Kim Jong Il visits Kalma rest home in Wonsan
Pyongyang, August 28 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il visited the Kalma rest home in Wonsan, which has been built by soldiers of the KPA.
The rest home, which looks like a large passenger ship cleaving a boundless expanse of water, is one more gift presented by him to servicemen with his benevolent love and another monumental edifice in the era of the great army-first politics.
The rest home with a total floor space of over 30,000 square metres has well-appointed bed rooms, a gymnasium, a library, a dining room, an entertainment hall, a sauna, a barber's shop, a hair-dressing salon and other cultural and service facilities.
Soldier-builders successfully completed the vast laborious project including the construction of a 19-storied main building and a gymnasium in less than two years.
Looking round the outside and inside of the rest home for hours, he learned about details of its construction.
He was greatly satisfied to see the rest home built so qualitatively as to remain flawless even in the distant future and equipped with such modern facilities.
He gave high appreciation and thanks to the soldier-builders for performing brilliant feats again in the construction of the rest home despite difficulties and trials.
He put forward highly important tasks which would serve as guidelines in the management and operation of the rest home, saying that all conditions should be provided and diverse cultural activities organised for holiday makers so that they may spend pleasant and meaningful days.
He met and gave warm pep-talks to the soldier-builders of the rest home before having a souvenir picture taken with them.
He was accompanied by secretary of the Central Committee of the WPK Kim Kuk Thae, chairman of the Central Control Commission of the WPK Pak Yong Sok, department director of the WPK Central Committee Jong Ha Chol, first deputy department directors of the WPK Central Committee Ri Yong Chol, Pak Song Bong and Jang Song Thaek and KPA generals Hyon Chol Hae and Pak Jae Gyong.
Greetings to Fidel Castro Ruz
Pyongyang, August 28 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Il, General Secretary of the Worker's Party of Korea, Chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission and Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army, together with Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, on August 21 sent a message of greetings to Fidel Castro Ruz, first secretary of the central committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, President of the Council of State and President of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Cuba, on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of DPRK-Cuba diplomatic relations.
The message extended warm comradely greetings to Fidel Castro Ruz and, through him, to the central committee of the CPC, the government and people of Cuba on this occasion.
It noted:
Over the past 40 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations the two countries have steadily consolidated and developed the friendly relations, supporting and cooperating with each other on the road of realizing the cause of socialism.
We believe that the traditional relations of friendship and cooperation between the two countries whose vitality has been proved in all ordeals of history would further strengthen and develop in the common struggle for independence against imperialism and for socialism in the future, too.
We take this opportunity to wholeheartedly wish you greater success in your responsible work, expressing invariable support and solidarity with the fraternal Cuban people in their struggle to defend their motherland, the revolution and the gains of socialism.
Messages exchanged between FMs of DPRK and Cuba
Pyongyang, August 28 (KCNA) -- Foreign Minister of the DPRK Paek Nam Sun exchanged messages of greetings with his Cuban counterpart Pelipe Perez Roque on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of DPRK-Cuba diplomatic relations.
The messages said that the two countries forged the bonds of friendship in accomplishing the common cause of independence against imperialism and for socialism and have steadily strengthened and developed them.
They expressed solidarity for the just cause of the two peoples and wished the foreign ministers success in their work.
Gift to Kim Jong Il from Russian party leader
Pyongyang, August 28 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il received a gift from Sazhi Umalatova, chairperson of the Party for Peace and Unity of Russia, on a visit to the DPRK.
The gift was handed over to an official concerned by the chairperson.
Greetings to Kim Jong Il and Kim Yong Nam from Fidel Castro Ruz
Pyongyang, August 28 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Il, General Secretary of the Worker's Party of Korea, Chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission and Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army, together with Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, received a message of greetings from Fidel Castro Ruz, first secretary of the c.c., the Communist Party of Cuba, President of the State of Council and President of the Council of Ministers of Cuba, on August 19 on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the opening of diplomatic relations between the DPRK and Cuba.
In the message Fidel said he was pleased to send on behalf of the Cuban party and government fraternal greetings to Kim Jong Il and Kim Yong Nam on this occasion.
