Greetings to Kim Jong Il from Russian President
Pyongyang, August 14 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il received a message of greetings from Russian President V. V. Putin on August 8 on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the country's liberation.
In the message, Putin extended congratulations to Kim Jong Il and all the Korean people and said they share joy with the people of the DPRK in commemorating the day when the country was liberated from the colonial oppression.
The message went on:
Russia honors the memory of its compatriots who devoted their lives to the freedom and independence of Korea.
I am convinced that the results of our meeting in Pyongyang some time ago laid solid foundations to develop constructive cooperation based on friendship and good neighborliness between our two countries and to strengthen the traditional relations of amity and mutual understanding between the Russian and Korean peoples.
These relations, no doubt, will be a reliable guarantee for peace, stability and security in the Korean peninsula and the whole northeast Asian region.
The message wished Kim Jong Il and the Korean people happiness, good health and prosperity.
Greetings to Russian President
Pyongyang, August 14 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, on August 10 sent a message of greetings to Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, President of the Russian Federation, on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of Korean liberation.
The message extended warm greetings to the Russian President, government and people on this day.
It said that the Korean visit of the President and the adoption of the DPRK-Russia joint declaration some time ago were a landmark event that put the long-standing relations between the two countries on a new stage.
It expressed the conviction that the friendly and cooperative relations between the DPRK and Russia would expand and develop in all fields in conformity with the two countries' summit meeting and talks held in Pyongyang and the spirit of the DPRK-Russia joint declaration.
The message sincerely wished the Russian President and government success in their work for protecting the sovereignty of the country and its territorial integrity and building powerful Russia and the Russian people peace and wellbeing.
Meanwhile, premier of the cabinet Hong Song Nam and Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun sent messages of greetings separately to their counterparts Mikhail Mikhailovich Kasyanov and Igor Sergeyevich Ivanov.
Kim Yong Nam greets Congolese President
Pyongyang, August 14 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, on August 12 sent a message of greetings to Denis Sassou Nguesso, President of the Republic of the Congo and commander of the Armed Forces, on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of its independence.
Congratulating the Congolese President and people on the Independence Day, the message noted that for last 40 years the Congolese people have waged a vigorous struggle for building of a new society and national harmony.
Wishing the Congolese President and people great success in their work for national unity and prosperity of the country, it expressed the belief that the good relations of friendship and cooperation existing between the two countries for a long time would further consolidate and develop.
55th anniversary of Korea's liberation marked
Pyongyang, August 14 (KCNA) -- A meeting took place here today to mark the 55th anniversary of the liberation of Korea under the joint sponsorship of the Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries and the DPRK-Russia Friendship Society.
Invited there were staff members of the Russian embassy and Russian representatives here.
Present there were Mun Jae Chol, acting chairman of the committee, Ri In Gyu, vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs, other officials concerned and working people in the city.
Speaking at the meeting, Ri Song Ho, chairman of the society, paid homage to the President Kim Il Sung who led the anti-Japanese war to victory and referred to the immortal feats performed by him in the revolution and construction.
Noting that the Soviet army performed great feats in battles for Korea's liberation, he said that the Korean people will always remember its bravery and sacrifices and blood shed by its soldiers.
The DPRK-Russia friendship has a long history, he said, expressing the belief that the DPRK-Russia friendly and cooperative relations would be further expanded and developed in conformity with the spirit of the historic DPRK-Russia joint declaration.
We will in the future, too, strive to strengthen friendship and solidarity with the Russian people and other world progressives, he stressed.
Speaking next, charge d'affaires a.d. interim of the Russian embassy Alexander Timonin said that August 15, 1945 is the day of liberation when soldiers of the Soviet army and Korean patriots defeated the Japanese Kwantung Army. On that day friendship was forged between the two peoples to be eternal, he added.
Touching upon support and disinterested assistance given to the Korean people in the 1950s when they were rehabilitating their war-destroyed country, he said the friendship between the Russian and Korean peoples has been further deepened.
The historic meeting and talks between V.V. Putin and Kim Jong Il, the leaders of the two states, held in Pyongyang some time ago are a landmark event in laying a solid groundwork to further develop the friendship and cooperation between the two countries in all fields, he stressed.
Sincerely hoping that the independent and peaceful reunification of the country, the cherished desire of the Korean people, would be achieved as soon as possible, he expressed belief that the mutually beneficial cooperation between Russia and the DPRK would continue to develop in the future, too.
