DPRK FM and his party leave for Thailand
Pyongyang, July 25 (KCNA) -- DPRK Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun and his party left here today to participate in the ASEAN regional forum to be held in Bangkok.
They were seen off at the airport by Pak Kil Yon, vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Oum Mannorine, Cambodian ambassador, and Wang Guozhang, Chinese ambassador here.
The Foreign Minister and his party will visit Thailand and Cambodia.
Letter to Kim Jong Il from military attaches' corps
Pyongyang, July 25 (KCNA) - General Secretary Kim Jong Il received a congratulatory letter from the military attaches' corps in Pyongyang on the occasion of the 47th anniversary of the victory in the Fatherland Liberation War.
The letter was handed today to an official concerned by Vu Dinh Thang, military attache of the Vietnamese embassy here who is doyen of the corps.
Meanwhile, congratulatory letters to Kim Jong Il from the military attaches of the embassies of Vietnam and Egypt were handed to an official concerned.
Delegation of Ministry of Information and Culture of Ethiopia here
Pyongyang, July 25 (KCNA) -- A delegation of the Ministry of Information and Culture of Ethiopia led by Minister Woldemichael Chemu arrived here today.
It was met at the airport by Mun Jae Chol, acting chairman of the Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries, and Dubale Belihu, charge d'affaires ad interim of the Ethiopian embassy here.
Mt. Jangsu converted into public resort
Pyongyang, July 25 (KCNA) -- Mt. Jangsu, a scenic spot situated on the border of Jaeryong and Sinwon counties in South Hwanghae Province, has undergone a face-lift. The first-stage project for mt. Jangsu pleasure park has recently been completed.
The mountain comprises 12 valleys stretching over four km, namely, a screen of 12 folds formed by queer precipices 50 to 150 metres high in a magnificent yet breathtaking scene. Each valley boasts a crystal-clear cascade with an indented pool beneath, and the foot of the cliffs is garbed in lush pine and maple woods.
The ancestors called the mountain "west Kumgang", or a western version of the celebrated Mt. Kumgang on the east coast.
True to the party and government policy of building it up as a tourist attraction, the provincial officials and builders buckled down and finished the project in a short time despite a series of economic difficulties. By removing 100,000 cubic metres of earth and rocks, they laid out a four-km-long mountain road linking the 12 valleys, improved the Sokdong stream, reinforced the environment of the Jangsusan Revolutionary Site, and built public service amenities, pavilions, a parking lot and the road to the Hyonam Temple. They also built a 25-km-long hiking course, catering and service facilities that saw a removal of another 500,000 cubic metres of earth and rocks.
Reinforcement was added to such famous places as the "Kumgang gate" and "Satkak cave" in the first valley, "Ryongnam pond" and "laugh rock" in the second, "terrapin rock" and "folding-screen rock" in the third, a 300-year-old tree in the sixth, "deer-foot pavilion" in the eight and "jar rock" in the 12th, as well as to roads and pavilions.
The resort attracts an increasing number of sightseers. The second-stage project is now progressing.
Woman doctor
Pyongyang, July 25 (KCNA) -- Jo Son Ok, 64, deputy director of the preventive hospital no. 3 under the Ministry of Public Health, has devoted her whole life to the prevention and treatment of diseases.
She was born and bred in Pyongyang.
When she was in the graduation class of a middle school, the Korean War (June 1950-July 1953) broke out. The schools were destroyed by bombing, but children's education continued all the same. Despite the war flames, universal free medical service and other popular state policies were enforced, leaving a lingering impression on the girl.
During the war, she finished a medical college and after the war served at the hospital of the Pyongyang University of medicine before she was transferred to the aforesaid preventive hospital where others hesitated to work. She braced hard for the challenge before her.
She never flinched from any difficulty even when a case was dismissed as hopeless, for she believed in devotion as a cure-all. Who could tell what great pains she took for checkup, treatment and pharmacy and what a long distance she covered to prepare an appetizing diet for patients swinging in the rolling years of this preoccupation, she did not notice that her prime of life was passing out. Her blooming youth of romance was forgotten at the sight of beaming faces of the recovered patients who were leaving hospital full of thanks for her.
She was accustomed to imposing strong demands upon herself, always racing against time with a keen awareness of the need to acquire communist humanity and high professional skill as an engineer of human life. She finished a correspondence course of the Pyongyang University of medicine to hone her professional edge and inquired into new recipes to the benefit of disease prevention and treatment.
She makes redoubled efforts to educate the medical workers in the spirit of better service for the people, in the capacity of a deputy director and a deputy to the district people's assembly. She stresses higher competence as a vital task for the doctors and takes a close interest in laying sufficient material and technical foundations of the hospital.
