Madagascan President sends floral basket to DPRK embassy
Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- Madagascan President Didier Ratsiraka sent a floral basket to the DPRK embassy in Antananarivo on the occasion of Sun's Day.
Upon his authorization, the acting foreign minister who is secretary of State for National Security visited the DPRK embassy and conveyed the floral basket to the Korean ambassador on April 14.
Conveying it, he said the Madagascan government and people share pleasure with the Korean people commemorating Sun's Day.
He hoped that under the wise leadership of the great leader Kim Jong Il the idea, lines and policies of the President Kim Il Sung would be successfully carried forward and accomplished.
He prayed for the eternal life of Kim Il Sung.
1st preparatory contact for inter-Korean Pyongyang meeting and summit talks
Kaesong, April 22 (KCNA) -- The first preparatory contact took place in the portion of the south side at Panmunjom this morning to discuss working procedural matters related to the historic inter-Korean Pyongyang meeting and summit talks.
Present there were three representatives led by a vice-ministerial level official from each side.
At the contact both sides made key addresses clarifying their stands.
Head of the north side Kim Ryong Song said that the preparatory contact was arranged after the agreement on having the historic inter-Korean Pyongyang meeting and summit talks at a time when the ardent desire and aspiration of the whole nation for national reunification are growing stronger than ever before after its division has lasted more than half a century and it greeted the year 2000.
The north and the south reaffirmed the three principles of national reunification clarified in the July 4 joint statement and agreed to have the Pyongyang meeting and summit talks, he said, adding this is an important event of landmark significance in improving the inter-Korean relations and settling the reunification issue as it reflects the nation's will and aspiration for independence.
It is beyond doubt that a successful holding of the projected meeting and talks would open an epochal phase in achieving national reconciliation and unity and bringing earlier peace and reunification, he said, and continued:
In order to make the Pyongyang meeting and summit talks yield good fruits it is necessary to completely drop the old habit and approach and promote everything from a new stand toward reunification.
He expressed the expectation that the representatives of both sides, deeply conscious of their responsibility before the nation, would reach the earliest possible agreement on the working procedural matters at the preparatory contact to give all the fellow countrymen a bright hope for national independence, unity and reunification.
At the contact both sides agreed to continue at the next contact the discussion on the working procedural matters related to the inter-Korean Pyongyang meeting and summit talks.
It was agreed to have the second preparatory contact at Thongil Pavilion in the portion of the north side at Panmunjom at 10:00 a.m. on April 27.
SPA delegation leaves for Amman and Syria
Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- A delegation of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) led by vice-chairman Jang Chol left here today to participate in the 103rd meeting of the inter-parliamentary union to be held in Amman and visit Syria.
The delegation was seen off at the airport by Ryo Won Gu, vice-chairwoman of the SPA, officials concerned and Haissam Saad, charge d'affaires ad interim of Syria here.
Belgian parliamentary delegation arrives
Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- A parliamentary delegation from various political parties of Belgium led by Willy Burgeon, honorary president of the Wallon regional parliament of Belgium, arrived here today.
It was greeted at the airport by Ji Jae Ryong, vice-department director of the Central Committee of the Worker's Party of Korea and deputy to the Supreme People's Assembly.
Reception given at Cuban embassy
Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- Eduardo Sanchez Pena, military attach of the Cuban embassy here, gave a reception on Friday at the embassy on the occasion of the 39th anniversary of the victory of the Cuban people in the Playa Giron battle and the 68th anniversary of the foundation of the heroic Korean People's Army.
Invited to the reception were Ryo Chun Sok, vice-Minister of the People's Armed Forces, generals and officers of the KPA.
Charge d'affaires ad interim of the Cuban embassy Nirsia Castro Guevara and the embassy officials were present.
Speeches were made at the reception.
Stones donated to construction of monument in Korea
Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- The Portuguese Committee for the Study of Kimilsungism donated a high-grade stone to the construction site of the monument to the three-point charter of national reunification.
The stone was handed to an official concerned on the spot yesterday by Rui Matos Dias, chief of the Portuguese Group for the Study of Kimilsungism on a visit to the DPRK.
