Reunification through Great National Unity Urged

     Pyongyang, November 18 (KCNA) --To achieve the great unity of the whole nation stands out as a serious and urgent matter concerning its destiny today when the country remains divided, declares Rodong Sinmun Thursday in its signed article. Noting that national reunification is a cause of reconnecting the blood veins of the nation divided into north and south and achieving national unity, the article says:
    The reunification of the country is unthinkable apart from great national unity, which is, so to speak, the reunification of the country.
    The struggle for the great unity of the nation has entered a new higher stage in the June 15 era of reunification which is the first to be unfolded in the history of division. "By our nation itself," the main idea of the historic June 15 joint declaration, is the idea of national sovereignty and, at the same time, the idea of great national unity. It expounds the idea of achieving independent reunification through reconciliation and close unity of the Korean nation, the master of national reunification, rejecting foreign forces.
    Under the banner of "By our nation itself", the Korean nation is confidently carrying on the struggle for great unity without vacillation and frustration in face of internal and external challenges and ordeals of every description. All these are a brilliant fruition of the great idea of the great national unity.
    Under the wise leadership of leader Kim Jong Il, the historic Pyongyang meeting, the first of its kind in the history of national division, was realized and the June 15 joint declaration adopted. This opened a new era of independent national reunification in which the reconciliation and unity of the nation are becoming a living reality at a new higher stage under the banner of "By our nation itself."
    The fellow countrymen of Korea are overflowing with the conviction and optimism that independent reunification is sure to be achieved by the great unity of the whole nation, for they have the great idea and line of the great national unity and hold in high esteem the brilliant commander of the Songun revolution at the head of the nation.

S. Korean Railway Workers Call General Strike

     Pyongyang, November 18 (KCNA) -- The Railway Workers' Union of south Korea held a rally with an attendance of over 5,000 members on Nov. 14, calling a general strike, etc., according to south Korea's KBS. The rally was called when a special collective bargaining ran into a blind alley over the pending issue related to projects of the Railroad Administration for next year. At the rally, the union decided to stage all-out struggles including a general strike.

GNP's Desperate Moves to Keep NSL in Force under Fire

     Pyongyang, November 18 (KCNA) -- The ultra-right conservative forces including the Grand National Party of south Korea have turned the National Assembly into a platform of scramble between the ruling and opposition parties and a centre for fanning up confrontation with the north. The anti-reform moves of the ultra-right conservatives have placed the elementary democracy won by the south Koreans at the cost of blood in the danger of being trampled down upon. Rodong Sinmun Thursday says this in a signed commentary. This is clearly evidenced by the fact that the issue of abolishing the "National Security Law," a unanimous demand of the south Koreans from all walks of life, has failed to find a solution due to their desperate moves, the commentary says, and goes on:
    Their desperate opposition to the repeal of the NSL is an intolerable mockery of the destiny and future of the south Koreans.
    All the south Koreans except a few ultra-right conservatives within the GNP who support the U.S. in its acts against national reunification are falling victim to the draconic NSL. This clearly proves that the NSL is a leftover of the old times which should have already been eradicated and that if this law is allowed to remain in force the north-south confrontation will further deteriorate to spark nothing but a war.
    It goes without saying that neither dialogue nor national cooperation nor the independent reunification of the country is possible with the NSL remaining in force as it designates the north as an "anti-state organization" and the northerners an "enemy".
    The south Korean ultra-right conservatives' desperate efforts to keep the NSL in force are aimed to justify their fascist suppression and their moves to escalate the confrontation with the north.
    The patriotic-minded people in south Korea should go united to completely deter the GNP from desperately working to bring back the old era of confrontation.

Art Show of Mansudae Art Studio Opens

     Pyongyang, November 18 (KCNA) -- An art show of the Mansudae Art Studio opened at the Kimilsungia-Kimjongilia Exhibition on Nov. 17. On display are art works showing the undying revolutionary feats of the three generals of Mt. Paektu and their noble traits and more than 400 pieces of excellent art works including Korean paintings, oils, graphic paintings, sculptures, Korean jewel paintings, and crafts and embroideries. Among them are the Korean paintings "Tracing Memories" and "Light of the Paradise," the oil "The Dawn of Mupho" and the acrylic painting "Defending the Safety of the General" which depict the immortal revolutionary exploits of the peerlessly great men brilliantly recorded in the annuals of the Korean revolution.
    Also exhibited at the show are the acrylic painting "The First Footprints of Songun Leadership", the Korean painting "With Paternal Affection", the oil "Greeting Tree Planting Day among Soldiers" and other paintings successfully depicting the great traits of leader Kim Jong Il who makes the endless long journey of Songun.
    Also drawing the attention of the visitors are Korean paintings showing the eight beauty spots of Songun including "Sunrise on Mt. Paektu", the oil "Young Scientists", the sculpture "Enrollment in the Army" and other works representing the purpose and emotion of the people in the Songun era.

