Floral basket to Secy. Kim Jong Il from Palestinian President

Pyongyang, August 15 (KCNA) -- A floral basket came to Secretary Kim Jong Il from Yasser Arafat, President of the State of Palestine, to commemorate the 52nd anniversary of Korea's liberation from the Japanese imperialist colonial rule. The floral basket was conveyed to an official concerned by Shaher Mohammed, Palestinian Ambassador to Korea, on August 14.

Floral basket laid before President Kim Il Sung's Statue

Pyongyang, August 15 (KCNA) -- The military attaches corps here on August 14 laid a floral basket before the Statue of President Kim Il Sung on Mansu Hill to commemorate the 52nd anniversary of Korea's liberation. Members of the corps with deep reverence for Generalissimo Kim Il Sung, a legendary hero, who led the anti-Japanese armed forces, defeated the vicious Japanese imperialist aggressors and successfully accomplished the historic cause of national liberation, laid the floral basket before his statue and made respects to him. Written on the ribbon of the basket are letters reading "The great leader comrade Kim Il Sung will live forever."

Friendly gathering marks 52nd anniversary of Indonesia's Independence

Pyongyang, August 15 (KCNA) -- A friendly gathering was held at the Korea-Indonesia Friendship Pyongyang Ryulgok Senior Middle School on August 14 under the sponsorship of the Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries and the Korea-Indonesia Friendship Association to commemorate the 52nd anniversary of the Independence of Indonesia. Invited to the gathering were Zulkarnain Afri Pane, Indonesian Ambassador to Korea, and his Embassy officials. Present together with the teachers and students of the school were Chon Yon Ok, Vice-Chairperson of the Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries and Chairperson of the Korea-Indonesia Friendship Association, and officials concerned. The participants in the gathering went round the well-furnished educational facilities of the school and deepened the feelings of friendship, singing songs of the two countries and talking with each other. At the end of the gathering various kinds of sports and cultural instruments provided by the Embassy officials were given to the school.

Party on 50th anniversary of Independence of Pakistan

Pyongyang, August 15 (KCNA) -- Pakistani Ambassador to Korea Rehmdil Bhatti gave a party on Thursday to mark the 50th anniversary of the Independence of Pakistan. Present on invitation were Vice-President Pak Song Chol, Vice-Premier Jang Chol, officials concerned and foreign diplomatic envoys here. Speaking at the party, the Ambassador said that the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea have kept solid friendly relations. These relations are very significant as they were provided by President Kim Il Sung, he noted. The Pakistani people actively support the sacred struggle of the DPRK Government and people to achieve the peaceful reunification of the country and firmly believe that the Korean people will reunify the country without fail under the wise guidance of Secretary Kim Jong Il, the Ambassador stressed. Minister of Public Health Kim Su Hak, who is also Chairman of the Korea-Pakistan Friendship Association, said in his speech that the Pakistani people achieved the independence of the country through long persistent struggle for the national independence against the aggression of imperialists. The Korean people highly estimate the achievements made by the Pakistani people in the struggle for the country's progress and prosperity and wish them greater success in the future, he said. He noted that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries were long ago provided and developed by President Kim Il Sung and the state leaders of Pakistan and are being further strengthened and developed under the particular care of Secretary Kim Jong Il today. He expressed the firm belief that the excellent relations of friendship and cooperation existing between the two countries will be further expanded and developed.

