National meeting marks KPA birthday
Pyongyang, April 24 (KCNA) -- A national meeting was held at the 6,000-seat theatre of the April 25 House of Culture here today with a large attendance to celebrate the 67th anniversary of the Korean People's Army (KPA). Present at the meeting were Kim Yong Nam, Jo Myong Rok, Ri Jong Ok Pak Song Chol, Hong Song Nam and other senior party, state and army officials. Foreign diplomatic envoys and military attaches in Korea were invited.
The DPRK celebrates as KPA birthday the 25th of April, Juche 21 (1932), when the President Kim Il Sung founded the Korean People's Revolutionary Army, a new type of the working-class revolutionary armed forces. Kim Yong Chun, chief of the KPA general staff, made a report titled "Let us reliably guarantee the revolutionary cause of Juche with arms under the guidance of the great brilliant commander."
The reporter said that the Korean Revolutionary Armed Forces liberated the country from the Japanese colonial rule and have heroically fought to defend the gains of revolution for nearly 70 years under the outstanding guidance of President Kim Il Sung and Marshal Kim Jong Il, the great leaders and brilliant commanders, thus making achievements which will shine long in the history of the country.
He further said: Our revolutionary armed forces have covered a shining militant path of victory and glory under the outstanding guidance of Kim Il Sung, the invincible and iron-willed commander. They are now demonstrating their might as a matchless army which stalwartly stands guard over the fortress of socialism, going through the ordeal of history, as they have the respected Kim Jong Il, the illustrious commander of Mt. Paektu, as their Supreme Commander.
His policy of imbuing the whole army with the Juche idea has been creditably implemented with the result that our People's Army has turned to be the most dependable eternal army of the leader and the party. The U.S. and their followers are getting frantic in their moves for aggression, revealing their undisguised attempt to ignite a second Korean war.
The KPA has grown and got trained as the strongest crack armed forces in terms of political and ideological preparedness, strategy and technique as well as in terms of powerful means of attack and defence. It will decisively shatter any fortress of the enemy and mercilessly strike and wipe out them to the last man once they attack us no matter where they may come from.
Our army and people do not want war but will never avoid it if anyone dares impose it upon us, and will annihilate all the aggressors by mobilizing strong politico-ideological power and all military potentials which we have long built. This is the invariable, firm stand and unshakable will of our army and people. The U.S. and their stooges should not act rashly but behave with discretion, clearly mindful of our Juche-based view and stand toward war and the KPA's unlimited merciless striking power.
Sure to win are our people and People's Army that are dynamically struggling for a bright future, holding high the sacred red flag of Mt. Paektu under the experienced and tested leadership of the great party. There is no force on earth that can hold in check the dynamic advance of our revolutionary ranks in which the leader, the party and the masses are united as a harmonious whole.
Military attaches corps visits Korean Revolution Museum
Pyongyang, April 24 (KCNA) -- The military attaches corps here visited the Korean Revolution Museum on Friday on the occasion of the 67th anniversary of the foundation of the heroic Korean People's Army (KPA). After the visit, Vu Dinh Thang, military attach of the Vietnamese embassy, who is doyen of the military attaches corps, said that the KPA founded by the great leader Kim Il Sung has always won victory in the struggle against foreign aggressors. They wished that the KPA would make greater success in the future struggle under the wise leadership of the respected Supreme Commander Kim Jong Il. Military attach of the Iranian embassy Mohammad Hassan Nami said that the KPA has firmly defended the freedom and happiness of the country and the people in the struggle against imperialism.
National symposium on architecture and construction
Pyongyang, April 24 (KCNA) -- A national symposium on architecture and construction took place here on April 22 to mark the 8th anniversary of the publication of General Secretary Kim Jong Il's celebrated work "Theory of Architectural Art".
The work gives perfect exposition of the theoretical and practical issues in creating socialist and communist architecture. Several papers were presented at the symposium. They proved from the angle of architectural theory Kim Jong Il's idea and theory of setting a model of cities, which is consistent with the revolutionary outlook on the leader, the originality of the achievements made under his leadership and their great vitality.
It was noted at the symposium that grand monumental edifices in Pyongyang were built under an integral system of construction highly praising the immortal revolutionary feats of the President Kim Il Sung. Introduced at the symposium were research data helpful to improving a heating system for urban and rural dwelling houses, building many more and better houses faster with less materials, money and manpower and achievements made in researches into restoring national architectural relics to their original state.
