DPRK Ambassador Presents Letter of Credence to Mongolian President

DPRK Ambassador to Mongolia, Hong Gyu (L), shakes hands with Mongolian President Taskhiagiin Elbegdorj (R) in Ulan Bator on 16 April 2013 (Photo: Info Mongolia/Government of Mongolia)

DPRK state media reported on 19 April (Friday) that newly appointed ambassador Hong Gyu presented his letter of credence to Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj on 16 April.  According to KCNA, President Elbegdorj told Hong “Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il who paid deep attention to the development of the Mongolia- DPRK friendly relations at all times,” “expressed conviction that the bilateral friendly relations would grow stronger under the care of the dear respected Kim Jong Un in the future” and said “It is the consistent stand of the Mongolian government to boost the Mongolia-DPRK friendly relations.”  President Elbegdorj also “supported the DPRK’s policy to achieve the independent and peaceful reunification of the country.”

Hong Gyu and a DPRK diplomat (L) meet with Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj (C) and Mongolian government officials in Ulan Bator on 16 April 2013 (Photo: Info Mongolia/Government of Mongolia)

According to Mongolian media, during the meeting with Hong Gyu, President Elbegdorj “noted that that the 65th year anniversary of diplomatic relations established between Mongolia and North Korea marks in 2013 and emphasized that the bilateral relationship between the two countries would further boost.”  Hong Gyu extended the greetings of “young Supreme Leader of North Korea” Kim Jong Un (Kim Cho’ng-u’n) and reiterated KJU’s invitation for President Elbegdorj to visit the DPRK.  Mongolian media also reported that Hong Gyu “pledged to accelerate its (DPRK) economic reform.”  President Elbegdorj “expressed Mongolia’s readiness of contribution to solve this (inter-Korean) dispute peacefully” and “appealed for multi-lateral talks to be held in Ulaanbatar on security of North-East Asia countries” and said that he would welcome “bilateral or multilateral talks to organize in Ulaanbatar.”  Hong Gyu and President Elbegdorj agreed to expand cultural and sports exchanges.  According to Mongolia media reporting, at the end of the meeting, Hong Gyu said that the DPRK “may face severe food shortages.  Therefore, we ask Mongolia to seek possibilities of delivering food aid.”

Kim Yang Gon Visits Kaesong Industrial Complex, Withdraws DPRK Workers

Kim Yang Gon (C) meeting with residents of the Ch’angjon Street apartment complex in July 2012. On 8 April 2013 Kim Yang Gon met with officials at the Kaesong Industrial Zone and issued a statement which declared the country would “withdraw” the DPRK’s 53,000 workers from the zone. (Photo: KCTV screengrab)

DPRK state media reported on 8 April (Monday) that Korean Workers’ Party [KWP] Secretary and Director of the United Front Department [UFD], Kim Yang Gon issued a statement following a visit to the the Kaeso’ng Industrial Complex (Kaeso’ng Industrial Zone).  Kim, a DPRK civilian intelligence official who manages the department (UFD) responsible for inter-Korean relations, said the country will “withdraw all its employees from the zone” and “will temporarily suspend the operations in the zone and examine the issue of whether it will allow its existence or close it as the south Korean authorities and military warmongers seek to turn it into a hotbed of confrontation between compatriots and war against the DPRK, hurting its dignity.”  There are approximately 53,000 DPRK employees in the complex.  The  Kim also announced that “General Bureau for Central Guidance to the Development of the Special Zone will be responsible for the working matters related to the important steps including the withdrawal of the employees and the temporary suspension of the operations in the zone” and that the future of the Kaeso’ng complex “will develop in the days ahead will entirely depend on the attitude of the south Korean authorities.”

Prior to issuing the statement, Kim toured the Kaeso’ng complex, accompanied by officials from the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea (f.k.a. Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland) and from the General Bureau for the Central Guidance to the Development of the Special Zone.  Kim Yang Gon toured the offices of the DPRK’s Guidance Bureau and “Kaesong Industrial Zone combined supporting center and other units and production sites inside the zone.”  Kim also visited the Military Demarcation Line [MDL] where he “drew attention to the fate of the zone that has been put at stake as the south Korean conservative authorities aggravated the situation by making remarks slandering the dignity of the DPRK over the zone issue.”  He also “branded the scheme as an intentional provocation to make the zone a starting point of a war” in response to ROK Minister of National Defense Kim Kwan-jin’s recent remarks on utilizing special forces in the event South Korean nationals working in the complex are taken hostage.  According to KCNA, Kim “called for maintaining strained and mobilized posture on a high alert with the U.S. and the south Korean warmongers stepping up moves to provoke a war against the DPRK” and said that “it has become impossible to operate the zone as usual due to the south Korean warmongers’ reckless acts.”  After his tours Kim Yang Gon convened a meeting with local DPRK officials “and entrusted relevant fields with detailed tasks, urging them to get fully ready to cope with whatever development in the zone.”

Kaesong Industrial Complex (Kaesong Industrial Zone) (Photo: Google image)

According to South Korean media, the removal of DPRK workers from the Kaeso’ng Industrial Complex may occur as early as 9 April (Tuesday), and that the DPRK has requested that companies in Kaeso’ng that “only bare essential personnel should remain.”  South Korea’s new Minister of Unification Ryoo Kihl-jae told South Korean legislators that “There is no guarantee that an envoy can reduce tensions on the Korean Peninsula.  Seoul does not think now is the time to send such a person over to the North,” that “returning things to normal does not require negotiation” and that “The current conditions are not conducive to talks.  The North is not showing the right attitude needed for discussions to take place.”  Ryoo was responding both to the DPRK’s most recent statement about the Kaeso’ng zone and “calls by the 123 South Korean companies with factories at the Kaesong Industrial Complex and by politicians for the government to engage in talks with the North.”

