Secretary Kim Jong Il elected WPK General Secretary

Pyongyang, October 8 (KCNA) -- A special communique of the Workers' Party of Korea Central Committee and Central Military Commission was issued today, which declared that Secretary Kim Jong Il has been elected to be General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea. The special communique says: The WPK organisations of the Korean People's Army, provinces (municipalities), ministries, national institutions and other bodies with the function of provincial Party organisation have adopted resolutions on recommending comrade Kim Jong Il as General Secretary of our Party with unanimous approval. This was an expression of the unshakable faith and will of our people to have him at the top of the Party and the revolution and achieve a closer unity of the whole Party, army and people around the Party centre and accomplish the great leader comrade Kim Il Sung's cause, the revolutionary cause of Juche, true to their proud tradition. The WPK Central Committee and Central Military Commission solemnly declare that comrade Kim Jong Il has been officially elected to be General Secretary of our Party, as desired by the whole Party, as he has strengthened and developed our Party to be an invincible, veteran revolutionary Party which enjoys full support and trust from all the people, has trained our people as an independent people with indomitable faith and will and has opened a new era of the Kim Il Sung nation's prosperity, with tireless revolutionary activities over the past 30 odd years.

WPK Central Committee, Central Military Commission issue special communique

Pyongyang, October 8 (KCNA) -- A special communique of the Workers' Party of Korea Central Committee and Central Military Commission was issued today, which declared that the great leader comrade Kim Jong Il has been elected to be General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea. The special communique reads in full: Special communique of the Workers' Party of Korea Central Committee and Central Military Commission The WPK organisations of the Korean People's Army, provinces (municipalities), ministries, national institutions and other bodies with the function of provincial Party organisation have held conferences while the Party members, servicemen and other people throughout the country are making vigorous efforts for victory in the Juche socialist cause, full of high political enthusiasm and firm revolutionary confidence. The conferences discussed "on recommending the great leader of our Party and people comrade Kim Jong Il as General Secretary of our Party" and adopted resolutions on recommending him as General Secretary of our Party with unanimous approval. The adoption of these resolutions reflecting the unanimous will and desire of the Party members, servicemen and all other people came at a historic time when our Party and people entered a new era of the Juche revolution. This is a historic event of great importance in the development of our Party and revolution. As was unanimously pointed out at the conferences, comrade Kim Jong Il is the most faithful successor to the Juche revolution, the Supreme Commander of our revolutionary armed forces and the great leader of our Party and people. He defined the completion of the great leader comrade Kim Il Sung's cause as his lifelong mission from the first period of his revolutionary activities and has led the Party, the army and the people with his outstanding ideology and leadership and performed immortal exploits for the Party and the revolution, the country and the people. The history of his leadership of our Party has been an arduous and difficult period when the internal and external situations of the revolution were very complicated and the Party and the revolution were faced with unprecedentedly difficult and vast tasks. At a grim period of fierce class struggle between socialism and capitalism in long-drawn-out confrontation with the allied forces of world imperialism, comrade Kim Jong Il guided our Party in the van always as the closest comrade and most faithful helper to comrade Kim Il Sung, defended the banner of the revolution, the banner of socialism, turned misfortune into blessing and adversity into favorable conditions and led our revolution and construction straight to constant upswing and brilliant victory. With his clairvoyant wisdom and energetic ideological and theoretical activities, he put the Juche idea in an integral system, developed it in depth comprehensively, exalted the revolutionary idea of our Party as the undying revolutionary banner of the age of independence, gave perfect scientific and theoretical answers to the pressing issues arising in the revolution and construction and, thus, provided a powerful ideological and theoretical weapon for victory in our revolution. He was the first in history to propound the original idea that the working-class Party should be the Party of the leader and put it into reality, with the result that radical changes have taken place in Party building, activity and work as a whole, our Party has developed into the Juche-type revolutionary Party founded by comrade Kim Il Sung both in name and in practice and the Party's fighting efficiency and leadership have risen remarkably for progress in the revolution and construction. He laid down the Juche-based line of army building, commanded the revolutionary armed forces, strengthened our People's Army into the true army of the Party and the leader and an invincible revolutionary army that reliably defends the Party and socialism by force of arms and converted the DPRK into an impregnable fortress where all people are armed and the whole country is fortified. He put forward a new line of modelling the whole society on the Juche idea, consolidated the singlehearted unity of our revolutionary ranks as invincible one through vigorous ideological, technical and cultural revolutions and opened a new history of great change and brilliant efflorescence in economic construction and cultural development as a whole. With the perfect traits of the people's leader, he always shared weal and woe with the people, pursued popular politics, benevolent politics, turned the entire nation into a grand revolutionary family closely united around the Party and the leader and did all parental favors to provide all our people with a worthy and happy life. His traits as the distinguished leader of the Party and the people and as a tested statesman have been noticed more clearly since our people had the bitterest state