Spokesman for DPRK Foreign Ministry on Korea visit of del. of U.S. congressmen

     Pyongyang, June 2 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the DPRK Foreign Ministry today gave the following answer to a question put by KCNA as regards the DPRK visit of a delegation of U.S. congressmen: As already reported, the delegation of U.S. congressmen headed by Curt Weldon, vice-chairman of the Armed Services Committee of the House of Representatives, visited the DPRK from May 30 to June 1.
    During its visit, the delegation made a courtesy call on the Chairman of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, met the Minister of Foreign Affairs and had a series of exchanges of views with Kim Kye Gwan, vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs.
    The talks held during its visit had exhaustive and in-depth discussions on the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula and other pending issues between the DPRK and the U.S.
    This helped both sides know better each other and they shared the view that the core of the DPRK-U.S. relations is to avert confrontation and war and peacefully co-exist on an equal basis.
    They were of the same view that it is necessary to seek a negotiated settlement of the nuclear issue and expressed their stand that it is necessary to continue seeking and discussing ways of settling it.
    The delegation expressed its satisfaction over having a positive and constructive discussions during its visit.

Members of KCU vow loyalty to Kim Jong Il

     Pyongyang, June 2 (KCNA) -- A meeting took place before the Statue of President Kim Il Sung at the Pyongyang Schoolchildren's Palace on Sunday to adopt a letter of loyalty of three million members of the Korean Children's Union to leader Kim Jong Il. It was attended by at least 5,000 KCU members. It was held on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of "Letter Carrying Best Wishes" Kim Jong Il sent to Kim Il Sung on the front in the period of the Fatherland Liberation War.
    Speakers said at the meeting that no one on earth was so deeply concerned and so totally dedicated to the health and safety of the president from his childhood as Kim Jong Il, adding that he who is identical to the president is not merely an individual as he is the benevolent father of all Koreans and his good health represents the greatest happiness of our people.
    The letter was adopted at the meeting the members in the letter pledged themselves to learn from the glorious boyhood of Kim Jong Il to grow up to be ardent revolutionaries and genuine patriots who would demonstrate Kim Il Sung's Korea to the world.
    Among those present there were Kim Jung Rin, Secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, and officials concerned. Meanwhile, similar meetings took place before the president's statues in different provincial seats on the same day.

Students May Festival opens in S. Korea

     Pyongyang, June 2 (KCNA) -- A May Festival of Students was opened at the amphitheatre of Yonsei University on May 30 with at least 10,000 students affiliated to the South Korean Federation of University Student Councils (Hanchongryon) attending, according to KBS of South Korea. That day a meeting to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the inauguration of Hanchongryon and greet the emergence of the 11th-term Hanchongryon was held.
    Jong Jae Uk, chairman of the 11th-term Hanchongryon, said that the history of the national council of student representatives (Jondaehyop) which called for not forgetting Kwangju in 1980 goes on with the history of Hanchongryon's actions for independence, democracy and reunification and the implementation of the June 15 Joint Declaration.
    The theatre resounded with "Song of Hanchongryon", "March of Jondaehyop", "March of Hanchongryon" and other songs sung by the participants waving kerchiefs and balloons bearing letters "May Festival" and "By Our Nation Itself."
    Prior to this function, Hanchongryon sponsored a reception to express thanks and solidarity on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of Hanchongryon at the students hall of Yonsei University.
    A seminar on freedom and human rights took place with an attendance of more than 200 students and figures from all walks of life by the side of the place where a sit-in strike inside tents of families of wanted students was under way in front of the university.
    The police authorities threw a stringent cordon with at least 10,000 policemen of 100 companies deployed around the university.

Irresponsible remarks of S. Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade accused

     Pyongyang, June 2 (KCNA) -- South Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Yun Yong Gwan caviled at the proposal for settling "nuclear issue" put forward by the north at the Beijing talks in a recent exclusive interview with a foreign reporter before a trip of the South Korean chief executive to Japan, asserting that "it is unacceptable" and the U.S. may have the same stand as it desires an "early solution to the issue". He went to the lengths of making the provocative remarks that "further steps" on which South Korea agreed with the united states and "hardline measure" taken by the U.S. and Japan over the "nuclear issue" would be a sort of "warning" to the north.
    In this regard Rodong Sinmun today in a signed commentary says:
    His remarks are a virulent mockery of and an unpardonable challenge to the north which has made every sincere effort for settling the "nuclear issue".
    As already known, at the Beijing talks arranged with much effort the DPRK put forward a new and bold proposal calling for clearing up concerns of the DPRK and the U.S. responsible for solving the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula simultaneously.
    Nevertheless, the United States insisted on its self-righteous and unilateral assertion that the DPRK should "drop its nuclear program before dialogue", thus making the settlement of the issue more complicated and its prospect gloomier.
    This being a hard fact, Yun only spoke for the U.S. to please it, instead of viewing the issue from a right stand. This is creating complexities and difficulties in the way of settling the situation.
    The north can not but feel disgusted at his mean demeanour.
    A man in authority should be careful about his words and deeds.

