Secy. Kim Jong Il enjoys performance of choir

Pyongyang, March 11 (KCNA) -- Secretary Kim Jong Il enjoyed a performance given by the merited choir of the song and dance ensemble of the Korean People's Army (KPA) on sunday. The performance marked the 50th anniversary of the ensemble. After enjoying the performance filled with revolutionary zeal and militant spirit, Secretary Kim Jong Il expressed great satisfaction and congratulated the singers of the choir on their successful, inspiring performance that reflected the invincible spirit of the heroic KPA. Over the past 50 years, the KPA song and dance ensemble has conducted energetic and militant art activities in all periods and stages of revolution including the Fatherland Liberation War as the standard-bearers and trumpeters of the struggle and greatly encouraged the army and the people to build a new country, defeat the enemy, build socialism and implement the party's military line. He showed high appreciation for their noble exploits. He said the merited choir, which is revolutionary, militant and highly artistic, is a great pride of the army and the people of Korea. He advanced the tasks of the song and dance ensemble, urging it to continue to take the lead in arousing the army and the people to heroic feats. The audience included director of the KPA General Political Department Jo Myong Rok, Chief of the KPA general staff Kim Yong Chun and secretaries of the Workers' Party of Korea Central Committee Choe Thae Bok, Kim Kuh Thae, Kim Ki Nam and Kim Yong Sun.


Secy. Kim Jong Il's birthday celebrated abroad

Pyongyang, March 11 (KCNA) -- The 55th birthday of Secretary Kim Jong Il was celebrated by the world's progressive people as an auspicious holiday common to humankind. Preparatory committees for celebrating the day, Feb. 16, was organized in many countries. In the wake of the appearance of the preparatory committee for celebrating the 55th birthday of Secretary Kim Jong Il in Denmark on November 18 last year, such committees were inaugurated in 45 countries including Madagascar, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Russia, Finland, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Britain, Mexico and Colombia. The Secretariat of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks adopted a resolution "on holding celebrations of Secretary Kim Jong Il's 55th birthday", the British Association for Friendship with the Korean People issued information calling for taking an active part in celebrations of his birthday and the Christian Arab Democratic Party of Jordan and the Political Executive Committee of the Party for Peace and Unity in Russia released statements on the occasion. Cambodian King Norodom Sihanouk arranged a grand banquet and the national Executive Committee of the Mexican Workers' Party gave a reception in celebration of his birthday. "Day of Korea", a cultural evening and an art performance took place in Nepal, Mongolia and Egypt with attendance of senior party and government officials, a February 16 Prize Taekwon-do Tournament and a February 16 Prize Table-Tennis Tournament were held in Madagascar and Tanzania and joint meetings of political parties and organizations convened in Russia, Bulgaria, Zaire, Ghana and many other countries. Speakers at the meetings praised Secretary Kim Jong Il as the great sun of the era of independence and the great leader of the 21st century. Celebration gatherings and meetings, photo and book exhibitions, etc. took place in some sixty countries. The events totalled more than 600. Gifts and floral baskets were sent to Secretary Kim Jong Il by foreign state, government and Party leaders, high-ranking officials and organisations, the Guinean and Ugandan Presidents and former Portuguese President included. Foreign party leaders and senior officials called at missions of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, congratulating Secretary Kim Jong Il on his birthday. Santiago de Cali, Colombia, and Lima, Peru, awarded Secretary Kim Jong Il honorary citizenship, trieste, Italy, and the Permanent Standing Committee of the Soviet Congress of People's Deputies conferred a commemorative medal and Marshal Zhukov medal respectively on him. Ceremonies of placing portraits of President Kim Il Sung and Secretary Kim Jong Il were held in Mongolia, Peru and Zimbabwe. Meanwhile, some 100 press media of about 60 countries published special writeups or articles on 250 occasions.


