7th Enlarged Plenary Meeting of 8th Central Committee of WPK Convened

 

Pyongyang, February 27 (KCNA) -- The 7th enlarged plenary meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) was convened at the office building of the WPK Central Committee on February 26.

The meeting will analyze and review the work for 2022, the first year of implementing the programme for the rural revolution in the new era, and decide on the immediate important tasks and the urgent tasks arising at the present stage of the national economic development and the practical ways for implementing them.

Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, was present at the meeting.

Attending it were Kim Tok Hun and Jo Yong Won, members of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the C.C., WPK.

Present were members and alternate members of the WPK Central Committee, and officials of the Cabinet, ministries, national institutions and provincial, city and county level leadership bodies and officials in the agricultural field and relevant fields and units as observers.

Officials of relevant departments of the Party Central Committee are participating in the meeting as observers through video conferencing.

A presidium of the meeting was elected.

The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un presided over the meeting.

The meeting unanimously approved the agenda items and went into discussion on the first agenda item.

It heard a report on the work for the first year of implementing the programme for the rural revolution in the new era.

The meeting continues.

Ground-breaking Ceremony for Construction of New Street in Sopho Area

 

Held Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un Encourages Youth Vanguard with His Stirring Speech and Shovels First Spadesful of Earth

Pyongyang, February 26 (KCNA) -- In the sacred course of the Workers' Party of Korea which is translating into thrilling reality the grand plan and determination for prosperity and development of the DPRK and the wellbeing of its people, a new street will be built in the Sopho area of Pyongyang, the capital city, as a symbol of the development and future of socialism.

The construction of a new street in the capital city, set forth by the historic Sixth Plenary Meeting of the Eighth Central Committee of the WPK as a major construction task for this significant year and entrusted to the youth, is a gigantic creation campaign to be carried out by the steadfast will of the WPK to provide the people with a highly-civilized and happy life as early as possible at the extraordinary construction speed of racing against time and accelerate the ongoing grand revolutionary advance with the fighting mettle and advance spirit of the fine, reliable and passionate youth.

The great Party Central Committee entrusted the Socialist Patriotic Youth League and the Paektusan Hero Youth Shock Brigade with the important revolutionary task to make our young people, who have always served as a powerful driving force of the state development in the historic course of the Korean revolution pioneered in Mt Paektu, reliably carry forward the proud tradition of loyalty and patriotism in the ongoing general advance. Such great trust is giving further momentum to enthusiasm for the revolution and patriotic zeal of millions of young people across the country.

A ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of a new street in the Sopho area of Pyongyang City took place on Saturday.

The venue of the ceremony, which will mark another brilliant chapter in the history of the Juche-oriented youth movement, was brimming with the revolutionary enthusiasm of young builders determined to create new legendary tales about the heroic youth as standard-bearers in building socialist civilization at the worthwhile theater for translating into a proud reality the long-cherished desire of the Party Central Committee.

Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, attended the ceremony.

When he appeared at the venue of the ceremony together with his beloved daughter, all the participants broke into cheers of "Hurrah!", looking up to the great father who put forward the young people as the vanguard and shock brigade in the struggle for socialist construction and as the promising, young main forces taking the lead in ushering in a new era of the country's prosperity and has shown all kinds of love and affection for them, while making a new history of attaching importance to the youth on this land.

Present at the ceremony were Kim Tok Hun and Jo Yong Won, members of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the WPK, Ri Il Hwan and Jon Hyon Chol, secretaries of the C.C., WPK, Pak Hun, vice-premier of the Cabinet, Ri Tu Song, department director of the C.C., WPK, commanding officers and members of the Paektusan Hero Youth Shock Brigade, officials of the youth league and young people in the city.

When the ground-breaking ceremony was declared, the national anthem of the DPRK was played solemnly.

Kim Jong Un made a significant speech.

Expressing his pleasure over the declaration of significant ground-breaking for another modern street in the presence of young volunteers, which will be recorded as a proud page in the history of the Korean youth movement adorned with bravery and feats, he highly appreciated once again the immortal feats of the Paektusan Hero Youth Shock Brigade performed in building a monumental edifice of youth for the motherland.

He said that the Paektusan hero youth spirit prevailing all campaign theaters in the country comes to be the symbol of indomitable character and fighting spirit of our socialist young vanguard and an integral part of the irresistible might of Juche Korea courageously braving hardships, and clarified our Party's determination to provide a new and big stage for young people to show once again their patriotic enthusiasm in the course of overall development of socialist construction by further elevating this great spirit.

Expressing belief that the glorious Socialist Patriotic Youth League and Paektusan Hero Youth Shock Brigade would successfully build a new street in the capital city by living up to the call of the times and expectation of the people through their heroic struggle, he ardently appealed to wage a brave struggle for the high honor of the Korean youth and the eternal prosperity of our socialist state and for the sake of the capital city of Pyongyang.

At the end of his passionate speech full of great trust and love for the youth, all the participants, deeply moved with high honor and happiness, raised stormy cheers again.

Kim Jong Un gave the flag of the Paektusan Hero Youth Shock Brigade to its commanding officers.

The young vanguard raised shouts of their firm will to create a new legendary story about construction representing the era by amplifying once again the Paektusan hero youth spirit and mettle in carrying out the grand construction project, holding aloft the honorable flag given by the respected fatherly Marshal Kim Jong Un as the banner of struggle and advance.

All the young builders made a solemn pledge to report their victory to the fatherly Marshal after successfully building another ideal street for people in Pyongyang, the heart of Juche Korea, through all-out charge in the spirit and mettle of the Korean youth knowing no impossibility by carrying forward the proud history and tradition of the Korean youth who have answered the Party's call with their devoted service.

The venue of the ceremony was full of roar of slogans of loyalty reflecting the faith and will of all the participants determined to devotedly defend the absolute dignity and prestige of the Party Central Committee and fully display the brave stamina of a large contingent of young people in the great era of Kim Jong Un by most creditably and perfectly carrying out the tasks assigned by Kim Jong Un no matter what ordeals and difficulties may block their way.

