Cuban ambassador hosts reception
Pyongyang, February 7 (KCNA) -- Esteban Lobaina Romero, Cuban ambassador to the DPRK, hosted a reception at the embassy yesterday on the occasion of leader Kim Jong Il's birthday.
Invited to the reception were secretary of the central committee of the Workers' Party of Korea Choe Thae Bok, foreign minister Paek Nam Sun, minister of foreign trade Ri Kwang Gun, minister of education Pyon Yong Rip who is chairman of the Korea-Cuba solidarity committee, and other officials concerned.
At the reception, Esteban said that Cuban revolutionaries are happy to jointly celebrate Kim Jong Il's birthday with the Korean people.
The relations of fraternal friendship between the two countries forged by President Kim Il Sung and President Fidel Castro Ruz and under the deep concern of Kim Jong Il are growing stronger.
Speaking next, vice marshal of the Korean People's Army Kim Il Chol, minister of the People's Armed Forces, said:
Supreme commander Kim Jong Il's birth was a historic event which promised the rosy future of the country and eternal prosperity of Kim Il Sung's nation.
Kim Il Sung established special intimacy with Fidel Castro Ruz long ago and developed the relations between the two countries into historic and fraternal ones.
And this tradition is now blooming under the care of Kim Jong Il.
The DPRK will make positive efforts to expand and develop the friendly and cooperative relations with socialist Cuba in various fields.
National oratorical contest of agricultural workers held
Pyongyang, February 7 (KCNA) -- A national oratorical contest of agricultural workers took place at the People's Palace of Culture yesterday to celebrate February 16, the birthday of leader Kim Jong Il.
Present there were Kim Jung Rin, secretary of the c.c., the Workers' Party of Korea, Sung Sang Sop, chairman of the c.c., the Union of Agricultural Workers of Korea, and officials concerned.
Orators highly praised the immortal feats and greatness of Kim Jong Il who has made the glorious history of the army-based revolution.
They stressed that the army and people of the DPRK are dynamically advancing to scale a high peak of a powerful nation while resolutely meeting the vicious challenges of the imperialists and frustrating their moves to stifle the DPRK thanks to his army-centred policy based on the philosophy on army that arms is more important than a hammer, a sickle and a writing brush and the army precisely means the party, the people and the state.
They underscored the need for all the agricultural workers to cherish as their faith the noble outlook on comrades displayed by the three commanders of Mt. Paektu in the course of the Korean revolutionary struggle which started and triumphed thanks to comradeship and become farmer heroes in the 21st century by upholding Kim Jong Il with total dedication and enthusiasm just as the heroes of the era and the workers of Ranam did.
Posters for figure-skating festival produced
Pyongyang, February 7 (KCNA) -- Posters were produced for the 11th Paektusan Cup international figure-skating festival to be held on the occasion of leader Kim Jong Il's birthday.
Catching eyes of people is poster depicting magnificent Jong Il Peak and a woman figure skater full of pride and joy on a ice rink against the background of confetti.
There are also a poster showing the festival emblem and foreign male and female figure skaters conducting beautiful rhythms and a poster portraying falling coloured tapes and confetti against the background of the ice rink.
Inscribed on the upper part of the posters are letters "celebration-february 16" and on their lower part letters "the 11th Paektusan Cup international figure-skating festival". It is also written on them that the festival will be held at the ice rink.
Bush's South Korean tour criticized
Pyongyang, February 7 (KCNA)-- Im Chan Gyong and Ri In Su, co-chairmen of the headquarters of the "national movement for the withdrawal of the U.S. troops", reportedly saw a documentary film showing the Rogun-ri massacre by the U.S. troops broadcasted by BBC before releasing a statement titled "Bush, human scum, has to risk his life during his trip."
Referring to the U.S. monstrous crimes of massacres against the Korean nation, the statement stressed that the U.S. should pay the price for the crimes.
Noting that the U.S. is now hatching up a plot to unleash another war against the Korean nation, the statement said that they should demand bush risk his life when he visits South Korea.
Senior middle school renamed in DPRK
Pyongyang, February 7 (KCNA) -- The Kosong Senior Middle School in Sonchon county, North Phyongan Province, was renamed Ri Kwang Su Senior Middle School with due ceremony on the spot yesterday.
Ri Kwang Su is a hero of the DPRK. He graduated from this school and died a heroic death while on a military duty.
A reporter and speakers at the ceremony noted that leader Kim Jong Il, who values every revolutionary soldier and gives an eternal life to him, saw to it that Kosong Senior Middle School was named after Ri Kwang Su.
