Kim Jong Il visits Sinhung area in South Hamgyong Province
Pyongyang, May 28 (KCNA) - Leader Kim Jong Il visited Sinhung area in South Hamgyong Province.
Accompanying him were secretary Kim Kuk Thae and first vice department director Ri Yong Chol of the WPK central committee.
Leader Kim Jong Il gave on-site guidance to the work related to revolutionary sites in Sinhung area.
In that historic area President Kim Il Sung and the communist revolutionary fighter Kim Jong Suk led activities of small units and political workers of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army and encouraged workers and peasants and other people in the nationwide resistance for the liberation of the country during the anti-Japanese armed struggle.
Kim Jong Il was briefed on the revolutionary sites in front of the map on them. Then, going round sites such as secret camps on mts. Paekyok, Okryon and Kodae, he acquainted himself in detail with the management and operation of the sites and the education of visitors.
Looking round precious relics telling about the history of the arduous anti-Japanese war, he praised Kim Il Sung as a legendary hero and a peerless patriot who underwent hardships and sufferings, making a long journey of bloody battles for national liberation and people's freedom and happiness.
The brilliant revolutionary traditions established by the president in the period of the protracted anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle serve as an eternal cornerstone for our party and revolution, he said, adding: intensifying the education in the traditions is a fundamental guarantee for accomplishing the revolutionary cause started by the president.
He said the revolutionary sites are a precious wealth of the revolution and an important base for equipping the party members and other working people, servicemen and youth and children with the revolutionary traditions of our party. and he advanced highly important tasks that would serve as a guideline in managing and operating the sites and further strengthening the education through them.
U.S. troop pullout from South Korea urged
Pyongyang, May 28 (KCNA) -- A ridiculous remark made by a high-ranking official of the bush administration recently as regards the issue of resuming talks between the DPRK and the U.S. comes under fire by a signed commentary of rodong sinmun today. The commentary says: He asserted that the "resumption of the talks should be preceded by the north's reduction of its troops deployed along the military demarcation line." He also said that the U.S. forces' presence in South Korea is to cope with "possible North Korean military provocation."
Lurking behind such remark is a sinister aim.
By raising the "issue of North Korean forces reduction" as a precondition for the resumption of the talks, the United States seeks to render the bilateral relations complicated and while away time with that as a pretext and thus keep its troops in South Korea for an indefinite period and keep the Korean peninsula in a state of military confrontation.
Its ulterior aim is to completely disarm the DPRK in a bid to create a military vacuum on its front and rear and seize it anytime with ease.
It is preposterous for the U.S. to assert that it keeps its troops in South Korea to cope with "possible North Korean military provocation."
The north and the south have already adopted an agreement on non-aggression and the June 15 Joint Declaration. It is our steadfast stand to implement them to improve inter-Korean relations and stabilize the situation on the peninsula.
The reality goes to prove that there is no ground for the U.S. troops to stay in South Korea any longer.
If the U.S. sincerely wishes a solution to the issue of disarmament on the Korean peninsula, it should pull its troops out of South Korea, first of all.
U.S. forces' pullback from South Korea would be definitely followed by the process of disarmament between the north and the south. The issue of the DPRK-U.S. relations and all other issues depend on the U.S. troops' pullout from South Korea. The U.S. stand on it will be a touchstone showing whether its administration truly wishes disarmament on the Korean peninsula and an end to the DPRK-U.S. confrontation or not.
We will do what we should do while closely following the attitude of the Bush administration.
Israel's military actions denounced
Pyongyang, May 28 (KCNA) -- A spokesman of the Foreign Ministry of the DPRK answered a question put by KCNA yesterday in regard to the fact that Israel has escalated its military attacks against Palestine.
Israel is these days continuing military attacks against Palestine with gun ships and f-16 fighter planes, bringing the regional situation to an extreme pitch of tension, he said, and continued:
Such reckless actions are undisguised aggression on Palestine and the Arab people as well as a grave challenge to global peace and security.
The use of force can never be a cure-all in international relations.
Now many countries including all the Arab nations are strongly denouncing Israel's military violence against Palestine, expressing deep concern over it.
Israel is well advised to immediately halt its provocative military actions against the regional peace and stability, as demanded by the international community.
Korean female soloist active in her seventies
Pyongyang, May 28 (KCNA) -- People's artiste Wang Son Hwa's solo presentation is going on in Pyongyang, drawing capacity audiences. It was arranged to mark her 70th birthday. Put on stage are more than 10 songs including "Song Dedicated to Comrade Kim Jong Il," "Song of Chollima Pacesetter" and "Socialist Paradise."
Well-known at home and abroad as an international concours winner, she started her career as a singer when she was 19.
After joining the front line song and dance ensemble of the Korean People's Army in South Korea during the past Korean War, she sang militant songs on heights, encouraging its soldiers.
Hearing her singing in December Juche 39 (1950), President Kim Il Sung highly praised her as a promising singer with a voice as rich as the presentation of trio musical instruments.
She was active as a singer at the Phibada Opera Troupe since Juche 61 (1972).
She played a major role in at least 10 pieces of art works including the revolutionary opera "Sea of Blood."
She took part in several world festivals of youth and students and international concours and made performance tours of more than 10 European and Asian countries.
She became people's artiste in April Juche 67 (1978).
Assistant professor and master of arts, she is now devoting herself to training singers at the Pyongyang University of Music and Dance.
Movement for boycotting Japanese goods to be expanded in S.Korea
Pyongyang, May 28 (KCNA) -- A movement for protesting against Japan's distortion of facts in history textbooks and "boycotting Japanese goods" is likely to spread over South Korea, according to Yonhap News from Seoul.
The headquarters of the movement on a "long march throughout the country" held a ceremony of burning a Japanese flag in effigy in front of the Japanese consulate general in Pusan, South Korea, on May 25.