The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un personally shoveled the first spadesful of earth, together with senior Party and government officials to mark the ground- breaking for the construction of a new street in the Sopho area of Pyongyang City.

 

All the participants raised enthusiastic cheers of "Hurrah!", hardly repressing their surging emotion at the deep trust and love of the fatherly Marshal Kim Jong Un who personally made a passionate speech at the ground-breaking ceremony and shoveled the first spadesful of earth together with his beloved daughter, giving great strength and courage to the young people with hope that they would emerge performers of feats and victors in the forefront of the capital city construction.

Kim Jong Un personally pressed the detonator.

Amid the sound of blasting signaling the start of construction, fireworks were displayed in the sky of February to bless our young people turned out in the heroic struggle and advance.

Very high is the spirit and stamina of our young people who devote their all to the implementation of the Party's plan, keeping the loyalty to the Party and the revolution as their greatest honor and pride, Kim Jong Un said, adding that the Paektusan Hero Youth Shock Brigade, which has built a solid fortress of faith defending our cause with ardent vigor and patriotism, and other young people should become the backbone in the ongoing grand socialist construction.

Expressing expectation and belief that our youth braving any difficulties in response to the Party's call would proudly build another luxurious street, an innovative entity representing a prosperous and powerful country, deeply mindful of their sacred duty and the call of the times - "For the Victory of Our Cause!" and "For Pyongyang, Our Capital City!", he encouraged the reliable young vanguards.

The construction of a new street in the Sopho area of Pyongyang City will strikingly demonstrate once again the mettle of resourceful and brave youth of Juche Korea, closely rallied around the great Party Central Committee with intense loyalty to the Party's cause, and the image of the DPRK dynamically advancing toward a bright future.

Article of International Affairs Analyst

 Pyongyang, February 23 (KCNA) -- Kim Yu Chol, an international affairs analyst, on Thursday made public an article titled "What does the present situation in Ukraine show". The full text of it is as follows:

One year has passed since Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine.

It is the long-cherished desire of mankind to live in a peaceful world free from any armed conflict and war.

The present situation in Ukraine, far from such noble ideal of mankind, clearly tells us who is the arch criminal that sparks disputes and conflicts in different parts of the world and threatens the global peace and security and the existence of mankind.

Inevitable outcome of high-handed practice and hegemonism

If someone claims that the current situation in Ukraine arousing the international community's uneasiness and concern was created one year ago or in 2014 when a coup took place in Ukraine, it will be a very short-sighted and narrow-minded view.

Whoever has a view on the international affairs and normal sense will easily understand that the present situation in Ukraine is not a sudden and short-term challenge to humankind but an inevitable and long-term crisis that has been ignited since the 1990s with the confrontation between the Soviet Union and the U.S. in the Cold War era as a fuse.

As already known, NATO, which had taken the Soviet Union into its strategic sight from the beginning of its birth, broke its promise made at a negotiation with the Soviet Union on unification of Germany that it would not expand the alliance even an inch, and admitted 14 countries in East Europe, the Balkans and Baltic seas into it on five occasions after the collapse of the Soviet Union. And it is now talking about the entry of even Ukraine near Russia.

It is a well-known fact that the policy on NATO's "advance into the East" pursued by the U.S. and the West is aimed at ultimately separating and weakening Russia, the successor to the Soviet Union, and preventing it from restoration by tightening the encirclement ring around it.

Russia had repeatedly warned the U.S. and NATO of their dangerous moves, but they have systematically destroyed the regional security environment, persistently ignoring the former's legitimate and just demand and openly attempting to deploy the attack weapon system in Ukraine.

Russia proposed respectively to the U.S. and NATO the issue of concluding a treaty reflecting its legitimate security requirements, such as the cessation of the eastward expansion of NATO including the entry of Ukraine to NATO and the ban of deployment of attack weapons systems in neighboring countries of Russia in December 2021, but their response was too cool.

In the final analysis, it can be estimated that the hegemonic policy pursued by the

U.S. and the West, which have persistently resorted to military threats and pressure policies, instead of regarding Russia as a true dialogue partner and companion to co- exist, compelled Russia to start preemptive military actions to fundamentally remove the external military threats to it.

It is preposterous for the U.S. and the West to label Russia as an "aggressor", "war criminal state" and "peace wrecker", while commenting the Ukrainian situation triggered by them, as they had already pushed several countries into a vortex of national discord, antagonism and armed conflict under unreasonable pretexts.

Real Intention to Pour Oil on Fire

Shortly ago, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Agency announced that the U.S. and NATO member states had supplied 440 tanks, 1 510 combat infantry vehicles, 665 artillery pieces and over 1.8 million shells to Ukraine in total. The U.S. Department of Defense also admitted that it has supported weapons worth 29.8 billion U.S. dollars to Ukraine from February last year.

This is enough to arm a country completely and fight a whole war.

The U.S. is insisting that its huge arms support to the Kiev authorities is aimed to make Ukraine defend itself from Russia's "aggression". But this is nothing but a crude sophism that can never deceive even a mere child.

As commented by experts on international affairs, the real intention of the U.S. offering huge military hardware to Ukraine in collusion with its allies is to continuously drive Ukraine into a proxy war with Russia and thus beat Russia down at any cost.

It is also to meet the interests of the U.S. munitions monopolies and further deteriorate the security situation in the region by taking advantage of the situation in Ukraine and thus keep the European countries under its control and maintain its hegemonic position.

An old proverb says that a quarrel should be stopped and a fire should be put out.

But the U.S. is persistently preventing the Ukraine-Russia dialogue and negotiation aimed at the peaceful settlement of the situation.

It is not without reason that it was told at the recent Munich Security Conference that there are forces who do not want a peace negotiation and truce to be realized and that they have a more ambitious strategic goal considering no sacrifice of Ukrainians and no loss of Europe.

