Many gifts to Kim Il Sung

     Pyongyang, April 8 (KCNA) -- The Korean people and the world revolutionary people are highly praising President Kim Il Sung as a peerlessly great man who performed undying feats in carrying out the Korean revolution and the cause of global independence. According to the data available, the president received more than 165,920 gifts from party and state leaders, political and public figures and businessmen of 169 countries and overseas compatriots and South Korean people.
    This averages at least 2,910 gifts a year, 243 a month and eight a day.
    The world progressives sent over 150 gifts to him to pray for his eternal life after his demise.
    On the occasion of his 90th birth anniversary last year, the world revolutionary people sent many gifts carrying their sincerity and reverence for him. Among them were an oil painting "Portrait of the Great Leader Comrade Kim Il Sung," a crystal vase, a metal handicraft "the Tower of Immortality," a wall picture "Plentiful Fruits," a gemstone handicraft "the Most Fortunate and Happy Age" and a gold-painted picture "dancing girl".
    An endless stream of the Korean people as well as people the world over are visiting the International Friendship Exhibition on Mt. Myohyang, a famous mountain of Korea, where the gifts are on display.

Troop dispatch to Iraqi war flayed in S. Korea

     Pyongyang, April 8 (KCNA) -- South Korean organizations are strongly protesting against the authorities' measure for troop dispatch to the Iraqi war. The south headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country's Reunification in a statement on April 3 denounced the "motion on the troop dispatch" the authorities railroaded through the South Korean "National Assembly," taking advantage of the U.S. Iraqi war of genocide as something not understandable.
    The statement said this is an act of giving up their stand to realize peace on the Korean Peninsula.
    It called for foiling the U.S. nuclear racket and its moves to escalate the tensions on the Korean Peninsula through a struggle to force the U.S. to conclude a non-aggression treaty with the DPRK.
    The reunification solidarity for implementing the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration and peace on the Korean Peninsula in a statement on the same day said that the recent decision to dispatch troops to the war is a criminal act of providing a new pretext to justify the U.S. war and it would never tolerate the authorities' irresponsible measure of supporting it.
    Meanwhile, a meeting titled "day of students' action for stopping U.S. Iraqi war, repealing measure for troop dispatch and removing war danger on the Korean Peninsula" was held in Seoul on April 4 under the co-sponsorship of the (South) Korean Federation of University Student Councils and the Youth and Student Committee against War with over 1,000 students attending.
    At the meeting speakers said that troop dispatch can be checked only through their direct action, calling for successfully staging a student strike against war scheduled on April 11.
    At another meeting held in its wake speakers called on all students across South Korea to boycott lectures and turn out to streets on April 11 in protest against the barbarous war and gather in front of the city office on April 12, the "day of global peace against war."
    The youth and student solidarity for implementing the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration in a statement on April 4 said that it is strongly opposed to the authorities' measure for troop dispatch as it has no other meaning than helping warmonger Bush and is little short of supporting the supremacy and self-justified act of the U.S. which infringed upon the sovereignty of Iraq.

International Marathon Race for Mangyongdae Cup to be held

     Pyongyang, April 8 (KCNA) -- The 16th International Marathon Race for Mangyongdae Cup will be held in Pyongyang on the occasion of the Day of the Sun, the birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung. The race will bring together ace male and female marathoners from over 10 countries including the DPRK.
    The organizing committee was formed and preparations for the event are brisk and posters of the race have been produced.

