Foreign diplomats visit Mangyongdae and other places
Pyongyang, April 12 (KCNA) -- Foreign diplomatic envoys and resident representatives of international organizations in the DPRK visited Mangyongdae yesterday on the occasion of Sun's Day, the birth anniversary of the President Kim Il Sung.
They looked round the native home in Mangyongdae where the President was born and the historic relics preserved at the home and the revolutionary sites on Mangyong Hill.
And then they went to see the construction site of the monument to the three-point charter of national reunification at the entrance of Thongil Street, Pyongyang, and planted trees around the monument.
On the same day the military attaches corps here visited the international friendship exhibition located on famous Mt. Myohyang and the economic and commercial councilors' corps here visited the Phyongchon Revolutionary Site in Pyongyang where the first ordnance factory of the country had been situated.
Anniversary of Kim Jong Il's Indonesia visit marked
Pyongyang, April 12 (KCNA) -- A photo exhibition and a film show were held at the People's Palace of Culture on Tuesday 35 years after General Secretary Kim Jong Il paid a historic visit to Indonesia accompanying the President Kim Il Sung.
Vice-president of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly Yang Hyong Sop and officials concerned were present.
Also present there were members of an Indonesian government cultural delegation led by Minister of State for Tourism and Art Hidajat Djaelani who are staying here to participate in the 18th April Spring Friendship Art Festival and Indonesian ambassador to the DPRK Buchari Effendi and embassy officials.
Speeches were made at the photo exhibition.
On display at the exhibition hall are pictures of Kim Il Sung conducting energetic external activities amid warm welcome of the Indonesian government and people and pictures showing the revolutionary activities of Kim Jong Il during the historic Indonesia visit accompanying him.
Also displayed there are pictures showing the friendly relations between the DPRK and Indonesia.
Then the participants saw a Korean documentary film "the Great Leader Comrade Kim Il Sung Meets Heads of State and Prominent Figures of Foreign Countries" part 1 (March 1949-January 1969).
National fine art exhibition opens
Pyongyang, April 12 (KCNA) -- A national fine art exhibition opened at the Korean Art Gallery on Tuesday to commemorate Sun's Day.
On display are over 100 fine art works of high ideological and artistic value. Among them were photographs showing the brilliant revolutionary feats of the President Kim Il Sung and the great personality of General Secretary Kim Jong Il.
Seen on the front of the hall was a Korean painting "Sun of All People" portraying Kim Il Sung who performed the immortal exploits of significance in human history for the times and revolution, the fatherland and people.
Exhibited are an oil painting "Spring of 1939," Korean paintings "the Great Leader Meets Workers of Rakwon" and "the Great Leader Walks Along Farm Fields Until the Last Moment of His Life" and other fine art works reflecting the immortal revolutionary exploits of the President who led the anti-Japanese war to victory and turned Korea into the homeland of Juche, independent, self-supporting and self-reliant in national defence.
Put on show are Korean paintings "Spring of Forefront" and "Being the Real Father of Family of the Whole Country" representing the great personality of Kim Jong Il who leads the Korean people to build a powerful nation with the army-first politics.
Minister of Culture Kang Nung Su made an opening address.
Symposium on Kimilsungia held
Pyongyang, April 12 (KCNA) -- A national scientific symposium was held here on Tuesday 35 years after the immortal Kimilsungia appeared in the world.
It was stressed at the symposium that Kimilsungia is a flower of the era of independence symbolizing the greatness of President Kim Il Sung and a flower of loyalty which has come into full bloom with the world people's deep reverence and respect for him.
The speakers referred to the feats performed by the great leader Kim Jong Il to spread this flower all over the country. He formed a research group composed of competent scientists. And he saw to it that a Kimilsungia greenhouse was built at the Central Botanical Garden and sent advanced equipment for the study of the flower.
It is the unanimous desire of the Korean people and the world's progressives to make Kimilsungia come into full bloom on Sun's Day, they said, mentioning the results of research such as rational method of flower cultivation based on growth-regulating substance treatment and control of temperature.
