Talks between Kang Sok Ju and Sherman
Pyongyang, October 12 (KCNA) -- Talks were held between Kang Sok Ju, first vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of the DPRK, who is on a visit to the U.S. together with the special envoy of the great leader Kim Jong Il, Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK and Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army, and Sherman, special adviser to the U.S. President and secretary of state and DPRK policy coordinator, on October 10 and 11.
The talks had an in-depth discussion on pending issues between the DPRK and the U.S.
The talks proceeded in an earnest and working-level atmosphere.
Special envoy of Kim Jong Il meets Albright and Cohen
Pyongyang, October 12 (KCNA) -- Vice marshal Jo Myong Rok, first vice-chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission and director of the general political department of the Korean People's Army, on a visit to the United States as a special envoy of the great leader Kim Jong Il, Chairman of the NDC of the DPRK and Supreme Commander of the KPA, had talks with Albright, U.S. Secretary of State, on Oct. 10 and 11.
At the talks, both sides exchanged comprehensive views on the issues of mutual concern.
The special envoy met and had a talk with U.S. Defence Secretary Cohen on Wednesday.
The talks discussed matters related to peace and security in the Korean peninsula and northeast Asia.
The talks proceeded in a sincere, constructive and frank atmosphere.
Joint communique between DPRK and USA
Pyongyang, October 12 (KCNA) -- A joint communique between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the United States of America was released in Washington on Thursday.
The full text of the joint commnique reads:
Vice marshal Jo Myong Rok, first vice-chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK, who is a special envoy of Kim Jong Il, Chairman of the DPRK NDC, visited the USA from October 9 to 12, 2000.
During the visit special envoy Jo Myong Rok conveyed a personal letter of Kim Jong Il, Chairman of the DPRK NDC, and his view on the relations between the DPRK and the U.S. to President William Clinton of the USA. The special envoy and his party met with high-ranking officials of the U.S. administration including Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Secretary of Defense William Cohen and exchanged broad views on the issues of mutual concern. Both sides had an in-depth examination of new opportunities created to comprehensively improve the relations between the two countries. Talks took place in a sincere, constructive and working-level atmosphere and this process helped have better understanding of issues of mutual concern.
Considering that environment on the Korean peninsula has changed thanks to the historic north-south summit talks, the DPRK and the USA decided to take steps to radically improve the bilateral relations in favour of consolidating the peace and security in the Asia-Pacific region. In this connection both sides shared the view that there are different ways of easing the tension on the Korean peninsula and converting the 1953 Armistice Agreement into a durable peace mechanism to put an official end to the Korean War, including four-way talks.
Considering that improving the bilateral relations is a natural aim of the relations between states and the improvement of relations conforms with the interests of the two peoples in the 21st century and, at the same time, will ensure peace and security on the Korean peninsula and in the Asia-Pacific region, both sides declared that they are ready to take a new orientation in the bilateral relations. As the first important step both sides declared that any of the two governments entertains no hostile intention toward the other and affirmed the commitment to make all efforts to establish new relations free from past antagonism in the future.
Both sides agreed to strive to preserve the atmosphere helpful to removing distrust, achieving mutual confidence and handling in a constructive manner issues of primary concern on the principles stipulated in the June 11, 1993 DPRK-U.S. joint statement and reconfirmed in the October 21, 1994 agreed framework.
In this regard, both sides reaffirmed that the relations between the two countries should be based on the principle of mutual respect for sovereignty and non-interference in each other's internal affairs and took note of the fact that it is beneficial to sustain diplomatic contacts on a regular basis through bilateral and multilateral channels.
Both sides agreed to cooperate with each other to develop mutually beneficial economic cooperation and exchange. They discussed an issue of realizing mutual visit of economic and trade experts in the near future to seek trade and commercial possibilities of contributing to the creation of an environment beneficial to the two peoples and favourable for expanding economic cooperation in northeast Asia as a whole.
They shared the view that the settlement of the missile issue would make an important contribution to the radical improvement of the DPRK-U.S. relations and peace and security in the Asia-Pacific region. The DPRK side informed the U.S. that it will not launch any long-range missile while the talks are going on to discuss the missile issue as an effort to build new relations.