Hwang Son sentenced to imprisonment
Pyongyang, April 24 (KCNA) -- The South Korean authorities have reportedly sentenced Hwang Son to 2 years of imprisonment and 2 years of disqualification on April 22 on charges of "praise, inspiration, meeting and communication" banned by the "National Security Law." Hwang Son visited Pyongyang last year to take part in the joint expedition to historic relics in the north, a seminar and the August 15 events for reunification in the capacity of a delegate of the South Korean Federation of University Student Councils. This suppression reveals anti-reunification and fascist nature of the South Korean present "government."
Reception given on 53rd anniv. of Syrian Independence
Pyongyang, April 24 (KCNA) -- Charge d'affaires ad interim of the Syrian Arab Republic Bassam al-Haj Hussein to Korea hosted a reception at Okryu Restaurant on Friday on the occasion of the 53rd anniversary of the Syrian Independence. Present on invitation were vice-president Yang Hyong Sop of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun and officials concerned and diplomatic envoys and military attaches of various countries in Korea. Officials of the Syrian embassy and the Syrian friendship delegation of Army and Armed Forces were present there. Speeches were made at the reception.
December 5 Youth Mine commissioned
Pyongyang, April 24 (KCNA) -- The December 5 Youth Mine was commissioned on Friday with due ceremony. It is the nation's leading mineral ore producer for the chemical industry which is of worldwide significance in the development of seabed resources. The commission of the mine has opened a vista for developing the country's chemical industry by using inexhaustible underground resources in the western coastal area of Korea.
Present at the ceremony were Jo Myong Rok, director of the general political department of the Korean People's Army, Jo Chang Dok, vice-premier of the cabinet, and officials concerned. A joint congratulatory message of the Central Committee of the Worker's Party of Korea and the party central military commission was conveyed to the servicemen and employees who have performed feats in the construction.
S. Korean authority's moves for bio-chemical warfare
Pyongyang, April 24 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland released a statement on Friday condemning the South Korean authorities for stepping up the development and stockpile of biological and chemical weapons in collusion with outsiders.
The South Korean authorities are massively producing those weapons while purchasing from the United States a large quantity of RH-787 branded as "new variety of rat poison," a kind of chemical weapons for mass destruction. It is a crime intended to devastate the country totally, the statement said, and went on: They seek to unleash a bio-chemical warfare at the instigation of the U.S. war hawks, defining the fellow countrymen as "principal enemy."
We bitterly denounce such dangerous moves for bio-chemical armament as an outrageous challenge to the international law, which strictly bans development, possession and use of biological and chemical weapons, and as an anti-national crime intended to drive the Korean nation into calamities of bio-chemical warfare.
Film show marks constitution day of Yugoslavia
Pyongyang, April 24 (KCNA) -- A film show was held at the Chollima House of Culture on April 23 under the sponsorship of the Korea-Yugoslavia Friendship Association to commemorate the constitution day of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Invited there were Djukic Ljubomir, Yugoslav ambassador to the DPRK, and embassy officials. Present there were vice-chairman Ri Song Ho of the Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries who is chairman of the Korea-Yugoslavia Friendship Association, officials of the association and working people in the city. The participants appreciated the Yugoslav feature film "Assault Teammates."
Floral basket and letters to Kim Jong Il
Pyongyang, April 24 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il received a floral basket and a congratulatory letter from the diplomatic corps and a congratulatory letter from the military attache's corps here on the occasion of the 67th anniversary of the foundation of the heroic Korean People's Army. The Palestinian Ambassador E.P. Shaher Mohammed Abdlah, doyen of the diplomatic corps, handed the floral basket and the letter to Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun on Friday. Vu Dinh Thang, military attach of the Vietnamese embassy who is doyen of the military attaches corps, handed the letter to Minister of the People's Armed forces Kim Il Chol on the same day.And congratulatory letters, bouquets and gifts to Kim Jong Il from military attaches of the Vietnamese, Iranian, Russian and Egyptian embassies and the military attach of the Peruvian embassy were handed to an official concerned.
Revision of "security law" ridiculed
Pyongyang, April 24 (KCNA) -- The South Korean authority's talk about revision of the "security law" is a smokescreen to retrogressively revise it in a more cunning manner and it is a mockery and challenge to people at home and abroad demanding the abrogation of the "law," says Rodong Sinmun today in a commentary.
