Letter to Kim Jong Il from Moldovan party leader
Pyongyang, February 15 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il received a congratulatory letter from V. N. Voronin, first secretary of the central committee of the Communist Party of the Moldovan Republic, on the occasion of his birthday.
Secretary of the party central committee Borgula Lyudmila Viktorovna, who is heading the party delegation on a visit to the DPRK, conveyed the letter to an official concerned.
Talks between delegations of WPK and Russian party
Pyongyang, February 15 (KCNA) -- Talks were held here yesterday between the delegations of the Worker's Party of Korea and the Communist Worker's Party of Russia.
Both sides informed each other of activities of their parties and exchanged views on the issues of mutual concern including development of the friendly relations between the two parties. Present at the talks on the WPK side were Choe Thae Bok, secretary of the party central committee, and officials concerned and on the Russian party side were members of the delegation headed by V. Tyulkin, first secretary of the party central committee.
Iranian ambassador hosts reception
Pyongyang, February 15 (KCNA) -- Mohammad Ganjidoost, ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the DPRK, hosted a reception yesterday at the embassy on the occasion of the birthday of General Secretary Kim Jong Il.
Congratulating General Secretary Kim Jong Il of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea on his birthday, he said he was pleased with the fact that he has inherited the idea of the President Kim Il Sung and further strengthened the relations between the Iran and the DPRK. Yang Hyong Sop, vice-president of the presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, said that Kim Jong Il has performed the immortal exploits on behalf of the times, humankind and the nation for the accomplishment of the revolutionary cause of Juche pioneered by President Kim Il Sung.
He said:
We will make our energetic efforts for enlarging and developing the friendly and cooperative relations with the Iranian people in various fields true to the intention of Marshal Kim Jong Il.
Chinese residents visit revolutionary museum
Pyongyang, February 15 (KCNA) -- Chinese residents in Pyongyang visited the revolutionary museum at Kim Il Sung University yesterday on the occasion of the birthday of General Secretary Kim Jong Il.
The visitors laid floral baskets before the full-length figure portrait of Kim Jong Il at the museum.
Then they went round the exhibited historic data and relics, being briefed on the facts that Kim Jong Il wisely led the work for the strengthening and development of Kim Il Sung University while studying there.
Film show and friendly gathering held for foreigners
Pyongyang, February 15 (KCNA) -- The DPRK Foreign Ministry arranged a film show and friendly gathering at the Taedonggang club for the diplomatic corps yesterday in honor of officials of foreign embassies here on the occasion of the birthday of General Secretary Kim Jong Il.
Invited to them were representatives and officials of the Polish, Romanian and Yugoslav embassies and the German Interest Section and the representative of the office of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation for the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs.
The participants saw a Korean documentary film "The Great Leader Comrade Kim Jong Il Gives On-site Guidance To Different Sectors" (Juche 88).
Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry gave a film show for representatives and members of Mongolian, Cambodian, Iranian, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Indian, Laotian and Pakistani embassies.
The participants saw a Korean documentary film "Under the Guidance of the Great Brilliant Commander" part 12.
Funeral service for Kim Ryang Mu held in Seoul
Pyongyang, February 15 (KCNA) -- A funeral service for Kim Ryang Mu, permanent vice chairman of the south headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country's Reunification (Pomminryon), was held at the Korea University Hospital in South Korea on sunday, according to a Seoul-based radio report.
Present at the funeral service were members of dissident organizations, citizens and students, over 2,000 in all.
The funeral procession fought with policemen who were blocking its way.
Kim Ryang Mu devotedly worked for the patriotic cause of national reunification. At the end of last year when the condition of his illness grew worse, he wished he would get a medical treatment in the North Korea. However, this wish could not be realized owing to the South Korean authorities' anti-reunification, anti-national deed, and he died on January 26.
Overseas Koreans and foreigners visit Kimjongilia exhibition hall
Pyongyang, February 15 (KCNA) -- Foreign diplomatic envoys and economic and commercial councilors' corps in Pyongyang yesterday visited the 4th Kimjongilia exhibition hall on the occasion of the birthday of General Secretary Kim Jong Il.
Chief Pak Kwang Gi and members of the Pyongyang mission of the National Democratic Front of South Korea visited the exhibition hall on the same day.
