South African Preparatory Committee Formed

     Pyongyang, August 5 (KCNA) -- A South African preparatory committee for celebrating the 60th anniversaries of the liberation of Korea and the Workers' Party of Korea was inaugurated on August 1. Juda Tsootetsi, chairman of the South African Association of Friendship and Solidarity with the Korean People, speaking at the inaugural ceremony, said that the preparatory committee would give wide publicity to the personalities of President Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il as the great men born of Heaven and their undying feats and conduct diverse activities for supporting the just struggle of the Korean people to reunify the country and defend the sovereignty of the nation.
    The chairman of the association was elected chairman of the preparatory committee at the ceremony.
    The preparatory committee set the days from August 1 to October 10 as a period of celebrations and decided to hold multifarious functions including a meeting and a lecture during the period.

Information Bulletins Issued in Nepal and Democratic Congo

     Pyongyang, August 5 (KCNA) -- A special information bulletin titled "President Kim Il Sung brought resurrection to the Korean nation" was issued by the Nepal-Korea Friendship Association on July 22 on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Korea. The forthcoming August 15 is the day marking the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Korea, the bulletin said, adding that greeting this day the Korean people recall with deep emotion the feats Kim Il Sung performed by bringing about the national resurrection.
    Kim Il Sung was the benefactor who brought the national resurrection to the Korean people by enabling them to greet the dawn of the country's liberation from the dark colonial rule of Japanese imperialism, it noted, and went on:
    At the age of 13 Kim Il Sung left Korea and embarked upon the road of struggle for the liberation of the country after firmly resolving not to return home unless Korea becomes independent and founded the Juche idea that man is the master of everything and decides everything.
    The Korean people who were subject to the colonial slavery as a weak nation in the past are now widely known as the people of great Songun Korea which goes by the august names of Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il.
    Meanwhile, the People' Rally for Socialism of Democratic Congo issued an information bulletin titled "Kim Il Sung, benevolent liberator of Korea" on July 2

Equatorial Guinean Preparatory Committee Inaugurated

     Pyongyang, August 5 (KCNA) -- An Equatorial Guinean preparatory committee for celebrating the 60th anniversaries of the Workers' Party of Korea and the liberation of Korea was inaugurated with due ceremony at the building of the Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea on August 1. Attending there were the minister for envoys of the presidential office who is a member of the National Council of the party and special advisor on the political and election issues of the national office of the party, the first deputy general secretary and a vice-director of the International Department of the party and high-ranking officials of the party and the government.
    Alejandro Evuna Owono, minister for envoys of the presidential office was elected chairman of the preparatory committee at the ceremony.
    The preparatory committee set the days from August 1 to 15 as a period for celebrating the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Korea and the days from September 15 to October 10 as a period for celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea and decided to organize a seminar, a lecture and other colorful political and cultural functions during the period.

Korean People's Victory in War Observed in India and France

     Pyongyang, August 5 (KCNA) -- An opening ceremony of the anti-U.S., anti-war fine art exhibition and a DPRK photo exhibition took place in New Delhi on July 27 on the occasion of the 52nd anniversary of the victory in the great Fatherland Liberation War under the sponsorship of the All-India Agricultural Workers' Union. On display in the venue of the opening ceremony were a photograph of President Kim Il Sung waving to the participants in the military parade and a photograph of leader Kim Jong Il standing on the tribune of honor of the military parade celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Korean People's Army.
    Also on display there were paintings on the themes of anti-U.S., anti-war and peace done by Indian artists, materials on the struggle waged by fighters of the KPA and the Korean people during the war and the crimes committed by the U.S. imperialists and photos of the soldiers and people of the DPRK working hard to build a great prosperous powerful socialist nation.
    Suneet Chopra, member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) and concurrently joint secretary of the All-India Agricultural Workers' Union, in his speech said:
    The Korean people have stood in confrontation with the United States styling itself the "only superpower" of the world while waging a revolutionary struggle on the principle of self-reliance under the leadership of Kim Il Sung, a great revolutionary and a peerless patriot.
    What is important here is that the Korean people started the U.S. on the downhill. After suffering a defeat in Korea, the U.S. imperialists sustained setbacks in Cuba and Vietnam, too, and are repudiated and denounced in various parts of the world. Under the Songun revolutionary leadership of Kim Jong Il the Korean people are standing on the forefront of the international anti-U.S., anti-war struggle.
    Meanwhile, a film show took place in France on July 25 on the occasion of the month of international solidarity with the Korean people under the sponsorship of the International Association of Democratic Lawyers supporting the June 15 joint declaration.
    A Korean film "Koreans Hands in Hands" was screened at the film show.
    After watching the film, officials of the association resolved to conduct more positive activities for supporting and encouraging the reunification of Korea in keeping with the favorably improving relations between the north and the south of Korea.

