Past news

Foreign guests arrive

Pyongyang, July 18 (KCNA) -- An East European Group for Probing the Truth about GIs' crimes led by Royald Saveliev, vice-chairman of the Russian Association for Friendship and Cultural Cooperation with the DPRK, and Marwan Sudah, chairman of the Arab Committee for Solidarity with the Korean People and Supporting the Reunification of Korea, who is a representative of the Arab region For Probing the Truth about GIs' crimes arrived here today to participate in the international conference for peace on the Korean peninsula and other solidarity functions to be held on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the victory in the Great Fatherland Liberation War. They were met at the airport by Kim Jin Bom, vice-chairman of the Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries,
Wwho is vice-chairman of the Korean Committee for Solidarity with the World People.

Foreigners pay tribute to Kim Il Sung

    Pyongyang, July 18 (KCNA) -- Political and public figures of different countries laid baskets and bouquets of flowers on the occasion of the ninth death anniversary of President Kim Il Sung. General Secretary of the Movement for Peace and Socialism of Italy Roberto Gabriele and General Secretary of the United Communist Party of Italy Osvaldo Pesce visited the DPRK embassy in Italy on July 8 and laid bouquets before a portrait of Kim Il Sung.
    Osvaldo Pesce said that Kim Il Sung is a great man who founded the Juche idea and made immortal contributions to the world socialist movement and the national liberation and anti-imperialist struggle.
    On the same day baskets and bouquets were laid before his portraits by the president of the Cuban institute of friendship with the peoples, the director of the Italian Institute of International Relations and the chief of the Catania branch of the Italian Committee for the Study of the Juche Idea, the chairman of the Nigerian National Committee for the Study of the Juche Idea and the director of the Abureme General Company.

KCNA blasts Japan's policy of national discrimination

    Pyongyang, July 18 (KCNA) -- The Japanese Asahi Shimbun recently conducted an opinion poll among the presidents of all universities in Japan over the issue of qualifications of graduates from foreign schools including Korean school to take university entrance exams in which 80 percent of the respondents of the state-run universities answered that they would like to offer qualifications to them, according to the paper. In this regard the authorities expressed their willingness to set out a "policy" to recognize the qualifications of graduates from the western international schools recognized by American and British civic institutions only to meet criticism from Korean and other schools. It is now under reexamination, the paper added.
    As already reported, the Ministry of Education and Science of Japan in March last adopted a "decision" to grant only those graduates from foreign schools recognized by American or British estimation institutions qualifications to take entrance exams for state-run universities and disqualify graduates from Asian schools including Korean schools, under the pretext of carrying out the "three-year plan for reform and ratification of regulations."
    This measure is an expression of Japan's hostile policy toward the DPRK and the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon) and, at the same time, a revelation of its policy of open national discrimination against the Asian people including the Korean residents in Japan.
    Japan often professes "democracy", "abidance by international law" and "international contribution." But the double-dealing tactics employed by Japan in this matter can not but be an anachronistic and provocative move that diametrically runs counter to the provisions of international law.
    The "convention on opposing discrimination in education" adopted at the 11th general assembly of the UNESCO in 1960 stipulates respect for diverse national educational systems, bans any form of discrimination in education and calls for giving equal opportunity and treatment to all.
    Japan's action, therefore, diametrically runs counter to articles 1, 3, 4 and other basic articles of the convention.
    Chongryon and Koreans in Japan, greatly angered by the Japanese authorities' recent unreasonable behavior, are criticizing the policy of national discrimination in different parts of Japan and conducting vigorous signature campaigns demanding equal right to take university entrance exams.
    Progressive Japanese and other figures are expressing support and sympathy with them.
    This is clearly reflected in the results of the opinion poll conducted by Asahi Shimbun.
    Japan is pursuing a policy of discrimination against Asians over the issue of education, taking recognition by western countries as standards. This is little short of insulting its own country and nation and betrays its political and moral vulgarity.
    The Japanese authorities should withdraw their unreasonable policy of national discrimination and wrong "decision" if they value justice and conscience and respect the basic principles and requirements of international law and relations.

