Kim Jong Il inspects KPA units nos. 841 and 998
Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Il inspected units of the Korean People's Army nos. 841 and 998 on April 17.
Upon his arrival at unit no. 841 on the forefront, he acknowledged the enthusiastic cheers of the soldiers of the unit. then he saw them conducting a military exercise in sky-high spirits.
He was greatly satisfied to see all the officers and men of the unit trained to be one-match-for-a-hundred fighters fully ready to perform any difficult and compler combat duties. He put forth highly important tasks to be fulfilled to increase the combat capability of the unit.
Looking round entertainment and logistic facilities, he said that for the betterment of the servicemen's living, it was necessary to preferentially supply everything to them, sparing nothing for them.
It is very gratifying that various educational material including desk study aids are effectively used at the unit to prepare servicemen as Juche-type revolutionaries, he noted and underscored the need to conduct an effective ideological education in diverse ways.
He gave them a pair of binoculars, an automatic rifle and a machine gun as gifts and had a photo taken with them.
The next leg of his inspection was KPA unit no. 998.
After looking round various places such as well-furnished education room, bedroom, mess, a fish breeding farm and a power station, he acquainted himself with the management of the unit and took warm care of the soldiers' living as their father would do.
Saying that as the buildings such as barracks and logistic facilities look neat and tidy, surrounded by a good environment in the thick woodland, they look like a rest home, he highly praised the successes made by them in the past.
He repeatedly spoke highly of the distinguished service rendered by Labour Hero Han Su Man, commmander of the unit, for the country and the people, in particular, recalling that serving in the unit for 40 odd years from a soldier, he has done a lot of work such as creating thick forests on nearly mountains and making all kinds of facilities necessary for the soldiers' living, thereby positively contributing to increasing the combat capability of the unit.
Noting that this unit is an ideal unit worthy of a model in all aspects such as the management of the unit, the ideological education and in the efforts to the boost combat capability of the unit, he called on all other units of the army to follow their example.
He met servicemen of the unit and once again congratulated them on their laudable feats. then he had a picture taken with them.
Firenze Group for Study of Juche Idea formed in Italy
Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- An inaugural meeting of the Firenze, Italy, group for the study of the Juche idea was held on April 11 on the occasion of Sun's Day, the birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung.
The chief of the Firenze branch of the United Communist Party of Italy said in his speech that although human history records various philosophical thoughts, it does not know such an idea as Kim Il Sung's Juche idea indicating a right way of hewing out the destiny of the popular masses.
The chief of the Firenze branch was elected chief of the group.
A letter to leader Kim Jong Il was adopted at the meeting.
Cuban ambassador hosts reception
Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- Esteban Lobaina Romero, Cuban ambassador to the DPRK, hosted a reception at his embassy yesterday on the occasion of the birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung.
He said in his speech that it is a great honour to have the opportunity of commemorating the birth anniversary of the president who always lives in the hearts of humankind for the outstanding exploits he performed in the international revolutionary movement and the struggle against imperialism.
The friendly relations between the two countries were provided by supreme commander Fidel Castro Ruz and President Kim Il Sung, he said, and added:
The two leaders exerted tireless efforts to strengthen and develop the friendly and cooperative relations between the two parties and governments.
These friendly ties are now growing stronger and developing thanks to leader Kim Jong Il. He expressed firm belief that Cuba and the DPRK led by the two great leaders will foil the moves of the common enemies and emerge victorious.
Yang Hyong Sop, vice-president of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, said in his speech that Kim Il Sung wisely led the global cause of independence, under the uplifted banner of independence and anti-imperialist struggle throughout the period of his revolutionary activities and made distinguished contributions to the growth and development of the international communist movement, the world revolutionary movement and the non-aligned movement.
The Korean people will surely build a strong socialist nation of Juche most powerful in all fields in the near future closely united around Kim Jong Il and achieve the historic cause of national reunification, the nation's cherished desire, he said, and went on:
The Korean people will make all efforts to steadily develop the traditional cooperative relations between the DPRK and Cuba and extend as ever invariable support and solidarity to the fraternal Cuban people in their struggle to defend the country, the revolution and the gains of socialism.
Projected S. Korea-U.S. joint military exercise under fire
Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today in a signed commentary terms the South Korea-U.S. joint military exercise to be staged from April 20 a drill to provoke a war against the north.
The DPRK can never remain a passive onlooker to such reckless move, the commentary warns, and goes on:
Through this joint military exercise the U.S. imperialists seek to increase their actual war capacity for the rapid deployment of huge aggression forces from the U.S. mainland and their overseas bases to the Korean front in case of emergency.
The war exercise is fraught with greater danger as it is to be staged at a time when the u.s. bellicose forces are escalating their aggressive and hostile policy towards the DPRK.
