April 15 commemorated in diferent countries
Pyongyang, April 4 (KCNA) -- Commemorating events were held in different countries on the occasion of the 85th birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung.
The fellowship society for remembering President Kim Il Sung in Togo held a symposium on his revolutionary exploits and a lecture was held in Benin and a Korean film show and a photo exhibition in Mexico on Mar. 21-25.
Ali Houdou, Secretary General of the Construction Workers' Party of Benin, in the lecture said that President Kim Il Sung performed immortal revolutionary exploits and that his party, which has the leader of the Korean people Secretary Kim Jong Il as its honorary chairman, will always be faithful to the Pyongyang declaration for the final victory of socialism.
Rafael Aguilar Talamantes, National Chairman of the Cardenas Party of Mexico, noted that President Kim Il Sung is a great man who made great exploits for the Korean and the world revolution.
Foreign state leaders support Korean people's cause
Pyongyang, April 4 (KCNA) -- Tanzanian and Ugandan state leaders expressed support for the Korean people's cause when They met the government delegation of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea headed by Kim Yong Nam, Vice-Premier and Foreign Minister.
Benjamin William Mkapa, President of the United Republic of Tanzania, said that President Kim Il Sung scientifically clarified the theory on building of socialism and translated it into practice.
Today Korea unshakably advances because it has built socialism through self-reliance under the wise leadership of President Kim Il Sung, he noted, adding:
"We invariably support the DPRK's proposals for reunification and believe that the Korean people will reunify the country by themselves without any interference of outside forces."
Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni expressed respect for Secretary Kim Jong Il, who rendered valuable cooperation to Uganda in politics, economy and other domains.
He stressed that Uganda will do everything possible in support of the Korean people's cause in the international arena.
Preparatory comm. for commemorating Pres. Kim Il Sung's birthday formed in Nepal
Pyongyang, April 4 (KCNA) -- A national preparatory committee was formed in Nepal to commemorate the 85th birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung.
Man Mohan Adhikari, former Prime Minister and President of the Nepal Communist Party (United Marxism-Leninism) Central Committee, was elected the chairman of the preparatory committee at the inaugural meeting held on Mar. 28.
A declaration adopted at the meeting noted that the birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung is an auspicious and happy day for all the progressives as well as the Korean people and that it was decided to organize colorful events for commemorating the day.
A letter to Secretary Kim Jong Il was adopted at the meeting.
DPRK Ambassador to Romania appointed
Pyongyang, April 4 (KCNA) -- Yun Su Ryong was appointed as the Korean Ambassador E. P. to Romania, according to a decree of the Central People's Committee of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
U.S. opposes s. Korean, Japanese purchase of Russian weapons
Pyongyang, April 4 (KCNA) -- The United States has expressed profound displeasure with the south Korean puppets and Japan planning to purchase Russian-made weapons, according to media reports.
On March 15, the U.S. Defense Department voiced objection to the puppets' purchase of Russian-made anti-aircraft missiles, fighters and other weapons and expressed willingness to deter it.
The south Korean Radio No. 1 said that Assistant Secretary of Defense Campbell, at a press conference on the same day, recalled that U.S. troops are present in south Korea and urged the puppets to refrain from purchasing Russian-made weapons.
On March 25, the U.S. magazine defense news said the United States is disgruntled for south Korea, Japan and other "friends" in far east planning to introduce SU-27 and other Russian-made fighters and weapons.
A recent edition of the magazine said south Korea is going to introduce SU-27s to use them as "imaginary enemy aircraft" and its next-generation-fighter program worth d7 billion will include SU-35s and SU-37s.
The facts show how desperately the south Korean puppets and Japan are trying to get Russian-made weapons in defiance of U.S. objection.
37th anniversary of Senegalese Independence marked
Pyongyang, April 4 (KCNA) -- A meeting was held here on Thursday under the sponsorship of the Korea-Senegal Friendship Association on the occasion of the 37th anniversary of the Senegalese Independence.
Present at the meeting were Ri Song Ho, Vice-Chairman of the Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries and Vice-Chairman of the Friendship Association, officials concerned and citizens.
A congratulatory message to the Senegalese President was adopted after a speech made at the meeting.
Kim Young Sam group lambasted for evading responsibility for Hanbo incident
Pyongyang, April 4 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today slams the Kim Young Sam group of south Korea for continuing to try to dodge the criminal responsibility for the Hanbo incident.
