Kim Jong Il meets Pulikovski
Pyongyang, April 25 (KCNA) -- General Secretary of Kim Jong Il yesterday met Konstantin Borisovich Pulikovski, plenipotentiary representative of the President of the Russian Federation to the far east federal district, and his party on a visit to the DPRK.
He courteously conveyed congratulations from Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, President of the Russian Federation, to Kim Jong Il and presented his gift to him.
Kim Jong Il expressed thanks for this and had a talk with him in a warm and friendly atmosphere.
Kim Yong Nam meets delegation of UMNO
Pyongyang, April 25 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly who is member of the political bureau of the Workers' Party of Korea Central Committee, met with the delegation of the United Malays National Organization of Malaysia (UMNO) led by datuk ahmad Zahid Bin Hamidi, member of its supreme council, at the Mansudae Assembly Hall yesterday.
Pak kyong son, vice department director of the WPK Central Committee, was present there.
Noting that the UMNO and the Malaysian people fully support the workers' party and people of Korea in their struggle to reunify the country peacefully by federal formula on the principle of national independence, the head of the delegation said that they would work hard to develop the friendly ties between the two parties and the two countries.
Ceremony of participants in parade held
Pyongyang, April 25 (KCNA) -- A ceremony of the participants in the parade of the worker-peasant red guards was held at the plaza of the Kumsusan Memorial Palace today to pay their respects to President Kim Il Sung and vow loyalty to him and supreme commander Kim Jong Il on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Korean People's Army.
A portrait of the president was seen on the facade of the palace.
A guard of honour of the three services of the KPA lined up and the military colours were seen standing on the plaza.
A gun-salute boomed amid the solemn playing of the immortal revolutionary hymn "Song of General Kim Il Sung".
All the participants saluted to the president.
Kim Il Chol, minister of the people's armed forces, made a speech at the ceremony.
He said that all the participants extended highest tribute and glory to the president who dedicated all his life to the freedom and liberation of the people, the prosperity of the country and the victory of the global cause of independence.
The president founded the Juche-oriented revolutionary armed forces in his early years and accomplished the cause of the country's liberation, turned the DPRK into an invincible socialist power by successfully implementing the military line of self-defence and powerfully encouraged the oppressed people in their cause of independence against imperialism, thus performing immortal feats to shine for centuries, he noted, and continued: Kim Il Sung, a great politician and a great sage of the revolution praised by all people, will be always alive as the sun of Juche in the hearts of the Korean people and the world revolutionary people.
Kim Jong Il represents the destiny of the country and the nation and is a symbol of all the victories and glories. All the worker-peasant red guardsmen should share life and death with the party forever and devotedly defend him at the cost of their lives.
All the guardsmen should further increase the defence capability of the country by implementing to the letter the WPK's policy of putting all the people under arms and converting the whole country into a fortress as required by the present situation getting more strained due to the moves of the U.S. imperialist warmongers to stifle the DPRK.
All the participants shouted aloud slogans such as "let us hold the great leader comrade Kim Il Sung in high esteem for all ages" and "let us defend the headquarters of the revolution headed by the great comrade Kim Jong Il with our lives" and sang in chorus the song "we will devotedly defend the headquarters of the revolution."
There was a march-past of columns of the worker-peasant red guards.
Talks held between Korean, Dominican party officials
Pyongyang, April 25 (KCNA) -- Talks were held here yesterday between Kim Ki Nam, secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea Central Committee, and Miguel Mejia, secretary general of the united left movement of Dominica.
At the talks both sides informed each other of their party activities and exchanged views on the matter of developing the friendly ties between the two parties and a series of issues of mutual concern.
The talks proceeded in a friendly atmosphere.
Reception given
Pyongyang, April 25 (KCNA) -- A reception was given for anti-Japanese revolutionary fighters and those who are related to the anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle in China and their family members at the Mansudae Art Theatre yesterday under the care of leader Kim Jong Il on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the heroic Korean People's Army.
Kim Ki Nam, secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, said in a speech at the reception that the brilliant idea of army building and the exploits performed by President Kim Il Sung are being successfully carried forward by leader Kim Jong Il.
