Work of Kim Jong Il Published in Italy

     Pyongyang, April 2 (KCNA) -- Leader Kim Jong Il's famous work "On Preserving the Juche Character and National Character of the Revolution and Construction" was published in booklet by the Group of Dialectical Materialists of Italy on March 25. The work, published on June 19, Juche 86 (1997), clarifies the reason why it is a fundamental principle to be adhered to in carrying out the cause of socialism to preserve the Juche character and the national identity in the revolution and construction and tasks and ways to do so.

Functions held Abroad

     Pyongyang, April 2 (KCNA) -- Meetings, lectures, photo and book exhibitions and film shows were held by the Genuine Lumumbist Patriotic Party and the Working Citizens' Association of Democratic Congo, the Group of Youth for the Study of Kim Jong Il-Juche Idea in Vienna, Austria, and the Rimpopo Provincial Committee of the South African Communist Party from Mar. 21 to 26 on the occasion of the Day of the Sun and the 11th anniversary of leader Kim Jong Il's election as chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission. Displayed in the venues of the functions were famous works of President Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, photos showing their immortal feats and photos dealing with the struggle of the Korean people to build a great prosperous powerful socialist nation.
    Screened at the film shows were DPRK films including "Comrade Kim Il Sung Is Always with Humankind," "The Great Life in 1994" and "Korean People's Army, Steel Strong Ranks."
    The chairman of the National Committee of the Genuine Lumumbist Patriotic Party of Democratic Congo in his speech at a rally said that the birth of the President was a historical event that brought about an epoch-making change in carving out the destiny of the Korean people and humankind.
    The chief of the Group of Youth for the Study of Kim Jong Il-Juche Idea in Vienna, Austria, in his speech at a meeting said that the reunification lines set forth by the President were formulated by Kim Jong Il as the three charters for national reunification and they serve as a reunification programme of Korea. He added that the Korean people are speeding up the drive to achieve the country's reunification and build a great prosperous powerful nation, overcoming all difficulties with the might of Songun.
    The chairman of the Working Citizens' Association of Democratic Congo, after seeing a DPRK film, said that the august name of the President would shine as a banner of all our victories. He stressed that the DPRK would remain invincible as long as the President's Juche idea is successfully carried forward and developed under Kim Jong Il's Songun leadership.

Preparatory Committee Formed in Libya

     Pyongyang, April 2 (KCNA) -- A preparatory committee was inaugurated with due ceremony in Libya on Mar. 21 to commemorate the Day of the Sun. At the ceremony Ihab Al-Amin Al-Buweiji, general secretary of the Libyan Federation of Students' Associations, was elected chairman of the preparatory committee.
    The committee set the period from Mar. 25 to April 20 as a period of commemorating the Day of the Sun and decided to hold colorful functions including a meeting, photo exhibition and film show.
    A message of greetings to leader Kim Jong Il was adopted at the ceremony.

Anniversary of Kim Jong Il's Work Marked

     Pyongyang, April 2 (KCNA) -- Rodong Sinmun today carries an article dedicated to the 30th anniversary of leader Kim Jong Il's famous work "On Some Questions in Understanding the Juche Philosophy" by Academician, Prof. and Dr. Kim Hwa Jong. Kim Jong Il's work serves as an immortal monumental work as it ascertained in depth the originality and the truth of the Juche philosophy as a man-centered philosophy, the first of its kind in the human history of philosophical thought, and a great landmark as it made a great contribution to formulating the Juche philosophy on a scientific and theoretical basis and systematizing it in a comprehensive way, the article says, and goes on:
    He in his work clearly elucidated that the Juche philosophy is a unique and original man-centered philosophy fathered by President Kim Il Sung. As clarified by him in his work, it is the Juche philosophy fathered by Kim Il Sung that scientifically clarifies the viewpoint, outlook and stand on the world with the man in the center of the philosophical study for the first time in history. The Juche philosophy formulated the man-centered viewpoint, outlook and stand on the world by proposing from a new angle the issue of a position and role of man in the world as a fundamental question of philosophy with man at its centre and giving a perfect answer to it, given that an answer to the issue of the origin of the world was given by the preceding philosophy of the working class. This means that the Juche philosophy is a completely new and original philosophy as it is fundamentally different from the philosophical ideas in the old times and it can never be understood within the framework of dialectical materialism, a preceding philosophy of the working class, and a great philosophy that has brought a signal turn in the human history of philosophy,
    Kim Jong Il in his work clarified in depth the need to correctly understand the originality of the Juche philosophy as a man-centered philosophy. The Juche philosophy is a man-centered philosophy. This does not mean that it is just similar to human philosophy that studied the human issue and gave an answer to it. The human philosophy denies the original mission of philosophy as a science giving an outlook on the world and mainly deals with such issues as what human being is and what his life is like. The Juche philosophy is quite different from it. It proposed the issue of a position and role of man in the world as a fundamental issue of philosophy and clarified the philosophical principle that man is the master of everything and decides everything. The fundamental issue of the Juche philosophy is not a simple human issue but the issue of relations between the world and man and the Juche philosophical principle does not simply clarify the outlook on human life but elucidates the outlook on the world. The Juche philosophy clarifies the man-centered outlook on the world, a Juche-oriented outlook on the world.
    Kim Jong Il clarified for the first time in history that man is a social being that has independence, creativity and consciousness and gave a profound scientific answer to the issue of the intrinsic nature of man as a social being.
    It is a historic event that will remain specially recorded in human history of philosophical thought that he clarified the intrinsic nature of a social being on a scientific basis. The scientific and theoretical clarification of the man-centered outlook on the world, the first of its kind in history, brought about a radical turn in the development of the human philosophical thought and provided correct guidelines for studying and disseminating the Juche philosophy. Herein lies the tremendous ideological and theoretical significance of his work.

