Anniversary of Setting Fire to 'American Cultural Service' Marked

Pyongyang, March 18 (KCNA) -- South Korean youths, students and other people set fire to the "American Cultural Service" in Pusan on March 18, 1982, and waged a brave anti-U.S. struggle, scattering leaflets "U.S. go out!" and "No American neocolonialism!"

Newspapers on Sunday dedicate bylined articles to the anniversary.

They say that setting fire to the Pusan "American Cultural Service" recorded a shining page in the history of anti-U.S. struggle for independence as it was demonstration of the will to win back the sovereignty of the nation and achieve the reunification of the country.

Rodong Sinmun says:

Three decades have passed since then, but the desire of the south Korean people for sovereignty has not yet come true.

The south Korean puppet ruling quarters are guides for the U.S. permanent presence and domination over south Korea. The successive ruling quarters of south Korea have worked hard to stay in power and escalate confrontation with the compatriots in the north while selling out the dignity and interests of the nation, clinging to the coattail of the U.S., bereft of national self-esteem.

The revival of fascist dictatorial system and deterioration of the economy and people's living which arouse deep concern in south Korea are entirely due to the pro-U.S. sycophantic and traitorous policy of the conservative group. It is the Lee Myung Bak regime that asked the U.S. to postpone the "transfer of the right to wartime operational command" and not abandon the regime, persistently opposed to the reduction of the U.S. forces in south Korea in a bid to turn south Korea into a permanent colony of the U.S.

The Lee group is getting frantic with the confrontation with the fellow countrymen in the north, slandering the idea of "By our nation itself", the idea guiding the era of independent reunification, in violation of the June 15 joint declaration and the October 4 declaration. This is a reckless act of toeing the U.S. policy of aggression toward the DPRK.

Minju Joson calls upon the south Korean people to turn out in actions in the same spirit as what they displayed when setting fire to the cursed "American Cultural Service" in Pusan 30 years ago and drive the U.S. imperialists out of south Korea as early as possible and severely punish the Lee group of traitors. -0-