The DPRK loves peace and desires national reunification, but it has no idea of begging them from those keen to destroy the DPRK.
It is the fixed will and spirit of the DPRK to respond to dialogue with dialogue and return a war for a war.
The U.S. imperialists and the South Korean military are well advised to heed this stern warning of the DPRK and cancel the plan for an aggressive and provocative war exercise at once.
Withdrawal of U.S. troops from Korean peninsula demanded
Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- Minju Joson today dismisses "the cutdown of conventional weapons" peddled by the Bush administration as sheer sophistry. The DPRK does not wish to kill the time going into it pros and cons, the commentary notes.
Calling attention to the fact that the U.S., groundlessly taking issue with the DPRK over "the cutdown of the conventional weapons," is attempting to include the "cutdown" in outstanding issues between the DPRK and the U.S., the paper describes the attempt as intolerable.
The paper clarifies the DPRK's stand in this regard.
The news analyst continues:
As for the disarmament, it is not what the U.S. is entitled to call for, but the matter the DPRK should raise to the U.S.
The U.S. has never sincerely accepted any proposal of the DPRK for disarmament.
Lurking behind the U.S. insistence on "the cutdown of conventional weapons of the DPRK" is a very sinister and dangerous intention to justify the U.S. military presence in South Korea and arms buildup, and to disarm and suffocate the DPRK.
The U.S. troop pullout from South Korea is a prerequisite to disarmament and removal of military confrontation and danger of war from the Korean peninsula.
The U.S. should be aware of this and pull its troops out of South Korea at the earliest date.
If it does not do what it should do, persisting in its anti-DPRK diatribe and high-handed practices, it will have to pay dearly for that.
Honorary doctorate awarded to Kim Jong Il from Mongolian University
Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- Jenghis Khan University of Mongolia decided to award its honorary doctorate to leader Kim Jong Il on the occasion of his birthday. An awarding ceremony took place at the People's Palace of Culture yesterday.
A certificate of the honorary doctorate of the university was read out and handed to Kim Yong Dae, vice-president of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, by the head of the delegation of the university centre for the study of the Juche idea.
The certificate said the Mogolian people and the younger generation highly appreciate the works of Kim Jong Il who has performed distinguished exploits on behalf of sociology in the century of human civilization and that the honorary doctorate of the university is awarded to him in recognition of his great contributions to the strengthening of the fraternal friendship between Mongolia and the DPRK.
Kim Yong Dae made an address at the ceremony, which was followed by congratulatory speeches of foreign guests.
Great programme for national reconciliation, unity and reunification
Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today dedicates a signed article to the third anniversary of the publication of leader Kim Jong Il's famous work "Let us reunify the country independently and peacefully through the great unity of the entire nation."
Kim Jong Il sent this letter to the national symposium held to mark the 50th anniversary of the significant north-south joint conference on April 18, Juche 87 (1998).
The article says:
His is a historic work which developed in depth the Juche-based idea of President Kim Il Sung on great national unity to meet the requirements of the new situation and an immortal library of great national unity which gave comprehensive answers to all the theoretical and practical problems arising in achieving great national unity.
In the work he manifested his fixed determination and will to achieve the great unity of the whole nation and reunify the country without fail in our generation by carrying forward and developing the great idea of great national unity put forward by the president and his exploits.
In his work Kim Jong Il clarified the historic five-point policy of great national unity, which serves as a guideline in achieving the great unity of the whole nation.
The policy calls on the whole nation to achieve its great unity on the principle of national independence and under the banner of patriotism and national reunification, improve the relations between the north and the south of Korea, reject outsiders' domination and interference, struggle against those forces opposed to reunification, promote contact and dialogue and strengthen solidarity.
It marks a historic landmark which opened a new era of national reunification, a new higher stage of the cause of great national unity, the article says, and goes on:
Kim Jong Il's presentation of the great programme of great national unity is a shining fruition of the energetic ideological and theoretical activities and outstanding leadership of him who is making a new history of all-embracing politics, benevolent politics with noble patriotism. that is an immortal contribution in national history, which opens a bright vista for national reunification.
The policy, together with the ten-point programme of the great unity of the whole nation, serves as a militant banner which encourages all the fellow countrymen to a drive for national unity.
40th anniversary of victory in Playa Giron Battle marked
Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- A meeting, photo exhibition and film show were held here yesterday on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the victory of the Cuban people in the Playa Giron Battle.
Pyon Yong Rip, minister of education who is also the chairman of the DPRK-Cuba Solidarity Committee, in his speech said that the fraternal Cuban people have accelerated the construction of socialism in face of ceaseless obstructions by the u.s. imperialists and reactionaries for scores of years and turned their country into an invincible socialist fortress in the western hemisphere.
He sincerely wished the brave Cuban people greater success in their struggle to defend their fatherland, revolution and socialist gains under the leadership of the Communist Party of Cuba headed by respected Fidel Castro.
