Floral basket placed before Kim Il Sung's statue
Pyongyang, April 17 (KCNA) -- Indonesian ambassador to Korea Buchari Effendi and embassy officials visited the statue of the President Kim Il Sung on Mansu Hill on Friday on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the DPRK and Indonesia. They laid a floral basket before the statue and paid homage to him.
Letter addressed to int'l labor organizations and trade unions
Pyongyang, April 17 (KCNA) -- The central committee of the National Democratic Front of South Korea (Hanminjon) on April 7 made public a letter addressed to the international labor organisations and trade unions of foreign countries calling for support and encouragement to the spring struggle of South Korean workers, said Seoul-based radio Voice of National Salvation.
The letter said: In South Korea, a colony where the national sovereignty has been violated, the vital rights of the people are being seriously threatened by the trusteeship of the International Monetary Fund and the anti-social misrule and maltreatment by the present ruling authorities. So, 10 million workers have turned out in the spring struggle in protest against them. All the people are qualified to enjoy the right to labor and social welfare and benefits according to it.
However, South Korean workers are denied the right to work by the reactionary labour policy of the ruling authorities who yielded to the arbitrary act and pressure from the U.S.-led IMF. At the crossroads of whether to die, enduring sufferings or fight to win the right to existence and get rid of this wretched plight the South Korean workers have opted to launch the spring struggle.
We are convinced that the international labour organisations and trade unions of all countries will pay deep attention to the struggle of South Korean workers and extend widespread support and encouragement to them.
Songs distributed in S. Korea
Pyongyang, April 17 (KCNA) -- Tapes of "Song of General Kim Il Sung" have been widely distributed in the area of Songnam, South Korea, Seoul-based radio Voice of National Salvation quoted the Kyonggi provincial committee of the National Democratic Front of South Korea (Hanminjon) as saying. Packed together with tapes manufactured in the name of the sun's society are the words and music of the song and an introductory article. The introductory article says that April 15 is historical Sun's Day when President Kim Il Sung, the eternal sun and peerless patriot of the Korean nation, was born. It called for making a deep bow to the president in the eternal memory of him and commemorating Sun's Day for all ages, singing the "Song of General Kim Il Sung."
Syrian Independence observed
Pyongyang, April 17 (KCNA) -- Papers here today observe the 53rd anniversary of the independence day of the Syrian people, their national holiday. The strong aspiration and desire of the Syrian people for sovereignty and independence were realised as the country became independent on April 17, 1946, a signed article of Rodong Sinmun says, and goes on: The Syrian independence was the fruition of the unremitting struggle waged by the people against the oppressors.
The country's independence was an epochal event in the struggle of the Syrian people who aspired after a new, free and prosperous society.Since independence, the Syrian people have made remarkable achievements in defending the sovereignty and independence of the country, developing the national economy, stepping up the nation-building and improving the standard of people's living and in other aspects under the leadership of President Hafez al-Assad.
They are exerting strenuous efforts for the fair and@comprehensive settlement of the Midlle East problem on the "peace-for-land" principle. The Korean people are sincerely rejoiced over the achievements made by the Syrian people in their struggle to consolidate the national sovereignty and create a new life. They will make positive efforts to develop the traditional Korea-Syria friendship, setting store by it in the future, too.
A signed article of Minju Joson says that the Korean people are proud of having the Syrian people as a friend and sincerely hope that they will achieve greater success in their struggle to build a new Syria.
Iranian ambassador gives reception
Pyongyang, April 17 (KCNA) -- Mohammad Ganjidoost, ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the DPRK, gave a reception at his embassy on Friday on the occasion of Sun's Day.Present on invitation were Paek Hak Rim, Minister of Public Security, Paek Nam Sun, Foreign Minister, Kang Jong Mo, Minister of Foreign Trade, Ri Won Il, Minister of Labor, and other officials concerned.
Addressing the reception, the ambassador referred to the President Kim Il Sung's exploits in the development of the friendly relations between the two countries and expressed the confidence that these relations would grow stronger and develop under the leadership of General Secretary Kim Jong Il. Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun noted that the friendship between the two countries was based on the intimate relations which Kim Il Sung forged with Iranian leaders long ago and now is being boosted thanks to the profound attention of Kim Jong Il.
Just cause of Korean people supported
Pyongyang, April 17 (KCNA) -- The Congolese Socialist Party, the Brazzaville city committee of the Congolese Party of Labor, the Congolese Association for Friendship Among Peoples and the Congo-Korea Friendship Association made public a joint statement in support of the Korean people's cause of national reunification.
