Kim Jong Il enjoys art performance
Pyongyang, May 19 (KCNA) - General Secretary Kim Jong Il enjoyed an art performance given by dependents of military personnel of KPA units nos. 593 and 337 who participated in the second competition of art circle members of the dependents of the KPA officers to mark Sun's Day. Seeing the performance together with him were director Jo Myong Rok of the general political department of the KPA, chief Kim Yong Chun of the general staff of the KPA, Kim Il Chol Minister of the People's Armed Forces and other general officers of the KPA.
Put on the stage were colorful numbers, including a chorus "Fortune of Korea," a homophony-tale "We will devotedly serve soldiers," a trio-tale "We are highly proud wives of officers" and a dramatic tale "Heart of Mother."
General Secretary was much pleased with the excellent performance of art circle members of dependents of military personnel which gave a vivid portrayal of their revolutionary and militant life of romance and warmly congratulated them upon their successful performance.
He said the mental world, spirit of struggle and mode of life of the dependents of military personnel are really excellent, which show the ideological, cultural and moral levels of the Korean people who have been tempered in the days of the "arduous march" and forced march as never before.
He went on to say that art activity is of weighty importance in establishing the revolutionary and militant mode of struggle and life in the whole society.
He put forward tasks that will be very instrumental in conducting brisk art activity among the people and developing it.
Cohen's provocative remarks
Pyongyang, May 19 (KCNA) -- U.S. Defense Secretary William Cohen at a confab with the "Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade" of South Korea who visited the United States, on May 14 said that the United States is fully and militarily prepared to cope with any provocation of North Korea without regard to its military participation in the Kosovo crisis of Yugoslavia, according to a news report.
He said that he was taking such necessary steps as establishing a close liaison system with the U.S. forces command present in South Korea and examining the joint U.S.-South Korea "defense" posture.
He took issue with the DPRK over the Kosovo crisis some time ago and repeated the same this time. His utterances clearly show the U.S. frantic war moves against Yugoslavia are a very dangerous preliminary war, a test war aiming at the DPRK.
S. Korean rulers' suppression of labour movement
Pyongyang, May 19 (KCNA) -- The spokesman for the central committee of the General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea (GFTUK) in a statement on May 18 bitterly denounced, in the name of all the working class and trade union members in the northern half of the country, the South Korean rulers for brutally suppressing the just struggle of the workers.
He continued: The South Korean authorities' suppression of the South Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) and the workers under it is a barbaric repression to stamp out the ever-mounting just struggle of the workers. It is an intolerable challenge to those workers calling for democracy and vital rights and an open violation of justice and human rights.
The South Korean ruling quarters should draw a serious lesson from the miserable end of their preceding dictators who met their doom while getting frantic in the suppression of the workers and people and discontinue cracking down on the just struggle of the KCTU and the workers under it and other people without delay.
The statement expressed the expectation that the international working class movement organizations, trade unions of all countries and the workers affiliated with them will lift voices of justice denouncing the South Korean ruling quarters' suppression of the labour movement and extend greater support and solidarity to the just struggle of the South Korean workers.
Equipment from UNDP
Pyongyang, May 19 (KCNA) -- Equipment needed for healing damage in the agricultural domain of the DPRK was sent by the United Nations Development Program.
The UNDP had sent the DPRK some of equipment to help it recover from natural damage.
A presentation ceremony took place at Nampho port on May 18.
Present there were Ri Won Jung, vice-Minister of Agriculture, officials concerned and Christian Lemaire, resident coordinator of the United Nations and resident representative of the UNDP here.
S. Korean rulers urged to set free all arrested people
Pyongyang, May 19 (KCNA) -- The secretariat of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland on May 18 published information bulletin no. 786 denouncing the South Korean authorities for recently arresting members of the Seoul progressive youth society who had struggled for vital rights and democratic rights, on charges of the violation of the "National Security Law".
The information bulletin said: On May 10 the South Korean authorities arrested six members of the society on the strength of the "NSL", on the pretext that they "manipulated labour-management dispute behind the scene" and "participated in illegal meetings and demonstrations."
This farce is a prelude to the operation to wipe out the labour movement.
