Working plan signed
Pyongyang, April 14 (KCNA) -- A Juche 90-92 (2001-2003) working plan for the implementation of the cultural agreement between the governments of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Syrian Arab Republic was signed here on Thursday.
The plan was signed by hong son ok, vice-chairwoman of the Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries, and Haissam Saad, charge d'affaires ad interim of the Syrian embassy here.
Joint performances given by schoolchildren
Pyongyang, April 14 (KCNA) -- Art circle members of schoolchildren gave joint performances on the occasion of Sun's Day, the birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung.
On April 13 a joint performance by participants in the national schoolchildren's art festival was given at the Mangyongdae Schoolchildren's Palace while a joint performance by art circle members of schoolchildren of the Pyongyang Schoolchildren's Palace was staged at the palace.
Appreciating performances were Choe Thae Bok, Kim Jung Rin and other senior officials, leading officials of party and power organs, working people's organizations, commissions and ministries of the cabinet and national institutions, former unconverted long-term prisoners who are pro-reunification patriotic fighters, officers and men of the Korean People's Army, overseas Koreans and working people in the city.
Present on invitation there were diplomatic envoys from various countries here and foreign guests.
Performers presented various numbers representing schoolchildren's joy at significantly commemorating the first Sun's Day in the new century, holding the president in high esteem as the eternal sun.
Aesthetic symposium held
Pyongyang, April 14 (KCNA) -- The fourth aesthetic symposium on the present times and national art was held here on Friday.
Present there were the Tajik government cultural delegation headed by Abdumannonov Abdurahmon, director of the information and cultural department of the presidential office, the Mongolian government cultural delegation headed by B. Miciigzhav, secretary of state for the Ministry of Science, Technology, Education and Culture, Sri Hastanto, director general of culture value, art and film of Indonesia who is a cultural delegate of Indonesia, Hang Soth, general director of cultural techniques of the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts of Cambodia who is a cultural delegate of Cambodia, a Nepalese delegation, a russian delegate, a Moldovan delegate, a Mongolian delegation, an Yanbian delegation of China, a delegation of Koreans in Japan, a delegation of the International United Confederation of Koreans and the DPRK delegation to the aesthetic symposium, heads of art troupes and artistes from various countries, of overseas Korean artistes, creators and artistes in Pyongyang. They are also participating in the 19th April Spring Friendship Art Festival and the 4th aesthetic symposium on the present times and national art.
Jang Chol, chairman of the festival organizing committee who is chairman of the central committee of the general federation of the Unions of Literature and the Arts of Korea, made a report which was followed by speeches by delegates of the DPRK, Nepal, Moldova, Mongolia, the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan and Russia.
The reporter and speakers set out proposals, underscoring the need to work hard to thoroughly preserve the Juche character and the national identity and reject the imperialists' ideological and cultural poisoning and develop national arts, national in form and revolutionary in content, so as to independently develop national literature and arts to meet the requirements of the new century.
The symposium offered an important occasion to the participants to grasp the truth that national art strong in the soul of the nation and rich in national flavour is a precious asset of the nation and the independent development of the national art is a correct way for the human arts to follow in the new century.
8th meeting of executive committee of board@of directors of IIJI opens
Pyongyang, April 14 (KCNA) -- The 8th meeting of the executive committee of the board of directors of the International Institute of the Juche Idea opened here yesterday.
Present there were members of its executive committee - Vishwanath, director general of the IIJI, Edmond Jouve, vice-director general of the IIJI and president of the council of the European Society for the Study of the Juche Idea, Garib Newaz, executive director general of the Asian Regional Institute of the Juche Idea, Alva Chavez, secretary general of the Latin American Institute of the Juche Idea, Baguma Isoke, vice-director general of the African Regional Committee for the Study of the Juche Idea, and Kim Yong Il, vice-chairman of the Korean Social Scientists Society.
Delegations and delegates of the Juche idea study groups of different countries, social scientists of the DPRK and a delegation of the Association of Korean Social Scientists in Japan attended the meeting as observers.
Also present were Yang Hyong Sop, chairman of the Korean Social Scientists Society who is vice-president of the presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly.
Prior to the meeting, the participants paid highest tribute to President Kim Il Sung, founder of the great Juche idea who devoted his whole life to the global cause of independence, praying for his eternal life.
