Seminars on Kim Jong Il's Works Held Abroad

     Pyongyang, May 26 (KCNA) -- A seminar on leader Kim Jong Il's famous work "On Preserving the Juche Character and National Character of the Revolution and Construction" was held by the Egyptian Committee for the Study of the Juche Idea on May 17. Yehia Jakariya Khairallah, chairman of the committee, referring to the basic content of the work at the seminar, said Kim Jong Il, basing himself on the historic experience and lesson of the Korean revolution and the world revolution, gave a scientific exposition of the fact that the Juche character and national character should be preserved without fail if the popular masses' cause of independence, the cause of socialism, is to be accomplished.
    Kim Jong Il who is developing and enriching the Juche idea founded by President Kim Il Sung has always worked out the line and policies for the people and made sure that all the work was done in the Korean style, the chairman said, noting that the DPRK is throwing its rays all over the world as a socialist bulwark thanks to the unique Songun politics of Kim Jong Il.
    He stressed that only victory and glory are set in store for the Korean people holding Kim Jong Il, the great Songun brilliant commander, in high esteem, expressing the belief that the friendly Korean people would reunify the country without fail while firmly defending socialism.
    A seminar on Kim Jong Il's famous work "On the Juche Idea" was held by the Mexican Committee for the Study of Kimilsungism on May 18.
    Speakers explained about the importance and practical significance of the work.
    The secretary general of the committee at a seminar said that the Juche idea is very profound in its content but Kim Jong Il wrote this work with lucid expressions easy to understand, thus making every reader of it easily comprehend the Juche idea and admire its deep meaning.
    Indeed, Kim Jong Il is a gifted thinker and theoretician and a genius of creation and construction, the secretary general stressed.

Best Prize Awarded to Korean Singer

     Pyongyang, May 26 (KCNA) -- Ri Hyang Suk, a soprano of the DPRK, was awarded special prize Giuseppe di Stefano, the best prize at the 11th Giuseppe di Stefano international concours. The concours was held from May 19 to 23, drawing at least 100 famous singers from more than 20 countries and regions including the DPRK, Italy, Russia, Britain, Germany, the United States and Japan.
    She was highly regarded at the preliminary and semi-final. At the final on May 21 she was highly appreciated by the jury as she fully displayed her artistic skill she acquired, bringing her talent into full bloom under the care of the Workers' Party of Korea.
    At a prize-awarding ceremony she was awarded the special prize Giuseppe di Stefano.
    The ceremony was followed by a concert. She sang two songs to be warmly acclaimed by the audience.

KCNA Refutes IAEA Director General's Remarks

    Pyongyang, May 26 (KCNA) -- El-Baradei, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), reportedly let loose a string of absurd remarks at the U.S. Congress recently that north Korea's pursuance of the development of nuclear weapons is likely to send the worst signal to other countries and that north Korea has not implemented the NPT at all. His remarks go to prove that the IAEA is acting a waiting maid of the U.S. because it is only echoing Washington's assertion that the DPRK should drop its nuclear weapons program first, failing to understand the origin and nature of the nuclear issue between the DPRK and the U.S., away from its principle of impartiality as an international organization.
    It is widely known that the nuclear issue between the DPRK and the U.S. surfaced as the U.S. has ceaselessly bolstered the latest nuclear combat equipment in south Korea, increasing its nuclear threat to the DPRK.
    "Dialogue" and "diplomacy" on the lips of the U.S. as regards the nuclear issue are nothing but hypocrisy aimed to gain time. It is an undeniable fact that what the U.S. really seeks is not to let the DPRK move from the negotiating table but increase pressure upon it in every aspect and escalate the nuclear stand-off behind the scene.
    The DPRK's nuclear deterrent for self-defence can never be "the primary international security concern" as it is totally aimed to cope with the nuclear threat of the U.S. It is, therefore, nonsensical that the DPRK's nuclear deterrent sends the "worst signal" to other countries.
    "Concern" and "signal" touted by El-Baradei fully reflect the crafty intention of the U.S. to lay an "international siege" to the DPRK on the charge of being a "nuclear criminal" in a bid to isolate and stifle the DPRK at any cost.
    El-Baradei, insensible to the reality, talked again about the DPRK's non-compliance with the NPT. This is an unreasonable remark ignoring the sovereignty of the DPRK as it is not obliged to implement the NPT.
    As already known, in order not to allow the supreme interests of the state to be encroached upon any longer, the DPRK government in a statement issued on January 10, 2003 declared that its withdrawal from the NPT which had been temporarily suspended would automatically and immediately take effect. The DPRK thus completely pulled out of the NPT on January 11, 2003.
    Nevertheless, El-Baradei is still pulling up the DPRK this or that way.
    This clearly shows how shamelessly he is working to apply the same method of inspection to the DPRK as that applied in inspecting Iraq as a prelude to the U.S. aggression against it.
    If the IAEA is truly interested in the nuclear non-proliferation, it should call the U.S. unreasonable action into question before anything else.
    The IAEA fully disclosed its true colours as a servant of the U.S. by pressurizing the DPRK to comply with the NPT though it is no longer a signatory to it, turning a blind eye to the U.S. wanton violation of it and U.S. escalation of the nuclear threat to the DPRK. El- Baradei was impudent enough to talk about "enriched uranium program" and the like as dictated by his master, oblivious of his position as the boss of an international organization. He should be ashamed of behaving like that way.

