Functions Held Abroad on Occasion of Day of Sun

     Pyongyang, March 25 (KCNA) -- A lecture, round-table talk and reading sessions were held by the Group for the Study of Kim Jong Il Juche Idea of Democratic Congo, the Group for the Study of the Juche Idea of University of Kinshasa and the Democratic Congo-Korea Friendship and Solidarity Association from March 16 to 18 on the occasion of the Day of the Sun, President Kim Il Sung's birthday. Displayed in the venues of the functions were photographs showing foreigners praising the revolutionary exploits of Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il.
    Kanga Ngerien Jerom, chairman of the Group for the Study of Kim Jong Il Juche Idea of Democratic Congo, said in his lecture entitled "The august name of President Kim Il Sung is shining forever with the era of independence" that he embarked upon the road of revolution in his teens in the middle of the 1920s and founded the immortal Juche idea in the crucible of the struggle.
    At the round-table talk held by the Group for the Study of the Juche Idea of University of Kinshasa, Chairman Bele Moukeleng and members of the group referred to the revolutionary activities conducted by Kim Jong Il for scores of years and immortal exploits performed by him.
    Otete Gaston Mboyo, chairman of the friendship and solidarity association, addressing the reading session on "Short Biography of Kim Il Sung," explained his revolutionary history. And he said Mangyongdae where he was born and nurtured a noble intention for revolution is regarded by the Korean people and the world people as a holy land of the sun.
    A reading session on the article titled "Kim Il Sung, eternal President and founder of socialist Korea" was held by the Ugandan Preparatory Committee for a "meeting praising the great persons of Mt. Paektu" on March 17.

Korean People's Efforts for National Reunification Supported

     Pyongyang, March 25 (KCNA) -- Alberto Anaya Gutierrez, coordinator (leader) of the National Executive Committee of the Workers' Party of Mexico, expressed full support and solidarity for the Workers' Party and people of Korea in their struggle to achieve national reunification when meeting So Jae Myong, DPRK ambassador to Mexico, who paid a courtesy call on him on March 17. He said that their struggle to protect the sovereignty of the country and the ideology and social system chosen by them from the U.S. threat of aggression is just and will surely be crowned with victory.
    He wished the Korean people a brilliant success in their efforts to build a great prosperous powerful socialist nation this year marking the 60th anniversaries of the WPK and the liberation of Korea, under the wise leadership of General Secretary Kim Jong Il.

U.S.-S. Korea Joint Military Exercises under Fire in Nepal

     Pyongyang, March 25 (KCNA) -- The U.S.-south Korea joint military exercises that will start on Mar. 19 are nuclear war drills to invade the DPRK in their nature, scale and programs from A to Z. We strongly denounce the exercises as an outright challenge to the sincere efforts of the broad world public which sincerely hope for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. 21 Nepalese organizations including the Great Leader Comrade Kim Il Sung National Memorial Commission, Nepal, the Nepal-Korea Friendship Association, the Nepalese Committee for Supporting the Reunification of Korea, the Afro-Asian People's Solidarity Committee of Nepal and the Nepal Journalist Association said this in a joint statement on Mar. 17.
    The statement expressed full support for the DPRK's declaration that its access to nuclear weapons provides powerful deterrent for keeping the balance of forces in Northeast Asia, preventing the outbreak of a new war and preserving peace there.
    It strongly demanded the U.S. and the south Korean authorities cancel the projected military drills and urged the U.S. to withdraw its forces and all its nuclear weapons from south Korea to let the Korean people reunify their divided country independently and peacefully.
    It expressed full support and solidarity for the Korean people in their just struggle for the independent and peaceful reunification of the country and the building of a great prosperous powerful socialist nation.

Preparatory Committee of Koreans in Russia Inaugurated

     Pyongyang, March 25 (KCNA) -- A preparatory committee of the Central Association of Korean Nationals in Russia for commemorating the Day of the Sun was inaugurated on Mar. 16. At the inaugural ceremony Chairman of the Association Ju Hui Chol was elected chairman of the preparatory committee and First Vice-Chairperson of the Association Jang Sun Jong its vice-chairperson.
    The committee decided to organize colorful functions such as a commemoration meeting, a remembrance gathering, a film show, a lecture and a photo and book exhibition and release a special information bulletin.

