Message of sympathy to Bangladesh Prime Minister
Pyongyang, October 21 (KCNA) -- Hong Song Nam, premier of the cabinet of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, sent a message of sympathy to Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, in connection with big human and material losses caused by the floods that hit its southwestern part.
He in the message expressed deep sympathy and consolation to the Prime Minister and, through her, to the people in the afflicted area and belief that the government would recover from the disaster and bring their living to normal at an early date.
Stand of EU countries to open diplomatic relations with DPRK welcomed
Pyongyang, October 21 (KCNA) -- The spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea today gave an answer to a question put by KCNA as regards the position of Germany, Britain, Netherlands and other EU countries to establish diplomatic relations with the DPRK.
He said:
Establishment and development of friendly relations among the states are a product of an independent decision of each country and of an independent foreign policy.
We welcome the decision of those countries, considering that this conforms with the trend of the situation today when radical changes are taking place in the international relations after the end of the Cold War.
It is the invariable stand of the DPRK government to establish and develop friendly and cooperative relations with all the countries on the principle of mutual respect for sovereignty, non-interference in other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefits in accordance with the noble idea of its foreign policy--independence, peace and friendship.
We have had multi-faceted contacts and dialogue to boost the relations with EU countries and already proposed to those countries to establish diplomatic relations with the DPRK.
To establish diplomatic relations between the DPRK and EU countries will help expand and develop the bilateral relations in various fields and preserve peace and security in northeast Asia and the rest of the world.
The DPRK government will as ever develop friendly and cooperative relations with all the countries around the world that respect the sovereignty of the DPRK and are friendly toward it.
Talks between delegations of WPK and British party
Pyongyang, October 21 (KCNA) -- Talks were held here today between the delegations of the Worker's Party of Korea (WPK) and the New Communist Party of Great Britain.
Present there were Kim Yang Gon, department director of the Central Committee of the WPK, officials concerned and the members of the delegation of the New Communist Party of Great Britain headed by Andy Brooks, general secretary of the party.
Both sides informed each other of their activities and exchanged views on developing the friendly and cooperative relations between the two parties and a series of matters of mutual concern.
The talks proceeded in a comradely and friendly atmosphere.
Executive director of KEDO leaves
Pyongyang, October 21 (KCNA) -- The executive director of the KEDO (Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization) and his party left here today after visiting the DPRK in connection with the light water reactor project.
Kim Jong Il receives Choe Hong Hui
Pyongyang, October 21 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il on Friday received Choe Hong Hui, president of the International Taekwon-do Federation, who is staying in the socialist homeland.
Present there were secretaries Kim Jung Rin and Kim Yong Sun of the Central Committee of the Worker's Party of Korea.
Kim Jong Il had a cordial conversation with the president, gave a luncheon for him and had a souvenir picture taken with him.
2nd-stage project of Anbyon Youth Power Station completed
Pyongyang, October 21 (KCNA) -- A ceremony for the completion of the 2nd-stage project of the Anbyon Youth Power Station, one of the world's leading hydro power stations, was held on the spot yesterday.
This power station in Kangwon Province is the biggest gift presented by the people's army and people to the party and the country on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the Worker's Party of Korea.
On the very day people's army soldiers finished the first-stage project of the power station despite adversity, the great leader Kim Jong Il visited it and unrolled a grand blueprint for the second-stage project of the power station and wisely led their drive to complete it.
He gave at least 50 highly important teachings and took every necessary measure to push ahead with the project.
During the second-stage project soldier-builders erected several giant dams and finished the project for expanding the lower intake tunnel extending thousands of metres.
Keeping pace with their drive, civilian builders also succeeded in completing various power stations, the assembling of generator and the project for reinforcing the regulating dam.
Supreme Commander Kim Jong Il in an order issued on October 4 declared to the world that the power station was completed thanks to the heroic struggle of the servicemen and builders and extended thanks to them, highly appreciating the heroic exploits they performed by erecting a gigantic edifice in the era of the workers' party.
Among those present at the ceremony were Jo Myong Rok, director of the general political department of the Korean People's Army, Kwak Pom Gi, vice premier of the cabinet, and others.
