DPRK aerial acrobatics places first at international festival
Pyongyang, February 1 (KCNA) -- The small group of the Pyongyang circus won the prize of the President of the Republic of France, the highest prize of the festival, and the aerial acrobatics "flying girls" the first prize at the 9th Massay International Circus Festival held in Massay city, France from Jan. 25 to 28.
Aerial acrobatics "duet swinging" received a technical prize.
Wreaths laid before bust of Kim Chaek
Pyongyang, February 1 (KCNA) -- Wreaths were laid before the bust of Kim Chaek, a communist revolutionary fighter, at the revolutionary martyrs cemetery on Mt. Taesong on Jan. 31, the 50th anniversary of his demise.
A wreath sent by leader Kim Jong Il placed before the bust.
Present at the wreath-laying ceremony were Jo Myong Rok, Kim Il Chol and other senior party and government officials, officials of the party and armed forces organs, power bodies, ministries and national institutions, members of the bereaved family and working people in the city.
Wreaths and bunches of flowers were laid in the name of the wpk central committee, the cabinet of the DPRK, the Ministry of the People's Armed Forces and others.
Wreaths were also laid before Kim Chaek's statues in Kim Chaek city, North Hamgyong Province and at Kim Chaek Airforce University on the same day.
Faster advance under red flag of socialism called for
Pyongyang, February 1 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today editorially calls for speeding up the advance in the 21st century under the red flag of socialism, holding fast to leader Kim Jong Il's revolutionary army-first line as the lifeline.
The editorial says:
The line is a unique revolutionary line of Korean style, in which the working class's idea of giving priority to military affairs is embodied in conformity with actual conditions today and the most effective one which fully demonstrated its validity and tremendous vitality in defending socialism in the 20th century.
A full display of its vitality is a fundamental guarantee for glorifying this year, the first year of the 21st century, as a year of new leap and overall revival by speeding up the advance under the red flag of socialism.
It is the fixed will of the Workers' Party of Korea to solve all issues arising in the revolution and construction on the principle of giving priority to the army and to advance and accomplish the socialist cause with the people's army as the core and a main force.
All party members and other working people should uphold the party's army-first revolutionary line as a strategic line of the Korean revolution and give fuller play to its validity and vitality in the worthwhile drive to build a powerful nation in the 21st century.
The editorial calls for thoroughly establishing the trait of giving priority to military affairs throughout the society and making utmost efforts to strengthen the people's army.
The DPRK will never budge even a bit from the principle of giving priority to the army no matter how the situation may change, the editorial stresses.
U.S. commits air espionage on DPRK
Pyongyang, February 1 (KCNA) -- The U.S. imperialists committed air espionage on the northern half of Korea on nearly 160 occasions in January.
Involved in the espionage were strategic and tactical reconnaissance planes with different missions.
Cases of air espionage by U-2 and RC-135 in January totalled more than 40.
Over 10 cases of espionage were perpetrated by commanding planes E-3 and E-8C and electronic reconnaissance planes EP-3.
Minju Joson on lesson of Gulf War
Pyongyang, February 1 (KCNA) -- Developments over the last decade since the Persian Gulf War prove that if one takes one step for concession to the imperialists, he has to make ten nay a hundred steps in retreat, said Minju Joson yesterday in a signed article.
It goes on:
Because of their aggressive and predatory nature the imperialists never show good faith to other countries. It is, therefore, necessary to put up an uncompromising struggle against them.
One should wage a life-and-death fight against them.
It is the imperialists who become coward before the strong and more ferocious before the weak.
They fear most those who are ready to die. Therefore, one should not show any slightest weakness nor take even a step for concession to imperialists.
Only when the people wage a life-and-death struggle against imperialists can they protect the sovereignty and dignity of the nation. This is a bitter lesson taught by the Persian Gulf War and the developments over the last decade since it.
Friendship gathering at Russian embassy school
Pyongyang, February 1 (KCNA) -- A friendship gathering was held by pupils of the Russian embassy school in Pyongyang and the Korea-Russia Friendship Moranbong Senior Middle School no.1 at the embassy school on Jan. 31.
Present there were the Russian ambassador to the DPRK, embassy officials, teachers and pupils of the embassy school and the Moranbong Senior Middle School no. 1.
They looked round education facilities of the school and sang songs and danced together, deepening the DPRK-Russia friendship growing stronger as the days go by.
Sports and amusement games also took place there.
Fourth round of inter-Korean military talks held
panmunjom, January 31 (KCNA) -- The fourth round of inter-Korean military working-level talks was held in the south side's portion of Panmunjom today.
The north side's delegation was represented by senior colonel Yu Yong Chol and the south side's delegation by brigadier general Kim Kyong Dok.
At the talks both sides discussed the draft agreements proposed by each side and reached a consensus on most of the issues discussed.
The head of the north side's delegation said the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration is a declaration of independence, peaceful reunification and great national unity, the three principles of national reunification, and a landmark of reunification in the 21st century. In the new century the armies of the two sides should provide a sure military guarantee for the implementation of the joint declaration, he stressed.
He recalled that all the people in the north and the south are firmly determined to pool their energies and wisdom so as to terminate the nation's distress-torn history of national ruin, division, confrontation and war imposed upon it in the 20th century and make the first year of the new century as a significant year of opening up a radical phase of the nation's independent reunification.
