Great national unity called for
Pyongyang, January 7 (KCNA) -- The joint New Year editorial calls upon the entire nation to pave the way for the reunification of the country through national reconciliation, union and great unity.
In this regard Rodong Sinmun today runs an article.
The article says:
As the reunification of Korea is a nationwide cause the drive force of which is the Korean people from a to z, it awfully needs national reconciliation, union and great unity.
National reunification conforms with the vital demands and fundamental interests of the whole nation. So, differences in ideology, system, political view, religious belief, classes and social strata do not pose any problem. All the Koreans should do their bit as the driving force of national reunification. To this end they should not read other's face nor align themselves with outsiders but achieve great national unity.
To reunify the country is to put an end to national division caused by outsiders.
National reconciliation and great unity is a top priority for national reunification in view of the intrinsic nature of national reunification.
National reunification is the cause of national independence designed to establish national sovereignty throughout the country free from the intervention by outsiders.
National reunification, national independence, can be achieved only by the concerted efforts of the entire nation.
All the Koreans in the north and south should get united so as to settle all the issues arising in reunifying the country with credit. The unity of all the Koreans makes it possible to remove misunderstanding and distrust and to promote reconciliation and confidence. this will enable the people in the north and south to rejoin blood ties in political, economic, cultural and all other aspects.
All the Koreans in the north, south and abroad should turn out as one to implement the June 15 north-south joint declaration irrespective of ideology, system, political view and religious belief.
Rodong Sinmun on historic changes in 20th century
Pyongyang, January 7 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today in a signed article titled the human history of development is a history of struggle to defend and realise independence describes the 20th century as a century in which humankind advanced and won victories in the spirit of independence.
The most significant change in the 20th century was a turn made in the struggle to defend and realise independence, the article says, and continues:
The Juche idea founded in Korea was a great revolutionary idea which brought about unprecedented historic changes in the ideological and spiritual life of humankind and the revolutionary struggle of the popular masses for independence in the 20th century.
The 20th century can be characterized by an era of historic changes in which the imperialists' colonial system collapsed and the oppressed nations emerged victorious in their struggle for independence and liberation.
The article cites the victory in the October socialist revolution in Russia, the growth of socialism into a global system at the end of the second world war, the emergence of independent states in Asia, Africa and Latin America and the appearance and victorious advance of the non-aligned movement.
One of the major characteristic features of the trend of the situation in the 20th century was that the aspiration of the people for independence grew stronger after the demise of the cold war.
The trend of independence swept all over the continents and a vigorous struggle for the revival of socialism was under way in several countries.
The desire of people for independence and socialism grew stronger than ever before after the Cold War was over and the struggle to achieve them made a more dynamic advance along a new road of their development. Herein lies the nature of the historic changes in the 20th century and this is a main review of the century.
Iranian President on friendly relations with DPRK
Pyongyang, January 7 (KCNA) -- The long-standing friendly and cooperative relations between Iran and the DPRK would remain unchanged in the Kim Jong Il era as in the lifetime of President Kim Il Sung, said Seyed Mohammad Khatami, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, when receiving credentials from Kim Jong Nam, new DPRK ambassador e.p. to Iran, on Dec. 31 last year.
Iran would remain a friend as ever and further expand and develop the friendly and cooperative relations with the DPRK in political, economic, cultural and all other fields, he stressed, expressing hope that the Korean people would achieve success in economic construction and the existing north-south agreements would lead to the reunification of Korea.
5th Kimjongilia Show to be held in Pyongyang
Pyongyang, January 7 (KCNA) -- The 5th Kimjongilia Show is to be held here to mark February 16, the birthday of leader Kim Jong Il.
It has been an annual event since it began on February holiday in Juche 86 (1997) under the sponsorship of the Korean Kimjongilia Federation.
The show will bring together all the units and individuals across the country, overseas compatriots, florists and lovers of flowers in different countries who raise Kimjongilia.
The 5th Kimjongilia Show will be held at the Grand People's Study House from Feb. 14 to 2 .
Socialist emulation called for
Pyongyang, January 7 (KCNA) -- The employees of the Pyongyang Thermal Power Plant challenged the workers, technicians and the office employees of the factories and enterprises throughout the country to a socialist emulation to honour the national economic plan for this year.
This call was made at a meeting of the employees of the plant held on January 6 to vow to carry out militant tasks set forth in the joint New Year editorial.
In the joint editorial the power industry was singled out as the most important field in the socialist economic construction this year.
The meeting underscored the position and importance of the power industry in augmenting the economic potentials of a powerful state commensurate with the new era of the army-first revolution.
It vowed to make a fresh turn in the production of electricity by intensifying the drive for the technical reconstruction of the generating equipment under the slogan glorify this year as a year of fresh onward march in the building of an economic power in the 21st century
New feature film released
Pyongyang, January 7 (KCNA) -- Part 5 (Choe Hyon) of multi-part feature film the nation and destiny part 54 was released by the April 25 Film Studio of the Korean People's Army.
The film depicts the indomitable fighting spirit displayed by Choe Hyon, commander of an army corps, in his efforts to prepare officers and men of the corps as bodyguards and a shock brigade of the supreme headquarters, while operating behind enemy lines during the Fatherland Liberation War (June 1950-july 1953).
Choe Hyon, anti-Japanese revolutionary fighter, was minister of the people's armed forces till his death.
The film shows how choe hyon roused the soldiers to carry out combat orders given by Supreme Commander Kim Il Sung, bearing deep in mind the loving care shown by him to rescue the unit from sphinx operation orchestrated by the U.S. imperialists and the Ri Sung Yop spy clique in a bid to attack the command of the corps.
It truthfully depicts officers and men of the corps overcoming difficulties by displaying the beautiful trait of revolutionary comradeship.
A film preview was held at the people's palace of culture on Saturday with leading party and state officials and working people in the city attending.
Leading members of bank workers union arrested in S. Korea
Pyongyang, January 7 (KCNA) -- The South Korean police walked away five leading unionists on strike including Kim Chol Hung, chairman of the branch of the housing bank of the banking workers union, on January 2, according to the South Korean newspaper Hangyore (internet).
The police has issued warrants of arrest or summons to 35 people since the start of the strike of unionists against the merger of the national bank and the housing bank.
Meanwhile, the police decided to arrest ten more unionists of the two banks supposed to lead the strike.