funeral. After comrade Kim Il Sung passed away, he led the Party, the army and the people, overcoming the great pains, manifold trials and difficulties with indomitable revolutionary will in the evermore rigorous situation. Thus, he has firmly defended the blood of Juche of our Party and saved the destiny of the Party and revolution, country and nation. He led our Party to conduct all its activities consistently to uphold comrade Kim Il Sung, the founder of the Party and the father of socialist Korea, and fulfil his instructions. He made sure that comrade Kim Il Sung can always be with our people in the form of eternal life and his revolutionary life and great exploits can shine long along with the Juche Era and Sun's Day, the symbols of the age of independence. Under comrade Kim Jong Il's leadership, our Party members and people have cherished the firm faith and will to venerate the great comrade Kim Il Sung as the eternal leader of our Party and people and as the Sun of Juche for all ages, arm themselves more firmly with his revolutionary ideas and accomplish the Juche revolution as indicated by him. In the acute situation of the country, comrade Kim Jong Il consolidated the political and ideological position of our revolution and, at the same time, directed greater energies to strengthening the People's Army, the pillar of our revolution and the main force for the completion of the Juche revolution, and led the Party, the army and the people to rise up under the banner of self-reliance, overcome the economic blockade of imperialists and repeated natural disasters and bring about a turn in socialist economic construction. In the van of the all-Party, all-people socialist march,he has triumphantly led the Party, army and people with energetic activities, overcoming all hardships singlehandedly. As a result, our revolution is now in the period of a new turn. Under his tested leadership and with the singlehearted unity of the leader, the Party and the masses, the invincible military power and the might of the independent national economy, we have smashed all challenges of the imperialists and other reactionaries and their moves to isolate and stifle the country and defended and consolidated the sovereignty of the country in all the political, military and diplomatic fields. It is really a miracle that we have exalted the dignity and honor of Korea, the homeland of Juche, defending socialism by ourselves and ceaselessly advancing it in trials. Comrade Kim Jong Il, with ardent patriotism, has shaped proper policies for national reunification in line with the three charters of reunification, provided by comrade Kim Il Sung, wisely guiding the efforts for thoroughly implementing his earnest requests for national reunification. The whole nation, desirous of the country's reunification and everlasting prosperity, pins great expectation on comrade Kim Jong Il. All the Koreans in the north, south and overseas are striving hard to reunify the country without fail in our generation, closely united under the banner of great national unity. Comrade Kim Jong Il has further enhanced the international prestige of our Party and republic by establishing Juche and independence in relations with other countries in line with the idea of independence, peace and friendship. He has also powerfully encouraged other peoples in their efforts for building a new world without aggression, war, domination and subjugation, a world free and peaceful. The last three years were, indeed, a period of a heroic struggle and proud victory. In the period all our Party members and people, under his leadership, reliably defended our position of revolution and further developed our socialism, undergoing all manner of difficulties and trials with indomitable faith and will in the rigorous war minus shooting against the imperialist reactionaries around the world. Guided by comrade Kim Jong Il, we have laid strong political and ideological foundations for successfully accomplishing the cause of comrade Kim Il Sung and provided a definite guarantee for creditably defending our revolution and our socialist homeland, increasing the country's economic power, promoting national reunification and making a greater contribution to the acceleration of the international revolutionary cause. Absolute is the trust of our Party, army and people in comrade Kim Jong Il and very high is their pride, ardor and spirit in continuing the revolution with him as the leader of the nation and the tender-hearted teacher. Over the past seven decades since the Korean revolution was started, our people have entrusted all their destiny and future to their leaders and faithfully followed them and the Party. It is their noble tradition. The adoption of resolutions on recommending comrade Kim Jong Il as General Secretary of our Party at Party conferences was an expression of the unshakable faith and will of our people, who have carried forward the noble tradition, to have him at the top of the Party and the revolution and achieve a closer unity of the whole Party, army and people around the Party centre, thus accomplishing comrade Kim Il Sung's cause, the revolutionary cause of Juche. All the participants in the conferences, who recommended him as General Secretary of our Party, reflecting the unanimous desire of the Party members, servicemen and all other people, were pleased to voice willingness to devotedly defend the headquarters of the revolution headed by him and continue advancing along the road of Juche under the Party's leadership. The WPK Central Committee and Central Military Commission solemnly declare that comrade Kim Jong Il has been officially elected to be General Secretary of our Party as desired by the whole Party as he has strengthened and developed our Party to be an invincible, veteran revolutionary Party which enjoys full support and trust from all the people, has trained our people as an independent people with indomitable faith and will and has opened a new era of the Kim Il Sung nation's prosperity, with tireless revolutionary activities over the past 30 odd years. The Korean revolution, which is dynamically advancing along the road of Juche under the leadership of comrade Kim Jong Il, will win the final victory without fail, overcoming all trials and hardships. And our country will be reunified at no distant date and the 70 million fellow countrymen will enjoy genuine freedom and prosperity in the homeland of Juche. The Workers' Party of Korea Central Committee and Central Military Commission October 8, Juche 86 (1997).

