Greetings exchanged between FM of DPRK and Cuba
Pyongyang, September 13 (KCNA) -- DPRK Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun and Cuban Foreign Minister Pelipe Perez Roque exchanged messages of greetings on the occasion of the 39th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The DPRK Foreign Minister in his message noted that he rejoiced that the two countries have strengthened bilateral support and cooperation in the joint struggle against imperialism and for independence and socialism and invariably consolidated and developed traditional friendship over the past years.
The message expressed full support and solidarity with the just cause of the fraternal Cuban people to defend the motherland, revolution and socialist achievements.
The Cuban Foreign Minister in his message noted that the Republic of Cuba and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea have always stood in the same trench of the struggle against imperialism and for socialism in the past.
The message reaffirmed the steadfast stand of Cuba to continue supporting the cause of the Korean people for the peaceful reunification of the country, their long-cherished desire.
Greetings to Nicaraguan President
Pyongyang, September 13 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, sent a message of greetings to Arnoldo Aleman Racayo, President of Nicaragua, on September 7 on the occasion of the 178th anniversary of its independence.
The message sincerely wished the president greater success in his work for the prosperity of the country, expressing the belief that the friendly relations between the two countries would further develop in conformity with the idea of independence, peace and friendship.
Greetings to Mexican President
Pyongyang, September 13 (KCNA) -- President Kim Yong Nam of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK today sent a message of greetings to President of Mexico Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de Leon on the occasion of its Independence Day.
In the belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would continue to develop on good terms in the idea of independence, peace and friendship, the message wished the President greater success in his work for the prosperity of the country.
Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun sent a message of greetings to his Mexican counterpart Rosario Green Macias.
Floral basket laid before Kim Il Sung's Portrait
Pyongyang, September 13 (KCNA) -- A basket of flowers was laid before the Portrait of the President Kim Il Sung at the building of the organization of solidarity of the peoples of Africa, Asia and Latin America with due ceremony on Sept. 8 to celebrate the 51st anniversary of the DPRK.
Ramon Pez Ferro, secretary general of the executive secretariat of the organization, said that a sure guarantee has been provided for the future and prospect of the DPRK which is advancing under the wise guidance of Kim Jong Il, the great leader of the Korean people, true to the revolutionary idea and last instructions of President Kim Il Sung.
He further said:
We support the reunification of Korea based on the proposal on founding the Democratic Confederal Republic of Koryo, advanced by the President.
We believe that Kim Jong Il will certainly achieve the reunification of Korea.
The United States should withdraw its troops and nukes from South Korea. The South Korean authorities should make a policy switchover in favor of Korea's reunification, instead of resorting to "sunshine policy" and "two Koreas" moves.
Message of thanks to Kim Jong Il from Chongryon
Pyongyang, September 13 (KCNA) - General Secretary Kim Jong Il on Friday received a message from the central standing committee of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon) expressing thanks to him for educational aid fund and stipends.
Noting that Kim Jong Il sent the fund and stipends amounting to 107,800,000 yen for democratic national education of Chongryon on the 51st anniversary of the founding of the DPRK, the message said:
Indeed, you the respected Marshal are a great brilliant commander who shows a bright future of the powerful socialist nation in the 21st century, and a great teacher and a benevolent father who defends and glorifies the future of our Korean residents and school youth and children in Japan.
The Chongryon central standing committee wholeheartedly extends highest glory and deepest thanks carrying unbounded reverence and loyalty and filial piety toward you, chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission who always lead the Chongryon and Koreans in Japan along the road of victory and glory and show all kinds of love and solicitude for the Korean school youth and children in Japan.
Upon receiving your love and solicitude again, we are now replete with the unshakable will to add luster to the glorious Kim Jong Il era under your leadership.
The message stressed they would remain loyal only to the Marshal forever in any adversity and bring about a new turn in the movement of Koreans in Japan.
