Spokesman of DPRK FM on issue of Pyongyang visit of U.S. special envoy

    Pyongyang, August 8 (KCNA) -- As far as the Pyongyang visit of a U.S. special envoy is concerned, the issue presented itself as the U.S. side proposed it to explain its stand toward the resumption of dialogue. Our stand is to receive him. If the U.S. side has any unavoidable reason, we do not care whether it reconsiders the issue and acts at its convenience. A spokesman for the DPRK Foreign Ministry said this, answering a question put by KCNA today concerning the misinformation floated by the U.S. about the results of the ministerial contact made in Brunei Darussalam.
    He said:
    As regards the results of the contact between the DPRK foreign minister and the U.S. secretary of state during the 9th ministerial meeting of the ASEAN regional forum some time ago, there are rumors that North Korea's description of the proposed Pyongyang visit of a U.S. special envoy as an established fact was overstatement of their meeting during a coffee break and dialogue would be pursued depending on words and acts of North Korea.
    We made it clear at the Brunei ministerial contact that we welcomed the U.S. side's reiteration of its intention to dispatch its special envoy to Pyongyang.
    Who will be sent by the U.S. as its special envoy and when is its business.
    The point is for the United States to drop its hostile policy toward the DPRK and if not, there would be nothing to expect from the dialogue though it is held.

Day of students' action set in S. Korea

Pyongyang, August 8 (KCNA) -- The Organizing Committee for Day of Action of Students across South Korea reportedly called a press conference on Monday and decided to conduct a large-scale protest. The day of students' action was set to demand a trial of GI murderers at the South Korean court, the immediate transfer of U.S. Forces' jurisdiction to South Korea, total revision of the South Korea-U.S. status of forces agreement, an official apology from bush and the withdrawal of U.S. troops from South Korea. On the purport of this action day, the organization said that the U.S. Forces have turned down the demand for the transfer of jurisdiction, misleading the public opinion though 50 days have passed since the murder of young schoolgirls and, accordingly, students have resolved to get a sincere apology from Bush and punish GI murderers at the court.
Such actions will be co-sponsored by the South Korean Federation of University Student Councils, the South Korean Council for Solidarity among Students, the Students Committee of the Democratic Workers' Party, the South Korean Council of Student Representatives of Normal Universities, the South Korean Council of Girl Student Representatives, the South Korean Christian Youth and Students Alliance, the South Korean Christian Students Federation, the South Korean Buddhist Students Alliance and the South Korean Alliance of Traveling Students, it added.

S. Korean students visit Kwangju prison

    Pyongyang, August 8 (KCNA) -- The reunification vanguard of the 15th-term national alliance of youth and students for the country's reunification and students of the Kwangju and South Jolla Provincial Federation of University Student Councils paid a protest visit to Kwangju prison on August 3 in demand of the release of prisoners of conscience including Kim Hyong Ju, chairman of the 10th-term South Korean Federation of University Student Councils (Hanchongryon), the withdrawal of the labelling of Hanchongryon as an "enemy-benefiting organization" and the pullout of the U.S. troops from South Korea. They held a rally in front of the prison.
    At the rally speakers said that the spirit of the June 15 joint declaration is to reject foreign forces' interference and reunify the country by the concerted efforts of the Korean nation. The full implementation of the declaration is just what Hanchongryon has called for, they noted.
    Saying real enemy-benefiting organization is none other than the United States and anti-reunification forces following the outsiders, they pointed to the unreasonableness of labeling Hanchongryon as an "enemy-benefiting organization" and detaining its chairman Kim Hyong Ju.
    Then the visitors demanded an interview with the chief of the prison and a meeting with Kim.
    When the prison side refused to accept their demand, they staged a demonstration for about 7 hours until it was met.
    The students fiercely clashed with riot police attempting to crack down on their demonstration.