She is now recognized as a veteran talent in disease prevention and treatment. Her scientific diagnosis and her recipes based on experience and skill hold the fancy of professionals.
She also plays a major role in promoting cooperation with international health organizations.
She was recently awarded the title of people's doctor.
Truth about Japan's participation in Korean War disclosed
Pyongyang, July 25 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today comes out with a signed article in connection with the recent disclosure of evidence proving "Japan's participation in the Korean War" in the diplomatic archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.
It says:
This new disclosure once again proves that Japan has long played an active role as a war servant in implementing the U.S. policy of aggression against Korea.
Japan inflicted misfortune and sufferings upon the Korean people during over 40 years of its military occupation and rule over Korea. It added to its crimes against the Korean people by participating in the Korean War after its defeat.
Referring to facts about Japan's participation in the Korean War, the commentary notes: It is indisputable that Japan was involved in the Korean War as an aggressor and murderer.
Japan pretends ignorance of this fact though 47 years have passed since the end of the Korean War. This is nothing but an impudent intention neither to apologize nor compensate for the crimes committed against the Korean people.
The Korean people will certainly force Japan to pay dearly for the blood shed by them.
Hero artist Kim Tong Hwan
Pyongyang, July 25 (KCNA) -- Kim Tong Hwan, 39, is a famous. Korean artist of the Mansudae Art Studio.
Kim has produced hundreds of excellent Korean paintings over the last 13 years.
He was born in Ryongsan-dong, Kaesong city. As a child, he took fancy to painting and liked to paint the landscape of all beauty and historic spots of his native village.
His fervent ardor and unique drawing method drew the attention of experts.
He became famous in the course of creating masterpieces of the times, monumental paintings at the "Feb. 16 Merited Creating Room" of the Korean painting group of the Mansudae Art Studio following his graduation from Pyongyang University of Fine Arts.
He has produced at least 80 art works depicting the great leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il including Korean paintings "The Leader Always Finds Himself Among People" and "March of Victory", 15 paintings based on the self-chosen themes and over 50 landscapes. All of them have contributed to enriching the flower garden of the Juche fine arts for their great ideological and artistic value.
Among them Korean paintings "The Great Sun of the World People", "The Great Leader Comrade Kim Il Sung Receives the First Woman Pilot" and "Builders in Sunchon" won gold medals at a series of national art exhibitions.
He also successfully created the immortal portrait of Kim Jong Il that will remain shining not only in the 21st century but through all ages.
For his excellent talent and distinguished feats he was awarded the Title of Merited Artist in 1997 and that of Labour Hero, the highest honor for a citizen, in 1998.
He is now devoting all his wisdom and energies to creating famous art works powerfully encouraging the Korean people in the drive to build a powerful nation.
Singing contest to begin in Korea
Pyongyang, July 25 (KCNA) -- The 7th National Singing Contest of Working People will begin to mark the 55th anniversary of the Worker's Party of Korea.
The national contest is to be held in Pyongyang in September with participation of winners in provincial contests, which starts today and will last for one month.
Songs to be presented in the contest will represent the requirements of the times and sentiments of the Korean people.
All the participants are required to play at last one of musical instrument in the national contest which will involve preliminary, semi-final and final competition.
Prizes of different kinds will be awarded to contest winners.
The multi-farious singing contest has been held since in Juche 75 (1986).
Participating in the contest were workers, peasants, office workers, students, families and housewives.
They presented songs lauding the party and the leader, revolutionary songs, wartime songs, and songs on labour and thoughts and sentiments of working people.
The singing contest took place even in the period of the "arduous march" and the forced march.
Epic dedicated to young builders of Pyongyang-Nampho Motorway
Pyongyang, July 25 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun yesterday carried an epic titled "Fatherland, boast of youth" dedicated to the young builders of Pyongyang-Nampho Motorway.
Recalling the brilliant feats performed by youth in the construction of the motorway, the epic wrote that the fatherland and the people will boast of their feats.
The fatherland and the people will not forget the immortal exploits of the great leader Kim Jong Il who trained youth to be heroes and heroines and revolutionaries of the times with his warm love and trust in the idea of attaching great importance to youth along with the great army-first idea, the epic said, and continued:
The motorway is not an ordinary road but a long road built by five million youth with trust and obligation, always longing for their leader.
The 42.216-km-long road will be covered by the respected Kim Jong Il and youth, linking heart to heart, generation after generation.
The five million youth will become heroes and heroines in the building of a powerful nation, following and upholding Kim Jong Il in the same spirit and stamina that they have displayed in building the Pyongyang-Nampho Motorway.
Japan's liquidation of past demanded
Pyongyang, July 25 (KCNA) -- Recently, Germany signed an agreement to establish a compensation fund for those who had been subjected to forced labour by the nazi regime during World War II.
