G. S. Kim Jong Il looks round salt refinery

Pyongyang, May 12 (KCNA) - General Secretary Kim Jong Il looked round a salt refinery built by soldier-builders. After receiving a salute from a unit commander, he looked round production processes to learn about the building of the refinery and salt production. While looking at the clean and cosy refinery and high-quality powdered salt, he expressed great satisfaction over the successful building of a new salt refinery which will help improve servicemen's diet considerably. He showed high appreciation for the great achievements gained by the soldier-builders, saying that they successfully built the salt refinery qualitatively in a short period. He tasted the salt, and noted with great satisfaction that his desire to supply tasty and high-quality soy beans and salt to the servicemen has been realised. He said that large quantities of new refined salt should be supplied not only to servicemen but also to the people. He went on to say that all the maritime provinces should build a lot of salt refineries by their own efforts. He put forward tasks of managing and operating the newly built refinery as well as keeping a steady rate of production.

Religionists in S. Korea and overseas urged to terminate outsiders' domination and interference

Pyongyang, May 12 (KCNA) -- Officials of religious organisations in the DPRK made public statements on May 11 supporting "Let Us Reunify the Country Independently and Peacefully Through the Great Unity of the Entire Nation," a historic work of General Kim Jong Il. Kang Yong Sop, Chairman of the central committee of the Korean Christian Federation, said: "In the present century, the Korean nation has been divided into the north and the south and disbelieved and confronted each other, failing to achieve national reconciliation and unity. This is mainly owing to outside forces. "We the Christians will resolutely fight against the domination by outside forces and the anti-reunification moves of separatists at home and abroad, upholding the five-point policy of great national unity, and in this struggle, actively join hands with the fellow Christians in South Korea and overseas." Pak Thae Ho, Chairman of the central committee of the Korean Buddhist Federation, pointed out: "We the Buddhists, who inherit the Korean Buddhists' spirit of the defence of the fatherland, will take the lead in the struggle to frustrate the anti-national, anti-reunification moves of outside forces and the traitors who are in conspiracy with them, and achieve the great unity of the nation. "I firmly believe that all the Buddhists and people in South Korea will more daringly turn out in the struggle against domination and interference by outside forces and the separatists at home and abroad."

Sojourn of "Little Angels" Art Troupe in Korea

Pyongyang, May 12 (KCNA) -- The "Little Angels" Art Troupe of the World Peace Federation, led by co-chairman Pak Po Hui of the federation, on May 10 visited the International Friendship Exhibition at the foot of world-famous Mt. Myohyang of Korea. Preserved in the exhibition are more than 209,000 gifts from party, state and government leaders, prominent public figures and organisations of some 170 countries. The gifts represent the boundless respect and reverence for President Kim Il Sung and General Kim Jong Il. Art troupe members looked round the precious gifts with keen interests, deeply moved by them. They also looked round historical and cultural remains and relics on Mt. Myohyang. On May 11 the art troupe gave a reception over the conclusion of its performances in Pyongyang. Cice-chairman Song Ho Gyong of the Korean Asia-Pacific Peace Committee, addressing the reception, said the recent Pyongyang visit by the art troupe marked a significant one that fully demonstrated the desires and will of the Koreans for achieving the independent and peaceful reunification of the country through the medium of national reconciliation aqd the great unity of the nation. All the Koreans in the north and south of Korea, he noted, should reunify the country without fail in their own generation so that children with pure and clean apples of their eye may see a reunified country and the boys and girls full of hopes may be presented with such a gift as national reunification. Pak Po Hui said: "Children of North and South Korea have already achieved reunification, and proved that we are a people of the same blood who should live together fatally. "I am proud of the fact that our performance during the visit to Pyongyang made an epochal contribution to history of reunification." He said the 70 million Koreans should work hard for the reunification of the country, the desire of the nation, till their reunion. On the same day, the art troupe enjoyed an acrobatic show by Pyongyang circus.