Carved in the stone, a processed natural granite, are the letters "Korea is one."
The Cultural Information Center on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Lausane, Switzerland, donated a building stone to the construction of the monument to the three-point charter of national reunification on April 8.
The chief of the center handed it to an official of the DPRK mission in Switzerland.
S. Korean ruler's urged to promote repatriation of unconverted long-term prisoners
Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- The Promotion Committee for Repatriation of Unconverted Long-Term Prisoners in South Korea called a press conference on Thursday in Seoul and urged the South Korean authorities to promote the problem of the repatriation of the unconverted long-term prisoners, according to a radio report.
Meanwhile, members of the organization went to the "Ministry of Unification" of South Korea and lodged a protest against it for refusing to accept the application for contact with the north.
Last March the DPRK measure committee for rescuing unconverted long-term prisoners in South Korea proposed to hold a joint meeting of the concerned organizations in the north, south and abroad in a third country in April. The promotion committee demanded the "Ministry of Unification" of South Korea allow its participation in the joint meeting in response to the proposal.
NDFSK's declaration on April-May struggle issued
Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- The youth and student department of the central committee of the National Democratic Front of South Korea (NDFSK) on April 19 released a declaration on its April-May struggle, according to Seoul-based radio Voice of National Salvation.
The declaration called on the one million students to rise up in a fierce anti-U.S. and anti-dictatorial resistance in South Korea, a colonial tundra, in the same spirit as was displayed by the April 19 and May 18 uprisers.
Recalling that the U.S. who engineered the brutal crackdown upon the April 19 Uprising and the May 18 Uprising still remain the vicious enemy of the students and other people of South Korea, the declaration called for concentrating the April-May struggle on the U.S. and exerting all efforts to put an end to the U.S. colonial domination, interference and economic plunder.
Today democracy is savagely violated under the treacherous "people's" dictatorship, the declaration noted, calling for escalating the anti-dictatorial struggle under the slogans of repeal of the "security law" and the dissolution of the "Intelligence Service" and the release of prisoners of conscience.
Victory in the April-May struggle and in the student movement depends on developing it to be a mass one, the declaration underscored the need to adopt slogans and methods of struggle which may command support and sympathy from broad masses of students and thus escalate their struggle into a mass one.
Pointing out that the joint action for solidarity with the youth and students of different circles is an urgent call of the times, the declaration called upon the students to actively solidarize with the workers in their general strike and intensify the positive and vigorous joint action for solidarity with people from all walks of life, not ignoring them for vacillating in struggle and being minority and ostracizing them for lacking enthusiasm in action.
Japan's preparations for biological and chemical war assailed
Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- The Japan Defence Agency recently put forward a plan to form a special unit in the ground "Self-Defense Force" to "cope with" biological and chemical weapons and started a concrete examination of it.
In this regard Rodong Sinmun today says in a signed commentary:
The Japanese reactionaries are floating the rumour that their plan to create a special unit is aimed to "counter" the use of biological and chemical weapons by "terrorists" and "guerrillas" in densely populated cities. But this ruse is intended to hide their true design and their criminal moves for a biological and chemical war and create a social environment for stepping up the development and production of those weapons.
Well informed of the efficiency and capability of the biological and chemical weapons, Japan has long prepared this war. What remains to be done is just to invent a proper pretext for legally mass producing those weapons and let the "Self-Defense Forces" use them for overseas invasion.
Their hue and cry over "terrorists" or "guerrillas" is nothing but a subterfuge to accelerate the preparations for a biological and chemical war under the pretext of "infiltration" from the DPRK as they did in the past.
Japan's projected creation of a special unit to "cope with" biological and chemical weapons is designed to bring disasters of this war to the Korean people and realize its ambition for reinvasion, the commentary concludes.
ARIJI supports north-south agreement
Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- The Asian Regional Institute of the Juche Idea (ARIJI) on April 13 released a statement supporting the north-south agreement.
Noting that the north and the south of Korea, reaffirming the three principles of national reunification, agreed to hold the north-south summit talks in Pyongyang in the middle of June, the statement expressed full support for this agreement.
