North and south simultaneous masses held

    Pyongyang, May 2 (KCNA) -- North and south Buddhists' simultaneous masses were held at temples across the DPRK on May 1 to celebrate the sacred birthday of Buddha, 2545 B.E. and pray for Korea's reunification. Speeches were made and a joint message offering a prayer and a message of greetings from the chairman of the Buddhist Order Council of South Korea were read out at the masses.
    The participants called on all the Buddhists in the north and the south to unite on the basis of Buddha's love to vigorously conduct practical actions for decisively shattering the U.S. imperialists' policy to invade the DPRK and glorifying this year as a year of opening the door of reunification by the efforts of the Korean nation.
    Present at the masses were office bearers of the central committee and provincial, city and county committees of the Korean Buddhists Federation, chief priests of temples, monks and believers.

KEDO delegation here

Pyongyang, May 2 (KCNA) -- A delegation of the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO) arrived here yesterday by air to participate in the negotiations of high-level experts for the implementation of the DPRK-KEDO agreement on the provision of light water reactors.

Kim Jong Il sends wreath to bier of late Ri Jong Hwan

Pyongyang, May 2 (KCNA) -- Leader Kim Jong Il on May 1 sent a wreath to the bier of the late Ri Jong Hwan, a former unconverted long-term prisoner, expressing deep condolences over his death. Ri Jong Hwan was taken prisoner by the enemy in a brave fight against the U.S. imperialist aggressors after joining the Korean People's Army during the Fatherland Liberation War (June 25, 1950-July 27, 1953). He served 43 years in prison in South Korea.

Workers in north and south meet

    Pyongyang, May 2 (KCNA) -- The May Day meeting of workers in the north and the south for the independent reunification of the country under the banner of the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration was held on Mt. Kumgang, one of the famous mountains in Korea, yesterday. Attending the meeting were a delegation of the General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea led by its vice-chairman Ri Jin Su, a delegation of the Federation of South Korean Trade Unions by Kwon Won Phyo, its permanent vice-chairman, a delegation of the South Korean Confederation of Trade Unions headed by chairperson Jong In Suk of the women's committee and officials concerned.
    Delegates of the federation of peasants associations in the south were among those present on invitation.
    Read out at the meeting were congratulatory messages sent to the meeting by several organizations in the north and overseas including the national reconciliation council, the headquarters of Korean residents in Japan of the National Alliance for the Country's Reunification (Pomminryon), the joint secretariat of Pomminryon, the north headquarters of Pomminryon, the north headquarters of the National Alliance of Youth and Students for the Country's Reunification and the Union of Agricultural Workers of Korea and a statement by the south headquarters of Pomminryon.
    Congratulatory speeches were made there.
    Vice-chairman Ri Jin Su in his speech called on all the workers in the north and the south to get united as one under the banner of the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration to take the lead in decisively smashing the moves of foreign forces for aggression and interference and opening the door of reunification.
    Kwon Won Phyo in his speech said that the workers in the south and the north should reject any interference for division and vigorously advance for national reunification, firmly solidarizing with each other in response to the joint declaration.
    Jong In Suk called for pooling the strength and wisdom of the workers in the north and the south to support and implement the joint declaration and meet the common needs of the nation.
    More participants took the floor.
    Then colorful sports and entertainment events took place there.

High-level EU delegation here

    Pyongyang, May 2 (KCNA) -- A high-level delegation of the European Union led by Goran Persson, President of the European Council and prime minister of Sweden, Javier Solana, high representative for common foreign and security policy of the EU, and Chris Patten, commissioner for external relations of the European commission, arrived here today. Suite members and reporters arrived here earlier.
    It was greeted at the airport by Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, Paek Nam Sun, minister of foreign affairs, and other officials concerned.
    A welcome function took place there.
    Goran Persson together with Kim Yong Nam reviewed the guard of honor of the three services of the Korean People's Army.

