Greetings to Dominican President
Pyongyang, November 2 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, today sent a message of greetings to Vernon Shaw, President of the commonwealth of Dominica, on the occasion of the 22nd anniversary of its independence.
The message extended warm congratulations to the President and people of Dominica on the occasion of the 22nd anniversary of its independence.
In the belief that the friendly relations between the two countries would further develop in the new century, the message wished the Dominican people progress and prosperity.
FM Paek Nam Sun meets Germany guests
Pyongyang, November 2 (KCNA) -- Foreign Minister of the DPRK Paek Nam Sun met and conversed with Hans Ulrich Klose, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Federal Assembly of Germany, and his party at the Mansudae Assembly Hall today.
Present there were officials concerned and the representative of the Interest Section for the Federal Republic of Germany in the DPRK.
Protocol of meeting of transport sub-committee signed between DPRK and Russia
Pyongyang, November 2 (KCNA) -- A protocol of the 4th meeting of the transport standing sub-committee of the inter-governmental committee for cooperation in foreign trade, economy, science and technology of the DPRK and the Russian Federation was signed in Pyongyang yesterday.
Present at the signing ceremony were Kim Kwang Su, first vice-Minister of Railways, and officials concerned and the members of the delegation of the Russian Ministry of Railway Transport headed by first deputy Minister Alexander Tselko.
Kim Kwang Su and Alexander Tselko signed the protocol.
Kim Jong Il praised as central figure for great national unity of Korea
Pyongyang, November 2 (KCNA) -- Mamadou Ali Sanpil, chairman of the Guinean Committee for Supporting Korea's Reunification, on October 24 issued a statement titled "He the great leader Kim Jong Il's idea of great national unity is being materialized."
Recalling that a favourable environment is being created for the peaceful reunification of Korea, he said:
The summit talks between the north and the south took place recently, a joint declaration was published and the repatriation of unconverted long-term prisoners and the hometown visits of separated families and relatives were realized.
This was ascribable to Kim Jong Il's idea of great national unity and energetic leadership.
The idea of great national unity has enjoyed an absolute support of the public inside and outside Korea because it most correctly reflects the aspiration and demand of the whole Korean nation. In particular, his benevolent politics, all-embarrassing politics inspires all the Korean people to come out in the struggle to accomplish the cause of reunification.
Kim Jong Il's cause of great national unity has reached a turning-point of new victory and harmony and cooperation among all Koreans are being achieved in Korea.
The Korean nation has a bright future as Kim Jong Il stands in the center of great national unity.
Proposal for founding DFRK supported
Pyongyang, November 2 (KCNA) - The Egypt-Korea Friendship Association in a statement issued on October 28 on the occasion of the month of supporting the proposal for founding the Democratic Federal Republic of Koryo said that the proposal is the most reasonable one for Korea's reunification as it most fairly reflects the interests of all classes, strata, political parties and groups in the north and south of Korea.
The statement said:
Now that differing ideologies and systems have existed in the north and south for over half a century and none of them is ready to make a concession on this issue the best way of reunifying Korea as early as possible is to found a reunified state by federal formula based on the conception of one nation, one state, two systems and two governments.
We express the firm belief that the Korean people's just cause of independent and peaceful reunification of the country will surely be achieved under the wise leadership of the respected Kim Jong Il who is successfully carrying out President Kim Il Sung's last instruction for national reunification.
Establishment of Japan-Korea diplomatic relations urged
Tokyo, October 31 (KNS-KCNA) -- The Aichi Society for Promoting Educational and Cultural Interchange between Japan and Korea on Oct. 20 submitted to the Japanese Foreign Minister a request for an early establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and the DPRK and development of educational, cultural and other interchange between the two countries.
The request was handed to an official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by acting chairman of the society Noriyuki Takahashi.
Kim Jong Il's army-first politics praised
Pyongyang, November 2 (KCNA) -- A joint seminar of different political parties, movements, units and organizations in the maritime area of the Russian Federation on the exploits of the great leader Kim Jong Il's army-first revolutionary leadership was held in Vladivostok on October 25.
