, bilateral relations will develop wonderfully at a fast pace through the process of taking more definite and epochal measures.

We have no intention to be obsessed with and keep up the unsavoury past relationship between the two countries, but are ready to fix it as early as possible and work to forge a new relationship in line with the aspirations of the two peoples and the requirements of the developing times.

As evidenced by the reality of north-south relations that made rapid progress last year, nothing is impossible to a willing heart, and dialogue partners will reach the destinations that are beneficial to each other without fail if they put forward fair proposals on the principle of recognizing and respecting each other by abandoning their dogged insistence broadminded and conduct negotiations with a proper stand and the will to settle issues.

I want to believe that our relations with the United States will bear good fruit this year, as inter-Korean relations have greeted a great turn, by the efforts of the two sides.

I am of the opinion that, while meeting and holding talks beneficial to both sides with the US president in June last year, we exchanged constructive views and reached a consensus of understanding for a shortcut to removing each other's apprehensions and resolving the entangled problems.

I am ready to meet the US president again anytime, and will make efforts to obtain without fail results which can be welcomed by the international community.

But if the United States does not keep the promise it made in the eyes of the world, and out of miscalculation of our people's patience, it attempts to unilaterally enforce something upon us and persists in imposing sanctions and pressure against our Republic, we may be compelled to find a new way for defending the sovereignty of the country and the supreme interests of the state and for achieving peace and stability of the Korean peninsula.

The stabilized situation on the Korean peninsula and in the region is never something that has been created with ease, and the countries that are truly desirous of peace have the common responsibility for setting great store by the current situation. The neighbouring countries and international community have to support our sincere stand and efforts for promoting the positive development of the situation on the Korean peninsula and fight against all practices and challenges that wreck peace and run counter to justice.

Our Party and the government of our Republic will continue to bolster up unity and cooperation with the socialist countries and develop relations with all countries that are friendly to us under the ideals of independence, peace and friendship.

Comrades,

We are beginning the journey of the New Year as we brace ourselves once again with the resolve to work devotedly for our country, our motherland, and the happier laughter of younger generations.

What we are convinced of once again as we proudly review the past year when we made rapid progress while paving our way by our own efforts with belief in our own strength in the face of harsh economic blockade and sanctions, is the truth that our state is fully capable of dynamically advancing along the road of development of socialism of our own style by dint of our people's great strength and efforts, without any external assistance or any other's help.

This year, too, we will face constant obstacles and challenges in our progress, but no one can change our determination and will and stop our vigorous advance and our people will successfully achieve their beautiful ideals and goals without fail.

Let us all work energetically and with one mind and will for the prosperity and development of the genuine people's country, the socialist motherland.

Press Statement of Policy Research Director of Institute for American Studies, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the DPRK

Pyongyang, December 16 (KCNA) -- The policy research director of the Institute for

American Studies of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Sunday issued the following statement:

It is a significant event for ensuring peace and security of the region and beyond that the top

leaders of the DPRK and the U.S. committed themselves to improve the DPRK- U.S.  relations at the historic DPRK-U.S.  summit  held  in  Singapore last  June, and the

current DPRK-U.S. relations are advancing along the steadfast will of the top leaders to

follow through on the Singapore DPRK-U.S. Joint Statement in good faith.

However, the continued  commission  by  the United  States  of vicious  anti-DPRK

hostile actions, running  counter to  these developments, prompts  my  shock  and

indignation.

During the past six months since the Singapore DPRK-U.S. summit, the U.S. high-

ranking politicians including the secretary of state have almost every day slandered the

DPRK out of sheer malice, and the State Department and the Treasury Department have

taken anti-DPRK sanctions measures for as many as eight times against the companies,

individuals  and  ships  of not  only  the DPRK  but  also  Russia, China and  other third

countries  by  fabricating  pretexts  of all  hues  such  as  money  laundering, illegal

transactions through ship-to-ship transfer and cyber-attack.

Recently, the U.S. is resorting to anti-DPRK human rights plot in such a way that it

carries deliberate  provocation  by  adding  high-ranking  government  officials  of the

DPRK, a sovereign state, to its unilateral sanctions list, while taking issue with the non-

existent "human rights issue".

Now, the international  society  is  unanimous  in  welcoming  the proactive

denuclearization steps taken by the DPRK and urging the U.S. to respond to these steps

in  a corresponding  manner. And  president  Trump  avails  himself of every  possible

occasion to state his willingness to improve DPRK-U.S. relations.

Far from  the statements  of the president, the State Department  is  instead  bent  on

bringing the DPRK-U.S. relations back to the status of last year which was marked by

exchanges  of fire. I cannot  help  but  throw  doubt  on  the ulterior motive of the State

Department.

If they are a sort of diplomats of "only superpower", they should at least realize from

the past record of the DPRK-U.S. relations that sanctions and pressure would not work

against the DPRK.

The United  States  will  not  be unaware of the self-evident  fact  that  its  threat,

blackmail and pressure against the other side cannot be a solution under the relations of

pent-up  confrontation, mistrust  and  hostility  between  the DPRK  and  the U.S.  and

deterioration of the situation that might be incurred by these hostile actions would not

be beneficial for peace and security of the Korean peninsula and beyond.

Since we know too well that the deep-rooted hostility between the DPRK and the U.S.

cannot be redressed overnight, we have been proposing that the DPRK-U.S. relations be

improved on a step-by-step approach of resolving what is feasible one by one, by giving

priority to confidence building.

If the high-ranking  politicians  within  the U.S.  administration  including  the State

Department had calculated that they could drive us into giving up nuclear weapons by

way of increasing the anti-DPRK sanctions and pressure and human rights racket to an

unprecedented level, which has nothing to do with confidence building, it will count as

greatest  miscalculation, and  it  will  block  the path  to  denuclearization  on  the Korean

peninsula forever - a result desired by no one.

The U.S. should realize before it is too late that "maximum pressure" would not work

against us and take a sincere approach to implementing the Singapore DPRK-U.S. Joint

Statement.