Fair settlement of nuclear issue called for

     Pyongyang, April 8 (KCNA) -- A delegate of the DPRK addressing a meeting of the UN Disarmament Committee on April 1 referred to the fact that the situation on the Korean Peninsula is so tense that a nuclear war may break out any time as the U.S.-South Korea madcap joint military exercises targeted against the DPRK were staged in South Korea, timed to coincide with the start of the Iraqi war. He went on to say.
    The U.S. has increased international pressure upon the DPRK to "scrap its nuclear development program before dialogue" painting its "nuclear issue" as a "threat" to the world. As this did not prove workable, the U.S. is trying to settle this issue by military means.
    The nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula is an issue to be settled between the DPRK and the U.S. in view of its origin, nature and essence.
    Any attempt to meddle in this issue would not help solve the issue but, on the contrary, make its settlement difficult and complicated.
    As the 13th Summit of Non-Aligned Countries clarified the stand of the NAM, the most reasonable way of settling the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula is for the DPRK and the U.S., both directly responsible for the issue, to sit face to face for negotiations.
    this is a strong rebuff to the unreasonable behavior of the u.s. which insists on "multilateral talks" to internationalize this issue, turning its face away from the consistent offer of the dprk to seek a negotiated settlement of the nuclear issue through the dprk-u.s. direct talks.
    No threat, blackmail, pressure and sanctions can ever work on the DPRK.
    The Korean people will never beg for peace afraid of a war, allowing the dignity and sovereignty of the nation to be infringed upon, and the DPRK will never sacrifice its supreme interests, yielding to pressure.
    The U.S. should properly judge the self-defensive capability and the might of single-hearted unity in the DPRK.
    If the U.S. ignites a nuclear war despite the DPRK's efforts for a peaceful solution to the nuclear issue, the DPRK will mercilessly punish the aggressors with the might of the Songun policy in order to defend the sovereignty and dignity of the nation.
    Accusing the South Korean authorities of bringing the situation to the brink of a war, toeing the U.S. line, the delegate urged them to fairly approach the nuclear issue and strongly demand the U.S. to respond to the proposal for the conclusion of a non-aggression treaty with the DPRK, the best solution to the issue, if they truly want peace, stability and reunification on the Korean Peninsula.

DPRK-China plan for cultural exchange signed

     Pyongyang, April 8 (KCNA) -- A plan for cultural exchange for 2003-2005 between the governments of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the People's Republic of China was signed with due ceremony in Beijing on Monday. The plan was signed by Jon Yong Jin, vice-chairman of the Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries who is head of the DPRK government cultural delegation, and Zhao Weishu, Chinese vice-minister of culture, at the ceremony.

Anniversary of Kim Jong Il's work marked

     Pyongyang, April 8 (KCNA) -- A symposium took place at the People's Palace of Culture on Monday to mark the 30th anniversary of Kim Jong Il's famous work "Theory of Cinematic Art." The work, published in April Juche 62 (1973), scientifically clarifies the nature of literature as humanics of Juche and the idea that literature can truly contribute to the people's struggle for independence when representing a model of human being of Juche type who is possessed of independent and creative stands.
    In the past 30 years after the publication of the work a revolutionary turn took place in the development of Korean cinema art and literature and art.
    Speakers said that theory of Juche-based cinematic direction clarified in the work serves as the most revolutionary and scientific theory based on the Juche idea and a textbook for producing worldwide masterpieces as it gives profound and rich exposition of all the problems arising in direction.
    They called on all officials, writers and artistes to devote all their wisdom and energies to creating revolutionary literary and art works conducive to the building of a great prosperous power, guided by the idea and theory expounded in the work in their creative activities.
    Present at the symposium were Jang Chol, chairman of the c.c., the General Federation of the Unions of Literature and the Arts of Korea, Kim Pyong Hun, chairman of the c.c., the Korean Writers Union, and other officials concerned.

