Kim Yong Nam greets President of Benin
Pyongyang, August 1 (KCNA) - Kim Yong Nam, President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, sent a message of greetings to Mathieu Kerekou, President of Benin, on July 29 on the occasion of the 42nd anniversary of its independence.
Expressing belief that the good friendly and cooperative ties between the two countries would grow stronger, the message sincerely wished the President, government and people of Benin greater success in their work for national unity and prosperity of the country.
SPA chairman meets Thai parliamentary delegation
Pyongyang, August 1 (KCNA) - Choe Thae Bok, chairman of the Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, had a talk with the delegation of the Senate of Thailand headed by its first vice-president Pichet Pattanachote, when the latter paid a courtesy call on the former, at the Mansudae Assembly Hall Thursday.
The head of the delegation said that while staying in the DPRK he could witness at first hand the might of the single-hearted unity of the Korean people and the progress of the DPRK.
He praised the mass gymnastic and artistic performance Arirang as the world's best masterpiece.
DPRK foreign minister meets U.S. state secretary
Pyongyang, August 1 (KCNA) - DPRK foreign minister Paek Nam Sun attending the ministerial meeting of the 9th ASEAN Regional Forum on July 31 met U.S. State Secretary Powell in Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital city of Brunei Darussalam and discussed the issue of resuming the U.S.-DPRK dialogue at the proposal of the U.S. side.
Powell expressed the U.S. stand to resume the U.S.-DPRK dialogue aimed to discuss issues of bilateral concern without preconditions and reiterated its intention to send U.S. assistant secretary of state Kelly to Pyongyang soon.
Paek Nam Sun recalled that the DPRK had already consented to the U.S. side's proposal to dispatch Pritchard, special envoy of the U.S. State Department for negotiations with the DPRK, to Pyongyang to explain the stand of resuming the dialogue and accepted its later proposal to send U.S. assistant secretary of state Kelly to Pyongyang as a special envoy of the U.S. President. He welcomed the proposal of the U.S. state secretary to dispatch the special envoy of the U.S. President to the DPRK.
Reception given by Cuban charge d'affaires
Pyongyang, August 1 (KCNA) - Cuban charge d'affaires Violeta Goodridge Culzac here gave a reception at the embassy Wednesday evening on the occasion of the 49th anniversary of the attack on Moncada barracks.
Present on invitation were minister of education Pyon Yong Rip, who is the chairman of the Korea-Cuba Solidarity Committee, minister of foreign trade Ri Kwang Gun, acting chairman of the Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries Mun Jae Chol and other officials concerned.
Speeches were made at the reception.
Anniversary of Kim Il Sung's work observed
Pyongyang, August 1 (KCNA) - Papers here Thursday observe the 11th anniversary of President Kim Il Sung's famous work "Let Us Achieve the Great Unity of Our Nation" (August 1, 1991).
The articles say the work makes a systematic and comprehensive compilation of ideas and theories on great national unity on the basis of the immortal Juche idea and gives clear-cut solutions to theoretical and practical issues concerning national unity.
It is the essence of the work that national harmony and unity precisely means national reunification.
Referring to the tasks for great national unity and ways for their implementation, the work says all the Koreans in the north, south and abroad should put the common interests of the nation above anything else, devote everything to the cause of national reunification, invigorate contacts and travels and further develop dialogue among them, transcending differences in ideology, social system and religious belief.
Rodong Sinmun says:
His idea of great national unity and his cause of national reunification have successfully been carried forward thanks to Kim Jong Il's outstanding leadership.
The Korean nation should implement the June 15 inter-Korean joint declaration to the letter and accelerate the independent reunification of the country under the motto of "concerted efforts of the Korean nation."
Minju Joson says that the cause of national reunification will surely be accomplished on the basis of Kim Il Sung's idea of great national unity and under the wise leadership of Kim Jong Il.
New clone cell breeds produced
Pyongyang, August 1 (KCNA) - Researchers of tissue cultivation at Pyongyang University of Medicine recently succeeded in producing clone cell breeds of good biological nature and sensitive to virus.
The cell breeds can be used for manufacturing medicines to prevent virus-affected diseases and Koryo medicines, for diagnosis and treatment and detecting poison in biological medicines of various kinds.
The production is of importance in developing virology, genetic medical science and cell engineering.
Scores of medical units across the country have successfully introduced to their researches the cells which had been bred after obtaining from the cells of skin, lung, kidney, thymus gland and bone marrow.
These clone cell breeds were produced on the basis of indigenous technology.