Several days ago, Ri Hoe Chang, "Chairman of the New Korea Party", Kim Young Sam's private party, had a telephone interview with a radio over the incident and Kim Hyon Chol's involvement in it. He said that now that a reinvestigation has been launched by "prosecution", public distrust and suspicion will be resolved.
In a commentary the daily says his remarks are a shameless rigmarole deceiving and insulting the south Korean people strongly urging a thorough investigation into the incident and punishment of the chief culprits.
It notes:
The puppet prosecution, bowing to public pressure, has begun another round of investigation into the Hanbo loan scandal, but only to hush up irregularities of Kim Young Sam and his son, Kim Hyon Chol.
The "special parliamentary committee for inspection of administration", which was allegedly formed to settle the Hanbo incident, is nothing but a marionette manipulated by the Kims.
Now the Kim Young Sam group are crying for "probing the truth" and "punishing those responsible for the incident", while lobbying opposition parties' help in attaining their purpose. They have decided with clandestines of opposition parties to radically decrease the number of witnesses and references to be summoned to a "parliamentary interpellation session over the Hanbo incident". They also plan to finish in a single day Kim Hyon Chol's presence at the session. In a word, they want to gloss over the loan scandal by lobbying opposition parties' help, whiling away the time and diverting public attention elsewhere, as they did in the recent reamendment to the "labour law".
Japan cannot shake off "enemy state" brand
Pyongyang, April 4 (KCNA) -- Deletion of "enemy state"-related article in the U.N. Charter is being put on the order of the day again at the United Nations.
In this connection, Rodong Sinmun today comes out with a signed commentary entitled "Japan cannot shake off 'enemy state' brand". The analyst of the paper says:
In the U.N. Charter, Japan is branded as an "enemy state". This is a due punishment for the aggressive and unethical acts committed by Japan in the past.
This article will not be outmoded as long as Japan refuses to atone for its past crimes and give assurances that it will not follow in the footsteps of aggression again.
Japan has implemented none of its obligations as an "enemy state". Even today, 50 years after the Japanese imperialists were defeated in the war, the Japanese authorities are justifying and beautifying their past crimes, refusing to break with their militaristic past.
If Japan is stripped of the "enemy state" brand, it will mean encouraging the wild design of the Japanese militarist forces for overseas expansion and giving tacit approval to their moves to become a military power. This will result in creating a source of threats to peace and security of humankind.
We are opposed to relieving Japan of the "enemy state" brand not merely because we have anti-Japanese feelings and resentment but because we feel our responsibility for international justice, the peace and security of the world and aspirations of humankind.
Of course, we consider it reasonable and necessary to free from the "enemy state" brand those countries which have liquidated their past and won confidence from other nations even if they had committed crimes in the past.
Proceeding from this stand, we hold that the "enemy state"-related article must not be crossed out in the U.N. Charter but the charter must be amended so that such a country as Japan, which refuses to liquidate its past, can never clear itself of the "enemy state" brand.
Neither money nor the level of economic development nor financial contributions to the international body can affect this matter.
Japan cannot wipe off the "enemy state" brand as long as it refuses to liquidate its past.
Press review
Pyongyang, April 4 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun and Minju Joson today edit news of ceremonies held in different countries on the occasion of April15, with "President Kim Il Sung is the Greatest Man" and "President Kim Il Sung's birthday is a holiday for the progressive humankind of the world" as frontpage headlines.
Papers convey news that symposiums on the Juche idea were held in various circles of society and the Mangyongdae Prize Sports Contest has begun to mark the 85th birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung.
Minju Joson carries the last part of the book "Kim Jong Il, leader of 21st century" written by the editor-in-chief and his deputy of the Russian paper Patriot.
Papers introduce sowing on co-op farms and innovation in the production of consumer goods.
Rodong Sinmun stresses in a political essay that our bastion of safeguarding the top echelon of our revolution is impregnable.
Minju Joson informs the readers that recently 17 more kinds of plants were discovered in Korea.
Papers deal with south Korean public demand for the immediate resignation of Kim Young Sam.
Rodong Sinmun in a commentary denounces the Kim Young Sam group for resorting to tricks to get rid of responsibility for the Hanbo incident.
The paper comments on the proposed deletion of "enemy state"-related article in the U.N. Charter.