Revolutionary Cause of Korean People Supported in Serbia and Montenegro

     Pyongyang, March 25 (KCNA) -- Tahir Hasanovic, vice-chairman of the Liberal Party of Serbia and Montenegro, Branko Kitanovic, general secretary of the New Yugoslav Communist Party, and Petar Velickovic, chairman of the Workers' Party of Yugoslavia, supported the revolutionary cause of the Korean people when they separately met DPRK Ambassador Kim Ha Dong who paid a farewell call on them on Mar. 16 and 17. Tahir Hasanovic said he would positively work for developing the political and economic relations between the two countries and boosting the ties between his party and the Workers' Party of Korea.
    Branko Kitanovic noted his party joined the world progressive forces in positively supporting the Korean people who wage a just struggle against the U.S. with nuclear deterrent. He wished the WPK fresh success in the efforts to defend the sovereignty of the country, accelerate the economic construction and improve the standard of people's living under the wise leadership of Kim Jong Il.
    Petar Velickovic expressed belief that the WPK would in the future, too, register great success in the efforts to increase the defence capability of the country, greet the 60th anniversary of the Party with brilliant achievements and build Korean-style socialism.

Diplomas of Graduation Posthumously Presented to S. Korean Schoolgirls

     Pyongyang, March 25 (KCNA) -- The 51st graduation ceremony was held Thursday at Moranbong Middle School No.1 which had registered the slain schoolgirls Sin Hyo Sun and Sim Mi Son of south Korea as honorary students in April Juche 92 (2003). 14 year-old schoolgirls Sin and Sim were killed in cold blood by an armored car of the U.S. imperialist aggression forces in south Korea involved in a war drill targeted against the north 3 years ago.
    Deputy Principal of the middle school Jon Ki Suk in her report at the graduation ceremony called on all the teachers and students to actively turn out in a sacred struggle for the country's reunification, not forgetting even a moment the indelible criminal acts committed by the U.S. imperialists, the sworn enemy of the Korean nation.
    Then diplomas of graduation were presented to Sin and Sim, honorary students of the 9th class of the 6th grade, and other graduates.
    Speakers at the graduation ceremony ardently called upon schoolmates, fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters in the north and the south to pool their efforts for a new reunified country free from aggressors, bearing deep in mind the lesson of history that as long as the U.S. forces are present in south Korea, the same tragedy as that of Sin and Sim will reoccur and the destiny of the nation will be exposed to a great threat hour by hour.

Day of Sun to be Commemorated in France

     Pyongyang, March 25 (KCNA) -- A preparatory committee for commemorating the Day of the Sun was inaugurated by the France-Korea Friendship Association on March 15. At the inaugural ceremony, the delegate president of the association was elected chairman of the preparatory committee and the secretary general of the International Liaison Committee for Reunification and Peace in Korea and the secretary general of the association vice-chairmen of the preparatory committee.
    The preparatory committee fixed a commemoration period ending on April 20 and decided to hold colorful functions such as a meeting and a photo exhibition in the period.

Stop to Anti-North War Exercises Urged

     Pyongyang, March 25 (KCNA) -- The south Korean Council of Youth Organizations on March 19 reportedly issued a statement titled "Stop at once anti-north war exercises harassing the movement for peace against war, and national cooperation." The statement said the south Korea-U.S. joint military exercises are a rehashed version of the Team Spirit joint drill targeted against the north, being a large-scale war game intended to deploy U.S. forces in south Korea from overseas bases and ensure rapid field maneuverability "in case of emergency" on the Korean Peninsula.
    The U.S. should clearly see the desire of all the people and promptly stop the war rehearsals hourly pushing the situation on the peninsula to the brink of war and the government authorities should choose to seek national cooperation, not "south Korea-U.S. alliance" thoroughly saturated with a hostile policy towards the north, urged the statement.

