Kim Jong Il inspects industrial establishments in Hamhung
Pyongyang, April 12 (KCNA) - Kim Jong Il inspected industrial establishments in Hamhung on April 11.
He went first to the Ryongsong Machine Complex.
He went round a monument to on-the-spot teachings of President Kim Il Sung, the large machine tool plant, the steel-casting shop no. 1 and other places to acquaint himself in detail with their production.
He noted with great satisfaction that the workers and technicians of the complex are daily effecting miracles and innovations to build a powerful nation and highly estimated them for their great contributions to laying the foundation of the Juche-based self-supporting national economy and realising the industrialisation of the country.
Pointing out that the complex is playing a very important part in the drive to realise the Workers' Party of Korea's cause of building a powerful nation, he set forth highly important tasks to be carried out by it.
He said that its workers should manufacture and supply in time ordered facilities needed by various domains of the national economy and, at the same time, produce more compressors and equipment for construction sites and industrial establishments.
He laid stress on pushing ahead with the technical modernisation to equip all production processes with latest facilities and on carrying out an effective drive to introduce new advanced technology.
After enjoying an art performance given by the mobile art agitation squad of the complex, he praised it for engaging itself in new and effective political and economic agitation.
The second leg of his inspection was the Songchongang Electric Goods Factory.
He looked round production processes to acquaint himself in detail with the manufacture of electric goods and the technical outfit of the factory.
He said that the factory plays an important part in realising the electrification of the country as it manufactures motors, generators and other electric goods and set forth specific tasks which must be fulfilled by it.
Kim Jong Il looked round the narrow-gauge railways between Hamhung and Majon which have been switched over to elelctric traction.
After listening to a report on the railway electrification, he got on the newly manufactured electric locomotive and train and learned in detail about their mechanism, performance and use.
Saying that as a large number of workers live in Hamhung it is important, above all, to take good care of their living, he underscored the need for the officials of the party organisations and administrative and economic bodies and industrial establishments in the province and the city to provide every facility to them in their devoted services for the party and the revolution.
Kim Jong Il was accompanied by first vice department directors of the C.C. of the WPK.
Photo exhibition and film show held
Pyongyang, April 13 (KCNA) -- The Ministry of Foreign Trade held a photo exhibition and a film show at the Taedonggang Club for the diplomatic corps on April 12 on the occasion of Sun's Day, the birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung.
Present on invitation were economic and trade officials of foreign embassies here.
Present there were Ri Ryong Nam, vice-minister of foreign trade, and officials concerned.
After looking round photos, they watched the Korean documentary film "the great life in 1994."
Campaign for newspaper reform starts in S. Korea
Pyongyang, April 13 (KCNA) -- The people's action for newspaper reform which groups 156 civic and public organizations in South Korea launched a full-dress campaign for a newspaper reform after holding a ceremony of declaring independence of newspapers in Seoul, Taejon, Kwangju and other areas on April 7, the Seoul-based MBC reported.
The organization decided to strongly react to biased reports and coercive newspaper reading so as to achieve independence of newspapers and, at the same time, push forward the moves to revise the law on periodicals, create a press development committee of the "national assembly" and improve the system for putting newspaper marketing on a normal footing.
That day the participants in the ceremony conducted a ten million signature campaign calling for a newspaper reform and staged a satirical drama before marching on streets.
Iranian charge d'affaires hosts reception
Pyongyang, April 13 (KCNA) -- Gholamali Yahyazadeh, charge d'affaires ad interim of the Iranian embassy here, hosted a reception at the embassy yesterday on the occasion of Sun's Day, the birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung.
He said in his speech that the birth of Kim Il Sung was the beginning of a new great history.
The meeting between leaders of Iran and Kim Il Sung added one page to the history of the two countries, he said.
Foreign minister of the DPRK Paek Nam Sun said in his speech that Kim Il Sung was the national liberator and an elder statesman of high repute recognized by the world for his distinguished contribution to the human cause of independence.
The relations between the DPRK and Iran are based on the intimacy forged between Kim Il Sung and leaders of Iran and they are now growing stronger under the deep care of leaders of the two countries, he said.