Yang Hyong Sop in his congratulatory message highly appreciated the devoted services rendered by the director general and members of the executive committee of the board of directors of the IIJI to firmly defend the Juche idea and study and disseminate it in the past and many successes made in that course.
At the meeting, the director general of the IIJI made a report reviewing the work of the institute for the year 2000 which was followed by speeches.
The reporter and speakers referred to the successes made last year in the activities to study and disseminate the Juche idea through publicity and other activities, organization of regional and national seminars and the distribution of publications.
They briefed the meeting on the activities of the regional institutes of the Juche idea and called for enhancing the functions and roles of the regional institutes and strengthening interaction among Juche idea study groups in various countries of the world to reinvigorate study and dissemination of the Juche idea in the future.
The meeting discussed an action program of the IIJI for the year 2001.
The meeting continues.
General Hospital of Koryo Medicine opens
Pyongyang, April 14 (KCNA) -- The General Hospital of Koryo Medicine has been built here.
With a total floor space of more than 14,500 square metres, it has patients' rooms with over 400 beds, modernly equipped rooms for function diagnosis and examination, operating rooms, rooms for medical treatment, dozens of outpatients' rooms for specialized treatment with Koryo medicines, etc.
The construction of the hospital is also associated with the patriotic devotion of Koreans in Japan.
An opening ceremony of the hospital took place yesterday.
Kim Jong Il sends large buses to serve@Pyongyangites
Pyongyang, April 14 (KCNA) -- Leader Kim Jong Il sent many large buses to serve Pyongyangites.
Pyongyang citizens received these large buses at a time when they are significantly commemorating the first Sun's Day in the new century. These buses are associated with such fatherly loving care of the leader as sparing nothing for the people.
A ceremony of conveying the buses was held at Kim Il Sung Square yesterday.
Third-day performances of April spring festival
Pyongyang, April 14 (KCNA) -- The third-day performances of the 19th April Spring Friendship Art Festival were given yesterday to full houses.
Group performances ended after curtains were raised on April 11.
Veteran art troupes, international and national concours winners, people's and merited actors and actresses, famous actors and actresses and other foreign artistes and overseas Korean artistes put on stages songs, dances, instrumental music, acrobatic pieces and other colorful numbers.
They sang the immortal revolutionary paeans "Song of General Kim Il Sung" and "Song of General Kim Jong Il" and other songs fully reflecting progressive humankind's deep reverence for President Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il.
Also put on stages were songs, dances, instrumental music and other art works representing the desire to strengthen friendship and solidarity among artistes of different countries, the world people's wishes to enjoy an independent and creative life to their hearts' content in a free and peaceful new world free from war and subjugation and their noble spiritual world and traditions and customs of nations.
Acrobats put on the stage refined and successful pieces full of creative strength and wisdom, boldness and courage, youthful spirit and optimism to be warmly applauded by the spectators.
DPRK to strongly react to U.S. NMD
Pyongyang, April 14 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today carries a signed commentary denouncing the united states for opting to establish the NMD despite strong opposition of the international community.
The commentary goes on:
The NMD is a criminal war plan to militarize outer space and bring other countries under the U.S. control with nuclear weapons in a bid to hold world supremacy, and impose nuclear disasters upon humankind.
The United States insists that the establishment of the NMD is aimed to cope with the "missile threat" from the DPRK.
This logic, however, cannot convince anyone.
The U.S. real intention to establish the NMD is to contain Russia and China, put its allies under its nuclear umbrella and rule over the world.
The U.S. is escalating its policy to stifle the DPRK by force of arms, regarding the Korean peninsula as a main operational theatre to realize its strategy for world supremacy.
It is driving the DPRK-U.S. relations to an extreme phase, deliberately avoiding the settlement of the missile issue through talks with the DPRK.
As the U.S. is persistently citing the DPRK as a pretext to establish the NMD, the DPRK is left with no option but to take a countermeasure.
Given that the U.S. is pushing forward the nmd in a bid to realize its strategy for world supremacy, the DPRK's counter-measure will not be bound to anything.
It is the DPRK's will and mode of retaliation to counter strength with strength and react to a hard line policy with the toughest policy.
We will never tolerate the u.s. unfair and unilateral imposition of peace upon the DPRK but strongly react to it to the last.
KCNA on Japanese professor's mean remarks
Pyongyang, April 14 (KCNA) -- Good faith and morality are considered to be universally accepted criteria of modern civilization in the 21st century. yet, a corrupt way of thinking which might be inherent only in barbarians in the mediaeval ages emerged in Japan to be officially recognized by its government.
