National photo exhibition on 3rd anniversary of President Kim Il Sung's death

Pyongyang, July 2 (KCNA) -- A national photo exhibition opened at the People's Palace of Culture on July 1 on the threshold of the 3rd anniversary of the death of President Kim Il Sung. On display at the exhibition hall are more than 180 photos dealing with the glorious and brilliant revolutionary history of the President and his undying exploits and with the heroic struggle of the Korean people and People's Army soldiers to implement his last teachings closely united around Secretary Kim Jong Il. The opening ceremony was attended by Kim Ki Nam, Secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea.

Symposium marks 3rd anniversary of President Kim Il Sung's death

Pyongyang, July 2 (KCNA) -- The Ministry of the People's Armed Forces organised a symposium at the April 25 House of Culture on July 1 on the occasion of the 3rd anniversary of President Kim Il Sung. Speeches were made by Vice Marshal of the Korean People's Army Jo Myong Rok, Director of the General Political Department of the KPA= KPA Vice Marshal Kim Yong Chun, Chief of the General staff of the KPA= KPA Vice Marshal Kim Il Chol, First Vice-Minister of the People's Armed Forces= and KPA General Pak Jae Gyong. The speakers said that it is a noble moral obligation of the KPA soldiers and the Korean people to hold the President in high esteem. They recalled that the President performed distinguished exploits for the country and people, the times and humankind. They said: "In his lifetime, the President visited people's Army units on 2,188 occasions, during which he indicated how to make combat preparations and increase the fighting efficiency and warmly looked after the military activities of soldiers." ”The President enjoys immortality thanks to the noble loyalty and dutifulness of the respected supreme commander comrade Kim Jong Il.” The speakers said that they would put their heart and soul into the work to defend and glorify the revolutionary idea and exploits of the President with the unshakable faith that he is always with them. They declared that they would uphold Secretary Kim Jong Il with loyalty and filial piety and resolutely safeguard him with their lives and more relentlessly fight for the accomplishment of national reunification and the revolutionary cause of Juche, more closely united around the Workers' Party of Korea.

Press review

Pyongyang, July 2 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun and Minju Joson today give frontpage prominence to events held in different countries to mark the third anniversary of President Kim Il Sung's death under the banner titles ”Exploits of President Kim Il Sung will be immortal” and ”The great comrade Kim Il Sung is the eternal leader of humankind.” Under the fixed title ”The great leader comrade Kim Il Sung will always be with us” Rodong Sinmun and Minju Joson respectively devote one whole page to photos of the President meeting farmers and photos showing his Party activities. Rodong Sinmun carries a lengthy article entitled ”Sacred three years” on the third death anniversary of President. Papers report that a symposium was held by the Ministry of the People's Armed Forces and a ten-day film show and a national photo exhibition were opened to mark the death anniversary of the President. Carried in Rodong Sinmun is an article under the title ”Preserving the Juche character and national character is the struggle against imperialism and dominationism.” The daily informs the readers of an interview held by the Chief of the Pyongyang mission of the National Democratic Front of South Korea with KCNA to mark the 25th anniversary of the publication of the July 4 North-South Joint Statement. Papers give an account of a photo exhibition and a film show held here by the Chinese Ambassador to the DPRK to celebrate the reversion of Hong Kong to the People's Republic of China.

Ten-day film show marks 3rd anniversary of President Kim Il Sung's death

Pyongyang, July 2 (KCNA)-- A ten-day film show opened with due ceremony on the occasion of the 3rd anniversary of the death of President Kim Il Sung. Films which will be shown in this period include documentary films "Great Life in 1994" and "They Always Worked Together for the People", feature films "The Star of Korea" and "The Sun of the Nation" and other films on the glorious and brilliant revolutionary history of the President and his undying exploits and noble traits. Vice-Premier and Minister of Culture and Art Jang Chol attended the national ceremony for opening the show held at the People's Palace of Culture on July 1. Opening ceremonies for the ten-day film show were also held at provincial capitals. The show will last till July 10.

