Spokesman for DPRK Foreign Ministry on expected DPRK-U.S. talks

     Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the Foreign Ministry of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea today gave the following answer to a question put by KCNA as regards the DPRK-U.S. talks on the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula slated to take place in Beijing: The DPRK-U.S. talks for the settlement of the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula is slated to open in Beijing shortly.
    At the talks the Chinese side will play a relevant role as the host state and the essential issues related to the settlement of the nuclear issue will be discussed between the DPRK and the U.S.
    There is a wide range of international opinion on the Beijing talks as they are to open at a time when the Iraqi war was fought.
    The Iraqi war teaches a lesson that in order to prevent a war and defend the security of a country and the sovereignty of a nation it is necessary to have a powerful physical deterrent force only.
    As we have already declared, we are successfully reprocessing more than 8,000 spent fuel rods at the final phase as we sent interim information to the U.S. and other countries concerned early in March after resuming our nuclear activities from December last year.
    We have already clarified our stand that if the U.S. has a willingness to make a bold switchover in its Korea policy, we will not stick to any particular dialogue format, and we would like to confirm the U.S. intention in the forthcoming talks.

Reception given by Swedish Ambassador to DPRK

     Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- Paul Beijer, Swedish Ambassador to the DPRK, hosted a reception at the embassy on Thursday evening on the occasion of the Day of the Sun. Present on invitation were Choe Su Hon, vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hong Son Ok, vice-chairperson of the Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries, and officials concerned .
    Speeches were made at the reception.

U.S. nuclear racket against DPRK under fire

     Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- The Indonesian Soekarno Foundation for Education and the Indonesia-Korea Association for Friendship and Cultural Exchange released a joint statement on April 7 in denunciation of the U.S. unreasonable nuclear racket against the DPRK. Noting that the U.S. is threatening, pressuring and dominating other countries with nukes, the statement said its propaganda about the DPRK's development of "nuclear weapons" is a challenge to the sovereign state and this is escalating the tensions on the Korean Peninsula .
    The two Indonesian organizations express support to the Korean people in their struggle against the U.S. imperialist threat, it added.

Anniversary of Kim Jong Il's work marked

     Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today dedicates a signed article to the 5th anniversary of Kim Jong Il's famous work "Let Us Reunify the Country Independently and Peacefully through the Great Unity of the Entire Nation". This work is an immortal work in which President Kim Il Sung's Juche-oriented line of great national unity is developed in depth to meet the requirements of the changed reality and a library for national unity as it gives answers to all theoretical and practical issues arising in achieving the great unity of the entire nation.
    The article goes on:
    The 5-point policy of great unity of the nation Kim Jong Il clarified in the work has displayed its great vitality to fully demonstrate its justice over the past five years.
    The Korean nation has a heavy and urgent task to fulfil so as to achieve peace and reunification of the country by the concerted efforts of the nation, upholding his idea and policy of great national unity.
    All the fellow countrymen should hold higher the banner of the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration.
    The historical joint declaration serves as a great banner of peace and reunification the Koreans in the north and the south should hold aloft without vacillation no matter how the situation and circumstances may change.
    The Korean nation should fully realize national cooperation in the struggle against the U.S. and war.
    It is quite natural and a mode of existence for the Koreans to realize national cooperation as they are of the same blood and have the same language, history and culture.
    The might of great national unity should be strikingly demonstrated in the struggle to promote the process of national reconciliation and reunification.
    The Korean nation has a great line of achieving great national unity and ranks of those struggling for reunification united in the idea of "by our nation itself".
    All the Koreans in the north and the south and overseas will dynamically advance under the banner of the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration true to the idea of great national unity and leadership of Kim Jong Il, the sun of the nation and the lodestar of national reunification, and thus bring earlier the historic day, the day a great prosperous power will appear in the reunified land.

High-tech sensors developed

     Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- The Institute of Electronics under the Academy of Sciences has developed high-tech sensors. The infrared rays, pressure, humidity and ph sensors are based on nanotechnology.
    The infrared rays sensor is 5-6 times more sensitive to electromotive power than existing ones. It was awarded a gold medal and certificate by the world intellectual property organization in October last year.
    They can be used in measuring water level of sea, river, lake and tank.
    The institute has also developed various kinds of goods with the sensors.
    One of them is a wireless apparatus to measure temperature, humidity and air pressure high in the sky.

