Greetings to Chilean President
Pyongyang, September 18 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, sent a message of greetings to President Ricardo Lagos today on the occasion of the Independence Day of Chile.
The message wished the President greater success in his work, hoping that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would further expand and develop in the idea of independence, peace and friendship.
Greetings to Algerian Prime Minister
Pyongyang, September 18 (KCNA) -- Hong Song Nam, premier of the DPRK cabinet, sent a message of greetings to Ali Benflis upon his appointment as Prime Minister of Algeria.
The message expressed the belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would further expand and develop in the future and wished him success in his responsible work for the country's stability and prosperity.
Greetings to Prime Minister of St. Kitts-Nevis
Pyongyang, September 18 (KCNA) -- Hong Song Nam, premier of the DPRK cabinet, sent a message of greetings to Denzil Douglas, Prime Minister of St. Kitts-Nevis, on the occasion of the 17th anniversary of the independence of the country.
The message extended warm congratulations to the Prime Minister, government and people of St. Kitts-Nevis and wished him and the government success in the work for the progress and prosperity of the country and the well-being of the people.
Kim Yong Dae meets Mongolian delegation
Pyongyang, September 18 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Dae, vice-president of the presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, met and conversed with a Mongolian friendship delegation led by CH. Batjargal, president of the Federation of Mongolian Peace and Friendship Organizations, at the Mansudae Assembly Hall today.
On hand were vice-chairperson of the Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries Hong Son Ok and Mongolian ambassador to Korea Damdiny Byamba.
Kim Jong Il sends wreath to bier of Kang Hyon Su
Pyongyang, September 18 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il today sent a wreath to the bier of Kang Hyon Su, member of the Worker's Party of Korea Central Committee, deputy to the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly and chief secretary of the Pyongyang city committee of the WPK, expressing deep condolences over his death.
Participants in Pyongyang film festival see Korean documentary film
Pyongyang, September 18 (KCNA) -- The participants in the 7th Pyongyang Film Festival of non-aligned and other developing countries saw the Korean documentary film "The Great Leader Comrade Kim Jong Il Meets President Kim Dae Jung" at Pyongyang Koryo Hotel yesterday.
The film deals with the historic inter-Korean Pyongyang meeting, the first of its kind since the national division and adoption of the north-south joint declaration which reflected the desire and wish of the 70 million fellow countrymen.
Jo Chan Gu, vice-Minister of Culture and vice-chairman of the organizing committee of the festival, was among the spectators.
Pyongyang Film Festival continues
Pyongyang, September 18 (KCNA) -- The 7th Pyongyang Film Festival of non-aligned and other developing countries is going on before full houses.
Feature and documentary films of Syria, Iran, Egypt, Austria, Cuba, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Malaysia, Libya and other countries were screened at festival places including the Pyongyang International Cinema House, Taedongmun, Kaeson and Rakwon cinema houses.
The films vividly showed the aspiration and desire of people who oppose aggression and war and love justice and peace, worthy struggles of people in non-aligned and other developing countries to create a new life and their traditional customs.
The films were appreciated by delegations, delegates honorary guests of various countries participating in the festival, working people in the city, moviemen, foreign guests and overseas. Koreans.
The screening of festival films continues till Sept. 21.
Kang Hyon Su passes away
Pyongyang, September 18 (KCNA) -- Kang Hyon Su, member of the Central Committee of the Worker's Party of Korea, deputy to the Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and chief secretary of the Pyongyang city committee of the WPK, died of a sudden attack of illness on September 17, Juche 89 (2000), at the age of 83.
An obituary of the Central Committee of the WPK and the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK over his demise was published yesterday.
The obituary said:
Kang Hyon Su grew up as a talent official under the loving care of the President Kim Il Sung right after the liberation of the country and devotedly strove for the strengthening and development of the WPK and the socialist construction.
He energetically worked to carry out the lines and policies of the party at the responsible position of the political institution of the armed forces and the local and central party and government organs in his early years.