According to Yonhap, there are “475 South Koreans in Kaesong, with a total of 39 workers having crossed over to the South during the day (Monday)” and “77 workers are expected to return here, although that number may change after consultations between the unification ministry and the businesses on Tuesday.”

Kim Yang Gon’s statement on the Kaeso’ng zone, according to KCNA was:

The Korean Peninsula has been put in the state of war due to the serious anti-DPRK moves of the U.S. and south Korean authorities and their moves for a nuclear war.

Not content with escalating military tension together with the U.S., the south Korean conservatives, in particular, are running the whole gamut of intrigues to find a pretext for igniting a war against the DPRK after reducing the Kaesong Industrial Zone to a theatre of confrontation.

Defying the repeated warnings of the DPRK, the south Korean confrontation maniacs are letting loose a string of invectives hurting the dignity of the DPRK, talking about “source of money”, “detention” and “hostages”. South Korean Defense Minister Kim Kwan Jin revealed his sinister intention to introduce a special unit of the U.S. forces into the zone, vociferating about an operation for “rescuing hostages”.

This goes to prove that the south Korean warmongers seek to turn the zone into a hotbed of war against the DPRK.

By origin, the zone was built as a symbol of reconciliation, cooperation and reunification after the DPRK granted a privilege to Jong Ju Yong, honorary chairman of Hyundai Group of south Korea, valuing his patriotic will for reunification.

The DPRK’s offer to south Korean enterprises a vast area near the Military Demarcation Line where armed forces of the north and the south are standing in acute confrontation was a bold decision based on ardent love for the nation and compatriotism and a manifestation of the firm will for independent reunification, peace and prosperity based on the spirit of “By our nation itself” clarified in the historic June 15 North-South Joint Declaration.

When traitor Lee Myung Bak did serious harm to the inter-Korean relations in all aspects, getting hell-bent on confrontation after coming to power, the zone remained unaffected by it thanks to the desire and will of all Koreans in the north and the south for reunification and kept its operations for common prosperity.

But the zone is now in the grip of a serious crisis.

The zone, a product of the June 15 joint declaration, has been reduced to a theater of confrontation with fellow countrymen and military provocation, quite contrary to its original nature and mission due to such hideous confrontation maniacs as Kim Kwan Jin. This situation can no longer be tolerated.

The south Korean conservative forces claim that the DPRK will never give up the zone as it benefits from the industrial zone, but it gets few economic benefits from the zone while the south side largely benefits from it.

The DPRK provided an area of military strategic importance to the south side, in particular. This meant a big concession.

It is a tragedy that the industrial zone which should serve purposes of national reconciliation, unity, peace and reunification has been reduced to a theatre of confrontation between compatriots and war against the north. The existence of such zone is no better than nothing.

The DPRK is compelled to make an important decision related to the issue of the industrial zone now that the south Korean authorities abuse the generosity and compatriotism of the DPRK for their hostile purpose.

Upon authorization, I declare the following important steps as regards the crisis in the Kaesong Industrial Zone:

The DPRK will withdraw all its employees from the zone.

It will temporarily suspend the operations in the zone and examine the issue of whether it will allow its existence or close it as the south Korean authorities and military warmongers seek to turn it into a hotbed of confrontation between compatriots and war against the DPRK, hurting its dignity.

The General Bureau for Central Guidance to the Development of the Special Zone will be responsible for the working matters related to the important steps including the withdrawal of the employees and the temporary suspension of the operations in the zone.

How the situation will develop in the days ahead will entirely depend on the attitude of the south Korean authorities

DPRK Threatens to “Shut Down” Kaesong Industrial Zone

Kaesong Industrial Complex (Kaesong Industrial Zone) (Photo: Google image)

DPRK state media published a statement of the General Bureau for Central Guidance on 30 March (Saturday) about the status of the Kaeso’ng Industrial Zone [Kaeso'ng Industrial Complex] which said that the country “exercised self-restraint, taking into consideration that the closure of the zone on which the livelihood of small and medium businesses of south Korea hinge can leave those businesses bankrupt and lots of people jobless” but ”if the puppet group seeks to tarnish the image of the DPRK even a bit, while speaking of the zone whose operation has been barely maintained, we will shut down the zone without mercy.”  The statement was issued after an unattributed statement was published in state media that said “North-South relations have been put in a state of war,” but South Korean [ROK] media reported that South Koreans were commuting into Kaeso’ng.  The General Bureau for Central Guidance also directly replied to South Korean media reporting which reiterates that the Kaeso’ng complex “is a major source of hard currency for the impoverished communist nation.”

According to KCNA, the General Bureau for Central Guidance’s statement was:

The north-south military hotline was cut off as the Korean Armistice Agreement has been completely nullified, creating a warlike situation.

There exists neither a channel for dialogue nor any communications means between the north and the south.

The entry into the Kaesong Industrial Zone by the south side’s personnel has been put in jeopardy.

No one can see an inch ahead as regards the destiny of the Kaesong Industrial Zone.

But the puppet group of south Korea, its dutiful media and hack writers are saying that “the north does not take up the issue of the zone because it is a source for its foreign currency income” and talking about “two faces of the north”. They are even insulting the dignity of the supreme leadership of the DPRK.

It is an extremely unusual thing that the Kaesong Industrial Zone is still in existence under the grave situation in which the north-south relations have plunged into a deadlock and the Korean Peninsula is on the verge of a war due to the U.S. and the south Korean warmongers’ vicious moves for igniting a nuclear war against the DPRK.

