Namibian President leaves
Pyongyang, November 30 (KCNA) -- Namibian President Sam Nujoma left here by special plane at the end of his three-day official goodwill visit to the DPRK.
There was a ceremony at the airport to see off the Namibian President.
The national anthems of the two countries were played and Sam Nujoma, together with Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, reviewed a guard of honor of the three services of the Korean People's Army.
Minister of the People's Armed Forces Kim Il Chol, Minister of Foreign Affairs Paek Nam Sun, Minister of Culture Kang Nung Su and others were among the farewell-bidders at the airport.
55th anniversary of GFTUK marked
Pyongyang, November 30 (KCNA) -- A meeting commemorating the 55th anniversary of the General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea (GFTUK) was held at the Central Workers' Hall Wednesday.
The meeting was attended by secretaries of the Central Committee of the Worker's Party of Korea Han Song Ryong, Kim Jung Rin, vice-premier of the cabinet Jo Chang Dok and officials concerned.
Ryom Sun Gil, chairman of the central committee of the GFTUK, in a report said that the foundation of the GFTUK was a bright fruition of the President Kim Il Sung's Juche-oriented idea and theory on the building of trade unions. The foundation of the GFTUK made it possible to further strengthen the driving force of the revolution and for the Korean working class to positively uphold the cause of the Worker's Party of Korea as a force under a nationwide mass political organization, the first of its kind in history, the reporter stressed, and went on:
The GFTUK has now entered its best days under the tested and experienced leadership of the great leader Kim Jong Il.
He set forth a high target for trade unions to make a true contribution to the cause of modeling the whole society on the Juche idea and gave comprehensive answers to all the theoretical and practical questions arising in union work.
The political and ideological might of trade unions has been further strengthened in the course of overcoming historic trials under the army-first revolutionary leadership of Kim Jong Il and the union officials and members have been able to step up the general onward march for the building of a powerful nation with the pride that they have made the "arduous march" and the forced march.
All the union officials and members will always honor trade unions by working hard to accomplish the revolutionary cause of Juche under his army-first revolutionary leadership.
Rodong Sinmun today dedicates an article to the 55th anniversary of the GFTUK.
Diploma "special guest" awarded to Kim Jong Il
Pyongyang, November 30 (KCNA) -- The great leader Kim Jong Il was awarded diploma "special guest," the highest title in Cabdare city of Lala state, Venezuela.
The title is awarded to those prominent politicians and personages who visit the city, but the city decided to award the diploma to Kim Jong Il, breaking the custom.
A ceremony for awarding the diploma was held at the city office on November 9.
Mayor Diego Antonio Rivero in his speech at the ceremony said that the world political history knows many great men and brilliant commanders but none of them are as great as President Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il.
He vowed to further develop the friendly relations between the two peoples and always extend full support to the struggle of the Korean people with the great pride and honor of awarding the diploma "special guest" to the great man of the century.
The diploma was handed to the head of the visiting delegation of the Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries at the ceremony.
A pupil poet
Pyongyang, November 30 (KCNA) -- One day in September, the former unconverted long-term prisoners from South Korea were making merry with children in Mt. Myohyang splashed in the golden scarlet of autumn.
After a singing and dancing entertainment by Kindergarteners and their teachers, Ri Un Jong, a fourth-year girl pupil from Moranbong Senior Middle School no. 1, stepped forward.
The 14-year-old poet was born of a worker. As a child, she often delighted her family with singing and dancing. As a nursery kid, she learned reading and writing and took a fancy to "writing" on her own, starting on her "diary". This gift caught the attention of her mother and teachers. They taught her how to write a diary and poem and often read to her good pieces of children's poems.
When she was a primary school pupil, she exhibited a keen interest in literature. She was constantly absorbed in thinking and writing, gradually increasing her stock of poems. There was little to miss her attention, and even a flower or sculpture in a park inspired her. Last year her poem, "a bull in the children's park" was greatly favored at the national our classroom prize literary contest.
The budding talent was a source of wonder and pride to her school teachers, who examined all her pieces and taught her essentials in writing and imagination.
Her literary practices went deep and steady at home, at school, on the way to and from there, and at the time of camping and study tour. Her poem, "A Silent Teacher" from her visit to a revolutionary battle site, was a hit at the National April 15 Mangyongdae Prize Literary Contest. Her another piece, "A Letter" on the children's veneration of leader Kim Jong Il as their father, bagged the top prize at the 13th National Our Classroom Prize Literary Contest.
