Synchronized swimming exhibition
Pyongyang, February 18 (KCNA) -- An exhibition performance of synchronized swimming was given at the swimming pool of the Changgwang Health Complex yesterday to celebrate February 16, the birthday of leader Kim Jong Il.
Among the audience were senior party and state officials, working people in Pyongyang, congratulatory groups and delegations of overseas compatriots and overseas Koreans.
Present on invitation were the visiting foreign guests.
The swimming pool was garbed in a splendid festive attire.
More than a hundred of performers presented beautiful rhythmic movements with plastic flowers of Kimjongilia, the immortal flower, in their hands to the tune of "Cantata to Comrade Kim Jong Il."
They made a floral basket of Kimjongilias on the water, representing the warmest congratulation and the best wishes of officers and men of the Korean People's Army and the people from all walks of life to Kim Jong Il.
Through powerful sports techniques and artistic depiction rich in national flavor they showed well the great national pride and happiness of the Korean people holding Kim Jong Il in high esteem as their great leader, and their indomitable spirit and optimism in accelerating a dynamic march to build a powerful nation in such numbers as "Our General is Best," "Thunder on Jong Il Peak," "General and Children," "February Means Spring," "Let's Make Faster Leaping Progress and Attain Higher Goals" and "Arirang for Prosperity."
Joint art performance of Korean artistes at home and in U.S.
Pyongyang, February 18 (KCNA) -- A joint performance of an art troupe of Koreans in the U.S. and the national symphony orchestra was given at the Yun I Sang Concert Hall yesterday.
The performance was seen by Han Song Ryong, Choe Yong Rim, chairman of the c.c., the Korean Social Democratic Party Kim Yong Dae and other officials concerned.
Among the spectators were a congratulatory group of the federation of Koreans in the U.S. headed by its vice-chairperson Ryu Thae Yong, a congratulatory group of the association of Koreans in Australia headed by its chairman Rim Yong Mo and overseas Koreans.
The artistes put on stage colorful numbers, including an orchestra "dear leader Kim Jong Il's good health is our happiness" and a female soprano "cantata to comrade Kim Jong Il."
They impressively depicted the immortal exploits performed by Kim Jong Il, who is praised by all people as the sun of the 21st century, for human cause of independence, and the revolutionary spirit and militant stamina of the Korean people and overseas Koreans who are braving any difficulties and ordeals under his leadership.
DPRK places first at football tournament in Thailand
Pyongyang, February 18 (KCNA) -- DPRK footballers took the first place at the football tournament for Thai Crown Cup held in Thailand.
At the tournament, which brought together footballers from Asian countries, the DPRK team defeated the Singaporean team 4:2 on Feb. 12.
At the finals on Feb. 16, the DPRK team defeated the Thai team by 4:3.
Kim Jong Il's biography printed in Brazil
Pyongyang, February 18 (KCNA) -- Leader Kim Jong Il's biography was printed by the October 8 Revolutionary Movement of Brazil on the occasion of his birthday.
War hysteria of U.S. and Japan criticized
Pyongyang, February 18 (KCNA) -- The U.S. and Japanese military officials recently had a confab on intensifying cooperation between the U.S. troops and the "self-defence forces" in Washington under the pretext of the DPRK "development of the mass-destruction weapons." in this regard, Rodong Sinmun today runs a commentary, which says it is a dangerous move to unleash a new Korean war.
Recalling that a few days ago bush announced that not only the "international terrorist organizations" but "those countries developing mass-destruction weapons" would be the target of the U.S. "anti-terrorism war," the news analyst goes on:
The DPRK development of missiles is to cope with the U.S. pronounced maneuvers to ignite a new war of aggression on Korea and defend the sovereignty of the country. the DPRK can not be the target of the U.S. "anti-terrorism war" for the strengthening of its defence power.
While shelving its crimes, the U.S. is keen to militarily stifle the DPRK, groundlessly pulling it up over the non-existent "development of mass-destruction weapons" and listing it as a member of the "axis of evil."