Joint Declaration for Peace against War Published

     Pyongyang, March 25 (KCNA) -- A press conference was reportedly held by civic and public organizations of south Korea including the South Headquarters of the National Alliance for the Country's Reunification, the Reunification Solidarity, the National People's Solidarity, the Confederation of Trade Unions, the Federation of Peasants Associations and the Women's Association against the United States in front of the U.S. military base in Ryongsan, Seoul, on March 20 at which a "joint declaration of the people in the south, the north and overseas on peace against war" was published. Speakers there condemned the United States for showing its true colors of imperialism with war exercises when the Korean nation was striving to achieve the independent reunification of the country and branded the U.S. who is increasing a war threat on the Korean Peninsula as the principal enemy of the Korean nation.
    The decision of various public organizations in the south, the north and overseas to publish a joint declaration for peace on the Korean Peninsula is one for declaring at home and abroad that the Korean nation will defuse the growing tension on the Korean Peninsula by itself and a process of further consolidating solidarity among organizations.
    Then the joint declaration was published.
    A "ceremony for declaring the anti-U.S. and anti-war struggle for 2005" was held on the same day under the co-sponsorship of the Reunification Solidarity and the National People's Solidarity of south Korea.
    The declaration read out there demanded the United States roll back its hostile policy toward the DPRK and stop the joint military exercises and redeployment of the U.S. forces in south Korea.

Korean People's Cause of Reunification Supported

     Pyongyang, March 25 (KCNA) -- The Southwest Africa People's Organization and people of Namibia will always render positive support to the Workers' Party of Korea and the Korean people in their just cause of defending the sovereignty of the country against the interference of outsiders and achieving the peaceful reunification of the country, declared President of SWAPO Sam Nujoma. He received Vice-President of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly Yang Hyong Sop heading a DPRK delegation on a visit to Namibia, who paid a courtesy call on him on March 22. He expressed hearty thanks to leader Kim Jong Il for having sent a high-level delegation to the celebrations of the 15th anniversary of the independence of Namibia and the inaugural ceremony of the new president of Namibia.
    He said he is thankful for and always remembers the moral and material support rendered by the WPK and the Korean people to the struggle of the Namibian people for national independence and the reconstruction of the country, expressing the belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would grow stronger.

Japan's Claim to Tok Islet Flayed

     Pyongyang, March 25 (KCNA) -- Kim Hwa Hyo, chairman of the Association of Korean Social Scientists in Japan, issued a statement on March 18 regarding the passage of a motion on the institution of "Takeshima (Tok Islet) Day" by the Shimane Prefectural Assembly of Japan. Denouncing in an acrimonious tone Japan's claim to Tok Islet as a crude infringement on the dignity and sovereignty of the Korean nation and an insult to the Korean people, he said:
    It is Korea that found the islet first and cultivated it from generation to generation and it is again Korea that annexed it to its territory and proclaimed its dominium over the islet at home and abroad.
    Citing historical and legal materials proving this, he continued:
    As for the "notification of Shimane Prefecture" on the annexation of the islet, which Japan is bringing forward as the ground for the claim to it, it is invalid as it was not known in those days even to the Japanese people and international community, not to speak of Korea. And a note published by the supreme command of the allied forces after the defeat of Japan confirmed that Japan's sovereignty did not reach the islet.
    What is Japan after in insisting in a far-fetched manner that Tok Islet is "an inseparable part" of it, distorting hard historical facts, and in kicking up quite a row with outcries that it will "establish its dominium over the islet"?
    The current claim to the islet following the distortion of the history of its colonial rule over Korea and refusal to settle the past is nothing but a grave provocation urged by designs to revive militarism and invade Korea.
    The Korean people will never forgive the Japanese reactionary forces which are now again seeking to invade and rule Korea, far from apologizing and compensating for the grave crimes Japan committed reducing Korea to a colony and forcing all misfortunes and pains upon it.
    Japan should stop distorting history and give up the ambition for territorial expansion and sincerely come out to totally settle its past crimes this year in which falls the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Korea, the statement urged.

Pak Pong Ju Meets Mayor of Shanghai

     Shanghai, March 24 (KCNA Correspondent) -- Pak Pong Ju, premier of the DPRK Cabinet, on an official goodwill visit to China met and had a friendly talk with Han Zheng, mayor of the Shanghai Municipal People's Government, on Mar. 24. Present there were Vice-Premier of the DPRK Cabinet Ro Tu Chol, Chairman of the State Planning Commission Kim Kwang Rin, Minister of Foreign Trade Rim Kyong Man, DPRK Ambassador to China Choe Jin Su, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Kim Hyong Jun, Vice-Minister of Agriculture Kim Hyok Jin, Vice-Minister of Chemical Industry Han Sung Jun and other suite members.
    On hand were the deputy mayor of the Shanghai Municipal People's Government, the vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the Shanghai Municipal People's Congress, the vice-chairman of the Shanghai Municipal People's Political Consultative Conference, the Chinese ambassador to the DPRK, and officials concerned.
    Han Zheng hosted a reception for Pak Pong Ju that evening.
    That day Pak Pong Ju visited different places of Shanghai including the Memorial Hall of the First Congress of the Communist Party of China.