Former U.S. President's junket to Seoul denounced

     Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- Members of the Council for National Reconciliation and Independent Reunification and the Democratic Workers' Party reportedly staged a demonstration in the vicinity of Chongwadae and in front of the "government" building on April 14 denouncing former U.S. President Bush's junket to Seoul. When the motorcade carrying senior Bush and his party entered Chongwadae, Jang In Uk, a demonstrator, said that the troop dispatch to the war for the "alliance between South Korea and the U.S." and for a "peaceful solution" to the Korean issue" is not understandable. Bush's visit to Seoul is aimed to "justify the war and troop dispatch", he added.

EU-proposed anti-DPRK "resolution" assailed

     Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- The European Union brought up a "draft resolution" on the "human rights situation" in the DPRK for discussion at the 59th meeting of the UN commission on human rights now underway in Geneva. Cuba, China, Syria, Russia, India and many other countries dismissed the EU's recent motion as a sinister political provocation.
    A DPRK delegate, addressing the meeting, said that the DPRK delegation flatly rejects the EU-proposed "draft resolution".
    If the "resolution" is forcibly adopted, it will be impossible to preclude the situation where not only cooperation with the EU in the field of human rights but the DPRK's regular activity in the commission may face a stumbling block, he said, adding:
    The EU's "draft resolution" is fraught with forgery as it is a political bargaining chip aimed to attain its selfish goal, taking advantage of the U.S. recent "nuclear racket" and its hostile policy to stifle the DPRK.
    The EU, not content with distorting the human rights performance in the DPRK, worked hard to create impression that the DPRK has broken with the international community, he noted.
    Bringing to light the EU's talk about the universality of human rights, he continued:
    The EU indiscreetly used indecent words and made arrogant admonition towards developing countries at international human rights meetings every year, styling itself a born "judge".
    It keeps mum about wanton violation of human rights including racial discrimination, national chauvinism and unemployment widespread among its member nations although it interferes in the internal affairs of other countries and likes to instruct them to do this or that.
    It always pretends to be uncompromising in dealing with human rights issue but connives at poor human rights performances in its member nations and allies.
    The EU is not a party to be trusted in the matter of human rights.
    The EU brought up the "draft resolution" for discussion at the meeting without any consultation with the DPRK, its dialogue partner, backtracking from dialogue and cooperation with the DPRK though they are getting brisk.
    This only arouses disillusion with the EU.
    Cooperation can never go with confrontation.
    Now that the EU is set to have no dialogue and cooperation with the DPRK and declared confrontation with it, the latter is left with no option but to exercise its deserved right to take a corresponding counter-measure.
    The right of choice is not a monopoly of the EU.

21st April Spring Friendship Art Festival closes

     Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- The 21st April Spring Friendship Art Festival which was opened in Pyongyang on April 10 before capacity audiences on the occasion of the Day of the Sun, the birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung, was closed. The festival was an international art festival which made a grand epical representation of the boundless reverence for Kim Il Sung who performed immortal feats on behalf of the era and humankind and the ardent desire of the progressives to hold him in high esteem forever. It was also a grand art festival fully reflecting the will of all people to deeply worship and follow Kim Jong Il, the sun of the 21st century.
    A closing ceremony took place at the April 25 House of Culture today.
    Present there were foreign artistes and overseas Korean artistes who took part in the festival, delegations and delegates to the 6th aesthetic symposium on the present times and national art.
    Also present were Hong Song Nam, Premier of the DPRK cabinet, Yang Hyong Sop, vice-President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, and others.
    Diplomatic envoys and foreign embassy officials, foreign guests and overseas Koreans were also on hand.
    Prizes were awarded to participants in the festival.
    then, a letter of thanks the participants in the festival Presented to Kim Jong Il was adopted at the ceremony.
    A message of thanks sent by the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly to the participants in the festival was conveyed there.
    Jang Chol, chairman of the organizing committee of the festival, in a closing address said that the current festival was a grand art festival common to humankind which impressively showed the wisdom and talents of foreign artistes. The participants in the festival evinced their invariable will to boost cultural relations among countries, nations and artistes and develop human culture and arts, he noted, stressing that the festival would remain a prestigious international art festival in the future, too.
    The closing ceremony was followed by a joint performance of the participants in the festival.