At the end of the meeting its participants watched the Korean documentary film "The Great Leader Comrade Kim Jong Il Meets with President Putin of the Russian Federation."
Congratulatory letter to Kim Jong Il
Pyongyang, August 14 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il received a congratulatory letter from the economic and commercial councilors corps in Pyongyang on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the country's liberation.
The letter was handed to an official concerned today by Chen Zhou, economic and commercial councilor of the Chinese embassy, on behalf of the councilors corps.
Military attaches corps visits Arch of Triumph
Pyongyang, August 14 (KCNA) -- The military attaches corps here today visited the Arch of Triumph on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of Korea's liberation.
The guests first laid bouquets before "cheers of the nation", the monumental mural at the Kaeson Square portraying the President Kim Il Sung making a speech after his triumphant return home, paid homage to him and looked round the monument to his autograph (speech made after his triumphant return home).
Then they saw round relievos, being briefed on the building of the grand revolutionary monument, at the foot of moran hill where a historic Pyongyang mass rally took place to welcome Kim Il Sung who returned to Pyongyang in triumph after leading the heroic anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle to victory and achieving the cause of the country's liberation.
At the end of the visit military attache of the Vietnamese embassy Vu Dinh Thang who is also the doyen of the corps extended warm congratulations to the Korean people on the liberation day, wishing the heroic Korean people greater success in their efforts for the nation's development and prosperity and the reunification of the country under the guidance of the Supreme Commander Kim Jong Il.
30th anniversary of Peru-Korea Institute of Culture and Friendship marked
Pyongyang, August 14 (KCNA) -- A meeting was held here yesterday on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Peru-Korea Institute of Culture and Friendship.
Present there were Kim Jin Bom, vice-chairman of the Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries and chairman of the Korea-Latin American and Caribbean Region Friendship Association, members of the association and working people in the city.
A speech was made and a message of greetings to the Peru-Korea Institute of Culture and Friendship was adopted at the meeting.
The participants looked round photos showing progress made by Peru and activities of the institute.
Then followed a friendly get-together to mark the day.
Kim Il Sung's history of leadership over work for national reunification given steady continuity
Pyongyang, August 14 (KCNA) -- The President Kim Il Sung's history of leadership over the work for national reunification steadily continues on this land, no matter how complicated the situation may be, as there is the respected Kim Jong Il, says Rodong Sinmun today in an editorial article.
It says:
The President successfully applied the immortal Juche idea and advanced policies and ways for independent national reunification, thus clearly indicating the road to be followed by the nation to achieve national reunification.
Most precious and distinguished exploit he performed in the nation's history of reunification movement is that he successfully solved the issue of succession to the leader and the issue of continuing his cause with insight into their great significance in the accomplishment of the nation's cause of independence which continues generation after generation and in keeping with the need of the times and the desire of the compatriots.
A new historic turning-point was made in the national reunification under the wise guidance of Kim Jong Il who is determined to reunify the country at any cost in our generation true to the noble intention of the President.
Kim Jong Il glorified the President's ideas and lines on national reunification and his exploits to the utmost and enabled the Korean people to preserve them as a national treasure of eternal value and a powerful weapon in carrying out the cause of reunification, thus making it possible for them to steadily push forward the cause of national reunification as the cause of the President.
Kim Jong Il clarified the nature and position of the three principles--independence, peaceful reunification and great national unity--, the 10-point program for the great unity of the entire nation and the proposal for founding the Democratic Federal Republic of Koryo advanced by the President and formulated them as the three-point charter of national reunification in which fundamental principles and ways for national reunification are systematized and consummated in an integral way.
Kim Jong Il is the great master of leadership art who steers the cause of national reunification along the road of victory with his brilliant wisdom and foresight.
He leads the 70 million fellow countrymen to the sacred movement for national reunification with his loving care by pursuing the politics of love and trust and an all-embracing politics of love for the country, the nation and the people.
The historic Pyongyang meeting and the north-south summit took place and the north-south joint declaration was published thanks to the iron will and matchless grit of Kim Jong Il to meet the nation's call and desire for reunification.
This ushered in golden days for the movement for national reunification.
It will not be long before that Korea will emerge on the international arena as a reunified, prosperous, sovereign and independent and powerful state and its nation as a resourceful and dignified great nation, the article concludes.