Korean Food Served in Pyongyang Restaurants

     Pyongyang, November 18 (KCNA) -- Restaurant serving Korean food has appeared in each district of Pyongyang, the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Kim Ki Myong, a section chief of the Public Catering Management Department of the Pyongyang City People's Committee, told KCNA that the department, after consultation with officials concerned, standardized the cooking methods of traditional dishes inherent in the Pyongyang area and chose kinds of folk dishes for each restaurant according to its actual condition.
    The Pothonggang Restaurant on the picturesque bank of the River Pothong serves boiled rice and soup, rice-cake, noodle and pancake, Tangogi soup, green gram pancake and mullet soup famous in Pyongyang.
    It is crowded with many people including old men and women and children.
    Some people come to the restaurant with their families and enjoy the Korean food.
    The section chief added that his department will direct efforts to developing more traditional dishes inherent in Pyongyang.

Songun Politics to Be Continued in DPRK

     Pyongyang, November 18 (KCNA) -- It is the unshakable will of leader Kim Jong Il to defend and accomplish the Korean revolution, started with arms, relying on the armed forces. True to the behests of President Kim Il Sung, he carried forward the leadership based on Songun politics with an inspection of an army unit ten years ago.
    When the Korean people were overwhelmed by grief after the President passed away, Kim Jong Il issued an order of the supreme commander of the Korean People's Army on building Chongryu Bridge (second stage) and Kumnung Tunnel No. 2, the first order to implement the President's behests. When inspecting the construction site of the Nyongwon Power Station, he told officials that the behests of the President should be implemented without fail.
    He has continued his Songun-based leadership, saying that he should go anywhere, if it is for the implementation of the President's behests, and that doing so is his unswerving will and invariable creed as he took over the chairmanship of the National Defence Commission of the DPRK and the supreme commandership from the President.
    Through his uninterrupted inspection of army units he has strengthened the army to be a strong revolutionary army defending the leader at the cost of their lives and an invincible army no enemy can match.
    Signal successes have been registered in science and the economy, too.
    Typical of them are the launch of artificial satellite Kwangmyongsong No.1, completion of Juche-oriented iron-making methods, successful cloning, construction of the Anbyon Youth Power Station, Youth Hero Highway and Pyongyang-Hyangsan Tourist Motorway, modern chicken farms and fish farms and standardization of co-op fields.

Gift to Kim Jong Il from Chinese Delegation

     Pyongyang, November 18 (KCNA) -- Leader Kim Jong Il was presented with a gift by a delegation of the China Association for International Friendly Contact on a visit to the DPRK. It was handed to an official concerned by head of the delegation Xing Yunming, vice-president of the China Association for International Friendly Contact.

Paek Nam Sun Meets New Cuban Ambassador

     Pyongyang, November 18 (KCNA) -- Foreign Minister of the DPRK Paek Nam Sun met and conversed with new Cuban Ambassador e. p. to the DPRK Ruben Perez Valdes who paid a courtesy call on him Thursday. On hand were an official concerned of the DPRK and the political councilor of the Cuban embassy here.

Kim Yong Nam Meets UNGA President

     Pyongyang, November 18 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, met and had a friendly conversation with President of the UN General Assembly Jean Ping, minister of State and concurrently minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Francophone of Gabon, and his party at the Mansudae Assembly Hall Thursday. On hand were Choe Su Hon, vice-minister of Foreign Affairs, and officials concerned.

Yang Hyong Sop Meets Chinese Delegation

     Pyongyang, November 18 (KCNA) -- Yang Hyong Sop, vice-president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, met and had a friendly conversation with a delegation headed by Xing Yunming, vice-president of the China Association for International Friendly Contact, at the Mansudae Assembly Hall Thursday. The head of the delegation said the Chinese people deeply revere President Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il. While staying in Korea, we were deeply impressed to see the successes achieved by the Korean people in socialist construction, he noted, and continued:
    The friendly ties between the two countries provided by Kim Il Sung and revolutionaries of the elder generation of China are daily growing stronger under the deep care of General Secretary Hu Jintao and General Secretary Kim Jong Il.
    On hand were Jon Yong Jin, vice-chairman of the Central Committee of the Korea-China Friendship Association who is also vice-chairman of the Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries, and Guan Huabing, charge d' affaires ad interim of the Chinese embassy here.

