Pyongyang mission of NDFSK visited
Pyongyang, February 19 (KCNA) -- Juan Carretero Ibanes, secretary general of the organization of solidarity of the peoples of Africa, Asia and Latin America, yesterday visited the Pyongyang mission of the National Democratic Front of South Korea (NDFSK).
Pak Kwang Gi, chief of the mission, said that the South Korean people from all walks of life extended the highest glory and warmest congratulations to leader Kim Jong Il on the occasion of the auspicious February holiday, his birthday, adding that the reunification of the country would be achieved without fail under his leadership.
Bitterly denouncing the U.S. President for his recent reckless remarks against the DPRK, straining the situation, he demanded the united states stop its desperate moves to stifle the DPRK and withdraw its forces from South Korea.
Juan Carretero Ibanes said that the South Korean people's worship of Kim Jong Il is getting deeper as the days go by and that his organization is greatly rejoiced over this.
His organization highly praises the NDFSK for its many successes achieved in its dynamic struggle for national reunification, he added.
Bush's remarks and his South Korea visit opposed
Pyongyang, February 19 (KCNA) A strong campaign against Bush's outbursts and his South Korea visit is now under way among people from all walks of life in South Korea.
Over 330 civic and social organizations in Seoul, South Kangwon provincial, Kwangju and South Jolla provincial regions held press conferences one after another on Feb. 8 where they released statements.
That day, the solidarity council of civic and social organizations, which groups 297 solidarity organizations in the area of Seoul, issued the "civic and social organizations' declaration on peace on the Korean Peninsula".
19 organizations in Kwangju and South Jolla provincial regions including those under the "National Alliance for Democracy and Reunification" and the "National Federation of Peasants Associations" termed Bush's South Korea visit one aimed to chill the Koreans' enthusiasm for national reunification and declared that they would check it at any cost.
The Pusan regional alliance for democracy and reunification and 79 other organizations in Pusan on Feb. 15 rose up in a campaign against bush's visit to South Korea and more than 20 religious organizations including the South Korean Catholic Priests' Council for Justice issued a joint article entitled "Our Stand on U.S. President Bush' s visit to South Korea."
Organizations of different universities in South Korea are opposed to Bush's South Korea trip.
The steering committee of the engineering college students council of Jeonnam National University released a statement, the chairman of the students council of normal college of the general students council of Sungkyunkwan University a resolution and the chairman of the general students council of university of foreign studies who is chairman of the eastern Kyonggi regional federation of the general students councils an appeal laying bare the intention of Bush's South Korea junket and expressing their determination to hold in check his visit.
Hong Song Nam meets guest from Hong Kong
Pyongyang, February 19 (KCNA) -- Premier of the DPRK cabinet Hong Song Nam met and conversed in an amicable atmosphere with He Hong Zhang, chief of the Hotung Society of Trust Funds, Hong Kong, and his party who paid a courtesy call on him at the Mansudae Assembly Hall yesterday.
Present there was minister of foreign trade Ri Kwang Gun.
Peace declaration conveyed to U.S. embassy
Pyongyang, February 19 (KCNA) -- Citizens organizations of South Korea including the "Citizens' Solidarity for Democratic Society" and the "Citizens' Federation for Economic Justice" conveyed to the U.S. embassy a peace declaration of 700 persons issued in the name of scholars, religionists, etc. yesterday, according to Seoul-based MBC.
The organizations denounced the U.S. for seriously threatening the peace on the Korean Peninsula by listing the north as a member of the "axis of evil."
The "National Teachers' Union" and the "Young Men's Christian Association" separately released peace declarations.
Representatives of the "people's solidarity" and students staged a surprise sit-in strike in front of Kwanghwa gate in Seoul yesterday.
They held that the U.S. should continue a peace dialogue with the north in the spirit of the DPRK-U.S. agreed framework issued in 1994.
DPRK orders and medals awarded to foreigners
Pyongyang, February 19 (KCNA) -- A ceremony was held at the Mansudae Assembly Hall yesterday to award DPRK orders and medals to foreigners who participated in the "Meeting to Congratulate the Sun of the 21st Century."