Among the visitors were a congratulatory group of the General Association of Koreans in China, a delegation of the General Association of Koreans in the United States and other delegations of overseas Koreans and Koreans from abroad.
Ministry of People's Armed forces gives reception
Pyongyang, February 15 (KCNA) -- The Ministry of the People's Armed Forces gave a reception for military attaches of foreign embassies here on Monday on the threshold of the birthday of General Secretary Kim Jong Il.
Addressing the reception, minister Kim Il Chol described the birth of the respected Kim Jong Il as a historic event for accomplishing the revolutionary cause of Juche started by the President Kim Il Sung through generations to come and as a grandiose sunrise heralding the bright future of Kim Il Sung's nation.
Stressing that the Korean people led by Kim Jong Il now see the bright future on the peak of the century, the minister said: The Korean people and the people's army men and officers, blessed with the illustrious leaders and the outstanding supreme commanders generation after generation, will successfully accomplish the revolutionary cause of Juche and build a prosperous and powerful socialist nation.
Military attach of the Vietnamese embassy Vu Dinh Thang, who is doyen of the military attaches' corps, said Marshal Kim Jong Il was born in the period of the hard-fought anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle for natal liberation. The august name of the Marshal, a successor to the revolutionary cause of President Kim Il Sung, has been always linked with the revolutionary history of the Korean people, he said.
He expressed the belief that under the leadership of the Worker's Party of Korea headed by Kim Jong Il, the Korean people and servicemen would surely achieve a victory in socialist construction and in the struggle for the peaceful reunification of Korea, braving difficulties.
Indonesian ambassador hosts reception
Pyongyang, February 15 (KCNA) -- Buchari Effendi, Indonesian ambassador to the DPRK, hosted a reception at his embassy yesterday on the occasion of the birthday of General Secretary Kim Jong Il.
He wished General Secretary Kim Jong Il who has led the work for building a powerful nation long life in good health on the occasion of his birthday.
He expressed his firm belief that the Korean people would surely accomplish their noble cause including the peaceful reunification of the country under the wise leadership of Kim Jong Il.
He said that the leaders of the two countries laid the foundation to further consolidate and develop the relations between the two countries and the two peoples when Kim Jong Il paid a historic visit to Indonesia in company with the President Kim Il Sung 35 years ago.
Paek Nam Sun, Minister of Foreign Affairs, said that Kim Jong Il who was born at Mt. Paektu has performed immortal exploits for the country and revolution, the times and humankind, always travelling together with President Kim Il Sung for the people.
He said that the friendship between the DPRK and Indonesia is the protracted friendship provided by Kim Il Sung together with President Sukarno and has constantly developed with deep interest of the leaders of the two countries.
He expressed sincere hope that the Indonesian people would make greater success in the struggle to realise the territorial integrity, overcome the economic difficulties and exercise the independent and neutral foreign policy to bring into practice the idea of ASEAN under the leadership of the respected President Abdurrahman Wahid.
Anniv. of friendly relations between two schools marked
Pyongyang, February 15 (KCNA) -- A meeting was held here yesterday to mark the 40th anniversary of the establishment of friendly relations between Changdok school in the DPRK and Yuwen middle school in Jilin, China.
Rim Jae Min, deputy headmaster of Changdok school, in his speech said that the two schools, associated with the President Kim Il Sung's early revolutionary activities, are well known to the two peoples as a symbol of the DPRK-China friendship, which would have been unthinkable without the concern and solicitude of the parties and governments of the two countries.
Pointing out that Jilin Yuwen Middle School has achieved great success in the work to bring up its pupils into talents equipped with good morality, ample knowledge and strong physique under the leadership of the communist party of China led by esteemed Jiang Zemin, he expressed the belief that the school would train many excellent boys and girls who would contribute to the cause of building socialism with Chinese characteristics in the future.
Vice-director Cheng Qi, head of the delegation of Jilin Yuwen Middle School, said in her speech that the two schools have steadily developed their friendly relations and gained great success through close contact and interaction in teaching and upbringing.
She hoped that mutual visits would be strengthened between the two schools to make a new greater contribution to the work to bring up the future pillars of the countries.