DPRK hard hit by torrential rain

    Pyongyang, August 8 (KCNA) -- The DPRK was hard hit by torrential rain between August 3 and 5. According to information available from a relevant organ, downpour registered 459 mm in Chongdan and 325 mm in Pongchon, South Hwanghae Province, and over 350 mm in Thaechon, Pakchon and Jongju, North Phyongan Province, and in Anju, South Phyongan Province.
    Between 21:00 and 24:00 on August 4, downpour registered 189 mm in North Phyongan Province, 152 mm in South Phyongan Province and 160 mm in South Hwanghae Province.
    In particular, the water level of the Chongchon River rose so suddenly, accompanied by tide, that the Saenae River at its conflux overflowed, leaving Anju city inundated.
    Across the country, many hectares of farmland were submerged, buried under silt or washed away by torrential rain. As a result, it is hard to expect harvests of crops there.
    Meanwhile, many houses and public buildings were submerged or destroyed.
    The heavy rain also left coal and ore mines, power stations and other industrial establishments inundated.
    Roads and railways extending scores of kilometres and bridges were damaged, cutting off traffic.
    Scores of people are reported dead, missing and injured.
    The relevant organs in Pyongyang and local areas are now taking emergency measures against the flood damage.

Pro-reunification concert given in S. Korea

Pyongyang, August 8 (KCNA) -- The central literary and art group of the reunification solidarity reportedly staged a "pro-reunification summer evening concert" in Seoul on August 3 as the first leg of its performance tour of South Korea. After winding up its itinerary in Seoul, the group gave its next performance in a pleasure ground in Ansan on August 4, together with a local literary and art organization.
Put on the stage were numbers disclosing the atrocities of the U.S. Forces present in South Korea. The performance fanned up the anti-American sentiment among the audience.

Korea's natural monument

    Pyongyang, August 8 (KCNA) -- Abeliophyllum distichum on Mt. Taesong is a rare plant found in Korea only. The tree was discovered in Jinchon area, North Chungchong Province in Juche 8 (1919).
    There are trees of the same species in the area of medical plants of the Central Botanical Garden.
    This tree is broad-leaved shrubs.
    It is 1.96m high and its shade is 2.4m wide in east and west and 3m in south and north.
    Each branch has leaves on its both sides.
    White and light pink flowers come into full bloom in March and April before leaves come out.
    A fruit looks like a round plate.
    Seed or branch is used to propagate trees.
    This tree is of weighty significance in the botanical study of plants belonging to the ash tree family. The tree was designated as natural monument no. 12 in January Juche 69 (1980).

West Sea Barrage profusely pays off

    Pyongyang, August 8 (KCNA) -- The West Sea Barrage in the lower reaches of the River Taedong is paying off profusely. For the past 16 years since its completion, more than 100,000 vessels have passed through it.
    After the appearance of the Barrage Nampho was linked with South Hwanghae Province by railways and roads, a signal turn in developing the country's transportation.
    The barrage was completed in a matter of 5 years. The barrage was commissioned in June Juche 75 (1986) as one of the world's leading marine structures. It extends 8 kilometers in the sea. It has three locks through which 2,000 ton-, 20,000 ton- and 50,000 ton-vessels can pass. As a result, a large artificial lake capable of holding 2.7 billion metric tons of water appeared in the lower reaches of the river.
    Its operation made it possible to supply 2 billion metric tons of irrigation, industrial and drinking water to areas along the west coast every year. The barrage is also generating electricity needed for its operation.
    The barrage protects Pyongyang, Nampho city and other areas along the west coast from possible flood damage.
    It also adds to the beauty of the river bank. A beach near the barrage is crowded with holiday-makers in summer.

Joint press release supported

    Pyongyang, August 8 (KCNA) -- The South Korean public Monday reportedly supported the joint press release on the working contacts of representatives for making arrangements for the 7th north-south ministerial talks in Mt. Kumgang. The reunification solidarity in a commentary noted that the press release represents the will and desire of the entire nation.
    It clarified its determination to take the lead in opening the door of peace and reunification. It also urged the authorities not to spare help to non-governmental reunification movement organizations in their efforts for holding a successful august 15 meeting for national reunification as agreed in the joint press release.
    Ju Ji Un, chairman of the 8th-term Pusan and South Kyongsang Provincial Federation of University Student Councils, in an appeal said that it brings a surge of warmth to his heart to imagine. He called for heightening vigilance against the moves of the U.S. and anti-reunification forces and dealing a blow in time.
    Yun Kyong Hoe, acting chairman and spokesman of the South Korean Federation of University Student Councils, released a statement in which he expressed his sincere wish for the implementation of the points agreed at the working contacts. He called for more vigorously advancing along the road of national reunification as desired by 70 million Koreans.

