Floral Basket to DPRK Embassy in Damascus

     Pyongyang, September 16 (KCNA) -- Muhammad Nazi Otri, prime minister of the Syrian Arab Republic, sent a floral basket to the DPRK embassy in Damascus on the occasion of the 56th birthday of the DPRK.

Anti-U.S. Struggle Called for in S. Korea

     Pyongyang, September 16 (KCNA) -- The Reunification Solidarity and other civic and public organizations of south Korea reportedly held a rally to review the struggle against the U.S. troops' occupation in Seoul on September 11. The organizations held a rally for proclaiming national independence in Inchon on September 8, 59 years after the U.S. troops' occupation of south Korea, and declared a period of the struggle against the U.S. troops' occupation from September 8 to 11.
    At the rally Permanent Representative of the Reunification Solidarity Han Sang Ryol and other speakers recalled that they opened an exhibition "Let's pave the way for national independence through anti-U.S. actions" in the period and condemned the U.S. troops' massacre of civilians and their other crimes and the U.S. war of aggression in Iraq.
    They pointed out that they could not stop the anti-U.S. struggle under the tense situation where more than 10 F-117 Stealth fighter-bombers of the U.S. Air Force are busy with madcap exercise aimed to familiarize themselves with the terrain conditions of the Korean peninsula and Aegis destroyers have been deployed in the East Sea of Korea on a permanent basis.
    They called upon all the people to harden their will for struggle and continue their dynamic actions against U.S. imperialism.

Mass Gymnastic Display "Pyongyang Sings" Performed

     Pyongyang, September 16 (KCNA) -- The mass gymnastic display "Pyongyang Sings" was performed by students of the Youth and Student Sports Schools under the Mass Gymnastic Production Unit at the Taekwon-do Hall Wednesday upon the successful opening of the 1st International Martial Art Games. The mass gymnastic display consists of scenes "How Is He?" "Song of Three Prides," "Thunder on Jong Il Peak," "Let Us Build Impregnable Land" and "For Independence, Peace and Friendship" and so forth.
    The gymnastic display was presented at a time when the worldwide concern is focused on the international martial art games, the first of its kind in history. It deeply impressed the audience for its high ideological value and artistic merit, powerful and nimble movements of the performers and its well-knit ensemble.
    It was appreciated by Pak Pong Ju, premier of the DPRK Cabinet, Jang Ung, president of the International Taekwon-do Federation who is chairman of the International Martial Art Games Committee, Mun Jae Dok, chairman of the Physical Culture and Sports Guidance Commission, Hwang Pong Yong, chairman of the Korean Martial Art Federation who is chairman of the Korean Taekwon-do Committee, Jon Ho Hyon, vice-chairman of the Pyongyang City People's Committee, Jong Jae Hun, secretary general of the International Martial Art Games Committee who is chairman of the organizing committee of the 1st International Martial Art Games, officials concerned, working people in the city and sports fans.
    The audience also included teams and delegates participating in the games, guests of honor, foreign diplomatic envoys and embassy officials, foreign visitors and overseas Koreans.

National Seminar Held in India

     Pyongyang, September 16 (KCNA) -- An Indian national seminar on the might of unity and the perfect unity of the leader, the party and the popular masses was held in New Delhi on Sept. 4 on the occasion of the 56th founding anniversary of the DPRK. Vishwanath, secretary general of the International Kim Il Sung Prize Council and director general of the International Institute of the Juche Idea, in a report referred to the need to achieve unity in the revolutionary struggle and construction, saying that the progressive countries of the world should build up strong military deterrent force in the struggle against the U.S. imperialists, the ringleader of modern imperialism and the most vicious aggression force dampening the desire and will of the people for independence.
    He went on to say:
    The DPRK has developed into a powerful country with the most solid socio-political foundation thanks to the Songun policy pursued by leader Kim Jong Il. This foundation represents the perfect unity of the leader, the party and the popular masses and a harmonious whole of the leader, the army and the people.
    An important requirement of the Songun policy is to remarkably strengthen the socio-political forces of the country with the People's Army as the core and main force and achieve a harmonious whole of the army and the people.
    This serves as a source of the invincible might of the socialist system in the DPRK.
    K. S. Rao, member of the Indian parliament, made a congratulatory speech which was followed by speeches by the honorary president of the World Peace Council, the chairman of the Indian Society for the Study of Works of Kim Jong Il, the chairman of the Indian Youth Group for the Study of Works of Comrade Kim Il Sung and other figures.
    A message of greetings to Kim Jong Il was adopted at the seminar.
    The message said that the Korean people have frustrated every move of the allied forces of the West to isolate and stifle the DPRK and achieved proud victories in the struggle to protect socialism thanks to the perfect unity of the leader, the party and the masses and its strong national defence capability.