Kim Jong Il has strengthened and developed the KPA into an invincible revolutionary army of Mt. Paektu possessed of powerful offensive and defensive means and trained it into a steadfast guardian of the revolution, creator of happiness for the people and the main agent of the Korean revolution, he noted, adding that his warm love and trust in all those from China present there will last forever in the garden of traditional friendship between the DPRK and China.
His speech was followed by reply speeches by Chen Lei, who was related to the anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle, Zhang Jinquan, son of Zhang Weihua, and Wang Qin, vice-president of the Beijing International Association for friendly contact of China, who is the head of its delegation.
They said that Kim Il Sung provided eternal lives to his revolutionary comrades-in-arms and enabled their children to lead worthy lives with the noblest sense of obligation.
Kim Jong Il, who is idetical to Kim Il Sung, is the supreme incarnation of revolutionary comradeship and the sense of moral obligation, recalling that he has always taken warm care of them with paternal love on every important national holiday.
An art performance was given there.
Friendly gathering with finns held
Pyongyang, April 25 (KCNA) -- A friendly meeting with the members of the delegation of Finnish Juche idea study organizations was held at Moranbong Senior Middle School No. 1 yesterday.
Present on invitation at the meeting were members of the delegation led by Siika-Aho Antti, chief of the northern branch for the study of the Juche idea in Finland.
On hand were Jon Yong Jin, vice-chairman of the Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries who is also vice-chairman of the Korea-Finland Friendship Association, members of the association and teachers and students of the school.
The guests went round various educational facilities at the school before seeing an art performance given by the students.
Then the participants talked with each other about developing the friendly relations between the two peoples.
20th April Spring Friendship Art Festival closes
Pyongyang, April 25 (KCNA) -- The 20th April Spring Friendship Art Festival which opened on April 14 was closed today.
Present at the closing ceremony held at the April 25 House of Culture were foreign artistes and overseas Korean artistes who participated in the festival and delegations and delegates who participated in the 5th aesthetic symposium on the present times and national arts.
Hong Song Nam, premier of the cabinet, Yang Hyong Sop, vice-president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, and other officials concerned, and working people and artistes in the city were on hand.
Attending there were diplomatic envoys and embassy officials here and foreigners and overseas compatriots.
A ceremony of awarding festival prizes was held at the closing ceremony.
The participants in the festival adopted a letter of thanks to leader Kim Jong Il.
A message of thanks to the participants from the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK was conveyed.
Jang Chol, chairman of the organizing committee of the festival, in a closing address expressed deep thanks to the participants in the festival for having brilliantly adorned the festival and contributed to developing the cultural relations among countries and nations. He underscored the need to steadily develop the traditional April Spring Friendship Art Festival and further strengthen the cultural relations and cooperation with various countries in the future, too, to meet the expectation and desire of the progressive people and men of culture and art of the world.
At the end of the closing ceremony a closing performance was given by participants in the festival.
Evening gala and torchlight procession mark anniversary of KPA
Pyongyang, April 25 (KCNA) -- An evening gala and torchlight procession of youth and students took place at Kim Il Sung Square on the evening of Thursday to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Korean People's Army.
Seen on the square was a portrait of President Kim Il Sung.
Amid the displaying of fireworks, young men and women danced joyous dances full of conviction and optimism.
Amid the playing of the "Song of the Korean People's Army," there began a torchlight procession led by the flag of the Kim Il Sung Socialist Youth League bearing a portrait of President Kim Il Sung.
Following the columns of anti-Japanese revolutionary fighters, veterans of the Fatherland Liberation War, officials of the youth league and youth heroes, torchlight columns of revolutionary schoolers, young students and working youth marched past.
Columns marched past, forming letters "Kim Il Sung," "Kim Jong Il," "comradeship" and "army-based policy" with torchlights while the cap badge of the KPA and "celebration," "single-hearted unity" and other letters were formed with torchlights in succession. When "human bombs", "young vanguard" and other letters and models of the medal of the DPRK hero and the Korean map were formed at the square with tens of thousands of torchlights and fireworks were displayed again, the slogans of the young vanguard to take a pledge of faith burst out in succession among the marchers advancing, flying flags of the Workers' Party of Korea, red flags and flags of the youth league.