Traitorous court decision assailed

    Pyongyang, July 18 (KCNA) -- The Seoul district court of South Korea has decided to impose jail terms of one year and fine on those who held a demonstration at a U.S. military base. The demonstrators had protested the verdict of acquittal given to the GIs who killed two schoolgirls last year rejecting this decision as an act of treachery that could be perpetrated only by traitors to the nation, Minju Joson today says in a commentary: As the murder of the schoolgirls was an unpardonable crime, the U.S. imperialists' verdict of acquittal was a mockery and insult to the South Korean people urging the punishment of the murderers, a probe into the truth behind the case and apology and compensation for the murder.
    That was why all the Koreans had condemned the U.S. for such verdict and those anti-U.S. demonstrators thronged into the U.S. military base to protest it.
    Their action in the base was a patriotic and righteous deed intended to wreak vengeance of the slain girls and retake the dignity of the nation.
    If the Seoul district court had had a proper vision, it would have duly supported and protected those protesters.
    The interests and destiny of the people can never be protected and they can not live in peace even a day as long as there are those who fawn and depend on the U.S. imperialists in South Korea. The South Korean judicial authorities should refrain from going against the mind-set of the people.

Good relations with North European countries

    Pyongyang, July 18 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today dedicates a signed article to the 30th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between the DPRK and the North European countries. The article says:
    Diplomatic relations were officially established between the DPRK and the North European countries in the period from April to July, 1973. This was a favorable event reflecting the common desire and demand of the Korean and North European peoples to deepen mutual understandings and develop friendly and cooperative relations between them. And it fully conformed to the norms of international relations on establishing and developing relations among countries on the principles of mutual respect of sovereignty, non-interference in other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit.
    The DPRK and the North European countries are all desirous of independence and peace and, for this commonness, the relations between them are consistently developing in the new century.
    In recent years the North European countries have helped the Korean people in various ways in their efforts to liquidate consequences of serious natural disasters. And exchanges and cooperation are being promoted in scientific and technical fields.
    The Korean people have good feelings for the peoples of the North European countries.
    It is a requirement of the trend of the times in the new century and the developing international relations to make closer the relations between the DPRK and those countries. The relations will continue to be developed favorably in the future as ever by their common efforts on the principles of mutual respect of sovereignty, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and reciprocity.

Stone tomb of ancient Korea discovered

    Pyongyang, July 18 (KCNA) -- Historians of the Korean Central History Museum recently discovered a stone tomb dating back to ancient Korea. The tomb was found out in Sunan district, Pyongyang, where groups of dolmens were discovered in the past. The tomb consists of the floor, walls, ceiling stone.
    Small pieces of stones were spread on the tamped floor.
    Four walls of the tomb were erected with big and small stones.
    The tomb is 160 centimeters from north to south and 90 centimeters from east to west.
    Discovered in the tomb were a bronze dagger, bronze mirror, stone arrowheads and other relics.
    The dagger is about 30 centimeters long, 2.7-3.1 centimeters wide and 1-1.1 centimeter thick.
    The exquisite mirror is 9.9 centimeters in diameter and 0.5 centimeter in thickness.
    The discovered tomb proves that Pyongyang, with a long history, was a cradle land and dissemination center of ancient culture.