Declaration on National Independence and Peace Published

     Pyongyang, August 5 (KCNA) -- At least 60 personages from all walks of life in south Korea including Han Sang Ryol, permanent representative chairman of the Reunification Solidarity, Jong Kwang Hun, permanent representative of the People's Solidarity of south Korea, Ri Su Ho, chairman of the south Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, Jong Hyon Baek, co-representative of the south Korean Federation of Women's Organizations, reportedly held a press conference in Seoul on August 1 at which they published a declaration on national independence and peace. Over the last 60 years the Koreans have been forced to live separated by foreign forces, undergoing the tragedy of division, the declaration said, and went on:
    The publication of the June 15 joint declaration enabled the Koreans to take a stride forward towards reconciliation and cooperation. Distrust and confrontation should not be allowed to go on any longer.
    It is necessary to terminate the unequal south Korea-U.S. relations, retake the independence of the nation in order to build a new society free from the U.S. forces. In order to ensure lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula, it is imperative to replace the state of armistice by a durable peace mechanism.

Vanguard for Reunification Formed in S. Korea

     Pyongyang, August 5 (KCNA) -- An inaugural ceremony of the vanguard for reunification of the South Headquarters of the National Alliance of Youth and Students for the Country's Reunification was reportedly held in front of the U.S. embassy in Seoul on August 2. The vanguard said it would participate in the "Paektu-Halla grand march for national reunification" sponsored by the south side's preparatory committee of joint functions of Koreans in the south, the north and overseas for the implementation of the June 15 joint declaration to hold reunification functions while marching throughout south Korea from August 3 to 13.
    It declared that it would hold a rally to get the U.S. forces withdrawn from south Korea in front of the U.S. military bases in Pusan, Kwangju, Phyongthaek and other places and conduct activities informing the people of the justness of the actions demanding the withdrawal of the U.S. forces and, at the same time, wage a signature campaign and the struggle to have the statue of McArthur pulled down.
    At the inaugural ceremony speakers called for driving the U.S. forces, the root cause of all evils, an arch strangler and the hotbed of crimes, out of south Korea at any cost and make this year a year of independent reunification by the concerted efforts of the Koreans.
    At the end of the ceremony at least 500 members of the reunification vanguard waged a fierce fight with the riot police and handed a message of warning addressed to the U.S. forces in south Korea to the U.S. embassy side.
    The members of the vanguard staged a sit-in strike in front of the U.S. embassy, chanting "Peace against war, pullback of the U.S. forces", "End to the presence of the U.S. forces" and other slogans.

Birthday of Fidel Castro Ruz Celebrated

     Pyongyang, August 5 (KCNA) -- A meeting was held at the Korea-Cuba Friendship Pyongyang Textile Machine Factory on August 4 to celebrate the 79th birthday of Fidel Castro Ruz, first secretary of the C.C., the Communist Party of Cuba, president of the Council of State and president of the Council of Ministers of Cuba. Present on invitation were Charge d'Affaires Caridad Adela Galan Pelegrino and staff members of the Cuban embassy here.
    Jon Hyon Chan, vice-chairman of the Korean Committee for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries and vice-chairman of the Korea-Cuba Solidarity Committee, officials concerned and officials and employees of the factory were on hand.
    Speeches were made at the meeting.

