Kim Jong Il visits unit no. 2629 of KPA
Pyongyang,April 16 (KCNA)-General Secretary Kim Jong Il Sunday visited unit no. 2629 of the KPA honored with the title of "O Jung Hup's Seventh Regiment" to congratulate officers and men of the KPA on the occasion of Sun's Day.
When he arrived at the unit, all the officers and men of the unit warmly welcomed him, offering him the highest glory and deepest thanks representing their ardent reverence for him.
He acknowledged the servicemen's enthusiastic welcome and warmly congratulated officers and men of the KPA on the day.
He heard a report on the situation from the commander of the unit and acquainted himself with the performance of its duty before seeing soldiers in training.
He highly appreciated proud successes made by them, looking round the education room, bedroom and entertainment and logistic facilities.
He enjoyed an art performance given by the soldiers of the company under the unit.
After seeing the performance, he was satisfied to see all the servicemen trained to be fighters strong in ideology and faith.
He gave servicemen of the company a pair of binoculars and an automatic rifle as gifts.
He posed for a photograph with the officers and men of the unit.
On the same day he was shown round the fish breeding farm of unit no. 580 of the KPA.
He learned in detail about the construction of the farm and fish breeding and praised its efforts.
He said that fish breeding should be conducted on a large scale to supply more freshwater fishes to our servicemen.
He put forth tasks to be implemented in the management and operation of the farm.
He was accompanied by general Ri Myong Su and other general officers of the KPA.
Projected joint military exercise flailed
Pyongyang, April 16 (KCNA) -- The United States and the South Korean military authorities will stage a "reception, staging, onward movement and integration" (Rsoi) exercise aimed at an "effective military support by the U.S. troops" including those in the U.S. mainland "in case of crisis on the Korean peninsula" from April 20, according to a news report.
In this regard, a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of the DPRK made public a statement today.
Pointing out that huge armed forces including the U.S. troops present in South Korea and Japan and those under the U.S. Pacific military command will reportedly participate in the exercise, the statement said:
What draws our particular attention is the fact that, unlike past exercises, this year's exercise would be staged on the "same level with a real war under the simulated conditions of the beginning of war" with the involvement of huge u.s. troops stationed in and around the Korean peninsula and the Pacific.
This goes to prove that the Bush administration which repeatedly claimed hardline policies toward the DPRK from the early days of its office has entered a reckless adventure to put them into practice.
The U.S. plan to stage a military game under the simulated condition of an "actual war" by hurling even its forces in the pacific fully proves that it completely reversed an DPRK-U.S. agreement on not threatening the dialogue partner by military force and is more openly pursuing the hostile policy to stifle the DPRK with "strength."
What the U.S. seeks in the provocative war game is to aggravate the inter-Korean relations and the situation of the Korean peninsula heading for reconciliation and cooperation, peace and reunification, bring them back to the state of confrontation before the publication of the north-south joint declaration and thus dampen ardent aspirations of the Korean nation for independent reunification and create a favourable atmosphere for realising its ulterior design to dominate the whole of Korea.
However, the U.S. is seriously mistaken.
As already clarified, we are prepared both for dialogue and war.
If the South Korean authorities defiantly take part in the projected war exercise in pursuance of the U.S. war moves against the DPRK, their behaviour cannot be construed otherwise than a downright betrayal to the north-south joint declaration.
We will do our utmost to preserve peace, security and stability on the Korean peninsula and open the door of reunification by the efforts of our nation. But we will resolutely fight against those who threaten our dignity and sovereignty and deal merciless retaliatory blows to them.
Greetings to third Kimilsungia show
Pyongyang, April 16 (KCNA) -- Megawati Sukarnoptri, vice-president of Indonesia, sent a message of greetings to the third Kimilsungia show held on the occasion of Sun's Day, the birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung.
The message wished the show a success and said that Kimilsungia is an everlasting symbol of friendship between the two peoples.
It expressed hope that the show would strengthen the cooperative relations between the two countries in the mutual interests of the two peoples.