Recommendation of Secretary Kim Jong Il as WPK General Secretary welcomed

Pyongyang, October 8 (KCNA) -- The Congolese Socialist Party published a statement on October 2 in support of the decision on recommending Secretary Kim Jong Il as General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea. The statement said: The Congolese Socialist Party entirely welcomes and supports the decision on recommending comrade Kim Jong Il, the great leader of the WPK and the Korean people, as WPK General Secretary, regarding it as a great national event of the Korean people as well as the reflection of the unanimous will and desire of the Congolese Socialist Party and the world progressive political parties and peoples. The Congolese Socialist Party is firmly convinced that if comrade Kim Jong Il is elected General Secretary of the WPK, the WPK and the Korean people under his wise leadership will more brilliantly carry forward and accomplish the revolutionary cause of Juche started by the great leader comrade Kim Il Sung and the independent and peaceful reunification of Korea, the supreme national desire of all the Korean people, will be certainly realized.

Committees for welcoming recommendation of Secretary Kim Jong Il as Party General Secretary formed abroad

Pyongyang, October 8 (KCNA) -- The National Organizing Committee of Democratic Congo for Welcoming the Recommendation of Secretary Kim Jong Il as General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea was formed in Kinshasa on October 2, the Yemeni Committee for Welcoming the Recommendation in Sana on October 1, the Guyanese Organizing Committee for Welcoming and Supporting the Recommendation in Georgetown on October 3 and the Nigerian Committee for Welcoming the Recommendation at the assembly hall of the Teachers Union of Nigeria on October 4. The National Chairman of the National Movement of Genuine Lumumbist Combatants of Democratic Congo was selected Chairman of the National Committee of Democratic Congo, Secretary of the Yemeni Regional Leadership of the Arab Socialist Baath Party and deputy speaker of Parliament Abdul Wahab Mahmud, Chairman of the Yemeni Committee, and the Chairman of the Guyanese National Committee for the Study of the Juche Idea of comrade Kim Il Sung, Chairman of the Guyanese Organizing Committee. It was decided at inaugural meetings to organize colorful welcoming ceremonies.

Palestinian Ambassador gives party to mark founding anniversary of WPK

Pyongyang, October 8 (KCNA) -- Palestinian Ambassador to Korea Shaher Mohammed Abdlah gave a Party at the Embassy to mark the 52nd anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party of Korea. The Ambassador said in his speech that the friendly WPK has consolidated socialism more than ever before, strengthened solidarity with the third world countries and defended the socialist and revolutionary ideas of Juche against the conspiratorial moves of the imperialists and reactionaries. He expressed the belief that the great WPK under the leadership of comrade Kim Jong Il will overcome all difficulties, win victory and surely realise the reunification of the country, the wish of the great leader President Kim Il Sung who is immortal. He stressed that the Palestinian people will always remain a powerful supporter of the Korean people and the WPK and fully favor the just stand of the Korean people to remove the foreign troops and mass destruction weapons from the Korean Peninsula, to replace the Armistice Agreement with a lasting Peace Agreement and to realise the reunification of the country without interference of outside forces. Secretary Kim Kuk Thae of the WPK Central Committee said in his speech that under the leadership of President Yasser Arafat the Palestine Liberation Organization and people have waged the indomitable struggle to retake the legitimate national rights of Palestine against the anti-peace moves of the zionists. We sincerely hope that the cause of the Palestinian people for founding an independent state of Palestine with kuds as its capital will be certainly realised by the positive struggle of the PLO and people, he said. We will invariably support and encourage the just cause and struggle of the Palestinian people in the future, too.