Korean people's life and soul

     Pyongyang, April 8 (KCNA) --The Korean people regard the sovereignty of the country as valuable as their life and soul. Every nation has a right to independently shape and implement all policies suitable for the situation of the country and beneficial to its people, without others' interference.
    Due to the U.S. high-handed practice for world supremacy, however, the sovereignty of some countries has been wantonly encroached upon and world peace and security threatened seriously.
    The United States is infamous for its history of aggression and encroachment on the sovereignty of other countries.
    Korea is one of those countries that have had its sovereignty severely infringed upon by the U.S. imperialists.
    Their history of aggression on Korea, which began in 1866 with the intrusion into a Korean river by the U.S. pirate ship "General Sherman", gives the Korean people a serious lesson that national power should be built up to defend the sovereignty of the country.
    The Korean people, to prevent their miserable bygones from being repeated, have built up a strong military power to defend themselves.
    After the liberation of the country, they have developed the national economy, giving priority to the defence industry. Even in the period of the "arduous march" and forced march, they have strengthened the army and consolidated the defence power, overcoming difficulties under the Songun leadership of Kim Jong Il.
    The United States is now trying hard to inveigle the international community into the efforts to put pressure on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea over the "nuclear issue".
    But the Korean people have made no concession.
    They, supported by their strong defence power, will defend what they gained in the revolution at the cost of their blood, undaunted by the U.S. efforts to stifle the DPRK.

Pyongyang in festive mood

     Pyongyang, April 8 (KCNA) -- The 21st April Spring Friendship Art Festival will be opened in Pyongyang, the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, on April 10. According to Ji Sang Chol, vice department director of the ministry of culture, the festival will be held in a peculiar way under the motto of independence, peace and friendship.
    It will be participated in by some 70 art troupes, acrobatic troupes, overseas Koreans' art troupes and artistes from more than 40 countries including Russia, China, Cuba, Britain and Italy. Among them are over 40 famous artistes including international contest winners.
    The festival will be held in the way of group performances and joint performances of international contest winners.
    Celebrated actors and actresses from Russia will give performances and art troupes of overseas Koreans and from some countries will also be expected to give performances separately.
    Streets of Pyongyang are now decorated with flags of the DPRK and the festival, and slogans and large pictures welcoming the artistes from different continents.
    Also seen in the streets are posters of various themes.
    Theatres and hotels in the capital are now waiting for the participants in the festival.

U.S. not qualified to talk about issue of terrorism

     Pyongyang, April 8 (KCNA) -- The U.S. is groundlessly charging the DPRK with sponsoring terrorism. This is aimed to impair the high prestige of the DPRK and isolate it internationally in a bid to stifle it under the pretext of sponsoring terrorism. Rodong Sinmun today says this in a signed commentary. Saying that the Iraqi crisis clearly proves once again that the U.S. is the kingpin of international terrorism and the country with the world's poorest human rights record, the commentary continues:
    The U.S. rulers are keen to perpetrate military terrorism, state terrorism against the DPRK, groundlessly terming it "terrorism-sponsor" and "a rogue state." This only reminds one of a thief crying "stop the thief"
    The U.S. is widely known for resorting to brutal state terrorism under various absurd pretexts. It is ridiculous and ludicrous, therefore, for the U.S. to pull up the DPRK, behaving as if it were an "international terrorism judge." The U.S. is not qualified to talk about someone's issue of terrorism.
    If it truly wants to discuss the issue it should admit its hideous acts of sponsoring terrorism.
    The DPRK values its sovereignty as its life and soul. It will react to the U.S. pressure and hard-line with the toughest stand and will do everything it can to defend itself.
    The U.S. should properly judge the will and strength of the Korean people and drop its reckless attempt at state terrorism against the DPRK.

Heightened vigilance against Japan called for

     Pyongyang, April 8 (KCNA) -- The Japanese reactionaries' open adv"self-defence forces'" possession of attack capability is little short of hinting that their actions for overseas expansion will be taken soon, says Minju Joson today. Some time ago, director general of the Japan Defence Agency Ishiba called for SDF's possession of attack capability allegedly to cope with "nuclear and missile threat" from the DPRK. Meanwhile, the agency started examining the introduction of tomahawk cruise missiles, etc. to this end.
    Commenting on this, the paper says:
    At present, the attention of the world community is focused on Iraq and the tensions on the Korean Peninsula are rapidly increasing. So, the reactionaries of Japan hurriedly push ahead with the scheme to turn Japan into a military power and realize its ambition for overseas expansion, judging that such action would not draw the world attention so much as in the past under the present situation.
    There is no guarantee that they will not make any preemptive attack on other countries after possessing the long-range offensive means such as tomahawk. The first target of their attack is none other than the DPRK.
    The developments in Japan require Asian nations and many other countries to further heighten the vigilance against the undisguised military actions of the Japanese reactionaries for the conversion of Japan into a military power and its overseas expansion.

