Kim Jong Il visits new catfish farm

    Pyongyang, September 21 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il visited a newly-built catfish farm on September 20 to direct the work of putting fish farming on scientific and intensive basis.
    The modern catfish farm which was built on the basis of the latest scientific and technological method on fish breeding has all conditions for fish farming including a feed processing room, a spawn hatching ground, a circular fattening pond, a breeding pond and a ground of breeding animal-matter feed.
    The catfish farm based on highly scientific and intensive method mass-produces catfish, eel, crucian carp and other fish.
    After hearing an explanation about the construction of the farm and production, he went round a feed-processing room, a spawn hatching ground, indoor and outdoor breeding ponds.
    He said that as the catfish farm has laid a solid foundation to put its production on a high and steady basis and secured a lot of big catfish, it should regularly provide Pyongyangites with fresh catfish every day.
    Then, he set forth highly important tasks which would serve as guidelines in the work to put fish-breeding on a scientific and intensive basis.
    He said that the shortest way of providing soldiers and people with more fish is to produce fish by an industrial method by putting fish-farming on a scientific and intensive basis.
    As our country abounds in hot springs, it has favourable conditions for breeding fresh-water fish including hot water-liking catfish in a big way, he said, adding that hot-water resources should be discovered in all parts of the country and an all-people campaign for catfish farming should be conducted vigorously.
    He set forth tasks to breed more nutritious and high-productive fresh-water fish including catfish, eel, crucian carp and terrapin.
    He advanced tasks to radically improve breeding fish and solve feed problem in our own way.
    He earnestly called upon those in all fields and units to provide people with sufficient life at an early date by making a signal change in the production of fresh-water fish through a revolutionary campaign to put fish-farming on a scientific and intensive basis.
    He was accompanied by director of the general political department of the Korean People's Army, chief of the KPA general staff, member of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK Ri Ul Sol, commanders of services and arms and other KPA commanders, secretary of the Central Committee of the WPK Jon Pyong Ho, chief secretary of the Jagang provincial committee of the WPK Yon Hyong Muk, secretaries of the WPK Central Committee Choe Thae Bok and Kim Yong Sun, directors and first vice-directors of departments of the WPK Central Committee, leading officials of the party central committee and chief secretaries of south and north Phyongan provincial and south Hwanghae provincial committees of the WPK.

Greetings to Malian President

    Pyongyang, September 21 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, on Sept. 18 sent a message of greetings to Alpha Oumar Konare, President and head of the State of the Republic of Mali, on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the promulgation of the republic.
    The message extended warm congratulations to the President and through him to the friendly Malian government and people on the occasion.
    It expressed the conviction that the good friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would further strengthen and develop and sincerely wished the President bigger success in his responsible work for peace, stability and socio-economic development of the country.

Maltese ambassador presents credentials

Talks held between Korean, Canadian party delegations

    Pyongyang, September 21 (KCNA) -- Talks were held here today between the delegations of the Worker's Party of Korea and the Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist).
    Present there were department director of the WPK Central Committee Kim Yang Gon and officials concerned and a delegation of the CPC (Marxist-Leninist) led by its national leader Sandra Bains.
    At the talks both sides informed each other of party activities and discussed the issue of further developing the friendly relations between the two parties. They also exchanged views on a series of matters of mutual concern.
    The talks proceeded in a friendly atmosphere.

Chairman of Hyundai Asan board of directors here

Kosong, September 21 (KCNA) -- Jong Mong Hon, chairman of the Hyundai Asan board of directors and his party arrived here today by ship.
They were met at the Jangjon port by Kang Jong Hun, secretary general of the Korean Asia-Pacific Peace Committee, and officials concerned.