The loudmouthed "revision of the security law" is not amendment but a retrogressive revision from A to z, the news analyst brands, saying: Behind this drama the South Korean authorities describe the people's call for alliance and reconciliation with the north as "enemy-benefiting" and defines the northerners, their fellow countrymen, as "principal enemy." and they are going to punish the workers demanding vital rights by this evil law.
Broad segments of world people as well as the entire Korean nation call for the total repeal of the "law", not "revision." Such call was made even by the U.S. government. The authorities should abrogate the "security law" at once as unanimously demanded by the people at home and abroad, instead of resorting to the deceptive "revision" drama.
S. Korean war hawk's call for confrontation with north
Pyongyang, April 24 (KCNA) -- Recently the South Korean "Minister of National Defense," Chon Yong Thaek, showed up at the field army command of the army and a division of the marine corps to incite confrontation with the north.
He distorted and slandered the realities and system in the north, saying that it appeared to work toward diversified infiltration into the south for "triggering off tensions" and putting South Korea in confusion and that "it was necessary to make a deep-going analysis of forms of a total war and provocation by the north and make full preparations to cope with them."
As already known, we have made sincere efforts for improved inter-Korean relations and peace on the Korean peninsula, discharging numerous servicepersons of the Korean People's Army and sending them to key fields of economic construction despite the situation which gets dangerous every moment as a result of the unabated war games of the U.S. and South Korea.
The loud-mouthed "total war" and "provocation" by the north prove that the South Korean authorities are in the grip of political and economic crises, finding themselves forsaken and criticized by the South Korean people for their anti-social policies.
The South Korean workers and students and people of other social strata turn out in a massive anti-"government" struggle, hardening their resolution to fully expose the deceptive nature of the "government for the people" and not to be deceived by the authorities any longer. Such a spirit is mounting in South Korea with the advent of spring, a season of traditional struggle for democracy against fascism.
Upset by the trends among the masses, the South Korean authorities threatened to suppress them, while trying to mislead public opinion by inciting confrontation with the north. The ever more vociferous call for anti-national confrontation by a war hawk in the service to the U.S. forces present in South Korea will only add to the crimes committed against history and the nation and precipitate self-destruction.
Green light to fascist suppression
Pyongyang, April 24 (KCNA) -- The present chief executive of South Korea reportedly threatened "not to pardon lawlessness and violence" on April 22. Earlier, on April 20 he said "the strike of subway unionists should not be pardoned because it did not go through legal procedures," and gave instructions "to strictly deal with it."
The venomous outpouring and instructions for fascist suppression are a revelation of an intention of the South Korean authorities to brutally suppress the spring struggle of the workers for democratic rights and right to existence. As a consequence, the situation is getting dangerous.
Recently in South Korea Seoul Subway workers launched into a total strike against the "restructuring" by the authorities. Struggle of workers and students, including rallies, demos and sit-in strikes, is spreading throughout South Korea. Their struggle is an eruption of anger at the ruthless violation of their right to existence triggered by the anti-social policies of the South Korean authorities and a just and reasonable lawful one.
If the present "government" of South Korea truly wants to work for the people, it must meet just demands of the workers and stop suppressing their struggle. The South Korean authorities are brutally suppressing the struggle of workers, describing it as "illegal" and "violent." their brutal suppression of their struggle for the right to existence is illegal and violent in the true sense of the word.
The South Korean people will never pardon the fascists.
Center of DPRK Red Cross Society opened
Pyongyang, April 24 (KCNA) -- The center for measures against disaster of the DPRK Red Cross Society was opened with due ceremony here on Friday. It has been built with the assistance of the International Federation of Red Cross Society and Red Crescent Society . The center has made it possible for the DPRK Red Cross Society to cope with possible natural disasters in time and offer effective assistance and upgrade the creation of human and material resources to a higher level, including the training of officials involved in this work.
Present at the opening ceremony were Jang Jae On, chairman of the central committee of the DPRK Red Cross Society, vice-Minister of Public Health Choe Chang Sik and officials concerned. Also on hand were foreign diplomatic envoys and resident representatives of international organizations in Korea and members of the delegation for assistance from the International Red Cross Society and Red Crescent Society.
An opening address and congratulatory speeches were made at the ceremony, followed by the cutting of red cloth to inaugurate the center. The participants looked round offices and facilities of the center. There was a cocktail party in that connection on the same day.