Rodong Sinmun on DPRK's war deterrent force

     Pyongyang, June 2 (KCNA) -- The DPRK's war deterrent force serves as a powerful fortress and self-defense force to defend the beloved motherland and the whole Korean nation and a guarantee for peace on the Korean Peninsula as pointed out in the message to all the Koreans released by the Central Committee of the Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland and the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland. Rodong Sinmun today says this in a signed article. It continues:
    The historical facts and the present situation show that but for powerful military deterrent force, war deterrent force, the dignity, sovereignty and security of a sovereign state would not be defended. It is by the powerful military deterrent force of the DPRK that the Korean nation checks a war and defends peace of the country and its security.
    This deterrent force is an iron hammer to those foreign forces infringing upon the vital right and sovereignty of the Korean nation but an iron shield to prevent the crisis of war with compatriotic love for the South Korean people.
    But for this powerful deterrent force the living of the Korean nation, the existence of any political parties and organizations and operation of enterprises would have been unthinkable.
    The attitude toward the DPRK's Songun policy and deterrent force is a touchstone verifying the standpoint standing for the security of the whole nation and the peace and independent reunification of the country and that of siding with the foreign forces.
    All the fellow countrymen should uphold, support and defend with patriotic mind the DPRK's great Songun policy and powerful military deterrent force, the most precious vital energy of the nation, so as to check a pressing danger of a nuclear war and defend the peace of the country.

U.S. urged to accept DPRK-proposed format of talks

     Pyongyang, June 2 (KCNA) -- It is not a proper approach toward dialogue for the United States to insist that it does not opt for other proposal but multilateral talks, while refusing to respond to the DPRK-U.S. bilateral talks, says Rodong Sinmun today in a signed commentary. It goes on:
    As the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula is a product of the threat resulting from the U.S. hostile policy towards the DPRK, there are pending issues between the DPRK and the U.S.
    It is, therefore, necessary for the DPRK and the U.S. to sit face to face to have a frank discussion on each other's policies.
    Any format of talks will be meaningless unless the U.S. has a will to make a switchover in its policy toward the DPRK. That was why the DPRK proposed this time the format of the DPRK-U.S. talks first and multilateral talks next.
    The U.S. adamant insistence on the north's scrapping of "its nuclear program" first and the multilateral talks is aimed to increase the international pressure on the DPRK by dubbing it a "nuclear criminal" in a bid to force it to disarm itself and conquer it like Iraq.
    What the U.S. seeks is the DPRK's unilateral disarmament, not a peaceful settlement of the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, and the U.S. loudmouthed multilateral talks are designed to internationalize its hostile policy towards the DPRK.
    The U.S. is seeking a way out in refusing the DPRK-U.S. bilateral talks in a bid to evade its responsibility as a party directly concerned with the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula and cover up its true colours as the chief criminal who sparked the nuclear crisis.

Greetings to Italian President

     Pyongyang, June 2 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, today sent a message of greetings to Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi on the occasion of its National Day. The message wished the president and people of Italy greater success in the work for the prosperity of the country and expressed belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would grow stronger in the mutual interests.

Anecdote about Kim Jong Il

     Pyongyang, June 2 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Il left for Mt. Jongbang early on the morning of May 1, Juche 86 (1997) to give field guidance to the recreation ground in the mountain. Officials entreated him to take a rest for a few hours at least in May Day.
    He, however, told them that May Day was a holiday but it should be a more energetic working day for him than other days.
    He then said many people would come to Mt. Jongbang to enjoy the holiday, so he should tour the mountain early in the morning not to give inconvenience to the holiday-makers.