KCNA on Powell's anti-DPRK diatribe
Pyongyang, April 16 (KCNA) -- U.S. State Secretary Powell insisted upon confrontation with the DPRK, aggravating the DPRK-U.S. relations with continued hostile balderdash against it.
At the talks with foreign ministers of different countries in Paris on April 11 he branded our dignified political system as "totalitarian," advocating the trite logic of "North Korea's threat" to South Korea.
This is a provocative remark which cannot be construed otherwise than a deliberate move to destroy the peace process on the Korean peninsula by fixing the DPRK-U.S. relations and the inter-Korean relations in a state of war and hostile relations for an indefinite period.
The history of relations between the DPRK and the U.S. eloquently proves who has threatened whom.
Korea has been divided for more than 50 years and the Korean nation is always exposed to threat of war, subjected to unbearable sufferings, owing to the U.S. military occupation of South Korea and its hostile policy toward the DPRK.
The U.S. forces in South Korea are the very one who poses threats to the Korean peninsula and northeast Asia and the root cause of all pain and misfortune of the Korean people.
As already clarified, the DPRK appreciates the progress of DPRK-U.S. relations so far made through negotiations based on mutual respect and understanding but will decisively counter the forces who are taking an attitude of confrontation, displeased with the progress.
If the United States opts for confrontation in relations with the DPRK, it will counter it with confrontation, and if the U.S. shows good faith to the DPRK, it will answer it with good faith.
U.S. urged to withdraw its troops from South Korea
Pyongyang, April 16 (KCNA) -- U.S. President Bush and other official figures and military bosses are scheming to shift onto the DPRK the blame for no progress of arms reduction on the Korean peninsula, talking about "cutdown of conventional arms and military forces" of the DPRK.
In this regard Rodong Sinmun today runs a commentator's article, which says:
The DPRK will never tolerate the U.S. ruling quarters for groundlessly taking issue with the DPRK, reversing black and white. It is because of the united states that there is no progress of arms reduction on the Korean peninsula.
The DPRK-proposed arms cuts presupposes that the Korean people are not exposed to a military threat from the U.S. imperialist aggression forces. The DPRK can never cut down its armed forces in any case if it is threatened by the U.S. imperialist aggression forces.
They have ceaselessly escalated war moves against the DPRK in the whole period of the second half of the 20th century as well as even after the end of the Cold War and committed military actions threatening the DPRK on over 438,000 occasions in the past ten years and critical moments when a war might break out numbered 120 on a daily average.
It is only too natural and self-evident for the DPRK to take self-defensive steps against the U.S. forces' threat.
The issue of arms cuts on the Korean peninsula is linked with the issue of the withdrawal of the U.S. forces from South Korea.
It is impossible to achieve arms cuts on the Korean peninsula and ensure a lasting peace and stability under the condition where the U.S. forces are present in South Korea and committing the moves of aggression and war.
In order to ease tensions and ensure peace on the peninsula, it is imperative to get the U.S. forces withdrawn from South Korea first of all.
The Bush administration consisting of hawks is intensifying the reckless hardline policy against the DPRK, pulling it up over the non-existent "threat" in a far-fetched way and openly branding it as a "rogue state", "terrorism sponsor" and "no. 1 enemy".
The Bush administration has no intention to ease the military confrontation on the Korean peninsula and works hard to escalate it against the DPRK.
The prevailing situation requires the DPRK to make the withdrawal of the U.S. forces the foremost task of its policy toward the U.S.
Option is not a monopoly of the U.S. the DPRK is entitled to take an option.
As regards the arms reduction on the Korean peninsula, we clarify that there is no need for the U.S. ruling quarters to noisily talk about it and the issue of cutdown of military forces in the north and south of Korea will be dealt with between them in the process of reunification by federal formula after the complete withdrawal of the U.S. forces from South Korea.
The issue of the "cutdown of conventional forces" in the DPRK peddled by the U.S. can never be a bargaining of the DPRK-U.S. relations.