President of international fund entertained

Pyongyang, July 2 (KCNA) -- The Government of the DPRK gave a Party at the Mansudae Assembly Hall on July 1 for President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development Fawzi H. Al-Sultan and his entourage. Present there were Vice-Premier Kong Jin Thae, Vice-Foreign Minister Choe Su Hon, Vice-Chairperson of the State Agricultural Commission Kim Yong Suk and officials concerned. Invited was Christian Lemaire, resident representative of the United Nations Development Programme to Korea. Speeches were made there.

Reversion of Hong Kong to China marked

Pyongyang, July 2 (KCNA) -- Chinese Ambassador to Korea Wan Yongxiang hosted a photo exhibition and film show in Pyongyang on July 1 in connection with Hong Kong's reversion to China. Present there on invitation were Vice-President Ri Jong Ok, Vice-Premier and Foreign Minister Kim Yong Nam and other officials concerned. Speeches were made prior to the photo exhibition. Wan Yongxiang spoke first. He said that the return of Hong Kong to its motherland is an auspicious event in the history of China. This marks a great stride forward in the Chinese people's course of completely achieving the reunification of their country, he stressed, and continued: "The Korean people are making a dynamic struggle to triumphantly conclude the 'Arduous March' in singlehearted unity." He expressed the firm belief that the Korean people will certainly achieve the final victory by surmounting the temporary difficulties under the guidance of Secretary Kim Jong Il. It is an invariable policy of the Chinese Party and Government to consolidate and develop the traditional relations of friendship and cooperation between the two countries, the speaker said. He declared that they would make every possible effort to cement these relations together with the Korean Party and Government. Foreign Minister Kim Yong Nam spoke next. He said that from the first days of the PRC foundation, the Chinese Party and Government put forward realistic proposals to achieve the reunification of the country and made strenuous efforts to put them into practice. In particular, in September 1982, it solemnly declared that it would retake Hong Kong in the form of "one country, two systems", the speaker added. He further said: "The fact that 150-odd-year domination of Hong Kong by outside forces has been terminated and its sovereignty has come into the possession of the Chinese people shows that policies of the Chinese Party and Government to reunify the country in the form of 'one country, two systems' are just ones conforming to the realities of China." He hoped that the Chinese people will make a greater stride forward in their future struggle to build a modernised socialist power and consolidate the successful reversion of Hong Kong under the leadership of the Communist Party of China headed by respected comrade Jiang Zemin. He expressed the conviction that the friendly and cooperative relations between the DPRK and china will continue to consolidate and develop in the future, too. The participants saw photos showing the history of Hong Kong before appreciating the Chinese documentary film "Hong Kong of China". That day, the Chinese Ambassador gave a party.

Anniversary of July 4 North-South Joint Statement marked

Pyongyang, July 2 (KCNA) -- Ri Jong Sang, Chief of the Pyongyang mission of the National Democratic Front of South Korea (NDFSK), was interviewed by KCNA on July 1 on the threshold of the 25th anniversary of the publication of the historic July 4 North-South Joint Statement. He said that the publication was a historic event of the nation which is of great significance in the solution to the issue of national reunification. This is associated with the noble patriotism of President Kim Il Sung, who devoted his all to the cause of national reunification, he added. He further said: "Many years have passed since the publication. Yet, the south Korean authorities have persisted in their moves against the reunification. " "Worse still, the Kim Young Sam regime, having made the north-south agreement a mere sheet of paper, has driven the situation to the brink of war by frequently staging military exercises, inciting north-south confrontation." "Such an anti-reunification element as traitor Kim Young Sam must be removed at an early date." "Our NDFSK and the people in the south will certainly open up a phase for reunification by fighting under the uplifted banner of the three principles of national reunification."

President Kim Il Sung's death anniversary commemorated in Moscow

Pyongyang, July 2 (KCNA) -- The International Science and Technology Information Centre and the Congress of Russian Community hosted a memorial service and film show in Moscow on June 27 on the occasion of the third anniversary of the death of President Kim Il Sung. Present at the ceremonies were the First Vice General Director of the International Science and Technology Information Centre and representatives of Viet Nam, Mongolia, Russia, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Romania, Austria and Germany to the centre. They laid bunches of flowers before the portrait of President Kim Il Sung and made reverences to him.

