Kim Jong Il enjoys art performance
Pyongyang, October 12 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il on Sunday enjoyed a joint performance "Song of soldiers led by marshal Kim Jong Il" given by the merited choir and the song and dance ensemble of the Korean People's Army (KPA) to mark the 53rd anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea.
Among the audience were senior party, state and army officials Kim Yong Nam, Jo Myong Rok, Kim Yong Chun, Kim Il Chol, Hong Song Nam, Ri Yong Mu, Kye Ung Thae, Kim Kuk Thae, Kim Ki Nam, Kim Jung Rin, Kim Yong Sun, Yang Hyong Sop, Kim Yun Hyok and Jo Chang Dok, department directors and first vice department directors of the Party Central Committee, ministers of the cabinet, senior officials of working people's organisations and the press and general officers of the KPA.
The program included choruses "Long live the Workers' Party of Korea" and "We will defend the headquarters of revolution with our lives" and the song and dance "We will win under the flag of the supreme commander."
The performance deeply impressed the audience as it vividly reflected the indomitable spirit of the Korean army and people who advance with optimism and confidence in bright future.
The Chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission congratulated the artistes on their successful performance.
He expressed deep satisfaction and thanked the artistes for giving an excellent performance that represented the faith and will of Korea and the revolutionary spirit of soldiers.
Gift to Kim Jong Il from Chinese delegation
Pyongyang, October 12 (KCNA) - General Secretary Kim Jong Il received a gift from the visiting delegation of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the China-Korea Friendship Association.
The gift was handed to an official concerned by Chen Haosu, vice-President of the Chinese People's Association For Friendship with Foreign Countries who is leading the delegation.
Greetings to President of Equatorial Guinea
Pyongyang, October 12 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, on Oct. 9 sent a message of greetings to Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, President of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of its independence.
The message expressed the belief that friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries will continue to develop and strengthen on good terms and wished the President and the Equatorial Guinean people greater success in the work for the country's prosperity.
Damage from "Fishing Agreement" will be 502 billion won in S. Korea
Pyongyang, October 12 (KCNA) -- The fishery institute of South Korea announced that fishermen and sea products processing enterprises in South Korea will lose 502 billion won every year from 2001 owing to the treacherous "Fishing Agreement" adopted by the authorities with Japanese reactionaries, according to a report.
The amount of damage is nearly three times more than that announced by the authorities.
The damage of fishermen will be 240 billion won.
Opening anniversary of Korea-Russia diplomatic relations marked
Pyongyang, October 12 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today dedicates a bylined article to the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Korea-Russia diplomatic relations.
The opening of diplomatic relations on October 12, 1948, marked a historic occasion in developing the friendly relations between the two countries, the article notes.
It says:
The two peoples look back upon the past 50 years of their relations, hoping to develop the relations on to a new stage.
Interchange and cooperation including mutual visits of delegations are now growing between the two countries.
This fully conforms to the interests of the two peoples.
The Korean people are convinced that the bilateral relations will develop on the principles of independence, equality and non-interference in other's internal affairs.
CPRF spokesman interviewed
Pyongyang, October 12 (KCNA) -- The spokesman for the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland (CPRF) answered a question put by KCNA today concerning the serious political controversy between the ruling and opposition camps of South Korea over "incident of request for gunfiring at Panmunjom" and "incident of show of armed force at Panmunjom."
He told KCNA:
The prosecution made public an "incident of request for gunfiring at Panmunjom" which it says is connected with the north, thus placing the ruling and opposition parties in a controversy.
This came amidst continued feud within the ruling quarters and serious government crisis of South Korea.
The South Korean authorities went so far as to link the "incident" with the "incident of show of armed force at Panmunjom" that took place on the eve of the April 11, 1996 general elections in South Korea.
We have no idea of commenting on the worthless controversy between the ruling and opposition parties within South Korea.
But, we make it clear that we have the right to clarify the truth, when necessary, because they connect the "incidents" with the north.
Both the ruling and opposition parties of South Korea had better bear it in mind that late repentance will cause irrevocable consequences.
President's voice still sounds in Korea
Pyongyang, October 12 (KCNA) -- Four years have elapsed since the President Kim Il Sung passed away on July 8, Juche 83 (1994). In Korea, instructions he made in his lifetime serve as firm guidelines of the party and state activities.
The second national meeting of mothers was recently held here.
The participants in the meeting listened to a recorded speech made by the President at a national meeting of mothers held in November, Juche 50 (1961).
They deeply felt the duty and role of mothers for the fatherland and society and renewed their resolution, listening to his speech.
The participants in the first session of the 10th Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK held on Sept. 5 listened to a recorded policy speech of the President "Let Us Bring the Advantages of Socialism in Our Country into Full Play," which was delivered at the first session of the 9th SPA held on May 24, Juche 79 (1990).
The newly organized DPRK government started its work after solemnly declaring that it would firmly take the President's policy speech as the state policy.