In her meeting with the former prisoners, she recited "Undying Eagles" in a resonant voice, in a vivid reference to their integrity and willpower. Part of it runs:
Grandfathers, your splendid spirit
Has been embedded in our hearts
As pillars of faith and will.
With this faith and will
We eight million youth and children
Will follow father Kim Jong Il to the end.
The former prisoners were touched to the quick, and they hugged her in tears, blessing her bright future.
KCNA refutes Japan's false propaganda
Pyongyang, November 30 (KCNA) -- The December issue of the Japanese magazine Bungeishunju carried a "special article" allegedly contributed by a "team of Washington analysts."
This article is nothing but a false story reflecting the political intention of the Japanese reactionaries to damage the authority of the supreme headquarters of the DPRK in a bid to achieve their sinister aim. It is a blatant challenge to the DPRK and its people and a shameless affront to the unbiased press and public opinion.
The magazine's spread of sheer lies is a malignant and dastardly diatribe against the supreme headquarters of the DPRK and part of the campaign to drive a wedge in the relations between the north and south and fan up inter-Korean confrontation and enmity toward the DPRK among the Japanese people. Lurking behind this smear campaign is the black-hearted intention of the Japanese reactionaries to swim against the trend of the world situation.
In order to make the article sound plausible the magazine used an ambiguous pen name for it and cited a forged material what it called "statements". But it became clear that the material the magazine classified as "top secret" was full of gross misrepresentations of clipped official publications of the DPRK and was dreamed up with contents and sentences quite contrary to facts and expressions not in use in the country. This only betrayed the clumsy and shameless method employed by the magazine in cooking up the false story. The magazine has been reduced to a sham reptile media organization by committing an unpardonable act to mislead public opinion, infringe upon the sovereignty of an independent state and disturb the relations among countries and peoples.
The Japanese reactionaries are well advised to stop acting rashly, deeply mindful of the disastrous consequences to be entailed by their persistent hostile policy towards the DPRK. The magazine should make a thorough-going probe into the issue of the false story and officially apologize for it, if it is aware of its mission as a media organization even a bit.
9th anniversary of Kim Jong Il's election as Supreme Commander celebrated
Pyongyang, November 30 (KCNA) -- A meeting was held in Plzen, the Czech Republic, on November 24 to celebrate the ninth anniversary of the great leader Kim Jong Il's election as Supreme Commaner of the Korean People's Army.
At the meeting speakers said that Kim Jong Il's election as Supreme Commander of the KPA is a historic event in the struggle of the Korean people to defend and build socialism and reunify the divided country.
They noted that with the election of Kim Jong Il as Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK and Supreme Commander of the KPA, the Korean people have been able to push aside all the challenges of the imperialists and reactionary forces and build socialism successfully.
They sincerely congratulated the Korean people on the achievements made under the wise leadership of Kim Jong Il and expressed their full support to all the initiatives of the workers' party and government of Korea for the reunification of the country.
The Korean people will surely defend socialism to the last and achieve final victory, they stressed.
Functions held at Russian embassy
Pyongyang, November 30 (KCNA) -- Russian ambassador to the DPRK Valery Denisov arranged a photo exhibition and a film show and a reception at his embassy here yesterday in connection with the visit of Russian President V.V. Putin to the DPRK last July.
Invited there were vice-president of the presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly Yang Hyong Sop, department director of the Central Committee of the Worker's Party of Korea Kim Yang Gon, Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun, acting chairman of the Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries Mun Jae Chol and officials concerned.
After looking round photos showing the visit of President Putin to the DPRK and the friendly relations between the two countries, its participants watched the documentary film "the Great Leader Comrade Kim Jong Il Meets With Russian President Putin".
Valery Denisov said at the reception that the cordial meetings and talks held between the heads of the two countries advanced specific ways of deepening and developing cooperation between Russia and the DPRK in political, economic and cultural and other fields.
The publication of the Russia-DPRK joint declaration, an important document, lays down the basic principle for the development of the bilateral relations in the 21st century and marks a great event that provided a new stage in the development of those relations, he stressed.