Discontinuance of Chosun Ilbo called for

Pyongyang, July 2 (KCNA) -- The spokesman for the Central Committee of the Chondoist Chongu Party on July 1 made public a statement denouncing the Chosun Ilbo, a venal newspaper of south Korea, for slandering the political system in the northern half of Korea. The spokesman bitterly condemns the recent provocation of the Chosun Ilbo manipulated by the south Korean puppet Agency for National Security Planning (ANSP), considering it an open declaration of war against the northern half of Korea. He further says: With vile propaganda the Chosun Ilbo slandered the dignified system in the northern half of Korea. As a consequence, it has come to an end as a press organ. The Chosun Ilbo, far from fighting for justice in conformity with the nation's aspirations, has joined the Kim Young Sam group in fostering antagonism and confrontation among the fellow countrymen. That is why the newspaper is bitterly condemned as a vicious tumor which cannot remain within the nation any longer. We are shocked by the fact that some opposition party members are defending the provocation of the Chosun Ilbo manipulated by the puppet ANSP and Chongwadae. We strongly call for an immediate discontinuance of the Chosun Ilbo which is manipulated by the "civilian"-veiled group of traitors and stern punishment of those who were engaged in the slander. The Chondoist Chongu Party members and Chondoists will join the fellow countrymen in punishing the provokers a thousand-fold. The spokesman calls upon the Chondoists and people of other strata in south Korea to wage a more courageous struggle for the discontinuance of the Chosun Ilbo.

Solidarity month opens in Russia

Pyongyang, July 2 (KCNA) -- A ceremony for opening the June 25-July 27 month of international solidarity with the Korean people was held in Moscow on June 25. Yuri Vanin, Vice-Chairman of the Committee of Public Figures for Liaison with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, said in his report: "It is a tragedy not only of the Korean people but also of humankind that Korea with a 5,000-year history and culture remains the sole divided country in the world." "We will extend active ideological, mental and material support and encouragement to the Korean people who are vigorously fighting to accelerate the independent and peaceful reunification of their country, firmly defending socialism without deviation under the imperialists' vicious moves to stifle it and repeated natural calamities." Then, speeches were made by Aleksandr Kovalyov, Chairman of the Association of Scientists for the Study of Human Affairs, Vasily Shandivin, deputy to the State Duma of Russia, and Dr. Vorontsov of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences. They said that the Korean people will certainly achieve the reunification of their country under the guidance of Secretary Kim Jong Il. A letter to Secretary Kim Jong Il was adopted there.

Withdrawal of U.S. troops from s. Korea demanded

Pyongyang, July 2 (KCNA) - "Reunification", a social organisation of Koreans in Russia, sent a letter to the U.S. President demanding the withdrawal of the U.S. troops from south Korea, according to the Russian paper patriot. The 30th U.N. General Assembly Session held in 1975 adopted a resolution on the withdrawal of the U.S. forces from south Korea, the letter said, adding: "However, a large number of U.S. troops remain in south Korea." "The Koreans in the north and the south of Korea and overseas hope that the U.S. President will take a measure and action to implement the resolution of the 30th U.N. General Assembly session at an early date."

Japanese dietmen meet for s. Korean political prisoners

Pyongyang, July 2 (KCNA) -- The "Society of Dietmen for Support to Japan-Born Korean Political Prisoners in South Korea" held a meeting in Tokyo on June 17. It elected Hideo Den, Social-Democratic member of the House of Councillors of Japan, to be the Chairman of the Society and Okiharu Yasuoka, Liberal-Democratic member of the House of Representatives, and Nobuaki Futami, New Frontier member of the House of Representatives, to be its Vice-Chairmen.