Participants in art festival pay tribute to Kim Il Sung
Pyongyang, April 13 (KCNA) -- Government cultural delegations and delegates of various countries, foreign guests and artistes and overseas Korean artistes participating in the 19th April Spring Friendship Art Festival yesterday visited the Kumsusan Memorial Palace where President Kim Il Sung lies in state for perpetuity and paid tribute to him.
The visitors bowed in veneration to the president who looks as in his lifetime before being shown round the mourning hall.
They saw the train he used for his on-site guidance and foreign trips and the car used by him in the last period of his life.
Palestinian ambassador hosts reception
Pyongyang, April 13 (KCNA) -- Palestinian ambassador to the DPRK Shaher Mohammed Abdlah hosted a reception at his embassy on April 12 on the occasions of Sun's Day, the birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung, and the 8th anniversary of leader Kim Jong Il's election as Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK.
The ambassador in his address said that the president set forth a correct ideology which serves as a guideline for the Korean people and the world people. That is why sun's day is cherished in the hearts of the people loving justice and peace, he added.
He continued:
The Palestinian people would remain loyal to the militant and friendly bonds the ground of which was provided by Kim Il Sung, the eternal president who was in fraternal relationship with President Yasser Arafat. These friendly relations are continuing to develop thanks to Kim Jong Il.
Kye Ung Thae, member of the political bureau and secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, in his address said that Kim Il Sung made great efforts in his lifetime for the development of the friendly relations with the Palestinian people and that Kim Jong Il is paying deep attention to the realisation of the Palestinian people's just cause.
The DPRK will as ever extend positive support to the Palestinian people's just struggle to retake legitimate national rights including the right to repatriation, the right to self-determination, the right to establish an independent state with Kuds as its capital, he said.
U.S. anti-DPRK diatribe assailed
Pyongyang, April 13 (KCNA) -- The new U.S. administration is persisting in its anti-DPRK campaign in a bid to invent a pretext to establish the NMD. In this regard Minju Joson today in a signed commentary says:
U.S. President Bush at a recent joint session of the U.S. congress talked about a "missile threat" from the DPRK, terming it a "rogue state."
The "missile threat" peddled by the U.S. is nothing but sheer sophism.
Given that the U.S. threatened the DPRK after deploying aggression armed forces including a large number of missiles in and around South Korea, DPRK had no option but to develop missiles to cope with the threat. This is an issue pertaining to the sovereignty of the DPRK.
The U.S. persistent moves to infringe upon the sovereignty and dignity of the DPRK under an absurd pretext compel the DPRK to take corresponding measures.
Its counter-measure to protect the sovereignty and dignity of the country is not bound to anything and has no limit in its scope and strength. As the DPRK representative clarified at the session of the U.N. disarmament commission, the DPRK has potentials, capabilities and will to take such measure.
Even if this counter-measure results in sparking an arms race between the DPRK and the U.S. and scrapping all the provisions agreed upon between two sides, the DPRK will have nothing to fear. It has little to lose. But that will bring unpredictable consequences to the U.S. for which is will have to be fully responsible.
The DPRK wishes peace but never begs for it.
The DPRK never says empty words. The U.S. it well advised to bear this in mind and immediately stop its provocations, hostile acts and moves to stifle the DPRK by force of arms.
Foreign guests visit third Kimilsungia show
Pyongyang, April 13 (KCNA) -- Foreign diplomatic envoys, military attaches' corps and cultural attaches of foreign embassies here visited the third Kimilsungia show yesterday on the occasion of Sun's Day, the birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung.
The guests looked round Kimilsungias on display, being briefed on them which are in full bloom, carrying the reverence of the world people and Korean people for him.
Meanwhile, cultural attaches of foreign embassies here visited the Jonsung Revolutionary Museum.
Kim Jong Il issues order on promoting military ranks
Pyongyang, April 13 (KCNA) -- Supreme commander of the Korean People's Army Kim Jong Il issued an order on promoting military ranks of leading officers of the KPA on April 13, Juche 90 (2001).