Wax Statues of Tangun and Madam Displayed

     Pyongyang, September 16 (KCNA) -- Wax statues of Tangun and madam have newly been displayed at the Korean Folklore Museum. Tangun is the father of the Korean nation and the founder of Kojoson (ancient Korea), the first state in the East (early 30th century B.C.-108 B.C.)
    The wax statues were created by the Mansudae Art Studio on the basis of their portraits.
    The heights of the statues are 190 cm and 172 cm respectively.
    They are clad in folk silk dresses.
    The display enables the visitors to see the figures of Tangun and madam who had long been considered to be a myth, and get a good understanding of the fine tradition of national costume belonging to the ancient Korea.

Korean People's Customs in September

     Pyongyang, September 16 (KCNA) -- There are many kinds of seasonal customs in Korea with a long history and brilliant culture. In September, too, the Korean people enjoy a traditional holiday, food, games and amusements illustrative of the nation's wisdom, intelligence and customs.
    Hangawi (August 15th of the lunar calendar) is one of the Korean people's big folk holidays.
    Hangawi means a festival in autumn when grains are ripe.
    According to historical records, the holiday was called Kabaenal in the period of the three kingdoms (Koguryo, Paekje and Silla) and the people had a custom of visiting their ancestors' tombs.
    Koreans prepare food with new crops of cereals and visit their ancestors' tombs with family members to trim them and hold memorial services. They also enjoy the view of moon, reciting poems and singing songs reflecting their desire.
    Typical of the folk dishes they like to eat in September is rice cakes steamed on a laver of pine needles.
    The Korean people's diligence and optimistic life are mirrored in their folk games and amusements.

Message of Sympathy to Grenadian Prime Minister

     Pyongyang, September 16 (KCNA) -- Pak Pong Ju, premier of the DPRK Cabinet, sent a message of sympathy to Keith Mitchell, prime minister of Grenada, with regard to the strong hurricane that hit the Caribbean region, claiming heavy human and materials loss in Grenada. The message sincerely hoped that the Grenadian government and people would remove the aftermath of the natural disaster in a short time.

Message of Sympathy to Jamaican Prime Minister

     Pyongyang, September 16 (KCNA) -- Pak Pong Ju, premier of the DPRK Cabinet, sent a message of sympathy to P. J. Patterson, prime minister of Jamaica, with regard to the strong hurricane that hit the Caribbean region, claiming heavy human and materials loss in Jamaica. The message sincerely hoped that the Jamaican government would remove the aftermath of the natural disaster and stabilize the life of the people in a short time.

Gift to Kim Jong Il from Russian Army Ensemble

     Pyongyang, September 16 (KCNA) -- Leader Kim Jong Il received a gift from the visiting Russian Army Academic Song and Dance Ensemble Named after Alexandrov. The gift was handed to an official concerned by N. V. Burbyga, deputy director of the Education General Bureau of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation who is head of the ensemble.