Paper on struggle against imperialism and dominationism

Pyongyang, July 2 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today carries a signed article saying that the struggle to preserve Juche character and national character is entirely a struggle against imperialism and dominationism. Secretary Kim Jong Il in his work "On Preserving the Juche Character and National Character of the Revolution and Construction" on June 19 indicated the fundamental requirement for the struggle to preserve the Juche character and national character of the country and the nation, the main target of its struggle and the tasks. Imperialism and dominationism is the main force obliterating the Juche character and national character of the country and the nation, the article says, and goes on: In order to preserve the Juche character in the revolutionary struggle and construction we must not allow any forms of domination and intervention but settle all the problems with our own efforts in a responsible manner, not by relying on outsiders. To preserve the national character, we must strictly reject the bourgeois idea and culture and way of life and keep national self-confidence and pride. So when the Juche character and national character are preserved there will be no room for the imperialists to step in. Only when the struggle against the dominationist moves of the imperialists is strengthened can the independent development of the country and the nation be ensured, the lot of colonial slavery not be forced again and, furthermore, the advance and victory of the movement for global independence be made. One of the important requirments in the struggle against imperialism and dominationism is to remove illusions about and fear of imperialism and not to pin a hope on "prescription" and "assistance" of the imperialists. One should establish lines and policies according to his own view and judgement and apply his own way, revolutionary and national, in all spheres of the life of the state and society. The world progressive people's intensified international unity and cooperation is urgently needed for checking and frustrating the imperialists' divide-and-strike strategy, achieving the national independence and the prosperity and development of the country and successfully building an indepenent new world.

American marines in Japan reinforced

Pyongyang, July 2 (KCNA) -- The Japanese Tokyo Shimbun June 28 reported that the U.S. military is reinforcing its marines in Okinawa under the pretext of "emergency" on the Korean Peninsula, according to a report. It said that the commander of the Okinawa-Based U.S. Marine Corps was promoted to lieutenant general and the amphibious assault ship "beleau wood" will be exchanged by the upto date ship "Essex" in march next year. These moves are part of plans allegedly to provide against "emergency" on the Korean Peninsula, it said, and continued: His promotion made it possible for the U.S. Marine Corps in Okinawa to act as a frontline unit in "event of contingency" around Japan. It is because he can directly command battles in "emergency". When "Beleau wood" is exchanged by "Essex" loaded with three air-cushion amphibious ships, it will bring the total number of such ships based in Sasebo for the U.S. Marine Corps to eight, thus increasing its landing capacity still further. This fact indicates that the U.S. forces have entered the stage of full-scale preparations to provide against "event of contingency" around Japan, which are the focal point of the review of the "U.S.-Japan defence cooperation guidelines".

S. Korean figure on army-people unity in north

Pyongyang, July 2 (KCNA) -- Politics Dr. Jang Kyu Hyon of the Institute of North Korean Affairs in South Korea published an article entitled "On army-people unity in the north", according to the Seoul-based radio voice of national salvation. Soldiers dispatched by Supreme Commander Kim Jong Il are seen being engaged in arduous farming everywhere in the rural communities of the north, the author of the article said, and continued: This is a textbook showing the true life of the northern army. In other words, the wonderful happenings in the rural communities of the north prove that the leader Kim Jong Il has turned the army called the most-consuming group into the most viable producers. It is thanks to his wise leadership art that the army of the north has turned into an army versed in construction, production and creation as well as the defence of the country. Its slogan is that it would undertake both the defence and economic construction. Under the guidance of Secretary Kim Jong Il, the army of the north devotedly works for the country and people in the spirit of army-people unity. This is precisely his politics of army-people unity. Because of the general's outstanding political strategy and commanding art based on army-people unity, the army of the north is now helping the farmers in their work at a time when the country's situation is tense owing to the provocation moves of south Korea. He regards it as the key to the victory in war to tighten the army-people unity as the basis of the armed forces. Under his energetic guidance, the soldiers and people in the north are faithfully carrying out the cause of the Party in the spirit of resolute defence and human bombs. The might of the north lies in the army-people unity based on such loyalty to the leader. The army-people unity which guarantees the victorious advance of the north has entered the highest stage with the army's assistance to the rural communities this year as an occasion. The north will triumphantly advance in the spirit of army-people unity in the 21st century, too.

Koreans in Americas commemorate 3rd anniversary of President Kim Il Sung's death

Pyongyang, July 2 (KCNA) -- The Friendship Association of Koreans in North America and Sinhan Minbo cosponsored a memorial meeting in Los Angeles on June 27 on the occasion of the 3rd anniversary of the death of President Kim Il Sung. The participants observed a moment's silence in memory of the President. A memorial poem was read out. Then, Rev. Hong Tong gun delivered a memorial address. Reminiscences of Chairman of the Association of Koreans in north America for National Reunification Hyon Jun Gi and Choe Jong Ryol were conveyed.

