8th "February 16 Art Prize" individual contest held
Pyongyang, February 13 (KCNA) -- The 8th "February 16 Art Prize" individual contest was held with the approach of General Kim Jong Il's birthday, Feb. 16.
Participating in the contest were artistes and students from national and local art troupes, the song and dance ensemble of the ministry of public security, the Pyongyang University of Music and Dance and universities of art in all provinces.
The contest was held, divided into vocal music, recital and dance.
Proving successful in the contest were vocal soloists who sang "Fog Gathers on Jong Il Peak", "Socialist Paradise" and other songs and performers who played "Song of Blood Sea", "Glow of Kangson", "Korea is One", etc. With a national stringed instrument, wooden pipe, brass and piano.
Dancers of "Dance with a Long Korean Drum" and "Victory of Revolution is in Sight" also proved successful in the contest.
"Kim Jong Il's selected works" vol. 13 published
Pyongyang, February 13 (KCNA) -- The Workers' Party of Korea Publishing House recently brought out "Kim Jong Il's Selected Works" vol. 13 on the occasion of the 56th birthday of General Secretary Kim Jong Il.
Contained in it are 27 works including historic speeches, talks, treatises and letters of General Kim Jong Il from February Juche 81 (1992) to January Juche 83 (1994).
The volume includes "On the Fundamentals of Revolutionary Party Building", "Let Us Bring the Advantages of Our People's Government into Fuller Play" and other works which clarify ideas and theories on the building of the revolutionary party of Juche and people's power. It takes in "Let Us Direct Efforts to Party and Economic Work and Further Strengthen Socialist Might", "On Developing Light Industry and Conducting Economic Management and Study Well" and other works which elaborate on the theoretical and practical matters on socialist economic construction.
Included in the volume are "Abuses of Socialism are Intolerable", "Socialism is a Science" and other works which systematize the idea and theory on socialism and give a profound exposition of their truth and scientific accuracy.
Besides, it contains the issues of reunifying the country independently and peacefully and realizing global independence and ideas, theories and policies that are of great importance in the revolution and construction.
Palestinian Ambassador gives party on February holiday
Pyongyang, February 13 (KCNA) -- Shaher Mohammed Abdlah, Palestinian Ambassador to Korea, hosted a party at the embassy Thursday on the occasion of the birthday of the General Kim Jong Il.
The Ambassador noted in his speech that General Kim Jong Il assisted the great leader President Kim Il Sung in his revolutionary activities and guided the party, state and army as a whole while working at the Workers' Party of Korea Central Committee from long ago.
The Palestinian and other Arab peoples set store by the friendly and cooperative relations with the Korean people, he said, expressing the belief that the comradely, friendly relations forged by President Kim Il Sung together with President Yasser Arafat will continue to develop under the guidance of General Kim Jong Il.
He further said, "We are firmly convinced that the Korean people under the wise leadership of comrade Kim Jong Il will break through all hardships and certainly achieve national reunification."
Choe Thae Bok, alternate politburo member and Secretary of the WPK Central Committee, said the Korean people will make all efforts to further strengthen and develop the relations of friendship and cooperation with the Palestinian people, true to the intention of General Kim Jong Il.
"We will extend invariable support and firm solidarity to the Palestinian people in their just struggle to retake legitimate national rights that include rights to self-determination, return to their homeland and foundation of an independent state with sacred kuds as its capital city," he said.
He wished the Palestinian national authority and people greater progress in their struggle to settle the Palestinian issue in a package and fair way under the guidance of President Yasser Arafat.
Reverence for General Kim Jong Il expressed in S. Korea
Pyongyang, February 13 (KCNA) -- A wallpaper carrying reverence for General Kim Jong Il was found on the wall of a building of Hyun Dai Motor Company on January 20, the Seoul-based radio Voice of National Salvation quoted the Ulsan city committee of the National Democratic Front of South Korea as saying.
Written in the wallpaper in the name of the workers' welfare guidance council were an article on the independent northern half of the country and letters reading: "To the bosom of the leader Kim Jong Il, incarnation of benevolent and independent politics".
New Year greetings to General Kim Jong Il from 120 countries
Pyongyang, February 13 (KCNA) - General Secretary Kim Jong Il received thousands of congratulatory messages, letters and New Year's cards from people of all strata in 120 odd countries on the occasion of the New Year, Juche 87 (1998).
Among them were more than 220 party leaders and heads of state and government and over 1,200 high-ranking officials.
In the messages, letters and cards they highly praised General Kim Jong Il as the great sun in the age of independence and as the greatest man who will lead the 21st century, and said the human cause of independence and socialism is sure to win under his guidance.
Korea in festive mood
Pyongyang, February 13 (KCNA) -- February 16 is the greatest national holiday for the Korean people.
It is General Kim Jong Il's birthday.
With the approach of the auspicious holiday, Pyongyang and other cities are garbed in festive attire.
Posters and large pictures have appeared and red flags are fluttering in streets and on high buildings.
Many working people and servicemen have visited the secret camp of Mt. Paektu where General Kim Jong Il was born and the historic places associated with his revolutionary achievements.
Colourful events have taken place throughout the country.
National art and photo exhibitions and a ten-day film show opened in Pyongyang to celebrate February 16.
A national symposium and seminars of the Ministry of the People's Armed Forces and of working people's organizations were held.