The attitude toward the withdrawal of U.S. forces from South Korea is a criterion that proves whether the bush administration truly wants arms reduction on the Korean peninsula or not.
40th anniversary of Communist Party of Cuba marked
Pyongyang, April 16 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today observes the 40th anniversary of the Communist Party of Cuba (CPC).
An article of the paper says:
With the foundation of the CPC, the working class and the people of Cuba came to have a genuine revolutionary party for the first time in the history, the party that correctly speaks for their class and national interests and devotedly serves the people. It helps them to successfully pave the way for a worthwhile struggle to build a free and thriving new Cuba free from exploitation and oppression.
In recent years the Cuban people achieved great successes through their bold struggle to defend the country, the revolution and socialism, closely united around the CPC, not wavering under the U.S. imperialists' ceaseless moves for aggression and blockade.
The Workers' party and the people of Korea are rejoiced over all the successes made by the communist party and the people of Cuba in the revolution and construction as over their own and extend firm support and solidarity to their just cause.
The two parties and the two peoples of the DPRK and Cuba have ceaselessly developed the friendly and cooperative relations forged in their joint struggle for independence and socialism against imperialism.
These relations are favourably developing as the days go by under the deep concern of leader Kim Jong Il and respected Fidel Castro Ruz.
The WPK and the Korean people sincerely wish the CPC and the Cuban people greater success in their future struggle to defend the revolutionary gains attained in blood and achieve the victory of the socialist cause.
Evening gala and loyal singing get-together of youth and students
Pyongyang, April 16 (KCNA) -- An evening gala of youth and students here was held at Kim Il Sung square yesterday to commemorate Sun's Day, the birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung.
Present there were Hong Song Nam, Choe Thae Bok, Yang Hyong Sop and Kim Jung Rin.
Also present were heads of overseas Koreans' delegations.
Invited there were foreign delegations staying in Korea and embassy officials here.
The square turned into a sea of dancers and flowers amid the displaying of fireworks in the sky above the square.
The participants danced to the tune of songs, conspicuously decorating Sun's Day.
Foreign guests and overseas compatriots joined in the dance.
That day, 50,000 builders of the Kim Il Sung Socialist Youth League held a loyal singing get-together "Our Eternal Sun".
They showed well the indomitable will and firm spirit of the youth vanguard who take the lead in the building of a powerful country, upholding the party's leadership with loyalty.
Reception given for participants in spring festival
Pyongyang, April 16 (KCNA) -- The presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK gave a reception last evening in honor of the participants in the 19th April Spring Friendship Art Festival on the occasion of Sun's Day, the birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung.
Present on invitation were delegations, delegates and artistes of different countries and overseas Korean artistes to the festival.
Present were Hong Song Nam, premier of the cabinet, Yang Hyong Sop, vice-president of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, and Jang Chol, chairman of the festival organizing committee.
Speeches were made at the reception.
Reception given for participants in IIJI meeting
Pyongyang, April 16 (KCNA) -- The DPRK government hosted a reception on April 14 in honour of the participants in the 8th meeting of the executive committee of the board of directors of the International Institute of the Juche Idea.
Yang Hyong Sop, vice-president of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, in his address delivered there greeted the great success achieved by the meeting which was held here on the occasion of Sun's Day.
The Juche idea fathered by President Kim Il Sung is now comprehensively developed in depth thanks to leader Kim Jong Il and it has become the only guiding ideology representing the present times, he said, and continued:
The declaration of the decision made at the meeting to hold a world conference of the Juche idea followers in February 2002 is commanding full support and welcome as it represents the unanimous will and wish of the Korean people and the progressive people.
Vishwanath, director general of the IIJI, in his address said that the 20th century was a century when the popular masses' cause of independence was shaped and achieved victory under the wise guidance of the president and the 21st century would be a century when a greater victory would be made in the cause of independence under the outstanding leadership of kim jong il. The 21st century will be glorified as Kim Jong Il century, he added.
