KCNA Warns Conservative Media and Politicians against Anti-DPRK Vituperation

Pyongyang, January 21 (KCNA) -- At a time when our personnel's dispatch to the south side is high on the agenda following the north-south high-ranking talks and technical contacts, the south Korean conservative media and politicians continue to speak ill of the DPRK.

Chosun Ilbo, Choongang Ilbo and other conservative media of south Korea describe the measures and sincere efforts exerted by the DPRK as a step to "paint hermit state as normal state" and as the one for "promotion of social system" and as "camouflaged peace offensive".

They are even branding the Masikryong Ski Resort and Kalma Airport which we offered for joint training as "old and imperfect equipment" and "dangerous places", dare slandering them as the ones aimed at building "achievements".

"Liberal Korea Party" representative Hong Jun Phyo, chief spokesman Jang Je Won and other conservative politicians keep branding the DPRK's participation in the Olympics as the "one for estranging the south side from the U.S." and that the "Olympic is an offering presented to the north" up to date since the first day of the north-south technical talks.

These deliberate slandering to chill the ardent desire of the whole nation for improvement of the north-south ties clearly reveals the sordid nature and poor colors of those staking their fate on confrontation with the fellow countrymen.

Nothing else can be expected from the conservative remnants staking their fate on outsiders, nation's division and confrontation with the fellow countrymen. But their desperate acts of openly challenging the hardly-won atmosphere for the improvement of the north-south ties now shock even the international community, to say nothing of the Koreans in the north and the south and abroad.

Now the Korean people query should our sacred mission be truly sent to such a dangerous place where tricksters, devoid of traditional manners and customs of the Korean nation and any traits as the civilized men in the modern day, go roughshod.

As had already been clarified, there is no doubt about the sincerity and authenticity of the DPRK to improve the north-south relations and to ensure successful Olympics.

Never unreasonable was our request to value the hardly-won atmosphere for north-south reconciliation and keep it up, not asking the past of anyone who has the blood and the spirit of the Korean nation.

Furthermore, now that countries and nations competitively head for development to meet their own interests, the acts of slandering fellow countryman and inciting confrontation can not be construed otherwise than a traitorous act to check the unified development of the nation and to help outsiders fish in troubled waters.

Even before the north-south ties that had been in frozen made an official set-off, the conservative media and politicians resorted to all sorts of vituperation against the DPRK. This leads to increasing concern that the "Peace Olympics" so much touted by the south Korean authorities can turn into "Confrontation Olympics."

The whole nation has already turned its back on such reptile media as Chosun Ilbo and Choongang Ilbo which are only keen on smear campaign and slandering, being devoid of impartiality and objectivity as media and such conservative politicians as Hong Jun Phyo and Jang Je Won engrossed in criticizing their fellow countrymen.

If the trend toward the improvement of inter-Korean relations is checked and mistrust and contradiction build up again due to the thoughtless acts of the conservative remnants aimed to tarnish our noble compatriotic measures, those who played havoc with the great cause of the nation and slandered their fellow countrymen will be made to own full responsibility.

They are clearly reminded that the whole nation is closely following their future attitude. -0-