Successful opening of June 15 grand festival called for
Pyongyang, June 4 (KCNA) -- The headquarters of the solidarity for implementing the June 15 South- North Joint Declaration for promotion of June 15 grand festival for national reunification reportedly issued a statement on May 31, calling for a successful festival.
Holding the festival successfully is in full accord with the national agreement, the statement said, denouncing the U.S. and South Korean anti-reunification forces for openly scheming to foil the festival with a complete disregard of the nation's demand.
The Korean nation, no matter how desperately the anti-reunification forces at home and abroad may try, will declare June 15 "the day of opening the door of reunification by the concerted efforts of the Korean nation" and open the festival at any cost, the statement said.
It held that the "unification ministry" and other anti-reunification forces should stand for national cooperation, actively implement the joint declaration and ensure all contacts and dialogues for a successful festival.
Ri Hoe Chang's gibberish blasted
Pyongyang, June 4 (KCNA) -- Ri Hoe Chang of South Korea addressing a recent meeting talked rubbish that "it is reasonable and natural to term the rival principal enemy as the north and the south have double structure meaning bilateral relations of confrontation and negotiating partners for peace."
In this regard Minju Joson today in a signed commentary terms this reckless remarks that can be made only by such traitors to the nation as Ri dreaming of confrontation and war in utter disregard of peace and peaceful reunification of the country.
The commentary goes on:
Nobody in the world but the U.S. imperialists and the anti-reunification elements in South Korea uses the expression of "principal enemy."
It is an anachronistic act prompted by the old conception of confrontation.
There is a growing tendency among compatriots in the north, the south and abroad to turn the tense inter-Korean relations into those of reconciliation and unity under the banner of the historic June 15 North-South Joint Declaration and solve the issue of the country's reunification by the concerted efforts of the Korean nation.
Mounting voices demanding the withdrawal of the conception of "principal enemy" are heard from south Korea, a reflection of the national desire for reunification.
Ri is vociferous about "relations of confrontation" and "principal enemy" even today when the whole nation is heading for reconciliation, unity and reunification after the adoption of the declaration on national independent reunification. It can not be construed otherwise than reckless remarks of warmonger steeped in the conception of confrontation with the north to the marrow of his bones.
There is no ground to expect anything from or pin any hope on Ri as his view on the north and reunification is made clear.
DPRK paddlers successful at international tournament
Pyongyang, June 4 (KCNA) -- Korean paddlers gave a good account of themselves at the "grand prize" international table-tennis tournament in Qingdao, China.
Kim Hyon Hui and Kim Hyang Mi placed the second in the women's doubles and Ryu Hyon Sop and Kim Mi Yong first, O Su Yong second and Choe Yong Ran third in the men's and women's singles of the junior class (under 21 age).
Foreigners see performance "Arirang"
Pyongyang, June 4 (KCNA) -- The members of the delegation and the Ensemble of the Far Eastern Military District of the Federal Armed Forces of Russia on a visit to the DPRK were deeply moved to see the mass gymnastic and artistic performance "Arirang".
Colonel general Yuri Yakubov, commander of the military district, said that he has never seen such wonderful mass gymnastic and artistic performance, adding that he was struck with admiration at the performers' high level of artistic depiction.
It is quite unbelievable that such peculiar artistic and sporting skills are largely performed by school youth and children, he stressed.
Ilia Garvazei, head of the Ensemble of the Red Flag Far Eastern Military District of the Federal Armed Forces of Russia, said that one cannot comment on the performance otherwise than the acme of depiction, adding that the mass gymnastic and artistic performance is a good combination of high sporting technique and dancing movement and the fast-changing background scenes are also marvellous.
The performance helped me know well about the unity and strong discipline of the Korean people, he noted.
Merited actor of Russia Alexandr Zaev said that he has never seen such extravaganza, noting that each scene was so fascinating that he could not find proper words to describe it.