They said all the teachers should train students to be reliable heirs to the revolutionary cause of Juche and heroes and heroines with the revolutionary outlook on the leader by well organizing educational work, aware of their high mission as professional revolutionaries in charge of the education of rising generations. And students should prepare themselves to be creditable reserves who devotedly safeguard Kim Jong Il and greatly contribute to the prosperous development of the country like heroes, they added.
KCNA on U.S. war hysteria
Pyongyang, February 7 (KCNA) -- A string of unprecedented war outcries are heard from heavyweights of the u.s. administration and military bosses in the wake of the belligerent "state of the union address" made by U.S. President Bush at the congress.
Powell, Secretary of State, Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense, Rice, assistant to the president for national security, and Blair, commander-in-chief of the U.S. Pacific Command, are busy everyday with the false propaganda and strong "warnings" as regards somebody's "threat of weapons of mass destruction" in a bid to create a terror-ridden atmosphere in the U.S. and the international community.
This fuss made by those officials of the bush administration is arousing great concern of the international community. As they put it, this disturbing development reflects the dangerous war hysteria of the hard-line conservatives of the U.S. who have become extremely arrogant through its "war against terrorism" in Afghanistan.
The extremely reckless remarks made by bush about the "axis of evil" and the war hysteria of the cold war-minded conservative hard-liners instigating him to go on with the war clearly indicate that the U.S. is chiefly responsible for disturbing the peace and security of humankind and the stability and equality of the international community in the 21st century and posing a real threat to the future of the century.
The situation where the U.S. hard-line conservatives came out to threaten the DPRK with outcries little short of a declaration of war and are now vociferating about even a "preemptive attack" compels the Korean people and self-defensive revolutionary armed forces, who value independence and dignity more than their lives, to renew their firm determination to punish the provocateurs, aggressors with an option to exercise their inviolable sovereign right, the right for self-defence.
The U.S. is well advised to face up to the history and reality if it wishes to distinguish between good and evil and properly cope with it.
The U.S. conservative hard-liners had better not to forget the bitter historical lessons drawn from the Washington-provoked Korean War and the subsequent incidents.
Congratulatory message to Kim Jong Il from Fidel Castro Ruz
Pyongyang, February 7 (KCNA) -- A congratulatory message came to General Secretary Kim Jong Il on Tuesday from Fidel Castro Ruz, first secretary of the central committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, President of the Council of State and President of the council of ministers, on the occasion of the former's 60th birthday.
The message says:
Please accept my warmest congratulations to you sent on behalf of the people, the communist party and the government of Cuba on your 60th birthday. I'm very pleased to sincerely wish you great success and good health and happiness.
Your devoted efforts exerted to lead the struggle of the Korean people to foil the hostile acts of the imperialist powers and build socialism and the country earn our admiration and respect. Availing myself of this significant occasion i would like to reiterate our strong will to steadily expand and strengthen fraternal ties and cooperation between the peoples, parties and governments of the two countries.
Bush's remarks criticised
Pyongyang, February 7 (KCNA) -- Bush's remarks at the U.S. Congress clearly proves how crazy he has become in pursuing the hostile policy to stifle the DPRK, says Minju Joson today in a commentary.
The news analyst says:
Since the outset of his office he has slandered the DPRK. He did not bother to threaten to invade the DPRK, a sovereign and independent state.
It is well known to the world that to conquer the DPRK by force of arms is the U.S. strategic policy toward the DPRK.
The U.S. bellicose elements consider that if tensions on the Korean peninsula are defused, their policy of military presence in South Korea as well as their Asia-Pacific strategy will go busted.
That is why they have left no stone unturned to wreck peace on the peninsula whenever an atmosphere is created in their favor.
The U.S. is working harder to round off its war preparations, reinforcing its aggression forces in and around South Korea.
It was against this backdrop that bush recently betrayed his reckless intention to seize the DPRK by force of arms. As a matter of fact, this is little short of a declaration of war against the DPRK.
The option to "strike" is not the U.S. monopoly.
The U.S. should be clearly mindful that the DPRK does not say empty words.
Program development centres to appear
Pyongyang, February 7 (KCNA) -- Program development centres are slated to be set up at universities and scientific research institutions in the DPRK.
Program development centres for new operating system (OS) of Korean style are expected to appear at Kim Il Sung University, Kim Chaek University of Technology, the University of Science, Pyongyang University of Computer Technology and program education centres under the ministry of education.
Research rooms and research groups will also be created, if necessary, at some universities and scientific research institutions participating in the development of applied program to be used in OS.
OS development centres will be staffed by competent personnel for developing programs, successful university and doctoral institute graduates.
In recent years state concern has been shown for research work for the development of information technology and information industry.
While giving on-site guidance to Kim Chaek University of Technology last year leader Kim Jong Il again underscored the need to develop it.