Photo exhibition and film show held to mark Sun's Day
Pyongyang, April 12 (KCNA) -- The Ministry of Foreign Trade sponsored a photo exhibition and a film show on Tuesday to commemorate Sun's Day, the birth anniversary of the President Kim Il Sung.
Invited there were economic and commercial councilors of foreign embassies here.
Vice-Minister of Foreign Trade Kim Pong Ik and officials concerned were present.
The participants looked round photos showing the revolutionary activities of the President who made tireless efforts for world peace and the human cause of independence.
Then they saw a Korean documentary film "the Great Life in 1994".
Floral basket to Kim Jong Il from Cambodian King
Pyongyang, April 12 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il received a floral basket from Cambodian King Norodom Sihanouk on the occasion of Sun's Day.
A delegation of the Cambodian royal palace led by deputy prime minister Kong Sam Ol visited the DPRK embassy in Phnom Penh and handed the floral basket to the ambassador on April 7.
Kong Sam Ol said that the king prayed for the immortality of the President Kim Il Sung.
He asked the ambassador to convey to Marshal Kim Jong Il regards of the king wholeheartedly wishing the Marshal a long life in good health and greater success in the noble cause of guiding the Korean people to the building of a powerful socialist nation under the banner of the Juche idea.
Peruvian diploma and medal awarded to Kim Il Sung
Pyongyang, April 12 (KCNA) -- The council of Lince city in Peru decided to award an honorary diploma and medal to the President Kim Il Sung on the occasion of Sun's Day, his birth anniversary.
The mayor of the city handed the diploma and medal to the DPRK ambassador to Peru at a ceremony on April 5.
He prayed for immortality of the President, saying it is for the first time that the city council decided to award an honorary diploma and medal to foreign masters.
Written on the diploma were words "the council of Lince city awards this honorary diploma to his excellency Kim Il Sung, President of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, in high appreciation of his great feats contributed to world peace and culture."
Peruvian diploma and medal awarded to Kim Jong Il
Pyongyang, April 12 (KCNA) -- The council of Lince city in Peru decided to award an honorary diploma and medal to General Secretary Kim Jong Il on the occasion of Sun's Day.
The mayor of the city handed the diploma and medal to the DPRK ambassador to Peru at a ceremony on April 5.
It is for the first time that the city council decided to award them to foreign masters and it is an honor and happiness o all the citizens to award the diploma anf medal to Kim Jong Il, he added.
Written on the diploma were words "the council of Lince city awards this honorary diploma to his excellency Kim Jong Il, chairman of the DPRK national defence commission, in high appreciation of his great feats contributed to world peace and culture."
Seminars on Kim Il Sung's exploits
Pyongyang, April 12 (KCNA) -- Seminars were held in Pyongyang on the occasion of the 88th birth anniversary of the President Kim Il Sung.
At the seminar of youth league organizations, speakers said that in the whole course of leading the Korean revolution Kim Il Sung considered it as a cardinal task to bring up the young as revolutionaries and raise their role in the revolution and construction, and consistently pursued the policy of giving importance to the youth work, adding:
As a result, the Korean youth movement has steadily advanced along the road of Juche.
Speakers at the seminar held by trade unions mentioned the noble exploits the President performed in strengthening and developing trade unions. They said that his unique idea and theory of building trade unions has been further developed and enriched under the outstanding guidance of General Secretary Kim Jong Il.
Speakers at the seminar held by agricultural workers' union organizations said that Kim Il Sung performed immortal exploits in the building of the Agricultural Worker's Union by setting out the Juche-oriented idea and line of building a revolutionary peasants organization and comprehensively systematized them, thus clearly indicating the road to be followed by the union.
Speakers at the seminar held by the women's union organizations said that Kim Il Sung is a benevolent father who, possessed of the noblest view on the younger generation, brought up children as reliable successors to the Juche revolutionary cause.
Pyongyang boasts its ancient history
Pyongyang, April 12 (KCNA) -- Pyongyang, the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, has an ancient history and civilization.
It existed as a capital of 3 dynasties of Kojoson (ancient Korea) for nearly 3000 years from the time when Tangun set up the first ancient state, Kojoson, and chose Pyongyang as its capital more than 5000 years back to the early 30th century B.C. to 108 B.C.
