Torch lit for Asian Games

    Pyongyang, September 7 (KCNA) -- A sacred torch for the 14th Asian Games was lit on Mt Paektu with a due ceremony Friday. Two women in national costumes separately lit two sacred torches on Mt. Paektu before putting them together.
    The torch was handed to Jong Song Ok, who won the title at the 7th World Track and Field Championships.
    The DPRK players group headed by Jong holding the torch headed for Mt. Kumgang.
    At the ceremony, vice-chairman of the DPRK Olympic Committee An Song Il expressed the belief that the sacred torch would sow the seeds of patriotism and national unity for reunification in the hearts of the 70 million Koreans.
    That day the torch was handed to the south side with a due ceremony in Mt. Kumgang.
    Present at the ceremony were Jo Ui Suk, vice-chairman of the Korean Olympic Committee, and other officials concerned, sportspersons and working people in Kosong county.
    Present from the south side were U Pyong Thaek, executive chairman of the organizing committee of the games, and officials concerned.
    The torch was conveyed to the south side after a speech was made by Jo Ui Suk.

Third National Magic Festival closes

    Pyongyang, September 7 (KCNA) -- The 3rd National Magic Festival took place at the jugglery theatre of the Pyongyang Circus between Sept. 3 and 6. The festival brought together over 80 jugglers of national and provincial art troupes and art organizations and magic fans in various fields. This festival was characterized by richer contents and more diverse and peculiar style and method of magic pieces suited to the emotion of the Koreans and their contemporary aesthetic taste. It successfully showcased the daily developing popular circus in the country.
    The festival was closed with due ceremony at the jugglery theatre on Sept. 6.
    Minister of culture Kang Nung Su and other officials concerned were present there.
    Diplomas and medals were awarded to the jugglers who staged the fantastic magic "juggler's mystery", ordinary magic "our affluent life", magic skill "flowering", etc. at the closing ceremony.

Anti-DPRK war exercise denounced

    Pyongyang, September 7 (KCNA) -- The U.S. imperialist aggression forces in south Korea launched another military exercise involving the U.S. second infantry division on Tuesday. The exercise, which will last 20 days, is a war game of massively moving armored cars and other military vehicles to the area along the Military Demarcation Line.
    The secretariat of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland in its information bulletin no. 825 bitterly denounced it as a dangerous move intended to chill the ardent desire of the Korean nation for reconciliation, cooperation, unity and reunification and bring the situation on the Korean Peninsula back to a phase of confrontation and war.
    The information bulletin said:
    The current maneuvers are an anti-DPRK saber-rattling in its nature and content and a premeditated move to aggravate the situation on the peninsula and provoke another war.
    This is a very grave military provocation to stem the trend of the situation towards detente and wreck peace and stability in the peninsula and the Asia-Pacific region as it was launched at a time when an atmosphere of reunification was mounting higher than ever before.
    The fact goes to clearly prove that the U.S. call for "dialogue" with the DPRK is no more than a trick to mislead the public at home and abroad and it still pursues a hardline policy to stifle the DPRK.
    The United States should stop such war games and drop the hostile policy towards the DPRK at once, squarely seeing the trend of the situation.