"Society for Solidarity and Unity" formed in N. Korea

Pyongyang, March 11 (KCNA) -- A consultative meeting was held here by political parties, public organisations and personages from all walks of life including cultural and art circles in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The meeting called upon the political parties, public organisations and individual personages in the north, south and abroad to conduct an active solidarity movement for national independence and peace, transcending differences in ideology, system, ideal and religious belief, this year, which has been defined as a year of solidarity of the north, south and overseas Koreans for national independence and peace. The meeting decided to form a "Society for Solidarity and Unity" consisting of personages from different public circles, out of a desire to actively conduct contact, dialogue and solidarity movement between the north and the south. At the meeting chairman of the Korean Religionists' Council Jang Jae Chol was elected chairman of the society and vice-chairwoman of the State Education Commission Ryo Won Gu and first vice-president of the Academy of Social Sciences Kim Chol Sik vice-chairmen of the society and 18 people members of the society.


All-people movement for probe into Hanbo incident vowed in S. Korea

Pyongyang, March 11 (KCNA) -- A joint conference of 13 civic, social and religious organisations in South Korea, including the confederation of trade unions, the citizens solidarity for democratic society and the citizens federation for economic justice recently declared that an all-people movement would be launched for the introduction of a special prosecutor system to probe the truth behind the hanbo incident and for the enactment of an anti-corruption law, a South Korean newspaper reported. The conference said in a statement that the Hanbo incident is a downright betrayal of the people's ardent desire for democracy and social justice and that Kim Young Sam is seeking to conclude the incident in a hurry, avoiding a thorough investigation of it. It demanded the establishment of a special prosecutor system for thorough investigation and immediate enactment of an anti-corruption law. The conference declared that the organisations will demand a special law for the introduction of a special prosecutor system in march and wage a demonstration in front of the "national assembly hall" till the demand is met.


50th anniversary of publication of President Kim Il Sung.s work marked

Pyongyang, March 11 (KCNA) -- A national meeting was held in Pyongyang to mark the 50th anniversary of the publication of the famous work of the great leader President Kim Il Sung "For the Efficient Administration of the State Finances" (feb. 28, 1947). President Kim Il Sung in the work indicated concrete tasks and ways for the efficient administration of the state finances. He called for solving the financial problem independently without depending on aid or loans from other countries, enforcing strict financial discipline and staging a patriotic movement of saving. He urged all financial workers to become true servants of the people. The work is of historic importance as it opened the way of self-reliance in finance for the building of an independent state. It is also an important guide of eternal value and a precious asset that enriches the Juche-oriented financial theory. Present at the meeting were vice-President Ri Jong Ok, member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, other senior party and state officials and workers of central and local financial organs. Yun Ki Jong, Minister of Finance, said in her report that President Kim Il Sung advanced the outstanding idea on the independent finance for the first time in history. This is an immortal exploit conducive to the development of Juche socialist financial theory and the revolutionary cause of Korea, she said. She noted that all the financial workers should hold the President in high esteem for all ages as the great sun of Juche and exalt his immortal leadership exploits in the financial domain. The most important task in the financial domain at present is to carry out the important tasks put forward by Secretary Kim Jong Il in his famous work "On Improving Financial and Banking Work" and establish the revolutionary habit of implementing the financial policy of the Party on the principle of socialist financial administration, she stressed.


Kim Young Sam group's arrest of S. Korean student under fire

Pyongyang, March 11 (KCNA) -- The Pyongyang Municipal Student Committee denounced the Kim Young Sam fascist clique for arresting the chairperson of the general student council of Duksung Women's University of South Korea who is a fourth- year student of the sociology course of the university on February 23. She made public a letter sent by the Pyongyang Municipal Student Committee to the Seoul District Federation of University Student Councils through a wall-paper on the notice board of the campus from Jan. 30 to Feb. 9 in the name of the national reunification committee of the university. The committee in a statement on March 10 says the arrest shows that the traitor Kim Young Sam would continue to mercilessly crack down on the reunification movement of South Korean students which will be more vigorously conducted this year in which falls the fifth anniversary of the formation of the national alliance of youth and students for the country's reunification. The statement continues: Nothing can justify the challenge to the nationwide struggle of the fellow countrymen for an independent and peaceful reunification of the country. The challengers will be sternly judged by the nation. The students in the north and south will never tolerate any acts of injustice going against the trend of history but deal a heavy blow at them with concerted efforts for justice and patriotism. The Kim Young Sam must clearly see the trend of the time, immediately release the student and pay dearly for his crimes against the nation and the youth and student movement for national reunification.