Students' Org. for Nullification of Impeachment Inaugurated in S. Korea

     Pyongyang, April 2 (KCNA) -- The Western District Students' Emergency Measure Committee for Nullification of the Motion on Impeachment, Dissolution of the 16th-term National Assembly and Judgment in the April General Election was reportedly inaugurated with due ceremony on March 27. A declaration released at the ceremony said that people came out in the candlelight demonstration against the motion on impeachment, shouting "nullification of impeachment" and "defence of democracy" and that 100,000 students in western district would fight to foil the conservative groups' plot for a political coup.
    Underscoring the need to push the will of western district students to defend democracy to the judgment in the April general election, the declaration called upon students to become the flag of people's hope.

Written Protest to U.S. President

     Pyongyang, April 2 (KCNA) -- The Central Association of Korean Nationals in Russia made public a written protest to the U.S. president on March 25 in connection with the U.S. continued nuclear war moves against the DPRK. The written protest said:
    The U.S. has worked out the "new operation plan 5026", a new nuclear war scenario, aimed to isolate and stifle the DPRK at a time when the Korean nation is out in the vigorous struggle to pave a wide avenue for independent reunification under the banner of the historic June 15 joint declaration.
    This is a dangerous nuclear war plan to make a surprising preemptive attack on the DPRK with the U.S. troops stationed in south Korea and the aggression forces around the Korean peninsula any moment.
    The Bush administration is resorting to such a smear campaign as publishing a "report on human rights" slandering the DPRK, while openly forcing north-south showdown on the south Korean authorities.
    The U.S. is chiefly to blame for blocking peaceful reunification of the country and bringing the dark clouds of a nuclear war to hang over the country.
    The destroyer of the recent six-way talks is none other than the Bush administration under the signboard of "peace".
    The Bush administration, a plotter of a nuclear war and the very one who abuses human rights, should withdraw the "new operation plan 5026" and the "report on human rights" at once and the U.S. should immediately take hands of aggression off south Korea.

Kim Jong Il Sends Wreath before Bier of Choe Sang Byok

     Pyongyang, April 2 (KCNA) -- Leader Kim Jong Il sent a wreath before the bier of Choe Sang Byok, vice-minister of Agriculture, to express deep condolences over his death.

Joint Military Drills Staged in Area near MDL

     Pyongyang, April 2 (KCNA) -- It was disclosed that the U.S. troops staged the recent large-scale joint military exercises in the area near the Military Demarcation Line in south Korea, according to a press report. This was disclosed by a person concerned with Thongil News on Mar. 29.
    He referred to the fact that 24 U.S. military vehicles loaded with boxes carrying equipment necessary for the RSOI of the Third Field Duty Support Group of the U.S. Marine Corps in Iwakuni, Japan, moved to the area of Jongok-township, Ryonchon County of Kyonggi Province, on Mar. 27 when the large-scale joint military drills were at their height.
    The unit in charge of the equipment was the 37th Combat Duty Support Detachment belonging to the Fourth Marine Task Force for Air and Ground Battle "formed to fight air and ground battles for a preemptive attack on the enemy in war time," he noted.
    He added that this detachment entered a forefront U.S. military base inside an "off-limits area for civilians" near the MDL after conducting a military drill in the combined drill ground of the U.S. 8th Army in Yongjung sub-county, Phochon County.
    The Ministry of National Defense and the "ROK-U.S. Forces Combined Command" asserted through media that the joint military drills "did not pose any threat to the north as they were just mobile exercises in the rear and routine drills" but the fact proved that the assertion was a lie, he stressed.