Movement for regaining English name of country

     Pyongyang, June 2 (KCNA) -- A movement for regaining the English name of the country is going on in the north and south of Korea. Originally, the name of the country had been spelt "Corea" in western languages for hundreds of years from the mid-13th century. During the years, "Corea" had been the formal name of the country recognized by the European powers.
    The feudal government of the Ri dynasty (1392-1910) put the name of Corea in official documents concluded with diplomatic envoys of western powers. The government also dispatched its delegations to international functions under the name of Corea.
    The maps made in Europe from the latter half of the 16th century name the East Sea of Korea "Sea of Corea".
    After their occupation of the country, however, the Japanese imperialists changed Corea with Korea in a mean way. Since then, the country has been called "Korea".
    Now Korean people are campaigning to regain "Corea", while fully disclosing the Japanese imperialists' deliberate and intentional change of the country's name.
    Philologists and historians of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea held a joint symposium in Pyongyang in December Juche 91 (2002) and called for having the English spelling of the country's name corrected.
    A north-south joint academic symposium was held in Seoul in March to probe the truth behind Japan's distortion of the Korean history. The participants in the symposium said that Japan changed the first letter "C" with "K", with the result that "Corea" disappeared in the early 20th century. They were unanimous in calling for retaking the original name of the nation.
    The South Korean newspaper Hankuk Ilbo on May 3 said that "Corea" should be retaken to eliminate another leftover of Japan's colonial rule.
    This movement is joined by South Korean academic, civic and social organizations, too.
    The South Korean Council of Youth Organizations sponsored a "youth seminar for eliminating leftovers of Japanese imperialism and regaining Corea". Speaking at the seminar, Song Hyon Sok, chairman of the Eastern Seoul Youth Society, revealed that the Japanese imperialists issued a royal ordinance in 1910 urging world powers to spell the English name of the country "Korea".
    Prof. So Kyong Il of Hansin University said that the English spelling of the country's name was Corea in the light of historical records and surrounding situation ranging from the 1200s to the 1800s.

Kim Jong Il sends wreath to bier of Kim Thae Ho

     Pyongyang, June 2 (KCNA) - General Secretary Kim Jong Il today sent a wreath before the bier of Kim Thae Ho, former deputy director of the History Institute of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea who is a winner of Kim Il Sung Order and a Labor Hero, expressing deep condolences on his death.

Greetings to Italian Prime Minister

     Pyongyang, June 2 (KCNA) -- Hong Song Nam, Premier of the DPRK cabinet, sent a message of greetings to Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on the occasion of its National Day. The message extended warm congratulations to him on the occasion of the National Day of Italy and sincerely wished him and the Italian government greater success in the work for the development and prosperity of the country.
    It expressed belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would grow stronger in various domains in the future, too.

S. Korean authorities hit for slinging mud at north's system

     Pyongyang, June 2 (KCNA) -- The South Korean authorities' mud-slinging at the system in the north is a malignant provocation and insult to the north and an act of seriously bedevilling the inter-Korean relations. The committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland says this in a statement on Monday, demanding them apologize for this. The statement continued:
    The South Korean authorities were so impudent as to slander the system in the north, asserting that it is an "old system" and "untrustworthy partner". They went to the lengths of making insolent remarks that there should be a distinction between the system and residents".
    Their mud-slinging at the political system in the north is a grave violation of the inter-Korean agreement.
    The present South Korean authorities have no right to violate such historical agreements as the July 4 Joint Statement, the north-south basic agreement early in the 1990s and the June 15 Joint Declaration which commit the two sides to mutually recognizing and respecting the existing two systems and promise their co-existence. They only have the responsibility and duty to implement them.
    The negation of the system will bring the inter-Korean relations back to those in the Cold War era when the two systems were in confrontation and, in the long run, impose only disasters upon the nation. The South Korean authorities looked frightful when the north side rightly stated that the escalated confrontation would put the inter-Korean relations at the lowest ebb and disasters would be unavoidable. So, they must have known that their mud-slinging at the system in the north would bring about greater disasters.
    When looking back on the history, South Korea's acts of negating the system in the north and seeking anti-north confrontation have always been condemned by the nation.
    The north has never tolerated the acts of impairing its system and imposing confrontation on it and this stand will remain unchanged in the future.
    The South Korean authorities should clearly understand that their mud-slinging at the system in the north will never do them good. They should apologize for their misconduct in any form and by any method and vouch that they will not repeat such act.
    The north will watch the future attitude of the South Korean authorities for the sake of improved inter-Korean relations and the reunification of the country.