Minister of the People's Armed Forces Kim Il Chol in a report at the ceremony said that the completion of the second-stage project of the Anbyon youth power station made it possible to creditably carry out the behest of the President Kim Il Sung and more satisfactorily meet the needs of the national economy for electricity.
Noting that it is of weighty importance to keep electricity production going at the power station to seek the solution of the problem of electricity, a breakthrough in the building of a powerful nation, he called for taking good care of equipment to boost the production.
Senior party and state officials cut the red cloth hanging across the dam.
4th "National Immunization Day" observed
Pyongyang, October 21 (KCNA) -- October 20 is "National Immunization Day" in the DPRK.
An inaugural meeting of the 4th "National Immunization Day" was held in Pyongyang on Friday.
Present there were scientists and technicians in the field of public health and medical workers in the DPRK. Also present there were David Morton, UN resident coordinator and resident representative of the United Nations Development Programme here, Dilawar Ali Khan, representative of the office of the United Nations Children's Fund, head Thomas Liew and members of the aid delegation of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Du Yuping, consultant of the expanded programme on immunization of the who, David Bulman, deputy representative and a staff member of the Mission of the World Food Programme, and staff members of the office of the UNICEF here.
Minister of Public Health Kim Su Hak recalled in his opening speech that various international bodies and organizations including who and UNICEF sent competent experts to the DPRK for technical cooperation in the successful holding of the day and provided a sufficient amount of prophylactic medicine, many refrigeration facilities and transport means for scientific and technological preventive inoculation.
He expressed his heartfelt thanks to the international bodies and various governmental and non-governmental organizations for their sincere help to the DPRK, manifesting expectation that they would positively contribute to the work for the promotion of the Korean children's health in the future, too.
The representative of the office of the UNICEF here and the adviser of the expanded programme on immunization of the who made congratulatory speeches.
They said that international organizations would in the future, too, continue technical and material aid to combating infantile paralysis and the expanded programme on immunization in the DPRK.
At the end of the meeting its participants looked round photos showing the successes achieved in the health care in the DPRK.
On this day, spinal paralysis preventive inoculation was done to all the children up to the age of five in Pyongyang and all local areas.
Turning out to build reunified powerful nation
Pyongyang, October 21 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today in a signed article calls upon all the fellow countrymen in the north, south and abroad to turn out in a nationwide struggle to build a reunified powerful nation in this land with optimism and firm conviction of the reunification of the country under the guidance of the great Kim Jong Il, the sun of the nation and the lodestar of national reunification.
The present reality that an epochal phase of national reunification is opening more urgently requires our fellow countrymen to devote themselves to the cause of national reunification, the cherished desire of the nation, irrespective of differences in ideology and system, class and strata, political view and religious belief, whether they live in the north, south or abroad, the article says, and notes:
The desire for national reunification should be achieved by struggle.
The day of national reunification will come faster when all the members of the nation are closely united as one and make a tangible contribution to the cause of national reunification, the common cause of the nation, those with strength devoting strength, those with knowledge dedicating knowledge and those with money donating money.
The north-south joint declaration is a declaration of national independence which opened a bright prospect of national reunification, a declaration orientated toward reunification and a declaration of national unity, enjoying absolute support of the Korean nation as well as the world people.
Now that the great vitality of the declaration has been verified in practice, attitude toward it is a touchstone which proves who truly wants reunification or not.
Kim Jong Il with his unshakable will to reunify the country in our generation without fail, true to the noble intention of the great leader Kim Il Sung, the eternal sun of the nation, is leading the struggle of the Korean nation for reunification to victory.
A bright vista for the Korean people to achieve their historic desire for national reunification in the near future has opened because they are holding Kim Jong Il in high esteem as the sun of the nation and the lodestar of national reunification and are wisely led by him.
Israel hit for aggravating situation in Middle East
Pyongyang, October 21 (KCNA) -- It is Israel that is rendering the situation in the Middle East unstable, says Minju Joson today in a signed commentary.
The issue of peace in the Middle East would have been settled long before if Israel had not pursued its expansionist policy there, the commentary observes, and goes on:
Sustained efforts have been made for peace in this region on the peace-for-land principle, but they have produced no result owing to Israel.