Press review

Pyongyang, March 11 (KCNA) -- Papers here today frontpage a report that Secretary Kim Jong Il, Chairman of the National Defense Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army, enjoyed a performance given by the merited choir of the song and dance ensemble of the KPA on Mar. 9 on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the ensemble. Rodong Sinmun carries news that Secretary Kim Jong Il sent thanks to the Ministry for natural resources development and its affiliated units for their discovery of a new cave which would help towards the people's cultural life. Given in the paper is news about the letters and postcards of the Sobaeksu Society in South Jolla Province of South Korea which paid homage to Secretary Kim Jong Il on the occasion of his birthday. The paper also runs an article about foreign poets praising Secretary Kim Jong Il as the guardian of the cause of independence and the saviour of mankind. A national meeting was held to mark the 50th anniversary of the publication of the famous work of the great leader President Kim Il Sung "For the Efficient Administration of the State Finances", says the press. Rodong Sinmun runs articles telling about the fortune of the Korean people blessed with leaders. Carried in Minju Joson is reminiscences of Jon Mun Sop, an anti-Japanese revolutionary veteran, saying that President Kim Il Sung during the whole period of the anti- Japanese revolutionary struggle paid attention to always managing the units substantially. Appearing in the press are an account of a conference of DPRK political parties, organizations and personages from various walks of life, which decided to set up a "Council for Solidarity and Unity", and a statement published by the Pyongyang Municipal Student Committee in protest against the kim Young Sam group's arrest of a patriotic student in South Korea. Thirteen civic, public and religious organizations of South Korea launched an all-people campaign for probing the hanbo loan scandal, reports the press. In a commentary Rodong Sinmun brands as a second retrogressive revision the "unified labour bill" which was "perfectly agreed upon" by the ruling and opposition parties of South Korea. The paper also carries a commentary lashing out at the Japanese reactionaries' scheme for the "security emergency legislative arrangements" and an article entitled "revival of nazism must be allowed on no account".


Rodong Sinmun on Japan's dream of military reinvasion

Pyongyang, March 11 (KCNA) -- There are indications that Japan is going ahead with the "security emergency legislative arrangements" aimed at military reinvasion, says Rodong Sinmun in a commentary today. The daily says: Recently, Ichiro Ozawa, president of the main opposition new frontier party, called for the "emergency legislative arrangements" at diet and Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto, agreeing with him, stressed the need to study "emergency legislation". Earlier, chief cabinet secretary Seiroku Kajiyama, who is the government spokesman and also senior aide to the Prime Minister, made the same call allegedly to "cope with emergency in the Korean Peninsula". The facts show that the "emergency legislative arrangements" are an important part of the Japanese militarists' scheme for reinvasion. What the Japanese reactionaries seek is to have a legal and institutional mechanism for military aggression with a fiction of "emergency", contain the factors unfavorable to their policy of aggression and launch a full-dress reinvasion with the mobilization of huge human, material and military potentials. The "legislative arrangements" by the Japanese reactionary ruling circles is, in the final analysis, aimed at the reinvasion of Korea. It is as good as suicide bringing Japan, which boasts of being an economic power, to ruin. The Japanese reactionaries had better take a cool view of the situation and ponder over their scheme.


