Kim Jong Il sends thanks to April 15 writing group
Pyongyang, May 8 (KCNA) -- Leader Kim Jong Il sent thanks to writers, officials and employees of the April 15 writing group.
Writers brought out many revolutionary novels which deal with the glorious revolutionary tradition of the Workers' Party of Korea and implant the truth of life and struggle in people.
They adapted a novel from the famous film "An Jung Gun shoots Ito Hirobumi" and wrote more than ten novels including "Way of Prosperity", "Wings for Leaping", "Triumphal Return", "Green Mountains", "Kanggye Spirit", "with bayonet in hand" and "Successor", serials of libraries "Immortal History" and "Immortal Guidance".
And the group translated and printed over ten foreign books and fulfilled an honorable task given by the party.
A meeting for conveying thanks was held yesterday.
The thanks were conveyed by Jong Ha Chol, secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea.
High vigilance against imperialists' ideological and cultural poisoning
Pyongyang, May 8 (KCNA) -- An article of Minju Joson yesterday called on all the countries and people advocating independence to frustrate the imperialists' ideological and cultural poisoning with high vigilance against it and victoriously advance the cause of independence.
The historical lesson teaches that if a country and nation fling their door open to the imperialists' ideological and cultural poisoning without any vigilance against it, this would make a mess of revolution overnight and lead the country and the nation to ruin in the end, it said.
Saying that the present situation calls for strictly guarding against the imperialists' moves for ideological and cultural poisoning, the article referred to tasks to do so.
It is necessary to intensify the ideological education of people and strictly seal off all channels through which bourgeois ideologies and culture may blight the national culture so as to prevent their poisoning, the article noted, and went on:
It is important to preserve the tradition and advantages of culture peculiar to the nation to frustrate the imperialists' ideological and cultural poisoning in particular.
It is an effective way of preventing the imperialists' ideological and cultural poisoning to successfully preserve the cultural tradition, custom and the way of living and develop national culture to suit the habit and emotion of the nation.
Pitching a mosquito net properly would also help foil the imperialists' moves.
S. Korean students sentenced to prison term
Pyongyang, May 8 (KCNA) -- Five students affiliated to the South Korean Federation of University Student Councils waged a sit-in strike at a U.S. chamber of commerce and industry after occupying it in February in protest against Bush's projected South Korea visit.
The Seoul district court sentenced them to one and half years to two years in prison and 2 to 3 years' stay of execution on May 3, according to MBC from Seoul.
On April 30 the court sentenced six other sit-in strikers to one and half years in jail and 2 years' stay of execution.
Japanese prime minister's visit to "Yasukuni Shrine" assailed
Pyongyang, May 8 (KCNA) -- Martin Lheocher, chairman of the Swiss Committee to Support Korea's Reunification, dismissed the Japanese prime minister's recent visit to the "Yasukuni Shrine" as an insult to the Korean and other Asian people who underwent pain under the Japanese imperialists' barbarous and bloody rule.
In his protest letter addressed to the prime minister on April 23 he demanded the Japanese chief executive stop such a provocation and apologize and compensate for the crimes committed by the Japanese imperialists against the Korean people during their military occupation of Korea.
He also urged the Japanese government to break with militarism and clarify its stand toward Japan's past crimes against the Korean and other Asian people.
National Day of Poland marked
Pyongyang, May 8 (KCNA) -- A publications exhibition was opened on the occasion of the Polish National Day.
An opening ceremony took place at the Grand People's Study House yesterday.
Present were vice-chairman Jon Yong Jin of the Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries who is vice-chairman of the Korea-Poland Friendship Association, officials concerned and working people in the city.
Also present were Polish ambassador to Korea Wojciech Kaluza, embassy officials and members of the Korea-Poland shipping corporation staying here.
Speeches were made at the opening ceremony.
The participants looked round publications introducing the politics, economy, culture and history of Poland.
Anti-U.S. demonstration held in Seoul
Pyongyang, May 8 (KCNA) -- An anti-U.S. demonstration was held in Seoul on May 5, according to a foreign news report.
Thousands of students turned out in the demonstration against the U.S. troops' presence in South Korea and the moves of the United States forcing South Korea to purchase "F-15K" fighters.
The demonstrators denounced U.S. President Bush for listing the north of Korea as part of an "axis of evil" and vent their rages, saying "Bush himself is an axis of evil."