No sooner had Palestinians staged a mass demonstration than Israel committed a bloody crackdown upon it by mobilizing heavily armed soldiers. This revealed once again Israel's true colors as harasser of Middle East peace.
The massive resistance of the Palestinians is a just struggle to defend their legitimate national rights. The Korean people's stand toward the struggle of the Palestinian people remains unchanged.
Israel should swim with the trend of the times, come out at once to settle the situation and take practical measures for Middle East peace.
6th National Exhibition of Inventions and New Technologies closes
Pyongyang, October 21 (KCNA) -- The 6th National Exhibition of Inventions and New Technologies closed on Oct. 19 with due ceremony.
Objects, miniatures, video cassettes and pictures of more than 11,000 inventions and new technical materials of at least 3,500 species achieved by scientists, technicians and inventors in their scientific researches and practice were presented at the exhibition, which opened on July 13. Tens of thousands of working people including scientists, technicians, office workers and students visited the exhibition hall and methodological lectures and presentation meetings of scientific and technological papers were held.
Over 1,200 presenters were awarded prizes at the closing ceremony for their valuable inventions and new technical achievements such as steel casting mold for molten iron, remote-controlled excessive electricity load breaker and technique of producing footwear mould with the help of computers, which were highly evaluated at the exhibition.
Vice-premier of the cabinet Jo Chang Dok and officials concerned were present at the closing ceremony.
Japan's move to establish "TMD" system under fire
Pyongyang, October 21 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today carries a signed article accusing the Japanese chief executive for reaffirming at the diet on Sept. 27 that Japan would continue a joint technical study of the "Theatre Missile Defence" system.
The article says:
He made incoherent remarks that the system is merely "defensive," the joint technical study with the United States is an "important task for the sake of national defence policy and it would not exert negative influence on peace and security in the region".
Japan's active participation in the joint development of the system is aimed to have the technique of producing mass destruction weapons and secure a large number of offensive weapons.
The article brings to light the sophism of the Japanese reactionaries about "military threat" from the DPRK, a pretext for the development of the system.
Now that huge aggression forces including many missiles and nuclear weapons have been densely deployed around the Korean peninsula for a forestalling attack, it is necessary for the DPRK to have its own firm defence power, the article says, stressing: all this is for self-defence.
The Japan's move to establish the system is not for "security" and "defence" but for offensive, becoming a great threat to peace and security in Asia and the factor of aggravating tensions, the article notes, adding:
Many countries are making efforts to strengthen military forces against the moves of Japan to establish the system.
The Japanese reactionaries should clearly see developments and stop their moves to develop the system.
Popular dish at Pyongyang restaurants
Pyongyang, October 21 (KCNA) -- Nowadays catfish soup is very popular at different restaurants in Pyongyang.
Most famous of them is Pyongyang Megithangjip (restaurant which specially serves catfish soup) situated on the bank of the River Taedong. It is visited by at least 1,500 people everyday.
A two-phase preparation is needed for this soup. Cuts of catfish are briefly boiled in a scallop and beef, beancurds, eggs, costmary and at least 10 kinds of spices such as cherry, green onion and garlic are put into it before boiling it again.
Then the soup gives a savory smell and special flavor.
Catfish soup is listed as very highly caloric dish as it contains various nutritive substance including proteins, minerals and vitamins.
Everyday fresh catfish is delivered to restaurants from catfish farms.
A mass movement is now under way across the country to breed catfish.
Mori's junket to S. Korea rejected
Pyongyang, October 21 (KCNA) -- At least 200 members of the association of families of pacific war dead on October 18 held a rally in Seoul to protest Japanese Prime Minister Mori's junket to South Korea, according to the South Korean newspaper Hangyore.
Its participants denounced the Japanese imperialists for hurling many Koreans into pacific war shambles to meet disasters and demanded Japan officially apologize and compensate for them.
They stated that they are opposed to the South Korea visit of Mori who claimed that Tok islet belongs to Japan, and demanded Mori promptly withdraw his reckless remarks and step down.