"Conception of Northeast Asian Security Organization" Termed Premature

     Pyongyang, April 2 (KCNA) -- Recently the United States and some other countries concerned came out with a "conception of the Northeast Asian Security Organization" with the six-way framework for the solution to the nuclear issue in mind. But it is a premature idea as it is far removed from the reality. Rodong Sinmun today says this in a signed commentary. It goes on:
    The immediate task for security in Northeast Asia is to build bilateral confidence among the regional countries through the removal of hostile relations and mistrust. The debate on creating the Northeast Asia security organization is an issue which may be taken up in a distant future when this crucial task has been carried out.
    It is an armchair argument to discuss this at the present stage in the light of the historic experience in building the multilateral security organization in the past and the peculiar situation in Northeast Asia.
    Confidence-building serves as a cornerstone in the collective security. The abnormal reality in Northeast Asia characterized by the long-standing relations of serious mistrust and confrontation makes it impossible to ensure the balance of forces and trust among the regional countries, much less thinking about the building of a regional security organization.
    There exist in Northeast Asia only contradiction and competition between the U.S. seeking regional hegemony by relying on its huge armed forces in the region and the strategic forces opposed to it. These are the forces standing in rivalry with each other in the region.
    This proves that mistrust can never be wiped out among the regional countries unless the U.S. troops are withdrawn from Japan and south Korea. The U.S. forces should be pulled out of south Korea, first of all, if the U.S. adventurous moves to unleash a nuclear war are to be checked and peace and security ensured on the Korean peninsula, the biggest hotspot in the region.
    The U.S. and Japan are hell-bent on the preparations for a war of aggression against the DPRK and the danger of war is increasing owing to them. It is quite senseless to think under this dangerous situation that diplomatic relations can be established between the DPRK and the U.S. and between the DPRK and Japan.
    The complicated situation in the region tells that this conception is nothing but a subjective ambition ignoring the objective reality.
    The DPRK will not pay any attention to "the conception of the Northeast Asian Regional Security Organization" far removed from the reality but make every possible effort to increase the capacity for self-defence to effectively cope with the U.S. and Japan's immediate threat of aggression.

Early Return of Unconverted Long-Term Prisoners Demanded

     Pyongyang, April 2 (KCNA) -- The Central Committee of the DPRK Red Cross Society strongly called for the earliest possible return of Jong Sun Dok, an aged woman, and other unconverted long-term prisoners who demand their repatriation to the DPRK from the compatriotic and humanitarian stand. A spokesman for the central committee in a statement to the press Thursday said:
    There are still many unconverted long-term prisoners not yet repatriated in south Korea and they are subject to political persecution and suppression of all manner under the "security law" and the "law on supervision for public peace", evil laws wantonly violating human rights.
    Worse still, they are suffering from diseases caused by prison life for decades and aftereffects of tortures, but they find themselves in an unfortunate lot, with medical treatment denied them. A typical example is the case of Jong Sun Dok, a woman unconverted long-term prisoner who is at the gate of death in her advanced age, lying unconscious with the paralysis of marrow function and pneumonia. She is now on the brink of death without medical fee or means of acquiring blood in a critical condition.
    She is, however, left without care in south Korea, though she is waiting for the hour of death, utterly forsaken.
    This is an instance proving that south Korea under U.S. domination is the worst barren land of human rights where elementary freedom and right of humanity are ruthlessly trampled upon.
    The United States and the rightist conservative forces of south Korea should stop crying over others' "human right issue" and solve their own serious human rights problems including the issue of unconverted long-term prisoners.