Kim Yong Nam meets Ugandan government delegation

     Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, met and had a talk with the Ugandan government delegation led by Kintu Musoke, a senior adviser to the president, at the Mansudae Assembly Hall today. The head of the delegation asked Kim Yong Nam to convey Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni's warm greetings to Kim Jong Il.
    He said that the Ugandan people would as ever support the Korean people in their struggle for the reunification of the country.
    On hand were Kung Sok Ung, vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs, and other officials concerned.

Awarding ceremony of festival held

     Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- Participants in the 21st April Spring Friendship Art Festival were awarded prizes here today. The chorus of Moscow National Tchaikovsky Conservatory and the Mikhail Godenko State Krasnoyarsk Dance Company Academic of Siberia of Russia, the Chinese art troupe, art troupes of Koreans in Japan and China received group prizes.
    66 artistes were awarded individual prizes, 34 artistes prizes for good ensemble, 13 artistes prizes of merit and 7 artistes creative prizes.
    Diplomas, cups, prize money and gold and silver prizes have been awarded to successful participants.

Thanks to festival participants

     Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- The Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK today sent a message of thanks to the participants in the 21st April Spring Friendship Art Festival (ASFAF). The message said.
    The ASFAF has proved successful century after century thanks to the concern of friendly governments of various countries and sincere cooperation rendered by cultural and art circles. It has discharged its mission as a friendly gathering of world progressive artistes, positively contributing to the independent development of the popular masses and the building of culture and art.
    Artistes from various countries and overseas Korean artistes have fully displayed their high artistic talent and skill with the common will to glorify this festival and truthfully represented the good art tradition of their countries and nations and shining achievements made in the field.
    The festival participants sincerely prayed for the immortality of President Kim Il Sung, deeply moved by his immortal revolutionary exploits and great life. They expressed support and solidarity with the Korean people in their devoted efforts to build a great prosperous power and achieve the independent and peaceful reunification of the country as early as possible under the wise leadership of Kim Jong Il.
    We are grateful for this and will as ever exert all our efforts to make greater progress in the ASFAF together with close friends who love justice and peace and aspire after genuine art, it added.

Letter to Kim Jong Il from participants in April Spring Friendship Art Festival

     Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Il received a letter of thanks from the participants in the 21st April Spring Friendship Art Festival on Friday. The April Spring Friendship Art Festival which glorified the flower garden of human arts represented humankind's grand chorus of independence, peace and friendship as artistes of various countries of the world loudly sang of them with their common will and intention for over two decades, the letter said.
    They, it noted, extend highest tribute and warm thanks to Kim Jong Il for paying deep attention to the festival and showing warm care for all of them, very pleased to note that it was successfully organized on a very high level to meet the expectation and desire of all the participants.
    It said:
    During our stay in your country, we could look far into the future of more prosperous Korea, seeing the streets of Pyongyang festively decorated and wrapped in an atmosphere of the festival and the bright faces of citizens full of conviction and optimism.
    We, bearing in mind the idea of independence, peace and friendship, will sincerely take part in the festival to be held every year with splendor and thus continue glorifying the stage of the festival common to humankind.