U.S. New War Scenario under Fire

     Pyongyang, May 26 (KCNA) -- The Bush administration was reported to have recently issued an order to the Defense Department to be ready to go over to "10-30-30", a new war scenario. This fully discloses the belligerent nature of the U.S. administration.
    Minju Joson today says this in a signed commentary.
    It goes on:
    The United States is seeking another war against humankind in a criminal bid to realize its invariable ambition to dominate the world by force of arms at any cost.
    What is more dangerous is that to this end the U.S. administration is hatching a horrible plot to plunge humankind into nuclear disasters. Some days ago, U.S. Defense Secretary Rumsfeld openly hinted at an attempt to develop nuclear weapons capable of penetrating underground at a hearing of the Senate Appropriations Committee. The director of the U.S. National Nuclear Security Agency in a lecture blustered that the U.S. would not hesitate to resume the nuclear test, if necessary.
    This eloquently proves that the Bush administration is, indeed, a group of warmongers without an equal in the world, the sworn enemy of humankind, the ringleaders of worldwide nuclear threat and proliferation and a wrecker of the world peace. The DPRK is the main target of the U.S.-planned horrible nuclear war. That is why the Bush administration is further aggravating the situation while deliberately throwing a hurdle in the way of the peaceful settlement of the nuclear issue between the DPRK and the U.S.

Spokesman for CPRF Demands Withdrawal of U.S. Troops from S. Korea

     Pyongyang, May 26 (KCNA) -- National security depends on the definite withdrawal of the U.S. troops from south Korea to the last man. In the wake of the U.S. recent announcement of its plan to send some of its aggressor forces in south Korea to Iraq under the pretext of "urgent Iraqi situation" and "redeployment of its forces overseas" the ultra-right conservative forces of south Korea are making much ado in a bid to keep them in s. Korea. They are making shrill cries intended to create the impression that a war would break out any moment due to what they call "security gap."
    In this regard a spokesman for the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland (CPRF) Tuesday issued a statement denouncing this ridiculous behavior.
    He went on:
    The U.S. planned transfer of some of its forces in south Korea to Iraq is a product of its cunning scheme to reuse the old "theory of security" for stamping out the independent movement against the U.S. in south Korea, reviving the moribund ultra-right conservative forces and rounding off the war scenario against the DPRK.
    Peace and security on the Korean peninsula can never be guaranteed by the U.S. It is the common task of the Koreans in the north and the south to preserve them through national cooperation by their concerted efforts.
    The desire of the south Korean people for independence and democracy will never come true nor the whole Korean nation will escape a nuclear holocaust to be imposed by the U.S. upon it as long as the U.S. imperialist aggression troops remain in south Korea.
    The Korean nation lives in the era to implement the June 15 joint declaration and the era of national cooperation. It has powerful Songun politics aimed to protect the whole country and the nation.
    The south Korean people are called upon to vigorously turn out in the struggle to force the U.S. aggression forces out of south Korea to the last man, deeply aware of national independence