Present there were representatives and activists of maritime organizations of different political parities, movements and units including the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, the Communist Worker's Party of Russia, the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks and the Movement for Supporting Army.
The reporter and speakers at the seminar said that the Korean people have firmly defended Korean-style socialism from the vicious moves of the allied forces of the imperialists and reactionaries to isolate and suffocate the DPRK, adding that this astonishing reality is a brilliant fruition of Kim Jong Il's army-first politics.
The complicated international situation clearly proves that the army-first politics serves as a treasured sword in defending socialism and a powerful weapon to realize the human cause of independence, they stressed.
They expressed the belief that the people and people's army of Korea will as ever win one victory after another in the confrontation with the imperialists and reactionaries and surely build a powerful socialist nation as long as there is the outstanding army-first revolutionary leadership of Kim Jong Il.
A letter to Kim Jong Il was adopted at the seminar.
Inter-Korean joint resolution on peace, security and reunification on Korean peninsula adopted
Pyongyang, November 2 (KCNA) -- An inter-Korean joint resolution on "peace, security and reunification on Korean peninsula" was adopted with a unanimous approval at the plenary meeting of the 55th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations on Oct. 31.
The resolution said:
Convinced that inter-Korean dialogue and cooperation are essential to consolidating peace and security on the Korean peninsula and also contribute to peace and stability in the region and beyond, in conformity with the purposes and principles of the charter of the United Nations, the UN General Assembly recognizes that the inter-Korean summit talks held in Pyongyang and the joint declaration represented a major breakthrough in inter-Korean relations and in realizing eventual peaceful reunification.
The resolution went on:
Commending the positive developments on the Korean peninsula taking place in the wake of the inter-Korean summit, the General Assembly recalls the statement welcoming the inter-Korean summit and the follow-up measures made by the co-chairpersons of the Millennium Summit of the United Nations.
The General Assembly welcomes and supports the inter-Korean summit and the north-south joint declaration and encourages the north and south of Korea to continue to implement fully and in good faith the joint declaration and other agreements reached between the two sides, thereby consolidating peace on the Korean peninsula and laying a solid foundation for peaceful reunification.
The UN General Assembly invites the UN member states to support and assist, as appropriate, the process of inter-Korean dialogue, reconciliation and reunification so that it may contribute to peace and security on the Korean peninsula and in the world as a whole.
Preserving Juche character and national identity for Korea's reunification called for
Pyongyang, November 2 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today in a signed article says flunkeyism, subjectivism and dogmatism are taboo in the struggle for Korea's reunification.
The article goes on: The cause of national reunification can be the genuine cause of the nation for its independent development and prosperity only when the Juche character and national identity are preserved.
Preserving the Juche character and national identity in the work for the country's reunification is the principled requirement for the independent reunification of the country and essential demand for achieving the reunification in conformity with the interests of the nation and the specific conditions of the country.
The cause of reunification to win the supreme interests of the nation should be achieved by the entire Korean nation, the driving force of it. It is due to the outside forces that the homogeneous. Korean nation with a history of 5,000 years has remained divided into two so far.
It is unnecessary for our nation to read other's mind or ask for other's help in dealing with all the problems and the issue of national reunification in particular.
The Korean nation has made enormous contributions to the human history of culture. With this national pride we should have a Juche-oriented viewpoint and stand on the country's reunification.
The June 15 north-south joint declaration is of weighty significance as it confirmed the two sides' resolve to independently solve the issue of national reunification by concerted efforts of the nation.
This declaration made it possible for our fellow countrymen to pave the broad avenue for national reunification under the banner of national independence.
The national identity and patriotism and the spirit of national independence based on it are the basis for achieving the great national unity irrespective of interests of different classes and strata and reunifying the country.
If subjectivism is allowed to turn aside from the objective conditions and realities in the national reunification movement or other's ready-made solution to the reunification issue is blindly applied, it will be impossible to represent the interests of the whole nation in general and achieve the country's reunification in accordance with the will and interests of the nation.