NDFSK calls for intensified anti-U.S. struggle

    Pyongyang, September 7 (KCNA) -- All the Koreans should turn out in an anti-U.S. struggle to put an end to the U.S. colonial rule and the history of national division. The propaganda department of the c.c., the National Democratic Front of South Korea (NDFSK) demanded this in an appeal to all the people, which was made public on Friday as regards the lapse of 57 years since the occupation of south Korea by the U.S. imperialist aggression forces.
    September 8, 1945, is the day of disgrace when liberated Korea was divided into two parts, the north and the south, and the south Korean people were put under the colonial rule of the U.S. imperialists, the appeal noted, and said:
    Since then, people in the south have been subject to the miserable life of colonial slaves while suffering from national division: they have undergone all sorts of calamities and misfortunes, their independence, democracy, civil and vital rights being ruthlessly violated.
    Without withdrawal of the U.S. imperialist aggression forces is it impossible to expect national sovereignty, genuine democratic society and reunification of the country. This is the serious lesson drawn by the south Korean people from the disgraceful 57-year-long history as a colony.
    It is a shame that our people are suffering from the U.S. colonial rule even in the 21st century.
    Let us develop all forms of anti-U.S. struggles into a struggle for pullout of the U.S. forces from south Korea let us decisively reject the united states, kingpin of evil which is hellbent on the moves to stifle the north of Korea, repeatedly clamouring about "axis of evil" and calling for preemptive nuclear strikes.
    Let us do our utmost to check the U.S. moves to lay obstacles to the implementation of the June 15 joint declaration

GNP group's treacherous remarks under fire

    Pyongyang, September 7 (KCNA) -- Traitors of the Grand National Party are adamantly opposed to the return of the U.S. military bases and its drilling grounds to south Korea, an issue high on the agenda there. They claim that south Korea will not be able to immediately retaliate against the possible attacks from the north in case the U.S. military bases near the Military Demarcation Line are transferred. This comes under fire by papers here today.
    Rodong Sinmun in a signed commentary says:
    Their outbursts are treacherous ones going against the demands of the people and the trend of the times and belligerent ones intended to incite confrontation and war against the DPRK.
    U.S. military bases and drilling grounds found everywhere in south Korea are the root causes of all misfortune and sufferings the south Koreans are undergoing. That is why the south Koreans from all walks of life have long strongly demanded the dismantling of all the U.S. military bases.
    Multi-faceted talks are under way between the north and the south of Korea and things favorable for national reconciliation, unity and reunification are going on thanks to the DPRK's will for independent reunification and its broad-minded magnanimity.
    Much upset by this, the GNP group is working hard to hamstring this positive process through a smear campaign. This only proves that they are vicious warhawks and traitors who not only oppose reconciliation, unity and reunification of the nation but work hard to hurt their fellow countrymen in cooperation with outsiders.
    Those who go against the trend of the times and the mindset of people can not escape from a stern punishment by history.
    Minju Joson in a commentary advises the GNP traitors to apologize to the nation for their pro-U.S sycophantic and treacherous acts and step down from the political arena before being sternly punished by the nation and thrown into the garbage heap of history.

Participants in film festival visit Korean Film Studio

    Pyongyang, September 7 (KCNA) -- Participants in the 8th Pyongyang Film Festival of Non-Aligned and Other Developing Countries visited the Korean Film Studio on Friday. Being briefed on the fact that Kim Jong Il, who is carrying forward President Kim Il Sung's Juche-based idea of literature and art, has wisely guided film art, giving a great importance to its role in the development of literature and art, they went round the revolutionary museum of the ministry of culture and the mock-up location streets.
    They also saw film shooting in the studio.
    After visiting the studio Surya Yuga, head of the Indonesian delegation, said that he came to know well that the Korean film art has successfully developed under the deep care of Kim Il Sung and the wise leadership of Kim Jong Il.
    Le Ngoc Minh, head of the Vietnamese delegation, said that through the visit he was optimistic about the future of the Korean film art. The location streets are enough to show the solid material and technical foundations of the Korean film art, he added.
    Yehia Abdel Raouf Azmi, an Egyptian international juryman, stressed that the Korean film art will make a greater progress in the future under the leadership of Kim Jong Il.