The statement fully supported all the peace initiatives put forward by the DPRK in the past and the proposal made by the joint meeting of its government, political parties and organizations, considering them to be the most realistic ones to remove the danger of war from the Korean peninsula, reunify Korea by a confederal formula and provide a favourable climate for peace and security in Asia and the rest of the world.
If the South Korean authorities truly want the reunification of the country, they should unconditionally accept the peace initiatives of the DPRK, the statement said, and continued: We demand that the South Korean authorities lend an ear to the voices of the nation, respond to the proposed wide-ranging dialogue between the north and the south, abolish the "National Security Law" and withdraw all other anti-social steps so that South Korean society may be democratized.
We will in the future, too, extend full support and solidarity to the just cause of the Korean people to remove the danger of war from the Korean peninsula and reunify the country independently and peacefully.
Cambodian political party delegations visit DPRK embassy
Pyongyang, April 17 (KCNA) -- Cambodian political party delegations visited the DPRK embassy in Phnom Penh on the occasion of Sun's Day.They were a delegation of the Khmer Democratic Party led by its chairman and a delegation of the Khmer Combatants Party for Mulinaka and Liberty headed by its chairman.
The chairman of the Khmer Democratic Party said the great leader Kim Il Sung performed enduring feats in the history of Korea and the history of friendship between Cambodia and Korea. The traditional relations of friendship and cooperation between the two peoples fostered by esteemed King Norodom Sihanouk and Generalissimo Kim Il Sung will further develop with each passing day, he stressed.
The chairman of the Khmer Combatants Party for Mulinaka and Liberty said that all the people highly praise the Generalissimo's distinguished exploits and heroism and that the Cambodian people express thanks to him who bestowed favors on the King and Cambodia.
Joint performance of friendship art festival
Pyongyang, April 17 (KCNA) -- Joint performances of the 17th April Spring Friendship Art Festival were held at the Pyongyang Grand Theatre, the East Pyongyang Grand Theatre, the Central Youth Hall and the Pyongyang Circus on Friday.Seeing them were Kim Yong Nam, Ri Jong Ok, Pak Song Chol and other senior party and state officials.
Put on the stage were "O, the Leader", "Yearning for the Sun", "Let us go to be embraced by the leader" and other art pieces created by artistes of different countries and overseas Korean artistes, which sing of the immortal feats of the President Kim Il Sung for the times and humankind. In such numbers as "Ardent Wish", "We will glorify Kim Jong Il's century as sunshine" and "Kimjongilia" the performers sincerely wished a long life in good health to General Secretary Kim Jong Il, singing of humankind's great honor and happiness in having him.
They also sang Korean songs including "Long Live Generalissimo Kim Il Sung", "Thunder on Jong Il peak", "We cannot live without you", "Mt. Paektu is native home of revolution" and "Song of Loyalty", which represent the Korean people's national pride of being blessed with the leaders, the sun, through generations and their heroic struggle.
Their programs included a dance "Birch" by the Russian Beryozka Dance Troupe, a dance "Young People of Egypt" by an Egyptian art troupe and a Lao female vocal solo "Our Pleasant Life". They well represented the aspiration of the world's progressives to enjoy an independent and creative life in a peaceful, new world free from war and subjugation, and their ardent patriotism, noble mental world and industrious and optimistic labour.
National seminars on Juche idea held in India and Guyana
Pyongyang, April 17 (KCNA) -- National seminars on the Juche idea were held in India and Guyana on the occasion of the 87th birth anniversary of the President Kim Il Sung.
The secretary general of the "International Kim Il Sung Prize" Council in his report at a seminar in India said: The Juche idea not only guides the peoples of all countries to deeply realize that they are the masters of their own destinies but also indicates a bright road for them to carry out the revolution in their countries by their own efforts in a responsible way with their own faith free from such outmoded ideas as flunkeyism and dogmatism. The Juche philosophy which was founded by President Kim Il Sung and which is being developed and enriched by General Secretary Kim Jong Il is a new and original philosophy.
Today when the Juche idea is being widely disseminated as the main trend of thought in our era, Kim Jong Il, deeply aware of the importance of having a correct understanding of the originality and revolutionary nature of the Juche idea, comprehensively expounded them in famous works including "the Juche Philosophy is an Original Revolutionary Philosophy." We should have a correct understanding that the Juche philosophy is an original and revolutionary philosophy fundamentally different from all the preceding philosophies and more deeply study and disseminate this idea.
At a seminar held in Guyana, the first vice-chairman of the Guyanese National Committee for the Study of the Juche Idea of Comrade Kim Il Sung said in his report that the most urgent matter in making Guyana independent and prosperous at present is to achieve national reconciliation and unity. Only when we take the Juche idea as a guiding idea can we realise the national reconciliation and unity and bring about the prosperity and development of the country, the reporter stressed.