Citizens' Candlelight Gathering for Peace in S. Korea

     Pyongyang, May 26 (KCNA) -- The Reunification Solidarity for Implementing the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration and Peace in the Korean Peninsula reportedly held a citizens' candlelight gathering against the troop dispatch to Iraq and for peace in the Korean peninsula in Seoul on May 22. Participating in the gathering were more than 200 members of the Reunification Solidarity and youths and students.
    At the gathering Co-chairman of the National Alliance for Democracy and Reunification Ro Su Hui and other speakers referred to the recent GIs' stabbing case near Yonsei University in Seoul, which clearly proves that the U.S. is committing such vicious crimes in this land as in Iraq.
    In order to eradicate the crimes the unequal SOFA should be revised and the U.S. troops, the root cause of crimes, driven out of this land, they said, calling upon all the people to pool strength in the anti-U.S. struggle.
    Opposing the additional troop dispatch to Iraq yielding to the U.S. pressure, they warned that if the authorities push ahead with the troop dispatch in defiance of the just intention of the people, they would not escape a grave judgment by the people.

U.S. "Report on Human Rights and Democracy" under Fire

     Pyongyang, May 26 (KCNA) -- The United States recently released a "report on human rights and democracy" in which it made a distorted estimation of human rights situation in more than 100 countries and regions of the world, saying this or that about it, and tried to create the impressions that the human rights issue of the DPRK had been taken up by the six-party talks for discussion being a topic of international debates. Dismissing it as a far-fetched assertion proceeding from its sinister political purpose to infringe upon the sovereignty of the DPRK and force it to make a change in its inviolable socialist system by taking issue with its human rights issue, Rodong Sinmun today in a signed commentary says:
    It is the height of sarcasm for the U.S. to style itself the human rights judge even now when human rights abuses committed by the U.S., a country with the world's poorest human rights record, has been brought into bolder relief under the eyes of the world people.
    The U.S. is the world's biggest human rights abuser and barren land of human rights as evidenced by hideous human rights abuses committed by GIs in Iraq which has lashed the international community into a fury.
    Unbiased world public opinion holds that the U.S. is no longer qualified to talk about human rights and democracy in other countries and it has completely lost moral rights to talk about them. The U.S. must be quite well aware of this, not being blind and deaf. However, it has gone so impudent as to kick up a ruckus, wagging its tongue over human rights performance and democracy in other countries.
    The U.S. must stand in the dock of the Human Rights Court of its own accord to face a stern judgment as demanded by the world and human conscience and pull back all its troops who are committing human rights abuses in south Korea and other countries and regions. That would help it redeem its human rights abuses and would be beneficial for the stability and sound human rights performance in the international community.

Regulations on Operation of Mt. Kumgang Tourist Zone Adopted

     Pyongyang, May 26 (KCNA) -- The Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly adopted three regulations related to the operation of the Mt. Kumgang tourist zone, a world famous scenic place. The SPA Presidium had already adopted "The regulation on the development of the Mt. Kumgang tourist zone" and "The regulation on building and operating enterprises in the Mt. Kumgang tourist zone" in its decisions dated May 12, Juche 92 (2003).
    The Presidium in its decisions dated April 29, Juche 93 (2004) adopted "The regulation on establishing and operating the Mt. Kumgang tourist zone management institution", "The customs regulation for the Mt. Kumgang tourist zone" and "The regulation on entry and exit, stay and residence in the Mt. Kumgang tourist zone."
    "The regulation on establishing and operating the Mt. Kumgang tourist zone management institution" has 21 articles. Its objective is to establish a strict system and order in establishing and operating the management organ to raise the function and role of the management institution.
    The established management institution is a corporate body directly undertaking the work related to investment, management and operation in the tourist zone.
    Clarified in the regulation are the duty of the management institution in the tourist zone, ties with the organs, enterprises and organizations of the DPRK and the drafting of a budget and its implementation, etc.
    "The customs regulation for the Mt. Kumgang tourist zone" has 43 articles in five chapters and appendix.
    The regulation is aimed to establish a strict system and order in the customs service in the tourist zone and thus provide convenience to carrying in and out things, persons' coming and going and transport.
    It includes a general regulation on the customs service, the principle of registration and the banned commodities and articles on the customs registration and formalities, customs inspection and supervision, tariffs and customs duties, sanctions and complaints, etc.
    Its appendix deals with contraband things including weapon, bullet and explosives and confidential documents and printed materials and other things one is banned from taking out of the zone.
    "The regulation on entry and exit, stay and residence in the Mt. Kumgang tourist zone" has 31 articles. Its objective is to establish a strict order in entry and exit, stay and residence in order to provide every convenience to persons in their entry and exit, transport and persons' stay and residence.
    It also deals with the work of the institution in charge of entry and exit, their routes and the designation of them, the entry and exit of vehicles, trains and ships, the inspection of them, customs inspection, quarantine and registration for stay, etc.