Art educators meet

     Pyongyang, April 8 (KCNA) -- The second national meeting of activists in the field of art education took place at the Pyongyang Grand Theatre on April 7. Jong Ha Chol, Secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, read out a historic letter "Let us train excellent men and women of artistic talent required by Songun era" sent by Kim Jong Il to the participants in the meeting.
    In the letter Kim Jong Il scientifically clarified the major tasks to be fulfilled by the field of art education at present on the basis of his insight into the important position of arts and its historic mission in glorifying the Songun era and comprehensively indicated tasks and ways of training revolutionary men and women of artistic talent.
    The letter serves as an immortal library as it gives perfect answers to all theoretical and practical issues arising in art education and a great programme for Juche-oriented art education to be steadily held fast to in training talented artistes. Minister of Culture Kang Nung Su made a report which was followed by speeches.
    The reporter and speakers said that over the past more than decade the quality of education in professional art has improved, departments and courses of study have been properly organized at all schools in the art field, the system of training talented artistes in local areas and the system of early education in arts perfected and their advantages and vitality are fully displayed under Kim Jong Il's wise leadership.
    They underscored the need to train more men and women of artistic talent as required by the Songun era and make an active contribution to building a great prosperous power.

Nat'l meeting celebrates anniversary of Kim Kong Il's election as NDC Chairman

     Pyongyang, April 8 (KCNA) -- A national meeting took place in Pyongyang on April 8 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Kim Jong Il's election as Chairman of the National Defence Commission (NDC) of the DPRK. It was attended by senior officials of the party, the state and the army and other officials and working people from all walks of life in Pyongyang and servicemen of the Korean People's Army (KPA).
    It was also attended by foreign guests here and overseas Koreans.
    Chief of the KPA general staff Kim Yong Chun who is a member of the DPRK NDC, made a report.
    He said that Kim Jong Il's election to the chairmanship of the NDC provided the army and the people of the DPRK with a sure guarantee for ensuring his unified leadership over the building of revolutionary armed forces and national defence as a whole and reliably defending the security of the socialist homeland and the sovereignty of the nation.
    He continued:
    It was the greatest fortune for the army and people of the DPRK to have him as Chairman of the NDC. This has been clearly proved by the revolutionary history of the country over the past decade since the 1990s of the last century.
    The greatest feat he has performed in leading the Korean revolution to victory is that he enunciated the Songun idea and the Songun revolutionary line, thus providing a correct political idea and mode of a socialist state for the first time in history.
    The practical lesson of our revolution clearly teaches that his Songun idea and policy serve as an all-powerful treasured sword to defeat any formidable enemy and victoriously advance the revolutionary cause despite any difficulties and hardships and guarantee the independent development of the country and the nation.
    Referring to the fact that the military power of the DPRK has grown steel-strong under the Songun leadership of the WPK, the reporter said that the DPRK has turned into the world's military power that no formidable enemy dares provoke. The state leadership system and the single-hearted unity of the society have grown stronger in the DPRK as required by the Songun era. As a result, its political might has significantly increased.
    Kim Jong Il's Songun revolutionary line serves as a great revolutionary line in our era and an ever-victorious banner of the Korean revolution, he said, calling for increasing the might of the Songun policy.
    He underscored the need to convert the whole country into an impregnable fortress and beef up the defence capacity in every way and direct primary efforts to boosting the defence capability of the country by giving priority to the development of the national defence industry as required by the Songun era.
    Turning to the situation, the reporter said: The U.S. and other imperialist bellicose forces are unhesitatingly engrossed in armed attacks on Iraq, a sovereign state, under the pretext of "combating-terrorism", thus gravely disturbing global peace and security.
    Recently the U.S. staged reckless military exercises after bolstering up the aggression troops present around the Korean Peninsula under the pretext of the "nuclear issue", driving the situation on the peninsula to the brink of war.
    If the UN Security Council is abused for the U.S. hostile policy to stifle the DPRK, the U.S. will be held wholly responsible for the failure of all the efforts for dialogue and the extremely tense situation and the DPRK will have no other option but to beef up the military deterrent force to avert a war and defend the sovereignty and security of the country and the nation by mobilizing its potential to the maximum.
    The DPRK does not want war but if the U.S. ignites the war, defying its warning, its army and people under the brilliant commander who enforces the great Songun policy will never miss the chance to mercilessly wipe out the enemy and put a final end to the confrontation with the U.S.