We will never pardon the aggressors.
The U.S. bellicose forces should know that it would be a big mistake if they regard the option to strike as their patent.
Japanese reactionaries should also bear in mind that they would not escape their doom if they join in the Korean war in league with the U.S. imperialists in a bid to achieve their ambition for overseas aggression.
The U.S. and Japanese reactionaries are well advised to cool down their war fever, mindful that the policy of aggression on Korea is a serious mistake.
Title of Russian honorary academician awarded to Kim Jong Il
Moscaw, February 15 (KCNA) -- Leader Kim Jong Il was awarded the title of honorary academician of the academy of social and human studies of the Russian Federation.
Diploma and badge of honorary academician were conveyed to the DPRK ambassador to Russia by Kaputo, academician of the academy and vice-director of the institute of socio-political issues under the Russian Academy of Sciences, on Feb. 14.
On the occasion Kaputo said:
Kim Jong Il is an outstanding politician who wrote a lot of works and made distinguished contributions to the development of the world social sciences.
It is the greatest honor for us to award the title of honorary academician to him on the occasion of his birthday.
Natural wonder on February holiday
Pyongyang, February 18 (KCNA) -- A natural wonder and magnificent sunrise were observed in the area of Mt. Paektu on February 16, an auspicious holiday.
Gusts of wind of 57 m/s blew in fog and snow from Feb. 6, but the fog lifted from Feb. 13.
The wind began to drop at about 7:20 a.m. on Feb. 16 when the sunrise began.
At the time, temperature on Mt. Paektu was 14.5 degrees centigrade below zero, highest in February compared with an average year, and the speed of wind was no more than 1 m/s.
The sky was mysteriously clear and it was very mild.
Officials of the meteorological observatory on Mt. Paektu and the combined group for surveying Lake Chon on Mt. Paektu commanded a view of the sunrise on Mt. Paektu, the sunrise of Korea in excitement.
Meanwhile, the area of the secret camp of Mt. Paektu, had been snowy for 60 days since the first snow was recorded on October 10 last year, and the snow around the native home in the secret camp of Mt. Paektu is 60 cm thick as of Feb 16.
As for the natural wonder and data observed, observers of nature and experts said that the weather of Feb. 16 reminds them of the weather of the historic day when the bright star of Paektu rose.
Foreign guests visit various places in Pyongyang
Pyongyang, February 18 (KCNA) -- Delegates of international organizations, delegates and delegations from different regions and countries who had participated in the "Meeting to Congratulate the Sun of the 21st Century" yesterday visited the Tower of the Juche Idea.
Being briefed on the tower which was built as a grand monumental edifice in the era of the workers' party in order to hand down through generations the revolutionary exploits of President Kim Il Sung who founded the immortal Juche idea and made immortal contributions to the cause of the Korean revolution and the cause of global independence, the guests looked round the tower and group sculptures.
Then they mounted the observation platform of the tower to enjoy a bird's-eye view of Pyongyang.
They also visited the monument to the three charters for national reunification.
Meanwhile, He Hong Zhang, chief of the Hotung Society of Trust Funds, Hong Kong, and his party visited the 6th Kimjongilia show.
And they looked round the construction site of the Kimilsungia-Kimjongilia exhibition in Pyongyang and visited the Changgwang kindergarten and the youth and juvenile art exhibition to celebrate February 16, the birthday of leader Kim Jong Il, part of the Pyongyang Fine Art Festival.
Pyongyang joint meeting held
Pyongyang, February 18 (KCNA) -- A Pyongyang joint meeting of organizations for friendship and solidarity with the Korean people and international democratic organizations was held here yesterday.
Present there were representatives of international organizations, delegations and delegates of regions and different countries who participated in the "Meeting to Congratulate the Sun of the 21st Century."
Also on hand were Mun Jae Chol, chairman of the Korean Committee for Solidarity with the World People, and other officials concerned.
