Greetings to Sao Tome and Principe President
Pyongyang, July 12 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, on July 7 sent a message of greetings to Miguel Trovoada, President of Sao Tome and Principe, on the occasion of the 24th anniversary of independence and proclamation of the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe. The message expressed belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would strengthen and develop and wished the president and people of Sao Tome and Principe success in their work for the prosperity of the country.
Talks held between Korean and Egyptian party delegations
Pyongyang, July 12 (KCNA) -- Talks were held here on Sunday between the delegations of the Worker's Party of Korea (WPK) and the Egyptian National Democratic Party. At the talks, both sides informed each other of the activities of their parties and exchanged views on further developing the friendly and cooperative relations between the two parties and on a series of issues of common concern. Present there on the Korean side were department director of the WPK Central Committee Kim Yang Gon and officials concerned and on the Egyptian side were the members of the delegation of the Egyptian National Democratic Party headed by chairman of the parliamentary group of the party Abouzid Alfi and Egyptian ambassador to Korea Mahmoud Mohamed Farag Zain.
Yang Hyong Sop meets Jordanian delegation
Pyongyang, July 12 (KCNA) -- Vice-president of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK Yang Hyong Sop, chairman of the Korean Social Scientists Society, met and conversed with a Jordanian delegation for the study of the Juche idea headed by chief of the Jordanian Group for the Study of the Juche Philosophy Mustafa Jaber at the Mansudae Assembly Hall on Sunday.
Tajiks pay respects to Kim Il Sung
Pyongyang, July 12 (KCNA) -- Leading officials of the Communist Party of Tajikistan and members of the Tajikistan-DPRK Friendship Association laid baskets of flowers before the President Kim Il Sung's Portrait at the Dushanbe Friendship Hall in Tajikistan on July 7 to pay homage to him on the occasion of the 5th anniversary of his passing away.
Joint meeting of Pomchonghakryon held in Japan
Tokyo, July 10 (KNS-KCNA) -- A joint meeting of the National Alliance of Youth and Students for the Country's Reunification (Pomchonghakryon) was held here on July 9 to mark the 10th anniversary of the publication of the "joint declaration of youth and students in the north and south of Korea on the independent and peaceful reunification of the country," which was adopted during the 13th World Festival of Youth and Students.
Chairman of the Korean Youth League in Japan Ko Tok U, who is co-chairman of the Pomchonghakryon overseas headquarters, said at the meeting that Koreans from the north, south and overseas would get together significantly on august 15 to give hope for the country's reunification to the entire nation. Chairperson of the South Korean Youth League in Japan Kang Song Sil, who is also co-chairperson of the Pomchonghakryon overseas headquarters, read out a joint report there before speeches were made by representatives of different organizations.
A joint resolution of Pomchonghakryon for the 10th anniversary of the joint declaration and the independent and peaceful reunification of Korea was read out at the meeting.
U.S. senator and his party leave
Pyongyang, July 12 (KCNA) -- Robert Torricelli, U.S. senator, and his party left here on Sunday by air.
World Population Day observed
Pyongyang, July 12 (KCNA) -- Minju Joson Sunday runs a by-lined article to commemorate the World Population Day. Proper solution of the population issue is of importance for existence, development and welfare of humankind, the article says, and goes on: With the satisfactory settlement of population issue Korea has no high population density in towns, unemployment, housing difficulty, increase of death rate and unfair discrimination of women.Cooperation between the DPRK and the UN Fund for Population Activities dates back to 1985. UNFPA helps Korea in health care, education and other fields. Cooperation has recently been conducted for the sake of women, particularly, for maternity care.The scope of cooperation between the DPRK and the UNFPA increases as days go by.
Minju Joson hails 35th OAU summit
Pyongyang, July 12 (KCNA) -- Minju Joson July 11 carried an editorial hailing the 35th summit of heads of state and government of the Organization of African Unity.
The editorial says: The summit is of great significance as it is held when the African people's struggle for independent development and prosperity of the continent is mounting higher than ever before.
Referring to the brisk movement of the African countries for peace and security of the continent, the editorial goes on: The Korean people highly estimate and extend full support and encouragement to the struggle waged by the African people for the independent development and prosperity of the continent, solving their problems with their own efforts.
The DPRK, though geographically far away from Africa, has treasured and developed the friendly and cooperative relations with the African countries for more than 40 years. The annals of the development of the friendly relations between the DPRK and Africa are closely associated with the undying exploits performed by the great leader President Kim Il Sung.
He devoted all his heart and soul to the African countries' struggle for national liberation and building of a new society.
Thanks to his tireless efforts a Juche-oriented formulation of the African countries' movement for national liberation from colonies was made and the south-south cooperation served as a fundamental way of building a new society in those countries.
The friendly ties between the DPRK and Africa provided by Kim Il Sung have further strengthened and developed under the wise guidance of the respected Marshal Kim Jong Il.
The recent African visit by a DPRK delegation is clear evidence of the friendly and cooperative relations between the DPRK and Africa developing on good terms day by day.