Kim Yong Nam meets congratulatory group of Koreans in Japan
Pyongyang, September 13 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, met and conversed with the congratulatory group of Koreans in Japan for celebrating the 51st anniversary of the foundation of the DPRK headed by Kwon Sun Hwi, vice-chairman of the central standing committee of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon), now staying in the socialist motherland, at the Mansudae Assembly Hall today.
Jong Song Ok hailed by people in Haeju city
Haeju, September 12 (KCNA) -- DPRK heroine and People's Sportswoman Jong Song Ok, who placed first in the women's marathon race of the 7th World Athletics Championships, was warmly hailed by citizens in Haeju, South Hwanghae Province, on September 12.
Haeju city, her hometown, was in a festive mood.
When a car carrying her ran along the route of the city, citizens warmly welcomed her, waving national flags and bunches of flowers.
Blessed by crowds, she reached the central square of the city, where she laid a bunch of flowers before the statue of the President Kim Il Sung and made a bow in humble reverence.
Teachers and students of Haeju university of physical education met at the campus to welcome her.
Present at the rally were Kim Un Gi, chief secretary of the south Hwanghae provincial committee of the Worker's Party of Korea, Kwon Chun Hak, chairman of the provincial people's committee, officials concerned and working people from all walks of life and youth and students in the city.
Chon Yong Son, rector of the university, in his congratulatory speech warmly welcomed Jong Song Ok, who visited her alma mater after demonstrating to the world the invincible spirit and guts of Kim Il Sung's Korea by winning a gold medal in the women's marathon race of the 7th World Athletics Championships.
He stressed that her appearance as the world "marathon queen" for the first time in the 5,000-year history of Korea is a meritorious deed in the history of the nation as great as a proclamation that Kim Il Sung's nation is invincible under the leadership of General Secretary Kim Jong Il and will surely build a powerful socialist nation long before.
Jong in her speech said that father Kim Jong Il, so rejoiced over her success, gave her all honor and love. She vowed to run the race of loyalty and devote all her efforts and wisdom to making the country led by him powerful in sports so as to live up to the expectation of her hometown people.
An art performance was given at the provincial art theatre to congratulate her.
Japan urged to follow trend of times
Pyongyang, September 13 (KCNA) -- Some time ago, a draft resolution demanding the Japanese government make an apology and compensation for its past crimes, which was motioned by a U.S. parliamentarian of the Japanese origin, was formally passed through in California, the United States, and a resolution urging the Japanese authorities to pay compensation for the "comfort women for the Japanese army" was adopted by the UN sub-commission on human rights.
Scores of scholars of Japan made public a statement at the end of last August demanding the Japanese government liquidate its past crimes during the colonial rule over Korea and open diplomatic relations between the DPRK and Japan and Tokyo Shimbun urged the government to normalize the DPRK-Japan relations by beginning with making an apology and compensation for its colonial rule over Korea.
Commenting on these developments, Rodong Sinmun today in a signed commentary says that this reflects the opinion of the people in Japan and the rest of the world urging Japan to liquidate its past and turn over a new leaf and proves it is a pressing task for Japan to liquidate its past.
The commentary says:
The Japanese authorities' attitude and stance toward the unprecedented crimes committed by Japan in Korea in the past go to prove that they stand for injustice and try hard to whitewash the crimes and evade responsibility for them.
Japan's try to negate her past means her intention to repeat it. The Japanese reactionaries are trying to remark on the road of overseas expansion, blinded by their wild design to recover their past defeat and realize reinvasion.
For Japan to liquidate her past is not simply an issue of making an apology and compensation. It is a yardstick showing whether Japan is willing to repent of its criminal past and turn over a new leaf or not and whether it is qualified to become a full-fledged member of the international community or not.
That is why the peace-loving people of the world are strongly demanding Japan's liquidation of the past and the Japanese people, too, are urging its authorities to liquidate its colonial rule over Korea and open the diplomatic relations between the DPRK and Japan.
The Japanese authorities are well advised to properly see the trend of the times and think twice before acting.