7th Pyongyang Film Festival closes

    Pyongyang, September 21 (KCNA) -- The 7th Pyongyang Film Festival of non-aligned and other developing countries which opened on Sept. 13 closed today.
    Present at the closing ceremony were Yang Hyong Sop, vice-president of the presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, Jo Chang Dok, vice-premier, Kang Nung Su, Minister of Culture who is the chairman of the festival organizing committee and others.
    Also present were delegations and delegates from different countries, guests of honor and the delegation of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan.
    Invited were foreign diplomatic envoys and embassy officials in charge of cultural relations and foreign guests.
    A letter of thanks to General Secretary Kim Jong Il was adopted at the closing ceremony.
    Kang Nung Su said in his closing address that the films presented at the festival reflected the demand and aspirations of progressive humankind of the world to live in happiness in a free and peaceful world free from aggression and war, domination and subjugation, leaving deep impressions upon the participants in the festival and the Korean people.
    He expressed the firm belief that moviemen of all countries would in the future, too, value friendship and amity and sincerely participate in the Pyongyang film festival so as to contribute to the development of true human culture.
    An awarding ceremony was held and results of the jury were announced.
    The results are as follows:
    Feature films
       Festival prizes
          Gold torch prize: Iranian feature film "Lost Love"
          Silver torch prize: Egyptian feature film "After Shock"
          Bronze torch prize: Chinese feature film "the National Anthem"
       Individual prizes
          Scenario prize: Polish feature film "In Heaven As It Is On Earth"
          Production prize: Malaysian feature film "the Last Malay Woman"
          Acting prize:
             Male: Pasam Jusa, Syrian feature film "Extras"
             Female: Jang Son Hui, Korean feature film "Land of Love"
          Photographing prize: Chinese feature film "Crash Landing"
          Fine arts prize: Egyptian feature film "After Shock"
          Music prize: Iranian feature film "the Lost Love"
    Documentary and short films
       Scenario prize: Korean documentary film "Excellent Daughter of Korea"
       Production prize: Indian short feature film "Life"
       Photographing prize: Estonian documentary film "Palangi"
       Fine arts prize: Spanish short feature film "the Mole and the Fairy"
       Music prize: Ukrainian cartoon film "Blue Hat"
       Special prize of international jury of the festival:
          Korean feature film "Land of Love"
       Special prize of the organizing committee of the festival:
          Russian feature film "Love In Russian Way" part three
          Sri lankan feature film "Saroja"

Int'l symposium held

    Pyongyang, September 21 (KCNA) -- An international symposium on compound micro-organism technology and natural farming method was held in Pyongyang on Sept. 20 and 21.
    It drew representatives from the DPRK, South Africa, New Zealand, Netherlands, Nepal, Germany, the United States, Belarus, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, China, Canada, Thailand, Pakistan, France, Austria, Indonesia, India, Japan, Vietnam and the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan.
    Invitational lectures, lecture meetings and speeches were made by scientists of compound micro-organism of the DPRK and other countries.
    The symposium briefed the participants on successes and experience gained in the research and introduction of compound micro-organism technology and production by natural farming method and touched upon the prospect of its development and tasks.
    A letter of thanks to the great leader Kim Jong Il was adopted at the symposium.

DPRK FM suggests establishment of diplomatic relations with European countries

    Pyongyang, September 21 (KCNA) -- The Foreign Minister of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea recently sent a letter officially proposing the establishment of diplomatic relations to the foreign ministers of Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Luxemburg, Netherlands, Spain, Britain and the external relations commissioner of the European commission.
    Guided by the idea of its external policy--independence, peace and friendship--the DPRK government always pursues the policy of opening and developing friendly and cooperative relations with all countries and international organizations including the United Nations on the principles of mutual respect for independence, non-interference in other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit.
    The DPRK Foreign Minister in the letter expressed the conviction that it would conform with the mutual interests to establish diplomatic relations between the DPRK and the European Union and its member states and expand and develop these relations in political, economic, cultural and all other fields in keeping with new changes taking place in their relationship at the historic turn of the century.
    The establishment and development of the relations between the DPRK and those countries will give an affirmative effect on finally liquidating the leftover of the cold war and ensuring peace and security in northeast Asia and the rest of the world.