The order says he ordered to promote military ranks of leading officers of the KPA on the occasion of Sun's Day, firmly believing that they would as ever firmly guarantee the security of the country and the revolutionary cause of Juche with arms and actively contribute to the efforts to open up the way of building a powerful socialist nation true to the army-first revolutionary leadership of the Workers' Party of Korea as the hard core of the Korean revolutionary armed forces.
One leading officer was promoted to colonel general, three leading officers were promoted to lieut. Generals and 15 to maj. generals, according to the order.
Performances given by foreign artistes and overseas Korean artistes
Pyongyang, April 13 (KCNA) -- The 19th April Spring Friendship Art Festival is successfully going on after its opening in Pyongyang on April 10.
Programs staged on April 12, the second day of the festival, included songs reflecting humankind's boundless veneration for President Kim Il Sung and their ardent desire to follow leader Kim Jong Il, the sun of the 21st century.
The state academy ensemble of the Ministry of Interior of Russia sang the Korean songs "Song of General Kim Il Sung" and "Song of General Kim Jong Il" in solo and chorus, deeply touching the audiences.
Also put on the stages that day were many Korean songs such as "Thunder on Jong Il Peak" by a male soloist of the Mongolian troupe of famous actors and actresses and its male trio "Let's Support Our Supreme Commander with Arms," a male solo "Song of Comradeship" by the Vietnamese musicians' group, "Single Mind" by a female soloist of the art troupe of the Japan-Korea society for musical and artistic interchange, etc.
Pilar Garcia Idalgo, who is heading the Spanish art troupe, presented "Song of Peace and Freedom," her own words and music, and many other artistes from different countries including Malaysia and Moldova demonstrated their high artistic skills.
The Romanian, Kazakh and Indonesian art troupes and the Indian dancers' group staged dances truthfully depicting the customs of life of their countries.
A piano solo by the French art troupe and a trumpet solo by the German musicians' group were highly acclaimed by audiences for their refined recital.
Overseas Korean artistes put on the stage colorful pieces including a dance "Let's Fly across Clouds to Greet the Star of Dear General" by Korean artistes in China and a solo dance "Janggo Dance" by artistes of the International United Confederation of Koreans.
Colorful circus numbers were staged by acrobats from different countries.
"Hand Feats" by acrobats of the Ukrainian acrobatic troupe, "Feet Feats" by Mongolian acrobats and "Pigeon Feats" by the French magicians' troupe were warmly applauded by spectators for their enchanting skills.
While performing an acrobatic piece, a Cambodian acrobat presented a scene of displaying the flags of the DPRK and Cambodia unfurled, thus excellently depicting the friendly relations between the two countries.
Ceremony of three services of KPA held
Pyongyang, April 13 (KCNA) -- A solemn ceremony of officers and men of the three services of the Korean People's Army was held in the plaza of the Kumsusan Memorial Palace today to pay respectful homage to President Kim Il Sung and vow loyalty to Kim Il Sung and supreme commander Kim Jong Il on the occasion of Sun's Day.
Present at the ceremony were Jo Myong Rok, director of the general political department of the KPA, Kim Yong Chun, chief of its general staff, Kim Il Chol, minister of the People's Armed Forces, commanders of all services and arms of the KPA and its soldiers.
The participants raised their hands in salute to the president in deepest veneration.
Jo Myong Rok said in a speech that the officers and men of the people's army would hold Kim Il Sung in high esteem as an eternal leader no matter how much water may flow under the bridge and glorify his noble revolutionary life and immortal revolutionary exploits down through generations.
Unanimously responding to Jo's speech replete with the unshakable faith and will of the revolutionary army, the officers and men of the KPA solemnly pledged themselves to become the first line standard-bearers and a shock brigade in upholding the army-first revolutionary leadership of Kim Jong Il and firmly guarantee the accomplishment of the revolutionary cause of Juche by force of arms.
Kim Jong Il sends wreath to bier of late Yu Suk Gun
Pyongyang, April 13 (KCNA) -- Leader Kim Jong Il today sent a wreath to the bier of the late Yu Suk Gun, a winner of "Kim Il Sung Order," Labor Heroine, people's scientist, candidate academician, professor, doctor and room chief of the medical and biological research institute of the academy of medical science, expressing deep condolences over her death.