It said:
Over the past years the republic of Cuba and the DPRK have stood in the common trench of fight against imperialism and dynamically advanced the sacred cause of building socialist society.
In the long period the relations between the two countries and the two peoples have grown stronger, and we are firmly determined to steadily strengthen and develop these relations in the future, too.
I take this opportunity to reaffirm our unshakable resolution to invariably support the Korean people's noble intention to achieve the peaceful reunification of the country, their cherished desire.
I also wholeheartedly wish you fresh success in your work and happiness in good health.
Please accept highest consideration.
Hong Song Nam meets Italian guests
Pyongyang, August 28 (KCNA) -- Hong Song Nam, premier of the DPRK cabinet, met and conversed with Giancarlo Elia Valori, secretary general of the Italian Institute of International Relations, Luciano Benetton, president of Benetton Group of Italy, and his party on a visit to the DPRK in a friendly atmosphere at the Mansudae Assembly Hall today.
Giancarlo Elia Valori said that everything goes well in the DPRK under the wise guidance of the great Kim Jong Il, and sincerely hoped that the Korean people's cause of national reunification would be achieved at an early date.
He expressed the belief that the friendly relations between Italy and the DPRK would continue to develop.
Young Koreans pay homage to Kim Il Sung
Pyongyang, August 28 (KCNA) -- Officials of the youth league and youth and students of the DPRK visited the Kumsusan Memorial Palace to pay respects to the President Kim Il Sung on Sunday on the threshold of the Youth Day.
The visitors entered the hall where the statue of the President is standing and then went upstairs to make deep bows before him who is preserved in state.
At the mourning hall of the palace they looked round the portrait of the President with smile in his face against the background of the red flag and bronze relievos showing the Korean people and the world's progressives.
Then they went round a train used by him for his on-site guidance and foreign tours and a car used in the last period of his life.
Anniversaries of DPRK and WPK to be celebrated abroad
Pyongyang, August 28 (KCNA) -- A national preparatory committee of Democratic Congo was formed in Kinshasa on August 19 to celebrate the 52nd anniversary of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the 55th anniversary of the Worker's Party of Korea.
The national chairman of the National Movement of the Genuine Lumumbist Combatants of Democratic Congo was elected chairman of the preparatory committee at its inaugural meeting.
The meeting set a celebration period from September 9 to October 15 and decided on the action program of the committee to be conducted in the period.
Meanwhile, a Madagascan preparatory committee was inaugurated in Antananarivo on August 21 to celebrate the 55th birthday of the WPK.
The national secretary of the Party of the Congress for the Independence of Madagascar was selected as chairman of the committee at its inaugural meeting.
The meeting decided on the committee's action program.
Cuban embassy officials pay respects to Kim Il Sung
Pyongyang, August 28 (KCNA) -- Ambassador Jose Manuel Inclan Embade and officials of the Cuban embassy here on Sunday visited the Kumsusan Memorial Palace where the President Kim Il Sung lies in state on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of DPRK-Cuban diplomatic relations.
At the palace the visitors went upstairs and paid homage to the President in deep reverence for him who made immortal contributions to global peace and the human cause of independence.
Then they looked round orders and medals he received from different countries.
They also went round the mourning hall, a train used by him for his on-site guidance and foreign tours and a car used in the last period of his life.
The ambassador wrote in the visitor's book that the great leader Kim Il Sung is a close comrade-in-arms of the Cuban people and an eternal friend of supreme leader of the Cuban revolution Fidel Castro Ruz and that his revolutionary exploits will shine forever.
The visitors planted trees in the arboretum of the palace.
FM of DPRK sends condolences to his counterparts of different countries
Pyongyang, August 28 (KCNA) -- Paek Nam Sun, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the DPRK, sent messages of condolences to Bahraini Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohamed Bin Mubarak al-Khalifa, Omani Foreign Minister Qaboos Bin Said al Said who is concurrently Sultan of Oman, Foreign Minister of the United Arab Emirates Rashid Abdullah al-Nuaymi and Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jaber al-Thani.
In the messages Paek said that upon hearing the sad news that a passenger plane of Gulf Air crashed on August 23, causing losses of all passengers and crew aboard, he expressed heartfelt sympathy and condolence to the governments and people of those countries and to the bereaved families.