After the fall of Kojoson, the city became the capital of Rakrang State set up by the people of fallen Kojoson. It was a political, economic and cultural hub in the northwestern part of Korea.
The position and role of Pyongyang were carried forward by Koguryo, a powerful state that existed for 1000 years after the collapse of Kojoson. Koguryo shifted its capital to Pyongyang in 427 as the nation's ancient history and culture originated from this city.
Koryo, which emerged as the first unified state on the Korean peninsula with an idea of rebuilding great Koguryo, pressed ahead with the building of Pyongyang from the very day of its foundation. The rehabilitation of Pyongyang was the first job done by Wang Kon, the first king of Koryo, right after his foundation of the state in 918.
All these facts are clear evidence that Pyongyang was the cradle of the Korean nation and the capital city of Tangun's Korea.
There are in Pyongyang King Tangun's mausoleum, father of Koguryo King Tongmyong's mausoleum, the Mt. Taesong castle and the walled city of Pyongyang and many other historical relics which bear witness to its 5000-year long history.
Today Pyongyang is known as the capital of Juche Korea and a time-honored sacred place.
Efforts to realize global independence and strengthen NAM reiterated
Pyongyang, April 12 (KCNA) -- DPRK Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun, who was heading its delegation, in his speech made on April 8 at the conference of foreign ministers of non-aligned countries held in Colombia, underlined the need to strengthen south-south cooperation.
Recalling that the 12th NAM summit defined it as the basic orientation of activities of the nam to establish new and fair international relations, he said that this posed itself as an issue on which the rise or fall of its member states hinges.
He said:
The DPRK regards it as the avowed principle of its foreign policy to invariably adhere to the fundamental principle and idea of the NAM.
This is the unshakable will and determination of the great leader of the Korean people Marshal Kim Jong Il who is determined to glorify the immortal exploits made by the President Kim Il Sung in strengthening and developing this movement into one which represents the independent forces in the present times.
The DPRK has adhered to the principled stand on regarding its sovereignty as the life and soul and not allowing any high-handed and arbitrary practices.
Underscoring the need for this conference to examine the implementation of the decisions made at the Durban summit and take measures henceforth, Paek Nam Sun set out the following matters that merit primary attention:
First, it is necessary to further increase the position and role of the NAM as the united political forces to handle the changing international situation.
It will be effective to jointly reaffirm the political will and stand of the movement concerning the decisions made at the Durban summit such as UN reform, disarmament, foreign occupation and foreign military bases, compensation for damage done by suzerain states and human rights, etc.
Second, it is essential to increase the pivotal role of the movement in leading its member countries to take proper measures to counter "globalization."
The movement should exert fresh efforts to strengthen south-south cooperation and step up the work to map out NAM development strategy and the strategy of negotiating with the north in the direction of creating favourable conditions and environment for establishing south-south economic relations and a fair international economic order on the occasion of the NAM summit in Havana.
Third, it is necessary to further strengthen NAM solidarity to defend the sovereignty of its member nations.
In this regard, it is of urgent necessity for the movement to set it as its political initiative to make the UN summit for the new millennium declare the principle of respect for sovereignty as the supreme principle governing international relations, and carry it out.
The DPRK will as ever faithfully fulfil its noble mission for global independence and the strengthening and growth of the NAM and make all its efforts to establish a new and fair international order, Paek Nam Sun concluded.
Ishihara's outbursts under fire
Pyongyang, April 12 (KCNA) -- Tokyo metropolitan governor Shintaro Ishihara reportedly made dangerous outbursts again on April 9 babbling that "we can expect Sangokujin (people from Taiwan or Korea or their descendants) and other foreigners to riot in the event of a disastrous earthquake," getting on the nerves of the DPRK.
Rodong Sinmun today says this in a signed commentary.
The commentary goes on:
His remarks fully show that the moves of the Japanese reactionaries to fan up the anti-DPRK hostility in the Japanese society to utmost pitch and bring the DPRK-Japan relations to a serious confrontation have reached an extremely reckless stage.
His remarks also remind us of the great Kanto earthquake in 1923. The Korean people still remember the massacre committed by the Japanese imperialists at that time.
His remarks are not his personal view.