The statement went on:
"This is the fruition of the wise leadership of his excellency Kim Jong Il, the great leader, who is making tireless activities to carry out the instructions of the great leader President Kim Il Sung for national reunification. This is another great exploit performed by him for the sacred cause of national reunification.
"Considering that Korea should be reunified according to the proposal for founding the Democratic Confederal Republic of Koryo put forward by the great leader President Kim Il Sung, we strongly demand the South Korean authorities assume proper posture and right stand on achieving the reunification of the country with sincerity to successfully hold the inter-Korean summit talks."
Rodong Sinmun calls for working hard in Kanggye spirit
Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today carries a joint article in a daily and Kulloja titled "Let us work hard in Kanggye spirit".
The article describes the Kanggye spirit as a spirit needed by the times in socialist Korea and an invincible revolutionary spirit born of the great perfect unity. There is nothing impossible when one works in this spirit, the article notes, and goes on:
The essence of the spirit is the indomitable fighting spirit of resolutely defending the party, the leader and socialism despite the most regorous trial.
The Kanggye spirit created under the most difficult conditions during the "arduous march" is pervaded with the spirit of absolutely worshiping the leader and devotedly defending him, the spirit of devotedly implementing his orders without fear of death, the spirit of self-reliance and the spirit of revolutionary optimism. Herein lie the inexhaustible vitality of the Kanggye spirit and the reason why it is regarded as the spirit of the times symbolic of socialist Korea.
For its staunch and noble nature the spirit has demonstrated its great might in carrying out the Korean revolution. It was because of this spirit that the Korean people neither shrank nor retreated in face of ordeals during the "arduous march".
This invincible revolutionary spirit has given great encouragement to the workers' party of Korea in pulling through grim ordeals.
The WPK saw in the struggle of the workers in Jagang Province the inflexible heroic spirit of the Korean people.
And their struggle further deepened the faith that our revolutionary line is entirely just.
The history in which the Kanggye spirit was created is a history of the noble perfect unity in which the great Kim Jong Il and the Korean people have pulled through the ordeals with one mind and purpose.
The Kanggye spirit is a full embodiment of the spirit of independence of Kim Jong Il, a crystal of his conviction of certain victory and revolutionary optimism and an invincible revolutionary spirit born of his army-first politics.
There is nothing impossible when one works in this spirit, the article says, and continues:
To live and struggle in this spirit is essential for consolidating the politico-ideological position of Korean-style socialism as firm as a rock.
If we are to firmly defend the ideological position of socialism, we should never abandon this wonderful revolutionary spirit no matter which way the wind may blow.
Stressing the need to fully display the Kanggye spirit, the article says:
A full display of this spirit is a decisive guarantee for emerging ever-victorious in the acute confrontation with imperialism.
The work to display the Kanggye spirit should be steadily deepened in all fields of the revolution and construction and in all aspects of social life.
Calling for glorifying the Kanggye spirit as the eternal fighting spirit of Kim Il Sung's nation, the article stresses:
A final victory is in store for the Korean people who are living and fighting in this spirit.
KCNA slams Ishihara's outbursts
Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- An endless string of ultra-nationalist outbursts recently let loose by Tokyo metropolitan governor Ishihara, an ultra right-wing reactionary, is strongly censured not only by political parties, cabinet ministers and non-governmental organizations and other public circles of Japan but by other peoples of Asia. There are some points in his remarks which must not be overlooked.
As already known, Japan is now involved in the inter-governmental full-dress talks with the DPRK which are aimed at establishing diplomatic relations between the DPRK and Japan.
It was against this background that Ishihara did not bother to make very provocative remarks, contemptuously calling the DPRK "Hokusen" in Japanese and challenged domestic and foreign denunciation of them with impudent excuses and a torrent of jargons, instead of making an apology for them.
This can never be tolerated as it is a revelation of Japan's attempt not to admit its past crimes but justify them and an expression of malignant hostility towards the DPRK and its people. What matters is that such a fanatic ultra-nationalist as Ishihara is allowed to hold an official post after emerging on the political arena of Japan and unhesitatingly reel off an endless string of criminal remarks.