Jitendra Sharma, president of the international association of democratic lawyers, made an opening address, which was followed by a report of Christer Rundgren, vice-chairman of the Sweden-Korea Friendship Association.
The recent situation on the Korean peninsula is, in a word, characterized by the struggle of the Korean people to achieve the reunification of the country and defend its security and peace despite the high-handed and arbitrary practices of the united states, the reporter said, and continued:
The experience and lesson in the movement for the promotion of the independent and peaceful reunification of Korea conducted on the Korean peninsula and on a worldwide scale tell that in order to reunify the country, it is necessary to put forward the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration as the eternal landmark for reunification and implement it to the letter.
He expressed his belief that the current meeting will mark an occasion in reviewing the precious experience and lesson of international organizations and organizations of all countries which have promoted the international solidarity movement for supporting the reunification of Korea and putting forward important ways of activating the movement for supporting Korea's reunification.
The floor was taken by Juan Carretero Ibanes, secretary general of the organization of solidarity of the peoples of Africa, Asia and Latin America, Otete Gaston Mboyo, chairman of the democratic Congo-Korea Friendship Association, Marisol Luis, delegate of the Venezuela-Korea Friendship and Solidarity Association, Sumiko Shimizu, delegate of the Japanese Women's Liaison Society for Solidarity with the Korean Women, Gazi Shahzahan, secretary general of the Chittagong branch of the Bangladesh-Korea Friendship Association, Om Prakash Mantri, secretary general of the Asian Regional Committee for Supporting Korea's Reunification and secretary general of the All India Indo-Korean Friendship Association, Viktor Yegorov, delegate of the Russia Kareli-DPRK Friendship Association, Ibrahim Shamieh, chairman of the General Union of Syrian Peasants, Athanasios Pafilis, executive secretary of the world peace council, Yuri Sesar Castro Romero, secretary general of the Peru-Korea Institute of Culture and Friendship, Jyun Shimizu, representative member of the Japan Committee for Supporting the Independent and Peaceful Reunification of Korea, Alejandro Cao De Benos, chairman of the Spanish Association for Friendship with the Korean People, Alexandr Brezhnev, delegate of the Russian Union of Writers, and Muhammad Kamel El Kadi, delegate of the Egypt-Korea Friendship Association.
The speakers bitterly denounced the U.S. military presence in South Korea and underscored the need to vigorously conduct various movements such as a signature campaign for supporting Korea's reunification.
Speaking next, Kim Jin Bom, vice-chairman of the Korean Committee for Solidarity with the World People, said that the cause of national reunification will surely be achieved because we are holding leader Kim Jong Il, who is universally recognized as a distinguished politician, in high esteem as the lodestar of national reunification and because we have the correct reunification programme.
A resolution of the Pyongyang joint meeting was adopted there.
The resolution stressed the need to dynamically conduct the international signature campaign for supporting the Korean people in their just struggle to reunify the country and get the U.S. troops withdrawn from South Korea, strengthen international pressure on the separatists at home and abroad to dampen the atmosphere of reconciliation, unity and reunification on the Korean peninsula and obliterate the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration and more valiantly conduct the international solidarity activities to check the aggression and war moves of the hostile forces who threaten the peace and security on the peninsula.
A letter of protest to the U.S. President was read out at the joint meeting.
The letter denounced all the hostile policies of the present U.S. administration toward the DPRK as the war policy threatening world peace and security.
It demanded the present U.S. administration commit itself to immediately withdraw its troops from South Korea, the troops which are a stumbling block in achieving the reunification by the concerted efforts of the Korean nation, discontinue all the joint military exercises and provocation moves targeted against the DPRK and thus contribute even a little to removing the danger of war from the Korean peninsula and achieving the reconciliation of the Korean nation and its independent and peaceful reunification.
The participants in the meeting signed the signature paper supporting the three charters for national reunification and the joint declaration and demanding the U.S. military pullback from South Korea.