Pyongyang, August 14 (KCNA) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Republic of South Africa established diplomatic relations at ambassadorial level on August 10, Juche 87 (1998) to further develop friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries.
Pyongyang, August 14 (KCNA) -- O Ik Je, vice-chairman of the committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland, had an interview with local and foreign reporters on Thursday one year after obtaining citizenship in the DPRK.
He told reporters that one year of his residence in the DPRK was the year of awareness, learning and revival.
He said that he witnessed the deep love of the respected Marshal Kim Jong Il for the country and the nation while visiting Mts. Paektu and Kuwol after settling down here.
Noting that in the north he experienced the invincibility of the singlehearted unity and the inexhaustible might of the unity, O Ik Je stressed the Marshal is the brain and centre of the singlehearted unity.
The singlehearted unity of the DPRK is the only way for keeping the Korean nation alive and an indestructible weapon and invincible might, more powerful than A-bomb or H-bomb, he said.
He further said:
The people in the DPRK are now making a hard march for many reasons, but I could hardly see a shadow of desperation or sorrow in their faces.
What I have heard and seen in the north is their march towards the future and their optimistic confidence.
This is the true features of the DPRK.
Pyongyang, August 14 (KCNA) -- The Central People's Committee of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea awarded the "National Reunification Prize" to patriotic figures on the 53rd anniversary of the country's liberation.
They made great contributions to the sacred cause for the sovereignty of the nation and the independent and peaceful reunification of the country in the north, south and overseas under the banner of independence, peaceful reunification and great national unity put forward by President Kim Il Sung.
According to a decree dated August 10 of the Central People's Committee, 117 persons were awarded the prize.
Pyongyang, August 14 (KCNA) - General Secretary Kim Jong Il sent a wreath to the bier of people's artiste Om Kuk Ji, deputy head of the Kumgangsan Opera Troupe of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, on August 13 to express deep condolences on his death.
Pyongyang, August 14 (KCNA) -- The socalled "people's government" of South Korea and the South Korea-U.S. "combined forces command" jointly announced on August 12 that they would stage Ulji Focus Lens Exercise, a joint command post exercise to cope with war and "state emergency," for 12 days from August 17, a news report from Seoul said.
The provocative war game targeted at the DPRK will reportedly involve a total of 70,000 troops of the three services of the U.S. aggression forces and the South Korean army.
Pyongyang, August 14 (KCNA) -- U.S.-South Korea joint military maneuvers codenamed Ulji Focus Lens will reportedly be held in South Korea from August 17 to 28.
Some 70,000 troops including 13,000 U.S. troops of three services in South Korea will be involved in the exercise, which is in fact a preliminary war to examine the preparations for new war against the DPRK.
The announcement of the exercise came when Koreans in the north, south and overseas were increasingly longing for reunification with the approach of the August 15 grand pro-reunification festival at Panmunjom.
Reasonably speaking, it is time to refrain from encouraging misunderstanding and distrust between the north and south and impeding national reconciliation and unity.
The announcement of the exercise at this time shows the reckless acts of the United States and the South Korean authorities have reached the extreme pitch. They intend to dampen the nation's enthusiasm for reunification, agitate for confrontation and "unify Korea by prevailing over communism."
The chief executive, the "Defence Minister" and other warmongers of South Korea now make bellicose remarks against the north and incite war fever.
The chief executive on August 10 called for staging the Ulji military exercise as a "real-war exercise." "Defence Minister" Chon Yong Thaek, who had declared the north "sworn enemy," told reporters "an unshakable outlook on the north and combat preparedness will be maintained till the unification of Korea."
Facts show where the source of disaster is on the Korean peninsula and that the present authorities of South Korea are warmaniacs who outdistance the "civilian" regime.
The United States' frantic war racket with the South Korean authorities who are bereft of reason is an act that negates the framework agreement with the DPRK and betrays the dialogue partner.
The United States and the South Korean authorities must give up the reckless war exercise, mindful that it will lead them to disgraceful ruin.
Pyongyang, August 14 (KCNA) -- Some 2,000 students belonging to the (South) Korean Federation of University Student Councils held an opening ceremony of the 8th Grand Pro-Reunification Festival of the National Alliance of Youth and Students for the Country's Reunification (Pomchonghakryon) and the 9th Pan-National Rally at Seoul National University on Thursday in teeth of police suppression, a Seoul-based radio said.