All the fellow countrymen are showing great interest in the current talks because they are the first talks between the armies of the north and the south in the 21st century, intended to realize the historic cause of rejoining the blood ties of the nation that have remained severed for over half a century, he said, adding: In this sense we have heavy responsibility for the talks.
Then, he clarified the north side's view and stand toward the issues of designating areas to be placed under the control of the north and the south and militarily ensuring the project of relinking railways and road between the two sides.
He further said:
What is most important for the successful talks is to have a correct viewpoint and attitude toward dialogue partner.
From this point of view, it is essential for the south side to renounce the old conception and psychology of confrontation in the 20th century which regards the north as "principal enemy" and have genuine compatriotism which regards the people in the north as fellow countrymen who join hands for reunification and prosperity. on the basis of this conception, it should strive to make the first talks in the 21st century produce good results and thus meet the desire and expectation of the nation.
It was agreed to have the next talks at the Thongil House in the north side's portion of Panmunjom and the north side promised to inform the south side of the date of the talks in the near future.
Pleasant winter vacation
Pyongyang, February 1 (KCNA) -- Korea is now in the thick of winter.
The cold snap continues and snow lies on the ground.
Despite this cold weather, children are busy doing outdoor exercises.
Schools of all levels throughout the country are on winter vacation.
Many pupils and students go to libraries and still others to cinema houses and theatres in accordance with the daily routine programme. Sporting activity is a major item of holiday programme.
The ice rinks are always crowded with pupils and students, junior schoolchildren play sledging and top spinning, while senior ones play skating.
Some children are seen having snowball-throwing, divided into groups.
Schoolchildren are encouraged to do a good-conduct campaign.
They keep their schools and villages in immaculate conditions and visit industrial establishments to present artistic performances so as to inspire their fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters to further efforts for a powerful nation building activity.
According to their wishes and hobbies, some go to schoolchildren's palaces and the houses of culture to broaden their horizon of knowledge, some others visit the revolutionary battlesites and scenic spots and places of historic interest and still others visit the folk and history museums to get a better understanding of Korean history.
The winter vacation is a good opportunity for schoolchildren and students to consolidate knowledge they have gained at school and thus equip themselves with good stock of knowledge, moral and physical fitness.
New turn in movement for Korea's reunification called for
Pyongyang, February 1 (KCNA) -- The south headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country's Reunification (Pomminryon) reportedly published a commentary on January 11 in support of the appeal adopted at the 2001 meeting for the independent reunification of the Korean nation.
The commentary expressed full support to the appeal, underscoring the need for the entire Korean nation to unite under the banner of Korea's reunification irrespective of property status, religious belief and ideology in order to achieve reunification.
It continued:
The south headquarters of pomminryon hails the appeal made by the north side to bring about a great upswing in the movement for the country's reunification in the period from June 15, the first anniversary of the north-south joint declaration, to August 15 and brilliantly decorate the first liberation day in the 21st century as a great nationwide reunification festival as an important proposal to pool efforts of the nation for the implementation of the joint declaration and will do its utmost to materialize it in solidarity with people of all strata.
It called on the patriotic people of all segments in South Korea to come out as one to terminate the national division and accomplish the country's reunification by the efforts of the Korean nation and thus bring about a new turn in the drive for national reunification through firm unity.
DPRK book wing opens
Pyongyang, February 1 (KCNA) -- The DPRK book wing of the 33rd Cairo international book fair was opened on January 24.
On display in the wing were famous works of President Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il, books on their immortal exploits, picture albums, magazines and other DPRK books and handicrafts.
The fair was participated in by 85 countries including the DPRK and 15 international organizations.
More relics discovered
Pyongyang, February 1 (KCNA) -- More relics have been recently discovered in different parts of Pyongyang.
Earthen walls dating back to ancient Korea were unearthed in Kwangdok-ri, Samsok district in the northern suburbs of Pyongyang.
It is believed that there may be only earthen walls dating back to Koryo dynasty.
But this time, stratum of walls dating back to ancient Korea has been discovered there.
Pieces of the mouth and body of a top vessel and stone axe, relics of ancient Korea, were unearthed in the 1,053 metre-long lower stratum of the walls belonging to Koryo dynasty.
Also unearthed inside the walls were sites of two houses 50 cm below the surface of the earth.
Stone ax, stone arrowhead, stone dagger as well as at least 50 pieces of top vessels were found in the site of an oval semi-dugout 6.8 metres long on its eastern-western side and 3.4 metres wide on its northern-southern side and in the site of a house which was so badly destroyed that only its eastern part remains.
A site of a village covering some 50,000 square metres was discovered in Richon-ri, Sungho district, the eastern part of Pyongyang.
Included there are at least ten house sites believed to belong to the period from the neolithic era to ancient Korea and earthenware vessels, top vessels, gourd-style jars, a stone ax and a scimitar, which bear witness to the cultural development in that period.
A survey of relics is going on.
The newly discovered relics will greatly help study ancient civilization along the river taedong.
Paek Nam Sun meets new Equatorial Guinean ambassador
Pyongyang, February 1 (KCNA) -- Paek Nam Sun, minister of Foreign Affairs of the DPRK, met Manuel Moto Tomo, new Equatorial Guinean ambassador e.p. to the DPRK, who paid a courtesy call on him today.
Kim Il Chol meets Cuban ambassador
Pyongyang, February 1 (KCNA) -- Kim Il Chol, minister of the People's Armed Forces, met Jose Manuel Inclan Embade, Cuban ambassador to the DPRK, who paid a farewell call on him at the Mansudae Assembly Hall today.