Institute of experimental biology

    Pyongyang, July 18 (KCNA) -- In recent years the Institute of the Experimental Biology under the Academy of Sciences of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea has made researches in animal cloning and succeeded in making cloned rabbits and white rats. It has also succeeded in artificial culture of bacteria vam and developing various kinds of efficacious medicines and remedies for cancer to be introduced in clinical treatment.
    It was founded in November Juche 55 (1966) with a mission to make biological researches concerning agriculture and medicine.
    It has carried out more than 400 research tasks including cultivating high-yielding varieties of rice, maize and wheat and making bio-chemical and physiology-activating substances. It had a hundred and scores of varieties of crops registered and won over 100 state invention patents.
    The institute has more than 60 researchers with academic degrees or titles such as candidate academician and doctor, and young able researchers.
    According to dr. Paek Mun Chan, director of the institute, the researchers of the institute are resolved to put major domains of experimental biology including animal cloning and Nano-biology on the world standards within two or three years to come.
    It conducts scientific exchange with Russia, China, Austria, Germany and other countries.

Ever-developing DPRK-Russia friendship

    Pyongyang, July 18 (KCNA) -- July 19 is the 3rd anniversary of the DPRK-Russia joint declaration. Exchanges and cooperation between the two countries have been activated in political, economic, scientific, cultural and other fields over the past three years.
    This is the fruition of the efforts made by the top leaders of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Russian Federation.
    V. V. Putin, President of the Russian Federation, paid a visit to the DPRK from July 19 to 20, Juche 89 (2000) at the invitation of Kim Jong Il, chairman of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK.
    During the visit, the two leaders had meetings and talks and adopted a joint declaration in Pyongyang.
    The joint declaration is a historic document which fully manifested the determination and will of the governments and peoples of the DPRK and Russia to put the friendly relations between the two nations on a new stage, ensure peace and security in Asia and the rest of the world and contribute to the healthy development of international relations.
    Kim Jong Il paid an official visit to the Russian Federation from august 4 to 5, 2001 at the invitation of Putin and an unofficial visit to St. Petersburg from August 6 and 7. He stayed in Russia from July 26 to August 18. During his stay in Russia, he met with Putin two times. And they signed the DPRK-Russia Moscow Declaration at the signing ceremony.
    He visited the far eastern region of the Russian Federation from august 20 to 24, 2002.
    He met and had talks with Putin in Vladivostok. He also conversed in a friendly atmosphere with the presidential envoy, governors of maritime territories and other Russian officials, and toured various cities in the region.
    His visits to the Russian Federation were epochal events which marked a new occasion in consolidating and developing the traditional DPRK-Russia friendship.
    He called at the Russian embassy in Pyongyang several times and received visiting high-ranking officials, delegations and art troupes from Russia.
    True to the spirit of the DPRK-Russia Joint Declaration and the DPRK-Russia Moscow declaration, the two countries have exchanged views on issues of common concern. They have held negotiations and concluded memoranda, plans for exchange, agreements, cooperation programs, etc.

U.S. forces side's "invitation" declined

    Pyongyang, July 18 (KCNA) -- Recently the U.S. forces side announced that an "event" would be held in Panmunjom to mark the 50th anniversary of the conclusion of the Korean Armistice Agreement (AA). And it oddly invited the Korean People's Army side to this "event" to be attended by delegates of those countries which joined the U.S. side in the last Korean war. This move is, of course, intended to give an impression that the U.S. is working hard to remove the misunderstanding and distrust in the past and promote the reconciliation and trust in the Korean peninsula. But this is not its real aim.
    The U.S. seems to forget it is committing crimes against the Korean people even at this moment.
    In this regard, the chief of the KPA mission in Panmunjom sent a telephone message to the u.s. forces side today.
    Recalling that some time ago, the U.S. forces side announced an "arms buildup plan" against the DPRK, a signatory to the AA, in gross violation of it and declared it would impose various forms of blockade on the DPRK, the message says:
    But, now it invites the KPA side to such a "commemorative event" in a bid to mislead the world public by creating an impression that the U.S. is interested in the implementation of the AA. This behavior is unbecoming on it in every aspect.
    The U.S. should stop such moves as the "arms buildup plan" and "blockade" which are in violation of the AA, far from mocking at a signatory to the AA and deceiving the world public.