U.S. Military Moves in S. Korea Assailed

     Pyongyang, April 2 (KCNA) -- The U.S. plan to deploy an Aegis destroyer in the East Sea of Korea can not be construed otherwise than a military step prompted by its strategy to mount a preemptive nuclear attack on the DPRK, says Minju Joson today. The news analyst goes on:
    The U.S. seeks to justify the deployment of the destroyer in the waters off the Korean peninsula with the ridiculous pretext of "missile threat from the north" but this is a vain attempt.
    The U.S. is waiting for a chance to invade the DPRK after deploying various latest military hardware and equipment in south Korea and its surroundings while betraying its intention to stifle the DPRK with strength. This reality proves that the only way for averting a war and defending peace on the Korean peninsula is to reinforce the nuclear deterrent in every way.
    The army and people of the DPRK will closely watch with high vigilance the U.S. imperialists' strategy of preemptive nuclear strike for aggression and take self-defensive measures to cope with it.

Greetings to Guinean President

     Pyongyang, April 2 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, Thursday sent a message of greetings to Guinean President Lansana Conte on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the proclamation of the second Republic in Guinea. The Guinean people have made many achievements in their efforts to achieve the independent progress of the country and the well-being of the nation under the leadership of the president over the last 20 years, the message noted.
    It expressed the belief that the excellent friendly and cooperative relations existing between the two countries would continue to develop favorably in the future, too, and sincerely wished the Guinean president and people greater success in their work to achieve the political stability of the country and the national unity.

U.S. Mideast Strategy Doomed to Failure - KCNA News Analyst's Article -

     Pyongyang, April 2 (KCNA) -- The United States has become all the more undisguised in its efforts for dominating the whole of the Middle East. The U.S. Mideast strategy, a main link in the whole chain of its strategy for world supremacy, is aimed to monopolize the rich oil resources in the region and, furthermore, have a military foothold for containing surrounding powers.
    Since the United States unilaterally launched a war of aggression against Iraq on March 20 last year allegedly to eliminate weapons of mass destruction, ignoring the protest of the United Nations and the international community, and occupied the country, it has persistently sought a strategic goal of putting the Middle East under its domination.
    The U.S. Mideast strategy, by and large, is prompted by two purposes -- one is to place the region under its political and military control and the other to make the whole of the region pro-America by injecting "democracy" based on the American-style view of value into the Mideast countries.
    For the first purpose, the United States had Kuwait named a non-NATO ally exceptionally on January 15. It implied that if other nations in this region continue pursuing pro-U.S. policies, they could also enjoy the U.S. political and military "protection".
    To this end, the United States has invited Israel, Egypt, Jordan and other nations in the Middle East to the NATO Summit to be held in Turkey in June and is now lobbying other NATO nations to establish relationship of "partnership" with them.
    While going ahead with the plan to turn Iraq into a down-the-line pro-U.S. state, the United States is openly pressurizing Syria, Iran and other anti-U.S., independent nations to reform their political system and open their society, groundlessly charging them with providing weapons and training centers to "terrorist organizations".
    The facts indicate that the United States, with Iraq as a foothold, intends to "readjust" surrounding nations one after another and totally dominate the Middle East, thus using this region, which takes 65 percent of the world's oil resources, as a base for executing its strategy for world supremacy.
    It is also prompted by this goal that the United States is pushing ahead with an ambitious plan to station its forces in the Middle East indefinitely and establish its military installations in the region.
    What is noteworthy in the U.S. moves to dominate the Middle East is the "plan for democracy in the Middle East" made public by Bush in early February. The key point of the plan is to reform the political system of the Mideast nations and introduce American-style democracy there.
    The United States has sent high-ranking officials to Mideast and European nations to drum up support for its plan.
    But the United States has been baffled in its Mideast strategy.
    Iran and Syria has officially stated that they would resolutely cope with U.S. sanctions, while the anti-U.S. resistance has been escalated in Iraq.
    As soon as it was made public, the "plan for democracy in the Middle East" was rejected by all the nations belonging to the League of Arab States.
    Protest against the arrogant plan came out in the emergency conference of foreign ministers of the League of Arab States held in Cairo on March 1 and the general meeting of the Arab Parliamentary Union in Damascus on February 2. The plan has been castigated by Arab media, too.
    The U.S. anachronistic Mideast strategy, categorically rejected by the Arab people, is destined to go busted.