Floral basket laid before Kim Il Sung's Portrait
Pyongyang, April 24 (KCNA) -- Guinean Prime Minister Lamine Sidime sent floral basket to be placed before the Portrait of the President Kim Il Sung to mark Sun's Day. The floral basket was laid before the President's Portrait hung in the Korean embassy in guinea by the secretary general and the chief of protocol of the Prime Minister's office, authorized by the Prime Minister on April 15.
"Great Man's Footprints" published in China
Pyongyang, April 24 (KCNA) -- A book "Great Man's Footprints" was published by an Institute of Korean Minority in China to mark Sun's Day.The book was written by a Chinese writer Sung Yingshang.
It has a preface and carries more than one hundred anecdotes on the greatness and noble virtues of the President Kim Il Sung, including "oath made before fatherland," "art of shortening distances," "boiled-rice mixed with other cereals," "on the first line," "Zhou Enlai's statue" and "good things given first to the people."
In the book the author cites facts to recount the immortal achievements of the President who devoted his life to the happiness of the people and victory of socialism, his rare wisdom and will which were instrumental in his emerging ever-victorious, matchless grit, broad magnanimity and noble virtues and efforts made to provide and upgrade historic roots of Korea-China friendship.
Korean armed forces are invincible
Pyongyang, April 24 (KCNA) -- Lt. General Farouk Issa Ibrahim, deputy chief of the general staff, leading a friendship delegation of Army and Armed Forces of Syria, highly praised the exploits of the President Kim Il Sung and General Secretary Kim Jong Il in army building.
He said that the visit to the Revolutionary Museum of the Ministry of the People's Armed Forces made him keenly realize what great efforts the great leaders made to strengthen and develop the Korean People's Army. He continued: Kim Il Sung put forth a unique idea of army building, the kind which could not be laid down by any famous generals, and set a living example in the art of commanding. The foundation of self-reliant national defense industry based on the independent national economy is a great achievement gained under his leadership over the army.
The armed forces of Korea are invincible. The credit for this goes to Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il who solved all problems arising in building armed forces their own way. Kim Jong Il is wisely leading the work to exalt for all ages the great achievements made under Kim Il Sung's guidance over the army. The Korean People's Army led by him will certainly continue to take the lead in building a powerful nation, he added.
Committee for Promoting Human Rights of S. Koreans in Japan
Pyongyang, April 24 (KCNA) -- Organisations of the South Korean Residents Association in Japan (Mindan), including the Federation of South Koreans in Japan for Democracy and Unification (Hanthongryon) and the South Korean Youth League in Japan, reportedly formed a "'Committee for Promoting Human Rights of South Koreans in Japan', signature campaign for abolition of 'National Security Law' and unconditional release of all prisoners of conscience."
The committee decided to wage a signature campaign until late July calling for the total abolition of "NSL," unconditional release of all prisoners of conscience, prompt rescindment of "law-abiding oath system", a stop to describing "Hanthongryon", the south headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country's Reunification and the South Korean Federation of University Student Councils as "enemy-benefiting organizations" and redemption of their honor and to send the signature papers to the present South Korean chief executive.
"Hanthongryon" set the year as the "first year of abolition of 'NSL'" and decided to work harder for solidarity with South Korean democrats and, at the same time, organize a "Committee of South Koreans Abroad for the Promotion of Human Rights" involving democrats in the U.S. And Europe.
Unconditional resumption of DPRK-Japan talks called for
Pyongyang, April 24 (KCNA) -- Representatives of Japanese organizations for solidarity with the DPRK dropped in on the chief cabinet secretary of Japan on April 16 to call for earlier resumption of talks for the normalization of the DPRK-Japan relations without any precondition. Among them were representatives of the Japan Committee for Supporting the Independent and Peaceful Reunification of Korea, the Japan-Korea Society for Scientific and Educational Exchange, the Japan-Korea Cultural Interchange Association and the Japanese Women's Society for Solidarity with the Korean Women.
They in a petition addressed to prime minister Obuchi criticized the hostile policy of the Japan government towards the DPRK and demanded that the government pursue a policy toward dialogue, not throwing obstacle to the improvement of the relations with the DPRK. They also demanded that the government promptly lift sanctions against the DPRK, take measures friendly toward it and immediately resume government-to-government negotiations for the normalization of the DPRK-Japan relations without any precondition.