Present there were Yang Hyong Sop, vice-president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, Ho Hae Ryong, vice-chairman of the Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries, and foreign figures who participated in the "Meeting to Congratulate the Sun of the 21st Century."
At the ceremony friendship order first class was awarded to Reggie Ranatunge, honorary chairman of the Asian regional committee to support Korea's reunification, friendship order second class to 8 and friendship medal to 12.
Papers call for confidently advancing for greater victory
Pyongyang, February 19 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today carries an editorial titled "Let us confidently advance for greater victory with national pride of having the great comrade Kim Jong Il."
It goes on:
The Korean people significantly celebrated Kim Jong Il's birthday amid deep reverence and best wishes of the world's revolutionary people, those days were meaningful days when they deeply cherished the honor of being blessed with the illustrious leaders generation after generation.
On the occasion of the February holiday the Korean People's Army and people keenly felt that Kim Jong Il is the only great man in the world who enjoys undisputed prestige for his great history and immortal feats.
The might of the single-hearted unity in the DPRK where all the servicemen and people are rallied close around him in one thought and purpose and share their destiny with him was fully demonstrated on the occasion of the holiday.
No force on earth can overpower this army and people.
The celebrations of the holiday fully demonstrated their firm determination to build Kim Jong Il's powerful nation on this land without fail under the leadership of the party.
It is his unwavering pledge to certainly build a powerful socialist country where national power is strong, everything prospers and people have nothing to desire more in the world.
A powerful nation is certain to emerge in the DPRK because the leader's plan and intention are great and the servicemen and people have strong will to remain true to his intention.
It is a proud revolutionary trait of the Korean army and the people boundlessly loyal to the party and the leader to give further momentum to the political atmosphere that mounted on the occasion of the holiday and bring a new surge in the revolution and construction.
We should further speed up the general onward movement to commemorate with splendor the 90th birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung and the 70th anniversary of the Korean People's Army with the same high pride and spirit with which they significantly celebrated the February holiday.
All the servicemen and people should hold higher the banner of devotedly defending the leader and fully demonstrate the national pride and self-respect of having the peerlessly great man as the leader in all domains of the revolution and construction.
Minju Joson runs an editorial titled "Let us more vigorously accelerate the building of a powerful nation with the might of single-hearted unity".
Seminar of European political parties held
Pyongyang, February 19 (KCNA) -- A seminar of political parties in the European region on the struggle against imperialists' "globalization" and Korea's cause of socialism took place in Brussels on Feb. 8 and 9.
Participating in the seminar were representatives of over 40 political parties from 25 countries in the region.
A delegation of the Workers" Party of Korea led by the chief of the DPRK general mission in Paris was invited there.
The general secretary of the central committee of the Belgian Labor Party in a speech made at the opening ceremony said that it is the most important task common to the world progressive parties to say nothing of those in Europe to defend socialism in the DPRK.
His speech was followed by speeches of representatives from different political parties including the Communist Party of Germany, the Communist Party of Greece, the Communist Party of Ireland (Marxist-Leninist), the Socialist Labor Party of Great Britain, the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks, the Socialist Labor Party of Romania, the Communist Party of Bulgaria, the Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain, the Communist Party of Marxist-Leninists (revolutionaries) of Sweden, the Slovak Communist Party and the Workers' Party of Yugoslavia.
The speakers noted that the WPK's army-centred policy provides a sure guarantee for accomplishing the world cause of socialism, expressing their determination to support with might and main the WPK and the Korean people in their efforts to build socialism and achieve the independent and peaceful reunification of the country under the army-centred policy.
A letter to leader Kim Jong Il was adopted at the seminar.
The Brussels declaration and a resolution and a protest letter to U.S. President Bush were also adopted there.
The declaration called on all the revolutionary parties and progressive forces to wage a staunch struggle against imperialism regarding it as their common task, adding:
Defending the cause of socialism in the DPRK at the moment is a touchstone judging a struggle against imperialism and "globalization".