For Spanish-speaking people

inmortal bandera que indica camino de la gran unidad nacional

     pyongyang, 18 de abril (atcc) -- el diario "rodong sinmun" en el numero de hoy inserto un articulo individual dedicado al 5 aniversario de la publicacion de la obra clasica del dirigente kim jong il "que toda la nacion unida alcance la reunificacion independiente y pacifica de la patria". esta es una imperecedera obra clasica que desarrollo la linea de la gran unidad nacional del juche del presidente kim il sung conforme a la demanda de la realidad cambiada y una coleccion de la unidad nacional que dio la respuesta global a todos los problemas teorico-practicos que se presentan para lograr la gran unidad de toda la nacion.
    el articulo senala:
    durante 5 anos pasados la orientacion de 5 puntos para la gran unidad nacional presentada en la obra por el dirigente ha puesto de manifiesto su inagotable vitalidad y demostrado sin reserva su justeza.
    hoy en dia, ante la nacion coreana se presenta la tarea pesada y apremiante para lograr la paz y la reunificacion del pais con las fuerzas unidas de la nacion coreana en pleno acato a la idea y la linea de la gran unidad nacional del dirigente.
    toda la nacion coreana debe enarbolar la bandera de la declaracion conjunta norte-sur del 15 de junio.
    esta historica declaracion conjunta es la gran bandera de la paz y la reunificacion que los coreanos del norte y el sur deberan enarbolar invariablemente sea cual fuere la situacion.
    la nacion coreana debe ejecutar con certeza la cooperacion nacional en la lucha antiyanqui y antibelica.
    el poderio de la gran unidad nacional debe ser manifestado mas en la lucha por promover el proceso de la reconciliacion y la reunificacion de la nacion.
    la nacion coreana tiene la linea de la gran unidad nacional y una fila para la reunificacion, unida como un solo hombre bajo el ideal de "con las fuerzas unidas de la nacion coreana".
    todos los coreanos del norte y el sur y en ultramar, en pleno acato a la direccion y la idea de la gran unidad nacional del dirigente, sol de la nacion y estrella guia de la reunificacion de la patria, deben avanzar firmemente bajo la bandera de la declaracion conjunta norte-sur del 15 de junio y adelantar el dia historico para construir una gran potencia prospera unida sobre la tierra patria.

sudcorea: mitines antibelicos

     pyongyang, 18 de abril (atcc) -- tuvieron lugar simultaneamente mitines antibelicos el pasado dia 12 en 12 ciudades principales entre otras seul, pusan, taejon y kwangju. en el mitin "dia de accion conjunta internacional contra la guerra y por la paz" efectuado en la plaza frente al ayuntamiento de seul participaron los miembros de las entidades civiles y sociales y afiliados de los consejos generales de estudiantes de distintas universidades, en total mas de 4 000.
    ri yong hui, ex profesora de la universidad hanyang al hacer uso de la palabra subrayo que a traves de la guerra iraqui los habitantes surcoreanos deben tener correcta comprension sobre la naturaleza agresiva de ee.uu. y critico a las fuerzas conservadoras que hablan de la "cooperacion" con ee.uu. que trata de desatar cuandoquiera la guerra en esta tierra.
    en el mitin fue publicada una resolucion.
    luego, los participantes desplegaron una encarnizada lucha contra los policias.

fcgeus decide desplegar actividades legalizadas

     pyongyang, 18 de abril (atcc) -- segun trascendidos, la oncena direccion de la federacion de consejos generales de estudiantes universitarios de sudcorea (fcgeus) concedio el dia 14 una rueda de prensa en la universidad kyonghui de seul en relacion con el informe de la efectuacion exitosa del acto de los diputados provisionales y la eleccion del nuevo presidente. los participantes publicaron "promesa de 10 puntos de esperanza" entre ellos la rectificacion democratica y racional del programa y el estatuto, direccion principal de las labores, el despliegue del movimiento pannacional por la reunificacion conveniente al espiritu de la declaracion conjunta del 15 de junio, la materializacion de la democracia por la informatica y el fortalecimiento de las actividades de la solidaridad internacional.
    senalaron que planean organizar un comite especial para ejecutarlo y desplegar, durante el acto inicial de la oncena direccion de la fcgeus que se efectuara en mayo, el movimiento masivo anti-yanqui y antibelico y por la paz tales como la promocion del acto inicial conjunto del "festival antibelico por la paz-2003" y del equipo del movimiento estudiantil, "el dia de accion de un millon de estudiantes surcoreanos para el castigo a los efectivos norteamericanas quienes asesinaron el 13 de junio a dos alumnas de escuela secundaria y para la oposicion a la amenaza de guerra de ee.uu. en la peninsula coreana" y la universiada antibelica y por la paz en taegu-2003".