The radio said the events will continue for three days until August 15.
The South Korean authorities have deployed some 50 riot police companies more than 6,000 strong around the university and forbidden people to enter the campus and students to leave it.
Pyongyang, August 14 (KCNA) -- Of late the Kum Song Youth Publishing House published a collection of legends on the bright star of Mt. Paektu "Day Given by Heaven "(collector Kim U Gyong).
The book contains 28 revolutionary legends based on natural wonders. Those natural wonders took place in different parts of the country around October 8, Juche 86 (1997), when Kim Jong Il was elected as General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea.
It also introduces media reports about those natural wonders.
Pyongyang, August 14 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today carries a commentary denouncing the South Korean ruling quarters for placing all parts of South Korea under de facto "Martial Law" and cracking down on students and patriots in a bid to block the August 15 grand pro-reunification festival.
The daily says:
The South Korean authorities are now employing every conceivable means and method to foil events of pro-reunification, pro-democracy patriotic forces.
They intend to block the south headquarters of Pomminryon (National Alliance for the Country's Reunification) and Hanchongryon (South Korean Federation of University Student Councils) from taking part in the August 15 grand pro-reunification festival, foil the events for reunification in South Korea and, furthermore, obliterate the pro-reunification, pro-democracy forces.
The South Korean pro-reunification patriotic forces will never stop the struggle they have already started, but hold the festival and the 9th Pan-National Rally by fighting more staunchly in concert.
The South Korean ruling quarters must discontinue the suppression of the pro-reunification, pro-democracy forces, provide conditions for the festival events and allow them to go to Panmunjom, the festival venue.
Pyongyang, August 14 (KCNA) -- Overseas compatriots arrived here by plane, train and ship on August 12 and 13 to participate in the "Grand Festival for National Reconciliation, Unity and Reunification."
Among them are a delegation of the European regional headquarters of Pomminryon (National Alliance for the Country's Reunification) led by co-chairman Ri Jun Sik= a delegation of the headquarters of Koreans in China of Pomminryon led by vice-chairman Cha Sang Bo= a delegation of the China regional headquarters of the national alliance of youth and students for the country's reunification led by chairman Ryu Chang Hwan= a delegation of the Federation of Korean Nationals in China headed by chairman Yang Yong Dong= a delegation of the Youth Federation of Korean Nationals in China led by vice-chairman Mun Thae Hwan= a delegation of the Federation of Korean National Economic Workers in China headed by first vice-chairman Ri Chol Jae= Rev. Jong Ki Ryol, executive member of the Association of Koreans for National Reunification in North America, and his companion= a delegation of the Federation of South Koreans in Japan for Democracy and Unification led by senior advisor Ri Jwa Yong= and executive chairman of the International Centre of Fund for Human Rights in South Korea Choe Chol Gyo, as its delegate.
Pyongyang, August 14 (KCNA) -- Pro-reunification organizations of South Korea reportedly published a joint statement denouncing the "government's" repression of patriotic, pro-democracy forces.
The organizations are the south preparatory committee for the "Grand Festival for National Reconciliation, Unity and Reunification" and the south headquarters for the promotion of the "9th Pan-National Rally for Peace and Reunification of the Country."
In the statement they said:
The present "government" is making a wholesale roundup of patriotic, pro-democracy forces throughout South Korea by dint of huge riot police. It is an outrageous suppression to check the festival to be held to meet the ardent desire of the entire fellow countrymen.
We will valiantly fight against the repression, with other pro-reunification patriotic forces, and successfully hold the grand festival and the 9th PNR in Panmunjom so as to open a decisive phase for national reunification.
Pyongyang, August 14 (KCNA) -- Some 1,000 students under Hanchongryon (South Korean Federation of University Student Councils) went on a strike at Seoul National University on August 12 in the teeth of police cordon, a Seoul-based radio reported.
They decided to hold the 8th Grand Pro-Reunification Festival of Pomchonghakryon (National Alliance of Youth and Students for the Country's Reunification) and the 9th Pan-National Rally at Seoul National University from August 13.