Replica of fascist labour law

Pyongyang, March 11 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun in a commentary today brands a "single proposal of labour law" which reached a "full agreement" between the South Korean ruling and opposition parties as a "second retrogressive revision" which is little different from the "labour law" railroaded by the puppets late last year. The daily says: the Kim Young Sam group worked out a fascist labour law again through political bargaining with opposition parties. This is an unpardonable challenge and an intolerable crime against the South Korean workers and other people demanding a reamendment of the "labour law" to meet the requirement of the workers for democracy and suit the international standard on the basis of the complete nullification of the retrogressively revised "labour law". The "reamendment of the labour law" advertized by the Kim Young Sam group is nothing but a political bargaining to play for time, calm down the spirit of the people fighting for the repeal of the evil law, probe into the truth behind the Hanbo scandal and punishment of those responsible for it, bridge over the prevailing political and economic confusion and uneasiness and enforce the original murderous fascist law. The socalled "negotiation for rewriting labour law" fully revealed that the South Korean opposition parties are a group of philistines who are trying to enhance their "political image" while betraying the rights and interests of the workers and making a compromise with the dictators so that they can catch fish in troubled water in the forthcoming "Presidential election". The South Korean workers and other people, aware that struggle is the only way out, will continue to undauntedly struggle until their just demand is met, not harbouring any illusion about and expectation from the puppet clique and the political quacks.


"Paco" piano enjoying popularity

Pyongyang, March 11 (KCNA) -- Pianos of various types are now being produced at the Pyongyang Piano Joint-Venture Company. Especially, the Paco upright 108, 120 and 130 types are very popular. The sounding board is made of old spruce that grows in the highlands of Korea. That is why it is famous for good echo, no deformity and loud and beautiful sound. The Paco pianos are exported to some 20 countries such as Japan, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and southeast Asian countries. They are in increasing demand. The company also produces medium-sized grand pianos of high quality as well as ordered ones. Founded in 1989, the company has an annual production capacity of 5,000. Secretary Kim Jong Il sent thanks to the company three times for modernizing its production processes, increasing its capacity and producing many pianos through the development and introduction of new technologies.


Revival of Nazism is intolerable

Pyongyang, March 11 (KCNA) -- The revival of Neo-Nazism is a grave challenge to the desire of humankind for independence, peace and democracy and it can never be tolerated. Rodong Sinmun says this in a signed article today. The daily notes: Though some fifty years has passed since the ruin of the advocates of Nazism, it comes to life again in some countries. This is an inevitable product of the reactionary and unpopular capitalist society. Ghosts of Nazism and militarism swagger about in Japan particularly. To the consternation of people, voices calling for following hitler's example are ringing out from within the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan. Former and incombent ministers officially and unscrupulously deny or defend the crimes committed by fascist Japan in the past, and ultra right-wing organisations and individuals beautify the past wrongdoings. And the attempt to make the visit to Yasukuni Shrine an official and regular business is connived at. It is as clear as noonday that these are moves to repeat the past crimes. The revival of Neo-Nazism going against the aspiration of the people to build a peaceful and free, new world must never be tolerated.


Korean vegetation atlas produced

Pyongyang, March 11 (KCNA) -- Scientists of the Botanical Institute of the Biology Branch of the National Academy of Sciences of DPRK recently produced a Korean (provincial) vegetation atlas, which is of great economic significance. The reduced scale is one to 250,000. The vegetation of the area around mt. Paektu (2,750 metres high), called a sacred mountain of the Korean revolution, is given as a separate section. Every materials of atlases reflect of scientific accuracy and practicability. The mt. Paektu area vegetation, for instance, is divided into wild and artificial plants, and the wild plant cover state is again divided into grass fields (in highlands and bogs), tall and small trees, etc. marked in different colors. Separately marked on each of the maps are also soil state, the distribution of plants (number of species), annual mean temperature and precipitation, topographical height and nature reserves. Besides, contour lines are shown in the maps so that a user can easily measure the distance of any needed route. This atlas makes it possible to bring about a new turn in land administration and conservation of nature, various biological survey and preventive medicine.



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