Quality Drinking Water Provided to People in DPRK

     Pyongyang, March 25 (KCNA) -- Quality drinking water is amply supplied to the people in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea though the water issue has been raised as a serious problem in the world. The government has paid a primary attention to solving the drinking water issue.
    Efforts are being directed to building new reservoirs while finding out more sources of quality water.
    Mineral water factories have been built in different parts of the country.
    Among them is the Tongyang Spring Water Factory built in the Yangdok area of South Phyongan Province during the period of "Arduous March" and forced march.
    Along with the Tongyang spring water, the Sindok and Adalsan spring waters are popular among the people.
    There are many famous mineral waters in the DPRK including the Kangso, Okryu and Kwangmyong mineral waters. They are efficacious for treatment of various diseases. In recent years, lots of ionized and deoxidized water good for health has been produced.
    A well-arranged system for supplying purified water to the people has been established throughout the country including remote villages and islands.
    Meanwhile, the government has taken steps to prevent water from being polluted by dust storms to provide purified water to the people.

Extensive Tree-planting Campaign in DPRK

     Pyongyang, March 25 (KCNA) -- The tree-planting campaign in spring is in full swing in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. All the people from the young to the aged have turned out in the campaign with a high degree of patriotism. On the Tree-planting Day (March 2) they transplanted more than five million saplings of various good species in revolutionary sites associated with exploits of President Kim Il Sung, anti-Japanese war hero Kim Jong Suk and leader Kim Jong Il, institution compounds, mountains and fields of the country. Jagang Province has long paid attention to the cultivation of saplings to convert the mountains in the province into "treasure mountains".
    Citizens of Huichon planted over 2.6 million saplings of acacia, larch and pine nut trees cultivated in ten hectares of nurseries.
    In North and South Hwanghae Provinces, tree-planting has been conducted to suit their topographical conditions. People in Koksan County have extended the width of a 180 kilometer-long windbreak forest by 0.5 meter and planted more saplings between trees.
    Sinphyong County, which has set an example in making persimmon-apricot trees as garden ones, produced about 15,000 seedlings of the tree to be sent to different parts of the country. Each house in the rural communities of the county has more than five fruit trees.
    Ongjin County has planted over 30,000 paulownia trees for scenic beauty and each family has made one hectare of firewood forest.
    The tree-planting campaign is being conducted in South Hamgyong, Kwangwon, South Phyongan and other Provinces, too.

Kim Yong Nam Greets Bangladeshi President

     Pyongyang, March 25 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, Friday sent a message of greetings to Iajuddin Ahmed, president of Bangladesh, on the occasion of the 34th anniversary of its independence. Expressing belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would grow stronger, the message sincerely wished the president great success in his responsible work for the happiness and prosperity of the Bangladeshi people.

Greetings to Bangladeshi Prime Minister

     Pyongyang, March 25 (KCNA) -- Pak Pong Ju, premier of the DPRK Cabinet, sent a message of greetings to Khaleda Zia, prime minister of Bangladesh, on the occasion of the 34th anniversary of its independence. The message expressed belief that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries would grow stronger in conformity with the mutual interests and sincerely wished the government and people of Bangladesh progress and well-being.
    Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun sent a similar message to his Bangladeshi counterpart M. Morshed Khan.

NDFSK to Be Renamed AINDF

     Pyongyang, March 25 (KCNA) -- It was decided to rename the National Democratic Front of south Korea (NDFSK) the Anti-imperialist National Democratic Front (AINDF) taking into consideration the reality in which many organizations for independence and reunification against foreign forces have been active and the anti-U.S. and anti-Japanese movement of the people from all walks of life has developed at a higher stage as required by the era of reunification in the idea of "By our nation itself" since the publication of the June 15 joint declaration. This is noted in a press release on the enlarged meeting of the Presidium of the NDFSK Central Committee on March 24, according to the Internet site of Kuguk Jonson.
    Pointing out that the enlarged meeting was held in Seoul on Mar. 23, the press release said it decided to call the Pyongyang Mission of the NDFSK the Pyongyang Mission of the Anti-imperialist National Democratic Front and the mission of the NDFSK in Japan the mission of the AINDF in Japan in accordance with the measure for its development. The press release further said: The enlarged meeting unanimously recognized that the renaming of the front is a just measure reflecting the ardent aspiration and desire of the Korean people to put an end to the U.S. domination and subjugation, establish national sovereignty and live in a reunified country.
    The meeting decided to officially use the new name from March 23, Juche 94 (2005), and inform all the solidarity bodies and organizations at home and abroad of this.