Minju Joson dedicates an article to the 37th anniversary of the Independence of Senegal.
Rodong Sinmun runs an article titled "struggle of non-aligned and developing countries for independence".
Banquet for 50th anniversary of Syrian Party
Pyongyang, April 4 (KCNA) -- The International Affairs Department of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea gave a banquet on Thursday on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Arab Socialist Baath Party.
Invited to the banquet were Anwar Al-Fadel, charge d'affaires ad interim of the Syrian Embassy here, and Embassy officials.
Kim Yang Gon, Department Director of the WPK Central Committee, Ri Song Ho, Vice-Chairman of the Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries, and other officials concerned were present.
Speeches were made at the banquet.
Pyongyang in festive attire
Pyongyang, April 4 (KCNA) -- Foreign and overseas Korean artistes are arriving here one after another to participate in the April Spring Friendship Art Festival.
Festival flags and posters are seen on streets and festival places in the city of Pyongyang.
The art festival is held here every April and this year's is the 15th of its kind.
According to Kim Yong Sin, Vice-Minister of Culture and Art who is Vice-Chairman of the Festival Organizing Committee, the festival for this year is to be held with a large attendance from April 7 to 18 to commemorate the 85th birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung.
Taking part in the festival will be 60 odd art troupes from over 40 countries in the five continents, and more than 3,000 artistes including Koreans, he told reporters.
The festival organizing committee has prepared the festival in a peculiar style. "Baton", "'magnolia' band" and "merit prize" were instituted this time.
"Baton" and "'magnolia' band" are granted to the person who will conduct the revolutionary hymn "Song of General Kim Il Sung" in the festival opening performance.
Engraved on the baton's hold are letters reading "the 15th April Spring Friendship Art Festival".
Inscribed in the shoulder band are words "April Spring Friendship Art festival" and magnolia blossoms. And written in Korean on its reverse are names and nationalities of those who conducted the "Song of General Kim Il Sung" ever in the festival.
"Merit prize" (cup and diploma) will be awarded to artistes who contribute to the festival performance through repeated participation.
The festival organizing committee has equipped theatres and halls due for festival performance with all necessary facilities such as sound and lighting fixtures.
Festival participants are now inspecting festival places and other parts of the city.
Greetings to 1st Congress of Party for Unity and Progress of Guinea
Pyongyang, April 4 (KCNA) -- The Workers' Party of Korea Central Committee today sent a message of greetings to the First Congress of the Party for Unity and Progress of Guinea.
The message said that the Congress will mark an epochal occasion in the Guinean people's efforts to strengthen the Party and make the country prosperous. It wished the Congress great success.
It expressed the conviction that the friendly and cooperative relations between the Workers' Party of Korea and the Party for Unity and Progress of Guinea established on the road of independence against imperialism will continue to strengthen and develop in the future.
S. Korea's foreign debt to reach dlrs 144,4 billion
Pyongyang, April 4 (KCNA) -- South Korea's foreign debt is expected to reach 144.4 billion dollars this year, according to a radio report from Seoul.
The finance research institute of south Korea informed that the foreign debt reached a very dangerous stage owing to the devaluation of south Korean money, diminution of foreign exchange holdings and so on.
The Hyundai Economy and Society Institute warned that if the foreign debt of south Korea reaches 144.4 billion dollars, the economy will fall in a catastrophic crisis.
"True records of the Ri Dynasty", largest government diary
Pyongyang, April 4 (KCNA) -- There are many precious cultural relics showing the resourcefulness and talents of the nation in Korea with a long history of 5,000 years.
"True Records of the Ri Dynasty" recording in a diary form the 500-year historical facts of the Ri Dynasty from July 1392 to august 1910 is the largest feudal government
Diary in the world.
The records in 1,763 volumes reflects internal and external policies concerning political, economic, cultural and military affairs of the Ri Dynasty, music, dances, fine arts, crafts, astronomy, meteorology, earthquakes, seismic waves and other natural phenomena in detail. The book is a very valuable material in studying the policies of the feudal government and historical, astronomical and meteorological data during the Ri Dynasty.
The historical treasure like this book recording 500-year happenings in a country is not found in any country.
" True Records of the Ri Dynasty", a treasure of the nation, was translated and published in 400 volumes in the era of the Workers' Party of Korea.
