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Kim Jong Il Visits Russian Embassy Kim Jong Il Begins This Year’S 1,903 JANUARY 12, 2002 Kim Jong Il Visits Russian Embassy Kim Jong Il Begins This Year’s Kim Jong Il on January 6 visited the Rus- all fields including national defense, On-Spot Guidance in Economic Section sian embassy in Pyongyang at the invitation economy and railway connection. of Russian ambassador Andrei Karlov on The New Year’s joint editorial of the or- the occasion of the New Year 2002, the gans of the WPK, the KPA and the Social- Korean Central News Agency reported. ist Youth League defined the railway trans- Kim Jong Il was greeted by women staff portation sector as one of the most press- members of the embassy with a piece of ing tasks the country should fulfil this year bread and salt according to their traditional in its economic construction. Earlier, Kim custom of receiving the most distinguished Jong Il gave on-the-spot guidance on Janu- guest. The Russian ambassador hosted a ary 5 to a key railway factory called Kim dinner in honor of Kim Jong Il, the news Jong Thae Locomotive Plant. This may also agency said. be related to the connection of the North This marks the first time that Kim Jong Korean railway to Russia’s Trans-Siberian Il has visited the Russian embassy, while Railway. he visited the Chinese embassy two times during the past two years. The DPRK *During his visit to the Russian embassy, leader's visit to the office of Russia’s dip- Kim Jong Il was accompanied by Kim Yong lomatic mission in the capital city of Chun, chief of the general staff of the Ko- Pyongyang came five months after his sec- rean People’s Army; Kim Il Chol, minister ond meeting with Russian President of the People’s Armed Forces; Yon Hyong Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Muk, member of the National Defense The first diplomatic action at the begin- Commission; secretaries of the Central ning of the new year by Kim Jong Il may be Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea a testament to Pyongyang’s renewed bonds Jong Ha Chol and Kim Ki Nam; generals with Moscow in accordance with the eight- of the KPA Ri Myong Su, Hyon Chol Hae point Moscow declaration inked by Kim and Pak Jae Gyong; and Ji Jae Ryong, vice- Jong Il and Vladimir Putin, which calls for director of the international department of a further strengthening of bilateral ties in the WPK Central Committee. General Secretary Kim Jong Il at the Kim Jong Thae Electric Locomotive Fac- tory on January 5 on his first official activity in the year 2002 A Happy New Year!:Congratulatory Message on New Year General Secretary Kim Jong Il started his Jong Il also noted the importance of the guidance in the development of the plant’s duty and role to solve the problem country’s economy in the New Year 2002, of the railway transport. as he visited the Kim Jong Thae Electric “He was very pleased to learn that the Russo-DPRK Ties Forged by Locomotive Factory in Pyongyang on Janu- workers and technicians of the plant are ary 5 to encourage the workers of the fac- building modern electric locomotives by tory in the start of their production drive in extensively waging a mass technical inno- Two Leaders; Linking Trans-Korean 2002. This was his first official activity in vation movement true to the party's policy 2002. of modernizing the railways of the coun- Railway Much Expected in 2002 Accompanying Kim Jong Il were Premier try,” the official Korean Central News Hong Song Nam, Jong Byong Ho, Han Agency reported. Song Ryong, Jong Ha Chol and Kim Ki He also underscored the need to push Nam, secretaries of the WPK, and Pak Nam forward the technical modernization to by Alexander N. Panov Ki, chairman of the State Planning Com- equip all the processes of the plant with up- Ambassador of Russian mission. to-date facilities with a view to boosting The Kim Jong Thae Electric Locomotive the production of modern transport means Federation to Japan Plant is the country's leading machine-build- to meet the requirements of the new cen- ing center. tury and conduct a drive in a planned way Follows a congratulatory message to PK Kim Jong Il encouraged the workers in to create new things from a new technical on the New Year 2002 by Mr. Alexander N. their first high-pitched drive for increased viewpoint on technology and in a new way Panov, ambassador of the Russian Federa- production in the New Year 2002 to glo- of thinking. tion to Japan: rify the year as a year of a new leaping ad- vance in building a powerful nation. Kim (Continued on page 2) I greatly appreciate the chance given me to address the “People's Korea” and its readers and congratulate them on the New Year. Last year, 2001, will be remembered as a very important year in the history of relations between the Russian Federation and the Democratic People’s Republic of Pyongyang Dismisses Korea. Meetings