Meeting held to mark Youth Day
Pyongyang, August 28 (KCNA) -- A meeting was held here on Sunday to mark the Youth Day.
Present at the meeting were Choe Thae Bok, secretary of the Worker's Party of Korea Central Committee, Yang Hyong Sop, vice-president of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, and other senior officials and officials concerned and youth league officials and youths and students in the city.
Ri Il Hwan, first secretary of the central committee of the Kim Il Sung Socialist Youth League, made a report at the meeting.
The reporter noted that the great leader Kim Il Sung founded the Young Communist League of Korea on August 28, Juche 16 (1927) and the respected Kim Jong Il saw to it that this day was instituted as the Youth Day.
With the formation of the YCLK the glorious history of the Korean youth movement started and its brilliant traditions were established, he stressed, and continued:
Kim Il Sung's idea of attaching great importance to the youth is now being most successfully put into practice by Kim Jong Il.
Kim Jong Il has put the Korean youth movement on a new higher stage with his politics of giving great importance to the youth while leading the worker's party and the revolution of Korea.
He has strengthened the youth league into the eternal league of Kim Il Sung and has showed deep political trust and warm love for the young people and led them to fully discharge their mission as young vanguard in the revolution and construction.
In conclusion the reporter called upon all the young people to prepare themselves to become the most loyal subjects with the absolute worship of Kim Jong Il and human bullets and bombs to take the van in devotedly defending the headquarters of the revolution, to think and act only in accordance with the WPK's idea and intention and reliably carry forward the tradition of single-hearted unity.
Youth to act shock brigade in building powerful nation
Pyongyang, August 28 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun in an editorial dedicated to the 9th anniversary of the Youth Day notes that the glorious path covered by the Korean youth movement is adorned with the heroic exploits of the young people who have taken the lead in carrying out the idea and intention of the Worker's Party of Korea and the leader.
The editorial says:
The great Kim Jong Il is the supreme leader of the Korean youth movement who has wisely led the work with young people with absolute trust in and love for them.
He has successfully applied the President Kim Il Sung's idea of attaching great importance to the youth, ushering in an era of efflorescence in the Korean youth movement.
The slogan "Love the youth " reflects his noble intention and will to give the young people strength and courage and train them as the driving force of the Korean revolution, a shock brigade and vanguard in socialist construction.
The youth should be intensely loyal to Kim Jong Il's idea and leadership with absolute worship of him and staunchly struggle for the ultimate victory of the revolution with firm faith in the socialism of Korean style.
The WPK's trust and expectation for the youth is very great.
The party expects them to do their share for building a powerful nation. All the youth should become young heroes by devoting themselves to the vigorous drive to build a powerful nation.
Youth should make continuous innovation and advance full of confidence of sure victory and optimism to bring earlier a bright future, bearing deep in mind that the building of a powerful nation is on their shoulders.
Feats of young Koreans
Pyongyang, August 28 (KCNA) -- The DPRK commemorates as Youth Day August 28 when the President Kim Il Sung formed the Young Communist League of Korea 73 years ago.
It was in Juche 80 (1991) that this day was set as Youth Day.
On this occasion, people are recalling with deep emotion the feats the young Koreans have performed, always playing a vanguard role in the annals of history.
The young communists, the first generation of the Korean revolution, started a new history of the communist movement under the guidance of Kim Il Sung. Through the arduous anti-Japanese armed struggle, they achieved the historic cause of national liberation by giving a telling political and military blow to the Japanese aggressors.
After the liberation of the country on August 15, 1945, the young Koreans played an important role in building a new society in the enforcement of democratic reforms such as agrarian reform and nationalization of major industries, the emulation drive for increased production, anti-illiteracy campaign and other campaigns.
During the 1950-1953 Korean War started by the U.S. the young people displayed matchless bravery and mass heroism in the sacred fight against the enemies and thus reliably defended the sovereignty and dignity of the country and the nation.
After the war they performed enormous feats in the efforts to rehabilitate the devastated factories and rural areas and other protracted struggles, which will remain long in the history of the country.