DPRK visit of high-level EU delegation hailed

    Pyongyang, May 2 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today editorially welcomes to Pyongyang the high-level delegation of the European Union led by Goran Persson, President of the European Council and prime minister of Sweden, Javier Solana, high representative for common foreign and security policy of the EU, and Chris Patten, commissioner for external relations of the European commission. The editorial says:
    The visit of the high-level delegation of the European Union to the DPRK, the first of its kind, will mark an important occasion in deepening the understanding and trust between the DPRK and the EU and opening a new chapter in developing the relations between them.
    There are things in common between the DPRK and the EU member states in view of historical development. The DPRK has pursued an independent foreign policy, regarding independence as its life and soul, and the European union has strongly asserted its independence in view of the historical backgrounds and life experience.
    Now the EU is increasing the validity of its existence and role as a dynamic and viable regional organization.
    The development of the friendly and cooperative relations between them is what is desired by the peoples of the DPRK and the EU and in conformity with the trend of the development in the times.
    The DPRK will make positive efforts to favourably develop the relations with the EU in the idea of independence, peace and friendship.
    The concerted efforts of the DPRK and the EU would help expand and develop the bilateral relations in different fields on a new orbit and exert a positive influence on the development of the world situation and the international relations.

GIs' mass killings of S. Korean civilians flayed

    Pyongyang, May 2 (KCNA) -- Sites where innocent civilians were massacred by GIs during the last Korean war were recently discovered and investigation into the truth behind the massacre and excavation are now underway in Pusan, South Korea. In this regard rodong sinmun today in a signed commentary says:
    The "Pusan and south Kyongsang provincial society of bereaved families of civilians massacred during the June 25 Korean War" carried out an excavation on April 8 to probe the truth behind the massacre in Pusan city, on the basis of a testimony made by an eyewitness, thus confirming the fact that more than 150 civilians were killed there. According to the testimony, GIs and the police buried in secret the bodies of more than 150 civilians in Pusan prison jail-clothes after shooting them to death in September 1950.
    These facts go to clearly prove that the U.S. imperialists are heinous ogres and the sworn enemy of the Korean people.
    As proven by the newly disclosed GIs' mass killings of Koreans, the U.S. imperialist aggressors are most barbarous criminals who drenched the land of Korea with blood of its people and brought all sorts of misfortune, sufferings and disasters to them.
    Therefore, anti-U.S. sentiment and voices strongly demanding the U.S. forces' pullout from South Korea are growing stronger than ever before among the South Koreans as they are keenly aware through their life experience that the U.S. forces in South Korea are neither "peace force" nor "defender" but the root cause of all evils there.
    The U.S. should not turn away from this reality. There is neither reason nor justification for the U.S. imperialist aggression troops to stay in South Korea any longer.
    The U.S. is well advised to squarely see the reality and withdraw its forces from South Korea, not raising the issue of "reduction of conventional forces" of someone.

Greetings to Moldovan prime minister

Pyongyang, May 2 (KCNA) -- Hong Song Nam, premier of the DPRK cabinet, sent a message of greetings to Vasily Tarlev on his appointment as prime minister of Moldova. Expressing the belief that the relations between the two countries would further develop favourably, the message wished him great success in his work for the development of his country's national economy and the people's wellbeing.
Foreign minister Paek Nam Sun sent a message of greetings to his Moldovan counterpart Nicolae Cernomaz on his reappointment.

High-level EU delegation visits Kim Il Sung's statue

Pyongyang, May 2 (KCNA) -- The high-level delegation of the European Union led by Goran Persson, President of the European Council and prime minister of Sweden, Javier Solana, high representative for common foreign and security policy of the EU, and Chris Patten, commissioner for external relations of the European Commission, today laid bunches of flowers before the statue of President Kim Il Sung on Mansu Hill and paid tribute to him.

Talks held between Korean and Syrian party delegations

Pyongyang, May 2 (KCNA) -- Talks between the delegations of the Workers' Party of Korea and the Arab Socialist Baath Party of Syria were held here today. At the talks both sides informed each other of activities of their parties and exchanged views on the matter of further developing the friendly relations between the two parties and two countries and on a series of issues of mutual concern.
Present there were choe thae bok, alternate member of the political bureau and secretary of the Central Committee of the WPK, and officials concerned and members of the delegation of the ASBPS headed by Mohammad Khalifah, member of the national leadership of the party who is also director of the cultural and training department of the national leadership, and Haissam Saad, Syrian charge d'affaires a.i.

Talks held between delegations of WPK and PLMA

Pyongyang, May 2 (KCNA) -- Talks between the delegations of the Workers' Party of Korea and the Popular Liberation Movement of Angola were held here today. At the talks both sides informed each other of activities of their parties and exchanged views on the matter of developing the friendly relations between the two parties and a series of issues of mutual concern.
Present there were Kye Ung Thae, member of the political bureau and secretary of the Central Committee of the WPK, officials concerned and members of the delegation of the PLMA led by Mario Antonio Carvalho, member of the political bureau of the c.c., the PLMA and its secretary for information.