If the Japanese authorities have an intention to improve the relations with the DPRK, they should not allow the moves to lead the situation to the high pitch of tension picking a quarrel with the Korean residents in Japan like today.
If the hostile relations between the DPRK and Japan persist and are aggravated, it will not bring anything good to Japan.
If the Japanese reactionaries suppress the Korean residents in Japan and invade Korea again under any pretext the Korean people will surely revenge upon them and the Japanese imperialists who brought measureless misfortune and sufferings and disasters to the Korean people in the past a hundred and thousand fold.
Ishihara should bear the responsibility for his remarks and make an official apology to the Korean people.
The Japanese reactionaries would be well advised not to go berserk.
First-day performances of art festival
Pyongyang, April 12 (KCNA) -- The participants in the 18th April Spring Friendship Art Festival gave the premiere at the mansudae art theatre, the East Pyongyang Grand Theatre, the Ponghwa Art Theatre and other theatres and halls in Pyongyang yesterday before full houses.
The performers excellently sang songs of reverence for the President Kim Il Sung.
Artistes of the Mongolian Art Troupe sang the immortal revolutionary songs "Song of General Kim Il Sung" and "Song of General Kim Jong Il" and 10 odd other songs of reverence.
"Song of Sun's Day" created by the head of the Singaporean Thas Art Troupe and the song "Yearning for Pyongyang" written by Mitsuko Okasawara of the Art Troupe of Japan-Korea Music and Art Exchange Society, which were prompted by their reverence for the President, touched the right chord in the hearts of the audience.
Male soloist Liu Wei Wei, who is an international contest winner of the Chinese Tungfang Song and Dance Ensemble, a male soloist of the Russian Moscow State Academic Philharmony and a Colombian female soloist and many other performers sang Korean songs well such as "Song of Comradeship" and "Our Leader."
Overseas Korean artistes put on the stage colorful art pieces including songs and dances praising the immortal revolutionary exploits of the President.
Tatiyana Ivanova, pianist of the Music Troupe of Belarus who is the international contest winner, played a piano solo "Friendship" composed by herself for better friendship between Belarus and the DPRK with her high artistry.
Put on the stages were also many dances with strong national identity. Among them were a dance of the Egyptian Folk Dance Troupe and a dance "Push Panjali" of the Indian Bharat Natiam Dance Troupe.
Yugoslav male and female soloists Miodrag Jovanovic and Alexandra Angelov who are the international contest winners sang well the song "Rigoletto's Aria" from the opera "Rigoletto" and the song "Segidillia" from the opera "Carmen" and so on.
International contest winner Anait Nersesyan, pianist of the Armenian Music Troupe, played well a piano solo "Tokata" with impact.
Jang Chol, chairman of the festival organizing committee, and several cabinet ministers of the DPRK, foreign diplomatic envoys in the DPRK, foreign guests and overseas compatriots saw the performances.
Premiere given by foreign acrobats
Pyongyang, April 12 (KCNA) -- Acrobats of different countries participating in the 18th April Spring Friendship Art Festival gave a premiere at the Pyongyang Circus Theatre yesterday.
The Chinese acrobats skillfully performed the complicated and thrilling movements of erecting a human tower and doing handstand on it and turning a red towel by feet in "trick with red towel" which won a silver prize at the China Wuqiao International Circus Festival.
The Vietnamese acrobats performed "roller plastic acrobatics," showing high techniques on a narrow circle.
The Swedish acrobats performed "unicycle stunts" demonstrating high techniques of keeping balance on a high rope.
Putting on the stage were "two women plastic acrobatics" by the Mongolian circus, which was awarded gold medals at national and international circus festivals, "hand feats" by a Cuban acrobat, two-person plastic acrobatics "homeless men" by Bulgarian acrobats and acrobatic drama by the Russian circus.
The performance goes on.
Samjiyon Revolutionary Battle Site
Pyongyang, April 12 (KCNA) -- The Samjiyon Revolutionary Battle Site is situated in the Mt. Paektu area in the northern part of Korea.
Samjiyon means three lakes in the forest.
It was built up as a center for education in the revolutionary traditions and an open-air museum 20 odd years ago.
