Japanese Prime Minister arrives here

    Pyongyang, September 17 (KCNA) -- Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi arrived here today by air for a visit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to have a meeting and talks with Kim Jong Il, Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK. At 9:15 a.m. a plane carrying the guests landed on Pyongyang airport.
    Arriving here in company with the prime minister were Shinzo Abe, deputy chief cabinet secretary, Toshiyuki Takano, deputy foreign minister, and suite members.
    The Prime Minister and his entourage were greeted at the airport by Kim Yong Nam, President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, Kim Il Chol, vice-chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK, Kim Yong Il, vice-minister of foreign affairs, and officials concerned.

DPRK Foreign Ministry spokesman on issue of missing Japanese

    Pyongyang, September 17 (KCNA) -- The DPRK Red Cross Society informed the Japanese side of the fact that it has confirmed the whereabouts of missing Japanese. In this connection, a spokesman for the DPRK Foreign Ministry today issued a statement. The statement said:
    The DPRK Red Cross Society notified the Japanese side of the fact that it has confirmed the whereabouts of missing Japanese on the list requested by the Japan Red Cross to ascertain.
    We take this serious.
    It is regretful that these issues surfaced in the past as a product of the abnormal relationship between the DPRK and Japan.
    We will prevent such things from happening in the future.
    We are ready to provide facilities to those survivors identified to enable them to meet with their families and relatives and those concerned of the Japanese government, if necessary, and take necessary steps to let them return home or visit their hometowns if they wish.
    As regards the issue of plane "Yodo," the DPRK government takes note of the fact that those related to it expressed their intention to go back home.
    We respect their intention to go back home of their own accord and expect that the issue would be solved as smoothly as possible from a humanitarian point of view

Talks between Kim Jong Il and Koizumi held

Pyongyang, September 17 (KCNA) - Talks between Kim Jong Il, Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK, and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi were held here today. Present from the DPRK side were Kang Sok Ju, first vice-minister of foreign affairs, and from the Japanese side Shinzo Abe, deputy chief cabinet secretary, Toshiyuki Takano deputy foreign minister, Hitoshi Tanaka, director general for Asian and Oceanic affairs of the Foreign Ministry, and Koro Ressho, executive secretary of the Prime Minister's office.
At the talks they had exhaustive discussion on a series of issues of redressing the unpleasant past between the DPRK and Japan and settling pending issues between them.

DPRK-Japan Pyongyang declaration published

    Pyongyang, September 17 (KCNA) -- The DPRK-Japan Pyongyang declaration was published today. The declaration reads in full:
    The DPRK-Japan Pyongyang declaration.
    Kim Jong Il, Chairman of the National Defence Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and Junichiro Koizumi, Japanese Prime Minister, met and had talks in Pyongyang on September 17, 2002.
    The two top leaders shared the view that liquidating the unpleasant past between the DPRK and Japan, settling the pending issues and establishing fruitful political, economic and cultural relations between them are in the basic interests of both sides and greatly conducive to regional peace and stability.
    1. Both sides decided to exert all efforts to establish the diplomatic ties at an early date on the basis of the spirit and main principle laid down in the declaration and resume the negotiations on opening them within October, 2002.
    Both sides expressed strong resolution to sincerely address all issues existing between the two countries in the course of normalizing the ties on the basis of relationship based on mutual trust.
    2. The Japanese side honestly admitted the historical facts that it had inflicted huge damage and sufferings upon the Korean people during its past colonial rule over Korea and keenly reflected on and sincerely apologized for them.
    Both sides decided to earnestly discuss the specific scope and content of economic cooperation at the talks for normalizing the diplomatic ties on the basis of basic understanding that it is in the spirit of the declaration for the Japanese side to render economic cooperation to the DPRK side including grants in aid, low-interest long-term loans and humanitarian aid through international organizations and provide loans and credit through the International Cooperation Bank of Japan, etc. from the viewpoint of aiding non-governmental economic activities in the period both sides think appropriate after the normalization of diplomatic ties.
    Both sides agreed to consult the normalization of diplomatic relations in detail at the talks for normalizing diplomatic relations on the basic principle of abandoning each other's claims on national and individual assets that existed before August 15, 1945.
    The sides agreed to sincerely discuss the status of Koreans in Japan and cultural treasures at the talks on normalizing diplomatic relations.
    3. Both sides confirmed their will to observe international law and refrain from threatening mutual security. As regards the pending issue concerning the life and security of Japanese nationals the DPRK side declared that it would take a proper measure to prevent the recurrence of such regrettable things, a product of the abnormal relations between the DPRK and Japan.
    4. Both sides affirmed their will to cooperate with each other to preserve and consolidate peace and stability in northeast Asia.
    Both sides shared the understanding that it is important to underscore the importance of building a structure of cooperative relations based on confidence among the countries concerned in the region and reinforce the framework to promote the confidence-building in the region in step with the normalization of their relations.
    Both sides affirmed the pledge to observe all the international agreements for a comprehensive solution to the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula. They also underscored the need to facilitate the settlement of problems by promoting the dialogue among the countries concerned as regards all security matters including nuclear and missile issues.
    The DPRK side expressed its will to extend its moratorium on missile tests beyond 2003 in the spirit of the declaration.
    Both sides agreed to discuss issues related to ensuring security.
    Kim Jong Il Chairman of the National Defence Commision, DPRK Junichiro Koizumi Prime Minister of Japan
    September 17, 2002 Pyongyang