Impregnable fortress
Pyongyang, April 4 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today comes out with a political essay saying that the impregnable fortress for the top echelon of the Korean revolution is a symbol of the eternal victory of Juche Korea.
Our bastion of safeguarding the top echelon of the revolution is impregnable, the author of the essay says, and continues:
The spirit of safeguarding the top echelon is the life and soul of the revolutionaries and people of Korea and an unshakable spirit of the whole party, the army and the people.
This is an absolute spirit of unconditionally implementing without any deviation the ideas and leadership, operations and plans, orders and instructions of the respected General Kim Jong Il, who is carrying forward the cause of Juche generation after generation. It is also a spirit of unhesitatingly sacrificing themselves like bullets and bombs for the sake of the General.
The whole party, army and people are defending the top echelon of the revolution in singlehearted unity. This unity is based on the absolute spirit of following him, entrusting their future and destinies solely to him.
The spirit of safeguarding this top echelon is the highest expression of trust and confidence in the general.
Fascinated by his stamina, we resolutely safeguard the General of Mt. Paektu, who has firmly defended the dignity and honor of the nation and the human cause of independence with clairvoyant strategies and extraordinary grit and superb leadership even under worldwide changes and in any adversities, breaking any vicious manoeuvres of the imperialists.
As the top echelon of the revolution is impregnable, we can turn any adversity into a favourable condition, misfortunes into fortunes and impossibility into possibility and conquer any bastion.
If the enemies dare to pounce upon Korea, all the Koreans will destroy them at one strike as human bombs to safeguard the top echelon of the revolution.
Struggle for independence
Pyongyang, April 4 (KCNA) -- The Non-Alinged Movement (NAM), over the 30 odd years since it emerged in history, has energetically striven to attain its noble idea and goal, powerfully demonstrating its might, says Rodong Sinmun in a by-lined article today.
Noting the non-aligned and developing countries have stood firm against the arbitrariness of the imperialists with united efforts, the author of the article says:
In recent years alone, those countries strongly reacted to the imperialists' dominationist moves by taking joint action at various international meetings including the 51st Session of the U.N. General Assembly and the World Food Summit.
This shows that when united, they win.
Opposed to all manner of subjugation and inequality, the Non-aligned and developing countries are conducting a vigorous struggle to democratize the world community.
Democratization of the United Nations is one of their most important goals to establish an international order on a free and equal basis.
To get rid of the old international economic order marked by domination and subjugation, and establish a new one is the invariable target of struggle of those countries.
Considering South-South Cooperation to be one of major ways to establish a new international economic order, they are making positive efforts to that end.
They are endeavouring to raise the capacity of negotiations with the west and put their economic demands into practice.
Their struggle to oppose all manner of domination and subjugation and build an independent new world will bear a good result.
Building of hydro-power sations in Korea
Pyongyang, April 4 (KCNA) -- The building of minor hydro-power stations is being accelerated along with large hydro-power stations in Korea.
Last year the Anbyon Youth Power Station, one of miracles in the 1990s, the Wolbisan Power Station and small and Medium-sized power stations were built in south Phyongan Province, Ryanggang Province and other provinces and counties.
Secretary Kim Jong Il has wisely led the extensive building of large and minor hydro-power stations conforming to the natural conditions of the country abundant in hydro-power resources.
He gave on-the-spot guidance to the construction of the Anbyon Youth Power Station and other large hydro-power stations last year to realise as early as possible the far-sighted plan of President Kim Il Sung for developing power industry.
Visiting the Wolbisan Power Station built in a short span of time, Secretary Kim Jong Il said that large-sized as well as small and medium-sized hydro-power stations should be constructed in different parts of the country rich in hydro-power resources.
During his on-site guidance to Jagang Province in the 1960s, he created a model of minor power stations and popularized the experience of its construction all over the country.
The building of minor power stations has since been invigorated in all parts of the country.
More than 200 minor power stations were built in this decade.
Many large and minor power stations have been erected since then.
More power stations are expected to be built along rivers in the future.
Anniversary of 10-point programme marked
Pyongyang, April 4 (KCNA) -- A Pyongyang meeting was held at the People's Palace of Culture today to mark the fourth anniversary of the publication of President Kim Il Sung's famous work "10-point programme of the great unity of the whole nation for the reunification of the country".
Present at the meeting was Pak Song Chol, politburo member of the Workers' Party of Korea Central Committee and Vice-President of the DPRK.