Indian National Seminar on Juche Idea

    Pyongyang, September 7 (KCNA) -- An Indian National Seminar on the Juche Idea was held in New Delhi on August 31. At the seminar H. Gupta, chairman of the Indian Society for the Study of Kim Jong Il's Works, briefed the participants on the world conference on the cause of independence in the 21st century held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, in June last.
    Vishwanath, director general of the International Institute of the Juche Idea, said in a report that the DPRK, adopting the Juche idea as a state philosophy, is striving to completely realize independence of the popular masses.
    The reporter further said:
    President Kim Il Sung applied this most perfect idea in all domains of state activities with it as an invariable guiding idea from the very day when the DPRK was founded.
    Being convinced that only socialism provides dignified and happy life and rosy future, the Korean people value their socialist motherland like their lives and always hold the president in high esteem as their father.
    The DPRK is now further demonstrating itself under the leadership of Kim Jong Il.
    He works hard to build a powerful nation, true to the intention of Kim Il Sung and thus glorify the DPRK associated with his lifelong efforts and feats as a socialist bulwark strong in political, economic, military and all other aspects.
    With unshakable faith in victory and enthusiasm, he energetically guides the building of a powerful nation by means of army-based policy.
    Recently he visited Russia and had a significant meeting with President Putin. This is a great contribution to boosting the bilateral relations of friendship, relaxing the tension in the Korean peninsula and defending global peace.
    Then, speeches were made at the seminar by the vice-chairman of the Indian Society for the Study of Kim Jong Il's Works, the chairman of the Indian Committee for Supporting Korea's Reunification, the honorary chairman of the world peace council and others.
    A letter to Kim Jong Il was adopted there.

KCNA urges U.S. to stop stymying process to improve north-south relations

    Pyongyang, September 7 (KCNA) -- 57 years have passed since the U.S. armed forces' occupation of south Korea. The U.S. Forces occupied south Korea under the pretext of "disarming" the Japanese troops defeated in world war II.
    Ever since the day of their landing in south Korea under the mask of "liberator", the U.S. Forces have incited the permanent division of Korea and blocked the peaceful settlement of the Korean issue by all means.
    But for the U.S. troops' occupation of south Korea, the Korean nation would not have suffered the tragedy of territorial and national division that has lasted for over half a century.
    The DPRK government and people have exerted all peaceful and patriotic efforts to put an end to the national division and achieve the independent and peaceful reunification of the country. But these efforts have proved futile owing to the obstructive moves of the U.S. keen on its troops' permanent presence in south Korea.
    It was the U.S. anti-DPRK moves that compelled the movement for national reunification to seesaw even after the publication of the historic June 15 North-South Joint Declaration.
    The U.S. is not pleased to see the north-south relations warming up and an atmosphere of reconciliation and cooperation and the desire for national reunification growing stronger on the Korean peninsula.
    The U.S. is forced by the trend of the times to welcome the north-south dialogue and the improved inter-Korean relations. In reality, it works hard to stop the north and the south of Korea from dealing with major issues, confined to having simple exchange.
    Precisely for this reason the U.S. keeps calling for a "preemptive attack" after singling out the DPRK as part of an "axis of evil" and recently staged the "Ulji Focus Lens" joint military exercise in a bid to chill the atmosphere of reconciliation and cooperation between the north and the south and deliberately strain the military situation on the peninsula.
    All facts clearly prove that the U.S. troops stationed in south Korea are not "protector" of the regional stability but a wrecker of peace and reunification and a cancer-like existence in the peninsula and the root cause of national division and sufferings.
    If true peace and stability are to settle on the Korean Peninsula and the rest of northeast Asia and the independent reunification of the country is to be achieved by the concerted efforts of the Korean nation, it is necessary to put an end to the U.S. interference in the issue of the north-south relations and drive the U.S. troops out of south Korea without delay.