Celebrations held to mark Kim Jong Il's birthday
Pyongyang, February 15 (KCNA) -- Events took place on Monday to mark the 58th birthday of General Secretary Kim Jong Il.
Ri Il Hwan, first secretary of the c.c., the Kim Il Sung Socialist Youth League, made a report at the celebration meeting of youth and students in Pyongyang, which was followed by speeches of representatives of all social standings.
The reporter and speakers said that all the people and youth across the country are most significantly celebrating Kim Jong Il's birthday as the greatest holiday of the nation. They referred to the great feats performed by him on behalf of the country, the people, the times and the revolution, leading the Worker's Party of Korea and revolution for scores of years.
They called on the youth and students to glorify this year, the WPK's 55th anniversary, with signal victory in the crucible of greatly increased activity of chollima, rallied close around Kim Jong Il, and make positive contributions to building a powerful nation of Juche as soon as possible on this land.
At a celebration meeting of officials and members of the Korean Democratic Women's Union speakers said that under the wise leadership of Kim Jong Il today our country is standing imposingly as an impregnable fortress of socialism and heroines of the era and other loyalists and filial daughters remaining loyal to him are being produced from among the women.
They underscored the need to more firmly arm themselves with the revolutionary idea of the party, the Juche idea, give full play to the spirit of aiding the army and bring up their children to be talented persons who are able to make tangible contributions to building a rich and powerful country.
Meanwhile, performances of art circles of the ministries and national institutions and of agricultural workers across the country were given to celebrate February 16.
An art exhibition of the Songhwa Art Studio was opened on this occasion.
Korean books presented to Guyana
Pyongyang, February 15 (KCNA) -- Ceremonies of presenting Korean books were held at the Ciril Porter Teachers' College and the President College in Guyana on February 7 and 8.
Conveyed at the ceremonies were celebrated works of the President Kim Il Sung and General Secretary Kim Jong Il and other Korean books.
Dale Bisunoth, Minister of Education of Guyana, said the books would enable them to have a better understanding of the Korean people and contribute to further strengthening the friendship with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
The rectors of the two colleges said they would make their teachers and students deeply study those precious works so as to grasp the profound ideas laid down in them and well know about the successes achieved by the Korean people in socialist construction under the wise leadership of Kim Jong Il.
Pledge of that day
Pyongyang, February 15 (KCNA) -- Many working people, youth and students are visiting Mt. Ryongnam on which Kim Il Sung University is located, on the occasion of the greatest auspicious holiday of the nation, February 16.
The mountain is a historic place where the great leader Kim Jong Il took a pledge "Korea, I Will Glorify Thee" with his great plan and ambition for his revolutionary activities in September, Juche 49 (1960).
The poem "Korea, I Will Glorify Thee" reflects his unshakable faith and will to lead Korea to a bright future as the master of the Korean revolution, upholding the high intention of the President Kim Il Sung.
It also carries his far-sighted plan and grit to brilliantly accomplish the revolutionary cause of Juche pioneered by the President.
His pledge 40 years ago has been brought into practice.
He, defending and carrying forward the revolutionary idea and cause of the President, has turned Korea into a powerful socialist country in single hearted unity by wisely leading the party, the state and the army from long ago.
His firm faith and will to accomplish the revolutionary cause started by the President was more clearly verified in recent years.
The world worried about the prospects of Korea because of the demise of the President, intensification of the isolation and suffocation moves of the imperialists and continued severe natural disaster.
At the time he expressed his firm determination that no one could expect change from him and he would do everything as the President taught and did and for the sake of the President and inspired all the people to the revolution and construction.
Leading the "arduous march" and the forced march he visited many units of the Korean People's Army, industrial establishments and rural villages to instill conviction and optimism of the victory of socialism into the soldiers and people.
All the Korean people are now upholding his leadership with loyalty, taking his firm determination to build Korea into a powerful socialist nation as their unchangeable faith.
Many poems and songs created in Korea
Pyongyang, February 15 (KCNA) -- Nearly 200 poems and songs were created in a little more than a month this year in Korea.