Rich emotion of President Kim Il Sung

Pyongyang, July 2 (KCNA) -- President Kim Il Sung was a great man with rich emotion. He recited a poem on a celebrated mountain and wrote an ode in praise of another great man, Secretary Kim Jong Il. And he liked to sing songs. When he visited Mt. Myohyang on October 15, 1979, he wrote a poem "Mt. Myohyang in Autumn" singing of the beauty of the mountain, for which he has been lauded by all people as literary giant with deep emotion. On February 16, 1992, the 50th birthday of Secretary Kim Jong Il, he wrote a poem "Paean for Lodestar" reflecting the great pleasure and happiness of the Korean people. The President, considering that songs were a symbol of the triumphant revolution and the victory in the revolution was hardly expected without songs, loved music and songs very much. Especially, he loved "Nostalgia". He sang the song in chorus with a Korean resident in the United States, Son Won Thae, several years ago, and in Sinpha, Ryanggang Province, near River Amnok in September 1991 and before Party and Government officials in December 1992. He sang a song of the country in spring, requested by People's Army soldiers, in a day of the fatherland Liberation War, and often sang "Song of the Red Flag" with officials in the postwar period. When he was on rice fields, he used to sing "The sky is blue, I am happy ..." and when he was told through telephone that a large shoal of Myongthae was found out in the east sea, he was so pleased that he sang a folk song "Fishing boats empty when sailing out to sea, but full of fish when returning ..." Before he passed away he loved such songs as "No Motherland Without You" and "Let Us Defend Socialism". As great man with abundant emotion, he is, indeed, immortal in the life and hearts of the people.

Three sacred years

Pyongyang, July 2 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today carries a lengthy article headlined "three sacred years" dedicated to the third death anniversary of President Kim Il Sung. The authors in the article say that the past three years in Korea have been recorded as the most sacred and greatest years in the history of humankind, during which the Koreans held in high esteem President Kim Il Sung with the noblest moral obligation and defended their leader and country with their lives. The article goes on: To preserve the late leader in state is the most important undertaking for his eternal life. Secretary Kim Jong Il has succeeded in the work which needs the greatest filial piety as well as the highest science and technology so that the President might always be with the people. Indeed, this is the culmination of respect for the leader, ethics and morality. The General saw to it that the funeral ceremony in Pyongyang on July 19, 1994, was not the last parting, but an event which showed the eternal harmonious whole of the leader and his people. He also made sure that all people cherished the image and love of the tender-hearted President. This made the people keenly feel the height of loyalty and filial piety of a human being. It was the General who led the people overwhelmed by the heart-breaking sadness at the president's death to turn the sadness into strength and courage. We would have performed neither our duty as soldiers and disciples of the President, nor our mission as members of Kim Il Sung's nation, were it not for the energentic guidance of the General, who led the Workers' Party of Korea and the people to implement the last instructions of the President, saying that it was their most sacred task. The General armed the Korean people with the revolutionary spirit of soldiers, the revolutionary spirit of self-reliance and the indomitable spirit of the red flag. The people, therefore, built monumental edifices and brought about great changes in a matter of three years, which would have taken scores of years at an ordinary speed. It was also the General, the iron-willed brilliant commander, who took the lead in the decisive struggle to defend the destiny of socialism at a time when there was a sharp confrontation between socialism and capitalism in the world arena. The General, the Supreme Commander, put forward the army as the driving force of the revolution, directed great Efforts to the military affairs and increased defence capabilities in every way, pulling through economic difficulties. His correct and principled policies and superb guidance made it possible to firmly defend the fortress of socialism as well as world peace and security. The past three years stand out in the 55-year-long revolutionary history of the general and in the life of all Koreans, as years replete with unforgettable events. The President and the General still work together for the welfare of the people, encouraging and leading the Workers' Party and people of Korea to a bright future. The feats the General performed in immortalizing the President, achieving the prosperity of the country and nation and fighting for socialism and the future of humankind are common wealth of not only the Korean people but also the international communist movement and humankind= they will be immortal for all ages.