Under the situation, the south Korean puppet forces are left with no face to make complaint even though we ban the south side’s personnel’s entry into the zone and close it.

But we have exercised self-restraint, taking into consideration that the closure of the zone on which the livelihood of small and medium businesses of south Korea hinge can leave those businesses bankrupt and lots of people jobless.

In fact, it is the puppet group and small and medium businesses of south Korea, not the DPRK, which benefit from the zone.

But the paid media and media men of south Korea have gone thoughtless to become vocal about the zone just like imbeciles bereft of elementary ability for assessing the situation.

If the puppet group seeks to tarnish the image of the DPRK even a bit, while speaking of the zone whose operation has been barely maintained, we will shut down the zone without mercy.

The south Korean group should clearly know that its short tongue may bring it an irretrievable misfortune.

The DPRK does whatever it says it will and the future of the zone entirely depends on the attitude of the south Korean puppet group.

The south side’s businessmen operational in the zone should clearly face up to the situation and reject the rhetoric of the group and its paid media who act just like a “thief crying stop the thief”.

We will closely follow the movement of the puppet group and the reactionary media.

We warn that we will take a resolute measure, should rhetoric insulting the dignity of the DPRK continues.

Statement Published Declaring “North-State Relations Have Been Put in a State of War”

DPRK state media published a statement (tamhwa) on 30 March (Saturday) from “the government, political parties and organizations of the DPRK.”  Unlike the recent volley of statements, or indeed most communications published and broadcasted in state media, the 30 March 2013 statement was not issued under the name of any specific organization (s).  The statement is not  cited as the work of the DPRK National Defense Commission, the KPA Supreme Command or Ministry of the People’s Armed Forces from the DPRK national security community,  it was not an individual or joint statement of the Foreign Ministry, the DPRK Cabinet or the Supreme People’s Assembly, it was not linked to any specific political parties such as the Korean Workers’ Party, the Ch’o'ndoist Ch’o'ngu Party or the Korean Social Democratic Party and it was not issued in the name of various organizations such as the National Peace Committee of Korea oe Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea, the General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea, the Korean Democratic Women’s Union or the Kim Il Sung Youth League.

While no organization or elite cohort has claimed neither provenance nor authorship of the statement, it may foreshadow the “important important issue for victoriously advancing the Korean revolution and make a drastic turn in accomplishing the Chuch’e revolutionary cause under the banner of the great Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism” which is planned for the upcoming KWP Central Committee plenary meeting (plenum), which will be held on Sunday (31 March) one day ahead of the 7th session of the 12th SPA on 1 April (Monday).

The statement, according to KCNA:

The moves of the U.S. imperialists to violate the sovereignty of the DPRK and encroach upon its supreme interests have entered an extremely grave phase. Under this situation, the dear respected Marshal Kim Jong Un, brilliant commander of Mt. Paektu, convened an urgent operation meeting on the performance of duty of the Strategic Rocket Force of the Korean People’s Army for firepower strike and finally examined and ratified a plan for firepower strike.

The important decision made by him is the declaration of a do-or-die battle to provide an epochal occasion for putting an end to the history of the long-standing showdown with the U.S. and opening a new era. It is also a last warning of justice served to the U.S., south Korean group and other anti-reunification hostile forces. The decision reflects the strong will of the army and people of the DPRK to annihilate the enemies.

Now the heroic service personnel and all other people of the DPRK are full of surging anger at the U.S. imperialists’ reckless war provocation moves, and the strong will to turn out as one in the death-defying battle with the enemies and achieve a final victory of the great war for national reunification true to the important decision made by Kim Jong Un.

The Supreme Command of the KPA in its previous statement solemnly declared at home and abroad the will of the army and people of the DPRK to take decisive military counteraction to defend the sovereignty of the country and the dignity of its supreme leadership as regards the war moves of the U.S. and south Korean puppets that have reached the most extreme phase.

Not content with letting B-52 make sorties into the sky over south Korea in succession despite the repeated warnings of the DPRK, the U.S. made B-2A stealth strategic bomber and other ultra-modern strategic strike means fly from the U.S. mainland to south Korea to stage a bombing drill targeting the DPRK. This is an unpardonable and heinous provocation and an open challenge.

By taking advantage of the U.S. reckless campaign for a nuclear war against the DPRK, the south Korean puppets vociferated about “preemptive attack” and “strong counteraction” and even “strike at the commanding forces”, openly revealing the attempt to destroy monuments symbolic of the dignity of the DPRK’s supreme leadership.

This clearly shows that the U.S. brigandish ambition for aggression and the puppets’ attempt to invade the DPRK have gone beyond the limit and their threats have entered the reckless phase of an actual war from the phase of threat and blackmail.

The prevailing grim situation more clearly proves that the Supreme Command of the KPA was just when it made the judgment and decision to decisively settle accounts with the U.S. imperialists and south Korean puppets by dint of the arms of Military-First politics (So’ngun), because time when words could work has passed.

Now they are openly claiming that the B-2A stealth strategic bombers’ drill of dropping nuclear bombs was “not to irritate the north” but “the defensive one”. The U.S. also says the drill is “to defend the interests of its ally”. However, it is nothing but a lame pretext to cover up its aggressive nature, evade the denunciation at home and abroad and escape from the DPRK’s retaliatory blows.

The era when the U.S. resorted to the policy of strength by brandishing nuclear weapons has gone.

It is the resolute answer of the DPRK and its steadfast stand to counter the nuclear blackmail of the U.S. imperialists with merciless nuclear attack and their war of aggression with just all-out war.

They should clearly know that in the era of Marshal Kim Jong Un, the greatest-ever commander, all things are different from what they used to be in the past.