Idea of friendship is guideline for achieving independence
Pyongyang, November 2 (KCNA) -- Strong true friendship among the world progressive people guarantees their victory in their efforts to realise independence, says Rodong Sinmun today in a signed article.
The imperialist and dominationist forces are most afraid of the true friendship among the world progressive people and for this reason they are working hard overtly or covertly to disturb it, the article says, and goes on:
The world progressive people should see through the true colors of the imperialists and dominationists and make positive efforts to strengthen their true friendship. There can be true friendship only when it is based on an independent stand.
If big-power chauvinism, an idea of oppressing and dominating others, and flunkeyism, an idea of not believing in one's own strength and toeing and looking up to big and developed countries are allowed in the relations between countries and nations it will breed inequality and discord among countries and nations and it is impossible to achieve true friendship and cooperation among them.
In order to hold fast to the independent stand, it is necessary to address and handle all problems arising in the international arena from an independent stand and solve them independently in the interests of their countries and nations.
It is also necessary not to allow others to violate their sovereignty but struggle against all practices of infringing upon the sovereignty of other countries.
It is the consistent stand of the DPRK government to establish and develop the relations of friendship, cooperation and good-neighborliness with all countries that respect its sovereignty and are friendly to it, guided by the idea of independence, peace and friendship, the article concludes.
Three-point charter of Korea's reunification supported
Pyongyang, November 2 (KCNA) -- Hector Manuel Andreu Cuellar, president of the Mexican Fellowship Association to honor the memory of President Kim Il Sung, signed the signature paper for supporting the three-point charter of Korea's reunification on October 25 on behalf of the association.
He said that the three-point charter of Korea's reunification is the program clearly indicating the way of Korea's reunification.
Leader Kim Jong Il opened up a turning phase of Korea's reunification with outstanding wisdom, he said, adding:
Korea will surely be reunified in the near future.
Note by unconverted long-term prisoner
Pyongyang, November 2 (KCNA) -- We unconverted long-term prisoners could preserve political integrity and survive such stern ordeals as we held the great leaders President Kim Il Sung and marshal Kim Jong Il in high esteem and this was our mainstay, wrote Kim Yong Thae, unconverted long-term prisoner, in his note published after he came back to the socialist fatherland.
He went on:
Wherever we went, people in the homeland deeply sympathized with us unconverted long-term prisoners upon having a hard time. Each time we heard this, we thought it was Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il as well as the revolutionary comrades and people in the north who underwent real difficulties.
I feel ashamed of serving my prison term only without carrying out my duty given by the country. If there be anything done by us we remained true to the sense of revolutionary obligation towards the great leaders.
I saw the South Korean people eagerly asking soldiers of the people's army not to leave them during its temporary retreat though they were under the administration of the DPRK only for a few days. But as a man who experienced this administration for five years I could not betray it. My 35 years in prison were a period of my self-control and self-education.
When I was told that the DPRK launched a satellite and Jong Song Ok won the world marathon championship as she drew strength and courage in the entire 42 km race, picturing Kim Jong Il to herself, I grasped the might of the DPRK where the people are firmly united around him and got an inspiration from it.
Many families move to new houses
Pyongyang, November 2 (KCNA) -- Many families in different parts of the country have moved to new houses.
500 new houses have been built on the Phothae integrated farm in Samjiyon county, Ryanggang Province, on the northern tip of the country for the discharged soldiers who had volunteered to work there.
These houses have all necessary household goods including furniture and kitchen utensils.
Bathhouses with saunas barber's shop and beauty salons, modern nurseries and kindergartens have also sprung up in the new residential quarters.
New houses have also been built in other areas for newly-wed couples.
300 discharged soldiers of the Kwangmyongsong saltern, a leading salt producer on the east coast, have moved to new houses at a time.
Well-appointed houses stand in rows around the saltern.
The construction of 90 new houses has been completed on the state-run Kyenam farm and 55 houses on the Pumin cooperative farm in Kangryong county.