Pyongyang International Trade Fair goes on
Pyongyang, May 8 (KCNA) -- The 5th Pyongyang International Trade Fair (May 6 - 9) is open in the DPRK.
Participating in the fair are over 160 companies from 15 countries and regions including the DPRK, Russia, China, Belarus, Thailand, Indonesia, Syria, Sweden and Germany.
Exhibited are over 50,000 pieces of nearly 1,000 kinds including rolling and mechanical equipment, electronic products, fibre and clothing products, handiworks and art works.
The fair will help boost commercial and cooperative relations between countries and corporations and provide feasibility of fruitful business.
It is under the sponsorship of the Korean International Exhibition Corporation.
Life totally dedicated to people's happiness
Pyongyang, May 8 (KCNA) -- President Kim Il Sung devoted himself to the prosperity of the country and happiness of its people till the last moments of his life.
There is an example telling what a crowded program he had every day.
On May 5, Juche 81 (1992) when he turned 80 he travelled over 440 kms for field guidance.
He left for Kaesong, a city near the military demarcation line, at 5:30 am and had a simple breakfast on the way.
No sooner had he arrived at the city at 7:50 am than he provided field guidance to the Koryo Songgyungwan Academy.
Then he moved on to the Manwol Pavilion, the site of the royal palace during the Koryo Dynasty, the Sonjuk Bridge and the monument to the subject loyal to the king.
He also looked round the Mausoleum of Wang Kon, the first king of Koryo, the Kaesong Textile Mill and the Mausoleum of Kongmin, the 31st king of Koryo.
He returned to Pyongyang at around 7 pm after giving on-site guidance to the Pakyon falls and the Insam field of the Pakyon Cooperative Farm.
After hearing what historians said of his field guidance to Kaesong city, he dealt with the issues raised and examined documents.
The president's whole life was characterized by so busy days for great leadership.
Film show and reception hosted by Foreign Ministry
Pyongyang, May 8 (KCNA) -- The DPRK Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted a film show and a reception yesterday on the occasion of the 1st anniversary of leader Kim Jong Il's meeting with the EU top-level delegation during its visit to the DPRK.
Present on invitation were diplomatic envoys of European countries, staff members of the embassies and representatives of European aid organizations.
The screening of a Korean documentary film showing Kim Jong Il meeting with the EU top-level delegation several times during its visit to the DPRK was followed by a reception.
Foreign minister Paek Nam Sun made a speech at the reception.
Over the past one year since the delegation's DPRK visit the relations between the DPRK and the EU and European countries have been boosted in various fields and visits of high-level delegations and exchange have become brisk while bilateral interaction and cooperation have been realized, he said, and went on:
The DPRK will in the future, too, make all its efforts to further the friendly and cooperative relations with the EU and European countries on the principle of mutual respect for sovereignty, non-interference in other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, guided by the idea of independence, peace and friendship.
Paul Beijer, Swedish ambassador to the DPRK, in a speech said that the EU desires the steady development and expansion of the relations with the DPRK and wishes for stability and peaceful reunification of the Korean Peninsula.
Noting that the EU and the DPRK have developed cooperation in trade, he hoped that such ties would grow stronger.
Audience enthralled by performance "Arirang"
Pyongyang, May 8 (KCNA) -- The mass gymnastic and artistic performance "Arirang" has greatly enthralled audiences since it raised its curtain at the May Day Stadium here as a chef-d' oeuvre.
It is going on amidst great expectation and concern of people the world over. Throughout the performance the audience find themselves in the world of arts and in a land of mystery.
The audience are completely fascinated to hear famous music including a series of "Arirang" songs which were rewritten to suit the national emotion and soul with the flow of times and see gymnastic and dance pieces and its background presenting ever-changing fantastic scenes, ever-criss-crossing laser lighting, electronic displays, etc.
Attracting their eyes are gymnastic movements requiring high skills and cheerful dances presented on the floor of the stadium to the tunes of merry brass band music, ever-changing background scenes and aerial acrobatics.
Watching this extravaganza, they are unconscious of the passage of time.
They are reluctant to leave the brightly lit stadium even at the end of performance.
They are struck with admiration as it comprehensively deals with cultural, artistic, scientific and technological achievements made by humankind and truthfully represents the requirements, aspiration, thinking and emotion of the people in our times.
- Is it a dream or a reality? I have seen the acme of human culture.
- It is the greatest masterpiece in the world.
- This is comparable with the successful launch of a "satellite" in the DPRK.