The President Kim Il Sung conducted revolutionary activities in this area in May Juche 28 (1939) when he was waging the struggle against the Japanese imperialist aggressors who occupied Korea.
There is the Samjiyon grand monument which comprises a statue of the President, groups of sculptures and a tower of torchlight.
The statue represents the President looking at mountains and streams of the fatherland with a pair of binoculars in his hand standing on a rock against the background of Mt. Paektu, a holy mountain of the revolution. Standing on its left and right sides are groups of sculptures, which are depicting soldiers and people with firm pledge to liberate the country at an early date holding the President in high esteem as great lodestar of the nation and reverence for him.
Some groups of sculptures show soldiers of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army who were battling against the enemy, marching and camping.
Especially, the granite sculpture "bugler informing of advance," which was the background of a group of sculptures representing battle and forward march, was awarded people's prize for its high ideological and artistic value in September 1988.
There is also the revolutionary museum in which historic relics and data on the whole period of the anti-Japanese armed struggle including the battle in the Musan area are systematically displayed.
More than 370 relics and data are exhibited in the museum, which has the general review room and 8 other rooms.
The museum was built like a log cabin in good harmony with the nature and weather of the area around the lakes.
Advertisement of "human rights," means of aggression and plunder
Pyongyang, April 12 (KCNA) -- The imperialists and their mouthpieces are now more loudly shouting the slogan "defence of human rights" than ever before in a bid to deceive the popular masses as if capitalist society is "humanitarian society" and calm down the complaints and resistance of the oppressed people, says Rodong Sinmun today in a signed article.
It goes on:
Modern capitalism is going to ruin within and without because deformation in material life, poverty in mental and cultural life and reactionary political life are rapidly worsening and fight for existence is becoming fiercer among the capitalist countries.
Seized with uneasiness and bewildered by this situation, the imperialists and their mouthpieces are hell-bent on argument about "human rights" to prevent collapse of capitalism and prolong their privileged position by creating illusion about capitalism.
Their argument about "human rights above national rights" and "human rights without border" is a sophism to find a pretext for invasion and plunder of other countries and nations and interference in their internal affairs and pressure upon them.
The imperialists are going to use the issue of human rights for their purpose of domination, which is expressed in instructing other countries with a standard of human rights. Their objects are those anti-imperialist and independent countries and those countries situated in strategic vantages.
The U.S. is talking about the "human rights" issue in the DPRK with a view to tarnishing socialism and finding a pretext for invasion of the DPRK.
Korea's reunification supported
Pyongyang, April 12 (KCNA) -- The conference of foreign ministers of non-aligned countries held in Colombia reaffirmed its support to the Korean people's cause of reunification.
The final document adopted at the conference noted that the Korean peninsula is still divided into two despite the Korean people's aspiration and desire for reunification.
The document reaffirmed support to the Korean people in their struggle to reunify the country through dialogue and negotiations according to the three principles of national reunification stipulated in the north-south joint statement (July 4, 1972) and on the basis of the "agreement on reconciliation, non-aggression, cooperation and interchange between the north and south" adopted in Feb. 1992.
It stressed that to ensure a durable peace and security on the Korean peninsula is important not only for the prosperity of the Korean people but for peace and security of northeast Asia and the rest of the world.
U.S. hit for moves to establish "NMD"
Pyongyang, April 12 (KCNA) -- The moves stepped up by the U.S. recently to establish the "National Missile Defense" system (NMD) worldwide are to have a monopolistic control over the Asia-Pacific region, over northeast Asia in particular, says Minju Joson today in a signed commentary.
The commentary continues:
The U.S. loudmouthed "missile threat" from the DPRK is nothing but a fiction it faked up in a bid to justify its unilateral arms buildup and, in essence, a product of its strategic design to contain China and Russia militarily.
The U.S. moves to establish the "NMD" are pregnant with potential danger.
It is as clear as noonday that its establishment would create a serious situation where the strategic balance in northeast Asia would be upset and a new missile race sparked to lead to the outbreak of the second cold war worldwide.
That is why the world including China and Russia is strongly opposed to the U.S. moves to establish the "NMD."