Poems including "Song of Best Wishes Dedicated To February," "Song In Praise of the Sun of Mt. Paektu" and "Song Praising the Sun" were created on the occasion of the 58th birthday of General Secretary Kim Jong Il. They reflect the great national pride of having the greatest man at the head of the revolution and the unbounded reverence of the people ardently wishing him a long life in good health.
The poems such as "Along the Road the Marshal Takes," "Another Year To Make Arduous March Cheerful" and "Before My Route of Charge" clearly mirror the indomitable faith and will of the Korean people to stoutly advance along the road of glorious struggle and victory under the leadership of Kim Jong Il breaking through manifold ordeals and difficulties in the same spirit as was displayed when making the "arduous march" and the forced march.
Many works truthfully depict on a high ideological artistic level the fighting spirit of the young builders and working people who are vigorously accelerating the 2nd grand Chollima advance for building a powerful nation in response to the joint New Year editorial. Typical of them are the poems "Torch Brightly Lit on the 40-km Long Road Being Built by Youth," "Eldest Son" and "I Wish To Become Fire." Other works deal with the struggle of the Korean people for the country's reunification.
More than 50 pieces of songs such as "I Will Always Live, Picturing Marshal In My Mind," "Let's Work and Work" and "Lake Dear To Me" were also created.
All the works are vigorously inspiring the Korean people to the struggle to glorify this year, the 55th anniversary of the foundation of the WPK, with signal victory in the crucible of greatly increased activity of chollima.
Jonas gift animal house
Pyongyang, February 15 (KCNA) -- An increasing number of citizens, school youth and children are visiting the Jonas gift animal house in the Central Zoo at the foot of Mt. Taesong in the suburbs of Pyongyang on the occasion of the auspicious February holiday, the birthday of General Secretary Kim Jong Il.
It was opened in October Juche 74 (1985). It has an aquarium, a reptile cage, a crocodile cage, a small animal cage and a nocturnal animal cage. Kept there are more than 90 species of at least 1,360 animals including saimiri sciureus, alopex lagopus, constrictor and nasua narica.
These animals rare to be found in the world were presented to Kim Jong Il by Swedish Jonas Whalstrom.
Jonas, director of the Skansen Aquarium in Stockholm, is one of those well known to the world for his animal business.
In February 1984 he presented a pair of callithrix jacchus, a rare species of monkey, to Kim Jong Il in high appreciation of his tireless efforts to accomplish the cause of global independence.
Hearing the news that Kim Jong Il saw the animals presented by him, he presented again at least 1,000 animals of scores of species in a few months.
Since then he has presented animals to the leader on more than ten occasions.
He chose rare animals in southeast Asia, Latin America, etc, and presented them to Kim Jong Il out of his earnest wish to delight him and let him take even a short rest.
Kim Jong Il sent gift animals from Jonas to the Central Zoo and made sure that an animal house named after him was built. And he saw to it that on the day of the opening of the gift animal house a friendship order of the DPRK was awarded to him on a visit to Pyongyang. He also made sure that a documentary film "Jonas in Pyongyang" was produced and sent to him as a gift.
Jonas is widely known to the Korean people for his ardent reverence for Kim Jong Il.
National meeting held to celebrate Kim Jong Il's birthday
Pyongyang, February 15 (KCNA) -- A national meeting took place at the 6,000-seat theatre of the April 25 House of Culture here today with a large attendance to celebrate the 58th birthday of General Secretary Kim Jong Il.
Present there were Kim Yong Nam, Jo Myong Rok, Hong Song Nam and other senior party and state officials.
Kim Il Chol, vice-chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission and Minister of the People's Armed Forces, made a report at the meeting.
The birthday of Kim Jong Il was a great auspicious event in which the Korean people, immensely honored to acclaim the President Kim Il Sung for the first time in the national history spanning five thousand years, had a great national honor of holding in high esteem another great man born of heaven when the day of national liberation was about to dawn, the reporter said.
On this significant occasion of celebrating the February holiday he extended highest glory and warmest congratulations to Kim Jong Il, reflecting the intense loyalty of all the party members, officers and men of the people's army and the people.
He pointed out that Kim Jong Il has wisely led the work of the Worker's Party of Korea, the military affairs, economic work and construction of culture to bring about a great change in all sectors of the revolution and construction, thus dynamically advancing the cause of building a rich and powerful country of Juche to a new higher stage and ushering in the golden days in the workers' party era.
