Joint New Year editorial published
Pyongyang, January 1 (KCNA) -- The newspaper of the Workers' Party of Korea central committee Rodong Sinmun and the newspapers Joson Inmingun and Chongnyon Jonwi carried a joint editorial titled "Glorify this year greeting 55th anniversary of the party foundation as a year of proud victory in the flame of great Chollima upsurge " . The editorial describes Juche 88 (1999) as a historic year of a great turning-point in the building of a powerful nation, a fruitful year in which the dynamic second Chollima advance was made and a proud year in which a shining victory was won in the political and military confrontation with the imperialists.
Saying that last year was marked by the great Kim Jong Il's energetic guidance to the cause of building a powerful nation, the editorial notes that the perfect unity between the leader and the people which had been strengthened amidst an arduous struggle fully demonstrated its tremendous strength.
It describes the New Year juche 89 (2000) as a year of general advance to effect a significant stride forward in the building of a powerful nation under the leadership of the great WPK.
The 55th anniversary of the foundation of the Workers' Party of Korea is a grand festival of victors of socialism who successfully made the "arduous march" and forced march, the editorial says, calling for giving full play to the spirit of socialist Korea this year which marks the 55th anniversary of the WPK foundation.
It stresses:
"Glorify this year greeting the 55th anniversary of the party foundation as a year of proud victory in the flame of great Chollima upsurge " This is a militant slogan that the WPK and the people should put up this year.
We should step up the general march this year, firmly maintaining the line of giving great importance to ideology, arms and science and technology. ideology, arms and science and technology are the three major pillars for the building of a powerful nation. steadfast ideology, powerful arms and upgraded science and technology represent a powerful socialist nation of Juche.
The line of attaching great importance to ideology should be firmly maintained.
To attach great importance to ideology is the life and soul of the WPK and the mainstay of Korean-style socialism.
The kernel of the socialist idea is the spirit of defending the headquarters of the revolution.
The idea of attaching great importance to arms should be thoroughly applied.
To attach great importance to arms is a strategic line that should always be held fast to as long as imperialism remains and the revolution goes on. It is the most important state affair to which top priority should be given by all units. attaching great importance to national defence is the most correct way of defending the destiny of socialism in the world today.
The idea of attaching great importance to science should be held fast to.
It is the fixed stand of the WPK to construct socialism in reliance upon science.
We should put the Juche-based science and technology on the world's level in the shortest possible time and settle urgent scientific and technological problems in the building of a powerful nation.
Big efforts should be directed to socialist economic construction this year, the editorial says, and goes on:
We should work harder under the slogan "Let us all become heroes in a drive to glorify the 55th anniversary of the party foundation " .
The editorial sets forth the tasks to develop power, coal and metal industries, railway transport, light industry and agriculture and step up major construction projects.
It is imperative to strengthen the party, preserve the Juche character and the national character in the revolution and construction and do oneself justice in work for the successful fulfilment of the militant tasks this year, the editorial notes.
The great unity of the entire nation is the prerequisite for the reunification of the country, the editorial says, and continues:
A master key to opening an epochal phase of national reunification is to firmly defend the three principles of national reunification, the ten-point programme of the great unity of the whole nation and the proposal for founding the Democratic Confederal Republic of Koryo, and struggle to carry them into practice.
We will in the future, too, fulfil our honorable international obligations in the human cause of independence and the cause of socialism under the uplifted revolutionary banner of independence against imperialism, concludes the editorial.
Congratulatory letters and New Year's cards to Kim Jong Il
Pyongyang, January 1 (KCNA) - General Secretary Kim Jong Il received floral baskets, gifts, congratulatory letters and New Year's cards from diplomatic envoys and embassies of different countries in Pyongyang on the occasion of the New Year Juche 89 (2000).
They were handed to officials concerned by diplomatic envoys of China, Cambodia, Laos, Libya, Cuba, Russia, Egypt, Iran, Pakistan, Indonesia, India, Vietnam, Ethiopia, Yugoslavia, Nigeria, Poland, Romania, Palestine, Mongolia, Syria, Sweden and Yemen.
Kim Jong Il received a gift and congratulatory letter from the resident coordinator of the United Nations who is also resident representative of the United Nations development programme, a congratulatory letter from the representative of the UNICEF and congratulatory letters, a bunch of flowers and gifts from military attaches of the embassies of Vietnam, Iran, Egypt and Cuba here.