Simultaneous North-South Buddhist Masses Held

     Pyongyang, May 26 (KCNA) -- Simultaneous masses of Buddhists of the north and the south for greeting Buddha's Day and praying for the reunification of the country were held at temples across the DPRK on May 26. Present there were office-bearers of the Central Committee and provincial, city and county committees of the Korean Buddhist Federation, chief priests, monks and believers from temples.
    Rites were followed by speeches. Then words of greetings from the chairman of the South Korean Council of Buddhist Orders were conveyed and a joint prayer was read out.
    The speakers at the masses said they were significantly commemorating Buddha's Day at a time when the fervor of all the fellow countrymen for reunification was growing higher than ever before. They called upon all the Buddhists in the north and the south and abroad to actively turn out in practical actions to bring earlier the reunification of the country, the cherished desire of the nation, under the banner of the June 15 joint declaration.

Over 130 Species of Freshwater Fish Inhabit Taedong River

     Pyongyang, May 26 (KCNA) -- Freshwater fish resources are increasing in the Taedong River. According to officials engaged in protecting aquatic resources, at least 130 species of freshwater fish live there. An energetic work has been pushed forward to protect and sharply increase the aquatic resources in the river under the wise guidance of President Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il.
    With the construction of the West Sea Barrage, the Taedong River has been turned into a large fish farm teeming with such freshwater fish as carp, goldfish and kinyomo. There are 53 species of fish such as perch and mullet in the West Sea Barrage Reservoir in the down stream of the river, 59 species including cornet, seythe and bitterling in its midstream and 21 species such as minnow and bullhead in its upper stream.
    Saltwater fish such as white bait have become sedentary fish of the river and some freshwater fishes which have lived in the Amnok River have moved to the Taedong River to become its main fish resources.
    Koryo char lives in the upper stream of the river in the Taehung area. It was registered as a natural monument of academic and economic importance, attracting the interests of researchers.

DPRK Premier Congratulates New Indian PM

     Pyongyang, May 26 (KCNA) -- Pak Pong Ju, premier of the DPRK Cabinet, sent a congratulatory message to Manmohan Singh on his assumption as prime minister of the Republic of India. Expressing belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between two countries would grow stronger and develop as required by the new century, he sincerely wished the new Indian prime minister great success in his responsible work to build powerful and prosperous new India.

National Costume Production Group

     Pyongyang, May 26 (KCNA) -- The National Costume Production Group under the Korean Minye Joint Company is greatly conducive to developing national costumes to suit modern aesthetics. National costumes made by the group are popular among Korean women because they are beautiful and wonderful in shape, color and decoration.
    Magnolia-embossed chima (skirt) and jogori (jacket) convenient for activities won the top prize at the Korean costume exhibition held in Juche 90 (2001).
    Holiday dresses were also highly appreciated at the national industrial art exhibition held in September 2003 as they were well blended with the beautiful natural scenery of the country and Korean women's figure.
    The new model of wedding dress presented by the group won a special prize at the national Korean costume show held in October 2003.
    The group is directing great efforts to carrying forward the fine cultural traditions of the nation while creating new models of Korean costumes to meet the ever-growing demand of the people.