Speeches were made at the seminars. Letters to Kim Jong Il were adopted there.
S. Korea's scheme to set up new military machine
Pyongyang, April 17 (KCNA) -- The South Korean authorities scheme to set up a new military machine "planning team for military renovation," according to a news report. They decided to place the planned organisation under the existing "steering committee of defence reform" in order to "implement military renovation proposals" and "cope with changes in war aspects." The team is expected to have 40 to 50 war experts selected from the three services of the army and "institute of defense sciences."
Five-point policy of great national unity supported
Pyongyang, April 17 (KCNA) -- Pak kwang gi, chief of the Pyongyang mission of the National Democratic Front of South Korea, was interviewed by KCNA on April 16 on the occasion of the 1st anniversary of the publication of the five-point policy of great national unity.
He said: The great leader Kim Jong Il published a historic work "Let Us Reunify the Country Independently and Peacefully through the Great Unity of the Entire Nation" on April 18 last year, in which he put forward the five-point policy of great national unity and instilled stronger conviction of certain victory in the reunification cause and fresh strength and courage into the Korean people.
The five-point policy is a highly important guideline which gives comprehensive and scientific exposition of the most important and principled issues arising in achieving the great unity of the nation and national reunification with concerted efforts of the entire nation at present. Crying for "cooperation in security" and "cooperation", the South Korean authorities, together with the U.S. and Japanese aggression forces, are fanning up antagonism against the fellow countrymen in the north and getting more frantic in anti-north confrontation, thus laying grave obstacles in the way of national reconciliation, unity and reunification.
Paying lip-service to "reconciliation" and "cooperation," they are getting frenzied in the confrontation and war moves against the north and blocking visit, contact and dialogue between the fellow countrymen. The dawn of national reunification is bound to break as we are struggling under the banner of the five-point policy of great national unity provided by the great Marshal Kim Jong Il. The vanguard of the National Democratic Front of South Korea and patriotic people of all social standings will wage a valiant struggle to put an end to the domination and intervention by the outsiders and liquidate the traitors to the nation and anti-reunification treacherous forces and thus certainly accelerate the reunification of the country.
Reminiscences of President Kim Il Sung published
Pyongyang, April 17 (KCNA) -- Part 1 the anti-Japanese revolution vol.3 of "With the Century", the reminiscences of the President Kim Il Sung, was published on April 14 by the all India Indo-Korean Friendship Association on the occasion of Sun's Day. The book in its preface says that the world progressive people are now joining the Korean people in significantly commemorating Sun's Day, the 87th birth anniversary of the President Kim Il Sung, with the highest tribute to him. It notes the association is honored to publish Kim Il Sung's reminiscences volume 3 in Hindi.
KPA merited choir gives performance
Pyongyang, April 17 (KCNA) -- The merited choir of the Korean People's Army (KPA) gave a performance at the Mansudae Art Theatre on April 16.Invited to see the performance were the Russian Alexandrov Army Choir and Dance Ensemble, a group of famous artistes from Russia, the Russian Beryozka Dance Troupe and other foreign artistes participating in the 17th April Spring Friendship Art Festival.
The program included the immortal revolutionary paean "Song of General Kim Jong Il," "Thunder on Jong Il peak" and "We will defend the headquarters of revolution with our lives." The choir impressively sang of the greatness of General Secretary Kim Jong Il and demonstrated the unshakable faith and will of the officers and men of the KPA to accomplish the cause of socialism by force of arms. The program also included Russian song "Sacred Banner of Lenin," "Vast Land of Siberia" and "Forward." The performance was acclaimed by the audience.
Gift to Kim Jong Il
Pyongyang, April 17 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il received gifts from the national executive committee of the Worker's Party of Mexico and the visiting delegation of the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party. Maria Guadeloupe Rodriguez, member of the national executive committee of the Worker's Party of Mexico who is leading the party delegation on a visit to Korea, conveyed the gift to Kim Jung Rin, secretary of the central committee of the Worker's Party of Korea, while M. Dalaikhuu, head of the political department of the leadership council of the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party who is leading its delegation handed the gift to an official concerned.
Anniversary of publication of Kim Jong Il's work
Pyongyang, April 17 (KCNA) -- A Pyongyang meeting took place at the People's Palace of Culture today to mark the 1st anniversary of the publication of General Secretary Kim Jong Il's historic work "Let Us Reunify the Country Independently and Peacefully through the Great Unity of the Entire Nation." Kim Jong Il sent the work to the national symposium to mark the 50th anniversary of the north-south joint conference on April 18 last year.
The work is well known as it clarified from a new angle the five-point policy of great national unity, the keynote of which is to unite on the principle of national independence and under the banner of patriotism, improve the inter-Korean relations, struggle against outsider's domination and anti-reunification forces and strengthen contacts, dialogues and solidarity of the entire nation.