and talks held in Moscow between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chairman of the National Defense Commission of the Democratic People’s Re- public of Korea Kim Jong Il will, undoubtedly, serve to expand and strengthen the “Spy Ship” Story traditionally friendly relations and mutually beneficial cooperation between Russia and the DPRK. The outcomes of the talks that took place in Moscow permit assess- Pyongyang flatly dismissed the Japanese what the details of the incident are, Japan’s ing with justified optimism a further prospect of cooperation between our countries government’s argument that the “mysteri- open military action committed beyond its in international affairs, including the inter-Korean dialogue, in the spirit of the Mos- ous ship” Japan sank on Dec. 22, 2001 in territorial waters proves that Japan’s moves cow Declaration, signed by Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Il. the territorial waters of China was a “spy for remilitarization and overseas expansion The development of cooperation between our countries in various areas is becom- ship of North Korea.” have reached a very perilous phase.” ing particularly important in the current international situation where a real broad “This was an incident unprecedented in “What should not be overlooked is,” he struggle is unfolding against international terrorism, which has thrown down a chal- history,” the Korean Central News Agency continued, “that the Japanese authorities are lenge to all the mankind. Our chief objective is by joint efforts to preserve peace, to said on December 26. “This crime commit- groundlessly linking the DPRK with the achieve stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the Asia-Pacific region as a whole, ted in other country’s territorial waters is incident in a bid to mislead public opinion. and in general to create a necessary environment for productive cooperation. nothing but brutal piracy and an act of un- This is an unpardonable smear campaign We receive with satisfaction the positive changes on the Korean Peninsula and pardonable terrorism of modern brand that against the DPRK.” have been consistently supporting the process of normalization of the climate of rela- could be committed only by Samurais,” it Saying that Pyongyang will maintain the tions between North and South, started by the 2000 inter-Korean summit, and the real said. highest degree of vigilance against a series practical steps toward peaceful coexistence and rapprochement of the two parts of “This proves that their loudmouthed case of anti-North Korea campaigns, it warned Korea. We believe such development of relations could conduce not only to detente of the ‘unidentified ship’ is another trite Tokyo that the country “will take relevant on the Korean Peninsula, but would also promote world stability. charade and a grave provocation by Japan countermeasures depending on Japan’s fu- The improvement of situation on the Korean Peninsula has put on a practical plane and a product of the anti-DPRK hostile ture attitude toward the incident.” the question of restoring the railway service between North and South Korea. The policy of the Japanese reactionaries, who The boat sank after taking a direct hit in linking of the railways of North and South Korea can not only stimulate the develop- never open their mouths without pulling up the hull from Japan Coast Guard guns while ment of economic cooperation on the Peninsula and in Northeast Asia as a whole, but the DPRK,” it added. in the waters of China’s exclusive economic also become an important factor for regional stability and conduce to the drawing of Pyongyang’s denunciation continued on zone. There have been no decisive clues to the North and South Koreans. the following day. A spokesman for the identify the ship as North Korean. DPRK Foreign Ministry said: “No matter (2) JANUARY 12, 2002 “Glorify This Year That Greets the 90th Birthday of President Kim Il Sung As a Year of a New Surge in the Building of a Powerful Nation” New Year Joint Editorial of Three Newspapers -- Rodong Sinmun, Josoninmingun and Chongnyonjonwi On the occasion of the New Year 2002, development of science and technology and Rodong Sinmun, Josoninmingun (the daily also of education. Particular attention will of the Korean People’s Army) and be focused on the development of informa- Chongnyonjonwi (the daily of the Kim Il tion technology and IT industry. Sung Socialist Youth League), published a In order to accelerate our general onward joint editorial under the headline “Glorify movement this year, it is important to launch this year that greets the 90th birthday of a great political and ideological campaign President Kim Il Sung as a year of a new and spread the Torch of Ranam campaign surge in the building of a powerful nation.” across the country.
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