Criminal Nature of "U.N. Command" Exposed

     Pyongyang, September 16 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the Panmunjom Mission of the Korean People's Army today issued a statement assailing the unreasonable assertion of the United States about the "U.N. forces" and the "U.N. Command" in south Korea. The statement said:
    As already reported, in July the chief of the KPA Panmunjom Mission sent a letter to the U.N. Secretary General as regards the grave danger of war created on the Korean peninsula owing to the U.S. hostile policy toward the DPRK and its arms build-up in south Korea under the signboard of the "United Nations".
    The letter was officially distributed as an official document S/2004/592 of the U.N. Security Council. A spokesman for the UN Headquarters, referring to the letter on July 27, made clear its official stand that the U.S. forces in south Korea are not "U.N. forces" but the "U.S.-led allied forces".
    Considering that the U.N. frank clarification of its stand on the "U.N. forces" and the "U.N. Command" in south Korea has legal validity, we take this opportunity to disclose before the world people once again the criminal nature of the "U.N. Command" illegally fabricated by the U.S., deceiving the world.
    By clarifying its stand on the "U.N. forces" the spokesman for the U.N. Headquarters confirmed the truth that the "U.N. forces" as claimed by the U.S. till now are not the forces created and dispatched by the U.N. but troops of 15 satellite nations the U.S. put under its command after hurling them into the Korean war and exposed the absurdity of the U.S. assertion about the "U.N. forces" and the "U.N. Command.".
    The U.N. had never dispatched even a squad of "U.N. forces" to the Korean war.
    During the three-year Korean war the U.N. was not involved in providing forces and financial aid, to say nothing of operation command. Commanders of the U.S. forces including MacArthur, Ridgway and Clark who also commanded the troops of the satellite nations never reported to the U.N. in the entire period of carrying out operations in Korea and admitted that they had nothing to do with the U.N.
    The UN secretary general clarified in December 1998 that the UN had never permitted any country to let the U.S. forces present in south Korea go with the name of UN.
    It is a well known fact that the U.S. and its satellite forces that had participated in the Korean war were commanded by the U.S. Defence Department and the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff.
    There remains in south Korea not a single soldier of satellite countries.
    It is only U.S. forces that still stay there despite opposition of all Koreans.
    It is ridiculous and brazen-faced window-dressing for the U.S. to allow its forces in south Korea to go under the helmet of the U.N. forces and maintain the "U.N. Command" which exists in name only.
    The U.S. has worked hard to perpetuate the presence of the above-said forces and maintain the above-mentioned command, lost to all sense of shame, though more than 50 years have passed since the ceasefire. Its ulterior motive is to convince the world public that the belligerent relations between the DPRK and the U.S. are those between the U.N. and the DPRK in a bid to intensify the false propaganda that the DPRK is ostracized and isolated internationally. It is a sinister and crafty calculation of the U.S. that in case the U.S. preemptive attack on the DPRK brings the truce in Korea to collapse and sparks a new war this development will automatically compel the U.N. to intervene in it. This cannot but be the world's most wicked political chicanery.
    The Korean People's Army side will no longer overlook the U.S. act of abusing the inviolable name of the U.N. in a bid to attain its sinister aim to invade the DPRK. It will not sit at the negotiating table with the U.S. forces as long as they go under the helmet of the "U.N. forces."
    The U.S. should face up to the reality, dismantle the "U.N. Command" as unanimously demanded by the U.N. and the international community and true to the resolution adopted by the U.N. General Assembly and take a measure to pull back its forces from south Korea at the earliest possible date, the forces that have committed the whole gamut of crimes going under the U.N. helmet.

Greetings to Mexican Secretary of Foreign Affairs

     Pyongyang, September 16 (KCNA) -- Paek Nam Sun, minister of Foreign Affairs, sent a message of greetings to Luis Ernesto Derbez Bautista, secretary of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, on the occasion of the independence day of Mexico. The message expressed the belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would develop on better terms.

Credentials to Kim Yong Nam from Greek Ambassador

     Pyongyang, September 16 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, received credentials from Constantin Drakakis, Greek ambassador e. p. to the DPRK, at the Mansudae Assembly Hall on Sept. 15. On hand was Kung Sok Ung, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs.
    After receiving the credentials, the president had a conversation with the ambassador.