Parade of worker-peasant red guards held
Pyongyang, April 25 (KCNA) -- A parade of the worker-peasant red guards was held in Pyongyang today on the occasion of the 90th birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung and the 70th anniversary of the Korean People's Army.
Columns of the worker-peasant red guards, the young red guards, revolutionary schools and military academies of the KPA lined up on Kim Il Sung Square in the heart of the capital city and boulevards leading to it.
Seen at the square were a portrait of President Kim Il Sung and slogans reading "long live the great leader comrade Kim Il Sung" and "long live the glorious Workers' Party of Korea" floating in the sky above the square were large balloons from which were hanging slogans reading "the great leader comrade Kim Il Sung will always be with us", "long live the great leader comrade Kim Jong Il," "long live the great victory of the army-based policy" and other slogans.
Also displayed there were slogans including "let us accomplish the revolutionary cause of Juche to the last under the guidance of the great leader comrade Kim Jong Il" and the letters "celebration of April 25" and large flags of the WPK and the flags of the DPRK.
Amid the solemn playing of the national anthem and the song "comrade Kim Jong Il is our supreme commander," the flag of the DPRK and the flag of the supreme commander of the KPA were hoisted.
Amid the playing of welcome music, General Secretary Kim Jong Il appeared on the tribune of honour at 9 o'clock.
The moment, stormy cheers of "hurrah" burst forth, fireworks were displayed and thousands of balloons soared into the sky, beautifully decorating the sky.
The immortal revolutionary paean "Song of General Kim Il Sung" was played while a 21-gun salute boomed.
KPA vice marshal Kim Il Chol, vice-chairman of the NDC of the DPRK and minister of the People's Armed Forces, made a speech.
The minister of the People's Armed Forces and the chief commanding officer of the parade rode past the columns of the paraders, congratulating them on the 70th anniversary of the heroic KPA.
Kim Jong Il received a report from Kim Il Chol on starting the parade of the worker-peasant red guards on the occasion of the 90th birth anniversary of the president and the 70th anniversary of the KPA.
He raised his hand in acknowledgement of the report.
All the paraders broke into cheers of "hurrah" and loud shouts of slogans "Kim Jong Il," "devoted defence" and "national reunification" and "let us devotedly defend the headquarters of the revolution headed by the great comrade Kim Jong Il" a clarion call sounded to start the parade and a limousine carrying a flag bearing Kim Il Sung's portrait drove into the square with a column of red flags, escorted by motorcycles, amid the playing of a song.
All the paraders held their rifles upright to salute the flag and pay highest tribute to him.
Amid the playing of military music, a column of worker-peasant red guards in Pyongyang, columns of the worker-peasant red guards in each province (municipality), columns of the young red guards and those of the revolutionary schools marched past in fine array, shaking the square.
Kim Jong Il raised his hand high each time a column of paraders marched past the tribune.
Following the columns of the civilian armed forces, columns of Kim Il Sung Military University, Kim Il Sung Political University and other military academies of the KPA marched past in fine array, fully demonstrating the invincible might of the Juche-oriented revolutionary armed forces whose history shines with victory and glory.
The huge crowd that packed the square formed large letters reading "Kim Il Sung", "Kim Jong Il", "army-based policy", "devoted defence" and "putting all people under arms" in succession.
As the parade was over, Kim Jong Il waved from the balcony to the enthusiastically cheering crowd when the stormy cheers of "hurrah" burst forth and thousands of balloons soared into the sky.
Minister of People's Armed Forces addresses parad
Pyongyang, April 25 (KCNA) -- Vice marshal of the Korean People's Army Kim Il Chol, vice-chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission and minister of the People's Armed Forces, addressed a parade of the worker-peasant red guards held in commemoration of the 90th birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung and the 70th birthday of the Korean People's Army (KPA).