The hostile forces will clearly realize the iron will, matchless grit and extraordinary mettle of the brilliant commander of Mt. Paektu that the earth cannot exist without Military-First  (So’ngun) Korea.

Time has come to stage a do-or-die final battle.

The government, political parties and organizations of the DPRK solemnly declare as follows reflecting the final decision made by Kim Jong Un at the operation meeting of the KPA Supreme Command and the unanimous will of all service personnel and people of the DPRK who are waiting for a final order from him.

1.From this moment, the north-south relations will be put at the state of war and all the issues arousing between the north and the south will be dealt with according to the wartime regulations.

The state of neither peace nor war has ended on the Korean Peninsula.

Now that the revolutionary armed forces of the DPRK have entered into an actual military action, the inter-Korean relations have naturally entered the state of war. Accordingly, the DPRK will immediately punish any slightest provocation hurting its dignity and sovereignty with resolute and merciless physical actions without any prior notice.

2. If the U.S. and the south Korean puppet group perpetrate a military provocation for igniting a war against the DPRK in any area including the five islands in the West Sea of Korea or in the area along the Military Demarcation Line, it will not be limited to a local war, but develop into an all-out war, a nuclear war.

It is self-evident that any military conflict on the Korean Peninsula is bound to lead to an all-out war, a nuclear war now that even U.S. nuclear strategic bombers in its military bases in the Pacific including Hawaii and Guam and in its mainland are flying into the sky above south Korea to participate in the madcap DPRK-targeted nuclear war moves.

The first strike of the revolutionary armed forces of the DPRK will blow up the U.S. bases for aggression in its mainland and in the Pacific operational theatres including Hawaii and Guam and reduce not only its military bases in south Korea but the puppets’ ruling institutions including Chongwadae and puppet army’s bases to ashes at once, to say nothing of the aggressors and the provokers.

3. The DPRK will never miss the golden chance to win a final victory in a great war for national reunification.

This war will not be a three day-war but it will be a blitz war through which the KPA will occupy all areas of south Korea including Jeju Island at one strike, not giving the U.S. and the puppet warmongers time to come to their senses, and a three-dimensional war to be fought in the air, land and seas and on the front line and in the rear.

This sacred war of justice will be a nation-wide, all-people resistance involving all Koreans in the north and the south and overseas in which the traitors to the nation including heinous confrontation maniacs, warmongers and human scum will be mercilessly swept away.

No force on earth can break the will of the service personnel and people of the DPRK all out in the just great war for national reunification and of all other Koreans and overpower their might.

Holding in high esteem the peerlessly great men of Mt. Paektu, the Korean people will give vent to the pent-up grudge and realize their cherished desire and thus bring a bright day of national reunification and build the best power on this land without fail.

Cities on Fire? Phone Out of Order

(KCTV file screengrab)

South Korean media reported on 27 March (Wednesday) that the DPRK severed an inter-Korea telephone line that according to Yonhap News Agency “has been used to notify the North of any planned movement of people and vehicles to the Kaesong complex located just north of the demilitarized zone that separates the two Koreas.”  According to Yonhap, citing Korean Central News Agency, the DPRK said that “the Supreme Command of the Korean People’s Army solemnly declared that… Due to the reckless acts of the enemies, the north-south military communications which were set up for dialogue and cooperation between the north and the south has already lost its significance” and that as of 11:20 am [KST] on 27 March “upon authorization, inform the south side that the north-south military communications will be cut off and the members of the north side at the military communications liaison office in the zone under the control of the north and the south in the west coastal area will stop their activities from this moment.”

Yonhap, citing an unnamed ROK Government official reported that despite the telephone being cut, “that despite the North shutting off contact, movement of people and vehicle traffic took place without problems during the day. He pointed out that notification processes over the demilitarized zone have all been exchanged three days in advance.”

DPRK Premier Tours Islet Defense Detachments

DPRK Cabinet Premier Choe Yong Rim (3rd L) tours the Mu Islet Hero Defense Detachment (Photo: Rodong Sinmun)

DPRK state media reported on 27 March (Wednesday) that DPRK Cabinet Premier Choe Yong Rim toured the Jangjae Islet and Mu Islet Hero Defense Detachments.  Choe toured the bases on the islets and visited the living quarters and other facilities of Korean People’s Army service members deployed to the islet defense detachments.  According to KCNA Choe “stressed that there is nothing to be afraid of even though tens of millions of enemies come in attack as long as there is the dear respected Supreme Commander Kim Jong Un in the van of the revolution” and “noted that no one can escape the strike by the powerful revolutionary Mt. Paektu (Paektusan) army to mercilessly sweep away the hotbed of evils if the enemies continue the reckless saber-rattling.”  Choe said that “the army and people of the DPRK have now turned out as one in the all-out action with the U.S. imperialists because the sovereignty of the nation is more valuable than their own lives.”  In his inspection of the living facilities on the islets, according to KCNA, Choe Yong Rim “learned about problems urgently essential for improving the material and cultured lives of the soldiers as well as those issues arising in turning the detachments into impregnable fortresses, and pressed for necessary measures.”

View of West Sea islets where DPRK Premier Choe Yong Rim visited defense detachments (Photo: Google image)

View of West Sea islets where DPRK Premier Choe Yong Rim visited defense detachments (Photo: Google image)

National Peace Committee of Korea and CPRK Release Statements

The Korean Workers’ Party Office Complex #3, main headquarters of the United Front Department (Photo: Google Image)

DPRK state media reported on 8 March that the National Peace Committee of Korea [NPCK] and the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea [CPRK] (f.k.a Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland) released separate statements indicating Pyongyang’s current strategic thinking.  Both of these organizations are technically part of Korean Workers’ Party [KWP] United Front Department.  The intended audience of these statements are policymakers in Seoul, but primarily in Washington.