Aquarium reconstructed
Pyongyang, August 1 (KCNA) - The Aquarium of the Central Zoo at the foot of Mt. Taesong in Pyongyang has been reconstructed.
The aquarium covering 1,200 square meters is packed with large and small fish tanks of various shapes, the biggest one being ten cubic meters.
Living in the tanks are a hundred and scores of species of fish and tortoises such as sturgeon, flatfish, amphipion clakkii, trout, colossoma nigrippinnis, clarias sp and megalobrama amblicephala, natives of different oceans and continents.
The visitors can see fur seals and phocidae catching fish.
Sounds of wave and sea gull by sound facilities are available at the aquarium.
The aquarium draws many visitors who are interested in fish and sea animals.
Korean women's national costume
Pyongyang, August 1 (KCNA) - Chima (skirt) and jogori (jacket) are one of the peculiar national costumes for the Korean women.
This thousands of years old way of dressing has undergone changes and improvement to suit the taste, carriage and life style of the Korean women who like mild climate and clean and bright things. The main style of present-day chima and jogori dates back to the middle period of Koguryo, Paekje and Silla kingdoms.
There are two kinds of chima: kkorichima and tongchima.
The first is wide and long.
Material for chima and its color vary according to the season and are richly patterned.
Jogori is cut small and short so as to fit tightly.
The Korean women like to wear elegant and gorgeous chima and jogori at wedding ceremonies, on holidays and other days.
Korean clothes shops and garment factories across the country are further developing the style and decorations of chima and jogori to meet the contemporary aesthetic taste.
Signature campaign conducted in Ukraine
Pyongyang, August 1 (KCNA) - Over 349,000 Ukrainians participated in the international signature campaign supporting the June 15 north-south joint declaration and demanding the immediate withdrawal of the U.S. troops from south Korea.
Pyotr Simonenko, first secretary of the Central Committee of the Ukrainian Communist Party, signed the signature paper on behalf of 46 members of the Ukrainian Supreme Council (parliament) and 142,000 party members, Alexander Bondarchyuk, chairman of the All-Ukraine Workers' Union, on behalf of 20,000 unionists, Anatoli Domanski, chairman of the All-Ukraine Sovietic Officers' Union, on behalf of 130,000 unionists, Yekaterina Samoilik, chairwoman of the Ukrainian Feminine Workers' Union, on behalf of 50,000 unionists and Andrei Pliit, first secretary of the Central Committee of the Lenin Communist Youth Union of Ukraine, on behalf of 7,000 unionists.
U.S. aerial espionage, war exercises against DPRK
Pyongyang, August 1 (KCNA) - The U.S. imperialists made more than 180 espionage flights against the DPRK in July with various types of strategic and tactical reconnaissance planes including U-2 and RC-135, according to military sources.
Between July 24 and 26 they also staged manoeuvres, dubbed "theory," for estimating combat preparations against the DPRK, with the mobilization of hundreds of fighter bombers and assault planes.
Nearly 2,000 fighter planes were involved in aerial war exercises in July.
The aerial espionage and military exercises were aimed to complete preparations of combat actions of flying corps according to the operational plan for aggression on the DPRK.
That is an indication that the U.S. imperialists are seeking a surprise preemptive strike at the DPRK.
Chinese military attache hosts reception
Pyongyang, August 1 (KCNA) - Chinese military attache Yan Jiangfeng hosted a reception at his embassy last evening on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (CPLA).
At the reception he said that the heroic Korean People's Army founded and led by President Kim Il Sung has performed immortal feats in defending the country.
He referred to the major role played by the KPA for the increase of the defense capacity of the country, the completion of major projects and economic growth, true to supreme commander Kim Jong Il's policy of giving priority to the army.
The peoples and the armies of the two countries have fought shoulder to shoulder to win great victories and contribute to global peace and the progress of humankind, he said.
Kim Il Chol, minister of the People's Armed Forces, in his reply extended the warmest congratulations and militant salute to the officers and men of the CPLA on behalf of the KPA servicemen on the occasion.
Since its foundation the CPLA has honorably discharged its noble mission and duty before the party, the country and the people and made great contributions to liberating the whole country, building a genuine people's state where the working people have become masters of the state, defending the country and stepping up socialist construction, he said.
He sincerely wished the officers and men of the CPLA greater success in their struggle to ensure the absolute leadership of the party over the army, increase the combat capacity of its units and accelerate the unification of the country.