Football Match Held between DPRK and Bahraini Teams

     Pyongyang, March 25 (KCNA) -- A football match between the DPRK and the Bahraini teams took place at Kim Il Sung Stadium in Pyongyang Friday for the 18th World Cup Asian regional qualifier. The Bahraini team won the match 2-1.

For Spanish-speaking people

Comite preparatorio de coreanos en Rusia por Dia del Sol

     Pyongyang, 25 de marzo (ATCC) -- Quedo constituido el dia 16 el Comite Preparatorio de la Asociacion Central de los Coreanos Residentes en Rusia por el Dia del Sol (15 de abril, cumpleanos del Presidente Kim Il Sung). Como presidente y vicepresidente del Comite fueron electos el presidente y el primer vicepresidente de la citada Asociacion Ju Hui Chol y Jang Sun Jong, respectivamente. El Comite decidio organizar acto conmemorativo, reunion de recordacion, proyeccion filmica, conferencia, exhibicion de fotos y libros y otras actividades y editar una extra del boletin.

Francia: Comite Preparatorio por el Dia del Sol

     Pyongyang, 25 de marzo (ATCC) -- El Comite Preparatorio por el Dia del Sol quedo constituido el dia 15 en la Asociacion de Amistad Franco-Coreana (AAFC). Como presidente del Comite fue electo el presidente representante de la AAFC y como vicepresidentes, el secretario general del Comite Internacional de Enlace por la Reunificacion y la Paz en Corea y el secretario general de dicha asociacion.
    El Comite definio hasta el 20 de abril como un periodo de conmemoracion y decidio organizar mitin, exhibicion de fotos y otras variadas actividades.

Se manifiesta patriotismo del pueblo en plantacion de arboles

     Pyongyang, 25 de marzo (ATCC) -- La plantacion de arboles de la primavera en Corea esta en su plenitud. Todos los habitantes del pais, que van desde los alumnos de las primarias hasta los ancianos, toman parte en esta labor dando pruebas de su espiritu patriotico.
    El pasado Dia de Reforestacion, los trabajadores, jovenes y ninos escolares del pais plantaron mas de 5 millones de arboles de buenas especies en los lugares historicos de la revolucion donde estan impregnadas las hazanas de direccion de los grandes hombres sin iguales, los recintos de organismos importantes y las montanas.
    Los trabajadores de la provincia de Jagang encauzaron gran fuerza a la cria de posturas de arboles de buenas especies para convertir las montanas en "tesoros".
    Los habitantes de la ciudad de Huichon de esta provincia trasplantaron mas de 2 millones 600 mil unidades de acacia, alerce y pino pinonero cultivados en 10 hectareas de viveros.
    Las provincias de Hwanghae del Norte y del Sur realizan la reforestacion conforme a sus peculiaridades zonales.
    El distrito de Koksan desarrolla la labor de ensanchar en mas de 0, 5 m la anchura de la arboleda de rompevientos de mas de 450 ri (10 ri equivalen a 4 km) y de aumentar el numero de arboles por hectarea en toda su extension.
    El distrito de Sinphyong, que sirve de ejemplo a todo el pais en el cultivo de caqui y albaricoque como arboles frutales de jardin, crio y envio mas de 15 mil posturas de estos arboles a varias localidades y todas las viviendas de granjas de este distrito tienen mas de 5 arboles frutales.
    El distrito de Ongjin, con el fin de crear una arboleda ornamental, planta mas de 30 mil paulonias y en las comunas se desarrolla la labor para formar una hectarea de bosque de arboles para combustible por unidad familiar. Los trabajadores de las provincias de Hamgyong del Sur, Kangwon, Phyong-an del Sur y las demas localidades se dedican con abnegacion a la reforestacion par legar mas riquezas a las generaciones venideras.
    Se hace realidad por el fervor patriotico de todo el pueblo el proposito del Partido del Trabajo de Corea sobre la repoblacion forestal.