DPRK FM. Spokesman on British Foreign Office Delegation's DPRK Visit

     Pyongyang, September 16 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the DPRK Foreign Ministry gave the following answer to a question put by KCNA today as regards the DPRK visit of the delegation of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: The delegation led by Bill Rammell, deputy secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, visited the DPRK from September 11 to 14 at the invitation of the DPRK Foreign Ministry. During its stay the delegation had contacts and meetings with the DPRK side at various levels at which they had an in-depth exchange of views on the issue of bilateral relations, the nuclear issue, the human rights issue and other issues of mutual concern.
    There surfaced some differences at the talks but both sides had an exhaustive discussion on the issues taken up and reached certain understanding.
    The British side admitted that there was some reason in the DPRK's stand on the nuclear issue, the human rights issue, etc.
    Concerning the six-party talks the DPRK side said that its stand is to consistently pursue the talks but the U.S. evermore undisguised hostile policy toward the DPRK and the recent disclosure of a series of secret nuclear experiments in south Korea, in particular, have thrown great hurdles in their way. It, therefore, clarified its stand that it can never sit at the table to negotiate its nuclear weapon program unless truth about the secret nuclear experiments in south Korea is fully probed.
    As regards the rumor that the DPRK links the settlement of the nuclear issue to the presidential election in the U.S., the DPRK side clarified the stand that it does not care who becomes U.S. president and that it considers the U.S. policy towards the DPRK as the only yardstick.
    In other words, whoever is willing to renounce the hostile policy towards the DPRK and coexist with it can surely seek a negotiated solution to the nuclear issue.
    Though there were differences between the two sides, the recent DPRK visit of the British foreign office delegation could be described on the whole as a very fruitful and successful one.
    Both sides agreed to continue dialogue and cooperation.
    However, what the delegation said about the results of the visit upon its return home makes us feel that it was not honest.
    . Moreover, it is very strange that the delegation has uttered no word about south Korea's secret nuclear experiments, a focus of world attention.
    Perhaps, it did so as this is a matter related to an "ally" of the United States.
    Whatever the reason, it is by no means normal for Britain to turn aside from the clandestine experiments, which created quite a stir worldwide, as it is so interested in the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.
    There was another matter clarified. During the British delegation's stay in the DPRK, some media spread a false report that the recent big blasting in a power station construction site in the northern part of the DPRK was an "explosion accident" and a "nuclear test". In this connection, the British side hoped that an on-field inspection of the site would be arranged for the diplomatic corps here, and the DPRK side met this request with pleasure out of good faith.

For Spanish-speaking people

Kim Jong Il recibe presente de conjunto artistico de Rusia

     Pyongyang, 16 de septiembre (ATCC) -- El Dirigente Kim Jong Il recibio presente que le dirigiera el Conjunto Artistico Academico Alexandrov del Ejercito Ruso de visita en Corea. El subdirector del Departamento General de Educacion de las Fuerzas Armadas de la Federacion Rusa, N.V. Burbyga, quien es el guia general de dicho Conjunto, lo entrego a un funcionario coreano.