Yang Hyong Sop said in his speech that the visit of Russian President Putin to the DPRK at the invitation of Kim Jong Il was a historic event which made it possible to expand and develop the long-standing DPRK-Russia friendship in all fields in keeping with the new circumstances at the turn of the century.
Noting that the Russian government and people are promoting political stability and unity and achieving economic progress, overcoming ordeals and difficulties under the leadership of Putin, he wholeheartedly wished them greater success in their future work to build a powerful country.
All compatriots urged to turn out for reunification
Pyongyang, November 30 (KCNA) -- It is high time all the compatriots in the north, south and abroad turned out in the vigorous struggle to bring earlier the independent and peaceful reunification of the country, says Rodong Sinmun today in a signed article.
It goes on:
With a new century just at hand, the Korean nation should achieve the reunification of the country come what may and terminate the history of national division, the history of disgrace, in order to save the destiny of the nation from a crisis, hand down the reunified country to posterity and protect and exalt the dignity and honor of the nation.
In order to bring earlier national reunification, the greatest desire of the nation, it is necessary to hold higher the banner of the national independence and great national unity and thoroughly carry out the three-point charter of national reunification and the five-point policy of the great national unity.
The Korean nation's patriotism should be displayed in sincerely implementing the historic June 15 north-south joint declaration.
All Koreans who support the north-south joint declaration and wish to implement it should join hands irrespective of their differences in ideology, religious belief, class and social section and pave the way for reunification.
If the Korean nation is to fulfil its responsibility and role in the movement for national reunification, it should unite close around the great leader Kim Jong Il.
Kim Jong Il is the sun of the nation and the lodestar of national reunification, who leads all the compatriots along the road of reunification and patriotism with his great idea, outstanding leadership art, broad magnanimity and charisma.
All the compatriots in the north, south and abroad should turn out as one in the sacred patriotic cause of reunification to achieve this historic cause without fail.
Japanese delegation arrives
Pyongyang, November 30 (KCNA) -- The delegation of the People's Council for Promoting the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between Japan and the DPRK led by Tomiichi Murayama, ex-Prime Minister of Japan and chairman of the council, arrived here today.
The delegation was greeted at the airport by Mun Jae Chol, acting chairman of the Korean Society for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries.
Visiting group of separated families and relatives from north feted
Seoul, November 30 (KCNA) -- The South Korean Red Cross hosted a reception this evening for the second visiting group of separated families and relatives of the north side after their arrival in Seoul.
Present there on invitation were members of the visiting group of the north side headed by Jang Jae On, chairman of the central committee of the Red Cross Society of the DPRK.
Officials concerned of the south side were present there.
Speeches were made at the reception.
The reception took place in an atmosphere overflowing with compatriotic feelings.
Soldiers perform feats in economic construction
Pyongyang, November 30 (KCNA) -- Soldiers of the Korean People's Army are performing great feats in the land leveling and rezoning projects in South Hwanghae Province and the 160 odd km-long Kaechon-lake Thaesong waterway project, which are now under way amid the concern of all people in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
They are grand nature-harnessing projects which will be of weighty significance in giving face-lifting to the land and raising the agricultural production. When these projects are completed, the vast farmland in South Hwanghae Province, a major granary of the country, will turn into standardized fields and nearly 100,000 hectares of farmland on the west coast will be fully irrigated.
Servicepersons are carrying out the most difficult part of the projects in the revolutionary spirit of soldiers.
They played a key role in leveling and rezoning centuries-old plots and terraced fields into fields favorable for mechanization in North Phyongan Province (at least 50,000 hectares) and Kangwon Province (more than 30,000 hectares).
Laudable, indeed, are the feats the soldiers have performed by playing such a key role in different sectors of the national economy when the country was under the most difficult conditions.
This year alone, they successfully finished the expansion projects of the Songwon and Thaechon dams, the construction of the Thaechon power station no. 5, the second-stage project of the Anbyon Youth Power Station, the building of the Naephyong power station, the reconstruction of the Mujigae tunnel and other projects.
They also made a great contribution to the construction of the 40 odd km-long Youth Hero Motorway as a monumental edifice in the era. And they built modern chicken factory no. 112, the Hwangju chicken factory, pig farms and catfish factories, thus laying solid foundations for the improvement of the people's diet.