Seeing the performance that impressively reflects the reality of Korea where "Arirang" that sang of the history of national distress has turned into the "Arirang for powerful nation", I came to have confidence that a powerful nation is sure to be built in Korea, he stressed.
Actress Oliga Vakhrusheva said that the Korean people, guided by Kim Jong Il, have wrought miracles in the art field, too.
Declaration of S. Korean student organization published
Pyongyang, June 4 (KCNA) -- The Southern Seoul District Federation of University Student Councils (Sonamchongryon) inaugurated its preparatory committee for a June 15 grand festival for national reunification and a reunification meeting of youth and students in the south and the north and made public a declaration on May 28, according to a news report.
The declaration recalled that the whole nation in the south, the north and abroad set June 15 as a "day of opening the door of reunification by the concerted efforts of the Korean nation" and vowed to commemorate it as a grand festival and youth and students vowed to hold a reunification meeting of youth and students in the south and the north.
In response to this call of the nation, Sonamchongryon solemnly declares before the 70 million fellow countrymen that it forms a preparatory committee of Sonamchongryon for a June 15 grand festival for national reunification and a reunification meeting of youth and students in the south and the north and would take the lead in the struggle for reunification together with all the fellow countrymen, the declaration said.
It called for holding the grand festival and the reunification meeting with might and main and implementing the June 15 joint declaration to achieve the reunification of the country.
KCNA on Japan's undisguised nuclear ambition
Pyongyang, June 4 (KCNA) -- Japanese chief cabinet secretary Fukuda in a press conference on May 31 reportedly made dangerous remarks that Japan could possess nukes.
In this regard a senior official of the Japanese government expressed his view that Japan could have access to nukes in the future by making a switchover in the policy of three non-nuclear principles, arguing that "now is the time to replace the existing constitution by a new one".
Earlier deputy chief cabinet secretary Abe in an informal lecture claimed that possessing a-bombs, if small, poses no problem."
An endless string of remarks made by the Japanese authorities about having access to nukes clearly suggest that the Japanese reactionary forces are becoming more undisguised in their moves to turn Japan into a military power and go nuclear.
Since its defeat in the Second World War, Japan has styled itself a peaceloving state, non-nuclear state and painted itself as a country active in the campaign for disarmament and peace against nukes, talking about "peace constitution" and the three non-nuclear principles.
But as evidenced by Japan's arms buildup and the tremendous strength of the "self-defence forces," such terms as disarmament, peace and three non-nuclear principles are nothing but a fig-leaf to cover up the revived Japanese militarists' moves to turn Japan into a military power and their policy of overseas expansion.
The right-wing reactionary forces of Japan are openly calling for the policy of turning Japan into a military power including the revision of constitution, after discarding the cumbersome cloak of peace.
It is an open secret that one of the important targets of Japan's avowed policy of becoming a military power is to go nuclear to emerge a nuclear power.
It was by no means fortuitous that Ozawa, leader of the Liberal Party of Japan, admitted in April that it was easy for Japan to produce nuclear warheads and surpass the military power of China and Japan has stockpiled plutonium enough to produce thousands of nuclear warheads at its atomic power plants.
Official figures representing the Japanese government called for having access to nukes at a time when the nuclear issue, danger of nuclear war in particular, is under serious discussion in the international community. This is a blatant challenge to the global peace, security and stability.
The Japanese militarist reactionary forces have become extremely arrogant and the danger posed by them is becoming increasingly potential.
Japan should discard its nuclear ambition, not oblivious of the lesson of history drawn from the nuclear disaster suffered by it in the past.
If Japan persistently opts for nuclear armament, it will only invite an unimaginable nuclear disaster.
Participation in grand festival for national reunification called for
Pyongyang, June 4 (KCNA) -- Organizations of South Korea are reportedly calling for ensuring the participation of the National Alliance for the Country's Reunification (Pomminryon) and the South Korean Federation of University Student Councils (Hanchongryon) in the June 15 grand festival for national reunification.
