Seminars held abroad
Pyongyang, January 26 (KCNA) -- Seminars took place in different countries on the occasion of the birthday of leader Kim Jong Il.
A seminar was held by the Nepalese national preparatory committee for commemorating the Day of the Sun and celebrating February 16, the birthday of Kim Jong Il.
The minister of education and sports of Nepal said:
The Nepalese people boundlessly respect Kim Jong Il and pay great attention to the achievements and experience made in the DPRK guided by him.
The Korean people could overcome ordeals and difficulties and vigorously advance along the road of building a powerful nation thanks to his outstanding leadership.
At the seminar held by the Communist Party of Tajikistan the chairman of the party said:
The DPRK is now winning victory after victory despite the western moves to isolate and stifle it. This is a clear proof of the vitality of the DPRK government.
The DPRK is a great country that is triumphing thanks to the idea and politics of Kim Jong Il.
All these realities of Korea have been possible because he has wisely led the Korean revolution with his peculiar army-centred revolutionary leadership.
A seminar on the subject of "Comrade Kim Jong Il, The Distinguished Elder Statesman" was also held by the youth group for the study of the Juche idea in Democratic Congo.
The speakers highly praised his leadership feats.
Honorary diploma and gold medal awarded to Kim Jong Il
Pyongyang, January 26 (KCNA) -- Leader Kim Jong Il was awarded an honorary diploma and gold medal of Independencia of Lima, Peru.
Written in the center of the diploma are letters "This diploma and medal are awarded to his excellency Kim Jong Il, the great leader of the Korean people, on his birthday February 16, 2002, in high recognition of his great contributions to developing the friendly relations between the Peruvian and Korean peoples and accomplishing the human cause of independence."
Engraved on the medal are letters "in high recognition of his meritorious service for the development of the friendship between Peru and DPRK".
On Jan 21 the mayor, on behalf of the city council, conveyed the diploma and medal to an official of the DPRK embassy in lima.
Japan's dangerous arms buildup under fire
Pyongyang, January 26 (KCNA) -- The Japanese reactionaries are busy deciding on the plan to reinforce and deploy flotillas of ships fitted with new type missiles.
In this regard Minju Joson today in a signed commentary says:
The Japanese reactionaries claim that their plan to increase the number of those flotillas is aimed to cope with an "abnormal situation". But it is nothing but a gimmick to mislead the world public opinion.
Japan's projected formation of more flotillas of ships fitted with new type missiles is not for national defense and public security but for surprise military attacks on other countries.
With nothing can the Japanese reactionaries cover up their true intention to make an effective use of those flotillas with great striking power and high maneuverability in carrying out a war of overseas aggression.
What should not be overlooked is the fact that this development is timed to coincide with their moves to work out a new "great arms build-up program".
Through the adoption of the "program" they seek to revise article 3 of the "Law on the Self-Defense Forces" (SDF) in a bid to stipulate its participation in "U.N. Peace-Keeping Operations" as its main duty.
This would enable the "SDF" to conduct any military operation overseas any moment going beyond the limited sphere of national defense and public security.
It is an open secret that the Japanese reactionaries intend to launch a war of aggression against the DPRK before any other countries this is evidenced once again by the fact that the existing flotillas and flotillas to be newly created have or will have their bases in coastal areas facing the Korean peninsula.
It is not difficult to guess what dangerous consequences will be entailed by their plan to strike the Korean peninsula where huge armed forces are standing in confrontation.
Ukrainian preparatory committee formed
Pyongyang, January 26 (KCNA) -- The central committee of the Communist Party of Ukraine and the Ukraine-DPRK Association inaugurated the Ukrainian preparatory committee for commemorating the day of the sun and celebrating February 16 the birthday of leader Kim Jong Il, on Jan. 22 and made public an action program for the February holiday.
The program deals with the issues of establishing the DPRK week and holding colorful functions including commeration meeting, book and photo exhibition, lecture, art performance and roundtable discussion.