World-shaking cheers

Pyongyang, October 8 (KCNA) -- The Workers' Party of Korea Central Committee and Central Military Commission solemnly declared that the great leader comrade Kim Jong Il was elected General Secretary of the WPK. At 5 p.m. On October 8, a special communique was made public in this regard, when the whole country raised cheers. The people shouted "hurrah" at the top of their voices in the streets and villages. All the places where people live, including a forestry Workers' village at the foot of Mt. Paektu in the northern tip of Korea, a rural village near the Military Demarcation Line, Pidan island on the west sea, a beacon village on an island on the east sea, were overwhelmed by a joy at the election of comrade Kim Jong Il as WPK General Secretary. Kim Il Sung square and plazas in front of the Pyongyang indoor stadium and Pyongyang railway station in the capital city of Pyongyang and other squares and parks, streets and villages throughout the country were crowded with people singing and dancing to the tune of drums and congs. Singing squads of schoolchildren, brass bands and loudspeaker cars in the streets added to the atmosphere of festivity. The people expressed their firm resolve to uphold at the head of the WPK comrade Kim Jong Il, the most experienced statesman, a brilliant military commander, a great master of economic and cultural construction and the greatest man in the world, and accomplish the revolutionary cause of Juche under his guidance.

Foreign crewmen meet

Pyongyang, October 8 (KCNA) -- Foreign crewmen met at Nampho Port on the West Coast of Korea on Tuesday to welcome the decisions on recommending the great leader comrade Kim Jong Il as General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea. Among them were captains and crewmen of maltese ships "sky lark", "meghna" and cambodian ship "ocean bright". Speakers said that comrade Kim Jong Il is an outstanding thinker and theoretician, a brilliant military strategist, and the tender-hearted father of the Korean people as well as the great leader recognized by the world. Korean-style socialism centering on masses built by the great leader President Kim Il Sung is advancing along the Road of Juche, led by the great leader Kim Jong Il, not affected by any outside interference, they said, and went on: The decision recommending Kim Jong Il as WPK General Secretary is the honor and joy of the Korean people and the world progressive people. We are firmly convinced that the WPK will unfailingly win victory in the struggle to accomplish the socialist cause and the revolutionary cause of Juche under the wise leadership of Kim Jong Il. A congratulatory letter to comrade Kim Jong Il was adopted at the meeting.

Photo exhibition and film show on 30th anniversary of Che Guevara's death

Pyongyang, October 8 (KCNA) -- A photo exhibition and film show were held here on Tuesday to mark the 30th death anniversary of Che Guevara, an indomitable revolutionary and internationalist. Present on invitation were Jose Ramon Rodriguez Varona, Cuban Ambassador to Korea, and Embassy officials. Chairman of the Korea-Cuba Solidarity Committee and of the State Education Commission Choe Ki Ryong and other officials concerned were present. Speeches were made. The attendants saw round the photoes showing the revolutionary activities and life of Che Guevara before appreciating the Korean documentary film part 1 "the great leader comrade Kim Il Sung meets foreign heads of state and persons of fame."

UN Secretary General promises to give deep attention to Korean question

Pyongyang, October 8 (KCNA) -- Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations, when he met with Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of the DPRK Choe Su Hon who is heading the Korean delegation to the 52nd session of the UN General Assembly on October 2, said that he has come to know better about the position of Korea toward the question of Korea's reunification and the DPRK-U.S. relations. He added he would pay deep attention to the Korean question in the future.

Pak Song Chol meets Chinese delegation

Pyongyang, October 8 (KCNA) -- Pak Song Chol, politburo member of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea and Vice-President of the DPRK, today met and had a talk with the delegation of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries led by its President Qi Huaiyuan at the Mansudae Assembly Hall. Chon Yon Ok, Vice-Chairwoman of the Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries, and Wan Yongxiang, Chinese Ambassador to Korea, were on hand. The head of the delegation said: "I'm convinced that the Korean people will pull through all the difficulties and make great achievements in close unity around the Party Central Committee headed by the great comrade Kim Jong Il".

Choe Thae Bok meets Mexican delegation

Pyongyang, October 8 (KCNA) -- Choe Thae Bok, alternate member of the Political Bureau and Secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, met and had a friendly conversation with the delegation of the Workers' Party of Mexico led by Maria Guadalupe Rodriguez, member of the National Executive Committee of the Party, at the Mansudae Assembly Hall today. Present there was Rim Sun Phil, deputy Director of a Department of the WPK Central Committee. The head of delegation said they are glad to visit Korea at a time when the great leader comrade Kim Jong Il is elected as the WPK General Secretary. She expressed belief that though Korea is undergoing temporary difficulties due to repeated natural disasters, the difficulties will be overcome under the wise leadership of comrade Kim Jong Il and the Workers' Party of Korea.