The reunification solidarity held a press conference on May 27 and protested that the "ministry of unification" did not allow delegates of the south side to participate in a working-level contact for a successful June 15 grand festival for national reunification by taking issue with the channel of the invitation cards from the north, which impairs the essence of the June 15 joint declaration.
Ri Jong Rin, chairman of the south headquarters of Pomminryon, rejected the unjust step taken by the "ministry of unification" to bring the reunification movement organizations under control on the strength of the "security law", and called for holding the festival with the attendance of people from all walks of life.
The anti-U.S. women's society in a statement on May 29 accused the authorities of blocking the working-level contact, charging that Pomminryon is an "enemy-benefiting organization." it said their blocking is an anti-reunification act to ditch the June 15 joint declaration and demanded the "ministry of unification" guarantee the reunification movement of non-governmental organizations in the spirit of the joint declaration.
The "national federation of peasants associations" in a statement said that if the "ministry of unification" recognizes the joint declaration, it should drop at once an attempt to control the reunification movement under the pretexts of screening or "non-permission" of Pomminryon, Hanchongryon, the reunification solidarity, etc. in the non-governmental exchange for reunification and ensure their participation in the grand festival.
Anniversary of Pochonbo battle observed
Pyongyang, June 4 (KCNA) -- Today marks the 65th anniversary of the historic Pochonbo battle.
Pochonbo is situated in Ryanggang Province of the northern part of Korea.
In the second half of the 1930s the Japanese imperialist aggressors intensified their fascist oppression of the Korean people and accelerated the militarization of economy, while more harshly plundering and exploiting them.
In March Juche 26 (1937) President Kim Il Sung put forward the policy of carrying out offensive operations in the homeland by a large unit in order to herald the dawn of national liberation to the people.
Regarding it as a key to implementing the operation to attack Pochonbo, a strategic vantage of the Japanese imperialists, the president issued an order to the main force of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army (KPRA) to attack it at 10 pm, June 4, Juche 26 (1937).
Soldiers of the KPRA attacked and set fire to the Japanese imperialists' ruling establishments including the police substation, the sub-county administration office, a post office, fire-department and agricultural experiment station at once.
Handbills carrying the "ten-point programme of the association for the restoration of the fatherland" and "proclamation" were pasted on walls of houses and leaflets distributed in all the streets.
The people enthusiastically welcomed Kim Il Sung with cheers of "hurrah".
After waving to the cheering crowd, he made a historic speech "let us fight on staunchly for the liberation of the fatherland," imbuing them with confidence of its liberation and arousing them to the anti-Japanese struggle.
This battle showed that the Korean people were not dead, but alive and they could defeat the Japanese imperialists if they fought them.
Hardworking weightlifting coach
Pyongyang, June 4 (KCNA) -- DPRK People's Sportswoman Ri Song Hui bagged a gold medal at the first Asian weightlifting masters tournament held in Qatar last May.
Behind her success are unrewarded efforts of DPRK People's Sportswoman coach Pak Hye Jong, 29.
It is not long since she began her career as a coach after graduating from Korean University of Physical Education.
It has been her faith that persevering efforts are the key to any success. Her high enthusiasm resulted in training Ri Song Hui as a weightlifting star.
The coach focussed on training after working out a tactical plan suited to Ri whose good physical condition, instantaneous speed and strength are strong points.
As a result, Ri set a series of world records in the 58 kg jerk.
Pak's goal is to train more weightlifting stars as Ri Song Hui.
Pak is now busy training weightlifters for their participation in the world weightlifting championships slated for the end of this year.
Success made in preservation of national cultural heritages
Pyongyang, June 4 (KCNA) -- Many successes have been achieved in preserving, carrying forward and developing national cultural heritages in the DPRK.
The promulgation of the "ordinance on preserving treasures, historical sites, scenic spots and natural monuments" after the liberation of Korea was followed by the adoption of various laws including "law on protecting the cultural relics of the DPRK" and "law on protecting scenic spots and natural monuments of the DPRK" to codify the work.