The U.S., that is bringing Ukraine bloodshed and war clouds by providing it with many lethal weapons and equipment of various kinds, has deliberately fabricated and spread "rumors that some countries are supporting Russia with weapons," far from reflecting on and atoning for its unethical crimes. This is the height of the U.S. double-standards and shamelessness.

If the U.S. keeps on waging the reckless campaign to give military support to Ukraine, it will unavoidably cause more mighty countermeasures of Russia, aggravate the security situation in the region and increase the dangerousness of Russia-U.S. military conflict.

So there is no guarantee that such a military conflict will not lead to a new world war beyond Europe posing threats to existence of the entire mankind.

Following U.S. Leads to Self-Ruin

Russia and Ukraine are not simply neighbor countries.

The two countries are inseparable because of the history, culture, lineage, religious faith, etc. so it is no wonder that it is said that the peoples of the two countries belong to the same nation.

Notwithstanding, Ukraine has been involved in the war against Russia. It is because Ukraine has thrown its destiny on the pro-U.S. acts and submission to it.

At the instigation of the U.S., Ukraine oppressed the Russian-speaking residents and compatriots in Donbas, trampled on the cultural ties with Russia of more than a thousand years, denied the history of the Second World War, and revived Nazism. This has caused the ongoing tragedy.

This was not an unavoidable destiny.

If Ukraine had not recklessly availed itself of the U.S. policy of confrontation with Russia but promoted reconciliation and unity with its neighbors, little short of the fellow countrymen, rejecting the dirty tentacles of the U.S., the situation would not have reached such a grave phase as now.

The U.S., which emerged with aggression and has grown fat in wars, is an empire of evils encroaching upon the security and interests of not only the hostile states but also its allies without hesitation to attain its selfish purpose.

The group of traitors prolonging their remaining days by clinging to the U.S. sleeves which may be torn into pieces anytime, should get rid of the pro-U.S. sycophancy as early as possible and settle the present crisis peacefully to save their destiny, to say nothing of that of their citizens.

The present situation in Ukraine goes to clearly prove once again that peace will never settle in the world unless the high-handed and arbitrary practices and greedy aggression policy of the U.S. are terminated as it does not hesitate to sabotage the peace and security of a sovereign state in order to maintain its hegemonic position.

The U.S. should come to its senses, though belatedly.

If the U.S. persists in reckless acts of threatening the sovereignty and security of other countries by force of arms by instigating its stooges with the sinister aim to topple down sovereign states which do not follow its will, it will be burned to death by the fire kindled by it. 

Press Statement of Director-General of Department of U.S. Affairs of DPRK Foreign Ministry

 

Kwon Jong Gun, Director-General of the Department of U.S. Affairs of the Foreign Ministry of the DPRK, issued the following press statement on February 24.

The U.S. and its followers held an open meeting of the UN Security Council on February 20, at which they again took issue with the DPRK over its exercise of the right to self-defense.

We are very displeased with the fact that they put a sovereign state’s legitimate right to self-defense on the agenda of the UNSC, and strongly protest and denounce them.

If the UNSC has a true intention to contribute to peace and security on the Korean peninsula, it will have to condemn in the strongest terms the U.S. and south Korea for their moves of escalating military tension, including frequent deployment of strategic assets and large-scale joint military drills against the DPRK.

The U.S. and south Korea are planning to stage a farce of visiting a U.S. nuclear submarine base just after staging a “drill for operating extended deterrence means”, rehearsal of a nuclear war against the DPRK, at Pentagon. This clearly proves to what extent their scheme to confront with the DPRK has reached.

If the UNSC, the mandate of which is to ensure global peace and security, is turned into a three-ring circus where injustice and illegality now judge justice and legitimacy under the sway of the U.S. and its vassal forces, it will only result in escalating military tension on the Korean peninsula.

Against this backdrop, the U.S. representative to the UN contended that they would again push forward the adoption of a “Chair’s Statement” at the UN Security Council in denunciation of the DPRK’s ICBM launching drill. It is a clear encroachment upon the DPRK’s right to self-defense.

This clearly proves that the UNSC has been reduced to a tool of the U.S. for putting pressure on the DPRK.

The U.S., posing a constant threat to the security environment on the Korean peninsula and in the region, has unilaterally denied the DPRK’s right to self-defense while striving to strengthen the alliance with its followers. This is an open disregard of and intolerable challenge to the DPRK.

The right to self-defense precisely means sovereignty.

Since the U.S. persists in its attempt to deprive the DPRK of its right to self- defense by misusing the UNSC, the DPRK will never remain a passive onlooker to such attempt.

The only way for preventing the vicious cycle of military tension on the Korean peninsula and its surroundings is for the U.S. to show a clear and practical stand such as the abandonment of its commitment to deploying strategic assets in south Korea and the halt to various kinds of combined drills against the DPRK.

The U.S. should be mindful of the fact that if it persists in its hostile and provocative practices against the DPRK, despite the latter’s repeated protest and warning, it can be regarded as a declaration of war against the DPRK.

The U.S. should perceive intuitively and accept the consequences to be entailed by it, as a matter of course.

I take this opportunity to remind the UNSC once again of our stand that if it puts the DPRK’s right to self-defense on the table again, being at the U.S.’s beck and call, the corresponding strong countermeasure will follow.

Press Statement of Kim Yo Jong, Vice-Department Director of C.C., WPK

 

Pyongyang, February 19 (KCNA) -- Kim Yo Jong, vice-department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, issued the following press statement on Sunday:

If all the countries truly worry about the situation on the Korean peninsula and wish for peace and stability, they should never tolerate the high-handed and arbitrary practices of the U.S. to turn the UNSC with heavy responsibility for the international peace and security into a tool for its heinous hostile policy toward the DPRK.

And they should not connive at the sinister attempts of the U.S. and its followers to make a sovereign state give up its legitimate rights to self-defence, but let them know that such acts are in vain.

This time, too, the opponents to the DPRK committed an undisguised infringement upon its sovereignty for no ground.