KPA Chief of General Staff on confrontation with U.S.

     Pyongyang, April 8 (KCNA) -- The DPRK does not want a war but if the United States provokes it at any cost despite its warning, its army and people under the brilliant commander who enforces the great Songun policy will not miss the chance to mercilessly wipe out the enemy and put a final end to the confrontation with the U.S. Kim Yong Chun, Chief of the General Staff of the Korean People's Army, declared this in his report at the national meeting held to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Kim Jong Il's election as Chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission.
    On the current situation, he said:
    The internal and external situation of the Korean revolution at present is very complicated and acute. The United States and other imperialist bellicose forces are now unhesitatingly engrossed in armed attacks on Iraq, a sovereign state, under the pretext of "combating terrorism", thus gravely disturbing global peace and security.
    The U.S. has historically pursued the hostile policy towards the DPRK and recently staged reckless military exercises under the pretext of the "nuclear issue" after bolstering the aggressor armed forces present around Korea, driving the situation on the Korean Peninsula to the brink of a war.
    If the UN Security Council is abused for the U.S. hostile policy to stifle the DPRK, the U.S. will be held wholly responsible for the failure of all the efforts for dialogue and the extremely tense situation and the DPRK will have no other option but to beef up the military deterrent force to avert a war and defend the sovereignty and security of the country and the nation by mobilizing its potential to the maximum.
    The people's army has grown to be a-match-for-a hundred invincible army, possessed of the Juche-based war method and equipped with powerful offensive and defensive means, and all the parts of the country have turned into an impregnable fortress.
    Our country is now demonstrating its might as the world's military power that no formidable enemy dares provoke.

Floral basket to Kim Jong Il from Yasser Arafat

     Pyongyang, April 8 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Il received a floral basket from Palestinian Yasser Arafat on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of his election as Chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission. Today it was conveyed to DPRK Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun by Palestinian Ambassador to the DPRK Shaher Mohammed Abdlah.

For Spanish-speaking people

kim jong il junto con kim yong nam felicita a fidel castro ruz

     pyongyang, 8 de marzo (atcc) -- kim jong il, secretario general del partido del trabajo de corea, presidente del comite de defensa nacional de la republica popular democratica de corea y comandante supremo del ejercito popular de corea y kim yong nam, presidente del presidium de la asamblea popular suprema de la rpdc enviaron el dia 7 un mensaje de felicitacion a fidel castro ruz, presidente del consejo de estado de la republica de cuba por su reeleccion a este cargo. el mensaje senala:
    enviamos a ud., en nombre del partido del trabajo de corea, del gobierno y del pueblo, las calurosas felicitaciones por haber sido reelecto como presidente del consejo de estado de la republica de cuba segun la unanime voluntad del pueblo cubano.
    su reeleccion como presidente del consejo de estado de la republica de cuba es una muestra de la firme voluntad y conviccion del pueblo revolucionario de cuba de defender y llevar a feliz termino hasta el fin la causa del socialismo bajo su direccion.
    seguros de que las tradicionales relaciones de amistad y cooperacion existentes entre nuestros dos paises se fortaleceran y desarrollaran invariablemente, aprovechamos esta ocasion para formularle sinceros votos por los mayores exitos en su responsable trabajo por defender las conquistas del socialismo frustrando las siniestras maniobras de los imperialistas contra cuba y por lograr la prosperidad del pais.