KCNA’s English version of the National Peace Committee of Korea’s statement, described as a memorandum, is as follows:

According to the memorandum, the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula is attributable to the nuclear threat directly posed to the DPRK by the U.S. which resorted to the war of aggression and hostile policy toward the DPRK.

The U.S. imperialists, which provoked the war for aggression of Korea in June 1950, shipped nuclear weapons to south Korea in August that year and at the end of the year openly disclosed its plan to drop 30-50 A-bombs in Korea-China border areas.

Eisenhower, U.S. president-elect at that time, blustered on May 13, 1953 that it will be more beneficial to use an atomic bomb rather than conventional weapons in Korea when taking into account the financial aspect.

After it sustained a shameful defeat in the Korean war, the U.S. has viciously resorted to nuclear threats to the DPRK, pursuant to its moves for a new war.

The U.S. set out for nuclear weaponization of its forces present in south Korea. It reorganized its forces’ division into Pentomic A-bomb Division equipped with tactical nuclear weapons and introduced Honest John nuclear missile battalion and 280 mm atomic artillery pieces battalion.

In 1958 the U.S. brought 588 tactical guided missile battalion of the U.S. air force and set up the 4th guided missile command of the U.S. forces.

Entering the 1960s, the U.S. renamed Pentomic A-bomb Division ROAD Division and introduced to south Korea atomic and guided weapons with various missions.

After the Vietnamese war in the mid-1970s, the U.S. declared south Korea as an area for defending front and pressed for the policy for turning south Korea into a nuclear base.

Member of the U.S. House of Representatives Ronald, speaking at a parliament, confessed that the U.S. shipped more than 1 000 nuclear weapons to south Korea and deployed 54 airplanes for carrying nuclear bombs.

In the 1980s the U.S. spurred the modernization of the nuclear hardware of its forces in south Korea.

Early in the 1980s the U.S. deployed 31 155mm nuclear shells, 133 nuclear bombs for air use, 63 nuclear shells for 8 inch howitzers and 21 nuclear land mines before any other base of its forces overseas.

South Korea turned into the world’s biggest nuclear outpost with the stockpile of nuclear weapons such as bombs, shells, warheads, land mines and carrier means as well as nuclear bases and arsenals.

The U.S. nuclear threats were vividly manifested in its open declaration to use nuclear weapons in Korea.

In January 1968 when the U.S. imperialists’ armed spyship “Pueblo” was captured, the U.S. reviewed the nuclear attack plan. When the spy plane EC-121 was brought down from the sky above Korea in April 1969, the U.S. put tactical bombers mounted with nuclear weapons on standby and the then U.S President Nixon said that he approved the use of A-bomb in case Korea makes counterattack.

When the Korean Peninsula was almost in the state of “emergency” in 2002, the U.S. made the preemptive nuclear attack on the DPRK a fait accompli by granting the U.S. forces’ first use of nuclear weapons. It even asserted that it will develop smaller nuclear weapons for destroying underground facilities.

The present Obama administration has steadily increased nuclear threats, putting the DPRK in the list of preemptive nuclear attack targets.

The U.S. at the 41st annual security consultative meeting in 2009 with the south Korean puppet forces made public a joint press release in which it promised the offer to south Korea of the nuclear umbrella, capacity for striking with conventional weapons, a missile shield and other extended deterrence.

The U.S. forces and the south Korean forces worked out a number of scenarios for invading the DPRK and pushed forward the moves to put big and annual joint military drills including Key Resolve, Foal Eagle and Ulji Freedom Guardian into an actual war every year.

The memorandum disclosed the south Korean puppet forces as a chieftain that increased the danger of a nuclear war on the Korean Peninsula and hampered the solution to the nuclear issue in league with the U.S.

The successive puppet regimes of south Korea connived at and encouraged the U.S. shipment of nuclear weapons to south Korea and actively joined the U.S. in its moves for a nuclear war against the DPRK.

In the 1980s, traitor Chun Doo Hwan in alignment with the U.S. brought to south Korea a neutron bomb called the “weapon of evil in the 20th century”.

The puppet forces fully entrusted the U.S. with the right to use the nuclear weapons deployed in south Korea.

They formed the extended deterrence policy committee with the U.S. and agreed to hold exercises for using the extended deterrence means. Since 2011 they have put them into practice.

They have pushed forward the development of nuclear weapons in secrecy while taking an active part in the U.S. moves for a nuclear war.

The Park Chung Hee military dictatorial regime, in particular, laid out a nuclear weapons development plan and mulled processing nuclear fuel in 1969. It formed a nuclear and missile development team in 1974 and arranged nuclear fuel development area in 1976.

In September 1978, it test-fired ground to ground missile Paekgom capable of mounting nuclear warheads developed by the defense scientific research institute.

In November 1985, it completed the construction of a facility for extracting plutonium and put it into full operation from 1987.

South Korea directed efforts into the development of nuclear weapons delivery means as evidenced by the development of 256km range ground to ground missile Hyonmu capable of carrying out nuclear warheads and their deployment for an actual war in 1987.

It is openly calling for “nuclear weaponization” now.

It has viciously obstructed the negotiations for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

Traitor Kim Young Sam resorted to the whole gamut of machinations to break down the DPRK-U.S. negotiations by currying favor with the U.S.

The cursed traitor Lee Myung Bak group threw hurdles in the way of the DPRK-U.S. talks, claiming that the “nuclear issue of the north” is destroying the peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and obstructing the efforts for the development of the south-north relations.