The second Kimjongilia exhibition opened at the Pyongyang International House of Culture with deep concern of many local and foreign horticulturists and floriculturists.
The Paektusan prize sports games are going on at stadiums and gymnasiums.
Peoples, servicemen, youths and students throughout the country have sent congratulatory messages and letters to General Kim Jong Il, wishing him a long life in good health and pledging loyalty to him.
Mass media continue introducing the revolutionary feats of General Kim Jong Il. Songs praising him have been created and disseminated.
A national meeting, a joint national meeting of the Korean Children's Union organizations, a mass gymnastic display of schoolchildren in Pyongyang, a celebration gathering and evening party of youths and students and the 7th Paektusan Prize International Figure-Skating Festival will be held in Pyongyang.
Performances will be given by national art troupes including Mansudae Art Troupe and Korean artists from Japan.
Foreign party and state leaders support Korean people's cause of justice
Pyongyang, February 13 (KCNA) -- Party and state leaders of different countries expressed support for the Korean people's cause of justice when they met DPRK ambassadors.
Democratic Congolese President Raurent Desire Kabila said on February 4 that the exploits and experience established by President Kim Il Sung and General Kim Jong Il are the precious wealth from which they should learn.
Hoping Korea would be reunified independently and peacefully in the interests of its people, he declared that the government and people of Democratic Congo will always stand on the side of the Korean people.
On the same day Zimbabwean President Robert G. Mugabe said that led by General Kim Jong Il the Korean people will surely overcome the difficulties and win the final victory.
Expressing full support for Korea's reunification, he said the Korean people will certainly reunify the country under the wise leadership and distinguished tactics of General Kim Jong Il.
On February 3, the Chairman of the Republican Party for Freedom and Development of Cambodia, said: I am convinced that the Korean people will achieve a brilliant victory in the struggle for national reunification and prosperity under the wise guidance of H.E. Marshal Kim Jong Il, their supreme leader.
U.S. F-15 combat flying corps to S. Korea
Pyongyang, February 13 (KCNA) -- The U.S. on Tuesday moved a combat flying corps consisting of 18 F-15 fighters from an air base in Alaska to South Korea, a Seoul-based radio report said.
It was reported that two ac-130 helicopter gunboats were newly deployed in South Korea.
The U.S. Air Force authorities said that they took the step to make up "security blanks" in South Korea caused by the deployment in the Persian Gulf of "independence", an aircraft carrier of the U.S. Seventh Fleet.
The facts show that the U.S. warhawks recklessly seek to increase the danger of war both in the gulf and in the Korean Peninsula and dare to stage the "two wars scenario", captivated by an expansive delusion about the only "superpower".
Promising centre for development of computer programs
Pyongyang, February 13 (KCNA) -- The Korean Computer Centre, situated on the bank of River Taedong in the capital city, is one of the nation's promising centres for the development of computer programs. Over the past five years and more after the commissioning, it has developed many programs of various kinds to operate production processes and various machines including machine tools with computers. These programs can be introduced into all microcomputers.
The developed programs are greatly conducive to the computerization of industrial establishments.
They are very popular in foreign markets, too. The centre is developing other kinds of programs to meet the ever growing international needs, while rendering services by order.
General Kim Jong Il recently looked round programs presented to the national program contest and exhibition, expressed deep satisfaction with them and highly praised the participants for their successes. He stressed that program contest and exhibition should be held every year, exchange of technology and experience-swapping be activated to develop program technology through a mass drive, the personnel training system be thoroughly established to strengthen the ranks of technicians and material means be consolidated.
Inventions of economic value
Pyongyang, February 13 (KCNA) -- An increasing number of people are now visiting the self-reliance exhibition.
It was arranged when the national meeting of model setters in self-reliance was held in Pyongyang some time ago.
Exhibited there are more than 4,000 inventions of over 2,000 kinds and scientific and technological data. These inventions suitable to the specific conditions of Korea are giving a great help to the working people in the forced march of socialism.
Visual aids of medium- and small-size power stations of various types from Jagang province are attracting the attention of the visitors. The visual aids help the visitors realise that the power stations were so designed and built as to suit the natural and geographic features of the Province and make the best use of power resources.
Wind power generators produced by the October 5 General Automation Factory are of economic value as they have different forms of wind mills and power devices suitable to relevant regions.
The technicians and workers of the Kim Chaek Iron and Steel Complex completed the method of producing pig iron with domestic fuel, the method of producing large dual-layer rollers by a centrifugal casting method, the method of reproducing a large broken roller joint and the method of welding a large cast iron roller at one time, which are of great technological and economic value.
The method of producing cast iron with scrap steel and anthracite has been put on show by the Kum Song General Tractor Works, a tool for non-tungsten magnetization by the Pyongyang Cornstarch Factory, the method of producing pipes by the Namhung Youth Chemical Complex.
Besides, on display are inventions and achievements in valuable scientific research and technological innovation from industrial establishments, cooperative farms and institutes.
The exhibits are rendering great benefits to the state.
Floral basket to General Kim Jong Il from Palestinian President
Pyongyang, February 13 (KCNA) -- A floral basket came to General Kim Jong Il from Yasser Arafat, President of the Palestinian State, with the approach of his 56th birthday.
The floral basket was conveyed to an official concerned by Shaher Mohammad Abdlah, Palestinian Ambassador to Korea, on Feb. 13.