He called on the participants to discharge honourable missions and duties as the followers of the Juche idea.
U.S. arrogance assailed
Pyongyang, April 16 (KCNA) -- The U.S. forces recently staged one more anti-missile test in the sky above New Mexico state.
Commenting on the test, a signed commentary of Minju Joson today says that this eloquently shows who really brings a new missile threat to humankind aspiring after peace.
The commentary further says:
The United States is the very source of all missile threats in the world.
Whenever opportunities present themselves, the U.S. ruling quarters and venal trumpeters are loudly talking about "justness" of its "missile defence" system.
The U.S. is loudly talking about "missile threats" by someone in a bid to find pretexts to cover up its brigandish colors as the chieftain of missile threats and attain its ulterior purpose.
There is no justification and pretext for the U.S. to find faults with other countries for no reason because it has developed, tested, produced and deployed nuclear weapons, missiles and other lethal weapons at random for the purpose of keeping its military supremacy and realising its design for world domination at any cost.
If one fails to resolutely cope with u.s. arrogant and shameless acts, fearful of them, he will see the sovereignty and dignity of his country violated and fan up its aggressive moves. This is a serious lesson drawn from the past history.
One should answer the U.S. arrogant and shameless acts only with resolute countermeasures.
Reception given for foreign party delegations
Pyongyang, April 16 (KCNA) -- The central committee of the Workers' Party of Korea yesterday gave a reception in honor of the visiting delegations of foreign political parties on the occasion of Sun's Day, the birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung.
Present on invitation were the delegations of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP), the New Communist Party of Great Britain, the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia and the Moroccan Progress and Socialism Party, and Yos Son, chairman of the Commission of International Affairs of the People's Party of Cambodia.
Also invited was a delegation of the political university of Syria.
Choe Thae Bok, alternate member of the political bureau and secretary of the c.c., the WPK, in his speech referred to the feats Kim Il Sung performed on behalf of the history of the Korean nation and humankind.
He thanked the political parties and friends of different countries of the world for their positive support to the cause of the workers' party and people of Korea.
He said that the wpk would invariably maintain independence, peace and friendship as the basic idea of its foreign policy, boost friendship and unity with the progressive parties of the world aspiring after independence and work hard to build a new peaceful and just world in the future, too.
Osakan Thammatheva, member of the political bureau and chairman of the propaganda and ideological education commission of the c.c., the LPRP, said that the exploits Kim Il Sung performed on behalf of the times and history are shining more brightly thanks to leader Kim Jong Il and that the LPRP would actively strive to strengthen and develop the friendly relations with the WPK.
Andy Brooks, general secretary of the New Communist Party of Great Britain, said that the WPK would win a greater victory, smashing the imperialist challenge in the 21st century, too, thanks to the unique army-first revolutionary leadership of Kim Jong Il.
Floral basket to Kim Il Sung's statue from Palestinian President
Pyongyang, April 16 (KCNA) -- President of the State of Palestine Yasser Arafat sent a floral basket to the statue of President Kim Il Sung on Mansu Hill in Pyongyang on the occasion of Sun's Day.
Palestinian ambassador to Korea Shaher Mohammed Abdlah and embassy officials laid the floral basket before the statue of Kim Il Sung on April 15 and made a bow.
Greetings to Syrian President
Pyongyang, April 16 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, sent a message of greetings to Syrian President Bashar al Assad on April 14 on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the independence of Syria.
The message noted that over the last 55 years after the independence, the Syrian Arab people have made great progress in their work to defend the dignity of the nation and the sovereignty of the country and build a prosperous new society.
The Korean people are sincerely rejoiced over this and extend full support and solidarity to the Syrian Arab people in their just struggle to build an independent and thriving new Syria and see a fair and comprehensive solution to the mideast problem true to the cause of Hafez al Assad, the message said.
Expressing the belief that the good friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would continue to grow stronger and develop, the message whole-heartedly wished the president good health and happiness and the friendly Syrian Arab people greater progress and prosperity.