"Funeral service for U.S. troops" held in S. Korea

    Pyongyang, September 17 (KCNA) -- Students of Kyonggi University in South Korea reportedly held a "funeral service for U.S. troops" on the campus on Sept. 13. They went round the campus, shouldering a "coffin" of a Yankee, while conducting propaganda activities calling for avenging the death of Hyo Sun and Mi Son.
    At the same time, a signature campaign was conducted at the university library to drive the U.S. troops out of South Korea.
    At the end of the "funeral service" they formed a group for love of the nation with due ceremony and vowed that their university would take the lead in holding an allout rally of students across South Korea and play the vanguard role in the struggle for campus independence.

International day of ozone layer protection marked

    Pyongyang, September 17 (KCNA) -- Minju Joson today devotes an article to the international day of ozone layer protection (September 16). The article says:
    The international community is increasingly demanding the protection of the ozone layer in the 21st century.
    Many countries and regions of the world are strongly calling for measures to check the depletion of the ozone layer, which may bring disastrous consequences to humankind, and protect it.
    And this has become an international trend.
    150 countries are implementing the Vienna convention and Montreal protocol on the protection of the ozone layer after totally or partly ratifying them.
    The government of the DPRK, which values the life of the people more than anything else, ratified two main international conventions on the protection of the ozone layer on January 27, 1995 and took a resolute step to eliminate some industrial production processes for the protection of the ozone layer in 1996, pursuant to the Workers' Party of Korea's Juche-oriented policy of protecting environment, thus greatly contributing to providing a guarantee for the prosperity and wellbeing of humankind.
    The DPRK government will as always implement to the letter the Montreal protocol and other plans to reduce substance depleting the ozone layer and thus fulfil its national and international commitments to protect the environment for the independent and creative life of the people.

Promising magnesia clinker industry

    Pyongyang, September 17 (KCNA) -- Demand for magnesia clinker in the DPRK is growing as the days go by. The DPRK is one of the biggest magnesia clinker producers in the world.
    There are inexhaustible deposits of Magnesite in different parts of the country.
    It tops the world list in the deposit and quality of Magnesite.
    Magnesite, raw material for the production of fireproof materials, is widely used not only in steel industry but in the production of metal magnesium, cement, rubber, paper, pottery, etc.
    Billions of tons of magnesite is deposited in the area of Tanchon, South Hamgyong Province. There are favourable conditions for mining.
    The Ryongyang mine is 50 years old but open mining is going on there as a main process.
    The Taehung mining complex commissioned in the 1970s mines more than half of the nations' total magnesite production. Its magnesia clinker production capacity is on a steady increase.
    Modern magnesite processing bases are found in Tanchon, Kim Chaek, Chongjin and other areas.
    Kim Jong Il, while giving field guidance to mines in Tanchon area in June, underscored the need to boost the magnesite production, improve its quality and step up the development of the promising Taehung youth mine.