Executive plan signed between ministries of public health of DPRK and China

Beijing, September 19 (KCNA) -- A 2000-2001 executive plan on cooperation in public health and medical science between the DPRK Ministry of Public Health and its Chinese counterpart was signed in Beijing on September 19.
It was signed by Korean vice-Minister Choe Chang Sik of Korean Public Health and Chinese vice-Minister Peng Yu of Public Health.

Japan's moves to tamper with history under fire

    Pyongyang, September 21 (KCNA) -- It was disclosed that the content of Japan's aggression was drastically erased from history textbooks of middle schools to be used from the year 2002, which were applied for approval to the Education Ministry.
    Rodong Sinmun today carries a signed commentary in this connection.
    Calling attention to the fact that the description of the issue of "comfort women for the army" was erased and in some cases they were termed "persons sent to comfort facilities," the commentary says that it was not merely a mistake of some managers of textbooks printing corporations but also an organized, premeditated and intentional scheme of the Japanese authorities.
    The commentary continues:
    Japan's move to negate its past sanguinary crimes and distort and erase them is another crime to be censured by humankind.
    The Japanese reactionaries' moves to delete their crimes against the "comfort women for the army" from the history textbooks indicate that they will neither admit nor apologize and compensate for them.
    By giving false history education to younger generations they seek to keep them ignorant of the past crimes, let them have no sense of guilt and embark upon the road of militarism.
    Now that Japan's past crimes have been erased from history textbooks under the care of the Japanese authorities, we cannot but have doubts about the promise made by the Japanese side at the recent DPRK-Japan inter-governmental talks to make an apology and compensation to the DPRK.
    The Japanese authorities are well advised to bear in mind that false history education will lead Japan to ruin.

U.S. troop pullout called for

    Pyongyang, September 21 (KCNA) -- The Amerindian Action Movement of Guyana issued a statement on September 14 55 years after the U.S troops' occupation of South Korea.
    The statement said:
    The U.S has kept its troops in South Korea under the pretext of checking "intrusion" from North Korea and conducted frantic war exercises to invade the north.
    It is the U.S. troops present in South Korea that jeopardize peace in the Korean peninsula and as long as they remain in South Korea, genuine peace and security on the Korean peninsula can not be achieved but a new war may break out in the region any time.
    If the U.S. is really interested in peace and security on the Korean peninsula and Korean reunification on the threshold of the 21st century, it should take such a practical measure as withdrawal of its troops from South Korea, the statement said, and expressed full support for the Korean people's just struggle to reunify the country independently and peacefully.

Excesses of Japanese imperial army denounced

    Pyongyang, September 21 (KCNA) -- Old woman Kim Sang Hui of South Korean origin who was forced to be a sex slave for the Japanese imperial army, addressing a seminar in Washington on September 17, exposed the unethical crimes committed by Japanese imperialist aggression forces during world war ii, Seoul-based "Yonhap News" said.
    She testified that she was taken to the Japanese army at the age of 17 and underwent unspeakable sufferings in China and Singapore. She said she takes the floor with a single heart to keep history alive and urged the Japanese "Emperor" to make a written apology.
    Those related to the issue of "comfort women for the army" who accompanied her stressed that they would never accept Asian Women's Fund advertised by Japan as a solution to the comfort women issue because it is not reparation but "charity fund."

