Kim Jong Il inspects Mt. Kumgang tourist area
Pyongyang, October 1 (KCNA)-- General Secretary Kim Jong Il on September 30 inspected the Mt. Kumgang tourist area now being developed by Hyundai Asan of South Korea.
He was accompanied by Kim Yong Sun, chairman of the Korean Asia-Pacific Peace Committee, Pak Song Bong, first vice-department director of the Central Committee of the Worker's Party of Korea, Song Ho Gyong, vice-chairman of the Korean Asia-Pacific Peace Committee, and KPA generals Hyon Chol Hae and Pak Jae Gyong.
Kim Jong Il was greeted on the spot by chairman of the Hyundai Asan board of directors Jong Mong Hon and his party.
Kim Jong Il was guided by Jong Mong Hon to tour various places including a wharf of Kosong port, a hotel and tourist center built by Hyundai Asan.
He praised the sincere efforts exerted by Hyundai Asan, noting with satisfaction that it has done a lot of work for the development of Mt. Kumgang and other economic cooperation in the past and energetically pushed forward the work to put the relations of economic cooperation on a higher plane, thus positively contributing to the implementation of the north-south joint declaration.
Jong Mong Hon expressed profound gratitude to Kim Jong Il for sparing time to visit Hyundai Asan's workplace despite pressure of time and give a pep-talk to it and saying precious words on promoting north-south reconciliation and cooperation.
At the end of the inspection Kim Jong Il hosted a luncheon in honor of chairman Jong Mong Hon and his party and had a souvenir picture taken with them.
The luncheon proceeded in an atmosphere overflowing with warm compatriotic feelings.
Joint meeting of representatives of government, political parties and organizations of DPRK held
Pyongyang, October 1 (KCNA) -- A joint meting of representatives of the government, political parties and organizations of the DPRK was held in Pyongyang on September 29.
The meeting discussed measures to make the 55th anniversary of the Worker's Party of Korea an occasion of deepening understanding and confidence among political parties, organizations and individual figures in the north and the south to meet the requirements of the prevailing situation where the entire nation witnesses an ever-growing atmosphere of reconciliation, unity and reunification in the wake of the historic Pyongyang meeting and the publication of the June 15 joint declaration.
As part of those measures the meeting decided to invite representatives of the political parties and organizations and individual personages of the south side to Pyongyang on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the WPK and send a letter in the name of the joint meeting.
The letter said:
The north side invites representatives of the political parties and organizations and figures from all walks of life of the south side to Pyongyang on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the WPK. On the occasion representatives of political parties and organizations and figures from all walks of life in the north and south may have candid bilateral and multilateral contacts and seek practical ways of bringing a bright future to the nation in the spirit of the June 15 joint declaration. And the north side will accord cordial hospitality to personages from the south side with warm compatriotic feelings no matter in what capacities they may come.
Joint symposium of Guyanese political parties on WPK's feats
Pyongyang, October 1 (KCNA) -- A joint symposium of Guyanese political parties on the feats of the Worker's Party of Korea was held in Georgetown on September 26 to mark the 55th anniversary of the WPK.
Manzoor Nadir, leader of the United Force Party of Guyana, in his speech hailed the WPK's achievement of the single-hearted unity with the people as its most important success.
Noting that the WPK has mixed with the masses and worked hard to serve the people true to the instructions of General Secretary Kim Jong Il, he said that this is an important experience we should learn from.
Robert Williams, general secretary of the Good Green Guyana, in his speech noted that the WPK has grown to be an invincible party which has won only victory despite all sorts of difficulties over the past 55 years thanks to the Juche-based and original principles of party building and activities.
It is the result of the wise guidance of President Kim Il Sung and General Secretary Kim Jong Il that the WPK could emerge as a seasoned and veteran party, he added.
Peter Persaud, leader of the Amerindian Action Movement of Guyana, said in his speech that the WPK could become a most authoritative, invincible and revolutionary party in the world and a strong party absolutely supported by the people because Kim Il Sung correctly solved the issue of succession to the cause of the party and Kim Jong Il has inherited his idea and leadership and wisely led the party.