Foreign political parties support S. Korean people's struggle
Pyongyang, April 24 (KCNA) -- The general secretary of the c.c., the Communist Party of Peru (Red Motherland), the general secretary of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (Marxist-Leninist), a delegation of the Communist Party of Germany and a delegation of the Mexican Worker's Party on visit to the DPRK on the occasion of Sun's Day published a joint statement on April 16 supporting the struggle of the "National Democratic Front of South Korea" (Hanminjon) and the South Korean people for democracy against fascism and for national reunification.
Denouncing the U.S. troops' presence in South Korea for over half a century and the Kim Dae Jung regime's flunkeyism and treacheries, fascist repression and moves for confrontation and war against the north, the statement said: The United States should put an end to its domination and interference and withdraw its forces and nuclear weapons from South Korea without delay. The Kim Dae Jung regime should take a stand for national independence, repeal the "National Security Law" and disorganize the "Intelligence Service" and stop its suppression of patriotic democratic forces at once.
It expressed the expectation and belief that the progressive parties and organizations of the world would as ever wage a widespread movement for supporting and encouraging the struggle of Hanminjon and the South Korean people so as to make a positive contribution to the common cause of humankind, to build a new free and peaceful world.
Hanminjon's communique published
Pyongyang, April 24 (KCNA) -- The National Democratic front of South Korea (Hanminjon), patriotic militant organizations and people from all walks of life in South Korea commemorated significant Sun's Day as the most auspicious event of the nation by holding multifarious functions and in this connection the central committee of Hanminjon issued a communique on April 21, according to Seoul-based radio Voice of National Salvation.
On the occasion of Sun's Day Hanminjon and its militant organizations set a commemoration period from April 1 to April 20 during which they held various functions in accordance with their specific conditions, the communique said. The commemoration meeting held by the central committee of Hanminjon on April 14 emphasized that the birth of the respected President Kim Il Sung was a great event in which the fellow countrymen and humankind acclaimed him as the sun of the world for the first time in human history.
Lectures, seminars, presentation meetings on the President's reminiscences, book and photo exhibitions, film shows, cultural evening and other events took place in Seoul and other parts of South Korea to praise his brilliant life and immortal exploits. The meetings held by the central committee of Hanminjon and its organizations and patriotic militant organizations on April 15 renewed their firm pledge to implement the behest of the President on national reunification without fail and adopted letters of pledge to the great leader Marshal Kim Jong Il.
The organizations of the patriotic movement including the Society for the Study of Kim Il Sung's Works, the April 15 Fellowship Society, the Thaeyang Society and the Paektu Society carried out various activities such as displaying big and small wallpapers, distributing handbills, sending souvenir cards and organizing video shows and singing gatherings on the occasion of Sun's Day while patriotic people from all walks of life had meaningful family or relative commemorations of this day.
Greetings to Tanzanian President
Pyongyang, April 24 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, sent a message of greetings to Tanzanian President Benjamin William Mkapa on Friday on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the foundation of the United Republic of Tanzania. The message expressed the belief that the good friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would grow stronger in the future in the idea of independence, peace and friendship and sincerely wished the Tanzanian President and government greater successes in their efforts to consolidate the stability and unity, achieve prosperity and improve the standard of people's living.
U.S. and their stooges warned not to act rashly
Pyongyang, April 24 (KCNA) -- The U.S. and their stooges should not act rashly but behave with discretion, clearly mindful of our Juche-based view and stand toward war and the unlimited merciless striking power of the Korean People's Army (KPA), stated KPA vice marshal Kim Yong Chun, chief of the general staff of the KPA who is member of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK.
This warning came from a report he delivered at a national meeting celebrating the 67th Army Day held in Pyongyang today. Referring to the ever more acute military confrontation on the Korean peninsula, he noted: The combat power of our army is infinitely great and its strike is unlimited.
The KPA has grown and got trained as the strongest crack armed forces in terms of political and ideological preparedness, strategy and technique as well as in terms of powerful means of attack and defence. It will decisively shatter any fortress of the enemy and mercilessly strike and wipe out them to the last man once they attack us no matter where they may come from.
Our army and people do not want war but will never avoid it if anyone dares impose it upon us, and will annihilate all the aggressors by mobilizing strong politico-ideological power and all military potentials which we have long built.
This is the invariable, firm stand and unshakable will of our army and people.