Story about DPRK flag

    Pyongyang, September 7 (KCNA) -- DPRK flags are seen fluttering in streets, villages, work places and at houses in the DPRK with the run-up to its 54th anniversary. Looking up to flags its people and servicemen recollect with deep emotion the great wisdom and energy devoted by President Kim Il Sung to its designing.
    One day in November Juche 36 (1947) he instructed officials to design the national flag and emblem of the republic to be born in the future.
    Greatly excited to receive the task, they buckled down to the work. But they were at a loss what a from, content and colors they should choose for the flag and what a proportion of colors should be.
    Guessing their difficult position, the president advised them to make the flag perfectly unique in its form and content peculiar to Korea.
    He told them that it would be better to use red, white and blue colors on the flag. he said the red color of the flag would symbolize the blood shed by the anti-Japanese revolutionary fighters and revolutionaries of Korea for the freedom and independence of the country and the revolutionary ranks closely rallied behind the party, its white colour the homogeneous Korean nation with brilliant and time-honored national culture and its blue colour the spirit of the Korean people fighting for socialism and the sovereignty of the DPRK.
    One day in January in 1948 he called officials again to show them several flag designs made by himself and asked them to give their opinions about the designs.
    Teaching them in detail the proportion of colors on the flag, he asked them to draw a five-pointed red star within a white circle to represent the future of shining victories to be won by the Korean people in their advance as heirs to the revolutionary traditions established in the period of the anti-Japanese struggle.
    The national flag of the DPRK was thus completed under his meticulous care and guidance. This flag began fluttering high from the day of the foundation of the DPRK and under this flag the Korean people have defended and glorified the freedom and the sovereignty of the country and the dignity and the honor of the nation.

Friendship and cooperation on principle of independence called for

    Pyongyang, September 7 (KCNA) -- International friendship and cooperation among countries and nations are essential for achieving the global cause of independence, says Rodong Sinmun today in a signed article. It goes on:
    It is the common desire and task of humankind to build an independent world where all countries and nations can independently exist and develop free from aggression, war, domination and subordination.
    In order to establish a new just world structure free from global inequality and old structural contradictions it is necessary to strengthen friendship and cooperation on the principle of independence.
    This is an important requirement for achieving global independence.
    The issue of building a new just world structure is stipulated in the DPRK-Russia Moscow declaration adopted during Kim Jong Il's visit to Russia last year. It serves as a very important milestone to ensure world peace and security in the 21st century.
    The United States is set to escalate aggression and war worldwide, while making preparations for preemptive attacks after making a new war against Iraq a fait accompli.
    This situation calls on those countries which desire independence and love peace to offer strong resistance in unity against it.
    If all the countries of the world are to get united, they should establish friendly relations and cooperate with each other on the principle of independence.
    Independence, peace and friendship are the unchangeable idea of the foreign policy of the DPRK government.
    The DPRK will open good-neighbourly relations and have cooperation and exchange with any country friendly towards it on the principle of equality and impartiality.

Greetings to Brazilian foreign minister

Pyongyang, September 7 (KCNA) -- DPRK foreign minister Paek Nam Sun sent a message of greetings to Celso Lafer, foreign minister of Brazil, on the occasion of the 180th anniversary of its independence. The message extended warm congratulations to him and wished him greater success in his responsible work.

Greetings to Brazilian President

Pyongyang, September 7 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, Saturday sent a message of greetings to Fernando Henrique Cardoso, President of Brazil, on the occasion of the 180th anniversary of its independence. The message expressed belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would grow stronger and wished the President and people of Brazil success in their work for the prosperity of the country.

4th inter-Korean Red Cross talks open

    Kosong, September 7 (KCNA) -- The 4th inter-Korean Red Cross talks were opened in Mt. Kumgang on Saturday. Present at the talks from the north side were the members of the delegation led by Jang Jae On, chairman of the central committee of the DPRK Red Cross Society, and from the south side the members of the delegation with So Yong Hun, president of the south Korean Red Cross, as chief delegate. At the talks the head of the north side said that the talks should mark an epochal occasion of drawing a clear line in the settlement of the humanitarian issue in the spirit of the historic June 15 North-South Joint Declaration.
    He put forward a draft agreement that contains the issue of setting up a meeting place of separated families and relatives, the issue of confirming their whereabouts and addresses and putting correspondence on a regular basis, the issue of unconverted long-term prisoners, the issue of confirming the whereabouts of those reported missing during the Korean War and the stand of the north side on the 5th reunion of separated families and relatives.
    The chief delegate of the south side set forth its draft agreement.
    The talks continue.