The DPRK and the USA gave assurances that they will redouble their commitments and efforts to fully honor their commitments stipulated in the agreed framework. And they fully confirmed that to do so is important for achieving denuclearization, peace and security on the Korean peninsula. For this both sides agreed to make clearer the implementation of the commitments made in the agreed framework. In this regard both sides took note of the fact that an access to the underground facility in Kumchang-ri was useful for clearing the U.S. of its worry.
Both sides paid attention to the fact that recent years witnessed the start of cooperation in the humanitarian field of common concern. The DPRK side expressed thanks to the USA for its significant contribution to meeting the DPRK's humanitarian needs in food and medicine aid. The USA side expressed thanks to the DPRK for cooperating in the excavation of remains of the U.S. soldiers who were reported missing during the Korean War. Both sides agreed to make efforts to push the work of surveying and confirming the whereabouts of those missing soldiers as fast as possible.
Both sides also agreed to continue contacts to discuss the above said issue and other humanitarian issues.
Both sides agreed to support and encourage international efforts to combat terrorism as pointed out in the October 6, 2000 joint statement.
Special envoy Jo Myong Rok briefed the U.S. side on the results of the historic inter-Korean summit and north-south dialogue in the last few months.
The U.S. side expressed its firm commitment to render every appropriate cooperation in the efforts to materialize initiatives to ensure the sustained progress and success of the on-going north-south dialogue and strengthen reconciliation and cooperation between the north and the south including promotion of security talks.
Jo Myong Rok expressed thanks to President Clinton and the American people for according cordial hospitality to him during his visit.
It was agreed that Secretary of State Medeleine Albright will visit the DPRK in the near future in order to directly convey President William Clinton's view to Kim Jong Il, Chairman of the NDC of the DPRK, and make arrangements for the President's visit.
WPK anniv. marked by tri-continental people's solidarity organization
Pyongyang, October 12 (KCNA) -- A ceremony of laying a floral basket before a portrait of the President Kim Il Sung was held by the tri-continental people's solidarity organization on Oct. 3 on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the Worker's Party of Korea (WPK).
The General Secretary and members of the organization were present there.
After placing the floral basket they paid respects to the President.
The General Secretary said the WPK has been strengthened and developed into the most powerful and authoritative party in the world as it has achieved the firm unity and cohesion of the party and the people.
Kim Il Sung is the great leader who performed exploits to remain shining not only in the history of the Korean revolution but in the history of the revolutionary struggle of the world progressive peoples, he said, adding:
The WPK led by general secretary Kim Jong Il, who has perfectly inherited the President's idea and leadership, will always emerge victorious.
Lao party and state delegation to visit DPRK
Pyongyang, October 12 (KCNA) -- A party and state delegation of the Lao People's Democratic Republic headed by Samane Vignaketh, member of the political bureau of the central committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and president of the National Assembly, will soon pay an official goodwill visit to the democratic people's republic of Korea at the invitation of the Central Committee of the Worker's Party of Korea and the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK.
Korean books presented to Guyana
Pyongyang, October 12 (KCNA) -- A ceremony of presenting Korean books was held in the building of the people's progressive party of Guyana on Sept. 30.
The DPRK ambassador to Guyana conveyed famous works of the President Kim Il Sung and General Secretary Kim Jong Il and books on successes and experience gained by the Worker's Party of Korea to Berry Ramsaran, member of the central committee of the People's Progressive Party of Guyana.
Berry Ramsaran in a speech expressed thanks for presenting the works and books and said those books would help them know better about realities of Korea.
S. Korean trade unionists meet
Pyongyang, October 12 (KCNA) -- The South Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and the Federation of Korean Trade Unions held a rally in Seoul on Oct. 8 to vow to stage an all out struggle, with at least 40,000 trade unionists attending, according to Yonhap News.
At the rally the trade unionists demanded the authorities do not sell public business enterprises including electric, communication, railway and gas businesses to foreign countries.
The FKTU clarified that the rally was aimed to declare the start of a joint struggle to solve key problems of the workers such as working hour cutdown and abolition of discrimination against irregular workers in the second half of the year.
The two trade union organizations threatened to call a general strike unless their just demands are met.
Developing DPRK-Russia relations
Pyongyang, October 12 (KCNA) -- Papers here today commemorate the 52nd anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between the DPRK and Russia.
Rodong Sinmun in a signed article notes that the friendship between the two countries has made progress, surmounting trials and ordeals on the principles of independence, mutual respect, non-interference in other's internal affairs and equality.