In the 1980s alone they built a large number of monumental edifices, among them the world-level west sea barrage, 250 km-long northern railways and the ore-dressing plant no.3 of the Komdok mine with an annual capacity of ten million tons.
In particular, they successfully completed in a little more than two years over 260 projects such as the construction of houses for more than 20,000 families in Kwangbok Street, a sports village in Chongchun Street, and the 150,000-seat May Day Stadium. They thus ensured the smooth holding of the 13th World Festival of Youth and Students, demonstrating the heroic stamina of the young Koreans.
In recent years when they have been hard pressed for everything because of the imperialists' isolation and suffocation moves and repeated natural disasters, they have made great feats in major projects, including the construction of the 40 km-long Pyongyang-Nampho Motorway, Kaechon-Lake Thaesong Waterway and salterns in different parts of the country by fully displaying the revolutionary spirit of self-reliance.
In this way the young Koreans are displaying their wisdom and courage to the full.
Young people take lead in building powerful nation
Pyongyang, August 28 (KCNA) -- The Korean young people are greeting the Youth Day which falls on today with signal labour achievements.
Deep trust is reposed in the young people, successors to the revolutionary cause and a most active contingent in society, and are put forward as a shock brigade in building a powerful nation.
That is why, they are registering signal progress in production and construction in hearty response to the calls of the Central Committee of the Worker's Party of Korea in which it appealed to them to devote themselves to the vigorous drive to build a powerful nation and glorify their lives with loyalty and feat.
Now they are undertaking the gigantic Pyongyang-Nampho Motorway construction project.
They removed at least 12.6 million cubic metres of earth, spread over 950,000 cubic metres of sand and gravel on the roadbed and carried out more than 100,000 cubic metres of concrete tamping in a year after its start. As a result, the 40 odd km-long roadbed scores of metres wide has taken shape in the main even under the difficult conditions where they have been hard pressed for everything. They are now dynamically pushing ahead with paving and the construction of set-ups.
The WPK Central Committee called on them to successfully finish the construction of the motorway, a grand monumental edifice, before its 55th anniversary.
The young builders in charge of the projects for switching Kanggye-Rangrim and west Hamhung-Soho railways over to electric traction are working hard to finish them ahead of schedule.
The young builders undertaking the Kanggye-Rangrim railway project have spread at least 10,000 cubic metres of gravel in the 72 km-long section and replaced tens of thousands of sleepers by new ones in a short span of time.
As a result, the project is progressing at its final stage.
Fresh innovations are also effected by the young builders in the second stage project of the Anbyon Youth Power Station and other power stations to solve the country's problem of electricity.
Fish, poultry and pig farms now under construction across the country are now being completed one by one thanks to the devoted efforts of young people.
Their feats are reported everyday from major construction sites including the Kaechon-Lake Thaesong Waterway project.
Whole nation urged to come out for Korea's reunification
Pyongyang, August 28 (KCNA) -- The national division that violates the sovereignty of the nation and blocks its uniform development should be terminated without delay, says Rodong Sinmun today in a signed article.
The article goes on:
Korea's reunification is an important issue vital to the Korean nation and its supreme task.
The sovereignty of the Korean nation would have been unthinkable without achieving the reunification of the country.
With the country remaining divided artificially by the foreign forces, the Korean nation has suffered untold misfortune, hardships and losses.
A man deprived of sovereignty looks more dead than alive and when a nation loses sovereignty it cannot enjoy true dignity and a worthy life and is bound to suffer only shame.
The Koreans have learned this truth through their bitter experience in the period of the Japanese military occupation.
Korea's reunification is a key issue related to the destiny and the development of the Korean nation.
Continued division would cause serious national heterogeneity and throw obstacles in the way of national reunification.
The uniform development of the country blocked by its continued split would bring irreparable tremendous losses to the nation.
Pointing out that the President Kim Il Sung and General Secretary Kim Jong Il have vigorously advanced the movement for national reunification, the article notes:
Now that a bright prospect is opened for Korea's reunification all the compatriots in the north, south and overseas should turn out in a grand march of the nation for reunification and put spurs to the movement for Korea's reunification and thus contribute to achieving the historic cause of reunification.