Five-point policy of great national unity supported abroad

Pyongyang, May 12 (KCNA) -- The Bulgarian Communist Party (Marxists), the Communist Party of Bulgaria, the Unitary Communist Party of Bulgaria and the Bulgarian Communist Party (Bolshevik) recently released a joint statement supporting the five-point policy of great national unity set out in "Let Us Reunify the Country Independently and Peacefully Through the Great Unity of the Entire Nation," a historic letter of General Kim Jong Il. The statement said that the five-point policy is an encyclopedic library of great national unity and an undying banner of national reunification which sums up the undying exploits performed by President Kim Il Sung in the sacred cause of achieving the reunification of Korea and indicates how to accelerate the reunification by realising the great unity of the nation on this basis. The South Korean authorities must immediately repeal and dissolve legal and institutional devices hindering national unity and unconditionally accept the five-point policy, it stressed. Mahotana Jean Noel, national chairman of the Malagasy party for the Defence of Socialism, in a statement on May 5 expressed full support for the five-point policy of great national unity and urged the present south Korean rulers to accept it and work for the country and the nation and the peace and independent and peaceful reunification of Korea. He expressed the conviction that, under the wise guidance of General Kim Jong Il, all the Korean people would reject the domination and interference of outside forces through a nationwide struggle and certainly achieve the national unity and the independent and peaceful reunification of their country.

Performances by KPA officers' family art circles

Pyongyang, May 12 (KCNA) -- Performances are being given here before full houses by officers' family art circles of different units of the Korean People's Army (KPA), who took part in the first contest of officers' family art circles. The performances are simple, colorful and high in artistic skill. All the performers play on musical instruments, sing and dance and are good in art of narration. Officers' family art circle members of the naval command, the air command, unit no. 570, unit no. 549 and unit no. 337 of the KPA vividly represent their determination to defend the headquarters of revolution with their lives together with their husbands who are taking arms in their hands. A poem and story-telling "We are also soldiers" reflects well the readiness and faith of officers' wives to do a decisive battle on the same trench together with their husbands. A tale in song "Let us speed up forced march with joyful dances and songs" vividly mirrors the noble mental world and colorful life of officers' families who are sincerely helping soldiers in building minor power stations by themselves. The performances are warmly acclaimed by the audiences for the spirit of times, high artistic value and appealing. The first contest of officers' family art circles was arranged under the meticulous loving care and concern of General Kim Jong Il. He made sure that the contest was held on the occasion of the first-observed Sun's Day, and gave concrete teachings on the matters related to the contest and performance. Recently, he appreciated performances given by officers' family art circles of kpa units on some occasions and said that their high spiritual world, fighting trait and way of life should be followed so actively that the revolutionary stamina may prevail all over society. The performances are stirring up the social atmosphere full of conviction of certain victory and optimism and encouraging the working people in the general socialist advance for final victory.

Functions for Kwangju uprising anniversary planned in S. Korea

Pyongyang, May 12 (KCNA) -- The committee for functions commemorating the May 18 popular resistance in South Korea plans to hold colorful functions on the occasion of the 18th anniversary of the Kwangju Uprising, a South Korean newspaper report said. At a meeting held on April 24, it announced that 46 functions including a memorial service, people's seminar, may literary festival, a meeting on human rights declaration and an academic gathering would be organised on this occasion.

DPRK delegation leaves for Colombia

Pyongyang, May 12 (KCNA) -- A DPRK delegation led by vice-Premier and Foreign Ninister Kim Yong Nam left here today to participate in a meeting of foreign ministers of the coordinating bureau of the non-aligned countries which will be held in Cartagena. The delegation was seen off at the airport by Kang Sok Ju, first vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Jose Ramon Rodriguez Varona, Cuban ambassador to Korea. The Foreign Minister and his party will visit Cuba prior to their participation in the meeting.

"Little Angels" leave

Pyongyang, May 12 (KCNA) -- The "Little Angels" Art Troupe of the World Peace Federation headed by co-chairman Pak Po Hui left here today after a 11-day visit. It was seen off at the airport by vice-Chairman Song Ho Gyong of the Korean Asia-Pacific Peace Committee and officials concerned. Circle memers of the Mangyongdae Schoolchildren's Palace farewelled the children from the south, hoping that they will meet again when the country is reunified.