S. Korean inhabitants handed over to U.S. forces' side

Panmunjom, October 21 (KCNA) -- As was reported, soldiers of the Korean People's Army, who were on routine patrol duty in the area north of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) near Sonjok-ri, Phanmun county, Kaesong municipality, on October 17 apprehended two south Korean inhabitants who infiltrated into the north side after crossing the MDL. The U.S. Forces Command in south Korea and the puppet Defence Ministry of south Korea alleged that KPA soldiers crossed the MDL into the south side to kidnap them. In this connection, the Panmunjom mission of the KPA sent a telephone message to the U.S. side strongly protesting against its allegation. In the message, it said that what the south Korean military authorities sought in distorting the fact was to deliberately obstruct the solution of a humanitarian matter, aggravate the inter-Korean relations and thus use the case favorably for their "election" campaign. It warned that if the U.S. side failed to stop such racket, any contact for the solution of a humanitarian matter could not be held. During investigation by a competent organ, the arrested south Korean inhabitants admitted that they intrudedinto the area north of the MDL for their own carelessness and the military personnel of the south side who are in charge of watch in the area confirmed on the spot that the two inhabitants entered the area north of the MDL. The U.S. forces' side admitted its wrongdoings at the contacts held in Panmunjom on October 19 and 20. So, the DPRK side decided to hand them. According to an agreement reached by both sides, the DPRK side today handed them over to the U.S. forces' side through Panmunjom.

Foreigners visit DPRK embassies

Pyongyang, October 21 (KCNA) -- Political and public figures and delegation of different countries and international organizations visited DPRK embassies in their countries and missions or sent floral baskets to congratulate General Kim Jong Il on his election as General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea. Vice-chairman Victor Voichita of the Greater Romanian Party sent a floral basket to the DPRK Embassy in his country and the African Regional Committee for the Study of the Juche Idea to the DPRK Embassy in Guinea. The General Inspector of the Ministry of State Inspection of Mali, the President of the Tanzanian Academy of social sciences, the Chairman of the Guyana-Korea Friendship Association, a delegation of the Senegalese organization for friendship with the fraternal Korean people, the Chief Cabinet Secretary of Tanzania, the political Secretary of the Malian Movement for the African Independence, renaissance and integration, the chairman and the General Secretary of the Madagascar-Korea Friendship and Solidarity Committee, the Vice-chairman of the Solidarity Committee of Madagascar and officials of the friendship and solidarity organizations of Madagascar, the Secretary General of the Asian Regional Institute of the Juche Idea, the chairman of the Juche Idea Study Society of Delhi, India, the chairman and the Secretary General of the Pakistan-Korea Friendship Association, department directors of the general staff of Pakistan Army, the Chairman of the Communist Party of Denmark, the General Secretary of the Pan African Movement, the national chairman of the Socialist Progressive Party, the National Chairman of the Workers and Peasants Struggle Party of Madagascar, the Chairman and the General Secretary of the for peace and socialism-the Communist Workers' Party of Finland, and other members of the Party leadership visited the DPRK embassies in their countries. And officials of the Dar Es Salaam Regional Committee of the Tanzanian Revolutionary Party, the General Secretary of the International Liaison Committee for Reunification and Peace in Korea, the Chairman, Vice-chairman and General Secretary of the Ghana-DPRK Friendship Association and figures of Togo and Ukraine visited the DPRK missions in their countries.

U.S. military command announces Foal Eagle Training Exercise in s. Korea

Pyongyang, October 21 (KCNA) -- The U.S. military command occupying south Korea on October 20 announced that they would conduct a joint foal eagle training exercise with the puppet army in south Korea from Oct. 27 to Nov. 8, according to a foreign press report. The provocative drill, the 36th of its kind, will involve most of south Korea's 650,000-strong military and the 37,000 U.S. troops stationed in south Korea, the command said, adding that the U.S. aircraft carrier independence will participate in an amphibious landing operation on the east coast of Korea. The United States and the south Korean puppets are continuing to stage war manoeuvres including Ulji Focus Lens behind the facade of talks. Worse still, the puppets call for "preemptive attack" on the north, and documents on detailed plan of war preparations against the north are being distributed to all the units of the puppet army.

Floral baskets to DPRK mission from U.S. political and economic circles

Pyongyang, October 21 (KCNA) -- Chairman Sam Marcy of the Workers World Party of the United States and the Central Committee of the December 12 Movement sent floral baskets to the mission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in the United Nations in celebration of the election of General Kim Jong Il as General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea. The Chairman of the U.S.-Korea Trade Council of New Jersey, United States, and his familiy, the President of the Bright and Bright Company, the President of the Can-Am Jl Corporation, the Stanton Company and Tony K. Nangung of the Atlantic Council of the U.S. sent floral baskets to the DPRK mission.

Opening ceremony of National Immunization Day

Pyongyang, October 21 (KCNA) -- The opening ceremony of the National Immunization Day took place at the People's Palace of Culture on Monday. Present there were Vice-premier Jang Chol, officials concerned, a delegation of the world health organisation led by Z. Jadamba, Director of the Health Protection of the Regional Office for South-East Asia of the who, and Runa Soerensen, acting resident representative of the UNICEF here. Kim Su Hak, Minister of Public Health, in his opening address said that the who has already dispatched competent immunization experts to Korea for the successful national immunization day and sent a sufficient amount of infantile paralysis vaccine and many pieces of uptodate equipment so that vaccination could be conducted smoothly. He expressed thanks to the UNICEF and other international organisations, govermental and non-governmental organisations for sincerely helping the DPRK with a high sense of humanitarian spirit at a time when the Korean people were suffering from repeated natural disasters and hoped that there would be much more international cooperations in the future. The head of the delegation said in his congratulatory speech that the who will actively cooperate with the DPRK in the prevention and watch to remove all the contagious diseases including infantile paralysis.