Appeals and proposals made at joint meeting supported
Pyongyang, January 26 (KCNA) -- Ryom Sun Gil, chairman of the central committee of the General Federation of Trade Unions of Korea (GFTUK), released a statement yesterday in support of the three appeals and three proposals set forth at the recent joint meeting of the DPRK government, political parties and organizations.
The present situation calls for more persistently and valiantly conduct the movement for national reunification by the united efforts of the Korean nation, he said, and went on:
For the present all the fellow countrymen should glorify this year as a "year of promoting the unity and reunification of the Korean nation by itself" by briskly holding nation-wide reunification functions in the "period of the campaign for pooling the strength of the Korean people" proposed by the joint meeting.
All the workers in the northern half of Korea should discharge their responsibility and role, regarding the three appeals and three proposals set forth at the joint meeting as a guideline for the patriotic movement for reunification to open a new epochal phase for national reunification this year.
We are firmly convinced that the workers and other people from all walks of life in South Korea will act in concert with us and develop solidarity under the banner of the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration to more valiantly and actively turn out in the struggle for bringing earlier the day of the reunification of the country, the cherished desire of the nation.
National ice skating contest of school youth and children
Samjiyon, January 25 (KCNA) -- A national ice skating contest of school youth and children took place at Lake Samji in Ryanggang Province from Jan. 21 to 25 to mark the anniversary of the foundation of the Kim Il Sung Socialist Youth League.
Participants from senior middle and primary schools competed in 5,000 metre, 3,000 metre, 1,500 metre and 500 metre speed skating competitions.
At the closing ceremony trophy cups and medals were awarded to schools and skaters who distinguished themselves in the contest.
Art performances given by Phibada Opera Troupe in China
Pyongyang, January 26 (KCNA) -- The Phibada Opera Troupe of the DPRK gave music and dance performances in different parts of Hubei and Hunan provinces and Gungxi Zhuang autonomous region of china from dec. 18 last year before full houses.
Artistes of Korea put on stages a male vocal solo "May Era Of The Workers' Party Prosper", a female vocal solo "Song Of 'Punitive Operation'", a dance "The Flower That I Love" and other numbers and Chinese songs.
After seeing the performance, the mayor of the Wuhan city people's government said that art troupes from many countries including Russia and Italy have visited the city but none of them has given such a wonderful performance as the Phibada Opera Troupe of the DPRK did.
It is thanks to leader Kim Jong Il, a great master of art, that the DPRK has created such world famous masterpieces as the revolutionary opera "Sea Of Blood" and successful music and dance pieces that grip up the hearts of people, he added.
An aide to the governor of the Hunan provincial people's government said that the people in the province are well aware of the revolutionary operas "Sea Of Blood" and "A Flower Girl" and Korean dances, songs and films created under the wise guidance of Kim Jong Il.
It is the characteristic feature of Korean arts that it grasps the hearts of the people for its high ideological and artistic value and leads to a right path the audience, moved to tears and overcome with joy and emotion, he noted.
After seeing a dance "The Flower That I Love," a dancer of the Wuhan song and dance troupe said that the longer I see the flawless ensemble the more fascinating it looks as dancers truthfully depict a red colour flower in full bloom with elegant and refined rhythms.
The head of the Xiangfan city song and dance troupe said:
The theme song of the revolutionary opera "Sea Of Blood" is loved by Chinese very much. The audiences are very delighted to hear this famous song presented to the accompaniment of Kayagum and Haegum.
One could hear peculiar and soft melodies everywhere as Kim Jong Il made sure that national musical instruments of Korea were improved and perfected to satisfy the contemporary aesthetic taste and guided the work to combine them with western musical instruments.
Message of sympathy to President of Democratic Congo
Pyongyang, January 26 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, sent a message of sympathy to Joseph Kabila, President of Democratic Congo, on Jan. 24 in connection with the eruption of a volcano in Goma city of Democratic Congo.
Kim in the message expressed deep sympathy and consolation to the president and, through him, to the victims and the displaced people.
He sincerely hoped that the government and people of Democratic Congo would recover from the volcano damage as early as possible, bring the living of the volcano-hit area to normal and make great success in their work for the peace and territorial integrity of the country under Kabila's leadership.