Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

KCNA Dismisses U.S. False Propaganda against DPRK

Korean Central News Agency of DPRK via Korea News Service (KNS)

    Pyongyang, March 13 (KCNA) -- The United States, a past master at lies and deception, is now suffering bitter shame before the international community for a series of conspiratorial plots hatched by it recently. This is proved by the recently announced results of the final investigation into the case of the ship "Pongsu", a trading cargo ship of the DPRK.
    As already known, the U.S. hard-line conservatives who launched an invasion of Iraq under the pretext of "eliminating weapons of mass destruction (WMD)" in March 2003 kicked off an anti-DPRK smear campaign over the "issue of drug trafficking" in April of the same year. As part of the campaign they instigated some dishonest forces of Australia to commit such a piratical act as impounding the ship "Pongsu" and its crew engaged in normal trade on the groundless charge that they were directly involved in the "drug trafficking".
    Even before an investigation into the case began, the U.S. instigated reptile media to build public opinion critical of the DPRK, charging that the north Korean authorities were involved in the case, pursuant to its policy.
    Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of State in an annual "international narcotics control and strategy report" described the case of the ship "Pongsu" as a "state-sponsored drug trafficking case" which drew world attention.
    It published such a "report" on March 1, too, in a bid to restart the campaign of criticism and pressure against the DPRK, asserting that there was possible state involvement in the drug trafficking and a trial of the master and other senior crewmen would be held soon.
    But on March 5, a few days later, the High Court of Australia declared the crewmen of the ship not guilty and set all of them free. This brought to light the deceptive nature of the U.S. and the true picture of its burlesque against the DPRK. As the results of the case of the ship "Pongsu" showed, truth is bound to be discerned from a lie.
    No sooner had this case occurred than the DPRK strongly protested against the fabrication of the case, stating that it is not a simple drug matter but a political plot hatched by the U.S. and its allies in a premeditated and deliberate manner to do harm to the DPRK and stifle it over its nuclear issue.
    The U.S., however, has escalated its smear campaign to label the DPRK a "criminal state". This is evidenced by the U.S. loudmouthed story about the DPRK's "issue of counterfeit notes", "fake cigarette smuggling" and the like.
    No matter how desperately the U.S. may try to label the DPRK an "illegal state" under this or that charge, it can never deceive the world.
    The socialist system in the DPRK which aspires after justice and truth and holds man dearest strictly bans misuse of narcotics and their trafficking and such things as "the issue of counterfeit notes", prompted by its intrinsic nature.
    The fiction of "the development of weapons of mass destruction" in Iraq and the case of the ship "Pongsu" convinced the international community that all the "criminal cases" much touted by the U.S. were nothing but charades aimed to hoodwink the world. Misuse of narcotics and their trafficking, the issue of counterfeit notes and other crimes are chronic evils that have long plagued the American society. The DPRK remains unfazed at the U.S. base smear campaign as the DPRK's line and policies are very just and it is upright in everything.
    The DPRK is sure to triumph just as truth is bound to prevail over a lie. The above-said case inflicted not small damage upon the DPRK's ship and its crewmen. The U.S. should make a formal apology and compensation for its piratical act and political swindle. And it should stop at once all its farces intended to mislead the international community.
    This is the only right way of getting rid of the deplorable situation where it is censured by the international community.