First meeting of inter-Korean panel for reconnecting rail and road links

    Kosong, September 17 (KCNA) -- The first meeting of the inter-Korean panel for reconnecting rail and road links took place at Mt. Kumgang resort from Sept. 13 to 17. At the meeting the two sides issued an agreement after discussing all the measures to finish the projects of reconnecting rail and road links in the east and west coastal areas in the shortest possible period.
    According to the agreement, ceremonies of starting the projects of reconnecting rail and road links in the east and west coastal areas shall be held on September 18, and documents on the time, venue and form of the ceremonies, etc. shall be exchanged between the two sides a day before the ceremonies.
    The 27.5 km-long railway between Onjong-ri and Jojin on the east coast shall be rebuilt as a single track in the first phase and the project of relinking the railway in the area of the south side shall be quickly pushed forward without a let-up so that it may extend toward Kangrung. The road between Kosong and Songhyon-ri shall be rebuilt as a two-lane road to open it to traffic from early December, to begin with.
    The 15.3 km-long railway between Kaesong railway station and the demarcation line in the central sector of the front shall be relinked with the railroad in the area of the south side left unfinished so that it may extend along the old railway bed in the west coastal area. The road between the two sides shall be rebuilt as a four-lane road to extend on the right side of the railroad from the southern boundary of the site for the construction of the industrial zone in Kaesong.
    The boundary railway stations of the two sides in the east and west coastal areas shall be separately built by them in the places they think convenient outside of the demilitarized zone, and the railroad between the north side's boundary station and the south side's boundary station shall be built to suit the traction by a diesel locomotive.
    The south side shall supply to the north side the first batch of equipment and materials, etc. necessary for the projects of reconnecting rail and road links in the portion of the north side in the east and west coastal areas, through Wonsan and Haeju ports etc. within September and the shipment of the remaining quantities shall be made ahead of the scheduled projects without any hindrance to them.

Greetings to Chilean President

Pyongyang, September 17 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, on Sept. 15 sent a message of greetings to Ricardo Lagos Escobar, President of Chile, on the occasion of the 192nd anniversary of its independence. Kim in the message wished the president and people of Chile greater success in their work for prosperity of the country and expressed belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would continue to develop on good terms.

7th inter-Korean military working-level talks held

    Panmunjom, September 17 (KCNA) -- The 7th inter-Korean military working-level talks took place in the portions of the north and the south in Panmunjom on Sept. 16 and 17. At the talks the north side was represented by senior colonel Yu Yong Chol of the Ministry of the People's Armed Forces and the south side by brig. general Kim Kyong Dok of the Ministry of National Defence.
    Yu and Kim exchanged an "agreement on putting some of the east and west coastal areas under the joint control of the north and south sides and providing a military guarantee for the projects of reconnecting rail and road links between the two sides" signed by the minister of the People's Armed Forces of the north side and the minister of national defense of the south side.
    It was agreed to set up corridors under the joint control of the north and the south across the demilitarized zone in the east and west coastal areas and build east and west coastal rail and road links and those between Sinuiju and Seoul in those corridors.
    The north and the south agreed to settle all the issues arising in the areas under the joint control of the north and the south through bilateral discussion.
    Also stipulated in the agreement are engineering details of procedures and methods to clear land mines in the zones under the joint control of both sides and the date and time to start the work, etc.
    The agreement clarifies the survey for relinking railways and roads, the code of conduct for two sides' working personnel in the areas under the joint control of both sides, their working hours, contacts and communication between the chiefs of military working personnel at work sites.
    Also stipulated in the agreement are the number of watchmen in the working places, the order to be observed by them while on duty, a series of issues arising in ensuring security and other issues related to effectuating or abrogating the agreement and modifying and supplementing it.

South side Taekwon-do exhibition team leaves

Pyongyang, September 17 (KCNA) -- The Taekwon-do exhibition team of the south side headed by Ku Chon So, president of the South Korean Taekwon-do Association, left here today. They were seen off at the airport by Kim Myong Chol, vice-chairman of the Korean Taekwon-do Committee, officials concerned and Taekwon-do players.
During their stay, the team gave two performances in the Taekwon-do hall and visited king Tongmyong's Mausoleum, the Korean Central History Museum, the Tower of the Juche Idea and the Mangyongdae Schoolchildren's Palace.