The Lee Myung Bak group called the DPRK’s peaceful satellite launch “a long-range missile launch” till the last moments of its office and worked with bloodshot eyes to materialize international “sanctions” citing the launch as a pretext.

The memorandum said that the DPRK’s access to nuclear deterrence for self-defence was entirely attributable to the U.S. and its stooge south Korean puppet forces.

The DPRK has constantly called for the withdrawal of the U.S. nuclear weapons since their shipment to south Korea and always maintained that the Korean Peninsula be denuclearized while working hard for the solution to the nuclear issue.

Far from responding to the DPRK’s sincere efforts, the U.S. prodded some circles of the International Atomic Energy Agency to create sort of “discrepancy” of nuclear materials and forced the DPRK to receive special inspection. It also resumed Team Spirit joint military exercises and openly increased the danger of a nuclear war.

The DPRK has made sincere efforts for the settlement of the nuclear issue on the peninsula through direct talk with the U.S. directly responsible for the issue.

The DPRK’s efforts for the peaceful settlement of the nuclear issue through dialogue have faced a serious challenge as junior Bush administration took power in the U.S.

The U.S. hostile policy toward the DPRK has remained unchanged under the present Obama government.

The Obama administration kicked up anti-DPRK nuclear racket, calling the DPRK’s peaceful satellite launch that was recognized by international law “a long-range missile launch”. This made the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula more serious one.

The situation eloquently proves that the DPRK was just when it decided to access nuclear deterrence for self-defence to cope with the U.S. nuclear threats.

The memorandum warned that the U.S. and the south Korean puppet forces should know that they will get nothing but destruction and disaster for their provocative anti-DPRK nuclear racket.

View of some of the offices of the Committee for the Reunification of Korea (Photo: Google image)

The CPRK statement described ROK forces as “military hooligans” (Photo: muziekweb.nl)

The CPRK released “information bulletin” #1021 on 7 March (Friday).  The English language version is as follows:

 The army and people of the DPRK are poised for a final do-or-die battle in the spirit of annihilating enemies after the statement was made public by a spokesman for the Supreme Command of the Korean People’s Army.

The south Korean puppet military hooligans engrossed in confrontation and provocation are running reckless, unaware of the gravity of the situation and the ensuing catastrophic consequences.

On March 6, the puppet Joint Chiefs of Staff let the chief of the operational department clarify south Korea’s stand with regard to the statement of the Supreme Command of the Korean People’s Army.

The military hooligans described the Key Resolve and Foal eagle war drills as “annual exercises for defense” and called the DPRK’s crucial measures a “provocation”. They even blustered that they would “severely punish even the commanding forces” of the north, adding that “they are bracing for putting it into practice.”

They even bluffed that they would target the supreme headquarters of the Korean revolution, openly touting “punishing the commanding forces”, a serious act of provoking an all-out war.

In April last year, they openly aired the footage of missile attack, calling for “striking the window of office in Pyongyang.”

It is tragedy of the nation that the group of cursed traitors like Lee Myung Bak is still at large even though they deserve divine punishment for the heinous crimes they already committed against the nation.

The enemies of the nation who dare point their finger at the sky can never go scot-free.

It is the fixed determination of the army and people of the DPRK to certainly deal sledge-hammer blows at the group of traitors who seek to harm the headquarters of the revolution, which represents the supreme dignity of the DPRK.

The puppet military group dares make rhetoric, unaware that the stronghold of confrontation and treachery Chongwadae, and Seoul will be blown up at a time when they attempt “punishing the commanding forces of the north”.

The DPRK solemnly stated to the world that from the moment when the Korean Armistice Agreement is nullified due to the moves for provoking a war of aggression by the U.S. imperialists and the puppet warmongers, the DPRK will mount Korean style strike of justice at the provocateurs without hesitation.

The revolutionary armed forces of the DPRK, already put on a high alert, are waiting for an order for great advance for national reunification, determined to blast the strongholds of aggression with prompt and fatal retaliation, should the provocateurs make even the slightest move.

The reckless moves of the puppet warmongers for confrontation with the DPRK will accelerate their most miserable end.

Neither the U.S. nuclear umbrella which the puppet forces trust in as the savior nor international cooperation will be able to save the group of traitors to the nation.

The aggressors, provokers will meet a final ruin for provoking the DPRK for no reason.

Kim Jong Un Visits West Sea Islands

Kim Jong Un looks at a South Korean island from a military observation post on a DPRK islet in the West Sea (Yellow Sea) (Photo: Rodong Sinmun)

DPRK state media reported on 7 March (Thursday) that Kim Jong Un (Kim Cho’ng-u’n) inspected Korean People’s Army [KPA] island defense units on Jangjae (Changjae) and Mu Islets in the West Sea.  KJU’s last reported public appearance was his attendance at a DPRK-US basketball game and banquet in Pyongyang.  Attending KJU’s inspection of the islands’ defense detachments were VMar Choe Ryong Hae (Director of the KPA General Political Department), Jang Song Taek (Vice Chairman of the DPRK National Defense Commission), Gen. Kim Kyok Sik (Minister of the People’s Armed Forces), Gen. Kim Yong Chol (Chief of the Reconnaissance General Bureau and spokesman of the KPA Supreme Command), Lt. Gen. Pak Jong Chon (Staff member of the KPA Supreme Command), Maj. Gen. An Ji Yong (regional KPA commander for islet defense) and Rim Kwang Il.