It is belatedly known that Japanese professor Takao Sakamoto wrote in a Japanese official publication already before authoring those controversial history textbooks that "the history of comfort women was the history of toilet."
This guy wrote history textbooks which justified Japan's history of aggression and crimes only to meet domestic and foreign protest and denunciation.
His remarks make the people to recall the pictures taken in the middle of the last century showing hateful Japanese soldiers waiting for their turn in a long queue in front of "comfort stations," with their trousers down despite cold, and the attitudes of the Japanese government, academic circle and press towards this crime-woven history.
What should not be overlooked is the fact that Sakamoto with such an indecent view on morality was allowed to write history textbooks related to the future of Japan as a typical man of intellect and his books have been officially approved by the Japanese authorities.
This means that the government authorities and intellectuals of Japan admitted that Japan's level of intellect is subhuman.
One can not but think once again of Japan where ethics and morality are waning as the days go by and the conscience and qualifications of Japanese intellectuals who profess to be teachers educating the younger generation in such a country.
It is only the Japanese who tarnished the history of the 20th century with the most hideous group rape and are so mean as to describe it as "history of toilet," not content with negating it.
Japan should feel ashamed of such man as Sakamoto who is reducing its morality and intellect to such a corrupt phase as a "toilet."
First int'l art festival in new century
Pyongyang, April 14 (KCNA) -- Songs in praise of the sun are reverberating far and wide in Pyongyang on the occasion of Sun's Day (April 15), the birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung, the first to be commemorated in the 21st century.
The April Spring Friendship Art Festival (ASFAF) has been an annual event since the 1980s. The 19th festival is now under way.
Over the last 19 years, more than 15,000 artistes of 1,300 art troupes from over 800 countries and regions have participated in the festival.
This year's festival brought together more than 740 artistes of 86 art organizations from 46 countries and regions.
The festival has been developed into a traditional international art festival and a grand art festival common to humankind from friendly concerts at its outset.
Different from international art festivals of various titles such as "Geneva International Musical concours," "Tschaikovsky International Concours" and "Paris International Vocal Concours" which were held amid deep concern of the art circle, the ASFAF is an international art festival involving all the fields of stage art including vocal and instrumental pieces, dances, conducting and acrobatics.
It has such various forms as group and individual and joint performances.
It drew many art troupes including the world famous oriental song and dance group and the national song and dance ensemble of china and the army song and dance ensemble named after Alexandrov and the Berozuka Dancing Troupe of Russia and more than 1,400 international and national concours winners.
The ASFAF has been traditionalized as desired by progressive humankind to venerate Kim Il Sung as the sun of all people.
Put on festival stages were the immortal revolutionary paean "Song of General Kim Il Sung" and scores of music pieces written and composed by artistes of various countries.
The spring festival in Pyongyang, indeed, proves its tremendous vitality and attraction as it is an international art festival singing songs in praise of Kim Il Sung, the sun.
"Biography of Kim Il Sung" vol. 4 published
Pyongyang, April 14 (KCNA) -- "Biography of Kim Il Sung" vol. 4 was brought out by the Workers' Party of Korea Publishing House on the occasion of Sun's Day.
The volume contains his revolutionary career and activities from October Juche 69 (1980) to December Juche 78 (1989).
The volume consisting of 10 chapters from 42 to 51 says that he wisely organized and led the struggle to open a decisive phase in vigorously accelerating the modelling of the whole society on the Juche idea and achieving the complete victory of socialism.
KCU joint national meeting
Pyongyang, April 14 (KCNA) -- A joint national meeting of the Korean Children's Union (KCU) organizations was held in the plaza of the Kumsusan Memorial Palace today to commemorate the 89th birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung.
Attending the meeting were delegates of provincial KCU organizations and schoolchildren in the city of Pyongyang.
Present were secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea central committee Choe Thae Bok, vice-president of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly Yang Hyong Sop, officials concerned and parents and working people in the city.
The participants made a deep bow to the president with unbounded reverence for him.
Ri Il Hwan, first secretary of the c.c., the Kim Il Sung Socialist Youth League, made a report there.
Stressing that President Kim Il Sung is the eternal sun of the KCU members, he said:
The president had shown warmest love and solicitude for the KCU members until he passed away only with a red flag.