Start of Grand March for National Reunification Declared

     Pyongyang, August 5 (KCNA) -- The south side's preparatory committee for the joint functions of Koreans in the south, the north and overseas to implement the June 15 joint declaration reportedly held a meeting for declaring the start of the "Paektu-Halla grand march for national reunification" in Seoul on August 3. The grand march is intended for ensuring the success of the "August 15 grand national festival for independence, peace and reunification" to be held in Seoul from August 14 to 17. Attending it will be at least 1,600 members of civic and public organizations and students.
    The group of marchers consists of reunification vanguards from the circles of workers, educationists, peasants and youth and students and public organizations.
    The grand marchers group, divided into the east and west teams, will hold colorful functions, giving momentum to the movement for reunification throughout south Korea.

Multi-purpose Water-Purifying Material Developed in DPRK

     Pyongyang, August 5 (KCNA) -- Researchers of the Chemical Faculty of Kim Il Sung University have developed versatile water-purifying material. The material can quickly remove slime, microbes, organic matters and even various kinds of heavy metal and radioactive elements in large quantities of water.
    The existing materials can purify only 0.1 cubic meter of water per hour but the new one more than 50 cubic meters. And it can clear not only drinking water but also water for various uses.
    It removes 98% of slime, 90% of microbes and 75% of organic matters in water. And it increases output in a less production area while saving expensive water-purifying reagent.
    The material, made with natural zeolite rich in the country, won the top prize in the 20th National Scientific and Technological Festival.

Rason Hospital Opens

     Pyongyang, August 5 (KCNA) -- The Rason International Catholic Hospital has been built in Rason, an economic and trade zone of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. It is a general medical service center donated by the International Cooperation of Catholic Medical Service (ICCMS) from the humanitarian purpose of helping promote the health of citizens.
    The hospital, with an area of 25,000 square meters and a total floor space of 8,000 square meters, is situated on a scenic beach in Anju-dong of the city.
    It, equipped with modern facilities for diagnosis, operation and first aid, has surgical, medical, pediatric and other departments and a sick ward. The ICCMS has also rendered a large quantity of medicines to the hospital. A monument was erected in the front yard of the hospital to convey the donation of the medical service center by the ICCMS.
    The opening ceremony took place on August 5.
    Participating in the ceremony were Chairman of the DPRK Committee for the Promotion of External Economic Cooperation Paek Hyon Bong, Vice-Minister of Public Health Choe Chang Sik, officials concerned and working people in Rason.
    On hand were Dr. Wolf Werner Johann, president of the ICCMS, and its members. The ceremony was addressed by Chairman of the City People's Committee Kim Su Yol. Congratulatory speeches were made by Paek Hyon Bong and Wolf Werner Johann. After the ceremony, the participants went round the hospital.

Dynamic Struggle for Independence Called for

     Pyongyang, August 5 (KCNA) -- It is impossible for the people to ensure peace and promote social progress and independent development in peace as long as the present unequal and old international order persists to let the strong suppress the weak and lord it over the world as it pleases, says Rodong Sinmun Friday in a signed article. Advocating independence is a fundamental requirement for establishing a new and fair international order and ensuring global peace, the article notes, and continues: Respect for independence serves as a basis for building a new and fair international order. The relations of distrust and confrontation existing among countries can be terminated only when they respect one another and preserve equal relations on the principle of independence. Respect for independence is a fundamental requirement and the best way for promoting reconciliation, unity and friendship and establishing a new and fair international order among countries and nations.
    Respect for independence is essential for ensuring global peace and chiefly guarantees it. Historical facts go to prove that world can be thrown into uncontrollable confusion and chaos and it cannot escape a war if individual countries are allowed to exercise any privilege away from the principle of respect for independence and the principle of impartiality is violated in the international relations.
    In order to establish a new and fair international order and ensure global peace in the new century it is necessary for each country to maintain independence in relations with other countries.
    The Workers' Party of Korea and the Korean people have firmly maintained independence in the whole course of the revolution and construction and victoriously advanced the cause of socialism. As a result, the DPRK is demonstrating its might and dignity as a powerful socialist state, independent in politics, self-supporting in economy and self-reliant in national defence. Its Songun policy is a successful application of its independent line and a most vivid expression of independent politics. The Korean people will wage a dynamic struggle to protect independence in the international arena under the uplifted banner of Songun, the banner of independence, and thus positively contribute to establishing a new and fair international order and ensuring global peace in the new century.