The South Korean authorities sent more than 4,000 police to the university gate, its surroundings, subway stations and other places in a bid to block the events. The students, however, broke through the strict cordon into the university.
The South Korean authorities threatened again on August 12 that they will block at an initial stage the grand pro-reunification festival of Pomchonghakryon and the pan-national rally which Hanchongryon and the south headquarters of Pomminryon (National Alliance for the Country's Reunification) plan to hold between August 13 and 15.
They deployed riot police of 160 companies around several universities and colleges in Seoul which are believed to be venues of the events, to block the entry of students and officials of Pomminryon.
Pyongyang, August 14 (KCNA) -- A "Grand Festival for National Reconciliation, Unity and Reunification" is being held in Pyongyang and Panmunjom on the occasion of the 53rd anniversary of the country's liberation (August 15).
The festival is sponsored by the National Alliance for the Country's Reunification (Pomminryon).
Pomminryon is an umbrella body for reunification movement whose aim is to achieve the great unity of the Korean nation and the independent and peaceful reunification of the country.
It, formed in November, 1990, is guided by the three principles of national reunification--independence, peaceful reunification and great national unity--agreed upon and declared by the north and the south.
It is composed of patriotic political parties, organisations and individuals in the north, south and overseas who recognize its platform and rules and operated in a democratic way and by the agreement of the north, south and abroad.
It has headquarters in the north, south and abroad under which there are regional and branch organisations. The overseas headquarters has its regional headquarters in Japan, Europe, Americas, Canada, China, Australia and in the Commonwealth of Independent States.
Its supreme decision-making body is the pan-national rally for national reunification. Pomminryon has the joint presidium and the joint secretariat. The joint presidium consists of chairmen and vice-chairmen of the north, south and overseas headquarters. It convenes pan-national rally and joint meetings of the central committee and takes measures to implement joint resolutions adopted at meetings.
The joint secretariat, representing Pomminryon at home and abroad, takes charge of the implementation of joint resolutions and contacts and solidarity among headquarters for it.
Regional headquarters and branches publish magazines "Paektu-Hanna," "Motherland Is One" and organs "Great National Unity" and "News Of Pomminryon."
Pyongyang, August 14 (KCNA) -- The spokesman for the preparatory committee for "Grand Festival for National Reconciliation, Unity and Reunification" released a statement today accusing the South Korean authorities of having prohibited the south headquarters for the promotion of the festival from participating in working-level talks together with delegates of the Pomminryon south headquarters preparatory committee.
The statement said:
Our preparatory committee for the August 15 grand pro-reunification festival was pleased with working-level talks proposed, though belated, by the south promotion headquarters, regarding it as a token of its understanding of our efforts for the festival. We stated more than once with generosity that the south promotion headquarters could, together with delegates of the south preparatory committee, participate in the second and third rounds of working-level talks of the north, south and overseas preparatory committees which were scheduled to be held in Beijing on August 5 and 10.
The delegates of the south promotion headquarters, however, failed to come out to the north-proposed talks.
We regret that the delegates of the south promotion headquarters have missed a chance to take part in the historic festival at Panmunjom.
If the South Korean authorities had not prohibited the delegates of the Pomminryon south headquarters preparatory committee from taking part in the talks, the delegates of the south promotion headquarters would have participated in the talks together with them.
The South Korean authorities formed an "all-people council for national reconciliation and cooperation" for the purpose of obstructing the festival, isolating the south headquarters of Pomminryon and the (South) Korean Federation University Student Councils, disintegrating dissident pro-democracy forces and fostering confrontation with the north among them.
It is attributable to the South Korean authorities' separatist moves that working-level talks to which delegates of the south promotion headquarters were invited could not be held.
The South Korean authorities must know that if they continue obstructing the festival, trying to divide the pro-reunification forces of the north, south and overseas and seeking confrontation in defiance of our warnings, it is another intolerable crime against the nation.
Pyongyang, August 14 (KCNA) -- Foreign Minister of the DPRK Kim Yong Nam sent a message of greetings to Lila Ratsifandri Amanana upon his appointment as Foreign Minister of Madagascar.
Expressing the belief that the good friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries will further develop in the interests of the two peoples, the message wished him success in his work.