Kim Il Sung's exploits praised
Pyongyang, August 14 (KCNA) -- The President Kim Il Sung was a great leader who liberated the country and made the Korean people a most dignified and proud one in the world, said Ri Tong Chol, chairman of the Council of the International United Confederation of Koreans now on a visit to the socialist homeland, when interviewed by KCNA.
He continued:
The greatest historic exploit performed by Kim Il Sung on behalf of the country and people was that he regained the sovereignty of the country and the nation and firmly defended it.
He is the man who led the bloody anti-Japanese revolutionary war to victory to bring the Korean people a bright future of the liberated country and opened up a new history of national rebirth.
Noting that all proud successes recorded in the history of the country and the worthy independent and creative life of the Korean people are associated with the country's liberation achieved by Kim Il Sung, he said that the Korean people would glorify for all ages the immortal exploits he performed by accomplishing the cause of the country's liberation.
World peace called for
Pyongyang, August 14 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today in a signed article says that peace is the common desire of humankind and only when peace is guaranteed, can the people create a new independent life.
In order to ensure world peace, it is imperative to remove the root cause of threatening and destroying it, the article says, and goes on:
The imperialists are viciously scheming to expand their sphere of influence, violating the sovereignty of other countries and nations and dominating and plundering others under the signboard of "regional security" and "prevention of disputes." Such stand of strength and aggression and war policy are bound to threaten and destroy peace.
The aggressive moves of the imperialists to disturb peace are pronounced in the Korean peninsula.
What is urgent in ensuring world peace is to realize disarmament and dismantle destruction weapons including nuclear weapons.
The dismantlement of nuclear weapons on the Korean peninsula is directly related to the destiny of the Korean nation and vital to world peace and security.
To remove all the aggression troops and military bases is an important condition for ensuring world peace and security.
The imperialist aggression troops and military bases abroad are the factor of instability and the root cause of threatening peace. Peace and sovereignty can never be expected with them kept intact.
Demand for peace is the constant standpoint of the Korean people and the steadfast policy of the democratic people's republic of Korea.
KCNA assails projected U.S.-Japan saber-rattling
Pyongyang, August 14 (KCNA) -- The U.S. and Japan plan to stage a joint military exercise under the simulated conditions of "emergencies in areas surrounding Japan" in upcoming November, according to a Kyodo report.
Quoting what officials of the Japan Defence Agency had said, the report said that the 2 week-long exercise to be staged in a firing range of the "Self-Defence Forces" of Japan and in its territorial waters and air will involve at least 20,000 U.S. soldiers and "SDFs."
This cannot but arouse high vigilance of the people and the people's army of Korea as it is a very dangerous development which may vitiate the hard-won atmosphere of detente and create tensions on the Korean peninsula.
As everyone knows, a favourable atmosphere of national reconciliation, unity, exchange, cooperation, peace and reunification is prevailing on the Korean peninsula in the wake of the publication of the historic north-south joint declaration in June last.
One of the important issues in giving further momentum to the atmosphere and sincerely implementing the joint declaration is to refrain from any provocative act in and around Korea.
However, the warhawks of the U.S. and Japan are going to stage a large-scale military exercise, vociferating about the "emergencies in areas surrounding Japan."
The projected joint military exercise is an anachronistic criminal act to chill the north-south negotiations and an unpardonable challenge intended to put a brake on the implementation of the north-south joint declaration.
While pretending to support and welcome the north-south joint declaration, they are, in fact, displeased with it and have an axe to grind.
It cannot but be a tragedy that they are still dreaming a silly cold war dream of containing the DPRK with "strength."
The DPRK is now holding multi-faceted negotiations and dialogue with the U.S. while promoting intergovernmental dialogue with Japan.
There is no guarantee that the joint military exercise will not have a negative influence on the DPRK-U.S. and the DPRK-Japan talks.
Negotiations and confrontation are incompatible.
The DPRK is prepared for both negotiations and confrontation.
The U.S. and Japanese authorities are well advised to stop reckless saber-rattling, clearly mindful of the steadfast will of the DPRK.
Exploits performed by Kim Il Sung for Korea's liberation
Pyongyang, August 14 (KCNA) -- The Korean people regained the sovereignty of the nation on August 15, 1945.
This day saw the end of the Japanese imperialists' military occupation and rule and Korea's liberation.