Letter to Secy. Kim Jong Il from NDFSK

Pyongyang, August 15 (KCNA) - Secretary Kim Jong Il received a letter from the Central Committee of the National Democratic Front of South Korea (NDFSK) on August 15, the 52nd anniversary of the country's liberation. The country's liberation achieved by President Kim Il Sung in the bloody anti-Japanese war was a particularly historic event which ushered in the birth of new Korea and a new epoch in shaping the destinies of the Korean nation, the letter said, and continued: The President is the benefactor of liberation who put an end to the colonial rule by the Japanese imperialists and saved the country and the nation from ruin, a legendary hero of Mt. Paektu and a genius of the revolution and construction who created a new history of national development. The 80-odd-year-long revolutionary life and undying exploits of the President, who devotedly worked only for the prosperity and happiness of the country, the nation and people, experiencing all hardships, will shine for all ages. His nation-building feats of Juche are being creditably exalted by Secretary Kim Jong Il. The Kim Jong Il era in which he is acclaimed as the head of the party and the state will become a more brilliant and prosperous era in the future, too. The people in the south deeply feel that the Korean nation is the strongest, the greatest and the happiest in the world because it has Secretary Kim Jong Il as its leader. They more keenly feel that the reunification and eternal prosperity of the nation will be achieved only when they ardently worship and follow him. Bearing it deep in mind that we will certainly win as guided by the General, we will uphold the President and the General with loyalty and filial piety and make the whole of the south full of these feelings. The letter wished the general, the sun of the nation and the lodestar of national reunification, a long life in good health.

Performance given by Korean youth art group

Pyongyang, August 15 (KCNA) -- The Korean youth art group which had demonstrated the Juche art during the 14th World Festival of Youth and Students performed at the Mansudae Art Theatre on August 14 after its return home. Vice-President Pak Song Chol, other senior party and state officials, artistes and working people in the city appreciated the performance. Invited to see the performance were Cuban Ambassador to Korea Jose Ramon Rodriguez Vanora and his Embassy officials. The performance began with the chorus "Song of General Kim Jong Il" and the Cuban song "July 26 March". The female solo "The leader will always be with us," the dance "Benevolence of the Leader" and other pieces represented boundless reverence and longing of youth and students for President Kim Il Sung and their loyal resolution to hold him in high esteem for all ages as the sun of Juche.

S. Korean journalists press for coverage of Pan-National Rally

Pyongyang, August 15 (KCNA) -- Journalists of south Korea pressed for coverage of the Pan-National Rally to be held in the north side's area of Panmunjom, according to a radio report from Seoul. They lodged a protest to the puppet authorities against their unreasonable step to prevent the coverage of pro-reunification events and called upon them to allow the coverage. With a view to keeping the public from seeing the August 15 pro-reunification events reflecting the ardent desire of the nation the Kim Young Sam regime had taken a step to prohibite the coverage.

Brilliant victory in anti-Japanese war

Pyongyang, August 15 (KCNA) -- Today is the 52nd anniversary of the liberation of the country. On August 15, 1945, President Kim Il Sung liberated the country from the Japanese imperialists' 40-odd-year colonial rule by triumphantly commanding the anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle spanning more than 20 years. The Korean people suffered all kinds of humiliation and insults under the 40-odd-year-long colonial rule by the Japanese imperialists. The anti-Japanese feelings of the Korean people increased since the President organised and conducted the anti-Japanese war in April 1932. Although there was no state assistance or support by a regular army, the President dealt blows at the Japanese imperialists with unique guerrilla tactics and thus instilled confidence into the hearts of the people. On August 9, 1945, he issued an order on the final attack for the country's liberation to all the units of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army. The units broke through border strongholds the Japanese imperialists boasted of being the "impregnable defence fortress" and liberated various areas of the homeland. Involved in the operation to liberate the country were small units of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army and people's armed units active in all parts of the country, armed uprising organisations and people from all walks of life. Having suffered an ignominious defeat, the Japanese imperialists declared an unconditional surrender on August 15, a week after the liberation operation started. At last, the Korean people were liberated from the colonial rule spanning nearly half a century. The Korean people's heroic anti-Japanese armed struggle organised and commanded by the President ended in their great victory which would shine for ever in the annals of the country.

Preliminary meeting for Korea-Japan talks to be held

Pyongyang, August 15 (KCNA) -- A preliminary meeting for the resumption of the talks for normalizing the Korea-Japan diplomatic relations will be held in Beijing on August 21. The preliminary meeting will discuss technical problems concerning the resumption of the talks and other pending issues.