Quality Piano Produced in DPRK

     Pyongyang, May 26 (KCNA) -- The Pyongyang Piano Joint Venture Company has manufactured quality pianos in technical cooperation with the J. Nemetschke Company of Austria. The quality of different models of piano with trademarks of PACO, RATIAE, FEINTON, STOCKHAUSEN and J.NEMETSCHKE has reached a high level in their clear and rich volume, stable sound, sensible keyboard, and luxurious and transparent color.
    The company has introduced advanced technologies from other countries in piano production and used such good materials as high-grade wood brought from the northern highland 2,000 meters above the sea level, quality strings and hammers.
    Its products were highly appreciated by musical instrument experts and pianists at the musical instrument show held in Germany from late March to early April Juche 93 (2004). And it has concluded contracts with companies of Austria, Germany and other countries to export its products.
    The demand for its pianos is increasing in China, France, Singapore and other countries.
    The well-equipped company, which started operation in February 1988, covers an area of 23,400 square meters and its floor space is 13,332 square meters.
    Its E-mail address is PJVC@Co.chesin com.

For Spanish-speaking people

Cantante coreana gana maximo premio en concurso internacional

     Pyongyang, 26 de mayo (ATCC) ? A la cantante coreana Ri Hyang Suk le fue otorgado el premio especial "Giuseppe di Stefano", maximo premio del 11o Concurso Internacional homonimo celebrado del 19 al 23 del mes en curso. En el presente certamen participaron mas de 100 cantantes celebres procedentes de mas de 20 paises y regiones incluyendo Corea, Italia, Rusia, Inglaterra, Alemania, Estados Unidos y Japon.
    Ri Hyang Suk ya habia logrado buenas estimaciones en la eliminatoria y la semifinal. Y en la final del dia 21 demostro sin reserva su habilidad artistica adquirida en el seno del Partido del Trabajo de Corea, con lo cual los jurados del concurso no le escatimaron elogios.
    Las dos canciones, que ella canto en el concierto seguido a la ceremonia de premiacion, gozaron de maximo elogio de los espectadores.

Contacto entre entidades de la Cruz Roja de Norte y Sur de Corea

     Kumgangsan, 25 de mayo (ATCC) -- Tuvo lugar los dias 24 y 25 en el monte Kumgang un contacto entre las entidades de la Cruz Roja del Norte y del Sur de Corea. Ambas partes discutieron con sinceridad el problema del X encuentro de los familiares y parientes separados y otros problemas referentes a la cooperacion entre las citadas entidades y decidieron seguir consultando en otras ocasiones los problemas presentados.

CRPP exige retirada completa de tropas yanquis del Sur de Corea

     Pyongyang, 26 de mayo (ATCC) -- La seguridad de la nacion coreana consiste solamente en la retirada completa y eterna de las tropas norteamericanas del Sur de Corea. En estos dias, los Estados Unidos, so pretexto de la "apremiante situacion de Irak" y la "reubicacion de las tropas norteamericanas en ultramar", decidieron trasladar a Irak una parte de sus uniformados ocupantes del Sur de Corea. En relacion con eso, las fuerzas conservadoras ultraderechistas del Sur de Corea hacen todos esfuerzos viles por mantenerla invariablemente en esta parte quejandose como si se desencadenara ahora mismo una guerra debido al "vacio de la seguridad".
    Asi senalo el portavoz del Comite por la Reunificacion Pacifica de la Patria (CRPP) en su declaracion publicada el dia 25 con respecto a este hecho y continuo:
    El traslado de las tropas yanquis del Sur de Corea a Irak no pasa de ser un producto de astuta artimana de EE.UU. tendente a revitalizar la "teoria de seguridad" de la epoca antigua para frustrar el movimiento antiyanqui por la independencia en el Sur de Corea, resucitar las moribundas fuerzas conservadoras ultraderechistas y terminar el plan de guerra de agresion al Norte de Corea.
    La paz y la seguridad en la Peninsula Coreana no son las tareas que deben ser preservadas no por EE.UU., sino por la nacion coreana apoyandose en la cooperacion nacional.
    Mientras que existen las tropas agresoras norteamericanas en el Sur de Corea, la aspiracion de la poblacion surcoreana a la independencia y la democracia nunca puede ser realizada ni tampoco toda la nacion coreana puede evitar la catastrofe nuclear por EE.UU.
    Ahora estamos en la epoca del 15 de junio, epoca de cooperacion nacional, y tenemos la politica poderosa de Songun (priorizacion militar), la que defiende el destino de todo el pais y toda la nacion.
    Los habitantes surcoreanos deben tener elevada conciencia de independencia nacional y levantarse con audacia en la lucha por expulsar por completo a las tropas agresoras norteamericanas del Sur de Corea.