Congratulations to Hungarian President

     Pyongyang, August 5 (KCNA) -- Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, today sent a congratulatory message to Laszlo Solyom on his election as president of Hungary. The message sincerely wished the Hungarian president great success in his responsible work for the prosperity and the socio-economic progress of the country.

For Spanish-speaking people

Soberania es requisito fundamental para nuevo orden internacional

    @Pyongyang, 5 de agosto (ATCC) -- Mientras persiste el desigual y caduco orden internacional bajo el cual los fuertes se ponen por encima de los debiles y dominan el mundo a su capricho, no se puede preservar la paz ni lograr el progreso social y el desarrollo independiente de los pueblos. Asi senala el diario Rodong Sinmun en un articulo individual publicado en su edicion del dia 5 y continua:
    Defender la soberania es un requisito fundamental para el establecimiento de un nuevo y equitativo orden internacional y la preservacion de la paz mundial.
    Pues, el respeto a la soberania es la base para el establecimiento de este orden. La desconfianza y el antagonismo entre los paises se eliminaran solo cuando estos se respeten y mantengan relaciones de igualdad en el principio de la independencia. Por esta razon, el respeto a la soberania deviene el mejor remedio para promover la armonia, la unidad y la amistad entre los paises y naciones y establecer el nuevo y equitativo orden internacional. Ademas, deviene el requisito indispensable y garantia importante para preservar la paz mundial.
    Los hechos historicos demuestran que si algunos paises desviados del principio de respeto a la soberania actuan privilegiadamente y a causa de ello, se quiebra la imparcialidad en las relaciones internacionales, el mundo caera en un caos y desorden irremediables y seran inevitables las guerras.
    Para implantar un nuevo e imparcial orden internacional en el nuevo siglo y preservar la paz mundial, todos los paises deben mantener firmemente la independencia en las relaciones internacionales.
    Durante todo el curso de la revolucion y la construccion, el partido y el pueblo de Corea impulsaron victoriosamente la causa del socialismo manteniendo firmemente el espiritu independiente. Y como resultado, hoy dia, Corea exalta a todo el mundo su poderio y dignidad de potencia socialista independiente, auto-sostenida y autodefensiva. La politica de Songun (priorizacion militar) de Corea es la materializacion brillante de la linea independiente y la expresion suprema de la politica independiente. En lo adelante tambien el pueblo coreano hara activo aporte a implantar un nuevo e imparcial orden internacional y preservar la paz mundial en el nuevo siglo al librar con dinamismo la lucha por mantener la independencia en la arena internacional con la bandera del Songun, la de la independencia en alto.

Obreros coreanos festejan cumpleanos de Fidel Castro Ruz

    @Pyongyang, 5 de agosto (ATCC) -- Tuvo lugar el dia 4 en la Fabrica de Maquinas Textiles Amistad Corea-Cuba de Pyongyang un mitin en homenaje al 79 aniversario del nacimiento de Fidel Castro Ruz, primer Secretario del Comite Central del Partido Comunista de Cuba y Presidente de los Consejos de Estado y de Ministros de la Republica de Cuba. Fueron invitados al conclave la encargada de negocios a.i., Caridad Adela Galan Pelegrino, y otros miembros de la embajada cubana en Corea.
    Asistieron el vicepresidente del Comite de Relaciones Culturales con el Extranjero y vicetitular del Comite de Solidaridad Corea-Cuba, Jon Hyon Chan, y otros funcionarios, directivos y empleados de la fabrica. En el acto hubo intervenciones.