Pyongyang international economic technology and infrastructure exhibition

    Pyongyang, September 17 (KCNA) -- The Pyongyang international economic technology and infrastructure exhibition opened at the three-revolution exhibition today with due ceremony. Present at the opening ceremony were Ri Kwang Gun, minister of foreign trade, Ri Su Dok, manager of the Korean international exhibition corporation, and other officials concerned.
    Also present were delegations and delegates from Germany, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Sweden, France, Luxemburg, Liechtenstein, Britain, Singapore and the European Union, which came here to participate in the exhibition, and those from the host country.
    Ronald Unterburger, director of the Munich International Trade Fairs Pte. Ltd. in Germany, diplomatic envoys, representatives of international organizations and commercial councillors and members of different embassies here were among those present.
    Ri Kwang Gun made a congratulatory speech, which was followed by an opening speech by Ronald Unterburger at the ceremony.
    The speakers said the exhibition would mark an important occasion in strengthening the links and cooperation, promoting understanding and deepening trust among economic enterprises to boost the friendly relations and invigorate economic cooperation and exchange in keeping with the desire and demand of the people in all countries.
    The congratulatory message sent to the exhibition by Otto Wiescheu, minister of economy, communication and technology of Bayern state of Germany, was read out by Doris Hertrampf, its ambassador to the DPRK.
    The participants laid floral baskets before a photograph President Kim Il Sung had taken with Kim Jong Il in the exhibition hall and paid tribute to them.
    Then they looked round up-to-date equipment and technological information about various fields including energy, post and tele-communication, building material, railways, city management and health care.

Separated families and relatives from north meet with kinsfolk from south

    Kosong, September 17 (KCNA) -- The 5th reunion of separated families and relatives from the north and the south of Korea went on at Mt. Kumgang resort on Sept. 16 and 17 on the occasion of the autumn festival according to the north-south agreement. Separated families and relatives of the north side reunited with 99 members of separated families and relatives from the south side after 100 members of separated families and relatives from the north met with their families and relatives from the south on Sept. 13 and 14.
    Those from the north collectively met with their kinsfolk from the south on Sept. 16.
    They told their kinsfolk from the south that they enjoy a worthwhile life under the socialist system whereby benevolent, all-embracing policies are enforced.
    Today separated families and relatives from the north met with separated families and relatives from the south with a family as a unit.
    Overcome with joy at meeting with each other in a family atmosphere, those from the north and the south shared kindred feelings, having meals together. They resolved to work for reunification in the spirit of patriotism.
    They had photographs taken together and exchanged souvenirs.
    Meanwhile, the central committee of the DPRK Red Cross Society gave a reception in honor of separated families and relatives from the north and the south.
    They looked round Samil lagoon, scenic spot.

Koizumi interviewed

   Pyongyang, September 17 (KCNA) -- Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on a visit to the DPRK called a press conference at Pyongyang Koryo Hotel today. Present at the conference were mediapersons of the DPRK and Japan and correspondents of different countries here
    Koizumi told that his Pyongyang visit was intended to resure peace and stability in northeast Asia and that he had talks and exchanged views with Kim Jong Il, Chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission, in a candid manner.
    When the Japan-DPRK Pyongyang declaration and its principle are honestly adhered to, the bilateral relations will make a big stride in turning the hostile relations into the relationship of cooperation, he said.
    He said it is in accord with the national interests of Japan and obligation of its government to clear concerns and build cooperative relations with the DPRK, its close neighbour.
    The improvement of the bilateral relations is not merely in the interests of Japan and the DPRK, he said, adding that it is also greatly helpful to ensuring peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula and the rest of northeast Asia and, furthermore, those of the international community.
    Then, he answered questions raised by reporters

Gift to Kim Jong Il from Koizumi

Pyongyang, September 17 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Il received a gift from Junichiro Koizumi, Prime Minister of Japan. The gift was cinveyed through and official concerned today.

Koizumi leaves Pyongyang

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi left here today after visiting the DPRK. Koizumi and his party were seen off by Kim Yong Nam, President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK and officials concerned.
The plane carrying Koizumi and his party left Pyongyang airport at 8:30 p.m.