The U.S. and south Korea are openly showing their dangerous greed and attempt to gain the military upper hand and predominant position in the Korean Peninsula, crying out for extended deterrence and combined defence posture on the trite pretext for coping with any threat. This further endangers the situation every moment, destroying the stability of the region.

The U.S. would be well-advised to stop saying that it is not hostile toward the DPRK and the door to dialogue is open, hoodwinking the world, and to give up its foolish trick for earning the time through dialogue. And it should stop all the actions posing threats to the security of our state and refuse to tarnish the DPRK's dignity, always thinking twice for its own future security.

South Korea, too, had better think of the consequences to be entailed by its reckless acts.

We tell its fools that our ICBM will not be aimed at Seoul. We still have no intention to stand face to face with them.

Upon authorization, I warn that we will watch every movement of the enemy and take corresponding and very powerful and overwhelming counteraction against its every move hostile to us.

Press Statement of Kim Yo Jong, Vice Department Director of C.C., WPK Issued

 

Pyongyang, February 20 (KCNA) -- Kim Yo Jong, vice department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, issued the following press statement on Monday:

As expected, the way the fools think and play in every occasion is incurring laughter of the world.

In fact, we are now watching the south Korean idiots making a show of themselves as a spectacle rather than a response.

And again, I feel an impulse to scoff at them.

As I watched yesterday alone, their speculation, guess, freewheeling assessment and so on were very disgusting.

I would like to make some cutting remarks about it.

A so-called senior researcher of a south Korean military institute appeared before the press to let loose rubbish that it took 9 hours and 22 minutes for us to conduct the missile launch after the written order on it, calculating only the time as if he had nothing to do, in a bid to undervalue the preparedness of the DPRK missile forces.

They present a variety of unusual analysis as if they are really stupid or persons of small caliber who make too much analysis.

I don't know if they would take some comfort from such farfetched defamation and assessment.

We did not make public the full text of the written order issued by our supreme leadership.

To make public one thing on this occasion, the written order on the missile launch issued on the day includes the contents that the surprise launch should be conducted at a favorable and appropriate moment in the afternoon after completely closing the area around the launching site and taking such safety steps as evacuation of personnel and other equipment in the morning.

Accordingly, our servicepersons took important military action at the most appropriate time, specified in the order--the time between 15:30 and 19:45 in consideration of visible distance under weather conditions and when seven scout planes of the enemy involved in air reconnaissance landed.

I think that the south Korean military would evidently explain, today or tomorrow and as they always used to, that they detected the sign of the north's missile launch in advance and were conducting intensive monitoring with intelligence assets.

And they will defend the fact that their scout planes didn't fly at the time by saying that they were monitoring with so-called special means and methods under "close cooperation between intelligence authorities of south Korea and the U.S." and that it is difficult to give detailed explanation for fear of possible exposure of military intelligence assets and for other reasons.

The concept of a surprise launch doesn't mean the time that it takes between the issuing of a launch order and the launching.

I cannot but mention the system of fuel ampoule.

Those, who have never made it themselves, went so absurd and stupid as to comment on other's technology at will after seeing some sci-tech data.

A so-called honorary researcher at a sci-tech policy institute made oft-repeated remarks again that the warhead's reentry appeared to be a failure judging from a photo posted by Japan.

Those absurd guys fail to distinguish a warhead from a detached second-stage projectile in the photo and seem ignorant about the reason why the distance between the two in the case of vertical launch naturally gets close.

As I explained the other day, if the warhead's reentry fails, we can't receive signals from the warhead till it has landed.

Such argument, made by those rookies who are lack of the said common sense and pretend to be experts, will not change in fact the crisis facing the U.S. and south Korea as they want and will cause confusion in getting a correct understanding of the dangerous situation, though it may bring some consolation to them.

We have possessed satisfactory technology and capability and, now will focus on increasing the quantity of their force.

They had better rack their brains to take measures to defend themselves, instead of doubting or worrying about other's technology.

We are well aware of the movement of U.S. forces' strategic strike means recently getting brisk around the Korean Peninsula.

We are carefully examining the influence it would exert on the security of our state, and we are going to make it an established fact, once again on this occasion, that we will take corresponding counteraction if it is judged to be any direct or indirect threat.

The frequency of using the Pacific as our firing range depends upon the U.S. forces' action character.

We affirm once again that there is no change in our will to make the worst maniacs escalating the tensions pay the price for their action. -0-

Press Statement of DPRK Vice Foreign Minister for International Bodies

 

Pyongyang, February 22 (KCNA) -- Kim Son Gyong, vice foreign minister for international bodies of the DPRK, issued the following press statement on Wednesday:

The UN secretary general reportedly clarified the stand of unjustly pulling up the DPRK over its self-defensive response to the anti-DPRK military threat and action of the U.S. and south Korea.

I express strong discontent and protest against the extremely unfair and imbalanced attitude taken by the UN secretary general, who ignored the dangerous military actions of the U.S. and south Korea but branded the DPRK's legitimate exercise of right to self-defence against the provocateurs as "provocation" and "threat".

We have already and understandably advised the secretary general of the UN several times to remain true to his duty specified in its Charter and maintain fairness and impartiality in dealing with the Korean peninsula issue.

However, to be most deplorable, the UN secretary general is going on the rampage of illogical and miserable remarks, which are little different from those of U.S. state department officials over the years.

The recent response of the DPRK armed forces was a countermeasure against the U.S., which has frequently introduced such evident strategic attack means as strategic bombers into the Korean peninsula and, together with south Korea, posed a serious threat to the security interests of the DPRK from the outset of the year. It was, furthermore, an action warning to the convocation of a UN Security Council meeting aimed to take issue with the DPRK's right to self-defence for no reason.

As the UN secretary general, he should have to properly consider the root cause of the worsening situation in the Korean peninsula this year and, accordingly, adopt a fair and balanced attitude such as making constructive proposals to help the situation be substantially stabilized.