It is the greatest achievement of Kim Il Sung that he made it possible to steadily carry forward and develop the cause of the WPK generation after generation.
A letter to Kim Jong Il was adopted at the symposium.
National committee for study of Juche idea formed in Romania
Pyongyang, October 1 (KCNA) -- The Romanian National Committee for the Study of the Juche Idea was inaugurated in Bucharest on September 23 to mark the 55th anniversary of the Worker's Party of Korea.
At the inaugural meeting, vice-chairman of the central committee of the Socialist Party of Romania Zanfir Konstantin was elected chairman of the national committee and chairman of the central committee of the Socialist Party of Romania Vasile Orleanu its vice-chairman.
Italian parliamentary delegation feted
Pyongyang, October 1 (KCNA) -- The Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea gave a reception at Mokran House on Saturday in honor of the visiting parliamentary delegation of the Republic of Italy.
Speaking at the reception, Choe Thae Bok, chairman of the SPA, said that the DPRK and the Republic of Italy opened diplomatic relations early this year and the bilateral relations have entered a new stage.
The Korea visit of Luciano Violante, president of the chamber of deputies, will give stronger momentum to the relations now favourably developing between the two countries, he noted.
Italy's say and influence in the international arena are growing stronger day by day, he said, adding this is ascribable to the political independence of Italy.
The DPRK will make every possible effort to strengthen and develop the relations with Italy in different fields in keeping with the good environment existing between the two countries, he stated, expressing the belief that the delegation's current Korea visit will prove to be fruitful.
Luciano Violante in his speech expressed deep thanks for the warm hospitality accorded to the delegation.
Pointing out that the relations between Italy and the DPRK are developing very favourably, he said his delegation was very pleased with this.
The development of the inter-Korean relations is of very weighty significance in the development of the situation not only in Korea but in the rest of Asia, he said, hoping that these relations will develop on good terms.
Developing relations between the two parliaments of the DPRK and Italy is of very weighty significance, he noted, adding that the chamber of deputies of Italy will in the future, too, strive to develop the bilateral relations.
Meanwhile, choe thae bok met and had a friendly conversation with the delegation which paid a courtesy call on him on the same day.
Independence and reunification termed only way out for Korean nation
Pyongyang, October 1 (KCNA) -- Independence and reunification are the only way out for the Korean nation, a way leading to patriotism, says Rodong Sinmun today in a signed article.
The President Kim Il Sung put forward the line of achieving reunification through national independence long ago and the great leader Kim Jong Il is wisely leading the people to defend the immortal feats performed by the President for the cause of national reunification, the cause of national independence, and carry through this line, the article notes, and goes on:
The reunification of the country represents the cause of independence of the Korean nation.
The issue of national reunification for the independence of the nation should be independently settled by the efforts of the nation itself under any circumstances. Dependence on foreign forces would never bring the reunification of the country.
The Korean nation is responsible for national reunification. It should be achieved by the efforts of the Korean nation itself in its interests according to its will and demand for independence.
The Korean nation should thoroughly reject intervention of outside forces and discharge their responsibility and exercise their right as the master in the movement for national reunification.
In order to achieve the reunification of the country by the efforts of the Korean nation itself, all its members should arm themselves with the spirit of national independence and thoroughly oppose and reject flunkeyism and dependence on outside forces.
They should have a high degree of awareness that they are responsible for national reunification, and cherish the fixed faith and will to reunify the country by their own efforts despite any ordeals and difficulties.
In order to achieve the cause of national reunification independently, it is imperative to firmly build the driving force of the nation.
The whole Korean nation should firmly unite regardless of differences in ideology, religious belief and system and discharge their responsibility and role as the master in the struggle for national reunification.
Italian Prime Minister on DPRK-Italy relations
Pyongyang, October 1 (KCNA) -- Italian Prime Minister Guiliano Amato said he was glad that diplomatic relations were opened between Italy and the DPRK in January and he would exert all efforts to successfully implement good agreements signed recently and develop overall relations with the DPRK.
He said this when meeting DPRK Foreign Minister Park Nam Sun who paid a courtesy call on him on September 28. The Prime Minister warmly hailed efforts of the DPRK for the development of the country and the north-south relations and successes already achieved.