There appeared history museums to conduct scientific researches, preserve relics better and intensify the education of people.
At present there are history museums including the Korean Central History Museum and the folk museum in every province. A work has been put on a regular basis to display the remains unearthed and ascertained so far in conformity with historical facts.
Thanks to the state measures to preserve and inherit the national cultural heritages, King Tangun, who had been known to exist in fables only, was proved to be a real king and his mausoleum was magnificently rebuilt as befitting the ancestral father of the nation. And King Tongmyong's Mausoleum and King Wang Kons's Mausoleum were rebuilt on an expansion basis.
Regular surveys of scenic spots and natural monuments have been conducted to ascertain and register about 100 scenic spots and hundreds of natural monuments.
Many relics including Kwangbop Temple in Mt. Taesong, Jongrung Temple of King Tongmyong's Mausoleum, Pohyon Temple in Mt. Myohyang and Paeksang Pavilion in Anju were reconstructed to their original state to be listed as national treasures.
Many books introducing scenic spots, relics and natural monuments have also been published.
"The pictorial book of Korean relics and remains" (20 vols.) and "the folk tradition of Korea" (7 vols.) are very popular in the homeland and foreign countries.
Kim Jong Il visits Ryangchon Temple
Pyongyang, June 4 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il visited the Ryangchon Temple in Rakchon-ri, Kowon county, South Hamgyong Province.
The Ryangchon Temple, built in 753, is one of the leading temples in Korea in terms of scale and history. It still retains its former glory.
Being briefed on the relics there, leader Kim Jong Il said the temple is of weighty significance as a natural treasure as it keeps historical relics of high value in their original state, including rare-to-be-seen drawings which vividly reflect the phases of that time. The temple should be shown to many people and picture albums be made to widely introduce it, he added.
A large number of people will tour the temple and, therefore, ample conditions should be provided for such tour and the management of it be improved, he said, indicating specific tasks and ways to do so.
After going round the temple, he advanced highly important tasks that would serve as a guideline in improving the management of the historical cultural relics.
Noting that there are many precious historical cultural relics in Korea with a history of 5,000 years and brilliant culture, he stressed: this is a pride of our nation.
Recalling that due to the imperialists' desperate moves to exterminate the nation and their wars of aggression the historic cultural relics of Korea had long been disregarded or destroyed and damaged but in the workers' party era they have been restored to their original status to make their proud appearance, he noted that this success clearly proves the validity and vitality of the party's policy on carrying forward and developing the national culture.
Properly preserving and managing the historic cultural relics associated with the wisdom and talents of our people and strengthening the education through them is of weighty significance in firmly adhering to the Juche character and the national identity and cultivating patriotism, he noted. He called for making energetic endeavours to properly preserve excellent national cultural heritages in all fields to instill national pride and self-respect into the people.
He underscored the need to pay particular attention to preserving and managing the historic cultural relics associated with excellent architecture and distinguished artistic talents of the Koreans as they are valuable cultural treasures of the country.
Joint plenary meeting of religious organizations held
Pyongyang, June 4 (KCNA) -- A joint plenary meeting of the central committee of the Korean Chondoist Chongu Party and the Korean Chondoist Church central guidance committee was held here today.
Attending the meeting were members of the KCCP central committee and the Korean Chondoist Church central guidance committee.
The meeting discussed the tasks of Chongu Party members and Chondoists to open a decisive phase of reunification by the concerted efforts of the Korean nation on the occasion of the second anniversary of the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration.
Ryu Mi Yong, chairperson of the central committee of the KCCP and the Korean Chondoist Church central guidance committee delivered a report, which was followed by speeches.
The reporter and speakers said that the historic joint declaration is a beacon indicating a new era of independent reunification and a milestone for national reunification. And they expressed their resolution to take the lead in the struggle for its implementation and solidarize with the South Korean Chondoists.
A relevant decision was adopted at the meeting.