Kim Yong Sun, secretary of the C.C., the Worker's Party of Korea, in his report said that the respected leader Kim Jong Il's work is an immortal classic work which developed in depth the Juche-based idea of the great leader Kim Il Sung on great national unity, as required by the prevailing situation and a library of the nation's unity which gives comprehensive exposition of all the theoretical and practical issues arising in achieving the great national unity at present.
The reporter said: The five-point policy of great national unity is a great political program of national unity which gives flawless exposition of the basis of unity and its idea and the tasks and ways for their materialization and the only just guideline to be held fast to for achieving this great unity. Immediate main tasks to be fulfilled by us to implement the five-point policy is to thoroughly carry into practice the proposal made by the joint meeting of the government, political parties and organizations of the DPRK.
What is important in realizing the proposal is to have dialogue between authorities of the north and south, a genuinely reunification-oriented dialogue. By proposing the inter-Korean high-level political talks, we have always kept the door of the dialogue between the authorities open. The realization of this dialogue entirely depends on the attitude of the South Korean authorities.
If the past dialogues with many twists and turns are not to be repeated but a reunification-oriented dialogue to be open, the South Korean authorities should stop "cooperation" and joint war exercises with outsiders promptly, abolish the "National Security Law," guarantee the pro-reunification patriotic organizations and sersongages the freedom of pro-reunification patriotic movement and activities which are priorities proposed by the north. If these priorities are implemented in South Korea, the inter-Korean high-level political talks may open even within the first half of the year, not in its second half and we are fully prepared for this.
We will as ever do all we can to implement the line of national reunification and the five-point policy of great national unity set forth by Kim Jong Il, true to Kim Il Sung's instructions on national reunification.
Present at the meeting were Yang Hyong Sop, vice-president of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, Kim Yong Dae, chairman of the c.c., the Korean Social Democratic Party, Ryu Mi yong, chairperson of the c.c., the Chondoist Chongu Party, and others.
Kim Yong Sun on inter-Korean high-level political talks
Pyongyang, April 17 (KCNA) -- If the priorities are implemented in South Korea, the inter-Korean high-level political talks may open within the first half of the year, rather than its second half, and we are fully prepared for it, Kim Yong Sun, secretary of the Worker's Party of Korea Central Committee, stated, adding: The realization of dialogue between the authorities of the north and the south entirely depends on the attitude of the South Korean authorities.
This statement came from a report he delivered at the meeting of Pyongyangites to mark the 1st anniversary of the publication of the great leader Kim Jong Il's historic work "Let Us Reunify the Country Independently and Peacefully through the Great Unity of the Entire Nation," in which he reiterated the north's stand towards the inter-Korean dialogue.
The joint meeting of the DPRK government, political parties and organizations held in February this year proposed to the South Korean authorities to hold the inter-Korean high-level political talks within the second half of this year provided that the north-proposed priorities are implemented.
The north has always kept the door of dialogue between the authorities open by proposing inter-Korean high-level political talks, he said, stressing: "If the past dialogues with twists and turns are not to be repeated but a genuinely reunification-oriented dialogue is to open, the South Korean authorities should stop 'cooperation' and joint military drills with outside forces and repeal the 'national security law' without delay and guarantee the pro-reunification patriotic organizations and personages the freedom of their pro-reunification patriotic movement and activities, which are priorities proposed by the north."
Delegation of world council of churches arrives
Pyongyang, April 17 (KCNA) -- A delegation of the world council of churches headed by its general secretary Konrad Raiser arrived here today.It was met by chairman Kang Yong Sop of the central committee of the Korean Christian Federation at the airport.
Korean officials meet foreign guests
Pyongyang, April 17 (KCNA) -- Pak Song Chol, Honorary vice-President of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, met and had a talk with a delegation of the china association for international friendly contact led by vice-president Wang Junfu at the Mansudae Assembly Hall today. Wang said that the china-DPRK friendship forged by President Kim Il Sung, the great leader of the Korean people and intimate friend of the Chinese people, and Chinese revolutionaries of the old generation will be everlasting.
Secretary Kim Ki Nam of the Central Committee of the Worker's Party of Korea met and conversed with Kenichi Ogami, secretary general of the International Institute of the Juche Idea, and his party and secretary Kim Jung Rin of the C.C., WPK, with member of the central committee of the Communist Party of Bulgaria Lyudmil Kostatinov who is its representative on April 16.
Jang Chol, chairman of the organizing committee of the 17th April Spring Friendship Art Festival, met and had a talk with the art troupe of the society for Japan-Korea music and art exchange on the same day.