Friendly Meeting Held with Delegation of TVE International

     Pyongyang, November 18 (KCNA) -- A friendly meeting with members of a delegation of the Television Trust for the Environment (TVE International) was held at the Taedonggang Club for the Diplomatic Corps Thursday. Its participants talked to one another about the successes and experience gained by the DPRK in the field of environmental protection and its importance and watched an art performance given by students of Pyongyang Ryulgok Middle School, deepening the friendship.
    Present there on invitation were members of the delegation of the TVE International headed by Jane Goodall, director of the Jane Goodall Institute.

For Spanish-speaking people

Grandioso y largo camino del Songun

     Pyongyang, 18 de noviembre (ATCC) -- Defender y coronar la revolucion coreana apoyandose en las fuerzas armadas devienen la conviccion, voluntad y temperamento del Dirigente Kim Jong Il. Durante los 10 anos pasados, a fin de materializar el legado del Presidente Kim Il Sung, el Dirigente no daba treguas a sus pasos en el largo camino del Songun (priorizacion militar), iniciado en el Puesto de Pinos.
    El pueblo coreano echa una vista retrospectiva a la trayectoria decenal del Songun del Dirigente quien no vacilo en inspeccionar el escarpado puerto Chol, Phanmunjom en la primera linea del frente, la provincia de Jagang en medio de picantes nevascas (su recorrido aqui se calcula en mas de 2 mil 400 kilometros), la isla Cho cortando las oleadas violentas, el monte Osong escalando por su rocoso desfiladero, la provincia de Phyong-an del Norte bajo un frio penetrante, etc.
    Cuando todo el pais estaba enlutado por el fallecimiento del Presidente Kim Il Sung, el Dirigente emitio una orden del Comandante Supremo del Ejercito Popular de Corea -la primera para materializar el legado del Presidente- de construir el puente Chongryu (segunda etapa) y el tunel Kumrung No.2. Seguidamente, con el mismo proposito visito el campo de construccion de la central hidroelectrica de Nyongwon.
    Para materializar satisfactoriamente el legado del Presidente, ire a cualesquier lugares mas arrinconados y peligrosos que fueran. Esto es la firme voluntad y el credo invariable del Dirigente a quien fueron traspasados del Presidente los importantes cargos: el presidente del Comite de Defensa Nacional de la Republica Popular Democratica de Corea y el Comandante Supremo del EPC.
    Escalo mas de 10 veces por el escarpadisimo puerto Chol e inspecciono sin recesos las montanas y trincheras en la primera linea del frente, inclusive el monte Osong. Gracias a estos anales de su direccion sobre el terreno, el EPC crecio como acerrimas e invencibles filas revolucionarias del monte Paektu dispuestas a defender al lider a costa de la vida, a quienes hasta los mas poderosos rivales no se atreven a tocar.
    Entretanto, en la tierra patria se registraron sorprendentes avances economicos, entre otros, la entrada exitosa del primer satelite artificial "Kwangmyongsong No.1" en su orbita espacial, la invencion del nuevo y autoctono metodo de fundicion de hierro, la clonacion en la rama cientifica, la construccion de la Planta Hidroelectrica Juventud de Anbyon, la carretera "Chongnyonyongung", la autopista turistica Pyongyang-Hyangsan y el ordenamiento estandarizado de tierras arables como el territorio digno del Estado socialista. A estos logros, se suma la edificacion de modernas granjas gallineras y criaderos de peces.
    Hasta hoy, el Dirigente esta tambien en el camino del Songun.

Pyongyang: nuevos restaurantes especializados de plato nacional

     Pyongyang, 18 de noviembre (ATCC) -- En todos los municipios de esta capital se abrieron nuevos restaurantes especializados de comidas nacionales, que dan la alegria a los capitalinos. El jefe de seccion de la Direccion de Servicios Gastronomicos (DSG) del Comite Popular de la ciudad de Pyongyang, Kim Ki Myong, dijo a un reportero de la Agencia Telegrafica Central de Corea que la DSG estandarizo en colaboracion con los funcionarios de la rama correspondiente los metodos de preparacion de los platos especiales regionales de esta capital y fijo el menu de comidas a servirse en cada uno de los restaurantes especializados.
    Guiado por Kim el reportero visito el restaurante de comidas nacionales Pothonggang situado a la orilla del pintoresco rio homonimo.
    Alli se veia una pila de ancianos y jovenes sentados a la mesa de platos servidos y llamaba la atencion una tabla de anuncios sobre el arroz cocido, tok (pastel de harina de arroz), fideo, tortilla y otras comidas principales y diversos platos.
    Entre ellos, figuraban matrimonios de ancianos impotentes de ocultar su satisfaccion por comidas calientes servidas, unas familias contentas con fideos en el platel, unos ninos comiendo con buen apetito tortillas de lenteja verde freidas y jovenes haciendo inutiles esfuerzos por enfriar con sus alientos la sopa de mugil, plato tipico de Pyongyang.
    Al ser entrevistadas por el reportero, todas las personas que terminaron su almuerzo exquisito dijeron unanimemente que los platos nacionales son mejores tanto en su apariencia como en su sabor y contribuyen a la salud.
    El guia (el jefe de la seccion de la DSG) expreso su decision de dar mayor impulso al descubrimiento de comidas tipicas de la region de Pyongyang para dar alegrias mas grandes a los ciudadanos.