'97 Pan-National Conference

Pyongyang, August 15 (KCNA) -- The 1997 Pan-National Conference for Peace and Reunification of the Country was held at the People's Palace of Culture in Pyongyang today. It was attended by presidium members and Central Committee members of the north headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country's Reunification (Pomminryon) including Chairman Paek In Jun and the National Alliance of Youth and Students for the Country's Reunification (Pomchonghakryon) including Chairman Ho Chang Jo and delegates to the Pan-National Rally (PNR) and working people and youth and students in the city. It was also attended by So Man Sul, Vice-Chairman of the overseas headquarters of Pomminryon, Rim Min Sik, Secretary General of Pomminryon, Pak Ku Ho, Co-Chairman of the overseas headquarters of Pomchonghakryon, overseas delegates of Pomminryon and Pomchonghakryon and overseas Koreans staying in the socialist homeland. Paek In Jun, Chairman of the north headquarters of Pomminryon, delivered a keynote report of the north headquarters. He said that in the last one year, Pomminryon, setting peace and great national unity as its general action program, has extensively worked to accomplish the immediate tasks to widely introduce the proposal for reunification through confederacy to the Koreans at home and abroad through close solidarity of Koreans in the north, the south and overseas, build a durable peace system in the Korean Peninsula, make the "National Security Law" in south Korea repealed and defend the south headquarters of Pomminryon. He further said: Secretary Kim Jong Il has directed our people's cause of national reunification in the van for more than 30 years, saying that his mission is to achieve the reunification. He is now energetically leading the struggle of the Korean people to fulfil the noble wish of President Kim Il Sung for national reunification. In November last year, he went out to Panmunjom, the forefront, and said that the three principles of national reunification, the proposal for founding the Democratic Confederal Republic of Koryo and the 10-Point Programme of the Great Unity of the Whole Nation, which were advanced by the President, are three major pillars and charters which must be firmly adhered to in the work for national reunification. The movement for national reunification is entering a new historic era of change, the reporter said. He elaborated on the major tasks which must be carried cut by Pomminryon in the struggle to bring earlier the independent and peaceful reunification of the country under the banner of the three principles of national reunification. He further said: One of the important tasks is to resolutely frustrate the flunkeyist moves of the south Korean authorities and outsiders' aggressive and interventionist acts. In addition, it is imperative to put pressure on the United States to respond at an early date to the call for replacing the armistice agreement with a peace one and establishing a new peace mechanism in place of the old armistice system. Great efforts must be continuously directed to the work of firmly uniting all the Koreans who are anxious about the destinies of the country and the nation and are desirous of the reunification of the country, upholding the banner of the 10-Point Programme of the Great Unity of the Whole Nation. The solidarity of Koreans in the north, the south and overseas must be expanded in every way to realise the unity with those pro-reunification organisations outside Pomminryon so that the reunification movement can develop into a nationwide movement. Pomminryon organisations must render support and encouragement to the south headquarters of Pomminryon and the South Korean Federation of University Student Councils which are fighting under difficult conditions. And they must work for the release of the detained members of the south headquarters of Pomminryon and student. Ryu Thae Yong, Co-Chairman of the U.S. headquarters of Pomminryon, read out a keynote report of the south side. The report said that the south headquarters would make all efforts to establish sovereignty through great national unity and put an end to the war preparations and preserve peace. 1997 urgently requires the whole nation in the north, the south and overseas to achieve the great unity, it added. It declared that they would continuously endeavour so that all people may fight to meet the urgent demands of the nation and the situation, putting aside the interests of regions and political parties in the nationwide reunification movement of Koreans in the north, the south and overseas. Our south headquarters will fight it out to dissolve the "Agency for National Security Planning", a den of traitors against reunification, and abrogate the division-oriented "National Security Law" and confirm the proposal for reunification through confederacy as an all-people agreement, the report said, adding: It is an important task at present to categorically oppose and reject the ghost of militarism of Japan which is reviving under the patronage of the United States. So Man Sul, Vice-Chairman of the overseas headquarters of Pomminryon, made a keynote report of the overseas side. He said one of the important tasks facing Pomminryon is to enhance the role of various overseas regional headquarters in the nationwide movement for national independence and peace and make more brisk activities to establish a new peace mechanism on the Korean Peninsula. He called for fighting to smash the desperate repressive moves of the Kim Young Sam regime and defend the south headquarters of Pomminryon and Pomchonghakryon and promoting the nationwide struggle to reunify the country through confederacy. Speeches were made by Yang Un Sik, Permanent Chairman of the U.S. headquarters of Pomminryon= Pak Thae Ho, Vice-Chairman of the north headquarters= Yang Yong Dong, Chairman of the headquarters of Koreans in China= Ri Jun Sik, Co-Chairman of the European regional headquarters= Ri Jun Ha, Central Committee member of the north headquarters= Jong Hak Phil, Chairman of the Canada regional headquarters= and Pak Ku Ho, Co-Chairman of the overseas headquarters of Pomchonghakryon. The speakers were unanimous in stressing that "Let Us Fulfil the Great Leader Comrade Kim Il Sung's Wish for National Reunification", a work published by Secretary Kim Jong Il some time ago, is an encyclopedic work which comprehensively consummates the reunification policies of the Workers' Party of Korea and the DPRK Government and clearly indicates all the fellow countrymen the way of achieving the national reunification. They evinced their firm determination to uphold the guidance of Secretary Kim Jong Il, the lodestar of national reunification, with loyalty and firmly preserve the Juche character and national identity in the reunification cause. A joint resolution was adopted at the meeting.