They are now taking the lead in the efforts for the country's prosperity and development and the people's happiness under the slogan "We servicepersons will take charge of not only the defence of the fatherland but socialist construction "
Symposium on ancient history of Korea held
Pyongyang, November 30 (KCNA) -- A symposium on the ancient history of Korea was held in Tokyo on November 24 to mark the centenary of the Society for Providing Scholarships to Korean Students.
Present there were nearly 600 persons including the academic delegations from the north and the south of Korea and Japanese archaeologists and historians.
Speeches were made by Dr. Sok Kwang Jun, researcher of the archaeological institute of the Academy of Social Sciences of the DPRK, on the subject of "new successes made in archaeological study of Koguryo" and Dr. Chae Thae Hyong, a room chief of the history institute of the same academy, on the subject of "new successes made in historical and archaeological study of palhae". And Han Pyong Sam and Ri Ki Dong, professors at Dongguk University of South Korea, spoke about successes achieved in the study of the ancient history of Korea including the discovery of facts proving that Paekje originated from Koguryo.
Abolition of "Security Law" demanded in S. Korea
Pyongyang, November 30 (KCNA) -- 21 "national assemblymen" from the ruling and opposition parties of South Korea submitted a "bill on the abolition of the Security Law" to the "National Assembly" on November 27, according to a news report from Seoul.
They said that with the advent of an era of reconciliation and cooperation between the north and the south, the "Security Law," which describes the north as an "anti-state organization," has no ground to exist any longer and it should, therefore, be totally abolished.
2nd visiting group of separated families and relatives of north side leaves
Pyongyang, November 30 (KCNA) -- The second visiting group of separated families and relatives from the north side left here today for Seoul by air.
The visiting group headed by Jang Jae On, chairman of the central committee of the DPRK Red Cross Society, consists of 100 separated families and relatives, suite members and journalists.
They were seen off at the airport by chairman Kim Yong Dae of the central committee of the Korean Social Democratic Party, chairwoman Ryu Mi Yong of the central committee of the Korean Chondoist Chongu Party, director An Kyong Ho of the secretariat of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland, vice-chairman Ho Hae Ryong of the central committee of the DPRK Red Cross Society and other officials concerned.
The group arrived in Seoul today.
The head of the group issued an arrival statement at the airport.
Separated families and relatives from north side reunite with their kinsfolk
Seoul, November 30 (KCNA) -- The members of the second visiting group of separated families and relatives had a reunion with their kinsfolk today after their arrival in Seoul.
An atmosphere of emotion and excitement pervaded the meeting place before this event.
The members of the group and their families and relatives were very much excited to reunite with each other today as they have been unable to hear from each other for such a long time. They talked to each other, exchanging greetings and inquiring after each other's health.
2nd visiting group of separated families and relatives from south side here
Pyongyang, November 30 (KCNA) -- The second visiting group of separated families and relatives from the south side arrived here today by air.
The visiting group includes its head Pong Tu Wan, vice-president of the South Korean Red Cross, 100 separated families and relatives, suite members and mediapersons.
It was met at the airport by Ho Hae Ryong, vice-chairman of the central committee of the DPRK Red Cross Society, Choe Yun Sik, vice-chairman of the Pyongyang City People's Committee, and officials concerned.
The head of the visiting group published a statement upon its arrival at the airport.
Visiting group of separated families and relatives from south side feted
Pyongyang, November 30 (KCNA) -- The Pyongyang City People's Committee hosted a reception at the People's Palace of Culture this evening for the second visiting group of separated families and relatives of south side.
Present there on invitation were members of the visiting group of the south side headed by Pong Tu Wan, vice-president of the South Korean Red Cross.
Present there were Ryang Man Gil, chairman of the Pyongyang City People's Committee, An Kyong Ho, director of the secretariat of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland, Ho Hae Ryong, vice-chairman of c.c., the DPRK Red Cross Society, and other officials concerned.
Speeches were made at the reception.
Members of visiting group from south side meet their kinsmen
Pyongyang, November 30 (KCNA) -- The members of the second visiting group of separated families and relatives of the south side had a reunion with their kinsmen today after their arrival here.
They were excited to reunite with their kinsmen at Pyongyang Koryo Hotel, the meeting place, as they have been unable to hear from each other.
They warmly hugged and talked to each other, exchanging greetings and inquiring after each other's health, here and there at the meeting place.