The article continues:
Today the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries have entered a new phase of development.
Particularly, the Korea visit of V. V. Putin, President of the Russian Federation, at the invitation of the great leader Kim Jong Il was a noteworthy event in the history of DPRK-Russia friendship.
The leaders of the two countries forged intimate relations and deepened trust through their Pyongyang meeting, during which the historic DPRK-Russia joint declaration was made public.
The DPRK-Russia relations are opening an epoch-making phase in political, economic, cultural and other fields in conformity with the spirit of the joint declaration.
The friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries are developing on good terms on the basis of the declaration.
In the international arena, too, the two countries are closely cooperating with each other for common interest and keeping in step with each other in order to solve serious and complicated international issues on the principle of impartiality and international justice.
Referring to recent new positive changes by the policies and activities of President Putin in Russia, the article says that the Korean people sincerely hope everything will go well in Russia.
Minju Joson expresses the belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the DPRK and Russia will be steadily strengthened and developed by the concerted efforts of the two peoples.
Delegation of DPRK Parliamentary Union leaves
Pyongyang, October 12 (KCNA) -- A delegation of the Parliamentary Union of the DPRK headed by Choe Thae Bok, chairman of the Supreme People's Assembly, left here today to participate in the 104th conference of the Inter-Parliamentary Union to be held in Jakarta.
It was seen off at Pyongyang railway station by Jang Chol, vice-chairman of the SPA, and Buchari Effendi, Indonesian ambassador to the DPRK.
It will visit Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand as a delegation of the SPA of the DPRK.
Mass gymnastic display and art performance to celebrate WPK anniversary
Pyongyang, October 12 (KCNA) -- A hundred thousand mass gymnastic display and an art performance "Ever-Victorious Worker's Party of Korea" were held at the May Day Stadium to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the WPK.
The stadium was crowded by working people from all walks of life and servicemen of the Korean People's Army who gathered with the pride and self-confidence in brilliantly decorating the 55th anniversary of the WPK as a grand festival of victors.
General Secretary Kim Jong Il appeared on the platform amidst the playing of the welcome music.
The moment, stormy cheers of "hurrah " burst forth, rocking heaven and earth, waves of welcoming flowers rolled and firecrackers fizzled, decorating the nocturnal sky of the capital city.
Children presented him with bunches of fragrant flowers.
Appearing in the background stand were letters reading "highest glory to the great leader comrade Kim Jong Il".
The platform was taken by Kim Yong Nam, Pak Song Chol, Kim Yong Ju, Hong Song Nam and other senior party and state officials.
Delegates to celebrations of the 55th anniversary of the WPK were seen on the reviewing stands.
The chief of the Pyongyang mission of the National Democratic Front of South Korea, diplomatic envoys of various countries and embassy officials here and foreign guests were invited to see the mass gymnastic display and art performance.
After lake Chon on Mt. Paekdu, the holy mountain of the revolution, appeared on the background the electric beam-formed letters "down with imperialism union," symbolic of the historic roots of the WPK, slowly soared and a torchlight set up above the stadium was lit.
The mass gymnastic display and the art performance began amid the solemn playing of the immortal revolutionary paean "Song of General Kim Il Sung." They were divided into several scenes including "the party of the great comrade Kim Il Sung", "holding high the red flag of faith", "toward a new era of a powerful and prosperous nation under the leadership of the party" and "eternal prosperity to the Worker's Party of Korea."
Pictures and letters singing praises of the greatness of the WPK flashed across the background and rhythmic gymnastics and graceful dances were presented on the stadium and the special stages to the tune of exciting melodies.
The mass gymnastic display and the art performance were highly acclaimed by more than 100,000 spectators for their high ideological value, perfect organization, refined skill and truthful depiction.
When the mass gymnastic display and art performance came to an end, the cheers of "hurrah " burst forth and firework was displayed high in the nocturnal sky.
Kim Jong Il waved to the enthusiastically cheering performers and spectators.
Kim Jong Il's work published in Syria
Pyongyang, October 12 (KCNA) -- The celebrated work of General Secretary Kim Jong Il "the Worker's Party of Korea Is a Juche-type Revolutionary Party Which Inherited the Glorious Tradition of the DIU" was brought out in booklet by the Dar Dimask Publishing House in Syria on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the WPK.
The work was published on Oct. 17, Juche 71 (1982).