The Korean people would continue to develop the friendly and cooperative relations between the two peoples, true to the intention of President Kim Il Sung who made an immortal contribution to the development of the friendly relations between the two countries, he concluded.
Esteban Lobaina Romero, Cuban ambassador to the DPRK, in his reply said that the heroic Cuban people defended not only the young Republic of Cuba but also the banner of socialism in the Playa Giron Battle.
The friendly relations between Cuba and the DPRK would grow stronger as the days go by, he said, and sincerely wished the Korean people greater success in their just struggle to build a powerful country and achieve the independent and peaceful reunification of the country under the wise leadership of leader Kim Jong Il.
The participants saw a Cuban film "Underground Fighters."
prior to the meeting, they looked round the photos showing the Playa Giron Battle.
GIs' mass killings under fire
Pyongyang, April 18 (kcna) -- A representative of the world peace council addressing the 57th session of the U.N. commission on human rights denounced the U.S. for mass killings of civilians during the Korean war. The speaker recalled that GIs killed over 400 civilians in Rogun-ri of South Korea in three days of bombing and strafing and massacred more than 35,380 civilians of Sinchon county, South Hwanghae Province, or one-fourth of its population during the Korean War.
The representative drew attention to the fact that the then U.S. administration ordered its forces to destroy everything before them through saturation bombing, drop of napalm bombs and other scorched-earth operations. As a result, the whole of Korea was destroyed and millions of Korean civilians were killed, he added.
The U.S. should admit these serious human rights abuses and take proper measures to compensate the victims and their families for them, the representative urged, and stated:
To this end we request the U.N. commission on human rights to probe the truth and open it to the public and demand the U.S. make an apology for its mass killings of Koreans and compensate the victims in order to prevent the repetition of such human rights abuses.
KCNA delegation leaves for China
Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- A delegation of the Korean Central News Agency led by deputy director general Ri Hae Ryong left here today to visit China.
The delegation was seen off at Pyongyang Railway Station by Han Song Bok, deputy director general of the KCNA, and Li Bin, charge d'affaires ad interim of the Chinese embassy here.
19th April Art Festival closes
Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- The 19th April Spring Friendship Art Festival closed after its curtain rose in Pyongyang on April 10 on the occasion of Sun's Day, the birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung.
The closing ceremony was held at the April 25 House of Culture today with the attendance of government cultural delegations and delegates, artistes from many countries and artistes of overseas Koreans who participated in the festival as well as delegations and delegates from different countries to the fourth aesthetic symposium on the present times and national art.
Also present there were vice-president of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly Yang Hyong Sop and other senior officials.
A prize awarding ceremony was held at the ceremony. Group prizes were conferred on the state academy ensemble of the Ministry of Interior of Russia and art troupes of China, Mongolia, Koreans in Japan and Koreans in China.
Artistic prize was awarded two artistes and creation prizes to ten artistes, individual prizes to 73, ensemble prizes to 51 pieces and merit prizes to 4 overseas compatriots.
Diplomas, cups, prize money, golden and silver and bronze statuettes were also awarded to them according to the prizes.
The ceremony adopted a letter of thanks to leader Kim Jong Il from the participants in the festival.
A message of thanks from the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK to the festival participants was read out at the ceremony.
Jang Chol, chairman of the festival organizing committee, said in his closing address that he is pleased with the great success of the festival and praised all the festival participants for their energetic activities that made the festival fruitful.
They greatly delighted the Korean people significantly commemorating Sun's Day by representing unbounded veneration for the president on the festival stages, he said.
He said that the artistes in the DPRK would make every sincere effort to develop the April Spring Friendship Art Festival in the new century, too, in cooperation with the close friends who love justice and peace and aspire after true art.
The ceremony was followed by a closing art performance.
Message of thanks to participants in 19th April Spring Friendship Art Festival
Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- The presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea sent a message of thanks to the participants in the 19th April Spring Friendship Art Festival.
The message was read out at the closing ceremony of the festival held at the April 25 House of Culture today.
The message said that the festival held with large attendance under the deep loving care of leader Kim Jong Il, proved successful to meet the desire of the progressive artistes to jointly pave the way for the development of national art and human culture in the 21st century.
It noted that artistes from different countries and overseas Korean artistes staged colorful numbers singing praises of the great life and immortal revolutionary exploits of President Kim Il Sung, thus making Sun's Day more significant as a common holiday of humankind.
The people and men of culture and in the DPRK will deeply cherish solidarity and friendship expressed by the participants in the festival and steadily strengthen the relations of friendship, unity and culture with various countries of the world through the festival, the message pointed out.
Expressing the belief that the foreign artistes and overseas Korean artistes would in the future, too, actively join in further glorifying the April Spring Friendship Art Festival, the message wished them success in their art creation and performances.