It is noteworthy that in this regard the chief executive of Japan on April 17 clarified his stand saying that "he was not in a position to comment on the remarks made by a local government boss."
It is under such patronage of the Japanese government authorities that Ishihara continues bandying about such provocative words. That is why this is not Japan's internal issue of little importance but is creating a big furore as a serious political and diplomatic issue directly related to the political future of Japan.
If Japan once again turns to militarism and fascism, it will bring a final destruction to Japan.
Ishihara is well advised to stop deceiving electors of Japan any more and apologize for his reckless remarks.
U.S. assailed for its sinister intention
Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- The U.S. assistant secretary of state was reported to have said at a recent press conference that it is the U.S. idea to support Japan's bid for permanent membership of the UN Security Council but not to back India's bid.
In this regard Minju Joson today says in a signed commentary:
Japan is the only country that neither honestly reflects on its crime-woven past nor apologizes for it.
The U.S. is backing Japan so that it may appear as a full-fledged "master" on the international arena despite the fact that it has neither made due post-war compensation as a defeated country nor shaken off the disgrace of an "enemy state."
Underlying here is a sinister intention of the U.S.
The U.S. is putting Japan desperately seeking to sit on the UNSC on the back in a bid to use its potentials for the realization of Washington's strategy for world domination.
Such a country as Japan with an inglorious and immoral past is not entitled to sit on the UNSC. Moreover, the UNSC permanent seat is not to be occupied with the approval and support of such an individual country as the U.S.
The U.S. should refrain from acts of backing and encouraging the "enemy state's" bid for the UNSC permanent seat to realize its strategy for world domination. Such practice is a mockery and insult to the sacred UN.
Postcards commemorating Sun's Day distributed in S. Korea
Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- Postcards commemorating Sun's Day were distributed in dwelling houses in Kwangju, Mokpho, Ryosu and other regions on the occasion of the 88th birth anniversary of the President Kim Il Sung, according to Seoul-based radio Voice of National Salvation.
Seen in the upper part of the front of the postcard which is issued by the April 15 comradeship society was a picture of President Kim Il Sung against the background of his native home at Mangyongdae and in its lower part were letters reading "President Kim Il Sung is the eternal sun of the nation. We respectfully pray for the eternal life of President Kim Il Sung."
Written in the back of the postcard were letters reading "let all of us turn out in the sacred struggle for national reunification upholding the three-point charter of national reunification put forward by the great President Kim Il Sung " against the background of groups of sculptures who wear bands carrying letters "independence," "peaceful reunification" and "great national unity" on their heads.
Korean people's cause of reunification supported
Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- A joint communique adopted at the second meeting of the progressive parties in European and Asian regions held in Istanbul expressed support for the Korean people's cause of national reunification.
The joint communique stressed that the U.S. troops should be withdrawn from South Korea and the U.S. and the South Korean authorities should accept the three-point charter of national reunification, a most realistic and reasonable way indicated by the DPRK.
Juche idea study society formed in Australia
Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- A meeting was held on April 11 in Melbourne to form an Australian Society for the Study of the Juche Idea on the occasion of Sun's Day.
A letter to General Secretary Kim Jong Il was adopted at the meeting.
Peruvian national symposium on Juche idea held
Pyongyang, April 22 (KCNA) -- The Peruvian national symposium on the Juche idea for genuine life of humankind and social progress in the 21st century was held in Lima on April 12 on the occasion of Sun's Day.
The symposium heard a report titled "the Juche philosophy is the unique man-centred philosophy which indicated the right way for building a new world and shaping man's destiny."
A letter to General Secretary Kim Jong Il was adopted at the symposium.
A declaration of the symposium stressed that the immortal Juche idea is the unique man-centred philosophy and the great banner of the struggle for the present era, era of independence, which makes it possible to meet man's intrinsic desire for independent life and development as the master of the world and his own destiny.
Socialism is the idea and banner of struggle of the people who are struggling for independence and the socialist society is the most developed society confirming with man's intrinsic desire for a worthy life, the declaration said.
The declaration expressed full support and solidarity to the Korean people in their just struggle to build a powerful socialist country and achieve the independent and peaceful reunification of the country.