Russia and China warn the U.S. that they will jointly build a missile defense network to make the U.S. moves powerless if it backs out of the ABM treaty, while going ahead with the moves to establish the "NMD."
The U.S. is well advised to discontinue its foolish moves at once, mindful of the serious consequences to be entailed by its anachronistic moves for the "NMD."
Kimilsungia Show opens
Pyongyang, April 12 (KCNA) -- The 2nd Kimilsungia (flower of the sun) Show was open at the Pyongyang International House of Culture today under the sponsorship of the Korean Kimjongilia Federation.
Displayed at the exhibition hall are more than 3,300 potted flowers.
Present at the opening ceremony were Choe Thae Bok, secretary of the Central Committee of the Worker's Party of Korea, Yang Hyong Sop, vice-president of the presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, and officials concerned as well as people from all walks of life.
Also on hand were Hidajat Djaelani, State Minister of Tourism and Arts of Indonesia, the Indonesian ambassador to the DPRK and embassy officials, delegations from Japan and Chongryon (General Association of Korean Residents in Japan) and overseas Koreans which have come here to participate in the show.
Jang Chol, chairman of the Korean Kimjongilia Federation, made an opening address, which was followed by a congratulatory speech of Hidajat Djaelani.
The show continues till April 17.
Congratulatory letter to Kim Jong Il from diplomatic corps here
Pyongyang, April 12 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il received a congratulatory letter from the diplomatic corps here on the occasion of Sun's Day, the birth anniversary of the President Kim Il Sung.
The letter was handed to an official concerned by Mongolian Ambassador E.P. Damdiny Byamba on behalf of the diplomatic corps today.
Plan of cultural exchange between DPRK and Mongolia signed
Pyongyang, April 12 (KCNA) -- The plan of cultural exchange between the governments of the DPRK and Mongolia for Juche 89-91 (2000-2002) was signed here today.
The plan was inked by Hong Son Ok, vice-chairperson of the Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries, and Damdiny Byamba, Mongolian ambassador to the DPRK.
Medical invention and hi-tech exhibition
Pyongyang, April 12 (KCNA) -- The 6th national exhibition of medical inventions recently took place in Pyongyang.
It displayed an all-time leading stock of hi-tech medical hits, new medicines, methods of diagnosis and treatment and hi-fi medical apparatuses, and high-lighted the high-running revolutionary spirit of self-reliance in view of unprecedented economic hardship.
The medico-biological institute under the Academy of Medical Science has evolved a gene-engineering approach to industrialization of the production of hepatitis b vaccine, the angiographic research section of Kim Man Yu Hospital produced a form-memory helicoid alloy and its guiding device, and the medical apparatus institute displayed a new non-hypodermic injection.
The exhibits included a new hemostatic, anodyne and Koryo antibiotic ophthalmic from Pyongyang Maternity Hospital, potato glucose from South Hamgyong Province, new substitutes for consumer medicine from Jagang Province as well as artificial blood vessels, artificial dura mater and the dermatological hospital's freezing device.
The exhibits total some 5,200 items.
Working-level contacts proposed
Pyongyang, April 12 (KCNA) -- The north headquarters of the pan-national ad hoc committee for probing truth behind GIs' mass killings today sent a message to relevant organisations in South Korea and abroad, carrying a detailed proposal for working-level contacts of people in the north, south and abroad for the formation of the pan-national ad hoc investigation committee.
The message calls for working-level contacts of the north, south and overseas investigation committees in Beijing around early may in an effort to form at an early date the "pan-national ad hoc committee for probing truth behind GIs' mass killings" for handling matters related to the dignity of the nation such as a joint investigation of people in the north, south and abroad into the truth behind U.S. aggression forces' mass killings of people, a trial of the criminals, punishment of pro-u.s. Traitors to the nation and demand for compensation in the interests of the Korean people, the victims.
According to the message, the agenda item of the contacts is supposed to be "on formation of 'pan-national ad hoc committee for probing truth behind GIs' mass killings'" and the number of participants in the contacts will be 3-5 each from the north, south and abroad.
In the message the north headquarters expressed expectation that the relevant organisations in South Korea and abroad will show an affirmative response to the contacts.