He said:
Today's parade is a powerful demonstration of the steel-strong faith and will of our army and people to glorify the undying exploits Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il performed in the cause of building the revolutionary armed forces and putting all the people under arms and accomplish the revolutionary cause of Juche to the last under the army-based revolutionary leadership of the Workers' Party of Korea.
The president founded the revolutionary armed forces in his early years and led the Korean people's struggle for sovereignty, independence and socialism to victory, putting forward the army as the main agent of the revolution.
Kim Jong Il advanced an army-centered policy during the most rigorous ordeals of the Korean revolution, training the KPA into an invincible army and turning the whole country into an impregnable fortress.
The DPRK's defence line is invulnerable and Korean-style socialism is sure to triumph as long as there is a solid military foundation provided by the president and the invincible people's army is standing guard over the forefront of the country and there are the worker-peasant red guards and the young red guards, the revolutionary civilian forces of the WPK.
The officers and men of the people's army, the worker-peasant red guardsmen and the young red guardsmen will creditably fulfil the honorable mission as the front-rank standard bearer and shock brigade firmly upholding the army-based policy of the WPK with arms in the future, too.
If the U.S. imperialists and their followers invade the inviolable land, sea and sky of the DPRK even 0.001 mm despite its repeated warnings, the army and people who hold the dignity and sovereignty of the country and nation as dear as their own lives will deal merciless blows at the invaders and achieve the cause of national reunification without fail.
KPA, revolutionary armed forces
Pyongyang, April 25 (KCNA) -- Today marks the 70th anniversary of the Korean People's Army.
On the occasion all the officers and men of the people's army and people look back with deep emotion upon the proud course of the revolutionary armed forces replete with victory and glory.
Seven decades ago President Kim Il Sung founded the Korean People's Revolutionary Army, the first genuine army of the people in the history of Korea, to wage a protracted and hard-fought struggle against the Japanese imperialists and accomplish the historic cause of the country's liberation.
After the liberation of Korea in August 1945 the KPRA grew to be the KPA, the regular armed forces.
The servicemen displayed matchless self-sacrificing spirit and mass heroism in the three-year-long Fatherland Liberation War (June 1950-July 1953) to defeat the U.S. imperialist aggressors who had boasted of being the "strongest" in the world and creditably safeguarded the sovereignty of the country and the nation and their dignity.
The KPA that won the wars against the two formidable imperialist enemies has grown to be an invincible army under the guidance of supreme commander Kim Jong Il.
He has pursued the army-based policy to train the KPA as the main force of the revolution, lead the struggle to defend socialism to victory and remarkably increase the nation's military potential.
In the 1990s when the imperialist campaign to isolate and stifle the DPRK was at its height and a dangerous situation was prevailing in the country the KPA gave full play to the revolutionary spirit of soldiers to perform shining feats in the defence of the country and socialist construction.
The rare wisdom, outstanding politico-military ability and matchless grit of the supreme commander are the source of the tremendous combat power of the KPA.
KCNA slams Japan's call for right to collective self-defense
Pyongyang, April 25 (KCNA) -- The economic and fiscal policy minister said monday the right to collective self-defense is inherent to a country and Japan's war-renouncing constitution should be revised.
In this regard, Kyodo said, "it is rare for a serving cabinet member to comment on revising the constitution."
Such happening in Japan is arousing deep apprehension among the world public as it means that the Japanese militarist and ultra-nationalist forces' moves for overseas military aggression have entered the phase of being legalized and adopted as a policy through a constitutional revision.
In 1946 when a discussion was made on a new constitution at the Japanese diet, the then prime minister Yoshida expressed opposition to war and the right of belligerency based on the "right to self-defense", confessing that many recent wars including the Sino-Japan War and the Pacific War were carried out under the cloak of the right to self-defense.
As Yoshida admitted, the "right to collective self-defense" was intended to launch an overseas aggression. That was why Japan's "peace constitution" after the Pacific War codified the renunciation of the right of belligerency based on the "right to self-defense".
However, Japan, which remains listed as an "enemy state" by the UN charter, is now letting its cabinet members call for the legalization of the war doctrine, claiming the face and right of "normal state" which is recognized by nobody.