Landscape of snow in Rimyongsu
Pyongyang, February 7 (KCNA) -- Rimyongsu is located in a tributary of the River Amnok, southern part of Samjiyon county, Ryanggang Province, Korea.
It boasts a peculiar natural landscape in harmony with mountain ridges of highlands, dense forests, deep valleys and clean water.
In winter the place presents a magnificent spectacle. Its landscape of snow is characterized by waterfalls.
Dense fog from scores of large and small waterfalls turns shrubs around into mysterious frosty bushes. Pillars of ice formed on the cliffs by the freezing of falling water are multifarious.
Waterfalls are 20 meters high on an average, 30.4 meters at maximum. there is no change in the amount and temperature of water all the four seasons round. The temperature of water is 4 degrees centigrade.
Improved inter-Korean ties called for
Pyongyang, February 7 (KCNA) -- The recent joint meeting of the DPRK government, political parties and organizations held in Pyongyang called on all the Koreans at home and overseas to regard warming inter-Korean relations and giving momentum to the movement for national reunification as important tasks to be fulfilled to open a new phase for national reunification.
Improving the north-south relations is a prerequisite for independently reunifying the country by united efforts of all the Koreans in the spirit of the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration, says Rodong Sinmun today in a by-lined article.
It goes on:
The north-south ties are the relationship between compatriots who are committed to work together for reunification.
Only when the Koreans have a strong will and determination to achieve national reunification by their concerted efforts is it possible to turn the present inter-Korean ties into those of reconciliation, unity and reunification.
If a dialogue is to contribute to warming the north-south ties, it should be true to the spirit of the joint declaration and help implement it.
Giving full play to the spirit "by united efforts of the Korean nation" is the master key to leading the north-south dialogue to success and progress and thus warming the strained inter-Korean relations and achieving national reconciliation and independent reunification.
Giving momentum to the movement for national reunification is an urgent requirement for opening a turning phase for independent reunification in unity by arousing the patriotic enthusiasm of all the fellow countrymen aspiring after reunification.
The progress in the movement depends on the strength and will of all the Koreans in the north, the south and abroad responsible for reunification.
All Koreans should come out as one in a patriotic movement to open a decisive phase for independent reunification irrespective of class, strata, faction, political group, place of abode and affiliation under the uplifted banner of the joint declaration and national independence.
Messages of greetings exchanged between FM of DPRK and Ukraine
Pyongyang, February 7 (KCNA) -- The foreign ministers of the DPRK and Ukraine exchanged messages of greetings on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
DPRK foreign minister Paek Nam Sun in his message expressed belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would continue to develop on good terms and wished his Ukrainian counterpart great success in his work.
Ukrainian foreign minister Anatoly Zlenko in his message expressed conviction that the traditional ties of friendship between the two countries would grow stronger in the interests of the two peoples and wished his DPRK counterpart success in his office and the people of the friendly DPRK peace and prosperity.
Messages of greetings exchanged between DPRK and Moldova
Pyongyang, February 7 (KCNA) -- Messages of greetings were exchanged between Kim Yong Nam, President of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, and Vladimir Voronin, President of Moldova, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the opening of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Kim in his message on January 28 expressed belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would grow stronger in the interests of the two peoples.
He wished the president greater success in his responsible work for peace, stability and prosperity of the country.
Voronin in his message on Jan. 30 said that the two countries have made efforts to develop mutually beneficial cooperation in the common interests, expressing belief that cooperative potentials would further be displayed to expand and deepen the bilateral relations and promote the wellbeing of the two peoples by joint efforts.
State book exhibition opens
Pyongyang, February 7 (KCNA) -- A state book exhibition was opened at the Grand People's Study House here today with due ceremony in celebration of February 16, the birthday of leader Kim Jong Il.
On display are famous works of President Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il and more than 36,000 books and magazines of over 21,000 kinds out of the publications issued at home and overseas.
Also exhibited are Kim Jong Il's famous works including "Socialism is a Science" (nov. 1, 1994), "Abuses of Socialism are Intolerable" (march 1, 1993) and "On the Fundamentals of Revolutionary Party Building" (Oct. 10, 1992) which comprehensively contain theoretical and practical problems arising in the revolution and the construction and accomplishment of the socialist cause, and books on his greatness, the party policies and revolutionary, class and communist education.
Put on show are national classical books worthy of national treasure and scientific and technological, literary and artistic books and magazines and those for school youth and children.
Also exhibited are books on the greatness of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, socialist construction in the DPRK and happy life of the people written by prominent political, public and academic figures in Russia, Japan, Thailand and other countries.
Jong Ha Chol, secretary of the central committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, was present at the opening ceremony.