Cuban Embassy officials visit Korean Film Studio

Pyongyang, October 21 (KCNA) -- Cuban Ambassador to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Jose Ramon Rodriguez Varona and officials of the Cuban Embassy here visited the Korean Film Studio on Oct. 20 on the occasion of the 130th Cuban Day of Culture. They laid bouquets and bowed before the Statue of President Kim Il Sung standing in the film studio. And they went around the mock-up location streets which cover a large area and visited the museum of the Ministry of Culture and Art.

Square of eternal value

Pyongyang, October 21 (KCNA) -- In the centre of Pyongyang there is a big square built as a monument of eternal value. The Korean people call it Kim Il Sung Square. The floor of the square occupying an area of 36,000 square metres is coated with granite plates and pavements. The reviewing stands on both sides of the square platform can accommodate 4,500 people. The square, composed of the platform, broad floor, roads, sidewalks and thoroughfares, has been used for national political events. Several hundred events such as mass meetings, rallies, military parades, demonstrations and evening entertainments took place in the square after its construction in August Juche 43 (1954). On October 11 this year, several hundred thousand Pyongyangites met here to congratulate General Kim Jong Il on his election as General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea. A celebration evening of Pyongyang youth and students was held earlier. Many large-size political events were held at the square. Among them were the Pyongyang mass rally and the military parade held in July Juche 42 (1953) to celebrate the victory in the Fatherland Liberation War= the demonstration of one million working people held in October Juche 69 (1980) to celebrate the 35th birthday of the Workers' Party of Korea as well as the Party's sixth Congress= and military parades and demonstrations of one million working people held in July Juche 82 (1993) to mark the 40th anniversary of the victory in the Fatherland Liberation War and in October Juche 84 (1995) to mark the 50th WPK birthday. And a grand military parade took place in April this year to commemorate the 85th birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung and the 65th anniversary of the Korean People's Army.

Interim chairman of Hanchongryon elected

Pyongyang, October 21 (KCNA) -- Fourth-year student Yu Yong Op of Mokpo University of south Korea, who is acting chairman of the Kwangju and south Jolla Provincial Federation of University Student Councils (Namchongryon), was elected interim chairman of the south Korean Federation of University Student Councils (Hanchongryon) on October 15, according to a radio report from Seoul. This step was taken at the central standing committee meeting in Pusan that day, Hanchongryon said.

General Kim Jong Il's election welcomed in s. Korea

Pyongyang, October 21 (KCNA)-- Copies of literature praising General Kim Jong Il were distributed in central district, Taegu City of south Korea on October 10, according to Seoul-based radio voice of National Salvation quoting information of the Taegu City Committee of the National Democratic Front of South Korea. The literature in the name of the February 16 fellowship society carried letters reading "General Kim Jong Il elected General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea" and "fellow countrymen, let us extend warm congratulations to General Kim Jong Il, the sun of the nation ! General Kim Jong Il is the destiny of the nation and the happiness of the fellow countrymen ! Let all of us wholeheartedly pray for his good health and longevity !" In another development, a wallpaper conveying the news that General Kim Jong Il had been elected WPK General Secretary was found in Insa-Dong, Seoul, according to the radio quoting information of the NDFSK Seoul City Committee. Written on the wallpaper in the name of the sun society were letters: honor to the leader Kim Jong Il. We wish him a long life in good health. Long live General Kim Jong Il, the sun of the nation !

Rodong Sinmun on ideological and cultural infiltration by imperialists

Pyongyang, October 21 (KCNA) -- The ideological and cultural infiltration by the imperialists is in essence a means of aggression and intervention under the signboards of "cooperation" and "exchange" and a vicious method to paralyze the sound consciousness of the people with reactionary bourgeois idea and degenerate them. Rodong Sinmun says this in a signed article today. The daily notes: Today when the cold war came to an end, the imperialists are resorting to the ideological and cultural infiltration in carrying out their dominationist aim. At present the imperialists are concentrating ideological and cultural infiltration on the socialist countries and the countries with a strong independent stand against imperialism. Their infiltration is chiefly aimed at instilling individualism into the minds of the people and disintegrating socialism from within. They are arguing that the comfort and interests of individuals are more precious than those of the country and the revolution, society and the collective and accordingly, one should oppose socialism and follow capitalism. If their ideological and cultural infiltration is allowed, the collectivist idea, the foundation of socialism, will be degenerated and, furthermore, socialism gained with blood will collapse. If socialism, the ideal and desire of the popular masses, is to be built and completed, the ideological work should be thoroughly strengthened and, at the same time, the vigilance against the ideological and cultural infiltration by the imperialists be heightened and the struggle to prevent it be intensified in every way.

Gift to Gen. Secy. Kim Jong Il from CPLA visiting group

Pyongyang, October 21 (KCNA) - General Secretary Kim Jong Il received a gift from the friendship visiting group of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (CPLA). Vice-admiral Zhou Kunren, political commissar of the general logistics department of the CPLA who is heading the delegation, asked an official concerned to convey the gift to General Secretary Kim Jong Il.

U.S. delegation here

Pyongyang, October 21 (KCNA) -- A delegation of Americans for a new relationship with Korea led by its secretary Charles Grossman arrived in Pyongyang today.