Kim Jong Un (2nd R) rides on a small vessel in the West Sea during his inspection of Jangjae ad Mu Islets. Also seen on the boat are VMar Choe Ryong Hae (3rd L) and Gen. Kim Yong Chol (R) (Photo: Rodong Sinmun)

Overview from the south of the area in the West Sea between the DPRK and South Korea where Kim Jong Un conducted field inspections of Jangjae and Mu Islet defense units (Photo: Google image)

View of West Sea islets where Kim Jong Un inspected defense attachments (Photo: Google image)

KJU’s first inspection to Jangjae Islet’s defense unit.  He toured the unit’s barracks and a classroom before going to an observation area overlooking the South Korean [ROK] island of Taeyo’np’yo’ng Island (Daeyeonpyeong-do, the “big” island) to “ hear a detailed report on the modernization of the post and the enemy targets.”  According to KCNA Kim Jong Un  said “Jangjae Islet is one of the islets to which he attaches greatest importance as it is located in the southernmost part in the southwestern sector of the front, adding that once a battle breaks out, the soldiers of the detachment should play a big role” and he “stressed the need for the soldiers to keep themselves fully ready to go into action to annihilate the enemy any time an order is issued and instructed them to deal deadly blows at the enemies and blow up their positions if they fire even a single shell at the territorial waters or land of the DPRK.”  Following his inspection and debriefing, he posed for a commemorative photo with KPA service members and officers serving on Jangjae Islet.

KJU’s next inspection occurred on Mu Island.  KJU previously visited the island defense detachment on Mu Islet in August 2012.  He went to an observation post “feasting his eyes on Taeyo’np’yo’ng Island with keen attention” and was briefed by the unit commander ”on terrain conditions, distribution of forces and combat preparations of the detachment.”  According to KCNA he “reconfirmed in detail reinforced firepower strike means and targets of the enemy deployed on five islets in the West Sea including Yo’np’yo’ng Island defence unit and defined the order of precision strikes” and “ gave detailed instructions to more satisfactorily equip the detachment with weaponry, increase the density of firepower on targets and ensure intensive shelling in order to cope with the frantic arms build-up of the enemy entrenched under the very eyes of the soldiers.”  Kim Jong Un was briefed about “about the issue of providing army surgeons at the wartime suited to the specific conditions of the detachment and the issue related to the proposal for operation and combat.”  KJU was “greatly satisfied to learn about the preparations for combat readiness of the Jangjae Islet Defence Detachment and the Mu Islet Hero Defence Detachment.”  He also posed for commemorative photographs with KPA service members and officers, and their family members, stationed on Mu Islet.

Kim Jong Un disembarks from a transport vessel, greeted by KPA service members and officers, and their family members, on an islet in the West Sea. Seen behind Kim Jong Un are two close protection escorts strapped with automatic rifles and two other executives of KJU’s bodyguard staff (Photo: Rodong Sinmun)

According to KCNA Kim Jong Un said  ”that as he stressed during the previous inspection, this is not only the biggest hotspot in waters off the Korean Peninsula but a very sensitive area on which world attention is focused and where interests of many countries are intertwined” and “ordered the soldiers of the detachments to watch every move of the enemy with vigilance and promptly deal deadly counterblows at him if a single shell is fired on the waters and land where the DPRK’s sovereignty is exercised and thus make the first gunfire and shoot a signal flare for a great war for national reunification.”  Kim Jong Un also remarked that “ all the service personnel of the ground, naval, air and anti-air and strategic rocket forces including the frontline units are fully ready to fight a Korean style all-out war” and said “if the enemy makes any slight reckless provocation against the DPRK again in the sensitive waters, he will issue an order to start the just great advance for national reunification in all frontline areas, never missing the golden opportunity.”

KPA Supreme Command Threatens to “Nullify” Armistice Agreement

A spokesman of the KPA Supreme Command reads a statement on 5 March 2013 threatening to “nullify” the armistice agreement which ended active hostilities of the Korean War (Fatherland Liberation War). The spokesman appears to be Gen. Kim Yong Chol, Chief of the Reconnaissance General Bureau and member of the Korean Workers’ Party Central Military Commission (Photos: KCNA)

DPRK state media reported on 5 March (Tuesday) that a spokesman of the Korean People’s Army [KPA] Supreme Command said that it “will make the Korean Armistice Agreement totaly nullified, that the “Supreme Command of the KPA will completely declare invalid the AA, which has existed for form’s sake from March 11, the day when the war maneuvers will enter into a full-dress stage” and that “this land (the DPRK) is neither the Balkans nor Iraq nor Libya.”  Based on images released in state media the spokesman for the KPA Supreme Command was Gen. Kim Yong Chol, chief of the Reconnaissance General Bureau, which is responsible for anti-ROK [South Korea] intelligence operations.

Parsing the KPA Supreme Command’s statement Glyn Ford told Russia’s RT: “There’s a difference between saying you no longer recognize an armistice and actually starting shooting again. They’re not quite the same thing.”  Ford also said “I think he [Kim Jong-Un] is more likely to be turning away once we get through the next month or so towards looking at economic modernization rather than repeating the missile and the nuclear tests. I could be wrong, of course. It’s very difficult to read North Korea, but it seems to me that that’s where the thinking is.”

According to KCNA’s English-language version of the statement:

On Dec. 12 last year the DPRK legitimately and successfully launched a satellite for peaceful purposes, ensuring international transparency, going beyond practice, and choosing a comparatively mild situation for it.

Seizing the DPRK’s satellite launch as an occasion for stifling it from the outset, the U.S. and its allies deliberately negated the DPRK’s sovereignty over its satellite launch. They finally prodded the UN Security Council into adopting a “resolution on sanctions” before opting for high-handed hostile acts against the DPRK.

These hostile acts are still going on.