For Spanish-speaking people

kim jong il inspecciona la unidad no. 716 guardia de corps kum song del epc

     pyongyang, 2 de junio (atcc) -- el dirigente 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 inspecciono el dia primero la unidad no. 716 guardia de corps kum song del epc. en la casa de los militares, el comandante supremo escucho la historia de la unidad viendo sus registros de combate llenos de victoria y gloria.
    dijo que esta es una unidad llena de proezas que demostro sin reserva el espiritu heroico del epc y enseno que los militares de la unidad deben mantener esta tradicion gloriosa para demostrar tambien en el futuro el invencible poderio.
    en la sala de mando operacional se entero de los detalles del estado de cumplimiento del deber de la unidad por parte del jefe de la unidad.
    acto seguido, al ver el ejercicio de los militares, se mostro muy satisfecho de que todos los militares estan bien preparados en lo politico e ideologico, en lo tecnico, militar y fisico para que frustren de un solo golpe al cualquier enemigo potente.
    al recorrer el interior del cuartel que hace recordar un parque se entero detalladamente del estado de la administracion de la unidad y se complacio mucho de que el cuartel se ha acondicionado magnificamente.
    el dirigente inspecciono una compania directamente subordinada a esta unidad donde recorrio las instalaciones de cultura, educacion e intendencia y presto una profunda atencion a la vida de los militares.
    se regocijo mucho de que al heredar el estilo de lucha y el modo de vida de los guerrilleros antijaponeses, la compania organiza con esmero la vida economica y particularmente, los miembros directivos cuidan cordialmente como consanguineos la vida de los soldados y evaluo altamente el espiritu de amor de ellos a los soldados.
    en el lugar de descanso al aire libre de la compania, vio un libro de dibujos del soldado de primera clase ri song hyok "sera eterna la recordacion de la digna vida de soldado".
    viendo uno tras otro los dibujos que reflejan vividamente los dias de su digno servicio militar, dijo que el que los militares lleven una autentica vida para que la recuerden para siempre es una cosa muy buena y subrayo que no hay una vida tan honrosa y valiosa como dedique la juventud a la defensa de la patria.
    presencio tambien la funcion artistica de los integrantes de la compania que pasan alegres momentos de descanso del domingo.
    al oir canciones de los militares, evaluo altamente a estos que prefieren a revolucionar y luchar y llevan una vida optimista y los estimulo cordialmente.
    el dirigente kim jong il se fotografio junto a militares de la unidad.

ninos coreanos celebran dia internacional de la infancia

     pyongyang, 2 de junio (atcc) -- los ninos de corea celebraron significativamente el dia internacional de la infancia - primero de junio. las casas cuna y los jardines infantiles de todo el pais estaban adornados con banderines en cuerda, globos de goma y ramitas de flores y colgadas las letras: "gracias al querido padre, mariscal kim jong il", "estamos felices" y "no tenemos nada que envidiar en el mundo".
    estan animados desde la manana temprana por los ninos y sus padres y las educadoras.
    tuvieron lugar alli gimnasias, juegos deportivos y de recreacion y funciones artisticas de los ninos.
    al compas de las canciones "hoy es el dia primero de junio", "rendimos saludo al mariscal kim jong il", "tambien yo me hare girasol", etc. los ninos hicieron el ejercicio ritmico y ofrecieron funciones artisticas.

mas de 220 espionajes aereos de los yanquis

     pyongyang, 2 de junio (atcc) -- segun fuentes militares, los imperialistas norteamericanos perpetraron en mayo mas de 220 espionajes aereos contra la republica popular democratica de corea con la movilizacion de los aviones de reconocimiento estrategico - tactico de diversas misiones. el avion "rc-135" espio el dia 29 la profundidad de la rpdc sobrevolando repetidamente desde la isla paek-a hasta el este de sokcho en el mar oeste de corea.
    el avion "ep-3" recurrio el dia 28 al espionaje sobre los blancos militares y el fondo del mar de la rpdc sobrevolando reiteradamente desde yangyang hasta el oeste de la isla taebu de la provincia de kangwon del sur y "p-3" lo hizo los dias 20 y 22 volando el cielo sobre sokcho y la isla tokjok del mar oeste.
    por otra parte, "rc-12" y "rc-7b" perpetraron los espionajes aereos sobre la zona del frente y las costas maritimas de la rpdc volando entre la isla kanghwa y phochon.
    tales espionajes aereos demuestran nitidamente un intento de guerra de los imperialistas yanquis para aplastar con las fuerzas armadas la rpdc so pretexto de "crisis nuclear".