Simposio sobre obra de Kim Jong Il

     Pyongyang, 16 de septiembre (ATCC) -- Tuvo lugar el dia 15 en el Palacio de Estudio del Pueblo un simposio cientifico de la rama historica por el 40 aniversario de la publicacion de la imperecedera obra clasica del Dirigente Kim Jong Il "Para intensificar la direccion partidista sobre la conservacion de vestigios y reliquias historicos" Estuvieron presentes el presidente de la Academia de Ciencias Sociales Thae Hyong Chol, el rector de la Universidad Kim Il Sung Song Ja Rip, el titular de la Direccion de Conservacion de la Cultura Kim Sok Hwan, funcionarios de sectores de la historia, la conservacion de la cultura, prensa e informacion, asi como profesores e investigadores de institutos superiores.
    En la ocasion se dieron a la publicidad varios articulos monograficos, entre otros, "La imperecedera obra clasica del Dirigente Kim Jong Il es una guia programatica que dilucida la direccion y medios para el estudio y conservacion de vestigios y reliquias historicos", "El trasfondo del historico traslado de la capital de Coguryo a Pyongyang y el desarrollo cultural de Coguryo visto a traves de los vestigios historicos de la region del monte Taesong", "Las caracteristicas del palacio real de Anhak", etc., aparte de 18 ponencias escritas.
    El doctor Son Su Ho, jefe de instituto de la Academia de Ciencias Sociales, dijo que el Dirigente dio en su obra la respuesta global a todos los problemas que se presentaban en la materializacion de la politica del partido en materia de la conservacion del patrimonio cultural de la nacion, entre otros, el de la definicion de la importancia y la significacion del descubrimiento y estudio de vestigios y reliquias historicos, el de intensificar la busqueda de estos y de realizar su rehabilitacion segun el principio del espiritu partidista, de la clase obrera y del pueblo.
    Le siguio en usar la palabra, el titular de la Empresa de Administracion de Vestigios Culturales del monte Taesong, Ri Chang Bok, quien senalo que el Presidente Kim Il Sung tomo la iniciativa de investigar y descubrir los vestigios historicos de la region del monte Taesong, preparo un nuevo terreno para el estudio de la historia de Coguryo y asi sento solidas bases para desarrollar a un nivel mas alto la conservacion de la cultura.
    A su vez, el doctor y candidato al profesor titular Nam Il Ryong, jefe de catedra de la Universidad Kim Il Sung se refirio a que el Dirigente Kim Jong Il aclaro de manera cientifica el caracter de los vestigios historicos de la region del monte Taesong a base del profundo analisis sobre estos y lo dirigio concretamente para que se realice de manera minuciosa y cientifica la labor del hallazgo de las reliquias en esta zona, reflejos de la historia y la cultura del poderoso Coguryo.
    El candidato al doctor Kim Tok Song, jefe de catedra del Instituto Superior Pedagogico Kim Hyong Jik, al explicar a base de hechos reales el motivo historico del traslado de la capital de Coguryo a Pyongyang (en el 427 n.e.), cito que seguir tomando por la capital a Kuknaesong, perjudicaba en gran medida al fortalecimiento a un nivel mas alto del poderio estatal y a la integracion territorial que devenia la entonces politica clave del pais a diferencia de que en la region Noroeste del pais reinaba una situacion de alivio de tension y estabilidad, en particular, Pyongyang se habia convertido en una gran ciudad con la economia y cultura muy desarrolladas, condiciones indispensables para una ciudad capital.
    El candidato al doctor Ri Jong Nam, investigador de la Empresa de Administracion de los Vestigios Culturales del monte Taesong dijo que el palacio real de Anhak era el del imperial Estado Coguryo, o sea, el "palacio para el emperador" y continuo que ya hace mucho tiempo, el circulo cientifico de Corea probo que el maximo gobernante de Coguryo ocupaba la jerarquia de emperador.
    El investigador del Instituto Superior de la Construccion y Materiales de Construccion de Pyongyang, Im Song Thae, dio explicaciones acerca de que el castillo de gran dimension en el monte Taesong que demuestra fielmente las caracteristicas arquitectonicas de las excelentes fortalezas montanosas de Coguryo fue construido aprovechando buenas condiciones topograficas y dando pruebas del muy alto nivel tecnologico de construccion.

Pak Pong Ju envia telegrama de consuelo a su homologo granadiense

     Pyongyang, 16 de septiembre (ATCC) -- El primer ministro del Consejo de Ministros de la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea, Pak Pong Ju, envoi un telegrama de consuelo a su homologo granadiense, Keith Mitchell, en relacion con que recientemente Granada sufrio grandes danos humanos y materials por un fuerte huracan pasado en la region del Caribe. El remitente desea de todo corazon al destinatario que el gobierno y el pueblo de Granada resarzan lo mas pronto posible las consecuencias de la calamidad natural.