EU delegation entertained

    Pyongyang, May 2 (KCNA) -- The presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly gave a reception in honor of the visiting high-level delegation of the European Union at the People's Palace of Culture today. Invited there were members of the delegation led by Goran Persson, President of the European Council and prime minister of Sweden, Javier Solana, high representative for common foreign and security policy of the EU, and Chris Patten, commissioner for external relations of the European Commission.
    President of the SPA presidium Kim Yong Nam, foreign minister Paek Nam Sun, minister of foreign trade Ri Kwang Gun, and officials concerned were present.
    In his speech Kim Yong Nam hoped that the delegation's visit to Pyongyang, intended for friendship and cooperation between the DPRK and the EU, would be greatly conducive to deepening the understanding and trust between the two sides and opening a new chapter in the development of the bilateral relations in the new century.
    He expressed deep thanks to the governments and peoples of all the EU member nations for their great efforts exerted to develop the relations between the DPRK and the EU and for their sincere humanitarian assistance given to the Korean people.
    Independence, peace and friendship are the basic idea of the DPRK's foreign policy, he said, adding that the DPRK will further develop the friendly and cooperative relations with the EU member states on the principle of complete equality, independence, mutual respect, non-interference in other's internal affairs and reciprocity.
    Goran Persson said in his speech that the historic inter-Korean summit talks held in Pyongyang last year promoted the process to which the EU attaches the greatest importance. The EU, he said, warmly welcomed the meeting of Chairman Kim Jong Il of the DPRK National Defence Commission and President Kim Dae Jung.
    The current visit of the delegation is a vivid indication of the EU attention to the peace process on the Korean peninsula and to the DPRK, he added.
    Artistes of the mansudae art troupe gave a performance at the reception.

Kim Yong Nam meets high-level EU delegation

    Pyongyang, May 2 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, met the high-level delegation of the European Union which paid a courtesy call on him at the Mansudae Assembly Hall today. Present there were members of the delegation led by Goran Persson, President of the European Council and prime minister of Sweden, Javier Solana, high representative for common foreign and security policy of the EU, and Chris Patten, commissioner for external relations of the European Commission.
    Also present were foreign minister Paek Nam Sun, minister of foreign trade Ri Kwang Gun and officials concerned.
    Kim Yong Nam had a conversation with the members of the delegation.

High-level EU delegation pays courtesy call on Kim Jong Il

    Pyongyang, May 2 (KCNA) -- A high-level delegation of the European Union which arrived here to visit the DPRK paid a courtesy call on leader Kim Jong Il, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, today. Present were members of the delegation led by Goran Persson, President of the European Council and prime minister of Sweden, Javier Solana, high representative for common foreign and security policy of the EU, and Chris Patten, commissioner for external relations of the European Commission.
    Present on the occasion was Kang Sok Ju, first vice-minister of foreign affairs.
    Kim Jong Il warmly welcomed their visit to the DPRK and had a cordial and friendly conversation with them.

High-level EU delegation interviewed

    Pyongyang, May 2 (KCNA) -- A high-level delegation of the European Union had an interview with media persons at Pyongyang Koryo Hotel today. Present were journalists accompanying the delegation, mediamen in Pyongyang and foreign correspondents here.
    Goran Persson, President of the European Council and prime minister of Sweden, and Chris Patten, commissioner for external relations of the European Commission, spoke at the press interview.
    Then followed answers to questions put by mediamen.

Talks held between Kim Yong Nam and EU delegation

Pyongyang, May 2 (KCNA) -- Talks were held between Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, and the high-level delegation of the European Union at the Mansudae Assembly Hall today. At the talks both side exchanged views on matters of mutual concern including the situation on the Korean peninsula and in northeast Asia and the relations between the DPRK and the EU.
Present at the talks were Paek Nam Sun, minister of foreign affairs, Ri Kwang Gun, minister of foreign trade, and other officials concerned, and on the EU side were members of the high-level delegation of the EU led by Goran Persson, President of the European Council and prime minister of Sweden, Javier Solana, high representative for common foreign and security policy of the EU, and Chris Patten, commissioner for external relations of the European Commission.