mujeres extranjeras disfrutan de servicio medico en pyongyang

     pyongyang, 8 de marzo (atcc) -- la casa de maternidad de pyongyang cuenta con los equipos medicos ultramodernos y competentes trabajadores asistenciales. durante mas de 20 anos transcurridos mas de 7 600 mujeres extranjeras disfrutaron del servicio medico en la casa de maternidad de pyongyang, de ellas mas de 700, la asistencia de parto y ginecologica.
    durante 5 anos posteriores a la inauguracion de este hospital materno mas de 2 000 mujeres de varios paises disfrutaron de servicio medico.
    por ejemplo, yasmin, esposa del ex embajador del estado de palestina en corea dio a luz una nina en esta casa de maternidad.
    en esta, ella consumio medicinas valiosas sin gastar ni un centavo.
    maira pardillo gomez, esposa de un linguista cubano que trabajaba en corea hizo realidad su deseo de tener a su hijo al cabo de 8 anos del casamiento en esa casa de maternidad.
    hasta la fecha el colectivo de este hospital trajo al mundo a numerosos ninos extranjeros, entre otros "jindalae", "saepyol", "solmae" y "solgwang".
    por eso las mujeres de varios paises del mundo que la visitan elogian la politica de benevolencia del partido del trabajo de corea al decir que gracias a contar con la excelente casa de maternidad ofrecida para todas las mujeres y ninos de corea ellas mismas llegan a disfrutar de una vida bendita.

ostentemos con vigor espiritu revolucionario de coreanas

     pyongyang, 8 de marzo (atcc) -- el periodico "rodong sinmun" consagro hoy un editorial al 93 aniversario del dia internacional de la mujer de todo el mundo (8 de marzo). el editorial senala:
    hoy en dia todas las mujeres coreanas en fiesta hacen mas firme la voluntad de dedicar todo lo suyo a la construccion de potencia socialista bajo la direccion revolucionaria de priorizacion militar del dirigente kim jong il.
    nuestra revolucion ha venido solucionando mas brillantemente el problema femenino bajo la direccion del gran partido.
    el movimiento por la emancipacion de mujeres de corea allanado y dirigido por el presidente kim il sung llego a una nueva etapa alta en la epoca de priorizacion militar conducida por el dirigente.
    las mujeres deben guardar, antes que nada, la absoluta adoracion al dirigente y defender a ultranza a este.
    la mision suprema del movimiento de las mujeres de corea es apoyar la causa del dirigente y defender a ultranza a este. la politica de priorizacion militar de nuestro partido es la politica que presenta el ejercito como un pilar de la revolucion, y dedicar todo lo suyo a la lucha por fortalecer las fuerzas militares del pais es el noble deber de las mujeres de la epoca de priorizacion militar.
    poner de manifiesto la indoblegable abnegacion para apoyar el proyecto del dirigente de construir potencia prospera es la tarea revolucionaria mas honrosa presentada hoy ante las mujeres coreanas.
    la epoca de priorizacion militar exige a las mujeres vivir y trabajar de manera revolucionaria y combativa, mas que nunca.
    las mujeres con la noble responsabilidad sobre el futuro de la patria y la nacion deben dar a luz numerosos hijos y crearlos como heroes y firmes combatientes de fusil.
    todas las mujeres deben seguir fielmente la direccion revolucionaria de priorizacion militar del respetado general kim jong il, gran sol del siglo 21 para cumplir con la mision honrosa de encargarse de una rueda de carro para la construccion de potencia prospera.