Those who visit the Korean Revolution Museum and the Mangyongdae Revolutionary Museum can listen to a televised speech the President delivered at a conference of senior officials in charge of the economy in his last period.
His speech about the founding of the Workers' Party of Korea and its significance can be heard in the Party Founding Museum.
His voice vigorously encourages the Korean people to the revolutionary struggle and construction to add lustre to Kim Il Sung's Korea.
Ceremony for transfering foundry held in Uganda
Pyongyang, October 12 (KCNA) -- A ceremony for transferring a foundry, constructed with the DPRK's help, was held at the Kilembe Mine of Uganda on Oct. 2.
Present at the ceremony were the Minister of Energy and Minerals Development who was the representative of the government, officials concerned and people of Uganda, the DPRK ambassador to Uganda, embassy officials and a DPRK technical cooperation team.
The participants in the ceremony went round production processes of the foundry and unveiled the tower of south-south cooperation built in front of the foundry.
The general director of the Kilembe Mine introduced details of the construction and the capability and prospect of the foundry.
Speeches were made by the Minister of Energy and Minerals Development, the chairman of the Council of Kasese Region, the DPRK ambassador and others.
The minister and the DPRK ambassador signed a certificate of transfer.
Great leadership in settling youth problem
Pyongyang, October 12 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today dedicates a signed article to the 10th anniversary of the publication of Kim Jong Il's famous work "the Present Times and the Tasks Facing Young People" on October 12, Juche 77 (1988).
The paper in the article headlined "great leadership in settling youth problem" says that a new turn and leaping progress have been made in the development of the Korean youth movement over ten years after the publication of the work.
The article goes on:
Kim Jong Il has long put forward the idea of attaching importance to the young people and triumphantly and wisely led the Korean youth movement in each period and at each stage of revolution. After publishing this work he made public many famous works such as "Young Men and Women, Be the Vanguard Unfailingly Loyal to the Party and the Leader" and "Let Us Exalt the Brilliance of Comrade Kim Il Sung's Idea on the Youth Movement and the Achievements Made Under His Leadership," indicating the road of the youth movement ahead.
Under his tested leadership over the work amongst the youth, the youth league has been named after the President Kim Il Sung, the youth day instituted, which has never been in any other country, and the slogan "love young people " set forth.
Kim Jong Il has given most precious political integrity to the young Korean people and led them to lead a life worthy of loyal subjects, so that they have grown as ranks of young people with boundless loyalty and filial piety to the party and the leader.
Basing himself on the scientific analysis of the objective and subjective situation of the Korean revolution and the present state of the international communist movement, he has paid particular attention to involving the young people of the rising generation in the struggle to defend and exalt socialism. They have grown into the firm defenders of socialism.
He has trained the young Korean people to have political and ideological steadfastness and noble moral trait.
They are now successfully discharging their mission and duty as the young vanguard in the struggle to carry forward and accomplish the Juche revolutionary cause under the leadership of the Workers' Party of Korea. This is a brilliant fruition of his great idea on cherishing young people and his leadership.
DPRK Foreign Ministry spokesman on third four-way talks
Pyongyang, October 12 (KCNA) -- The spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of the DPRK today gave an answer to a question put by KCNA over the third four-way talks which will be held in Geneva from October 21 as agreed on at DPRK-U.S. talks in New York.
He said:
The DPRK will not bargain away matters of principle related to the issue of Korea's reunification which is vital to the Korean nation. It holds that issues of withdrawing the U.S. troops from South Korea and signing a peace agreement between the DPRK and the United States which it has consistently called for and which are the very key to Korea's reunification, must be discussed as the main agenda item at the four-way talks.
It is the consistent stand of the DPRK government to achieve the lasting peace and security of the Korean peninsula. Up to date, we have attended the four-way talks, expecting that they would make substantial contributions to establishing a lasting peace system on the Korean peninsula.
As is well known, the key to eliminating the root cause of the acute political and military confrontation on the Korean peninsula is to put an end to the military interference of the United States. What is needed for this is to conclude a peace agreement between the DPRK and the United States, signatories to the Armistice Agreement, and drive the U.S. forces out of South Korea.
This is why the DPRK raised it as a major agenda item for the four-way talks to withdraw the U.S. troops from South Korea and sign the peace agreement, which are vital to putting a period to the state of armistice and achieving the lasting peace on the Korean peninsula, and has made every possible effort to solve it.
However, any fruition has not yet been made at the talks against our expectation.
For its insincere negotiating stance, the U.S. side has to take full responsibility for the deadlocked talks.
It has not only evaded accepting our fair and aboveboard call for taking as the major agenda items the issues of withdrawing the U.S. troops and signing the peace agreement between the DPRK and the U.S. but also refused to debate about the issues. Worse still, it insisted that only matters containing its ulterior intention must be discussed.
The DPRK will make every possible effort to turn the four-way talks into fruitful ones helpful toward ensuring the peace and security of the Korean peninsula and expect that all the parties to the talks will also respond to its call with sincerity.