The DPRK will as ever support the just cause of the African countries for peace, stability and socio-economic development of the region and further develop the friendship and solidarity with those countries in the idea of independence, peace and friendship.
S. Korean war hawks hit for war plot
Pyongyang, July 12 (KCNA) -- In the wake of the incident in the West Sea of Korea the South Korean war hawks said there are likely land and air "infiltration and provocation" by someone and called for a "standby posture."
The recent anti-north diatribe came at a "meeting of major commanding officers for the first half of '99" involving army corps commanders and above and unit commanders under direct control.
Rodong Sinmun today describes the diatribe as a revelation of a sinister intention to provoke an all-out war in the sky, ground and at sea on the plea of the non-existent "military threats" from the DPRK. The news analyst says: The South Korean authorities have escalated armed provocations in the north's territorial waters in the West Sea of Korea since the end of the air raids on Yugoslavia.
The South Korean chief executive called for a "tough counteraction," the Defense Minister instructed the units of the three services to be placed on red alert and the "joint chiefs of staff" commanded the operation on the spot. All this goes to prove that the armed provocation was a premeditated one. The South Korean authorities in league with the U.S. war hawks are scheming to provoke a war in Korea according to an adventurous war scenario against the north.
It is the quality of the Korean People's Army and people to return fire for fire. Trigger-happy elements are bound to be burnt in flames. Provocateurs should not act rashly.
South Korean PM hints separation from ruling coalition
Pyongyang, July 12 (KCNA) -- The South Korean "Prime Minister," Kim Jong Pil, on July 8 openly revealed his intention to separate from the "National Congress for New Politics", enraged at the slanders of the acting "NCNP" president against the "United Liberal Democrats" and himself over the special prosecution system to be introduced against the suspected act of inducing the mint company to strike, a Seoul-based radio said. He said in a get-together with the "ULD" presidium it is time that he was separating from the "NCNP". Meanwhile, the floor leader of the "ULD" complained in a press conference that the acting "NCNP" president has broken up the "coalition government" by making a coward explanation over the special prosecution system.
Kim Il Sung's whole life replete with revolutionary optimism
Pyongyang, July 12 (KCNA)-- People are retrospecting with deep emotion the life of the President Kim Il Sung, looking up to portraits of the President with a sunny smile over his face in streets, villages and work-sites across the country.
After embarking upon the struggle to liberate the country in his teens, he knew neither vacillation nor pessimism even in face of rigorous trials and manifold difficulties. He victoriously hewed the path of the Korean revolution full of revolutionary optimism.
The activities of "art troupes" personally organized and guided by him in the early period of his revolutionary activities were greatly instrumental in awakening people from all walks of life and uniting narrow-minded nationalists and anti-Japanese Chinese units around the anti-Japanese joint front.
In the days of the anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle he personally wrote "Song of Korea," "Nostalgia" and "Song of anti-Japanese War" and other songs and widely disseminated them among fighters, instilling revolutionary faith and optimism into them.
It happened when a unit of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army commanded by him was marking May Day in Juche 29 (1940). It ran out not only of food but salt. So he told its men and officers to catch frogs in a mountain stream and take roasted frog meat as their meal that day.
Looking around the men who had the meal, he said: Though you had roasted frog today, you will have on your table mullet from the river taedong when the country is free. This imbued them with fervent love of the motherland and optimism about future.
Still fresh in the memory of the Korean people is the non-chalet attitude of iron-willed brilliant commander Marshal Kim Il Sung when the U.S. imperialists ignited the Korean War on June 25, 1950. He laughed broadly, saying yankees misjudged our people and wolves should be cudgeled to death.
The three year war destroyed everything so severely that people were quite at a loss. At that time he made sure that revolutionary songs reverberated far and wide all over the country and the Korean people made a leaping advance by the speed of the legendary winged horse Chollima. This led to the miracle of completing the industrialization in the country in a matter of 14 years.
The situation was so tense in Korea that a war might break out any moment when the armed spy ship "Pueblo" of the U.S. was seized while illegally intruding into our territorial waters on January 23, 1968.
At that time he hosted a grand banquet in honor of officers and men of the Korean People's Army on the Army Day, at which he solemnly declared that should the U.S. ignites a war in the end, the aggressors will get nothing but corpses and death. This instilled conviction of sure victory into them.
The revolutionary faith and optimism taught by the President serve as a source of inspiration to the Korean people who are cheerfully breaking through all trials and difficulties, though their path is thorny.
National Maritime day
Pyongyang, July 12 (KCNA) -- July 12 is the maritime day. The DPRK set the day when the hydrographic bureau was formed as the National Maritime Day, and July and August as the maritime months. Korea is a maritime country which is seabound on three sides. To mark the day, working people, servicemen, youth and students across the country have briskly conducted various activities to prepare themselves as conquerors of sea. And colorful sporting and cultural events are being held. In July and August the efforts will be made to disseminate the knowledge of sea, protect and increase the maritime resources and prevent sea pollution. The maritime research institutes have readjusted and reinforced the material and technical means for the maritime survey, measurement and observation to intensify them. They are briskly organizing scientific forums and seminars and stepping up exchanges with institutions and organizations concerned in many countries of the world.