He positively struggled to strengthen the party and people's power organs in the capital and rally people around the party at the responsible post of the chief secretary of the Pyongyang city committee of the WPK and chairman of the Pyongyang City People's Committee for many years.
Kye Sun Hui of DPRK places third at 27th Olympiad
Pyongyang, September 18 (KCNA) -- DPRK Judoist Kye Sun Hui reportedly won the bronze medal in the 52 kg division of women's Judo at the 27th Olympiad in Sidney, Australia.
KCNA on Japan's American-towing servility
Pyongyang, September 18 (KCNA) -- Asahi Shimbun recently let loose a spate of presumptuous and evil outbursts that the cancellation of participation in the UN Millennium Summit by the President of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK and his party was a "deliberate choice" and "act unfitting adult."
Asahi Shimbun's news report is, in a nutshell, a height of despicability originating from the deep-set evil practice of towing the American line.
As already opened to the public, the grave incident at Frankfurt airport, Germany, was an outright violation of the independence of a sovereign state and an open challenge to the UN and its Millennium Summit.
That was why the international community as well as media of different countries criticized the discourteous behaviour of the U.S. and the U.S. itself was compelled to admit its wrong doing and make an official apology to the DPRK.
However, Asahi Shimbun alone is making unreasonable piffles in contravention of the fundamental international usage while swimming against the trend of the international community. This clearly indicates that the editorial staff of the paper has been reduced to a political maid of the U.S.
Asahi Shimbun's servility is nothing new because Japan spreads an umbrella when the sky over Washington gets cloudy.
Therefore, it invites only an ironic smile and contempt from the international community and leaves a disgrace as a political maid of the U.S.
Asahi Shimbun's encroachment upon the dignity of the DPRK is no more than an intolerable sophism and nobody will lend an ear to it.
Asahi Shimbun should retake its dignity as one of media before admonishing others unreasonably.
NAM urged to fully discharge its mission
Pyongyang, September 18 (KCNA) -- The head of the delegation of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea at the meeting of foreign ministers of non-aligned countries held in New York on Sept. 14 said that the meeting should adopt a joint stand to be taken by the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) at the UN General Assembly this year. And he brought up some proposals.
He said:
It is important to give priority to further enhancing the position of the NAM in the new century and substantially display our collective might at the UN General Assembly and, to this end, unity of the NAM should be strengthened.
It is essential to direct efforts to make the international relations democratic on the basis of independence and equality and positively take a concerted action of the nam at the UN General Assembly.
It is also necessary for the NAM to collectively counter the negative effects of "globalization" at the UN. To this end, it is important to enhance the role of the coordination committee of the group of 77 of the NAM.
The DPRK will remain loyal to the noble idea and purpose of the NAM and work hard for its unity and cohesion in the future, too.
Great unity of whole nation, guarantee for national reunification
Pyongyang, September 18 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today in a signed article calls upon all the Koreans in the north, south and abroad to turn out as one in the struggle to achieve great national unity with sure confidence and optimism.
Noting that national reunification cannot be achieved without good harmony of the north and the south and great national unity, the article goes on:
The great national unity should be thoroughly based on the principle of national independence.
Only when the great unity of the whole nation is achieved on the principle of national independence, can the Korean nation be the master of its own destiny and a driving force and decisive force of national reunification and prosperity.
The Korean nation should unite around the banner of patriotism and the banner of national reunification.
Although there are some differences between the north and the south of Korea in ideology and system and other differences at present, common national desire for reconciliation, unity and reunification as a homogeneous nation is far greater than these differences.
When attaching priority to the national commonness and interests, the whole nation is able to firmly unite as one irrespective of differences in ideology, system, political views and religious belief and transcending the interests of different classes and social standings.
It is one of the important ways of achieving great national unity for the Koreans in the north, south and abroad to visit and contact with each other, develop dialogue and strengthen solidarity.
It is absolutely beyond doubt that all the Koreans in the north, south and abroad are able to deepen mutual understandings and trust and pool their intention and strength when they expand visits, contacts and dialogue and strengthen organized solidarity in the noble idea of great national unity and national reunification.