Saying that the DPRK-China friendship is being carried forward and developed generation after generation, he said that the Korean army and people will as ever exert positive efforts to boost the friendship true to the intention of Kim Jong Il.
The reception was also attended by KPA lt. General Ji Yong Chun, other generals and officers, officials concerned, diplomatic envoys and military attaches of different countries here.
Book "charm of century" off the press
Pyongyang, August 1 (KCNA) - The Literature and Art Publishing House has recently brought out a book "Charm of century" (visitor's book of the Kumsusan Memorial Palace and collection of true stories Vol. 1).
It consists of five chapters. Edited in the book are nearly 30 true stories as well as entries in the visitor's book of the memorial palace.
The true stories and entries are about the visitors' boundless reverence for President Kim Il Sung.
Proper stand on inter-Korean relations called for
Pyongyang, August 1 (KCNA) - If the inter-Korean authorities-to-authorities dialogue is to prove fruitful to meet the nation's aspiration and expectation, it is important to make a correct review of the inter-Korean relations which have undergone ups and downs and draw a lesson from it.
Rodong Sinmun today says this in a signed commentary.
It goes on:
The results of the review teach a precious and serious lesson that the north and the south should remain true to "by our nation itself," the spirit of the June 15 joint declaration, and abandon the old hostile viewpoint of confrontation.
There is another lesson that as long as the anti-reunification forces keen to live in reliance on foreign forces are allowed to stay, it is impossible to implement the joint declaration and furthermore, the nation may be exterminated.
The south side has never properly uttered the words "by our nation itself" since the north-south joint declaration was published.
It has consistently maintained the stand of putting greater emphasis on "cooperation" with foreign forces.
There had been multi-faceted dialogue, contacts, cooperation and exchange between the north and the south since the publication of the June 15 joint declaration, but the reconciliation and unity of the nation have not been achieved.
This is chiefly attributable to the south side's insincere attitude and antagonism towards the fellow countrymen in the north.
Anyone with national conscience, though he or she was a right-wing element or conservative yesterday, should respond to the call of the era and the nation and make a bold decision to break with outside forces and join hands with the fellow countrymen.
The north will cooperate with anyone willing to achieve reconciliation and unity of the nation and the reunification of the country through its concerted efforts as a member of an independent party to the dialogue free from outside interference and pressure and away from the conception of the cold war confrontation, implement the joint declaration to the letter and Certainly keep the promise made to the nation.
Transfer of criminal jurisdiction to S. Korea called for
Pyongyang, August 1 (KCNA) - Father Mun Jong Hyon and representatives of civic and public organizations of south Korea went on sit-in strike in Seoul on July 27, enraged at the authorities who do not exercise the jurisdiction over the GI criminals who ran an armored car over schoolgirls to death, according to a news report.
They expressed indignation at the authorities who do not take any measures though more than 200,000 persons participated in the signature campaign denouncing the GIs' killing.
They continued the sit-in strike, chanting such slogans as "Transfer criminal jurisdiction to south Korea", "Bush, make an open apology" and "form a joint fact-finding group".
Surprise demonstration staged against 8th U.S. army command
Pyongyang, August 1 (KCNA) - 19 students under the south Korean Federation of University Student Councils staged a surprise demonstration against the base of the 8th U.S. army command in Ryongsan on July 30 in protest against its refusal to transfer the jurisdiction to south Korea, according to a news report.
They marched as far as 300 meters inside the base and staged a fierce anti-U.S. struggle, chanting such slogans as "President Bush, make an apology" and "bring our younger sisters to life", scattering hundreds of copies of literature and burning the stars and stripes.
In the literature titled "We warn U.S. Forces present in south Korea and U.S. President Bush" they wrote that they would launch a more powerful second and third struggles till the day they have brought to the court of south Korea the GI criminals who killed schoolgirls, punished them and wrested an open apology from Bush.
S. Korea urged to stop depending on outsiders
Pyongyang, August 1 (KCNA) - The Romanian Geniul Carpatilor Association for International Friendship, Solidarity, Reconciliation and Cooperation sent a letter to the south Korean embassy in Bucharest on July 24. It said that the June 15 north-south joint declaration should be implemented to the letter as it is a historic decision made by the authorities of the north and the south to promote the process of independent and peaceful reunification on the Korean peninsula.
Foreign interference is only laying obstacles to the vital interests of the Korean nation, the letter said, demanding the south Korean authorities take steps to implement the historic June 15 joint declaration and thus defuse the tension on the Korean peninsula and reject the interference of the outside forces trying to obstruct national reunification and ignite a destructive war.