The situation of the Korean peninsula has again reached an anxious worsening phase. It is entirely due to the reckless military moves and irresponsible bravery of the U.S. and south Korea seeking to contain the DPRK by force.

The UN body, which has to play a fair role in ensuring global peace and security, is being abused as a tool for the U.S. unjust hostile policy toward the DPRK, and thus it is losing confidence of the international community. This is rather due to the unfair behavior of UN Secretary-General Guterres.

The UN secretary general should clearly understand that his unreasonable and prejudiced stand on the Korean peninsula issue is acting as a factor inciting the hostile acts of the U.S. and its followers against the DPRK.

We make clear that in case a situation unwished by anyone arises on the Korean peninsula due to the excessive military adventure of the U.S. and south Korea, the UN secretary general, who has not yet expressed any concern, far from deterring their provocative acts, can never be free from the heavy responsibility for it.

ICBM Launching Drill Staged in DPRK

 

Pyongyang, February 19 (KCNA) -- An ICBM launching drill was conducted on the afternoon of February 18.

The Missile General Bureau guided the drill, and involved in it was the First Red Flag Hero Company which has rich launching experience among the unit’s operating ICBMs.

The company is a firepower company with the most excellent combat capability among those sub-units wholly responsible for the strategic mission. It performed a proud feat by launching a new-type ICBM Hwasongpho-17 on November 18, 2022.

The drill was suddenly organized without previous notice under an emergency firepower combat standby instruction given at dawn of February 18 and a written order by the Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) at 8:00 a.m. of the day.

Specified in the written order on launching drill carrying a personal signature of the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un were the contents that the First Red Flag Hero Company of the Missile General Bureau should be mobilized in a drill using ICBM Hwasongpho-15 and, through a sudden launching drill, the reliability of the weapon system should be reconfirmed and verified while getting the combat preparedness of the DPRK nuclear force recognized and proving confidence and guarantee for correct operation, reactivity, reliability, effectiveness and combat capability of the components of the state nuclear deterrence.

On the honorable combat orders, the First Red Flag Hero Company conducted a high-angle launch of Hwasongpho-15 through the maximum range system at Pyongyang International Airport on Saturday afternoon.

The missile traveled up to a maximum altitude of 5 768.5 km and flew 989 km for 4 015 seconds before accurately hitting the pre-set area in open waters of the East Sea of Korea. The company got an "excellent mark" at the assessment.

The WPK Central Military Commission highly appreciated the actual war capacity of the ICBM units which are ready for mobile and mighty counterattack.

It gave all the missile units, assigned to a strategic task for coping with the military circumstances prevailing in the Korean Peninsula, an order to thoroughly maintain their strengthened combat readiness.

The surprise ICBM launching drill, conducted in the present situation under which the military threats of the U.S. and south Korea are getting serious to the extent that cannot be overlooked, is an actual proof of the DPRK strategic nuclear force's consistent efforts to turn its capacity of fatal nuclear counterattack on the hostile forces into the irresistible one as well as a guarantee for and a clear proof of the sure reliability of our powerful physical nuclear deterrent.

Multiple Rockets Launching Drill by KPA

 

Pyongyang, February 20 (KCNA) -- Relevant multiple launch rocket sub-units under the Korean People's Army long-range artillery unit on the western front conducted a multiple-rocket launching drill at 7:00 a.m. Monday.

The U.S. and the south Korean puppet forces staged another combined air drill with ten-odd war planes including B-1B strategic bomber and F-35 stealth fighter on February 19.

The enemies are persistently resorting to such military demonstrations, not concealing that the air drill was done in response to the ICBM launching drill by the DPRK on Feb. 18.

The U.S. and the south Korean puppet forces have already staged such combined air drills several times this year alone, escalating the military tension.

The enemies are estimating themselves that they demonstrated the combined defense capability and posture through the prompt introduction of combat force for extended deterrence, while stating that they would continue to increase the frequency and intensity of deploying U.S. strategic assets in south Korea in the future, too.

On the order to conduct power demonstration firing, relevant multiple launch rocket firepower sub-units of the KPA long-range artillery unit on the western front set virtual targets 395 km and 337 km away from the launching points respectively and fired two shells of 600 mm multiple rocket launchers towards the East Sea on the morning of Feb. 20.

At the same time, other sub-units conducted firepower training at the tunnel positions without live firing.

The 600 mm multiple rocket launchers, involved in the firing, is the latest type of multiple launch precision attack weapon system of the KPA. It is a tactical nuclear attack means boasting of the great might powerful enough to assign only one multiple rocket launcher with four shells so as to destroy an enemy operational airfield.

At the donation ceremony held at the end of December last year, the Academy of Defence Science and the Nuclear Weapons Institute expressed their firm view that the power of four multiple rocket launcher shells can reduce to ashes the enemy's operational airfield to paralyze its function.

Through today's firing drill with the involvement of super-large multiple rocket launchers, the tactical nuclear attack means, the KPA fully demonstrated its full readiness to deter and will to counter the U.S. and south Korean combined air force bragging about their air superiority.

Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un Watches Sports Games

 

Pyongyang, February 18 (KCNA) -- There took place sports games between staffs of the Cabinet and the Ministry of National Defence on Feb. 17 in celebration of the Day of the Shining Star (the birth anniversary of Chairman Kim Jong Il), the greatest auspicious holiday of the nation.

Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, watched sports games.

The stadium was filled with joy and excitement of officials of the Cabinet and the Ministry of National Defence who had the great honor of holding significant sports and cultural events on the spring holiday of February in the presence of Kim Jong Un whom they wanted to see even in their dreams.

When the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un appeared in the auditorium, all the players and spectators raised enthusiastic cheers of "Hurrah!".

Among the spectators were Kim Tok Hun and Jo Yong Won, members of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, Ri Il Hwan and Kim Jae Ryong, secretaries of the WPK Central Committee, and other senior officials of the WPK Central Committee, members of the Cabinet and officials of ministries and national institutions.