Under his veteran and tested leadership the workers' party and people of Korea have stoutly advanced along the straight road of Juche despite the ever more pronounced upheaval of the international politics for scores of years and built an ideologically and militarily powerful nation, an impregnable fortress of socialism, on this land, the reporter said, adding that his greatness was more powerfully demonstrated in the struggle over the last five years in particular.
Referring to his energetic leadership over the cause of perpetuating the memory of Kim Il Sung, the army-first revolutionary cause, the "arduous march" and the forced march, he continued:
Penetrating deep into the peculiar conditions of the Korean revolution, Kim Jong Il established a unique army-first political mode. His outstanding army-first politics is a powerful and perfect socialist political mode of our era and a decisive guarantee for the victory of the Korean revolution.
He saved the destiny of socialist Korea from the worst adversity and is leading all the people to build a rich and powerful nation while turning misfortune into blessing, adversity into favourable conditions with his iron will, grit and distinguished leadership ability. He is the defender of our country, nation and the cause of socialism and the great sun of guidance.
Possessed of extraordinary intelligence and distinguished capability, he has performed the immortal exploits which will shine for centuries by leading the socialist cause of the workers' party and people of Korea to victory for scores of years. It is the honor of Kim Il Sung's Korea and the greatest fortune for the Korean nation to have Kim Jong Il, the most experienced veteran statesman and the invincible and iron-willed commander, at the head of the revolution.
The reporter underscored the need for all the party members and other working people to vigorously push ahead with the WPK's cause of building a rich and powerful nation, holding fast to the line of attaching great importance to ideology, the military and science and technology put forward by him this year which marks the WPK's 55th anniversary.
Today when the Korean revolution has reached a new historical turning point, all the party members, officers and men of the people's army and people should devotedly defend him with sense of obligation and faith and in the spirit of human bombs and suicide bombers in any adversity, holding higher the banner of devotedly defending the leader though the situation remains complicated and the counterrevolutionary moves of the enemy are getting more intensified.
Floral basket to Kim Jong Il
Pyongyang, February 15 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il received a floral basket from the central committee of the Communist Party of China on the occasion of his birthday.
The floral basket was conveyed by Chinese ambassador to the DPRK Wan Yongxiang to an official concerned today.
Kim Yong Nam meets delegation of Thai political party
Pyongyang, February 15 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, met and had a friendly talk with a delegation of the Palang Dharma (Righteous Force) Party of Thailand led by its leader Chaivat Sinsuwong at the Mansudae Assembly Hall today.
The head of the delegation said that the respected Kim Jong Il is the great leader who has the noblest sense of obligation to President Kim Il Sung, the eternal leader of the Korean people.
Kim Jong Il's unique army-first revolutionary leadership is a precious and excellent political mode which has to be followed by all countries, he noted, adding that his party shares the view on the need to enforce the army-first politics under the situation where the imperialists' moves have become more pronounced.
Japan urged to repeal "bill on prefectural suffrage"
Pyongyang, February 15 (KCNA) -- The Korean Democratic Lawyers Association on Monday issued a statement assailing the presentation of the illegal "bill on prefectural suffrage" to the diet by some political parties of Japan.
The "bill" introduced by the Japanese reactionaries is an extremely illegal one ignoring the requirements of the international law as it is intended to assimilate Koreans in Japan to Japanese, the statement said, and continued:
The "bill" stipulates that if they are to be granted "suffrage", the Korean citizens in Japan should change the Korean nationality into other nationality. This is a breach of the universal declaration of human rights which says that no state and no organization can force an individual to abandon or change his or her nationality.
The statement bitterly denounced the "bill on prefectural suffrage," a product of the collusion and tie-up between the Japanese reactionaries and the South Korean ruling quarters, as an open challenge to the international law, another hostile act against the DPRK and Chongryon (General Association of Korean Residents in Japan).
Japan should not pursue such a policy of national alienation as fanning up the anti-DPRK confrontation of the South Korean ruling quarters or chiming in with them but honestly repent of and compensate for the crimes committed against the Korean people in the past and immediately withdraw the "bill", the statement said, expressing the expectation that all the international judicial organizations and lawyers of all countries would extend positive support to Chongryon, Koreans in Japan and all the Korean people in their just struggle against the moves of the Japanese reactionaries and the South Korean authorities to adopt a legislation on "suffrage."