Under this situation the DPRK was compelled to take practical counteractions to defend the security and sovereignty of the country. On Feb. 12 it admirably and successfully conducted the third underground nuclear test for self-defence at the highest level as part of those counteractions.

However, the U.S. imperialists and their allied forces including south Korea are making more persistent and desperate efforts to slap new tougher “sanctions” against the DPRK, far from drawing a due lesson.

Not content with this, they kicked off again the Key Resolve and Foal Eagle joint military exercises to stifle the DPRK by force of arms by mobilizing huge armed forces of aggression. They will reportedly last for two months from March 1.

Unlike last year the current joint military exercises will be participated in by super-large nuclear-powered carrier task force carrying at least 100 nuclear warheads, B-52H strategic bombers and other means of the U.S. imperialist aggression forces for making ground, sea and air nuclear strikes and its allied forces including south Korea, U.K. and Australia.

From this point of view, the exercises cannot be construed otherwise than the most dangerous nuclear war maneuvers targeted against the DPRK and the most undisguised military provocation to be made by a group of all hues of hostile forces.

This serious situation clearly indicates that the actions of the U.S., south Korea and other hostile forces to infringe upon the sovereignty of the DPRK are now leading to a military offensive for aggression, going beyond the level of outrageous economic “sanctions.”

In view of the prevailing situation, the Supreme Command of the KPA which is responsible for the national defence and security of the country and the destiny of the nation sent a meaningful warning message to the U.S. imperialist aggressor forces through the KPA Panmunjom mission on February 23. It warned them that if they ignite a war of aggression in the end, from that moment their fate will be hung by a thread with every hour.

But, the joint military exercises have persisted and the U.S. and the south Korean puppet forces have become all the more undisguised in their base moves to kick up their “sanctions.”

Looking back on history, the Korean people have neither shot even a single arrow nor thrown a single stone at the land of the U.S.

The U.S. is, however, working with bloodshot eyes to swallow up the DPRK, not content with having incurred the pent-up grudge of the Korean people which can never be settled.

What matters is that the south Korean puppet forces steeped in worship and sycophancy toward the U.S. are dancing to its tune.

Of late Kim Kwan Jin, puppet minister of Defense, and Jong Sung Jo, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, inspected frontline army corps, fleet command and guided missile units where they blustered that a sort of military provocation is expected from the north and cried out for making “deadly strikes” and “preemptive strikes” at the “bases for provocations.”

As far as these guys are concerned, they are a group of traitors who pushed the inter-Korean relations to a collapse together with traitor Lee Myung Bak who knows nothing about politics and military affairs. They are military gangsters who go reckless, unaware of what their master U.S. has in mind, what is the intention of the neighbouring countries and what all fellow countrymen and nation desire.

The puppet authorities, too, are crying out for the dismantlement of nukes and halt to provocation as dictated by their master, without knowing what is precious wealth for the nation. They move like a robot and repeat anything like a parrot.

The sovereignty and dignity of the nation are violated and the supreme interests of the country are seriously threatened by the U.S., the sworn enemy of the Korean people, and maniacs of confrontation with fellow countrymen grouping worst traitors. The army and people of the DPRK can never remain a passive onlooker to this fact.

The spokesman for the KPA Supreme Command is authorized to declare the following important measures:

First, it will take the second and third strong practical counteractions in succession to cope with the high-handed war acts of the U.S. and all other hostile forces as it had already declared.

The army and people of the DPRK never make an empty talk.

It is the mettle of Military-First (So’ngun) Korea to do what it is determined to do.

It won victories in the two wars and has advanced along the road of victory despite manifold difficulties.

The army groups on the front, ground forces, the navy, air and anti-air units, strategic rocket units of the KPA, the Worker-Peasant Red Guards and the Young Red Guards have launched an all-out action according to the operational plan finally signed by the dear respected Supreme Commander Kim Jong Un.

Now that the U.S. imperialists seek to attack the DPRK even with nuclear weapons, it will counter them with diversified precision nuclear strike means of Korean style.

Those means are bound to be launched once their buttons are pressed, and the enemies’ strongholds be turned into a sea in flames.

This land is neither the Balkans nor Iraq and Libya.

The army and people of the DPRK have everything including lighter and smaller nukes unlike what they had in the past.

Second, the KPA Supreme Command will make the Korean Armistice Agreement totally nullified.

The war maneuvers being staged by the U.S. imperialists and the south Korean puppet forces are a vivid expression of their systematic violation of the AA.

Accordingly, the Supreme Command of the KPA will completely declare invalid the AA, which has existed for form’s sake from March 11, the day when the war maneuvers will enter into a full-dress stage.

The DPRK will make a strike of justice at any target anytime as it pleases without limit, not bound to the AA, and achieve the great cause of the country’s reunification, the cherished desire of the nation.

Third, the KPA Supreme Command will totally stop the activities of the Panmunjom mission of the KPA which was tentatively established and operated by it as a negotiating body for establishing a peace-keeping mechanism on the Korean Peninsula.

In this regard it will simultaneously make a decision to cut off the Panmunjom DPRK-U.S. military telephone.

Our choice has become clear now that the moves of all hostile forces to encroach upon the sovereignty and dignity of the DPRK are reaching a dangerous phase.

It is the unshakable stand of the army and people of the DPRK and the mode of counteraction of Mt. Paektu style to counter enemies coming in attack with a dagger with a sword, a rifle with an artillery piece and nukes with precision nuclear strike means of Korean style more powerful than them.

The U.S. imperialists and their allies should not forget even a moment that they are standing at the crossroads of their life and death.

A final victory is in store for the army and people of the DPRK who are all out to protect its sovereignty.