Congratulatory visit to DPRK embassy in Cairo
Pyongyang, September 12 (KCNA) -- The secretary of the Presidential Office of Egypt, authorized by President Mohamed Hosni Mubarak paid a congratulatory visit to the DPRK embassy in Cairo on Sept. 9 on the occasion of the 52nd anniversary of the DPRK.
Upon the authorization of the President, the secretary asked the DPRK ambassador to transmit the greetings of the President and his hope to further develop the relations between the two countries to leader of the DPRK Kim Jong Il.
Noting that Egypt will further strengthen and develop the relations with the DPRK in the future, too, he wished Kim Jong Il and the Korean people fresh successes in their work for the progress and prosperity of the country.
End to U.S. military presence in S. Korea urged
Pyongyang, September 12 (KCNA) -- Samuel Hammer, leader of the Guyana National Congress, issued a statement titled "It is high time the U.S. put an end to its forces' presence in South Korea" on Sept. 4 on the lapse of 55 years since their occupation of South Korea.
The U.S. occupation of South Korea was aimed to make it a U.S. colony and military base and, furthermore, use it as a springboard to occupy the whole of Korea and Asia, the statement said, and went on:
The United States, instead of drawing a lesson from its defeat in the Korean War and withdrawing its forces from South Korea, has turned it into a military base and a huge nuclear arsenal to invade the DPRK and Asian countries.
Given that the Cold War has come to an end and the north and south of Korea published a joint declaration, there is no pretext for the United States to continue its presence in South Korea.
If the United States ignites a war in Korea, it will not escape more deadly strike of the Korean People's Army to remove the very source of aggression and war from the Korean peninsula.
The U.S. administration should act with discretion.
Terminating the U.S. forces' presence in South Korea is good not only for Korea but for Asia and the rest of the world and for the United States, too.
Chusok--folk holiday in Korea
Pyongyang, September 12 (KCNA) -- Chusok, the autumn festival, is a traditional folk holiday in Korea.
This festival is celebrated on the 15th of august on the lunar calendar every year. Chusok this year falls on today.
From old times our ancestors enjoyed this festival, having a variety of food prepared with early crops.
Rice powder is kneaded into crescent dough which are then stuffed with boiled red beans. These dough are spread on pine leaves and steamed. This is called Songphyon. It is known as a traditional food for Chusok.
This day, people used to visit the graves of their parents and relatives and cut wild grass on and around the graves and tidy up their surroundings before holding memorial services for them.
Men spent the day, playing Korean wrestling, tug-of-war and Korean chess, while women enjoyed swinging, Yut games and other folk games.
This traditional folk holiday is encouraged in Korea.
The state set this day as a red-letter day and provides every convenience to those who visit graves. Parks and recreation grounds hum with colorful folk games.
On this day many people in Pyongyang visit the Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery on Mt. Taesong and the Patriotic Martyrs' Cemetery and lay wreaths, bunches of flowers and bouquets before them in memory of the martyrs who devoted their whole life to the liberation of the country and the happiness of the people.
In local areas, too, people visit graves of martyrs.
Chusok this year is becoming more meaningful as the unconverted long-term prisoners who came back to the North Korea some time ago visit the graves of their parents, brothers and sisters and relatives.
U.S. anachronistic act assailed
Pyongyang, September 12 (KCNA) -- The U.S. Defense Department became vociferous about the "scenario", a win-win strategy against the DPRK. Minju Joson today in a signed commentary dismisses this as an anachronistic act intended to vitiate the hard-won atmosphere for reunification and detente on the Korean peninsula.
It goes on:
The "win-win strategy" much touted by the U.S. is a strategy for a war of aggression worked out in a bid to realise at any cost its wild ambition to dominate the world despite the situation changing after the demise of the Cold War.
The U.S. warhawks' big fuss about the "scenario" is no more than a full disclosure of their intention to put it into practice.
If the U.S. launches a war of aggression against the DPRK at any cost, the people and the people's army of Korea will mercilessly retaliate against it and force it to pay for all its crimes.
The U.S. should clearly know that the DPRK does not say empty words.
As a party responsible for the issue of the Korean peninsula the U.S. should make a positive contribution to the reunification and reconciliation of Korea. It will also do the U.S. good.
Wreaths laid
Pyongyang, September 12 (KCNA) -- Party and state leading officials, servicemen of the people's army and working people laid wreaths before the Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery on Mt. Taesong and the Patriotic Martyrs' Cemetery today on the occasion of Chusok, a traditional folk holiday.
Wreaths sent by General Secretary Kim Jong Il were seen on the wreath-laying stands.
Wreaths in the name of the Central Committee of the Worker's Party of Korea, the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK and the cabinet of the DPRK were placed before the cemeteries.
Present at the wreath-laying ceremony at the Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery on Mt. Taesong were Kim Il Chol, Kim Chol Man and Yang Hyong Sop and at the wreath-laying ceremony at the Patriotic Martyrs' Cemetery were Han Song Ryong and Kim Yun Hyok and others. They were accompanied by officials of party and armed forces institutions, power organs, working people's organizations, ministries, national institutions, generals and other servicemen of the Korean People's Army and working people in the city.
Chief Pak Kwang Gi of the Pyongyang mission of the National Democratic Front of South Korea laid a bunch of flowers before the Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery on Mt. Taesong.
Unconverted long-term prisoners also laid wreaths before both cemeteries.
Wreaths were laid this morning before the statues of martyrs and monuments to them and graves of martyrs across the country on the occasion of Chusok.
Wreaths laid in Mangyongdae
Pyongyang, September 12 (KCNA) -- Party and state leading officials, servicemen of the people's army and working people today laid wreaths before the graves of Kim Po Hyon and Ri Po Ik, great grandparents of the great leader Kim Jong Il, and Kim Hyong Jik and Kang Pan Sok, his grandparents in the revolutionary historic site in Mangyongdae, on the occasion of Chusok, a traditional folk holiday in Korea.
Wreaths sent by Kim Jong Il were laid before their graves.
Wreaths in the name of the Central Committee of the Worker's Party of Korea, the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK and the cabinet of the DPRK were placed before the graves.
Present at the wreath-laying ceremonies were Hong Song Nam, Kye Ung Thae, Paek Hak Rim and other officials, officials of the party and power organs, ministries, generals and other servicemen of the Korean People's Army and working people in the city.
3rd batch of home-visiting group of Japanese women in DPRK leaves
Pyongyang, September 12 (KCNA) -- The third batch of home-visiting group of Japanese women in the DPRK left here today by air to visit Japan under an agreement reached between the Red Cross organizations of the DPRK and Japan.
They were seen off at the airport by Ho Hae Ryong, vice-chairman of the central committee of the Red Cross Society of the DPRK, officials concerned and their families and relatives.