Kang Sun Nam, Pak Su Il, Jong Kyong Thaek and other commanding officers of the Ministry of National Defence, service personnel and teaching staff and students of military education units watched the sports games.

First, a football match between the staffs of the Cabinet and the Ministry of National Defence took place.

The game was always exciting.

In the first half of the game, the player No. 12 of the team of the Ministry of National Defence scored the first goal by shooting in the goal area.

During the interval, model plane operators of the Pyongyang Air Club made high- tech flight of different model aircrafts to delight the spectators.

In the second half, the number 22 player of the Cabinet team scored a goal through an 11-meter free kick at around 55 minutes of the match. So the match got more exciting as each team got one point.

Every player ran and ran with the tireless ambition for victory and showed fine scenes. Each time there was a scoring opportunity thrilling the spectators, they cheered more enthusiastically.

The Ministry of National Defence team won 3-1 in the match.

Then there was a tug of war match between staff members of the Cabinet and the Ministry of National Defence.

In the match, too, the ministry team beat its Cabinet rival 2-0. A shout of joy was given after the game.

Officials of the Cabinet and the ministry extended their thanks to Kim Jong Un for arranging the sporting event on the auspicious holiday of February and enjoying the matches together with them so as to give them the great strength, courage and joy.

All the participants made a firm pledge to serve the people with devotion with renewed courage and in high spirits, bearing in mind this moment marking the spring holiday of February with great joy in the presence of Kim Jong Un and his beloved daughter, and to dedicate their wisdom and zeal to the struggle for making this year a year of a great turn and change to be specially recorded in the development history of the country.

Press Statement of DPRK Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Issued

 

Pyongyang, February 17 (KCNA) -- A spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) issued the following press statement on Friday:

In January the United States failed to hold an open meeting at the UN Security Council aimed to take issue with the DPRK's exercise of the right to self-defense. However, it coercively convoked a UNSC meeting again in disregard of the opposition from not a few member states.

This shows that the U.S moves to turn the UNSC with heavy responsibility for the international peace and security into a tool for the U.S illegal hostile policy toward the DPRK have gone to the extremes that cannot be allowed any longer.

This year the DPRK has concentrated all its efforts on implementing its own development plans and keeping peace and stability in the Korean peninsula and the region. It refrains itself from any special military action, except the regular schedule for bolstering up the defense capabilities due to be taken by a sovereign state.

But, the U.S and south Korea have resorted to the worrying military demonstration from the outset of the year to seriously encroach upon the security interests of the DPRK.

In January the U.S secretary of Defense visited south Korea to call for the use of nuclear weapons against the DPRK and the deployment of more strategic assets in the Korean peninsula. After that, the U.S and south Korea staged three rounds of combined air drills in the sky above the West Sea of Korea, with involvement of Stealth fighters and strategic bombers. Recently, the U.S., Japan and south Korea agreed to further strengthen their triangular military cooperation against the DPRK.

The U.S and south Korea plan to stage more than 20 rounds of various joint military drills within this year and put their scale and scope on the level of the largest-ever field mobile tactical exercises. This predicts that the situation in the Korean peninsula and the region will be again plunged into the grave vortex of escalating tension.

The reality goes to clearly prove that the U.S and south Korea are the arch criminals deliberately disrupting the peace and stability of the Korean peninsula and the region.

This is a hard fact, the UNSC is groundlessly pulling up the DPRK, which has maintained patience and self-control to defuse the tension in the Korean peninsula, and is showing no expression of concern, far from deterring the U.S seeking to turn the Korean peninsula into a theatre of war exercises and a military base.

It is very regretful that the international community has not made any due voice against the unfair behavior of the U.S wantonly violating the purpose and principle of the UN Charter, which stipulates sovereignty, equality, respect for sovereignty and non-interference.

The UNSC member nations should look back with cool mind on the worrisome high-handed and arbitrary practices of the U.S., which works hard to reduce the UN into a tool serving for its foreign policy, pulling up the DPRK over the right to self- defense, in connection with the guarantee of genuine global peace and security and the security interests of their countries and regions.

We give a serious warning and strongly denounce the fact that the UNSC put the just right to self-defense of a sovereign state only on the table of its discussion in favor of the U.S., oblivious of its main principle of justice and impartiality.

The UNSC, regarding the immoderate moves of the U.S and south Korea aggravating the regional situation as a fait accompli without discerning between right and wrong, has taken issue with the DPRK's exercise of its just and legitimate right to self-defense to deter such moves. This is an open expression of ignorance and infringement upon the sovereignty of the DPRK, and a hostile act that the DPRK is bound to take due counteraction.

The DPRK should have to make reactions from the U.S and south Korea openly revealed their dangerous attempt to gain a long-term military edge in the Korean peninsula and the region.

If the UNSC continues to be inveigled by the U.S as the latter wishes, the DPRK will be compelled to reconsider measures for additional actions, to say nothing of the category of normal military activities, in protest against the UNSC, which is being reduced into a tool for the U.S unilateral pressure on the DPRK.

If it is the U.S option to show its muscle and counter everything with muscle, the same is true of the DPRK's option.

In case the U.S and south Korea carry into practice their already-announced plan for military drills which the DPRK, with just apprehension and reason, regards as preparations for an aggression war, they will face unprecedentedly persistent and strong counter-actions.

Ground-breaking Ceremony of Kangdong Greenhouse Farm Held

  

Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un Attends Ceremony and Shovels First Spadeful of Earth

Pyongyang, February 16 (KCNA) -- The construction of a modern greenhouse farm for Pyongyangites started amid the full display of the high spirit of the DPRK and the loyalty and patriotic might of its people dynamically advancing toward the overall development of socialist construction, ushering in a great heyday of creation and construction under the great guidance of the Workers' Party of Korea.

The construction of a large-scale greenhouse farm in the capital city, another grand drive of creation symbolic of epochal change and development to take place this year, is an important work conducted under the far-reaching and strategy and plan for advance and changes of our Party, which confidently opens up a new chapter of the state development and the rural development, finding its inexhaustible strength and passion in the people's happy looks.