Inaugurada exposicion de bellas artes

     Pyongyang, 18 de noviembre (ATCC) -- La exhibicion de bellas artes de la Casa de Creacion de Mansudae quedo inaugurada el dia 17 en la Exposicion Permanente de Kimilsungia y Kimjongilia. Estan exhibidas mas de 400 obras sobresalientes, entre otras, los dibujos que describen las imperecederas hazanas revolucionarias y nobles rasgos de los tres generales del monte Paektu, las pinturas al estilo coreano y al oleo, dibujos editoriales, esculturas, posokhwa (pintura con polvos de piedras preciosas), productos artesanales y bordados.
    Entre las obras exhibidas figuran las pinturas al estilo coreano "Reviviendo los recuerdos del pasado" y "Luces de Rakwon", la al oleo "Madrugada temprana de Mupho", la acrilica "Para defender al General", etc. que demuestran las imperecederas hazanas revolucionarias de los grandes hombres simpares quienes dejaron brillantes huellas en los anales de la Revolucion Coreana.
    Tambien, estan exhibidos la pintura acrilica "La primera huella de la direccion del Songun (priorizacion militar)", el dibujo al estilo coreano "Con afecto paternal", la al oleo "Festejando el Dia de Forestacion junto con los soldados", etc. que describen magnificamente grandes rasgos del Dirigente, quien se halla siempre en el camino del Songun.
    Ademas, se ven la pintura al estilo coreano "Salida del sol del monte Paektu" y otras que describen los ocho paisajes maravillosos de la epoca del Songun, la al oleo "Los cientificos jovenes", la escultura "El alistamiento en el Ejercito Popular" y otras obras que reflejan la aspiracion y sentimiento del pueblo coreano en la epoca del Songun.

Hay que lograr reunificacion de patria con gran unidad nacional

     Pyongyang, 18 de noviembre (ATCC) -- El logro de la gran unidad nacional es un importante y apremiante problema relacionado con el destino de la nacion coreana. La reunificacion de la patria es una obra para reunir el vaso sanguineo de la nacion separada en dos partes y lograr la unidad de esta. Asi senala el diario Rodong Sinmun en un articulo individual del dia 18 y continua:
    Sin lograr la gran unidad nacional no se puede pensar en la reunificacion del pais. Por eso, se puede decir que la gran unidad nacional es precisamente la reunificacion de la patria.
    En la epoca de reunificacion del 15 de junio advenida por primera vez en la historia de la division nacional la lucha por lograr la gran unidad nacional se promueve en una nueva etapa mas alta.
    El espiritu fundamental de la historica Declaracion Conjunta del 15 de Junio "Con las fuerzas propias de nuestra nacion" deviene un ideal tanto de la independencia nacional como de la gran unidad nacional. Esta bandera contiene la idea de rechazar a las fuerzas extranjeras y lograr la reunificacion independiente de la patria mediante la reconciliacion y la unidad compacta de los coreanos que son duenos y encargados de esta empresa suprema nacional.
    Nuestra nacion libra con seguridad la lucha por lograr la gran unidad bajo la bandera de "Con las fuerzas propias de nuestra nacion" sin conocer vacilacion ni reveses aun ante toda indole de retos y pruebas de dentro y fuera del pais. Todo esto es un brillante fruto dado por la idea de la gran unidad nacional.
    Bajo la clarividente orientacion del Dirigente Kim Jong Il fue preparado por primera vez en la historia de la division nacional el historico encuentro de Pyongyang entre los maximos dirigentes de ambas partes y aprobada la Declaracion Conjunta del 15 de Junio, con lo cual se ha advenido una nueva etapa de reunificacion independiente de la patria en que se realizan en una nueva etapa alta la reconciliacion y la unidad nacionales bajo la consigna de "Con las fuerzas propias de nuestra nacion".
    Los coreanos tienen el optimismo y la firme conviccion de lograr sin falta la reunificacion independiente de la patria con la gran unidad nacional gracias a contar con la idea y la linea de la gran unidad nacional y a enaltecer al Dirigente Kim Jong Il, insigne general del Songun (priorizacion militar) en el cargo supremo de la nacion.