Speech by head of DPRK delegation to UN General Assembly session
Pyongyang, September 18 (KCNA) -- The head of the DPRK delegation to the 55th session of the UN General Assembly said in a speech that the UN role should focus on establishing international relations and order for making the new century an independent, peaceful and prospering one.
All the internal and external policies and lines of the DPRK government, which regards independence as its life and soul, are consistent with independence and the policy of independence is displaying great vitality in achieving peace and reunification on the Korean peninsula, he said, and went on:
The Pyongyang meeting and the publication of the north-south joint declaration constitute a historic landmark which opened an epochal phase in realising the cause of the independent reunification of the nation. The present developments oriented towards improved inter-Korean relations and reunification are a process which should be valued from the viewpoint of peace and security in northeast Asia. Those countries concerned should not hamper it but do something helpful to it.
The U.S. is making a fiction of "missile threat" from the DPRK in a bid to find justification for its moves to establish the "Theatre Missile Defence" and "National Missile Defence" systems, which are inviting worldwide apprehensions for their frivolous and threatening nature.
The DPRK's missile plan assumes peaceful nature from A to Z.
The DPRK pays attention to the fact that the U.S. admitted its responsibility for barring the President of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly and his party from the UN Millennium Summit and clarified its stand that it has no reason to perpetuate hostile relations with the DPRK. If this U.S. position is materialized in practice, the DPRK is always prepared to make an affirmative response to it.
Whether Japan revives its militarist ambition or becomes a peace-loving country is an important matter related to peace and stability in Asia, neighboring Korean peninsula in particular. We expect that Japan will find its future in its sincere settlement of the past any time.
Now that the north-south joint declaration is being smoothly implemented on the Korean peninsula, new sound international relations will be established in northeast Asia if hostile relations between the DPRK and the U.S. and between the DPRK and Japan are removed. The head of the delegation expressed a hope that the UN, too, will take a practical measure to dismantle the "UN command", a remnant of the Cold War.
DPRK anniversary marked
Pyongyang, September 18 (KCNA) -- Functions were held in different countries between Sept. 5 and 9 to celebrate the 52nd anniversary of the DPRK.
Celebration meetings took place in India, Austria, Italy, Nepal, Madagascar and Libya.
Participating in the meetings were party leaders and figures of political, social, academic and media circles in those countries.
Seminars were organised by the Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Group for the Study of the Juche Idea and the Cuzco, Peru, Group for the Study of the Juche Idea. At the seminars the participants referred to the achievements made in the DPRK and emphasized that they were a brilliant fruition of the idea and politics of the great leader Kim Jong Il.
A national cycle race was held in Guyana to celebrate the anniversary.
Floral baskets laid before portraits in Peru
Pyongyang, September 18 (KCNA) -- Floral baskets were laid before the portraits of the President Kim Il Sung and General Secretary Kim Jong Il at the DPRK embassy in lima on Sept. 8 on the occasion of the 52nd anniversary of the DPRK by the Foreign Ministry, the speaker of the parliament, the Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the parliament, the Mayor of Callao, the Youth of the "Cambio 90" Movement, the dean of the statistics faculty of San Marcos National University and the Society for the Study of Revolutionary Activities of Comrade Kim Jong Suk of Peru.
Preparatory committees formed abroad
Pyongyang, September 18 (KCNA) -- Preparatory committees were formed in Russia and Guinea and a national preparatory committee in Nigeria to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the Worker's Party of Korea.
Oleg Shenin, chairman of the Council of the Union of Communist Parties-the Communist Party of the Soviet Union who is also first secretary of the central committee of the Communist Party of the Russia-Belarus Union, the general secretary of the Party for Unity and Progress of Guinea and the secretary of the Abuja city committee of the People's Democratic Party of Nigeria were elected chairmen of preparatory committees.
At the inaugural ceremonies the preparatory committees decided to hold colorful functions to mark the WPK birthday.