Kim Jong Il's works published in Mexico
Pyongyang, October 21 (KCNA) - General Secretary Kim Jong Il's famous works "Socialism Is a Science" and "the Worker's Party of Korea Is the Party of the Great Leader Comrade Kim Il Sung" were published in pamphlet by the Mexican Worker's Party Publishing House on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the Worker's Party of Korea.
DPRK-U.S. joint communique supported
Pyongyang, October 21 (KCNA) -- The DPRK-U.S. joint communique was supported by China and Russia.
A spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry of China, commenting on the DPRK-U.S. joint communique, said that the Chinese government is making sustained efforts to preserve peace and stability on the Korean peninsula and has always supported and welcomed anything helpful to them.
Losyukov, vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia, when interviewed by Itar-tass, noted that the dialogue between Pyongyang and Washington is of important nature and, accordingly, Russia fully supports it.
Kim Il Sung's great idea of reunification and immortal exploits praised
Pyongyang, October 21 (KCNA) -- The Latin American and Caribbean Regional Committee to Support the Reunification of Korea, political parties and organizations of Peru issued a joint statement on October 9 on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the publication of the proposal for founding the Democratic Federal Republic of Koryo (DFRK).
The statement said that they paid highest tribute to the great Kim Il Sung, highly praising the immortal exploits he performed on behalf of times and humankind for the reunification of Korea and the cause of global independence.
It continued:
Kim Il Sung set forth many fair and aboveboard reunification proposals including the proposal for founding the DFRK and devoted all his life to their materialization.
His great idea of reunification and immortal exploits will shine long in the history of the movement for Korea's reunification.
It warmly supported and welcomed the north-south joint declaration provided by the respected Kim Jong Il, highly appreciating it as a historic agreement of weighty significance in the history of the movement.
It bitterly condemned the anachronistic moves of the anti-reunification war forces in the name of the world peaceloving people and strongly demanded an immediate halt to them.
The statement appealed to all the peace- and justice-loving governments, political parties and organizations and individual figures of the world and international bodies and democratic organizations to undertake a positive international campaign to voice support and solidarity for the peace on the Korean peninsula and its independent and peaceful reunification based on the progress in the implementation of the north-south joint declaration.
Group for study of Juche philosophy formed in Ecuador
Pyongyang, October 21 (KCNA) -- The Quito, Ecuador, Group for the Study of the Man-centered Juche Philosophy was formed in Quito on October 9.
A member of the Ecuadorian parliament who is chairman of the Ecuadorian African and American Tribe Association was elected chairman of the group at the inaugural meeting.
The chairman said that the study and dissemination of the Juche idea is an issue vital to the people of Ecuador and vowed to deeply study the man-centered Juche idea and learn from the precious experience of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and thus positively contribute to building independent and powerful Ecuador like the DPRK.
A letter to the great leader Kim Jong Il was adopted at the meeting.
Kim Jong Il praised
Pyongyang, October 21 (KCNA) -- Senior political party leaders of the Congo and Peru issued statements on October 8 on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the Worker's Party of Korea.
Leon Nzokene, general secretary of the Congolese Socialist Party, said in the statement that the WPK, which was founded and has grown strong, guided by the great Juche idea, is now dynamically advancing as the center of world socialism.
The DPRK has become a great crystal of the ideology and will and a large family, an invincible political and military power in which all the people are firmly united as one around General Secretary Kim Jong Il under his wise leadership, he noted.
Victor Oliva Miguel, general secretary of the Socialist Revolutionary Party of Peru, said in the statement titled "Comrade Kim Jong Il is the great leader of the cause of independence and the sun of humankind in the 21st century":
Kim Jong Il, leading the party, the state and revolutionary armed forces for many years, has strengthened and developed the WPK to be a single-heartedly united invincible party and ever-victorious, experienced guiding forces that ensure one victory after another and enabled the Korean people to emerge as the most dignified, greatest and happiest people in the world.
He is not only the great leader of the Korean people but a great guide of the cause of independence and the sun of the people in the 21st century.
The socialist revolutionary party of Peru will always support the cause of the WPK, cherishing the exceptional honor and pride of having Kim Jong Il as its honorary leader.