The Party Central Committee thoroughly subordinating everything to the people's welfare decided it as a major construction task to build a large greenhouse farm in the Kangdong area at the historic Sixth Plenary Meeting of its Eighth Central Committee, which adopted a development strategy for bringing a new phase of upsurge of socialist construction, and gave this honorable combat duty to the service personnel of the People's Army again.

A ground-breaking ceremony for the greenhouse farm construction took place on February 15.

The ground-breaking ceremony was full of the boundless fighting spirit of the service personnel who came to work, cherishing deep in mind the deep trust of the Party Central Committee which called again them to the theater of gigantic construction to be recorded as another brilliant page in the history of our army's devoted struggle for the good of the people.

Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), was present at the ceremony.

When he arrived, all the participants broke into enthusiastic cheers in reflection of their boundless reverence and loyalty to the General Secretary who is making ceaseless journey of devoted service for the people to build a highly-civilized thriving country, a socialist paradise on this land full of the people's laugh and happiness.

Present at the ceremony were Jo Yong Won, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau and secretary for Organizational Affairs of the WPK Central Committee, Ri Yong Gil, vice-chairman of the WPK Central Military Commission and secretary of the WPK Central Committee, Kim Su Gil, chief secretary of the Pyongyang City Committee of the WPK, and officials and working people in Kangdong County.

Also on hand were major commanding officers of armed forces organs including Kang Sun Nam, Kim Jong Gwan and Kim Kwang Hyok, and soldier-builders.

When the start of the ground-breaking ceremony was declared, the national anthem of the DPRK was solemnly played.

Jo Yong Won made a speech at the ceremony.

Saying that another important construction project, which Kim Jong Un had long planned and prepared for the well-being of our people, is to be launched, he extended warm militant greetings upon the authorization of the Party Central Committee to the valiant service personnel who once again came to the site for construction of a large- scale greenhouse farm, true to the special order of the Party Central Committee.

He said that to fully provide the people with fresh vegetables in all seasons is a top- priority important affair which the Party always pays deep attention to and strives to settle in coming years without fail.

When looking round the completed Ryonpho Greenhouse Farm in October last year, the respected General Secretary said that other greenhouse farms to be built in the future should be put on the level more intelligent, intensive and modern than the Ryonpho Greenhouse Farm and gave precious instructions for the construction of a new greenhouse farm in Pyongyang, the speaker said.

He said that it is the intention of the Party Central Committee to turn to-be-built Kangdong greenhouse farm into the one for mass-producing tasty and nutritious green, fruit and functional vegetables and an ideal one with more modern and civilized working and living condition to serve as a dynamic motive force for promoting the improvement of people's diet and the rural development in the new era.

The untiring struggle of service personnel will serve as a model showing how to carry out the pledge made before the Party and the leader and overcome the present difficulties with high fighting spirit, and they, ready to devote themselves to the country and the people, will remember every day of their tense construction campaign as the days of unforgettable experience redoubling their loyalty and patriotic mission and as the proud and worthwhile days, he said.

He called on all the soldier-builders to lead their high enthusiasm to bold practice and good result through meticulous and militant operations and command, wage intensive and offensive frontline information and agitation activities and fully display the true creative mettle of the army of the Party and the people by dedicating their sincerity to every structure with the transparent readiness to reliably defend the dignity and prestige of the Party Central Committee.

Saying that the spirit of our advancing army vigorously fighting for the Party, the country and the people will provide confidence in sure victory and courage to our people out in the implementation of the decisions made at the plenary meeting of the Party Central Committee, Jo Yong Won ardently appealed to all soldier-builders to build up a proud model entity representing the advanced character of our socialist rural communities in the Kangdong area and submit a report of glory and victory to the Party Central Committee.

A speech of pledge was made at the ceremony.

The speaker noted that the service personnel of the People's Army, who came to the grand construction theater, true to the noble intention of the respected Supreme Commander Kim Jong Un entrusted the People's Army with the construction of the Kangdong Greenhouse Farm he has made preparations with much efforts to for the improvement of the living standard of the capital citizens and the remarkable rural development are filled with extraordinary revolutionary enthusiasm to surely repay the deep trust of the Party Central Committee in them with loyalty and feats.

The spirit of dynamic advance to be witnessed in the Kangdong area will be a clear demonstration of the indomitable heroic stamina of our country and people dynamically advancing towards a new era while braving difficulties by their own efforts, he said, expressing the firm resolution to successfully carry out the Party's plan and intention.

All the participants loudly chanted slogans to show their faith and will to fully display heroism and creativity as builders and defenders for the people's happiness, mindful of the great trust and expectation of the respected General Secretary who entrusted them with an important project for realizing the ideal of the people.

Kim Jong Un shoveled the first spadeful of earth in commemoration of the ground- breaking for the construction of the Kangdong Greenhouse Farm.

The venue of the ceremony representing the immortal image to be recorded long in the sacred course for the people was replete with the deep reverence for Kim Jong Un, who came to the significant place where the start of the grand construction project was declared before the world and showed the great trust, and with the militant enthusiasm of soldier-builders to successfully carry out the task given by the Party.

Following the blast of signaling the construction start, colorful fireworks were displayed, foretelling the proud changes in the Kangdong area.

Kim Jong Un took hands of major commanding officers of the construction units one by one, calling on them to lead their units and subunits to creation and feats and to let all the service personnel uphold with intense loyalty and certainty the will of our Party that only advance and creation should be made on the road for the wellbeing of the people, and militantly encouraged them to surely repay the Party's trust by devotedly carrying out the assigned tasks on the honor of their units.

He warmly waved back for a long time to the dependable soldier-builders filled with enthusiasm to perform heroic feats in the van of the struggle for the comprehensive development of our-style socialism under the fluttering colors of loyalty and patriotism.