GIS will have to pay for all their crimes

    Pyongyang, August 8 (KCNA) -- It has been disclosed that a GI who had killed a South Korean woman two years back fled to the united states. In this regard Minju Joson Thursday in a signed commentary observes: This is a clear indication that the U.S. imperialists are the most ferocious and wicked killers and a group of aggressors hell-bent on wrongs. They have committed too many monstrous atrocities to enumerate in South Korea since they landed there to seize the whole of Korea.
    The U.S. military administration and the U.S. Forces command in South Korea are busy defending the GI killers of South Koreans. At the tacit connivance of the U.S. imperialists and under their protection GI criminals live in comfort, free from any punishment.
    The South Korean people cannot live in peace even a moment as long as the U.S. aggressors are present in South Korea. That is why they are struggling in demand of the immediate pullback of the U.S. aggressor forces from South Korea, asserting that the U.S. Forces should not be allowed to stay there any longer to commit crimes as they please under the pretext of security.
    The South Korean people will certainly force the U.S. imperialists to pay for all their crimes.
    They should honestly apologize and fully compensate for all the crimes committed against the South Koreans, well aware of their will.
    And they should immediately pull their aggression forces out of South Korea.

Greetings to foreign minister of Philippines

Pyongyang, August 8 (KCNA) -- DPRK foreign minister Paek Nam Sun sent a message of greetings to Blas F. Ople upon his appointment as secretary of foreign affairs of the Philippines. Expressing belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would further develop in different fields, the message wished him success in fulfillment of his new duty.

30th anniversary of Thongil Sinbo observed

    Pyongyang, August 8 (KCNA) -- Thongil Sinbo, an independent newspaper published in Pyongyang, celebrated its 30th anniversary. Founded on august 6, 1972, the newspaper has a mission to achieve national reunification, the cherished desire of the nation, through great national unity irrespective of idea and system.
    Over the last three decades it has conducted brisk information service to bring home to the compatriots at home and abroad the basic principles and ways of reunification such as the three charters for national reunification put forward by President Kim Il Sung and the five-point policy of great national unity advanced by General Secretary Kim Jong Il. It has thus contributed to encouraging all the countrymen to turn out in the movement for reunification under the banner of independence and unity.
    A celebration function took place in Pyongyang on Tuesday.

Valuable cultural heritage

    Pyongyang, August 8 (KCNA) -- "Poems of Blue Hills" (or Korean Poems), one of the nation's valuable cultural heritages, is a collection of poems and songs written in Korean edited by a commoner Kim Chon Thaek in 1727. At that time when the collection was published, literature in Chinese was highly regarded while literature written in Korean was considered to be humble.
    Under such social circumstances, Kim Chon Thaek, prompted by patriotic care for Korean poems and songs, edited the anthology written in Korean.
    The anthology, classified according to tunes, is a collection of poems and songs written by over 140 figures who had won fame in the Korean history including the Koryo dynasty, those poets affiliated to the "Kyongjongsan group of poets" made up of poets in the middle ages, and unknown poets.
    It contains poems of various ideological and thematic contents, including poems and songs dealing with patriotic struggles against aggression, people's lessons, the then social conditions and anti-confucian poetry.
    Also among them are poems written by Jong Mong Ju, famous loyal subject of the Koryo dynasty, and Song Sam Mun, one of the six executed loyal officials during the rule of king Sejong.
    "Poems of Blue Hills" is preserved as the nation's valuable cultural heritage as it is the first anthology written in Korean in the middle ages.

Kim Yong Nam meets Malaysian delegation

    Pyongyang, August 8 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, met and had a talk with the government delegation of science and technology of Malaysia led by Datuk Law Hieng Ding, Minister of Science, Technology and Environment, at the Mansudae Assembly Hall today. The head of the delegation asked the president to convey the greetings of the government and people of Malaysia to General Secretary Kim Jong Il.
    The Malaysian minister underscored the need to strengthen cooperation in the scientific and technological field between the two countries.
    Present there were Ri Kwang Ho, president of the Academy of Sciences, and officials concerned.