Rodong Sinmun on resolution adopted at European parliamentary session
Pyongyang, January 29 (KCNA) -- The European parliamentary session on Jan. 17 adopted a resolution calling upon the European Union to make a positive contribution to the process of the independent reunification of the Korean nation and establishing official diplomatic relations with the DPRK.
In this regard Rodong Sinmun today in a signed commentary says:
The resolution arouses support and sympathy from among various countries aspiring after the improvement and development of relations with the DPRK.
This is something quite natural and normal for the reunification of the Korean peninsula, global peace and progress and the development of international relations.
It is the consistent stand of the DPRK to establish and develop good-neighbourly, friendly and cooperative relations with all the countries that respect its sovereignty and are friendly towards it.
It is a manifestation of independent foreign policies of EU nations to opt for establishing and improving relations with the DPRK.
This will do the EU good in heightening its position and role.
Improved DPRK-EU relations meet the interests and aspiration of the Korean and European peoples and it will give an impetus to developing international relations and the trend towards global multipolarization in the new century.
The DPRK will fulfil its commitment in keeping with the EU's switchover in its policy towards the DPRK and moves to improve relations with it.
Appeal of 2001 meeting supported
Pyongyang, January 29 (KCNA) -- The Socialist Progressive Party of Madagascar issued a statement on Jan. 20 in support of the appeal made at the 2001 meeting for the independent reunification of the Korean nation.
The statement said that the party has supported all the efforts made by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea for Korea's reunification and condemned the moves of the outside and separatist forces to perpetuate its division.
It said:
The June 15 North-South Joint Declaration serves as a motive force to reunify the divided country as it is the most just and realistic program common to the nation suited to the movement for the reunification of Korea.
The Socialist Progressive Party of Madagascar hoped that Korea would be reunified as early as possible by federal formula as called for by the joint editorial and the appeal of the DPRK government, political parties, organizations and figures from all walks of life that underscored the need to open up a decisive phase of the independent reunification of the nation this year, the first year of the 21st century.
Top-spinning
Pyongyang, January 29 (KCNA) -- Top-spinning is a folk game popular particularly among the Korean children since olden times. The play is practised on ice or ground in winter.
It helps the children to harden their bodies and impart knowledge to the physical movement. The process of its making gives them an opportunity to cultivate their thinking faculty and improve their manual craft.
The top is mainly made of weighty and hard wood such as birch and jujube tree or pine knots.
The top made thus spins long, producing a sound just like bees humming around.
According to its shape, it is divided into drum, horse and rope tops.
A whip for spinning a top is made of twisted cotton or silk thread, attached to a 50 cm long stick.
The top-spinning contest is decided by how long it spins, which top survives the collision and how far it goes.
New relics discovered
Pyongyang, January 29 (KCNA) -- A Pipha-shaped bronze dagger and a bronze axe of Tangun's Korea have recently been unearthed in Anju, South Phyongan Province.
The blade of the dagger is speckled with greenish rust and although its edge is slightly damaged, its original shape is preserved more or less.
The dagger is 24.5 centimetres long with the widest part of the blade and the root 3.5 centimetres long respectively. It weighs 140 grammes.
The hilt is made of dark brown stone, which was ground exquisitely. It is unique in form and comfortable to handle.
The bronze axe is pocket-shaped with its handle being fixed at the head. Its edge is arch-shaped and both ends of the edge are tipped. From the edge to the waist, it becomes narrow and then wide at the head, which is 1.4 centimetres narrower than the edge.
The axe is five centimetres long and weighs 75 grammes. Its edge is 4.5 centimetres wide and the pocket is 3.5 centimetres deep.
Since the remains are from Tangun's Korea, the first ancient state of Korea, they will serve as a source of archaeological knowledge about the history of King Tangun and the ancient Korea.
Steady continuity
Pyongyang, January 29 (KCNA) -- It is a proud tradition of the Korean revolution to devotedly defend the leader.
This tradition was established by such young communists as Kim Hyok and Cha Kwang Su in the 1920s.
Since that time the Korean communists have held president kim il sung in high esteem as the leader of the Korean revolution and a central figure for unity and cohesion and absolutely trusted him.
In the period of the anti-Japanese armed struggle, many fighters including O Jung Hup protected him at the cost of their lives, firmly convinced that the Korean revolution was sure to triumph only when he was held in high esteem.
During the last Fatherland Liberation War (June 1950-July 1953) many soldiers including hero Ri Su Bok and unknown soldiers displayed their intense loyalty in devotedly defending the leader, thus safeguarding the sovereignty and dignity of the country and the nation and demonstrating the honour of Kim Il Sung's nation to the world.
This long-standing tradition of devotedly defending the leader is given a steady continuity.
Soldiers and people safely protected the portraits of President Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il before breathing their last, adrift in stormy waves, and there were the soldiers who laid down their lives for protecting slogan-bearing trees, an eternal treasure of the revolution.
All of them are the nation's models in devotedly defending the leader.
The might of the single-hearted unity of Korea admired by the world people is displayed in devotedly defending the leader.
Reunification of Korea by federal formula called for
Pyongyang, January 29 (KCNA) -- The proposal for achieving the reunification of Korea by federal formula on the basis of the conception of one nation, one state, two systems and two governments is the most realistic and reasonable one for national reunification, says rodong sinmun today in a signed article.
It goes on:
Last year the north and south of Korea agreed on the way of achieving reunification on the principle of co-existence of the two systems at the historic Pyongyang meeting and the inter-Korean summit talks and in the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration they proclaimed to the world that they would work to achieve reunification by federal and confederal formulas.
The federal and confederal formulas pave the only right path for achieving national reunification peacefully as early as possible.
They call for attaining reunification by founding a federal government, while keeping the two regional governments under it with the existing ideologies and systems left intact in the north and south.
This is an effective way for the north and south to achieve reunification without fail, if they have a will.
The north and south should work hard to achieve reunification strictly by those formulas as was agreed upon in the joint declaration.
Message of sympathy to Indian President
Pyongyang, January 29 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, on Jan. 27 sent a message of sympathy to Indian President K. R. Narayanan in connection with heavy casualties caused by a recent strong earthquake in India.
The message said:
Upon hearing the sad news that a strong earthquake hit Gujarat state recently, claiming heavy casualties, I express profound consolation and sympathy to you and, through you, to the victims and the bereaved families.
The message wished the president and the Indian people an earliest possible recovery from the earthquake damage.
Inter-Korean Red Cross talks begin
Kosong, January 29 (KCNA) -- The third round of inter-Korean Red Cross talks began on Mt. Kumgang today.
At the talks both sides reviewed the humanitarian activities conducted by the north and the south of Korea after the publication of the historic June 15 Joint Declaration last year, which were conducive to promoting the reconciliation and unity of the nation and developing bilateral relations.
They stressed that a radical progress should be made in the settlement of humanitarian issues this year, too, in the spirit of the joint declaration, a landmark of reunification, so as to give joy and hope to all the fellow countrymen.
The head of the north side's delegation said that the current talks should mark an occasion of opening a new chapter in the humanitarian sphere this year, the first year of the 21st century. And he proposed a draft agreement carrying the north side's stand on the program for the humanitarian work already agreed upon between the two sides, the opening and operation of places for meeting between separated families and relatives and the repatriation of the remaining unconverted long-term prisoners in the south.
The head of the south side's delegation, too, put forward its own draft agreement.
The talks continue.