The construction of the Kangdong Greenhouse Farm as a new and eye-opening "farm city", which will intensively represent the Party's far-reaching plan for rural revolution and the civilization in our era, will redouble our people's confidence in their struggle for bringing earlier the rosier future of our socialism.

Ground-breaking Ceremony for Second-stage 10 000 Flats Construction Project Held in Hwasong Area

 

Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un Attends Ground- breaking Ceremony for 2023 Project to Build 10 000

Flats in Pyongyang

Pyongyang, February 16 (KCNA) -- Another construction project was declared amid the dynamic advance for the prosperity of the country where dreams and ideal of the people are being materialized under the outstanding leadership of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea which has brought epochal changes in the flames of construction revolution symbolic of our advancing socialism and our victorious cause.

A ground-breaking ceremony for the 2023 project to build 10 000 flats in Pyongyang, the second-stage construction project in the Hwasong area, took place on February 15, greatly enhancing our people's confidence in the inexhaustible power and rosy future of our state which writes a new history for the comprehensive prosperity and development under the uplifted banner of self-support and self-reliance.

The venue of the ceremony where the grand construction campaign will be declared was seething with elated enthusiasm of army-civilian builders for struggle to proudly build another luxurious street of socialism full of the people's happiness by upholding with loyalty and patriotism the intention of the Party which set the housing construction, most welcomed by the people, as the primary major policy task.

Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, attended the ceremony.

When he arrived at the venue of the ceremony, all the participants raised enthusiastic cheers for him who has become the great pioneer and creator for realizing the socialist ideal to devote himself to building the people's paradise as soon as possible.

Present there were Kim Tok Hun and Jo Yong Won, members of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), Ri Il Hwan and Jon Hyon Chol, secretaries of the Party Central Committee, Kim Su Gil, chief secretary of the Pyongyang City Committee of the WPK, Pak Hun, vice- premier of the Cabinet, officials of the ministries and national institutions and Pyongyang City and builders.

Also on hand were officials of the armed forces organs including Kang Sun Nam and Kim Jong Gwan.

When the ground-breaking ceremony was declared, the national anthem of the DPRK was played solemnly.

Kim Tok Hun, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the C.C., WPK, vice-president of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK and premier of the Cabinet, made a speech at the ceremony.

He extended warm militant greeting on behalf of the DPRK government to the army-civilian builders who will take part in the continued grand construction campaign as worthwhile creators and pioneers making a new history of the construction in the capital city in the flames of construction revolution kindled by our Party Central Committee.

Noting that the Sixth Plenary Meeting of the Eighth Party Central Committee decided to firmly push forward with the second-stage project in the Hwasong area, despite the expanded major construction fronts for this year, he said that it is the noble intention and steadfast will of the Party that only the housing construction, most welcomed by the people, should be carried out without fail in the face of harsh difficulties.

The project for construction of 50 000 flats in Pyongyang City is an important item decided by the 8th Congress of the WPK to build as soon as possible the socialist paradise where the people will enjoy the highly-civilized life to their heart's content, and the first target of the basic tasks planned and propelled by the Party, he said, referring to the importance and significance of the construction of 10 000 flats in Pyongyang City to be carried out this year.

He said that the respected General Secretary clearly indicated the orientation and ways for carrying out the grand plan to bring the substantial and fundamental change to the people's life, clarified the problems arising in the construction project and took all necessary measures.

When the second-stage project following the completion of the first-stage district in the Hwasong area as a part of modern city is finished, the area will be turned into a beautiful and grand street and district thoroughly embodying the Party's people-first principle with the combination of formative art and modern civilization, which will be a striking demonstration of the potentials and rosy future of our state that has made creation and change with its own efforts and its own way, he pointed out.

He stressed that the news about the ground-breaking ceremony will powerfully encourage all the people out in the dynamic struggle for this significant year, true to the Party Central Committee's noble outlook on the people and leadership of passionate patriotic devotion to perform new miracles and changes, and the sound of ground-breaking blast will resound as the indomitable resolution and pledge of capital city builders determined to absolutely defend the Party's policies and devotedly carry out the Party's decisions.

He called upon all the officials and builders to turn out as one in the great campaign for creation to bring a dramatic change to the Hwasong area with the faith and fighting spirit of safeguarding the prestige of the Party Central Committee with eye-opening miracles in the construction of the capital city in the great era of Kim Jong Un.

Noting that the structures to be built in the Hwasong area will shine long as the glorious witnesses to the struggle of our people who held the most far-reaching ideal in the most arduous period, he ardently called for working harder for the victory of worthwhile struggle to bring about the prosperity and development of our great state and the wellbeing of people in order to bring the day of submitting the report of glory to the great Party Central Committee.

All the builders loudly chanted slogans of devoted implementation with their steadfast will to create a new Hwasong speed and Hwasong myth following the proud tradition of patriotism and loyalty of having responded to the Party's call with perfect practices by turning out as one and thus show the world of making selfless, devoted efforts of our Party, which has recorded the history of love for the country and the people, with the successful completion of the ideal street for the people.

Kim Jong Un personally pressed the blast button to herald the ground-breaking of the second-stage 10 000 flats construction project in the Hwasong area.

A thunder rocked the construction site and fireworks were displayed to be followed by the stormy cheers of participants.

The venue of the ceremony was filled with high passion and militant stamina of the builders to certainly attain the target of the housing construction set forth at the 8th Congress of the Party by displaying extraordinary revolutionary and patriotic enthusiasm for the future of our capital city slated to become more beautiful and grandiose and for the highly-civilized life of their parents and brothers and sisters.

Kim Jong Un gave warm encouragement to all the builders, waving his hands to them who turned out as one again with the elated spirit in the grand construction campaign to powerfully demonstrate again the potentials of our state and the creativity of our people.

Another grand construction campaign in the Hwasong area for this year, the third year for building 50 000 flats in Pyongyang, will clearly prove with the proud entity of change the irresistible spirit of the Korean people who are constantly creating new our-style socialist civilization and new life with our own efforts under the leadership of the great Party Central Committee in the face of ordeal and challenges