Kim Jong Il sends floral basket to Cuban embassy
Pyongyang, January 1 (KCNA) - General Secretary Kim Jong Il sent a floral basket to the Cuban embassy in Pyongyang on Dec. 31, Juche 88 (1999) on the occasion of the 41st anniversary of the victory in the Cuban revolution.
It was handed to Jose Manuel Inclan Embade, Cuban ambassador to the DPRK.
Written on the ribbon of the basket were letters "Warm congratulations to the 41st anniversary of the victory in the Cuban revolution".
Ministries of the cabinet and national institutions sent floral baskets to the embassy on the same day.
Floral baskets in the name of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Trade and the Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries were respectively handed to the Cuban ambassador.
Kim Yong Nam greets Sri Lankan President
Pyongyang, January 1 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, on Dec. 28 last year sent a message of greetings to Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumarathunga upon her reelection as President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.
The message expressed the belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would further expand and develop and sincerely wished her greater success in her responsible work and good health and happiness.
Meanwhile, Premier of the cabinet Hong Song Nam sent a message of greetings to Sirimavo R. D. Bandaranaike on his reassumption of office as Sri Lankan Prime Minister.
Anniversary of Cuban people's victory marked
Pyongyang, January 1 (KCNA) -- Papers here today commemorate the victory of the Cuban revolution (Jan. 1, 1959).
Rodong Sinmun in a signed article says: The Cuban people's victory in the revolution terminated the long-standing colonialistic and imperialist domination and overthrew the reactionary dictatorial system. And they became genuine masters of the country and have covered a broad road for the building of a new society.
For 41 years after the victory in the revolution, they have advanced the revolution, braving all difficulties and trials under the slogan, "fatherland or death, we will win."
They have cherished in their mind the firm faith that socialism is just their destiny and future.
They are enjoying support and sympathy from the world revolutionary people for their faithfulness to the socialist idea.
The Korean people wish them new success in their future struggle to defend the revolution and build socialism.
Minju Joson says the just cause of the Cuban people vigorously advancing under the banner of socialism will certainly win.
Foreigners pay homage to late President Kim Il Sung
Pyongyang, January 1 (KCNA) -- The diplomatic corps and the military attaches' corps in Korea today visited the Kumsusan Memorial Palace to pay homage to late President Kim Il Sung on the occasion of the New Year.
At the palace they expressed reverence before the statue of the President and went upstairs to pay deep respects to him who is preserved in state.
Then they looked round with deep interest a train and a car used by him for on-the-spot guidance and foreign tour and in the last period of his life.
Meanwhile, Pak Kwang Gi, chief of the Pyongyang mission of the National Democratic Front of South Korea, visited the palace to pay respects to the president on the same day.
DPRK senior officials pay homage to late President Kim Il Sung
Pyongyang, January 1 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, Hong Song Nam and other senior party and state officials, servicemen and working people visited the Kumsusan Memorial Palace today to pay homage to late President Kim Il Sung on the occasion of the New Year Juche 89 (2000).
A floral basket was laid before the statue of the President in the joint name of the Workers' Party of Korea central committee, the WPK central military commission, the national defence commission, the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly and the cabinet of the DPRK.
The visitors paid homage to the statue. They went upstairs to offer new year greetings to the president who is preserved in state.
Then they looked round with deep interest orders and medals he received from many countries, a train and a car used by him for on-the-spot guidance and foreign tour and in the last period of his life.
School children celebrate New Year
Pyongyang, January 1 (KCNA) -- School children today celebrated the New Year Juche 89 (2000) at the Pyongyang Indoor Stadium.
Present were Kim Yong Nam, Hong Song Nam and other senior party and state officials, overseas compatriots and the chief of the Pyongyang mission of the National Democratic Front of South Korea.
Foreign diplomatic envoys and embassy officials and foreigners in Pyongyang were invited there.
At the hall of the stadium, the participants looked round models and visual aids showing proud successes achieved by the Korean people in the building of a powerful nation.
Then, school children present there made New Year's greetings the great leader Kim Jong Il representing the ardent desire of all the people and the new generation.
Put on the stage were songs, dances and other colourful pieces.