Greetings to Nepalese Foreign Minister
Pyongyang, July 12 (KCNA) -- Paek Nam Sun, Foreign Minister of the DPRK, sent a message of greetings to Ram Sharan Mahat upon his oppointment as Foreign Minister of the government of the Kingdom of Nepal. The message expressed the belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would further strengthen and develop and wished him success in his work.
Gift to Kim Jong Il from Egyptian party
Pyongyang, July 12 (KCNA) - General Secretary Kim Jong Il received a gift from the Egyptian National Democratic Party. The gift was handed to an official concerned by head of its delegation Abouzid Alfi, chairman of its parliamentary group, on visit to the DPRK.
Kim Ki Nam meets Egyptian party delegation
Pyongyang, July 12 (KCNA) - Secretary Kim Ki Nam of the Central Committee of the Worker's Party of Korea met the visiting delegation of the Egyptian National Democratic Party led by Abouzid Alfi, chairman of the parliamentary group of the party, at the Mansudae Assembly Hall today.
Acts against Mt. Kumgang tour
Pyongyang, July 12 (KCNA) -- The Mt. Kumgang tour sponsored by the Korean Asia-Pacific Peace Committee and the Hyun Dai Business Group of South Korea is at a standstill due to the separatist acts of the authorities of South Korea.
From the outset, the South Korean authorities took a double-dealing attitude toward the non-governmental inter-Korean project. They have tried overtly and covertly to block South Korean people from touring the mountain. For instance, they manipulated some people to argue that the tour must be suspended unconditionally and that the tour should not be continued without a written guarantee for use of tourism facilities on Mt. Kumgang for definite time.
Moreover, they caused the Min Yong Mi case before letting the headquarters of anti-north operations the "Unification Ministry" and "Intelligence Service" slander the north over "usage of protection of tourists" and "infringement on the safety of people." Even the "Prime Minister" said the Mt. Kumgang tour should not resume unless the personal safety of tourists is guaranteed.
This is a sophism of vicious separatists to go against public opinion and block the nation's desire. As for the guarantee for personal safety of tourists, we already took measures before the beginning of tourism. In several months, more than 80,000 tourists visited the mountain and went back home safe thanks to our sincere effort.
Meanwhile, we were planning to set up a "coordination committee for Mt. Kumgang tour" as a body for consultation with the Hyun Dai Business Group at the end of a successful six-month experimental tourism, paying much more importance to the personal safety of tourists.
Min Yong Mi should have been severely punished for her crime under the law of the DPRK. But, taking into account the South Korean people's wish to visit Mt. Kumgang as soon as possible and the positive effort of the Hyun Dai Business Group, we did not keep her in prison but treated her well in a deluxe hotel, pardoned her and sent her back.
Our consistent stand is that we will in the future, too, take every conceivable safety measure and warmly welcome them with compatriotic feelings so that South Koreans who come solely for the tour of Mt. Kumgang can see the mountain without any inconvenience.
The South Korean authorities' demand that the north ensure personal safety of such a criminal as Min Yong Mi who conducted an anti-north smear campaign is the rigmarole of those bereft of reason. Although they ostensibly welcomed non-governmental project between the north and the south, they hatched anti-north plots behind the scene and hurled slanders at the north in a bid to block the Mt. Kumgang tour of South Koreans.
Their misbehaviour can never be justified and deserves condemnation from the entire nation. We warn the South Korean authorities to stop such ill-intentioned acts against the north as planting anti-north elements among tourists. Then, everything will go well.
The South Korean rulers can never shirk their responsibility for rupturing the tour of Mt. Kumgang against the ardent desire of those people to see Mt. Kumgang. They will have to pay dearly for this.
They would be well advised to act with discretion, clearly mindful that the longer they keep the tour of Mt. Kumgang suspended, the more bitterly they will be cursed and condemned by the entire nation.
Greetings to 35th OAU summit
Pyongyang, July 12 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, sent a message of greetings on July 10 to the 35th summit of heads of state and government of the Organization of African Unity.
The message said that the current summit will mark an important occasion in providing a guarantee for consolidating the national independence of the African countries and achieving the peace, development and prosperity of the continent.
Today the African people are exerting enormous efforts to independently settle disputes through the unity and concerted efforts of the continent free from outside forces' interference, and achieve political stability and economic progress in their countries, it noted, stressing: The Korean people sincerely wish the African countries great advance in the struggle to build a free, peaceful and prospering Africa by strengthening solidarity and cooperation and invariably adhering to the Principle of the collective self-reliance.
The DPRK government and people will in the future, too, further develop the friendly and cooperative relations with the African countries in the idea of independence, peace and friendship and extend full support and firm solidarity to the African people in their just cause to build an independent new Africa.