Prior to the ceremony members of the movement conducted a street propaganda exposing the Japanese ambition for militarism and the plot of the right-wing extremists at the Pusan railway station.
After the propaganda activities across South Korea they are scheduled to visit Japan on June 15 to stage a demonstration protesting against the distortion of facts in history textbooks in front of the "emperor palace of Japan and the ministry of education, culture, sports, science and technology in solidarity with Koreans in Japan and the conscientious forces of Japan.
Greetings to Ethiopian President
Pyongyang, May 28 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, on May 26 sent a message of greetings to Ethiopian President Negasso Gidada on the 10th anniversary of the national day of Ethiopia.
Extending warm congratulations to the president, government and people of Ethiopia, the message wished the Ethiopian president and people greater success in their work for the peace and prosperity of the country.
It expressed the belief that the good relations of friendship and cooperation between the two countries would grow stronger and develop.
Greetings to Mongolian President
Pyongyang, May 28 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, on May 25 sent a message of greetings to Natsagiin Bagabandi on his reelection as President of Mongolia.
The message extended warm congratulations to him and wished him success in his work for the development of the country, expressing the belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would positively develop to meet the requirements of the new century.
Joint meeting of political parties and organizations held
Pyongyang, May 28 (KCNA) -- A joint meeting of political parties and organizations of the DPRK was held at the People's Palace of Culture here today. The meeting discussed immediate measures to pave the way for reunification by the concerted efforts of the Korean nation under the banner of the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration.
The meeting raised the issues related to measures to significantly observe the upcoming first anniversary of the historic Pyongyang meeting and the publication of the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration and conduct the June 15-August 15 movement for promoting national reunification as a nationwide movement.
Yang Hyong Sop, vice-president of the presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, made a report. He said that the publication of the declaration was a new historic declaration to relink the severed blood ties of the nation and bring the atmosphere of reconciliation and reunification to this land where the wind of the cold war and confrontation raged in the past. It was also a solemn declaration of the nation in the new era which demonstrated at home and abroad the dignity and spirit of the nation and its will to achieve independent reunification, he said.
Referring to achievements made in the movement for national reunification over the past one year, he pointed out:
The last one year witnessed the ever mounting spirit of national independence to solve the issue of reunification independently by the concerted efforts of the Korean nation under the banner of the joint declaration.
Over the last one year the nation's desire to promote reconciliation and unity between the north and south and achieve reunification grew stronger than ever before and the movement for national reunification was vigorously conducted as a movement involving all Koreans.
All these positive developments and successes in the drive for reunification since the publication of the joint declaration are entirely the precious result of leader Kim Jong Il's energetic efforts and the shining fruition of his exploits made in leading the drive for national reunification.
The joint declaration has not been smoothly implemented owing to the moves of the anti-reunification forces at home and abroad. outsiders should not be allowed to impudently say this or that about the joint declaration signed by the heads of the north and south and meddle in its implementation.
They should pay heed to the voices of the awakened Koreans in the north and south expressing their pent-up indignation, squarely see the changed situation and reality and ponder over its policy towards the DPRK.
All the political parties, organizations and the people from all walks of life in the north and south should defend the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration from challenges at home and abroad and hold its banner higher.
The report was followed by speeches of representatives from political parties and organizations.
The meeting adopted a decision.
It was decided to hold a grand symposium for national reunification on Mt. Kumgang with attendance of people from all walks of life in the north, south and abroad on the occasion of the first anniversary of the declaration. It also called for organizing significant functions on a large scale in the north, south and abroad to suit their specific conditions.
It was decided to conduct a vigorous movement for promoting national reunification under the banner of the declaration until August 15, the day of national liberation, following those functions.
To this end the meeting decided to form a preparatory committee of the north side for the June 15-August 15 movement for promoting national reunification.
Kim Yong Dae, chairman of the central committee of the Korean Social Democratic Party, who is chairman of the council for national reconciliation, was elected chairman of the preparatory committee.
Greetings to foreign minister of Georgia
Pyongyang, May 28 (KCNA) -- DPRK foreign minister Paek Mam Sun sent a message of greetings to his Georgian counterpart Irakli Menagarishvili on the national day.
The message wished him success in his work, expressing the belief that the friendly relations between the two countries would positively develop in conformity with the desire of the two peoples.
Condolences to Russian prime minister
Pyongyang, May 28 (KCNA) -- Hong Song Nam, premier of the DPRK cabinet, sent a message of condolence to Mikhail Mikhailovich Kasyanov, prime minister of the Russian Federation.
The message expressed deep condolences to him and the people in the afflicted area of the Republic of Sakha, Russia, where dwelling houses were damaged and great material losses caused by recent flood.
The message expressed the conviction that the Russian Federal government would heal the flood damage at an early date and stabilize the living of the afflicted people.
Greetings to minister of foreign affairs and external trade of Saint Lucia
Pyongyang, May 28 (KCNA) -- DPRK foreign minister Paek Nam Sun sent a message of greetings to Julian Robert Hunt on his appointment as minister of foreign affairs and external trade of Saint Lucia.
The message extended warm congratulations to him on his appointment as minister of foreign affairs and external trade.
Expressing the belief that the friendly relations between the two countries would continue to strengthen and develop, it wished him success in his work.
Greetings to Guyanese foreign minister
Pyongyang, May 28 (KCNA) -- DPRK foreign minister Paek Nam Sun sent a message of greetings to Samuel Rudy Insanally on his appointment as foreign minister of the cooperative Republic of Guyana.
The message extended warm congratulations to him on his appointment as foreign minister of Guyana.
Expressing the belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would continue to develop on good terms in the future, too, it wished him great success in his responsible work.