The KCU members should hold him in high esteem as the eternal sun of Juche for all ages and exalt the brilliance of his revolutionary life and enduring feats.
They should absolutely worship and follow leader Kim Jong Il to the last under the slogan "Let us always get ready for the respected General Kim Jong Il " in the new century, too, and firmly prepare themselves to be reliable reserves for the building of a powerful nation, equipped with knowledge, a good moral character and good health, the reporter said. Then, an admission ceremony of the KCU took place at the meeting.
National meeting held to commemorate Kim Il Sung's@birth anniversary
Pyongyang, April 14 (KCNA) -- A national meeting was held at the April 25 House of culture here today to commemorate the 89th birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung.
The Korean nation and the progressive people of the world are commemorating April 15, the birth anniversary of Kim Il Sung, as a common holiday when the sun of the nation rose.
Present at the meeting were senior party and state officials. Also on hand were foreign diplomatic envoys and overseas Koreans.
At the meeting Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, made a report titled "The Great Leader Comrade Kim Il Sung is the Most Outstanding Man Representing the 20th Century."
Kim Il Sung made a new history of a great turn in carving out the destiny of the Korean nation and humankind and performed the exploits of world historic significance in his 80-odd years of life, which would always remain recorded in the annals of the era of independence, the reporter said, and continued:
The president fathered the Juche idea and developed it in depth and paved the unique way for socialism, thus building a powerful country, independent, self-supporting and self-reliant in national defence, under man-centered socialism.
The president successfully solved the issue of succession to the revolutionary cause, thus providing a sure guarantee for the ultimate victory in the cause of Juche. This is a historic exploit of special value and great significance among the revolutionary exploits the president performed on behalf of the country, the nation and the times.
He will always live in the hearts of humankind as the eternal leader of the workers' party and people of Korea and the eternal sun of humankind for the immortal exploits he performed in the annals of the 20th century.
His immortal exploits are shining more brilliantly with the victorious advance of the cause of Juche thanks to leader Kim Jong Il.
The revolutionary idea and exploits of the president always serve as a guiding idea of the era of independence, as a manual to accomplish the cause of independence, demonstrating their immutable absolute truth and enduring vitality thanks to Kim Jong Il's unremitting ideological and theoretical activities and revolutionary leadership.
As Kim Jong Il has confidently carried forward the revolutionary cause of the president at the head of the WPK, the state and the revolutionary armed forces, our country and people will always remain powerful and prosperous Kim Il Sung's Korea and Kim Il Sung's nation and the cause of global independence will more vigorously advance along the road of victory opened by the president.
Referring to the tasks to be carried out for the ultimate victory in the cause of Juche, the reporter called on all the people to devote themselves to realising at an early date the desire of the president, who worked so hard to enable the entire nation to enjoy happiness and well-being in a reunified powerful country.
Gift to Kim Jong Il from Vietnamese prime minister
Pyongyang, April 14 (KCNA) -- Leader Kim Jong Il received a gift from Phan Van Khai, prime minister of the government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
The gift was conveyed to an official concerned by Vo Hong Quang, vice-minister of culture and information who is leading the Vietnamese government cultural delegation to the 19th April Spring Friendship Art Festival.
Delegation of SPA returns home
Pyongyang, April 14 (KCNA) -- The delegation of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK led by Kim Yong Dae, vice-president of the presidium of the SPA which had participated in the 105th conference of the inter-parliamentary union held in Havana came back today.
It was greeted at the airport by vice-chairman of the SPA Jang Chol and Esteban Lobaina Romero, Cuban ambassador to the DPRK.
Delegations of different political parties here
Pyongyang, April 14 (KCNA) -- A delegation of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party headed by Osakan Thammatheva, member of the political bureau of the c.c., the LPRP and chairman of the propaganda and ideological education commission of the c.c., the LPRP, arrived here today on the threshold of Sun's Day, the birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung.
It was greeted at the airport by Yang Hyong Sop, alternate member of the political bureau of the c.c., the Workers' Party of Korea who is also vice-president of the presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, and Khamkheng Sayakeo, Lao ambassador to the DPRK.
Also arriving here were delegations of the New Communist Party of Great Britain headed by its general secretary Andy Brooks, parliamentarians from political parties of Brazil and the Moroccan Progress and Socialism Party, the chairman of foreign relations commission of the People's Party of Cambodia and a delegation of Political University of Syria.