- This extravaganza reflects the determination and will of the DPRK to do anything, if it has a will.
These are what foreigners including the mayor of Kathmandu city, Nepal, the permanent secretary of the foreign ministry of Brunei Darussalam and the Egyptian ambassador to the DPRK, and overseas Koreans said after watching the performance.
Japan's crimes against humanity condemned
Pyongyang, May 8 (KCNA) -- Barry Fisher, senior vice-president of the U.S. human rights advocates international fellow, who participated in the Asian regional symposium demanding Japan's liquidation of its past, was interviewed by KCNA on May 5 before his departure from Pyongyang.
Japan is a war criminal state which was engrossed in wars of aggression and plunder from the end of the 19th century to the first half of the 20th century, bringing untold disasters to the Korean and other Asian people, he said, and went on:
Japan is under an international obligation to admit legal and moral responsibility for its crimes according to the internationally recognized war regulations and the humanitarian principles of the law and honestly apologize and compensate for them. But it has not even admitted its crimes, to say nothing of making any apology and compensation for them though more than half a century has passed since the end of the war.
He recalled that Germany had already officially apologized for its war responsibility in the name of the state and compensated to the victimized countries and it keeps paying billions of dollars in compensation to the victims.
A particular mention should be made of the fact that Japan has never honestly apologized and compensated to the Korean people, its biggest victims, he noted, and continued:
The Japanese government should not hide and falsify the truth about the crimes Japan committed against the victimized countries of Asia including Korea and the victims but honestly reflect on and apologize and compensate to them.
We will in the future, too, join the Asian people in the positive court actions till we wrest an honest apology and compensation from Japan.
S. Korean conservative media's smear campaign under fire
Pyongyang, May 8 (KCNA) -- Some South Korean media are now making much ado about the "danger of possible collapse" of the dam of the Anbyon Youth Power Station in the DPRK, citing a U.S. satellite picture. Conservative media are busy asserting that the issue should be "discussed" at the meeting of the committee for the promotion of north-south economic cooperation.
In this regard Rodong Sinmun today in a signed commentary says:
This ridiculous fuss is intended to chill the atmosphere of inter-Korean reconciliation and divert the mindset of the South Korean people favorable for achieving reunification through an alliance with the north back to confrontation with it.
This much ado about the dam is an intolerable insult to the servicemen of the people's army in the north who have shed blood and sweated for the prosperity of all the generations to come and a serious provocation aimed to drive the situation to inter-Korean confrontation.
This raises a question as to whether it is not a premeditated move of the anti-reunification forces in and outside South Korea to strain the situation by egging media on to launch a smear campaign and then instigating the authorities to join it.
If the authorities and media of the south side truly want peace and reunification, not confrontation and war, they can not do such an act as chilling atmosphere of reconciliation.
What merits a serious attention is that such anti-north racket for confrontation in South Korea is timed to coincide with a string of piffles let loose by such guys as Choe Song Hong.
It is very wrong for the south side to use a forged material provided by foreign forces for a smear campaign because they do not want reconciliation and reunification of the Korean nation. It will only result in bedeviling the inter-Korean relations.
Might of army-based policy in DPRK
Pyongyang, May 8 (KCNA) -- Leader Kim Jong Il's army-based policy is a unique political mode of socialism which helps build up the Korean People's Army as an invincible army in defence of the country, strengthen the driving force of the revolution with the KPA as the hardcore and model and step up socialist construction as a whole with the KPA as the pillar of revolution, says Rodong Sinmun today in a signed article.
His army-based policy is an ever-victorious banner of building up the country as an impregnable country that has an invincible army and a powerful instrument of strengthening the driving force for the building of a powerful nation with unanimity between the army and the people in ideology and fighting traits, the article says, and goes on:
His army-based policy serves as a motive force of accelerating the building of an economic power in the new century.
He has trained the KPA to be an army strong in ideology and faith that is ready to devotedly defend the leader and acts as one under orders of the supreme commander and a matchless army equipped with all powerful offensive and defensive means.
All the people are now following the revolutionary spirit of soldiers created in the people's army, the beautiful manner of the army and people sincerely assisting each other is prevailing in the whole society and all the people are sharing life and death with the army on the revolutionary principle as firm as the army.
His army-based policy is the original one that helps carry on the revolution and construction by the Korean people themselves in their own way to suit the specific conditions of Korea and an ever-victorious treasured sword that creditably guarantees the building of a powerful nation of Juche.