All the progressive parties, organizations and peace-loving people should turn out in a vigorous struggle to oppose "globalization" and support and defend the cause of socialism in the DPRK to build a free and peaceful world and ensure a triumphant advance of the cause of socialism, the future of humankind.
The resolution appealed to the progressive political parties aspiring after anti-imperialism and peace to wage a wide-spread joint struggle to disclose and oppose the U.S. administration's new military attempt at aggression.
The WPK delegation met leaders of political parties attending the seminar on Feb. 8 and 9.
Struggle against Bush's South Korea visit
Pyongyang, February 19 (KCNA)- Students affiliated to the South Korean Federation of University Student Councils yesterday struggled to occupy the U.S. chamber of commerce and industry and the U.S. embassy in Seoul to oppose Bush's South Korea visit, according to Seoul-based Radio No. 1 and other media.
In the afternoon over 30 students entered the chamber and hung on the outside of a window a large suspension poster bearing letters "We oppose Bush's South Korea visit."
They declared that they would officially clarify their stand through a press conference.
Another group of students under the federation advanced towards the U.S. embassy in the afternoon, chanting slogan "opposition to Bush's South Korea visit" and scattering literature in the street. They attempted to burn the stars and stripes.
Meanwhile, the Kwangju and South Jolla provincial solidarity for reunification, the solidarity meeting of civic and social organizations and the headquarters of the movement for mutual help among our nation held a joint "rally to condemn bush for his South Korea visit" at the Kwangju park and marched up to the Kwangju "Christian Youth Hall."
And representatives of 13 organizations under the Kwangju and South Jolla provincial people's solidarity entered a sit-in strike in a tent in the plaza of Kwangju Railway Station and members of the Ryosu loving youth society held a denunciation rally on a street of Kyo-dong, Ryosu.
Signature campaign called for in U.S.
Pyongyang, February 19 (KCNA) -- The federation of Koreans in the U.S. lodged a document of protest with Bush against his reckless remarks listing the DPRK as a member of the "axis of evil" in his "state of the union address" and called upon all Koreans in different areas to participate in a signature campaign.
The document urged the U.S. to solve the issue of DPRK-U.S. relations through negotiations and make efforts to ensure peace and security on the Korean peninsula.
Peace of Korean Peninsula demanded
Pyongyang, February 19 (KCNA) -- Representatives of organizations of Koreans in the U.S. including the U.S. headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country's Reunification and the Federation of Koreans in the Western Area of the U.S. reportedly held a news conference in Los Angeles on Feb. 11 and released a statement urging the U.S. government to ensure peace on the Korean peninsula.
In the statement, they denounced Bush's accusations listing the DPRK as a member of the "axis of evil" and urged apology and compensation for the massacres of civilians committed by the U.S. troops.
Russian-flagged ship crewmen meet
Pyongyang, February 19 (KCNA) -- Crewmen of the Russian-flagged ship "Oriental Express-1" held a meeting at Chongjin Port on the east coast of Korea on Feb. 17 to celebrate the birthday of leader Kim Jong Il.
Speaking at the meeting, the captain and crewmen said that Kim Jong Il's birthday is an auspicious holiday of the Korean people and the world progressives. They noted they deem it a great glory to celebrate his birthday together with the Korean people.
They said: He has made great contributions to defending the global peace and developing the friendly relations among peoples.
He visited the Russian federation last year, further strengthening the traditional friendship between Russia and the DPRK.
His august name is a brilliant symbol of independence and dignity.
They hoped the Korean people would build a powerful nation and achieve national reunification without fail under his leadership.
They noted that only victory and glory are in store for the people's army and people of Korea holding him in high esteem as their great leader and supreme commander.
A congratulatory letter to him was adopted at the meeting.
Greetings to Gambian President
Pyongyang, February 19 (KCNA) Kim Yong Nam, President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, on Feb. 13 sent a message of greetings to Yaya A. J. J. Jammeh, President of Gambia, on the occasion of the 37th anniversary of its independence.
Wishing the president and people of Gambia greater success in the work for the unity of the nation and the prosperity of the country, the message expressed belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would grow stronger.