If Japan truly wants to be recognized by the world community as a normal state, it should make an honest repentance and apology for the crimes committed in the last century, far from calling for the aggressive "right to collective self-defense".
Celebration performances given
Pyongyang, April 25 (KCNA) -- Art performances were given at Theatres and Houses of Culture here yesterday in celebration of the 70th anniversary of the heroic Korean People's Army.
A music and dance performance "song of strong revolutionary army of Mt. Paektu" was given by the song and dance ensemble of the KPA at the April 25 House of Culture.
The performers sang of the undying feats of President Kim Il Sung, the founder of army, who made a new history of army-based leadership and victoriously led the two revolutionary wars against the imperialists and set an epoch-making example in building revolutionary armed forces in the era of independence.
They also vividly depicted the absolute trust and reverence of the Korean people and servicemen for supreme commander Kim Jong Il who has pursued the distinguished army-based policy to bring about a new great surge in the Korean revolution.
Art performances were given by art circle members of the Mangyongdae and Pyongyang Schoolchildren's palaces at the palaces and an art performance of war veterans and honored wounded soldiers in Pyongyang took place at the Central Workers House.
The performances were acclaimed by the audiences for their high ideological and artistic value.
Among the audiences were senior party and state officials, chairmen of the friendly parties, officials of the party, armed forces and power institutions and working people's organisations, anti-Japanese revolutionary fighters, former unconverted long-term prisoners who are called patriotic champions of reunification, servicepersons, men of science, education, culture and arts, public health and the press, overseas Koreans staying in the socialist homeland and working people in the city.
Seeing on invitation were diplomatic envoys here and foreign guests.
Plenipotentiary representative of Pres. of Russian Federation here
Pyongyang, April 25 (KCNA) -- Konstantin Borisovich Pulikovski, plenipotentiary representative of the President of the Russian Federation to the far east federal district, and his party arrived here yesterday for a visit to the DPRK at the invitation of chairman Kim Jong Il of the National Defence Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
They were met at the airport by Yon Hyong Muk, member of the DPRK National Defence Commission, Kung Sok Ung, vice-minister of foreign affairs, officials concerned, Andrei Gennadievich Karlov, Russian ambassador to the DPRK, and staff members of the embassy.
Newspapers on feats of KPA
Pyongyang, April 25 (KCNA) -- Newspapers here dedicate editorials to the 70th birthday of the heroic Korean People's Army.
70 years covered by the Korean Revolutionary Armed Forces are a glorious history in which the strong revolutionary army of Mt. Paektu has upheld the idea, cause and tradition of its founder and leader with arms. Those years are also a proud history in which the army has developed with President Kim Il Sung's Juche-based military idea and strategy as its lifeline, says Rodong Sinmun.
Thanks to the president's idea of army building and the unique military idea and theory of leader Kim Jong Il, who has creditably carried forward and developed it, the KPA could advance along the untrodden path of its development without the slightest vacillation and ups and downs, the paper notes, and says:
70 years of our army are a glorious history in which it has protected the lifeline of the Korean revolution as the first line defender of its headquarters, a proud history in which it has taken the lead in upholding the guidance of its leader as the main agent of the Juche-oriented revolution, and a history in which as the world's strong army it has defended the banner of socialism at the outpost of the fiercest anti-imperialist struggle.
Today our people's army led by Kim Jong Il is demonstrating its honour as the invincible revolutionary army of Mt. Paektu that gives steady continuity to the tradition of Juche.
Our army takes his idea and guidance as its lifeline while personifying his disposition, and fights the way he does. The KPA commanded by him is the invincible armed forces which fight life and death battles till victory. They are without parallel in the world as they are possessed of matchless military might and have successfully achieved the unity between officers and men and between the army and people and are fully capable of combining military affair and politics.
They have won only victories one after another under the uplifted red flag. We should carry forward this proud history and tradition to steadily strengthen the KPA into an invincible revolutionary army of Kim Jong Il and achieve a final victory of the revolutionary cause of Juche with its might.