Film art of Korea

    Pyongyang, September 21 (KCNA) -- Signal achievements have been made in the film art of the DPRK.
    The DPRK's film art is characterized by high ideological and artistic value, strong influence and appealing.
    Film serves as powerful means of giving sound and noble mental pabulum to the people and encouraging them to the revolution and construction.
    What is conspicuous of the DPRK's achievements in film art is the perfect solution of the issue of portraying the leader.
    A large number of films vividly representing the glorious revolutionary activities of the President Kim Il Sung were produced, among them multi-part feature films "Star of Korea", "the Sun of the Nation" and "Forest Sways".
    Those films, widely known as revolutionary ones, give the high honor and pride of the nation to the Korean people who are exceptionally strong in the spirit of worshipping the leader.
    Seeing the films, the people cherish the conviction that they will overcome any ordeal and hardships and surely see the bright future as they are guided by the great leaders.
    Another great achievement is the production of the multi-part feature film "the Nation and Destiny," which can be said to be the face of the Korean film.
    The basic idea of this film is that the destiny of the nation is immediately the destiny of individual. It emotionally shows how persons with different careers of life could jump into a large river called nation.
    This film, made up with scores of parts, has been appreciated as a masterpiece of the times because it is flawless in all aspects such as covering areas, content, composition, direction, acting and shooting.
    Also released were many films reflecting the requirement of the Worker's Party of Korea's policies and the spirit of the times and encouraging the popular masses to the revolution and construction.
    Among them are feature films "My Image In Distant future" and "Trunk Springs from Root" based on the practical themes, which were produced in recent years when the nation's economic situation was bad. The films well shows what is the genuine life for the country and the people.
    Besides, there produced a large number of films dealing with optimistic life, struggle for national reunification, war battles, historical facts and other various themes to enrich the treasure-store of film art.
    The credit for all these achievements goes to the wise guidance of the respected Kim Jong Il, who is a great master of the film art.

Guidance of great leader, basic guarantee for accomplishing cause of national independence

    Pyongyang, September 21 (KCNA) -- The Korean people did not demonstrate their national wisdom and courage as masters of their destiny till they had the great Kim Il Sung at the head of revolution, says Rodong Sinmun today in an article.
    The author of the article goes on:
    What is most important in successfully hewing out national destiny is to be under the leadership of an outstanding leader.
    Kim Il Sung is the great leader whom the Korean people acclaimed and held in high esteem for the first time in the history of thousands of years.
    He turned Korea into a powerful socialist country of independence, self-support and self-reliance in national defence under the banner of the Juche idea. And he put forward the Juche-oriented lines and policies of national reunification and wisely led the whole nation to the struggle to implement them, developing the movement for great national unity and national reunification on to a new higher stage.
    The Korean nation has now held in high esteem the great leader Kim Jong Il who is identical with him in idea, leadership and virtues.
    Kim Jong Il is wisely leading the struggle to accomplish the revolutionary cause of Juche and the cause of national reunification started by Kim Il Sung.
    Kim Jong Il's idea and theory on the essence, character and invincibility of the driving force of the nation who will defend and carry out the cause of national independence are the basic guidelines in the settlement of the issue of the nation which help smash all sorts of imperialism and dominationism, realize national independence and successfully hew out the destiny of nation.
    Thanks to his outstanding idea and leadership Korea has become a powerful country of transparent national independence politics which nobody dares to invade.
    It is under the guidance of the great leaders that the dignity of the Korean nation is shining, the DPRK is demonstrating its might and the cause of national reunification related to the vital destiny of the nation is firmly guaranteed.
    It is a shortcut to accomplishing the cause of national independence and building a powerful unified state of Juche in the east to hold Kim Il Sung in high esteem forever as the eternal sun of Juche and uphold the leadership of Kim Jong Il with single-hearted unity.

Kim Jong Il's work published in Peru

Pyongyang, September 21 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il's famous work "On the Fundamentals of Revolutionary Party Building" was published in booklet by the D.E.S.A. Publishing House of Peru on Sept. 12.
The work was released on Oct. 10, Juche 81 (1992).

Korea's reunification supported

    Pyongyang, September 21 (KCNA) -- The declaration of a meeting of foreign ministers from non-aligned countries held in New York on Sept. 14 expressed support for the Korean people's efforts for national reunification.
    The foreign ministers and heads of delegations reaffirmed support for the Korean people's efforts to reunify the country on the basis of the three principles of national reunification clarified in the July 4 north-south joint statement and the agreement on reconciliation, non-aggression, cooperation and exchange reached between the north and south, it said.
    It hailed the north-south summit talks held in Pyongyang in June, 2000 and expressed hope that the implementation of the north-south joint declaration would ensure peace and security on the Korean peninsula and in its surrounding areas and lead to reunification.