Paean to Leader in Era of Songun

     Pyongyang, April 2 (KCNA) -- The Merited Chorus of the Korean People's Army has recently created and put on stage the chorus suite "Tell the Story, Mt. Paektu!" with the approach of the birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung. The chorus suite of a unique form represents the President's glorious anti-Japanese revolutionary history. It well depicts the history of the Korean revolution, which was pioneered and has emerged victorious by arms, in solemn, appealing, profound and optimistic melody.
    It is considered to be a monumental masterpiece in the era of Songun as it reflects the revolutionary stamina and firm resolution of the servicemen and people of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea who are blessed with outstanding leaders generation after generation.
    Song Sok Hwan, chairman of the Central Committee of the Korean Musicians Union, told KCNA that the chorus suite expounds in a profound and philosophical way who created the glorious history of the Korean revolution pioneered by arms. Korea is now swept by such joy as that right after the liberation of the country when all the Korean people were happy with the long epic "Mt. Paektu" portraying the President.
    Mass media of Pyongyang have dealt with the noble idea, spirit, great significance and might of the suite almost every day.
    Chief of the Merited Chorus of the KPA Om Ha Jin, who composed the suite, said it is a result of the wise leadership of Kim Jong Il, a great master of music.
    Rodong Sinmun, organ of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, emphasizes in its editorial that the servicemen and people of Korea will vigorously push ahead with the revolutionary cause of Songun, loudly singing the paean to the leader, a pride of the Songun era.

Congratulations to Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda

     Pyongyang, April 2 (KCNA) -- Pak Pong Ju, premier of the DPRK Cabinet, sent a congratulatory message to Baldwin Spencer upon his appointment as prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda. Expressing belief that the friendly relations between the two countries would continue to develop on good terms, the message wished him success in his responsible work.

For Spanish-speaking people

Kim Jong Il inspecciona compania femenina de Unidad No. 1056 del EPC

     Pyongyang, 2 de abril (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 una compania femenina Dos Veces Bandera Roja de Tres Revoluciones subordinada directamente a la Unidad No. 1056 del EPC. Se entero del estado de cumplimiento del deber de la compania y vio un entrenamiento de manejo de canones de las militares.
    Al ver a las militares quienes cumplian con agilidad y precision sus deberes se mostro muy satisfecho de que todas las oficiales y soldados han crecido como valientes combatientes.
    E indico las tareas programaticas que sirven de guia para fortalecer la combatividad de la compania. Acto seguido, recorrio la sala de educacion, dormitorio, comedor, cocina, deposito de alimentos subsidiarios, bano, lugar de descanso a la intemperie y otros lugares para prodigar esmerada atencion a la labor y la vida de las militares.
    El Comandante Supremo senalo que es loable que las oficiales y soldados de la compania unidas en una sola idea y voluntad elevan extraordinariamente la combatividad y hacen con esmero la administracion de la unidad, y subrayo la necesidad de manifestar mas plenamente este rasgo orgulloso de nuestro ejercito revolucionario.
    Esta compania que habia dejado en el pasado muchos episodios hermosos ha crecido como un colectivo de dignas revolucionarias armadas firmemente con la idea del Partido y dispuestas a defender seguramente, con armas, la causa revolucionaria del Juche, dijo el y prosiguio que el noble espiritu y el estilo de lucha de ellas son ejemplo de las coreanas que prefieren hacer la revolucion y luchar.
    El Dirigente presencio la funcion artistica de las militares de la compania.
    Al expresar la esperanza y la conviccion de que las militares de la compania realizaran brillantes proezas en el cumplimiento del sagrado deber de defensa de la Patria les dio como recuerdo binoculos y un fusil automatico y se fotografio junto a ellas.
    Le acompanaron los generales de ejercito del EPC, Ri Myong Su, Hyon Chol Hae y Pak Jae Gyong, y el primer subjefe de departamento del CC del PTC, Ri Yong Chol.

Kim Jong Il envia ofrenda floral ante feretro del difunto Choe Sang Byok

     Pyongyang, 2 de abril (ATCC) -- El Dirigente Kim Jong Il envio una ofrenda floral ante el feretro del difunto Choe Sang Byok, viceministro de Agricultura, en senal de profundo pesame por su fallecimiento.

Italia: obra clasica de Kim Jong Il

     Pyongyang, 2 de abril (ATCC) -- El Grupo de Materialistas Dialecticos de Italia dio a luz el 25 de marzo en folleto la obra clasica del Dirigente Kim Jong Il "Para mantener el espiritu Juche y la nacionalidad en el proceso revolucionario y constructivo", publicada el 19 de junio del 86 (1997) de la Era Juche. Esta obra dilucida la razon de que el mantenimiento del espiritu Juche y la nacionalidad en el proceso revolucionario y constructivo constituye un principio fundamental a ser mantenido en el cumplimiento de la causa del socialismo y presenta las tareas y medios para materializarlo.