This historic day was brought by the President Kim Il Sung, whom the Korean people revere as an anti-Japanese legendary hero and peerless patriot.
The President crossed the Amnok River flowing on the northern tip of the country when he was 13, firmly determined not to return until Korea became independent.
In October Juche 15 (1926) he formed the down-with-imperialism union whose immediate task was to defeat Japanese imperialism and achieve the liberation of the country. And he created the first party organization--the society for rallying comrades--and the Korean Revolutionary Army, the first armed organization of Korean communists, in July Juche 19 (1930) and made preparations for an anti-Japanese armed struggle.
He advanced a strategic and tactical policy on waging an armed struggle against the Japanese imperialists in the winter of 1931 and founded the Anti-Japanese People's Guerrilla Army (AJPGA) on April 25, Juche 21 (1932).
Then, he put forward the policy to expand and develop the anti-Japanese armed struggle to the homeland in March Juche 22 (1933) and took a measure to reorganize the AJPGA into the Korean people's revolutionary army in march Juche 23 (1934).
He advanced a correct political line and scientific strategic and tactical policies in the whole period of the anti-Japanese struggle, thus dealing a fatal political and military blow to the Japanese aggressors.
He founded the association for the restoration of the fatherland in May Juche 25 (1936) and further expanded and developed the anti-Japanese united national front movement, bringing about a new advance in the Korean revolution as a whole.
And he put forward the policy to let a large unit advance into the homeland in March Juche 26 (1937). The Pochonbo battle and the operation to advance into the Musan area commanded by him brought the people the dawn of the country's liberation.
Then he briskly conducted military and political activities relying on the northeastern parts of Mt. Paektu.
He wisely led the struggle to actively meet the great event of national liberation in the first half of the 1940s.
He firmly built up the internal force of the Korean revolution and established the brilliant revolutionary traditions to be always carried forward and developed by the workers' party and people of Korea in the course of leading the arduous anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle to victory for 20 years.
Ishihara's militarist outburst flayed
Pyongyang, August 14 (KCNA) -- Tokyo Metropolitan Governor Ishihara said Friday he will make an official visit to "Yasukuni Shrine" on August 15, the 55th anniversary of the surrender of Japanese imperialism in World War II, according to a news report.
He told a news conference that he will visit the shrine as Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara, undisguisedly revealing his plan to officially visit the shrine which is a symbol of Japanese imperialism.
He justified his official visit, saying his relatives' and his wife's father's spirits are all enshrined there and that he will visit the shrine if they would be pleased.
And he said it's about time that Japan awaken from its illusion. By saying so, he revealed once again his true colors as a militarist fanatic who calls upon Japan to revive militarism and embark upon reinvasion.
Earlier, on Aug. 8 eight ministers of the Japanese cabinet said that they would visit the shrine on August 15.
U.S. forces legally accountable for dumping of toxic substance
Pyongyang, August 14 (KCNA) -- The Green Federation in a statement issued on Aug. 11 demanded the U.S. forces side own legal responsibility for the dumping of toxic substance in River Han, said Yonhap News from Seoul.
The U.S. forces should clearly know that the case is a serious issue which may spark strong anti-U.S. sentiment, the federation warned.
It demanded the South Korean prosecution severely punish those responsible for the case because there is clear evidence proving the U.S. forces' dumping of toxic substance and they have already admitted it.
On July 20 the federation lodged a complaint before the Seoul district public prosecutor's office in which it accused the commander of the U.S. forces and the deputy head of the Ryongsan base of the U.S. 8th Army in South Korea of the crime.
U.S. troops to be indicted to international war crimes tribunal
Pyongyang, August 14 (KCNA) -- The Nationwide Special Committee for Probing the Truth Behind the GIs' Massacres, consisting of the south headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country's Reunification and the "National Alliance for Democracy and Reunification" of South Korea, on August 11 held a press conference and declared that it would file a lawsuit with the international war crimes tribunal to be held in the U.S. next year against the U.S. troops for killing a large number of people during the last Korean War and get an apology and compensation from the U.S. government, according to Radio No. 1 from Seoul.
To this end, the committee had conducted investigations in Rogun-ri, Yongdong county, North Chungchong Province, Taegu, Haman and other places where mass killings were committed by the U.S. troops and the firing range in Maehyang-ri. It stressed that it would continue listening to victims' testimony, visit to the scene and other work till August 15, this year.