Contained in the work published on April 6, 1993, are the ideological basis of great national unity as well as the general goal of founding a pan-national unified state, independent, peaceful and neutral, through the great unity of the whole nation. It also comprehensively expounds the principle of promoting co-existence, co-prosperity and common interests and subordinating everything to the cause of national reunification, and practical ways for the unity.
Yang Hyong Sop, alternate politburo member of the WPK Central Committee and Chairman of the Supreme People's Assembly, made a report.
The reporter said the 10-point programme is the reunification programme common to the nation, the banner of patriotism, which makes it possible to save the Korean nation from the misfortune of division and from calamities of war and which enables not only the people desirous of national reunification but also those who are afraid of or indifferent to reunification to turn out on the road to national unity and reunification. It is also an inspiring banner of struggle and solidarity that has given a telling blow to the separatists at home and abroad and aroused a greater worldwide support to the Korean people's cause of reunification, he added.
He said Secretary Kim Jong Il defined the 10-point programme as one of the three mainstays for national reunification, which the Korean nation should adhere to invariably in any case along with the three principles of national reunification--independence, peace and great national unity-- and the proposal for founding a Democratic Confederal Republic of Koryo. And he has wisely led all the fellow countrymen to open a turning phase for national reunification, firmly rallied under the banner of this programme, the reporter recalled.
The Korean nation's sovereignty and reunification cannot be realized unless the south Korean rulers' sycophantic and treacherous moves are checked, he stressed, and mentioned the tasks of achieving the independent and peaceful reunification of the country by the nation itself.
He said:
"All Koreans in the north, south and abroad should decisively check and frustrate the south Korean rulers' arms buildup and provocative moves for another war which pose a grave threat to the destiny of the nation and should turn out as one in the nationwide struggle for peace and peaceful reunification of the country."
In conclusion the reporter called upon parties, organizations and personages in the south and abroad to strive to hold a joint conference of representatives of parties and organizations from the north, the south and abroad to discuss the issue of reunification.
DPRK org. on anti-DPRK campaign in Japan
Pyongyang, April 4 (KCNA) -- The DPRK Measure Committee for Japan's Compensation to Former "Comfort Women" and Victims of the Pacific War issued a statement today, accusing some dishonest forces of Japan of launching a smear campaign against the DPRK over a groundless suspicion.
The statement says:
Much ado is being made in Japan over the "suspicion of kidnapping a Japanese girl."
We do not feel much like paying heed to any "case of suspicion" in Japan where a great many incidents and rackets take place every day.
However, the current anti-DPRK campaign comes when the international political climate in policies toward the DPRK has begun to tend toward relaxation and the atmosphere of international assistance to flood victims in the DPRK is gaining in scope. That is why we deem it necessary to reiterate our position toward the campaign.
The campaign is an anti-DPRK drama devised by the puppet agency for National Security Planning in south Korea to impair the international image of the DPRK.
The south Korean puppets needed something to impede international assistance to the DPRK, as their "policy toward north Korea" has ended in failure and they have been denied dialogue with the north.
So, the agency wrote a third-rate script, invented a false "witness" and is staging the drama in Japan.
Strangely enough, some dishonest forces and paid media of Japan have joined in the campaign.
They have cried for a "probe of the incident", fueling the political swindle over the fiction.
Then, what are the backgrounds of the third-rate drama?
It was a plot hatched by some dishonest people of Japan for the purpose of hampering a fair solution to many problems between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Japan.
It is also part of their efforts to hush up the comfort women issue and other immeasurable crimes Japan committed against the Korean people in the past.
Japan occupied Korea by force of arms and put it under the cruel colonial rule for 40 odd years. During the decades, it reduced hundreds of thousands of Korean women to sex slaves serving the Japanese army, killed many guiltless people in cold blood and freely helped itself to natural resources of our country. Though the 20th century is coming to an end, Japan has still neither apologized nor compensated for the crimes.
The dishonest people, however, are now raising a row over the "incident" as requested by the south Korean puppets, while ignoring the settlement of the past, which should be done in view of international law and human morality. Such an act only reveals their immorality and political illiteracy.
It is our people's strong determination to make Japan settle the past full of crimes.
If the dishonest people continue playing such stupid dramas in defiance of our warning, their crimes will become all the more grave.
We will never remain an onlooker to the anti-DPRK campaign in Japan but will keep tabs on it.