The massive struggle of workers sweeping South Korea is an inevitable result of the economic trusteeship by outside forces and the authorities' anti-social misrule, not by "intervention of outside forces" nor by "manipulation behind the scene".
The rulers' plot of "backstage manipulation" is a trite trick used by the South Korean authorities whenever the people's anti-U.S., anti-authority struggle gain momentum and a favourable atmosphere for national reconciliation and unity is created in South Korea. It is a premeditated intrigue to kick up a new whirlwind of suppression of the labour movement and throw a wet blanket over the atmosphere of solidarity between workers in the north and south.
The South Korean ruling quarters should discontinue layoff and "restructuring" at once, ensure democratic freedom and rights of the workers including the three rights of labour unconditionally and set free all the arrested workers and people promptly as demanded by the workers.
What does inspection of frontline seek?
Pyongyang, May 19 (KCNA) -- "Minister of National Defence" of South Korea Chon Yong Thaek inspected the "first field army command of the army" and "'Ulji' unit of the army" on the frontline a few days ago.
Commenting on this, Rodong Sinmun says in a signed commentary today: Wherever he went, he instructed his henchmen to "keep steadfast combat posture", making a noise about the fictitious "provocation from the north."
His talk about "threat from the north" is a trite sophism to justify the joint military exercises against the north with outside forces, which convinces nobody.
It must not go unnoticed that he showed up at the frontline and incited a war fever against the north, synchronizing with the very ill-boding military movement of the United States.
The United States, that has been insolent enough to commit aggression and intervention in other countries, is amassing armed forces and equipment in and around the Korean peninsula while watching for a chance to invade the DPRK.
The South Korean ruling quarters are actively siding with the U.S. reckless moves for a war against the DPRK. Driven into the crisis by the ever mounting anti-"government" struggle of the workers, students and other people, they are seeking a way out in their moves to ignite a war against the north. Chon Yong Thaek's outcries for "provocation from the north" and a war on the frontline stemmed from such intention. It is as clear as noonday that his inspection of the frontline is aimed at invading the north.
If the South Korean ruling quarters train the fuse of a war against the north in collusion with the United States, the Korean People's Army and people will wipe out the aggressors to the last.
Publication ceremony held in India
Pyongyang, May 19 (KCNA) -- A ceremony for publishing volume 3 of part 1 the anti-Japanese revolution of "With the Century", the reminiscences of the Kim Il Sung, was held in New Delhi on May 13.
The secretary general of the all India Indo-Korean Friendship Association, addressing the ceremony, said that President Kim Il Sung was the people's leader who embarked upon the road of revolution in his early years and devoted all his life to the liberation of the country and the freedom and liberation of the people.
Great symbol of victorious socialism
Pyongyang, May 19 (KCNA) -- Genaro Ledesma Izquieta, first vice-chairman of the Latin American and Caribbean Regional Committee for Supporting Korea's Reunification and chairman of the People's Front of Workers, Peasants and Students of Peru, published an article headlined "Great symbol of victorious socialism" on April 1.
He said: What gives optimism about the victory of socialism is that Kim Jong Il, the gifted great man, who is taking the helm of the era to lead the trend of history with his outstanding idea and leadership, is acclaimed as the leader of the socialist movement.
Korean socialism, anthropocentric socialism, in which the people are put forward as genuine masters of society and everything of society serves them and they are forming one socio-political organism, rallied around the leader, is a model of socialism which is most ideal and successful ever in socialist types.
As the advantageous socialism of Juche would not have struck its roots deep into the land of Korea without the great President Kim Il Sung, the father of socialist Korea, so socialism of Korea would neither have been saved from the danger of suffocation nor opened a new chapter of building a powerful nation without Kim Jong Il, the great successor to the socialist cause. This is the truth recognized by the world people.
Kim Jong Il who has flawlessly personified Kim Il Sung's steadfast stand of anti-imperialist independence is the invincible commander who is gaining control over the formidable imperialist enemy in a high-handed manner and turning it to play in his hands.
Only one country in the present world, socialist Korea, led by Kim Jong Il is displaying its power as the sole rival which stands face to face with the United States styling itself the "only superpower in the world" and which showers fire upon it.