In this regard, Rodong Sinmun yesterday in an article said that under the agreement more than one million people would receive compensation to be offered by the government and businesses of Germany.
Not only Germany but also several other European countries are striving to redress their shameful past crimes committed against humanity before the end of the present century, the article noted, and said:
The realities show that it has become an irresistible trend in the international arena at present to make apology and compensation for the past crimes.
But Japan has persistently turned aside from this trend of the times. Though it surpassed by far the Nazi Germany in the past crimes, Japan is resorting to all kinds of tricks in a bid to evade the apology and compensation.
The world is spiting at the vulgar morality of Japan.
The Japanese politicians are well advised to face up to the trend of the present times and take a proper choice.
Japanese authorities of being rude to DPRK
Pyongyang, July 25 (KCNA) -- The Japanese authorities continue to improperly call the Democratic People's Republic of Korea North Korea at home and abroad.
This is unpardonable as it is an insult to our state and people.
The DPRK is the sacred name of the sovereign country recognized by the world. The DPRK joined the united nations and other international bodies and has developed friendly and cooperative relations with various countries of the world by this name.
All the countries of the world properly call our country the DPRK.
It is only the Japanese authorities and media that continue to call our country North Korea quite contrary to the common practice and the trend of the times.
Their practice of intentionally calling the DPRK, a dignified sovereign state, North Korea cannot be construed otherwise than their refusal to recognize the DPRK still and an intention to persist in the moves to damage its international authority.
What is more intolerable is the fact that the Japanese authorities do not bother to make such insulting remarks as calling the DPRK, their dialogue partner, North Korea even at a time when the dialogues for improving the relations between the DPRK and Japan are progressing in real earnest.
This behaviour of the Japanese authorities shunning the recognition of their dialogue partner as a state makes us doubt whether they are truly willing to improve relations with the DPRK through dialogue.
The Japanese authorities are well advised to drop their rude behaviour if they do not want to see the atmosphere of the hard-won dialogue spoiled.
The Japanese government should bear in mind that it will be entirely to blame for the consequences entailed by its practice of improperly calling our country.
Kim Il Sung praised
Pyongyang, July 25 (KCNA) -- Mahitana Jean Noel, national chairman of the Militant Action Party for Sovereignty of Madagascar, issued a statement on July 15 on the occasion of the 6th death anniversary of the President Kim Il Sung.
He in the statement said:
After embarking on the road of revolution, Kim Il Sung founded the Juche idea and embodied it thoroughly in the Korean revolution and liberated the country from the Japanese imperialists' colonial rule. He also led the three-year war to a brilliant victory by repulsing the aggression by the allied imperialist forces. And he successfully carried out several stages of social revolution and turned Korea into a powerful and prosperous, socialist country.
He most successfully solved the problem of successor to his cause so that the Korean revolution could advance along the road of Juche without vacillation in any storm and stress. It is the greatest exploit of his.
The DPRK has Kim Jong Il, who is identical with Kim Il Sung in ideology and leadership trait, as the General Secretary of the Worker's Party of Korea and Chairman of the National Defence Commission.
Kim Il Sung's idea and exploits are an eternal wealth for the future of Korea and its strengthening and development.
The Korean people hold him in high esteem as the eternal President of the DPRK, with the faith and will to accomplish the cause of Juche started by him.
Five-point policy for great national unity supported
Pyongyang, July 25 (KCNA) -- B. Mohan, chairman of the People's Front of India, released a statement on July 17 in support of the five-point policy of great national unity put forward by the great leader Kim Jong Il.
The statement said:
In his work "Let Us Reunify the Country Independently and Peacefully Through the Great Unity of the Entire Nation" the respected Kim Jong Il with superb wisdom and scientific insight advanced the comprehensive and perfect idea and theory on great national unity and thus opened a bright vista for reunifying the country by the efforts of the nation itself.
The five-point policy gives perfect and scientific answers to such problems arising in the realization of great national unity, the cause of national reunification, as adhering to the principle of national independence, uniting under the banner of patriotism, improving the north-south relations, realizing contacts and dialogue, solidarity among the entire nation.
The policy is a brilliant fruition of the outstanding ideo-theoretical activities and wise leadership of Kim Jong Il who shapes the benevolent politics, all-embracing politics with ardent patriotism.
Egyptian national holiday celebrated
Pyongyang, July 25 (KCNA) -- Charge d'affaires of the Egyptian embassy Ahmed Fawzi hosted a reception here yesterday to commemorate the 48th anniversary of the July 23 revolution, a national holiday of the Egyptian people.
Invited to the reception were vice-president Yang Hyong Sop of the presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, Minister of Education Pyon Yong Rip who is also chairman of the Korea-Egypt Friendship Association, officials concerned and foreign diplomatic envoys here.
Speeches were made there.