Tripartite talks held in New York

Pyongyang, July 2 (KCNA) -- The tripartite talks between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the United States and south Korea held in New York on June 30 had a discussion on the opening of the "four-way talks." At the tripartite talks, it was decided to have preliminary talks at Vice-Minister level in New York on August 5, 1997, for discussing and deciding upon the time, venue, agenda items and procedures of the four-way talks. Present there on the DPRK side was a delegation led by Kim Kye Gwan, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs. In responding to the overture in April, the DPRK expressed the willingness to participate in the "four-way talks" and, with a view to creating conditions and an atmosphere for the talks, it proposed to have constructive and rational tripartite talks in advance of the "four-way talks." The June 30 talks was held at this proposal.

Pomminryon publishes declaration of national reunification

Pyongyang, July 2 (KCNA) -- The North Headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country's Reunification (Pomminryon) called a press conference for local and foreign reporters here today and published a "Declaration of National Reunification" agreed on by its north, south and overseas headquarters. The declaration says the three principles of independence, peaceful reunification and great national unity which were laid down in the July 4 Joint Statement is the nation's common programme for the country's reunification which the north and the south agreed on and promised to the nation to implement and which the world recognizes. Korea should be reunified in line with the principles, it notes. Its reunification should be achieved by the Korean nation's independent judgement and the strength and wisdom of the 70 million fellow countrymen. The declaration rejects foreign interference in the Korean Peninsula and strongly urges the withdrawal of foreign troops, military bases and nuclear weapons and revision or abolition of all the unequal treaties and agreements contrary to the nation's sovereignty and obstructive to the country's reunification. It says national reunification should be achieved in a peaceful way, not by means of war and, for this purpose, great national unity should be won irrespective of ideology, idea and system. The country should be reunified through confederation based on one nation, one state, two systems and two Governments and the whole nation should invigorate an all People solidarity movement for reunification, it says. The declaration calls on all the pro-reunification patriotic forces and people in the north, south and overseas to support each other in various forms of the joint struggle to frustrate the policies of flunkeyism, treachery, war and division and achieve national reunification.

25th anniversary of North-South Statement marked

Pyongyang, July 2 (KCNA) -- A seminar on national reunification took place here today, two days before the 25th anniversary of the publication of the July 4 Joint Statement. It was attended by vice-president of the DPRK Pak Song Chol, officials of the North Headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country's Reunification (Pomminryon) and the National Alliance of Youth and Students for the Country's Reunification (Pomchonghakryon), officials of parties and social organizations and other people in the north. On July 4, 1972, the north and the south adopted the three principles of national reunification -- independence, peaceful reunification and great national unity -- put forward by President Kim Il Sung as the nation's common programme for the country's reunification. The speakers at the seminar said President Kim Il Sung was a peerless patriot and a great lodestar of national reunification who devoted his whole life to the cause. They also spoke of the nationwide significance of the reunification programme, north-south-overseas solidarity based on the three principles which is vital to the reunification movement and the issue of thoroughly implementing the principles. They said President Kim Il Sung defined national reunification as the issue of putting an end to foreign domination and interference, establishing the sovereignty of the Korean nation, eliminating distrust and confrontation between the north and the south and achieving national unity and that he advanced many proposals and policies for reunification and wisely guided the efforts for their implementation. The programme provided a definite framework for correctly solving inter-Korean dialogue and all other problems concerning the reunification, they said. A bright prospect of national reunification will surely be opened only when all the fellow countrymen adhere to the three principles under the guidance of Secretary Kim Jong Il. They said that carrying out President Kim Il Sung's earnest requests for national reunification in line with the principles is Secretary Kim Jong Il's unshakable faith and will. They called for implementing the earnest requests associated with the President's lifelong intention, the truth and validity of which have been proved by history. They denounced Kim Young Sam of south Korea for negating the principles, totally closing the door between the north and the south, driving the inter-Korean relations into the phase of confrontation and hampering national reunification at the point of bayonet. They stressed that only when the reunification movement is developed as solidarity movement of all the fellow countrymen in the north, south and overseas, is it possible to smash any anti-reunification moves of the local and foreign separatists and accomplish the cause of reunification by the efforts of the Korean nation. They also called for opening a new chapter of peaceful reunification by concentrating all efforts on a nationwide solidarity struggle this year, defined as "year of solidarity of the north, south and overseas for national independence and peace"