Jong Song Ok on height of glory
Pyongyang, September 13 (KCNA) -- Jong Song Ok, world's "queen of marathon," who won the first place at the women's marathon race of the 7th World Athletics Championships and demonstrated to the world the spirit and mettle of Kim Il Sung's nation, enjoys highest honor in the DPRK.
In honor of her there were a warm welcome by a million people in Pyongyang, the proclamation of a national holiday, an evening gala of youth and students, a grand banquet in the name of the DPRK government and a welcome rally, and so on.
She was awarded the titles of the DPRK Hero, the Highest Honor of the DPRK Citizens, and the People's Sportswoman.
Song "Welcome to Jong Song Ok" and many other poems were created, her victory entered the "Great Korean Encyclopedia" and cinema, novel and art works are portraying her.
Seeing a marathoner enjoying highest honor, people once again feel grateful to the socialist fatherland for protecting and exalting the dignity and honor of sportsmen and sportswomen.
The history of our nation knows Son Ki Jong who left his name in the world history of athletics for the first time.
He won the men's marathon race of the 11th summer Olympics held in Berlin in Juche 25 (1936) by clocking 2 hours, 29 minutes, 19.2 seconds.
But he had to weep bitter tears and heave a sigh of resentment because he was an athlete of a colony who was deprived of nationality and the name of a country.
His gold medal helped demonstrate the "national power" of the damned aggressor and left a shameful trace of the nation in the world circle of athletics.
The two diametrically different realities prove that only when they have their own genuine fatherland and the great leader who defends and leads the destiny of people can athletes enjoy their dignity and honor.
Jong Song Ok, who produced "Seville myth," told reporters proudly that "she ran the race, picturing the great leader of our people Kim Jong Il in mind. This greatly encouraged me and was the source of my strength."
Congratulatory visit to DPRK embassy
Pyongyang, September 13 (KCNA) -- A delegation of the Khmer Democratic Party paid a congratulatory visit to the DPRK embassy in Cambodia on September 7 on the occasion of the 51st anniversary of the founding of the DPRK.
The delegation laid a floral basket in the name of the party before the portraits of the President Kim Il Sung and General Secretary Kim Jong Il and paid respects to them.
The head of the delegation said that the DPRK, founded by the great Kim Il Sung and led by the respected Kim Jong Il, is now demonstrating its fame all over the world, decisively smashing the isolation and suffocation moves of the international reactionaries.
He said:
We sincerely hope that the Korean people will achieve brilliant success in the struggle for building a powerful nation under the wise leadership of Marshal Kim Jong Il, true to the behest of Generalissimo Kim Il Sung.
Circus gymnastics in Korea
Pyongyang, September 13 (KCNA) -- Great efforts are being made for the development of circus gymnastics in the DPRK.
In recent years sections of circus gymnastics have newly been set up at sports groups of different universities including Korean University of Physical Education and sports schools.
Players of the sections have searched new methods to accomplish physical ability and correct technical movements according to detailed events (balance, speed and total) of the circus gymnastics and actively introduced them into their training.
The circus gymnastics of the DPRK has a history of only 10 odd years.
The Korean Circus Gymnastics Association joined the International Circus Gymnastic Federation (the International Gymnastic Federation) in September Juche 74 (1985).
Since then, the Korean circus gymnastic players have proved successful at international games including the world circus gymnastic championships, the circus gymnastic tournament for World Cup and the Asian Circus Gymnastic Championships.
The DPRK has become a full-fledged member of the world's strong teams after its players fully displayed its might at the 10th World Circus Gymnastic Championships held in May 1991.
The DPRK acrobats won 10 gold and silver medals at the detailed events (balance, speed and total) of the five competitions (men's pair, women's pair, mixed pair, women's triad and men's foursome) in the 1st Asian Circus Gymnastic Championships held in 1992.
The Korean players also achieved good results at the International Circus Gymnastic Tournament of Champions held in China in May 1997.
Experts at that time were unsparing in their praises of the Korean players, saying that "a team made a sudden rise in the world circle of the circus gymnastics" and "the team will win the world championship."