Korea is, indeed, a model country proving validity and invincibility of socialism and an ideal country representing the future of the 21st century, and Kim Jong Il is the soul and heart of Korea and the symbol of all victories and successes.
He published important works in time which are consistent with resolute faith, coherent logic and profound truth to expose sophism of the imperialists and socialist renegades and clearly indicate the road ahead of history. Today the socialist movement is greeting the era guided by the great Juche idea, centering on him and the Worker's Party of Korea.
Now that there is his guidance, the moves of the imperialists to make the world capitalist and "integral" will be smashed and the world of independence where the Juche idea will prevail will come.
The human cause of independence, the cause of socialism, is sure to win.
Korean people with indomitable faith and will
Pyongyang, May 19 (KCNA) -- Muhammad Imad al-Zououbi, vice-chairman of the Revolution's Youth Union of Syria who visited Korea, as head of its delegation, said that it is under the guidance of General Secretary Kim Jong Il that the Korean people have become a heroic people with indomitable faith and will.
The heroic Korean people are vigorously advancing, rallied close around the leader without any slightest vacillation and pessimism even under manifold difficulties and trials, he noted, and went on: With the successful launch of an artificial satellite last year the Korean people gave great encouragement and strength to the Syrian people and the progressive humankind of the world and dealt a heavy blow to the imperialists.
The achievements made by the Korean people and youth proved the justness of the Juche idea founded by the great leader Kim Il Sung and demonstrated the single-hearted unity of the Korean people rallied close around the respected Marshal Kim Jong Il and the indomitable faith and will of Korea to achieve the final victory in the struggle against the enemies of humankind.
He expressed the belief that the Korean people and youth will certainly build a powerful nation of Juche in Korea, upholding the leadership of Kim Jong Il with their firm will to break through any difficulties and trials.
Sacred marks left on fields
Pyongyang, May 19 (KCNA) -- Rice-transplanting has begun in the countryside of Korea. The whole party, the whole country and all the people are out to fields with a high degree of enthusiasm to do farming well in order to settle the food problem and make a breakthrough in building a powerful nation. The agricultural workers and helpers are missing the President Kim Il Sung who put his heart and soul into the development of agriculture, traversing fields across the country all his life.
The tender-hearted image of the President who mixed with farmers in rice-transplanting on the Mirim plain on the outskirts of Pyongyang more than 50 years ago is still kept in the hearts of all the people. He found himself among farmers all day long to mature a far-reaching plan for building a new countryside of liberated Korea before leaving the paddy field toward nightfall.
Afterwards, he continued walking fields across the country and left sacred marks. He, not minding muddy roads of the rainy countryside, swamps of tidelands and steep mountain roads and passes, called on farmers and turned the Hwangju Kindung plain, the Singye Miru plain, Paekmu plateau, tidelands on the west coast and all other lands of the country, which were once neglected as barren lands, into fertile lands.
Even an advanced age of 80, he made a long journey ranging from Yonsa county, North Hamgyong Province, and the Paekmu plateau, Ryangang Province, in northern tips of the country to the Yonbaek plain adjacent to the demarcation line, and visited the Kumdang Cooperative Farm in Onchon county, South Phyongan Province, and the Taesong District Cooperative Farm, Pyongyang, in June 1994, the last year of his great life, and consulted farmers about the farming problem of the country one by one.
The best Juche method of farming, new agricultural guidance system and theses on the socialist rural question were established by him reflecting the will of farmers during his on-site guidance.
Indeed, a new era of irrigation, electrification, mechanization and application of chemical fertilizers in the countryside has come under his great loving care.
Greetings to Cameroonian President
Pyongyang, May 19 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, sent a message of greetings to President Paul Biya on May 17 on the occasion of the 27th National Day of Cameroon.
The message said that he, on behalf of the DPRK government and people and on his behalf, extends warm congratulations to the President, the government and people of Cameroon. Expressing the belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries will further expand and develop, the message sincerely wished him and the Cameroonian people new success in their work for stability and prosperity of the country.
FM meets Nigerian ambassador
Pyongyang, May 19 (KCNA) -- DPRK Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun today met and conversed with Adoga Onah, Nigerian Ambassador E.P. To Korea who paid a courtesy call on him.