KCNA on S. Korean chief executive's utterance
Pyongyang, February 15 (KCNA) -- The South Korean chief executive in a recent interview with the Japanese Tokyo TV asserted that it was "effective to pursue the engagement policy based on a firm security system" and "Japan should approach the talks for establishing diplomatic relations with the north with the initiative to lead it to reform and opening." And he also argued that "it was a most desirable policy during the tenure of his office to follow the engagement policy towards the north through the South Korea-U.S.-Japan cooperation and joint efforts of the four countries of the U.S., Japan, China and Russia."
The "engagement policy" advocated by him is a policy of confrontation and war against the north, the policy aimed at stepping up the arms buildup, war preparations and the establishment of a fascist dictatorial system under the pretext of "security" in a bid to overpower the north. At the interview he revealed his sinister attempt to pursue the policy with increased frenzy in collusion with the U.S. and Japan and other foreign forces veiled with the phraseologies of "joint efforts" and "cooperation."
The South Korean chief executive, kowtowing to Japan, the sworn enemy of the Korean nation, spoke highly of its "Emperor" and made sheep's eyes at it, saying that his visit to South Korea would "mark the climax in the South Korea-Japan friendship." And this time he wooed Japan to take the "initiative" to lead the DPRK to "reform and opening." All this goes to prove that he is a wicked flunkeyist and traitor who does not have even an iota of Juche character and national identity.
The Korean nation has experienced the tragedy of division for over half a century because of the foreign forces, flunkeyist traitors and separatist forces.
If the South Korean chief executive truly regards the "termination of Cold War and reconciliation between the north and the south, etc. as his supreme goal," he should think of the independent and peaceful reunification of the country before any other things and amend his policy towards the north for the sake of great unity of the whole nation in order to achieve the reunification.
If he continues to chant the "engagement policy" in a bid to prolong his remaining days depending on the foreign forces, he will meet the same miserable end as his preceding dictators did.
Ill-natured jargon of S. Korean ruler condemned
Pyongyang, February 15 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today carries a signed commentary on the criminal, flunkeyist and treacherous jargon hostile toward the fellow countrymen and flattering the foreign forces made by the South Korean chief executive in an interview with a Japanese TV some days ago.
In the interview, the South Korean chief executive, referring to the issue of "relations with the north," said that the "engagement policy" should be pursued under the "firm security system." His utterances betray his anti-national attempt to do harm to and isolate the DPRK in league with the foreign forces, the commentary notes, and goes on:
His ulterior intention was more clearly pronounced when he asked Japan to "induce" somebody to "reform and opening" through the talks for establishing diplomatic relations between the DPRK and Japan.
The "engagement policy" is, in essence, a strategy for aggression with no gunfire against the north to realize a wild ambition for "unification through invasion of the north" by disintegrating the DPRK ideologically and disarming it mentally through the false "dialogue" and poisonous "exchange."
It is disgusting that the South Korean chief executive entreated the Japanese emperor to visit South Korea, praising relations with Japan.
His active pro-Japanese treacherous act is aimed at stifling the DPRK politically and militarily by making a compact with Japan, his master, in return for selling off the interests of the country and the nation.
His act is an unpardonable challenge and provocation against the people of the DPRK, who are regarding socialism as their lifeline and faith and valuing the dignity and sovereignty of the country like their life and soul. The DPRK can never remain an onlooker to it, the commentary stresses.
S. Korea= "Ulsan Citizens Solidarity for General Election" inaugurated
Pyongyang, February 15 (KCNA) -- 13 civic and social organizations in Ulsan including the citizens solidarity for autonomy and the Citizens Federation for Economic Justice had a rally on Feb. 8 to form an "Ulsan Citizens Solidarity for General Election," according to a South Korean newspaper.
The organization declared that it would join the "Citizens' Solidarity for General Elections" in Seoul and other areas of South Korea in conducting the vigorous campaign for defeating the candidates forsaken by people in the run-up to "the election of national assemblymen."