U.S. urged to withdraw new war scenario

    Pyongyang, July 18 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland issued a statement on Friday in which he urged the U.S. Defense Department to immediately withdraw "Operation Plan 5030", a new war scenario it recently worked out for a war of aggression against the DPRK. The scenario is aimed to put into practice the U.S. war cries that the Korean peninsula is its next target after Iraq as it is a new scenario which supplemented and perfected the "Operation Plan 5027" that had already been published, the statement said, and continued:
    The U.S. warhawks are fanning up mistrust and enmity toward the DPRK through all forms of smear campaigns while shunning the DPRK's proposal for direct talks for the settlement of the nuclear issue. Recently they are loudly crying for a "military option", talking about the "limit to diplomatic efforts."
    The U.S. imperialists are keen to repeat the Iraqi war of aggression on the Korean peninsula. But this is a very naive and foolish attempt of those who do not know what a real war is like.
    The army and the people of the DPRK will remain undaunted by any U.S. trite "psychological warfare", "demonstration of military muscle" and "shock and awe operation."
    The more desperate the U.S. becomes in its moves to provoke a war of aggression on the Korean peninsula, the stronger the hatred of the army and people of Korea for the U.S. and their will to fight it will grow.
    The U.S. should immediately give up their reckless "Operation Plan 5030" and halt their frantic moves to provoke a war. The entire Korean nation and the world's anti-war peace forces should raise their voices denouncing the U.S. for its war moves rendering the situation on the Korean peninsula extremely tense and bravely turn out to check and frustrate them.

Kim Jong Il inspects KPA unit

    Pyongyang, July 18 (KCNA) - General Secretary Kim Jong Il inspected KPA unit 581 honored with the title of O Jung Hup-led seventh regiment. Accompanying him were chief of the KPA general staff Kim Yong Chun, KPA generals Ri Myong Su, Hyon Chol Hae and Pak Jae Gyong and first vice department director of the C.C., the WPK Ri Yong Chol.
    After being saluted by KPA generals and commanding officers of the unit, Kim Jong Il saw soldiers in military training full of vigor.
    He highly estimated their successful training, very satisfied to see all the servicemen fully prepared politically and ideologically, physically and in military technique to repel any invasion of the enemy in time and reliably defend the socialist motherland.
    He dropped in at the operation command room to hear a report on the situation from the commander of the unit and learn in detail about the performance of its duty. Noting with high appreciation that the commanding officers and men of the unit have grown to be invincible ranks of combatants through the vigorous drive to implement the Juche-based military line of the WPK and win the title of O Jung Hup-led Seventh Regiment,
    In particular, he advanced important tasks that would serve as guidelines in increasing the unit's combat capability in every way.
    Then, he went round an education room, bedroom, kitchen, side dish store, washroom and other places and met and had cordial talks with servicemen to take warm care of their living.
    Going round the outside and inside of the barracks, he repeatedly praised the unit for keeping every place neat and tidy. He underscored the need to make the way of cultured life of the people's army replete with the spirit of the times, militant optimism and rich emotion prevail throughout the society.
    He had a photo session with servicepersons of the unit.

For Spanish-speaking people

desenterrada tumba de piedras de la epoca de cojoson

    pyongyang, 18 de julio (atcc) -- recientemente, los historiadores y los miembros de excavacion de reliquias del museo nacional de la historia de corea desenterraron una nueva tumba de piedras de la epoca de cojoson. la tumba se encuentra en el municipio de sunan de la ciudad de pyongyang donde fue descubierto un grupo de tumbas de dolmenes.
    el tamano de piedras es de 160 cm del sur al norte y 90 cm del este al oeste.
    en la tumba fueron descubiertos punal y espejo de bronce, casquillo de flecha de piedra y otras reliquias.
    el largo de punal es de 30 cm, el ancho 2.7-3.1 y el grueso 1-1.1, mas o menos.
    la tumba descubierta esta vez es de nueva forma.
    la tumba comprueba que pyongyang fue una cuna de nacimiento y lugar de difusion de la cultura antigua.