Joint resolution of 97 PNC

Pyongyang, August 15 (KCNA) -- A joint resolution was adopted at the 97 PNC-National Conference for the Peace and Reunification of the Country held here today. The resolution called for opening a decisive phase of national reunification through joint struggle of north, south and overseas Koreans, adhering to the three principles of independence, peaceful reunification and great national unity, which constitute a reunification programme common to the nation. It stressed they would firmly defend and apply the Juche character and national character in achieving the reunification of the country, under the banner of national independence. It said: "We will wage a vigorous struggle to get the U.S. troops withdrawn from south Korea, prevent the reinvasion of the Japanese militarists and check the flunkeyist and traitorous moves of the anti-reunification forces for 'international cooperation system' and 'globalisation'." "We will also valiantly launch a nationwide struggle to get the Korean Armistice Agreement replaced with a peace accord, upholding the anti-war peace slogan." "We will struggle to the last for the abrogation of the 'National Security Law' and all other legal, institutional and physical obstacles to national reconciliation and unity in south Korea and for the release of pro-reunification patriots arrested on unreasonable charges in south Korea. "For the present, we will do utmost to encourage the struggle of the south headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country's Reunification (Pomminryon) and the South Korean Federation of University Student Councils (Hanchongryon), which represents the south headquarters of the National Alliance of Youth and Students for the Country's Reunification (Pomchonghakryon), and defend them from the anti-reunification forces' repressive moves. "We will open the door to and strengthen a joint struggle with all the reunification movement organizations and figures recognizing and respecting the platform and rules of Pomminryon, and support the righteous struggle of the south headquarters of Pomminryon and Pomchonghakryon." The resolution declared they would dynamically wage a nationwide struggle to accelerate the reunification of the country by means of confederacy and vigorously struggle against the "doctrine of unification of systems", which will cause confrontation and conflict among the fellow countrymen. The country is sure to be reunified as long as there are the great programme showing the way of national reunification and the 70 million fellow countrymen's unshakable will for it, it concluded.

Congratulations to Secy. Kim Jong Il from Russian President

Pyongyang, August 15 (KCNA) - Secretary Kim Jong Il received a congratulatory telegram from Russian President Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin today on the 52nd anniversary of Korea's liberation. The telegram noted that the experience and tradition of good neighbourhood and cooperation accumulated for many years in the relations between the two countries serve as a good foundation for enhancement of bilateral relations. The friendly relations between Russia and the DPRK are in the interest of the two countries and two peoples, the Russian President said, and wished Secretary Kim Jong Il health and success in his activities and the Korean people peace and prosperity.

Congratulations to Russian President

Pyongyang, August 15 (KCNA) -- The DPRK Central People's Committee sent a congratulatory telegram to Russian President Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin today on the 52nd anniversary of Korea's liberation. The telegram expressed belief that the relations between the DPRK and Russia would develop in the interest of the two peoples on the principles of independence, equality, non-interference and mutual respect.